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There’s still some Free Week activities for you over at Barracuda this week, which you should attend, but the main stretch of Free Week is over. I had a pretty solid time, bouncing all down Red River, catching over 60 great Austin bands (and a few from out of town). It’s a really special time for the Austin music community and its fan, so I’m going to leave you with some notes, as well as some highlights and things you should look forward to in 2016. Read more
It’s surprising to me that this new single from Seth Bogart has sort of flown under the radar, considering how important Hunx has been to the musical culture over the last few years. Perhaps it’s because on this tune he’s turned down the garage inflection, instead choosing for a more pop-centric approach to his songs. There’s some casio-keyboard beats and a distorted guitar meeting up with Seth’s voice. Personally, I always think he’s best when he’s writing introspective songs, such as on Hairdresser Blues. This new album is titled Forgotten Fantazy, it’s being released in late February by Burger Records.
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El Campo first came to my attention when they released the great Flexi Disc on Punctum Records, which was soon followed by Remember, their debut full-length. Not a band to sit around, they’ve returned again with a brand new song from their forthcoming Double A Side EP, “Sloe-Eyed.” Not to diminish their earlier work, but the execution of this song definitely stands out among their catalog; the voice of Jerid Morris works really well here, soaring to heights with the perfect tone whilst banjo and sliding guitars move behind him. There seems to be some youthful vitality to this song, while still holding true to the progressive country vibe. They’ll be releasing the EP soon, with a nice February tour heading up the Midwest and out to the East. Keep an eye on these guys…it’s for your own good.
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If at some point today you need a few minutes to yourself to just look out the window and let your mind drift, I suggest you play this new single from Alexei Shishkin as you do it. It’s a pretty soft moment, but one that really provides the mood for searching for a moment for inner piece. At times, it’s almost as if Alexei is hiding his voice in the mix, allowing it to be just another emotional tool within the confines of the track itself. Just as you feel yourself immersed fully within the song, it fades out. You’re rested, you’re ready for the day. You should also be ready for his new album, Yucca Street, being put out by Forged Artifacts on February 19th.
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Looks to be a great year for Finnish music, with the excellent Black Twig album expected soon…and now this great track from Varvara. It opens with that sort of playful indie rock that’s both charming and difficult to pull off successfully. From there the band surges forward into a more straightforward bit of indie rock, sounding like some of the best college rock we haven’t heard yet. They’ll be self-releasing their album, Death Defying Sounds, on their label, Haminian Sounds, which addsto the burgeoning musical scene in the Scandinavian country.
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There’s definitely worse ways to kick on in the New Year than with some superb indiepop, and of course, it’s being brought to us by Jigsaw Records. Of course, The Chandler Estate has some other heavy-hitters from the indiepop scene included in the band, but I don’t want to steal away from your research, so lets focus on the song. The slight jangle and twinkle in the guitars brightens the track, though I’ll say the vocals almost lend more towards a dream pop feel…none of that being bad. The band’s Infrastructure EP comes at the end of January, so prepare yourself.
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As we work to get back on our feet (sorry our server got hacked), I’m kind of going through things I wanted to post, but couldn’t. This Blankus Larry was one tune that I gravitated towards, mostly because I’m a sucker for a song that goes quietloudquiet. At times, this tune seems like your run-of-the-mill folk tune, yet it gets richer as the distortion is amped up a bit in the speakers. This tune will appear on the band’s forthcoming album, Problemo, which is slated for a February 5th release date. You like?
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This new Sparrows Gatetrack opens with little more than a vocal and a piano background, but within moments the song takes on deeper arrangements, offering soft percussive touches and an atmospheric bit of strings/guitars to fill in all the empty spaces. Songs such as these sink deep into your soul, pulling out the emotive notes as you gaze into the nearest fire, trying to stay warm in these winter times. As the song moves all the way forward, there’s this haunting little string piece that always sticks out to me; it’s a forlorn touch that seems to step in line with the tones of the vocals. Look for the group’s new effort, Ghost Blue, which comes out on January 22nd via Royal Oakie Tapes and Records.
What! New Free Time?! I’m in. This band now calls NYC their home, though they originated in our favorite Aussie town of Melbourne. It’s primarily been the project of Dion who played with Twerps when we booked them for a SXSW show long ago (the line-up currently includes Marty of Twerps!). Honestly, on the band’s last LP, I thought the songs moved just a touch too slowly for my tastes. But, this new song seems absolutely perfect. Guitar sounds are perfect, they bring in some harmonizing vocals and just a casual hint of jangling to go with the hip beat. Sure, it’s early, but this has been one of my favorite tracks of 2016 so far. Their new album, In Search for Free Time, comes out soon via Bedroom Suck/Underwater Peoples.
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I’m really excited to be working with these guys on our ATH Records label. The voice of Matt Terry alone would win it for me, but Phil and Eugene aren’t too shabby either, filling in the corners with their bossa nova rhythms. Plus, having seen several Austin acts this week, I love the fact that these three genuinely seem to love playing together…you can tell they’re having fun, and sometimes, that carries out. Anyways, they just got some UK love for their new single, and I figured I had to put it up over here too, seeing as we’re putting out their Going Native EP. Just another reason why Summer Salt could be the biggest rising star in Austin this year. Grab a copy of the EP HERE (it comes out in two weeks).
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