Author: nathan.lankford

Dark Blue Offer New Tune

ceremonyWhen I first heard this track from Dark Blue, I had to go back and re-read the information I had on the group.  I knew it was a super-group of sorts, so I immediately thought of Calvin Johnson; it’s not Calvin though.  It’s actually just a bunch of rad dudes from rad bands like Ceremony, Paint It Black, Strand of Oaks and some others.  The lyrical delivery sort of sounds like David Gedge wrote the lyrics and gave the band instructions on how to sing, although the music has it’s own power altogether.  There’s distorting guitars shooting off and simple rhythmic pounding.  If you like any of the nonsense I name checked here, then pick up the group’s album, Pure Reality, via Jade Tree on October 7th.

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Another Tune from Mega Bog

megaJust a short bit ago I posted the early single from Mega Bog, enjoying the albums pop direction flooded by sporadic horn usage.  This latest single comes in much the same direction, althoughI feel as if it works differently.  Various parts follow great bits of musical space, though there’s a building tension sitting beneath it all.  I don’t know; I’m stuck on how much I’m really enjoying the horns here…not to mention the song’s ability of fade in and out of beautiful obscurity. You can grab this album, Gone Banana, on Spetember 23rd via Couple Skate.

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Please Enjoy This Tune from White Sands

whitesandsEarlier in the week I tossed up one new tune from Art Is Hard Records, but I also neglected to give you the proper warning about White Sands.  The group is made up of 1 parts Mazes, 1 parts Male Bonding and 1 parts Novella, so surely someone out there is going to be getting amped for this release.  Initially, I was grabbed by the distorted guitars, but then I went back and found myself hooked on the interplay between male and female vocal parts.  It’s going to be a special release too, as the label’s doing it on a flexi-disc 7″ with a 20 page magazine and 3 song digi-pack; you don’t get these sort of releases everyday.  Pretty sure you’re going to have to order this today; it’s a limited release!

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Lightning Pop from Joanna Gruesome

comicYeah yeah, this song was everywhere. But hey, I’m not going to jump off the Joanna Gruesome train anytime soon. I love that there’s two sides to this tune, which seems to represent my own personal tastes.  The first offering you get is this fast paced riot-girl rock, but they pull back quite a bit to offer a glimpse at the pop sensibility they maintain with ease.  This song is 1 of the 4 off a new 7″ that’s being released as a split with popular Perfect Pussy.  It’ll be accompanied by a nice comic book too, which is the work of Phil McAndrew (his sister rocks in PP).  You’ll want to get your hands on this when it’s released by Captured Tracks, Slumberland Records and Fortuna Pop…a pretty solid triumvirate of rad labels.

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Slow Trip with Hungry Cloud Darkening

hungryHungry Cloud Darkening has probably gotten the most notice as the backing band for Mount Eerie, but the more that I gig myself over to their latest single, the more I feel that there’s something far more important in their own solo work. There’s not a lot of movement within this track, but it’s clear that the sonic exploration holds the key to finding meaning in this tune.  Vocals come at you from a far off world, moving in and out of the soft percussive elements and the other lite tinkering.  I hope this is the sort of music we get when the group releases their record, Glossy Recall, on October 7th via Off Tempo.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/157848751″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

The Sea Pinks Return

seaMan. This track just made my day.  I absolutely adore the Sea Pinks, though it’s always hard to get their wares over here in the States.  But, they just announced that they’ll be releasing a new album, Dreaming Tracks, which is sure to make my arbitrary end of year list.  I love the jangling guitar, though I’ll admit those chords have a slightly darker tone on this listen.  It’s like meeting your favorite jangle pop band playing in a pub with their best friends, so maybe let’s call it jangle pub.  Regardless, look for that new album on September 29th via CF Records…you’ll be grateful.

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Wicked Hit from Sunflower Bean

sunSunflower Bean is a fairly new act if one was to go by the information passed our way, but I’m already interested to see what direction they’re heading.  This single has two souls, though they both seem to be haunted by different directions.  You’ll get the female fronted post-rock, with this entrancing yelp at the end of the syllables.  Then they switch it into more of a psychedelic realm, with a different twist on the music; these moments have more of a brooding fuzz to them, rather than the emphatic yelping of it’s counterpart. It’ll be interesting to see what comes next; there’s lots of room for them to grow.

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Chilled Vibes from The Good Sports

goodieI just can’t get enough of sun-drenched guitar pop, and today, there’s nothing better than this EP from Brisbane’s The Good Sports.  I’ve spent the last few hours listening to their new Mandarin Time EP, and it sort of reminds me of the music being crafted by The Growlers.  There’s slight traces of garage rock, but they spin it in such a soft manner that you can’t help but to just sink into the vibe of the tune.  Their EP gets a little bit groovier in the long run, but this tune was the one that grabbed me immediately.  You’re going to have a hard time getting this jam out of your head today.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/01.-Out-Of-The-Way.mp3]

Download: The Good Sports – Out Of The Way [MP3]

Grungy Pop from Virgin Kids

virginIn case no one else out there obsessively follows their favorite labels, I’m here to help you with that job today.  Art is Hard Records tossed up this little gem from Virgin Kids last Friday, and it made its way into my weekend rotation, getting so many spins I had to share it with you. The three-piece London outfit really has two sides of this song; they offer a pretty straight-forward guitar pop piece up front, but get all distorted in the middle of the song, letting the chords ring loud.  Heavier parts of the song come in strong, but they’re short-lived, as to be sure not to wear out their welcome amid such a pop-centric feel.  Enjoy this one.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/163244173″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Show Preview: Woods @ Holy Mountain (8.20)

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Date Wednesday, August 20th
Location Holy Mountain
Doors 9:00
Tickets $12 from Transmission


I feel like Woods is one of the bands that I will forever undervalue.  I snatch up everything they put out, then indulge far too frequently in those purchases. But, then I sometimes forget they even exist, especially since Kevin Morby always has something going on.  Luckily, we can all indulge on Wednesday in a little bit of Woods; their live sets are phenomenal, not to be missed gigs.  They cover so much sonic ground, from folk to pop to psychedelia, and it all blends together so seamlessly. Odds are they’ll spend a great bit of the night covering their most recent effort, With Light and With Love, yet I now they’ll fill their set with delights from the back catalogue. See you guys Wednesday!

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/woods-suffering-season.mp3]

Download: Woods – Suffering Season [MP3]

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