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George Hartline and the Harmless Doves EP

www.reverbnation.com/georgehartline

OC's been on a pretty steady kick of classic rock inspired bands lately--not perhaps all that surprising given that it's an easy way to contrast against the club rush--but the leader of this week's entry is originally from Alabama rather than Anaheim. If their debut EP together isn't entirely Muscle Shoals redux, it's still got a kind of roots tinge that sounds like it could be at home there as much as here. Hartline's own background first lay in solo performances and releases but the current band lineup is only a few months old and immediately adds a hearty kick to what otherwise might have been overly earnest singer/songwriter efforts.

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Free Lions
Humans EP
freelions.bandcamp.com

Nearly a year after their debut EP's release, Long Beach's Free Lions have returned with a new five song effort, with the band's moodily energetic approach intact and finding some new ways to go about their business. Kicking off with the jangling twang of "Float Like Ghosts," which suits the sunset cover art to a T, lead singer and guitarist Shayne Fee has a bit of higher pitched new wave nervousness to start with, but his deep, Lee Hazlewood-tinged speak-singing on "Come On Back" is what really grabs the attention.

Beat Blvd. is Heard Mentality's weekly review of local releases. If you're an OC musician or band with something new to offer--vinyl single, full-length album, CD, cassette--we want to hear from you! Send copies, along with any photos and PR material, to Beat Blvd., c/o OC Weekly, 2975 Red Hill Ave., Ste. 150, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. You can also e-mail digital downloads to lbose@ocweekly.com.

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Texas-to-OC transplant Soileau has made the most of his move over the past few months, settling into musical life in the county with his debut EP, The Heat, as a calling card, playing at a variety of events and venues including the Orange County Music Awards, as well as putting out a free compilation of various unreleased efforts from the past few years. But his recently released demo, "A Simple Song"--which is just that, and that's not a criticism--is his first to be recorded in OC, a classic bedroom effort (as well as, as he describes it, "the Starbucks down the street" from his house.)

Beat Blvd. is Heard Mentality's weekly review of local releases. If you're an OC musician or band with something new to offer--vinyl single, full length album, CD, cassette--we want to hear from you! Send copies, along with any photos and PR material, to Beat Blvd., c/o OC Weekly, 2975 Red Hill Ave., Suite 150, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. You can also e-mail us digital downloads at lbose@ocweekly.com.

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Jeramiah Red
Jeramiah Red EP
www.myspace.com/jeramiahredmusic

One can't knock Jeramiah Red's self-description when it comes to conciseness. They describe their influences as "WOMEN" and their sound as "ROCK AND ROLL." (If they had meant Costa Mesa's legendary The Women, that would be all the cooler.) On their self-released debut EP, the quintet serve up a rollicking if nonetheless pretty straightforward blend of blues-rock touchstones old and new.