BUZZ BANDS

Shore’s beachhead

The record deal is signed, the album is in the can. “Now we’re just trying to get our act together,” says singer-songwriter-guitarist Ben Ashley of the L.A.-based band the Shore. That means honing the live chops at shows such as the group’s gig Saturday at Hotel Cafe and its continuing residency at the Silverlake Lounge (next show: March 9).

Ashley, a Philadelphia native, moved to Los Angeles “with a suitcase and a grand” and was taking a little musical hiatus when producer Rick Parker prodded him to see what they could do together in the studio. Pulling in guitarist Kyle Mullarky, bassist Cliff Magreta and drummer John Wilmer, who now round out the band, “the demos became ‘bigger’ songs,” says Ashley, and Parker found A&R; interest that led to a deal with Maverick. “It was blind luck,” the singer ventures, a bit too modestly. While Ashley’s biggest inspirations include such troubadours as Neil Young and Gram Parsons, songs such as “The Hard Road” and “Firefly” on the Shore’s well-crafted debut, due out in May, lean more toward sweeping Verve anthems and the lighter-flicking rock of Vertical Horizon. Says Ashley: “We’re just trying to do our thing.”

Gotham escapee

As she watched Sunday’s finale episode of “Sex and the City” -- a gushing love letter to the Big Apple -- Azalia Snail felt the heartstrings tugging. “It made me miss it,” said the singer-songwriter, who moved cross-country in late 1999 when New York seemed to be losing its charm. “I watched a lot of the places I loved fall by the wayside. ... And I needed an escape from New York. I needed less confinement.” Her psychedelic folk-pop seemed unaffected, though, and “Brazen Arrows,” the album she released two years ago, earned notice for its ethereality as well as its inventiveness. Now Snail has hooked up with horn players Brian Cassels and Peter Wulff and in May will complete work on a new album. “It’s a little more rockin’,” she says, “and it’ll sound more higher-end.” Azalia Snail opens for low-fi gods Low on Friday at the Knitting Factory and performs at Spaceland on Wednesday. Also on that Spaceland bill is Wisely, who just released “Go!” -- an album of remastered tunes from his previous albums -- on local imprint Franklin Castle.

Fast forward

Stanford alumni newsletter: Rachael Sage, a 31-year-old singer-songwriter (not to mention artist/entrepreneur/

clothing designer/chief of MPress Records), performs her edgy folk-pop Monday at the Hotel Cafe and March 6 at Kulak’s Woodshed. And Vienna Teng, 25, also a Stanford grad, backs Tuesday’s release of her sophomore album, “Warm Strangers,” with shows Wednesday at the Hotel Cafe and next Thursday at the Westwood Borders bookstore.... Actress Juliette Lewis’ rock project, Juliette and the Licks, helps Dengue Fever get its March residency started Monday night at Spaceland.

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