The West takes lo-fi to the next level, creating lush harmonies and foot stomping melodies. From a faded second story bedroom in the city, they wash every note in young ideas and fresh blood, straight from the heart.

13 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Lo-Fi, FOLK: Folk-Rock

Details:
Written By Gerard Morel for "An LA Scene Magazine"

May 2, 2008

I stand in the back of The Prospector's main room (the who's who of the Long Beach scene crowd between me and the stage), watching a performance that sheds enough sweat to satisfy a stadium audience. The ragged keyboard tones and crunchy electric guitars impregnate the room, giving way to vocal harmonies at every turn. Steady break-beat drums shake the converse laces right off the feet of even the most stilted hipsters. The vocals howl at you one minute and caress you the next, articulating every thought, every whim of the mind that you dare not speak aloud. These are the trademarks of their songs. This band is young, driven, and relentless in their desire to create something lasting, controversial, and honest. They are The West.
The West began playing at local bars in their hometown of Long Beach, California in January, 2007. The bandâs musical prowess and magnetic stage presence earned them a swift rise to the venues of Hollywood. To date they have played numerous shows at famed tinsletown forums such as The Derby, The Mint, The world famous House of Blues in Hollywood, The Viper Room, and On The Rocks (at The Roxy). âWe play shows compulsively.â Wesley mentions in a matter-of-fact way during our conversation after the show, âEvery week from LA to San Francisco to San Diego to Orange County and everywhere in-between. When we started out we were obsessed with the idea of getting our music out there, and putting a face with the words, stand up for what we sing about right?! Now weâre doing it and have never felt better. Every time we go in there, we try to turn the audience into our own secret confidants in a single set.â When they are not playing live, theyâre rehearsing, and when they're not at rehearsal Wesley admits self-consciously youâd probably find him obsessing over a new song. Wesley, Denise, Dave, Chris, and David have built a band that has lasting potential; their fans are loyal, discerning, and growing with every show, often times nearing capacity in Hollywood and Long Beach.
"I put this band together two years ago when I started work on the album, but the band only existed here (pointing to his temple) at that time. I wrote furiously everyday, put the basics of the 13 tracks down, then started putting the band together; and each new member brought the song to another place, which is a beautiful thing to see.â

Their first album, âAwake & Waking Upâ is set for release in June, 2008.


-Written by Gerard Morel. Excerpt from âAn LA Scene Magazine"

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