Some very sad news tonight. One of my favorite Eastside L.A. bands, The Deadly Syndrome have called it quits (band announcement). As I just reported in my ‘infamous roundup’ of those marvelous bands of Silver Lake, Echo Park and surrounding areas, The Deadly Syndrome released their third full length album last year, All In Time, and I was looking forward to seeing what they had planned for 2013, and especially if they’d be (finally) touring on the East Coast. Alas, that wasn’t to be.
However, rather than mourn, let’s celebrate the great music they gave us. Some of my personal favorites from their debut album The Ortolan were “Wolves in the Garden,” “Eucalyptus” and “Animals Wearing Clothes.” As for their follow-up, Nolens Volens, I named it as a favorite in the Ryan’s Smashing Life 2010 Album Buyers Guide. What I said was this: “Quirky, fun and folky on their debut, The Deadly Syndrome dips into more adventurous (though still melodic) waters and pushes their sound into new places. Lyrically there’s an increased self-awareness and edgier quality that shows a band in transitional growth.” On “All In Time,” they were still pushing boundaries and trying new things, not content to rehash previous successes.
It’s been a supreme challenge to see my beloved Eastside L.A. bands in the flesh, though I’ve been very fortunate, considering the 3,000 mile chasm. I had the great pleasure of seeing The Deadly Syndrome—along with The Union Line and Earlimart—at a curious little venue in the oft-maligned Orange Country, the Slide Bar in Fullerton (Bostonians, it would be analogous to seeing an Allston band performing in Saugus).
As I don’t see “The Ortolan” on their bandcamp, I’ll leave you with their latest. I’m sure they had their reasons not to include it. They probably just wanted to move on. Go ahead and buy it. You’ll thank me.
To The Deadly Syndrome—thank you for being one of the three bands who played a now legendary gig at Spaceland back in December of 2008. Just hearing about that show started me on a long, wonderful musical odyssey where I would be totally knocked out by many fine bands. My very best wishes to you in all your future endeavors.
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