BUZZ BANDS

Free of the cubicle

Aspiring musicians can relate to Siddhartha Khosla’s story: He had a job at a wireless company, in a cubicle. “When you’re in that environment eight hours a day,” he says, “you can’t wait to rush out.”

For many months, Siddhartha (the name he goes by as the frontman of the L.A. quintet Goldspot) did exactly that -- rushed from his day job to a studio to work on the music on “Tally of the Yes Men,” the band’s debut album, due Aug. 23 on Union Records, the new imprint started by ex-Maverick executive Russ Rieger.

Pieced together over more than a year, “Yes Men” washes down its classic pop songwriting with Cure Light (and other Britpop flavors), plus subtle Indian influences. The song “Rewind,” which made the KCRW-FM (89.9) playlist, is distinguished by its xylophone -- an instrument Siddhartha bought for $20 on a trip to India two years ago.

Siddhartha, who was reared in New Jersey and began singing in a Hindu temple, found a kindred writing spirit in drummer Ramy Antoun. The band swelled to five members with singer-guitarists Derek Horst and Seth McLain and ex-Lifehouse bassist Sergio Andrade. The quintet plays tonight (with Earlimart) at the Hollywood & Highland Center and Tuesday night at the Troubadour.

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It’s quite a ride

Not to take anything away from that indoor coaster in Orange County, but L.A.-based trio Space Mtn offers some pretty cool twists of its own.

Lead singer and bassist Dina Waxman and guitarist Chris Jacks take the group across cinematic soundscapes, anchored by Waxman’s bass lines and Jacks’ surprising guitar work. They share credit for the songs, which explore relationships with a sci-fi edge.

“I write most of the songs beginning to end, on the bass by myself,” Waxman said. “Chris comes in and writes guitar parts and keyboard parts and orchestrates the strings and does a lot of the drum programming.”

The group’s debut album, “A Drawing of a Memory of a Photograph of You,” is due Sept. 6, but the track “Hovercraft” has received play on Indie 103.1.

Now it’s Autopia time. Space Mtn is on a brief drive-yourself West Coast tour that culminates Monday at the Viper Room.

“I just purchased a brand-new car, a Honda Element, and that’s what we’re gonna be touring in,” Waxman said. “There will be three of us [including new drummer Andrew Platts], and our gear. It’s gonna be squishy.”

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Fast forward

They’re not turning over new rock soil, but tell that to the kids in the mosh pit: Teenage quartet the Diffs, behind Richie Slick’s vocals, celebrated the release of its debut album on SOS Records with a set last week at the all-ages Tuesday show at the Key Club. (They open for the Circle Jerks on Friday at the Vault in Long Beach and play Sunday at the Knitting Factory.) ... The Cribs arrive at Spaceland on Wednesday -- three brothers from a Leeds suburb doing swashbuckling new-wavy punk.... Sweden’s Caesars visit the El Rey Theatre on Monday (openers the Sights and the Golden Republic add value).

-- Kevin Bronson, Frank Farrar