GO WEST YOUNG MAN @ echo

buzzbandsFeb23flyer

Glacier Hiking’s glossy, adrenaline-pumping pop-rock has been a work-in-progress for about four years now. Collaborators Ross Golan and Tommy Walter, when not busy on other projects (Golan as a songwriter-for-hire and Walter as a writer/producer), last year scrapped a plan to release an EP every three months in favor of finishing a full-length album with producer/mixer Neal Avron, who has worked with Yellowcard, Fall Out Boy, Say Anything and New Found Glory, among others.

“We feel we’ve finally found our voice,” says Golan, whose quartet also includes drummer Daniel James and bassist Yutaka Sao. “We’ve gone through a lot of phases. … But now we’ve worked hard at writing fresh music that we think represents who we are.”

Haim’s sister act started generating buzz last year when the quintet — which includes Haim siblings Este, 23, Danielle, 20, and Alana, 18, along with Alex Fischel and Jeff Conrad — started bringing its classic take on rock to local clubs. Danielle spent part of the year as a touring member of Jenny Lewis’ band, and then Julian Casablancas’ band. Haim (Hi-EEM) has been writing new material and getting a bit of weekend studio time with producer Tony Berg.

Kitten’s urgent indie-pop sounds a bit like early Metric (if you remember what Metric sounded like in its L.A. days), with 15-year-old Chloe Chaidez’s breathy vocals (she’s an admirer of both Karen O and Cat Power) striking a balance between vulnerable and worldly.

Go West Young Man’s self-titled 2009 album, all too deplorably overlooked, is full of sticky melodies and bright imagery, showing off multi-instrumentalist Damin Suarez’s slick pop songwriting chops.

- Buzz Bands LA

RSVP at buzzbands(at)gmail(dot)com

8:30pm / $5 with RSVP, $8 without / 18+

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