The Lovely Bad Things
The Southern California punk scene that bubbled up in the late 1970s with the likes of Agent Orange and The Germs hasn’t stopped churning. It continues to produce noteworthy bands at a clip that might not have any regional equal, anywhere, over the last three and a half decades.
The Lovely Bad Things, formed in Orange County in 2009, are busy extending that run. Their fresh, energized sound and spirit owe something to the native surroundings, but more to the rapport of Brayden Ward, brother Camron Ward, and bandmates Tim Hatch and Lauren Curtius.
Much is made of their affinity for the Pixies, and the weird beauty of that foundational Boston band is an influence The Lovely Bad Things embrace openly, without fuss or pretense. Besides, if they’re borrowing, it’s only reciprocal, since the Pixies’ own taste in music often skewed west, toward surf rock and co-ed vocals.
The Lovely Bad Things are just as firmly rooted in the pop-wise punk that’s been pouring out of their own backyard since the days of the Descendents and Redd Kross.
But to dwell on the antecedents is to miss the forward-looking — which is not to say “sunny” — feel of The Lovely Bad Things’ work, whether it’s the brink-of-breakup throwdown “Space Waste” or the combined blitz of melody and squall of “Hear or Anywhere,”
The band’s bracing 2014 debut album, “The Late Great Whatever,” is a catalogue of musical and cultural references running far and wide, from Star Wars to Sonic Youth. It’s also promising enough to demand a follow-up and prompt inquiries about a sophomore record.
On the road, The Lovely Bad Things have amassed an enviable set of gig credits and festival appearances. Their stage appeal is bolstered by an innate likability, and live performances in which these four able multi-taskers switch instruments and musical parts without dropping a beat. With all of the calamities befalling Southern California, there’s something reassuring in a West Coast punk scene that still bears listening to and talking about.
The Lovely Bad Things open for Best Coast on Thursday, Sept. 10 at Grand Central. Showtime is 8pm. Advance tickets $20-25 at epoplife.com.
~ Sean Piccoli
