The Internet may be playing the executioner's role in the inevitable downfall of the record industry, but the era of unknown bands forever remaining unknown without major-label backing is downright extinct. MySpace in particular has gone from a vanity-driven social phenomenon to a music-lover's (and music writer's) dream. Millions (with more joining every day) of musical groups from all over the world provide instant aural gratification at your grubby little fingertips. Labels, schmables.
The only downside is not always being able to find the song you want; many artists put up just a mere fraction of their creative catalog. Guilty of this are the members of Fullerton band DiGiTs, who tease with just three songs of their eerie yet shagadelic garage rock—think New York Dolls fronted by Lou Reed with a healthy dose of Bauhaus and a smidge of the Jesus and Mary Chain. Vocalist/guitarist Felipe “Joshua” Gutierrez has the swaggering drone down to a skillfully honed art form, while bassist Miguel Gomez creates effortlessly foreboding bass lines, especially on the track “Japs,” that embrace the dark and mysterious but don't quite hit the Gothic. With help from DiGiTs' other guitarist, Jose Bacilio, “Billy” becomes both a wry social commentary and a damn-catchy gem, clocking in at just more than two minutes. Drummer Nelson Rodriguez adds a stable element to DiGiTs' sound by keeping the beats crisp and clean.
With just a six-song EP under their belt, the band celebrated the release of their first full-length, The DiGiTs Story, on Dec. 21. Maybe now they'll add more songs to their MySpace.
For more information, go to www.myspace.com/digits.
DiGiTs play with the Primos, the Adapted and No Paws No Lions at Pehrspace, 325 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 483-7347; www.pehrspace.org. Fri., 8 p.m. $5.
Attention Orange County/Long Beach musicians and bands! Mail your music, along with your vital contact info and a decent high-resolution photo (plus any impending performance dates) for possible review to: Locals Only, OC Weekly, 1666 N. Main St., Ste. 500, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Or just be lazy and e-mail your MySpace link to ds****@oc******.com.
