By EDUARDO LOPEZ-LARMO
The latest release by DJ Lubel has many of his staunchest critics taking a second look. Women of L.A. was released with little fanfare on YouTube. Women includes the fuller production of In The Wrong Hole and some of Lubel's more recent work. This means drum machines, background vocals, overdubs and all sorts of mayhem – a true phantasmagoria of sound. Lubel even raps through a bridge mugging and posing like a true “gangsta.”
Indeed, Women should signal to Lubel followers that he will not be returning to his original folksy acoustic arrangement anytime soon. Rock critic and former MTV VJ Tim Hicks said that many die hard Lubel fans have become near riotous much like Bob Dylan fans when the folk artist turned rock star in 1968.
Like Dylan, however, Lubel likely will succeed in expanding his fan base by going high production and moving beyond acoustic. Women’s lyrics retain Lubel’s signature self-depracation channeled from Woody Allen. Now, though, he has a target in his sights – L.A. women. And he lands a blow that will rock the ladies from El Segundo to Calabassas. Lubel calls them out one by one: “West Hollywood girls from the east coast,” “Persian girls at from the Beverly,” and “hipster girls from Silver Lake” all take some serious fire. The quips are too precious to spoil, so rock fans should hear them for themselves.
Lubel’s transformation will not please all his old East Coast fans, but like a “rolling stone” his assault on YouTube and beyond shall gather no moss.
See Women of L.A. for yourself here: