Raving About Royal Headache Again

Royal HeadacheIn case you haven’t caught wind, there’s a new Royal Headache album coming out. I’ve been listening to their new album High pretty non-stop the last few weeks, and I’ll tell you, despite what you’ve heard, this is the best record to come out of Australia this year (sorry Tame Impala).  There’s just some remarkable in the way they fuse their gritty rock tones with the soulful voice of Shogun; it’s not like anything you’ve heard, yet it’s everything you ever wanted. The album is released on August 21st via Whats Your Rupture, which will be followed by a US tour, including an Austin date at Red 7…so you’ve been warned.

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Listen to New Jacuzzi Boys

Jacuzzi_Boys_Edited_2I love the Jacuzzi Boys, especially when they admittedly go back to their roots and just bang out good old fashioned rock n’ roll.  They’ve just announced the Happy Damage EP, which is set to be a representation of the band’s return to their original form, writing songs meant to be banged out boisterously by a three-piece rock act.  The first listen is perfect; it’s noisy in all the rock places, but had this punishing groove beneath it.  You can even catch a video of the band they recorded for this song as they traveled about the States making new friends; it’s HERE. Look for the new EP on the band’s own label, Mag Mag, this Fall.

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Hear a New Scooterbabe Tune

scooterbabeIt’s been a little while since we’ve gotten to write about Athens power-pop trio, Scooterbabe, but they just passed a brand new track our way.  For the first minute of the track, you can feel the tension building via the vocal delivery and the seemingly increasing pace created by the rhythm section.  At 1.15, the track explodes, blasting forth with exuberant abandon, all before settling into the song’s final moments.  It’s always great to hear from these guys. Grab it HERE for NYOP, and please donate so the band can keep making great songs for us to share.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/scooterbabe-I-Want-To-Write-Your-Name-Across-The-Sky-in-Big-Clumsy-Strokes.mp3]

Download: Scooterbabe -I Want To Write Your Name Across The Sky in Big Clumsy Strokes [MP3]

Show Review: Dick Diver @ The Mohawk (7/13)

The MohawkSome days you get to hit up a show, hope for huge attendance, and in the end, you’re just happy you got to be part of an intimate experience.  While I wish many more people loved Dick Diver as much as I do, I was glad I got to witness the band’s first Austin gig, and can only hope that as they travel across the States that they’re convinced to come back.

Read on for a few short words and photos by B. Gray.

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Brand New Tune from Woolen Men

woolThe last few releases from Woolen Men really warmed me over, and it didn’t hurt that they were working with our friends over at Loglady Records.  Now the band is working with Woodsist for their brand new LP, Temporary Monument.  Their first single is reminiscent of 80s college radio rock, blended with a bit of that Cali haze a la Fresh and Onlys.  It’s also important to note that the song’s notes on the SC page indicate a situation that seems to be going on all across the States…bands fighting for their survival in lieu of corporate interests. You can grab the new album on September 4th, and stream the single below.

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Meet The Lochness Mobsters – New ATH Records Signing

IMG_1708We’re putting out a killer new record with Austin by way of Lake Charles band, The Lochness Mobsters.  I’m really stoked to put out their effort War Tuna, having been a fan of their continuously raucous live shows.  If you’re just meeting the band, let me give you a little insight into what you’re getting.  They’re a three piece act (Tay, Brooks, Mike) specializing in their own Southern blend of psychedelic surf rock with a penchant for pop sensibility.  Honestly, every time I think of the band, it reminds me of Woods, if only that act had a knack for writing shorter, catchier tunes and a willingness to get people to party.  Their debut album will be seeing a limited first run on white vinyl, which you can pre-order from us HERE; the official release date will be August 7th before the band heads out on a little East Coast tour.

Also…if you want to meet the band in person, check them out tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas with Loteria and Mitch Fraizer.  It’s cheap and it’ll be a whole lotta fun.

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Fresh Protomartyr Track!!!

ProtomartyrNot long ago Protomartyr was all the rage in the blogosphere, and now they’re back to resume their rightful place atop the scene. At first, you’re hearing the track and it seems a little subdued, calmer even.  But, there are two slight little hints at the band’s ability to offer noisier moments, though they’re brief. It’s all just a warning for the band’s positional switch mid track, where they turn the direction of the song, letting the guitars ring out and crash their way to the song’s close. They’ve titled their new effort The Agent Intellect and it will be out on October 9th via Hardly Art.

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Kick Off Your Day With Sons of Rico

sonsofricoThese days it seems like there’s a surge in great acts coming out of Australia, so I wasn’t too surprised to find out Sons of Rico hail from Melbourne. This track, “What Am I Doing Here?” from the four piece is a bright indie rock gem that has a fun dance groove underlying the whole thing. I’m really enjoying the intermittent group vocals as well as the way the song gets a little darker as it progresses; the light electric guitar from the beginning gets a little textured and gritty by the end, but the song is still groovy and fun and a right jam that you need to take a listen to right now.

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Show Pics: Elvis Depressedly @ The Mohawk (7/8)

Elvis DepressedlyCatching up on some pics I was gun shy to post given our instability last week (let me know if any of you see things loading weird or slowly).

Elvis Depressedly‘s solidly lo-fi delivery of well-crafted indie-pop songs charmed the ATH team. I missed them during SxSW, but The Mohawk and Transimssion remedied that for me with an indoor show. The show ended up selling out due to a highly popular double-headlining tour with Mitski and a great opener in Eskimeaux. I felt older than usual, lots of Xs on hands.

Read on for some pics and a few thoughts…

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Chill Psychedelic Track From Animal Eyes

animal eyesSometimes you just need a spunky little twist in your listening catalogue to spice things up. Lucky for you, Portland’s Animal Eyes have a new song called, “Mushroom Hunter” from their upcoming LP called Where We Go that is perfect for this purpose. The track builds on the quirky psychedelic aspects, layering in more and more subtle sounds to the climactic finish. What starts as just a gentle psych guitar riff soon spirals off in different ways to make the track great. Take a listen and look out for that new record coming this fall.

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