Vanaprasta: Local Band We Love

Vanaprasta by Nick Walker

I saw Vanaprasta do a live taping for a TV show and was blown away by their performance. A few weeks later, I saw them at the Satellite and the audience was just as enthusiastic.

Vanaprasta’s debut album “Healthy Geometry”came out last November, and it presents yet another niche of the growing Los Angeles indie rock scene. The band unleashes catchy, anthemic tunes throughout, creating a melodic sound that borrows heavily from elements of classic rock.

Stream “Self Indulgent Feeling“:

Track “G-” begins with a looping bass and drum hook that channels the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, then explodes into a series of crunchy guitar hooks and howling vocals. The band toys with prog rock, but they also achieve variety with their fair share of slower ballads that feature more atmospheric elements. They even stretch into pop territory: on “Self Indulgent Feeling,” guitar picking and piano build up to a pulsing beat complete with handclaps and synth lines that recall 80’s glam rock.

They are starting their new tour beginning this month and will be here in Los Angeles at the Bootleg Theater on March 9.

— Jason Kramer