Sea Level Records
Favorite record store? In LA, my favorite spot is easily Sea Level Records on Sunset 
in Echo Park. When I first moved here in 1997 I frequented Aron’s Records on La Brea and Rhino Records on Westwood, but neither of them ever had anything I was looking for. Rhino was better because they would at least have something worth buying and the staff was friendly enough, but Aron’s was such a hole. They had so much room, yet nothing worth buying. The staff was surly and hateful and they only ever played reggae. I used to take a list of about 20 albums that I wanted, but was lucky to find 1 or 2.
Then
Mouserocket*
One of my favorite albums from last year was the self-titled debut from Mouserocket. The album actually came out in 2004, but it didn't appear on my radar until last year when I followed a link to a track on…
Ssssssuper Sssssynth (like Ssssssixteen Candlessss)?
I really want to spell their name Mi Hijo Plaza because they are an LA-based band and it sounds so quintessentially Angeleno when spelled that way, but, alas, the proper spelling is Meho Plaza: a fantastic band getting a lot…