Hear a New Jam from Luke Reed

Luke Reed was in one of my favorite bands, Bent Shapes; I’ve always raved about their tunes on this here site. But, now Luke seems to be focusing on solo work; he’s got a brand new track that was just released today that follows the critically acclaimed reissue of Won’t Be There. This is the sort of dreamy pop we all adore, heavy on the synth washes and vocals that seem to just hang out there in the air. It doesn’t hurt that there’s a solid groove to the track, pushing the pace through to the charming chorus. As of right now, just a one-off single, but let’s hope Luke unleashes more on us this year.

Delightful Pop from Tea Leigh and Luke Reed

It’s been a good amount of time since Tea Leigh and Luke Reed have worked together, but both have kept fairly busy on their own. That being said, their reunion leaves listeners salivating for more. Tea Leigh works her voice carefully into the picture, softly stepping her toes into the pop pool crafted by Reed. There’s this light guitar bit that prominently pokes its head out, before slinking back to let Leigh take her place at the front of the mix, keeping you drifting along. Perhaps the line “it’s never too late, you will return to me” leaves us with a hint that the two will continue their songwriting partnership…we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

Luke Reed Reissues Won’t Be There

While Luke Reed may not be a household name as of yet, you’ve likely devoured the music he’s helped craft in his other projects, Bent Shapes and Mini Dresses…I know I have. He released Won’t Be There last summer, and now the album’s getting a larger reissue via The Native Sound. It almost sounds like the track will take a folkish turn in the tones during the opening seconds, but Reed soon moves into heavenly pop territory. It reminds me of the quieter side of indiepop, the kind of pop best suited to soothing introverts…or other reflective types. Don’t sleep on this one, please; it hits this Friday.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/313341439″ params=”color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Moving Panoramas Share Texas Blues

With a new LP on the horizon, it would make sense that we’d be sharing one of those new tunes from Moving Panoramas. But, this world often makes little sense, so today you’re lucky to listen to “Texas Blues,” a brand new track the Austin outfit recorded for Walker Lukens Election Confessional and sponsored by Modern Outsider and the Texas Democratic Party; the project brings songwriters and politicians together, raising funds and awareness in the process; all tracks are being mixed by Jim Eno of Spoon. The group composed the song in a short hour after talking with Julie Nitsch (Board of Trustees Place 9) for an hour, then recording it all in an hour (3 hours tops!). Copies of the LP can be procured HERE, but let’s talk about the song. Of late, the band have filled the spaces with textured artistic flourishes, but on this number, the band allow for the track to mellow in its own vast expanse; it serves as a breeding ground for the vocal harmonies shared between Leslie Sisson and Cara Tillman. Lyrically, you get the sense that Leslie, and Julie, truly understand the plight of being a voter in Texas…apathy, anger and yet looking for that ray of hope on the distant horizon. Here’s to that, here’s to Tuesday and here’s to helping ‘us cure these Texas Blues.’

ATH @ X Games Austin 2015

ATH was invited to attend X Games and we agreed based on the strength of he local lineup that graced the big stage during the day leading up to the headliners and then on to the Super Stage mega headliners. The cool part was that my access allowed me to moonlight as a sports photographer. We all have a history of skateboarding or riding a bike or something rad like that, don’t we? I worked in a bike shop to buy my Haro freestyle bike and still have my Lance Mountain special edition in the office. To get to see some guys like Dennis McCoy and Tony Hawk still riding and skating at a high level and catch the innovation coming from so many guys from Austin along with rally car and truck racing and maniacs on dirt bikes, it was an exciting change up to my usual subject matter. I got a little twitchy not shooting f2.8 or bigger and ISO 200? What is that? I don’t leave the house for less than ISO 2500. #concertphotographerjokes

So join me as we take a trip down memory lane and talk X Games…

Read more