Castro

Castro came to fruition after recording a self-titled debut EP with Sean Guerin (of De Lux) at R2 Rehearsal Studios in North Hollywood. The result was a blatant salute to “post-punk and new romanticism” and their forthcoming sophomore EP, Peppermint Days, may be a sequel to their signature sound –but judging by its superb leaked tracks (such as “Tricks”) it’ll be more buoyant with indie rock alacrity. - Free Bike Valet

Peppermint Days is a song about limbo: a temporary state of uneasiness that most encounter when going through a transitional phase in life. In an ironic twist, the song became a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy for the band, who spent the better part of six months writing and recording new material with a variety of producers and engineers around LA, unsure of what the future may be.

For Castro, most of 2015 was spent in “Peppermint Days” – creative restlessness in a state of suspension. Inevitably, the song wound up being self-produced and engineered by Castro drummer, Brendan McCusker. The band reached out to friend and fellow creative comrade, Diego Hurtado De Mendoza, to direct the music video. Mendoza’s video expounds upon the idea of emotional uncertainty through the narrative of a girl (Marina Jamieson) who is lost, spending her time wandering – spiritually, psychologically, and physically – through the east side of LA. - Kick Kick Snare

Young L.A. quartet Castro makes music that unapologetically references the dark romanticism of the U.K. post-punk and new wave bands of the 1980s. They debuted last summer with an EP produced by Sean Guerin (De Lux), and now Castro — singer-guitarists Vincent Venturella and Jack Guimon, bassist Eric Hehr and drummer Brendan McCusker — return with a digital single early next month. “Peppermint Days” (with the B-side “Tricks” to follow), was engineered and produced by McCusker, and the song’s reverberated, angular guitars and chugging bass serve the single’s overriding restlessness. Fans of artists like the Psychedelic Furs will find that Castro’s new music fits like that old pair of black jeans. - Buzzbands.LA

Castro are a trio of transplants who first began writing and recording together at a rehearsal space in Glassell Park. After sharing a likeminded sonic vision, the band quickly began recording a number of songs that would eventually become their first EP, Castro EP, a brisk ten minutes of smoothly layered new wave that relishes the more jaunty, tuneful side of eighties bands like The Cure. The track that kicks off the EP, "Why Don't You Find Out?", sparkles with a nimble hook that's all the more slick with the heavily-affected vocal delivery of singer Vincent Venturella. There's been a good amount of bands that have given new life to the eighties in the past few years, specifically revisionist-leaning labels like Captured Tracks, but Castro mostly keep things simple by focusing on keeping the songs light and the melodies laser-sharp instead of drowning them with scuzzy reverb. - The Deli

Only a few months old, Castro takes its cues from '80s new wave/post punk bands. It would be easy to think the material and guitar tones were New Order outtakes. - Time Out LA

The forthcoming debut EP from Castro will send you diving into the back of your closet for that old black jacket, if you were present during the heyday of the post-punk/New Wave movement that the L.A. quartet mines so deliciously. The band came together only a few months ago, with singer-guitarists Vincent Venturella and Jack Guimon having moved to L.A. from New York and Chicago, respectively. Bassist Eric Hehr later followed his high school pal Guimon to L.A., and then Maryland native Brendan McCusker signed on as drummer. With bands like the Cure as their ultimate reference point, Castro convened in the studio with producer/engineer Sean Guerin of L.A. dance-punk newbies De Lux. The resulting recordings capture the dark romanticism of the ’80s, played out as it often was to propulsive rock songs. And, by the way, Castro’s “You Can Be the Only One” works pretty well when Playmates dance to it. - Buzzbands.LA

The band consists of Vincent Venturella on guitar and vocals, Jack Guimon on guitar and vocals, Eric Hehr on bass and Brendan McCusker on drums. Venturella’s voice kind of reminded me of Ian McCulloch of Echo and the Bunnymen. If you like the new wave and post punk genres, Castro are definitely worth checking out. Be sure to give their music a listen on Soundcloud. Their song “Why Don’t You Find Out” is pretty addictive. - Grimy Goods