Oceanside, CA's salty sons The Drowning Men just wrapped up a 45 day US tour on Flogging Molly's Green 17 2011. Even though the band's sound is more Arcade Fire than the Pogues, The Drowning Men have been embraced by FM's fanbase. Taking the band one step closer to a national touring status.

There's no need to check your ears or your calendars folks. It's not 1993. However, the honest and straightforward rock that Cheap Girls brings might successfully transport some to the days when slick overproduction was unheard of and autotuned vocals were just a myth. Adam Aymor and Ian Graham started kicking around the idea of doing a new band in the fall of 2006. At first it was more talk than actual work. It wasn't until the beginning of 2007 and the addition of Ben Graham on drums that Cheap Girls began firing on all cylinders. Influenced by the Lemonheads, Superchunk, The Old 97's, Green Day, Superdrag and Samiam, they produce a sound filled with pounding drums, jangly guitars and super sweet vocal melodies that harkens back to a simpler time and place. What started as an idea of a laid-back band as an extra thing to do after work suddenly transformed itself into a national and soon to be internationally touring band. They've already managed to traverse the east coast several times, tour into the southern US for The Fest and have plans set up for a European tour in May and full US tour in the Fall. With several releases under their belt, Cheap Girls keep getting better and better. Starting out with the "Throw Fits" EP (limited to 100 and all hand numbered) that they self-released and the "Find Me a Drink Home" LP (Bermuda Mohawk, Los Diaper, Quote Unquote) released in April of 2008, Cheap Girls have already begun work on their second LP. Paper + Plastick decided that Cheap Girls were too good to pass up and will be repressing the remastered version of the "Find Me a Drink Home" LP and releasing the bands newest album which is being recorded with Rick Johnson of Bomb the Music Industry and Mustard Plug. The new album is expected to see the light of day sometime around mid 2009.

The Story of Baywood

In late 2010, fate came a-knocking for Joe Ginsberg and Jarrad Kritzstein - two young Eastside gentlemen filled to the brim with creativity, talent, and facial hair. The pair were instant friends and considered the possibility of a "separated at birth" hospital error as all took note that they could be in the same police line-up with their dark Jewish locks, black rimmed glasses, and extensive wardrobe of flannel shirts. Perhaps their connection was brought on by a shared ability to pluck away at virtually any instrument under the sun. Maybe it was their shared love of Australian accents. Regardless of the cause, both fellows felt gratitude in finding a brand new partner in crime.

Some people say when you meet your true doppleganger, the universe explodes. Luckily, this didn't happen. Instead Jarrad and Joe began a darling bromance and bonded over music, whiskey, girls, and heartbreak. While playing in Audra Mae's band, The Almighty Sound, and becoming a big, happy Silverlake family, Jarrad and Joe quickly ascended to a new level of communication thanks to some kind of shared-brain connection. It was a coded language consisting primarily of abbreviations, catchphrases, and hashtags. Verbal chatter led to music chatter so under Audra's encouragement, Joe shared some old garage band recordings with Jarrad that he had left unattended over the last year. After a quick listen in a room conveniently filled with acoustic instruments, they finished their first song "I Can Breathe Again" in just a few hours.

With inspiration so thick from wounded hearts and the buzz of meeting their creative matches, the two proceeded to write and record 5 songs in 5 hangs. They passed their music to friends and family only to receive rave reviews and inquiries as to what the band was called and when they'd be sharing their creations with the public. After some brief telepathic Jarrad-to-Joe communication they agreed it was time to become a band. As they stood on Jarrad's front stoop contemplating what to call themselves, they reflected on all the great times they'd had on Baywood street, home of Jarrad's studio and all their recording sessions. The name Baywood... yeahBAYWOOD... stuck for all the positivity and creative energy it brought the pair, and a brand new earthy, acoustic, folk pop band was born.