Fool's Gold

Western pop sensibility meets African melody and rhythm in Los Angeles collective Fool's Gold frenetic yet soulful collection of songs on their 2009 self-titled debut. Drawing inspiration from wide-ranging sources like Congolese and Malian music, kraut-rock, Motown soul, and modern indie-rock, the result is a danceable collage of sounds new and old, foreign and familiar. Sharing one another's eclectic tastes, vocalist and bassist Luke Top and lead guitarist Lewis Pesacov formed the group first as a side-project, but it quickly grew to a troupe of eleven. Now a tight, colorful flurry of strings, brass, wind and percussion, the group's explosive live performance has earned them touring spots alongside the diverse company of Cat Power, Local Natives and a Senegalese kora master Youssoupha Sidibe.