The Bixby Knolls possess the certain kind of gritty rock ‘n’ roll swagger that only bands from LA can lay claim to, a studied, self-aware cool that doesn’t give a damn what you or anyone else thinks.  A cool that’s clearly evident in their new music video for the song “Runnin and Runnin” off their debut LP Near & Undear (out now via El Camino Media).  Shot in Joshua Tree by Steven Soria, the video premiered today on Filter.
Watch the video for “Runnin and Runnin”
Since their formation in 2009, they’ve cut their teeth on hometown shows and tours to Mexico. Their debut album was recorded at the famed Sound Factory Studios in Hollywood and produced by Joe Cadamone (The Icarus Line) and engineered by Greg Gordon (Shooter Jennings, The Dandy Warhols, Oasis).
The influence of not only 60’s Motown but also the rock ‘n’ roll of The Replacements on vocalist/guitarist Curt Barlage is obvious, as “Runnin and Runnin” is four minutes of soul-pop perfection complete with tambourines and a broad, instantly hummable chorus.  The rest of Near & Undear follows suit, from the darkly calculated gravelly whispers of “Through the Cracks” to the fuzzed out distortion of party anthem “Want It All”, the album’s 11 tracks all bear a sound that’s distinctly The Bixby Knolls’.
The band is preparing to tour the U.S. and readying an upcoming as-yet untitled EP to be released later this year.