Bart & The Bedazzled

LA’s northeast side is home to a dizzying number of independent artists and bands. One of the scene’s most distinctive sounds emanates from Bart & The Bedazzled, a group led by singer-songwriter Bart Davenport. The core lineup brings together the jangly guitars of Wayne Faler with the soul beats of drummer/percussionist Andres Renteria and the post punk bass lines of Jessica Espeleta. The four friends, united in their affection for the “Elegant 80s” sounds of Prefab Sprout and Style Council give Bart’s songs a unique esthetic evident on the Aaron M Olson produced ‘Blue Motel’ album. On their latest release Bart reconnects with The Bedazzled for a brand new AA-sided single with the highlife vibed plaintive pop of ‘People Person’ and the layered, world-dance-ish ’Cardboard Man’, featuring guest vocals by Earth Girl Helen Brown. Drum machine, hand played percussion and dubby bass blend with ultra clean guitars to form a rich context for the two singers. Newcomer band member and producer Nic Hessler fits these pieces together in seamless mixes that showcase the group’s most collaborative effort to date.