If you're into local music, it seems like North County's the place to be these days. Whereas you used to find neighborhoods like North Park and Golden Hill just crawling with band after band, it feels like a tectonic shift has taken place and San Diego's most virile music is now pouring out of northern boroughs like Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Oceanside.
Case in point: Noble War.
The Oceanside-based indie-rock quartet (consisting of singer/keyboardist Louis Elguera, bassist Carlos Bautista, guitarist Nic Liberatore, and drummer Jon Cadaing) released their debut album, "Orange and Blue," last year on their own label Roog Records -- an effort propelled by their collective love of groups like Tame Impala, Interpol, Pink Floyd and Yes.
And as evidenced by their brand new music video for "Weird Butterflies," Noble War has transferred those aforementioned inspirations into their own dark, minor-key style which showcases Elguera's near-monotone vocal delivery (reminiscent of Joy Division's Ian Curtis or Interpol's Paul Banks), unrelenting electric guitar leads and atmospheric synth textures.
The video, filmed and directed by fellow North County-ian Dan Watt, features the band stoically performing the nebulous song amid a night-time narrative that finds Elguera followed (and eventually confronted) by a suspicious, shadowy night-time driver -- and leaves us wondering: Is this real life?
You decide.
Roog Records presents Noble War, Nite Lapse, and Ethics at Pour House Oceanside on April 13. The show is free and starts at 9 p.m.
Dustin Lothspeich books The Merrow, plays in Diamond Lakes, and runs the music equipment-worshipping blog Gear and Loathing in San Diego. Follow his updates on Twitter or contact him directly.
