BUZZ BANDS

Quarter After’s time has come

No matter how you trace the connections of the members of the Quarter After, or where you follow their influences, all notes lead back to the glorious jangle of the Byrds.

Guitar-slinging, sweet-singing brothers Rob and Dominic Campanella and drummer Nelson Bragg have ties to such acts as Brian Wilson, the Tyde, Beachwood Sparks, the Wondermints and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. And although the jury’s out on whether TQA’s debut album might be another pillar in the pantheon of California psych-pop, at least the Campanellas feel they have approached it with proper reverence and infused it with necessary freshness.

“You’re stepping on hallowed ground here,” says Rob, who produced the album in his Lake Hollywood studio. “We hold the Byrds in such high esteem, and Beachwood Sparks were near and dear to me. But this is the sound that comes out of us. We hope that if this record had come out in 1970, it would hold up.”

The album, made with bassist Dave Koenig, mixed with the help of Nick Walusko and released in July on the Bird Song imprint launched by Velvet Crush/Tyde drummer Ric Menck, was a long time coming, between Campanella’s production work and band lineup changes. “I remember we were handpicked by Arthur Lee to open for him,” Rob says, “and then we didn’t do anything for a year and a half.”

But a summer tour opening for the Brian Jonestown Massacre might have given the Quarter After unexpected momentum. “We were playing sold-out shows, and to the kind of people who are typically looking for a good opening act,” Rob says. Now the band (with Victor Penalosa on bass) is on its own -- its free record release show is Friday night at the Derby.

Fast

forward

The album release show for the 88’s “Over and Over,” is tonight at the Troubadour.... L.A. metal quartet My Ruin launches a nationwide tour and celebrates next Tuesday’s release of “The Brutal Language” with a show Friday at the Whisky.... Malbec has its CD release party the same night, at the Viper Room, with Agent Sparks also on the bill.... Two buzzed-about indie acts are hitting town: the Mobius Band, from Brooklyn, brings its quirky electro-pop to the House of Blues tonight; Tom Vek, a 24-year-old art rocker from London, performs at the Echo on Friday.... Long Beach/O.C. quintet Fielding has signed to Militia Group, which will unveil the band’s first proper album (it self-released a disc last year) on Oct. 18. “Fielding” will include four songs recorded with producer Christopher Fudurich (Nada Surf).... Devics, the Dustin O’Halloran- and Sara Lov-fronted purveyors of ethereal pop, will see their next album, “Push the Heart,” released in early ’06 on Filter US Recordings.... When Melee hits the House of Blues on Oct. 23, expect the O.C. quartet to be more exuberant than usual -- they’ve been signed to Warner.... Locals Sky Parade and the Clean Prophets join Norwegian rockers the Big Bang and others next Thursday at the Derby to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief.

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-- Kevin Bronson