LOS ANGELES - The Black Angels return to Los Angeles in support of its fantastic new album, Directions to See a Ghost. L.A. haze-rockers Darker My Love are right behind them, debuting loads of new tunes from its forthcoming album, 2.
 
The two acts churned out waves of fuzzy bliss to a sold-out crowd of darkly-clad Lou Reed copycats, and ladies who love black boots and face paint. Both genders could have just returned from a Velvet Underground documentary and you wouldn't have known the difference.

Darker My Love's debut album, and louder-than-loud live assault, demonstrated the group's knack for overdriven Brit-pop tunes -- with a hint of punk velocity. The band also loves to share high volumes of distortion, but it sounds like the quintet has been bitten by the Stone Roses bug on its new material, and that's a compliment.

The new songs had swagger and -- musically -- show the maturing act utilizing melody and rhythm over noise and density. Not that these guys can't bring the crowd to its knees on a song like "Helium Heels," but it's the new jams that proved to be more interesting.

At this point there are no song titles to match the new tunes, simply because I have no idea what the new album sounds like. However, Darker My Love's latest single, "Blue Day," is a solid representation of what fans can expect on 2. You can catch the band playing more gigs in Los Angeles during the next two months.

How many Black Angels does it take to screw on a microphone? Don't answer that. After a long wait of technical difficulties (the microphone challenge), the Austin, Texas band dug-in and delivered a soaring set of spaced-out drone-rock.

Guitars hovered and buzzed while drummer Stephanie Bailey wailed away, song after foggy song. Singer Alex Maas comes off like the male equivalent of Grace Slick; his voice has a beguiling affect that is original, yet reinforces the music's darkness.

Most band's who worship at the alter of the Brian Jonestown Massacre never come off as focused and concerned about musicianship as The Black Angels do. The group is an incredibly tight unit, a sign that the outfit takes its performance seriously. The group will play The Ink-n-Iron Festival in Long Beach tonight, along with The Warlocks and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.



- Live review and photos by Scott McDonald. The Black Angels and Darker My Love played The Troubadour in West Hollywood on June 5.