Really Enjoying This New Iles Song

ilesFrom the second I clicked on this new Iles tune, I figured it was going offer me something in the way of The Lodger; it’s got that same high energy high step guitar line, creating a stomp of the feet.  Then the vocals enter carrying the tune off into a dreamier realm; it creates a rad little juxtaposition, filled with slow melodies and high energy.  This is the lead single off of the album titled Apartments, which should be out this Spring via Forged Artifacts.

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SxSW Film: Features and Docs

SxSW FilmThis post starts my coverage from SxSW 2015. I do the Film Festival every year now and I have turned into a bit of an obsessive about documentaries. I will have a separate post for the 24 Beats Per Second music docs I saw, but wanted to get things started with what you should be on the look out for in the coming months either in the theaters or on the intarwebs.

Click past the break, won’t you? Let’s get started with #SxSWfilm coverage for 2015…

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EZTV Sign with Captured Tracks

ezWhen Captured Tracks signs a new act, I generally take notice as they’ve become one of my favorite labels to follow.  So, when they announced that they had grabbed EZTV for a new 7″, I immediately pressed play and fell in love.  For some reason, the guitar work sounds rather reminiscent of Television; it’s crisp and angular, then filled in by some really soft vocal tones.  This is a sound that’s rather fond to my heart, offering just enough rock n’ roll with classic pop ballad nods.  The label will release the band’s Dust in the Sky 7″ on April 28th, and let’s hope we hear even more from them in the future.

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ATX Show Spotlight: Carry Illinois @ Cheer Up Charlies – Tonight (FREE)

carrWednesday March 24th will see the unofficial launch of indie/folk outfit Carry Illinois’ first full length album “Alabaster”. Fronted by local folk stalwart Lizzy Lehman, who has a slew of solo records as well as an album with the now defunct the Blackwells, Carry Illinois brings the best of pop rock to the soulful foundation of folk song craft. Carry Illinois will be supported by other great acts such as the Loblolly Boy and the Deer. Lovers of Americana, folk, and pop rock will not want to miss this show. Currently Carry Illinois has released two tracks for streaming on their Soundcloud Page to whet your whistle. Physical copies will be available at the show at Cheer Up Charlie’s on March 25th and the official release is slated for April 7th. Music starts at 9pm with Loblolly Boy, followed by the Deer at 10pm, and Carry Illinois will cap the night off at 11pm.This show is a free one so no excuses y’all!

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Nice Vibe from Toner

tonerYou follow the right people long enough, and eventually you get turned on to some really good things, thus how I came to discover Toner.  They were mentioned in passing as a more crystalline Rat Columns, so of course I rushed to check them out.  My two cents might see them playing in the same musical space as early Literature, though with a little bit more sprawling noise to their sound…on this track they rush to the punch, then pull back to close it out.  The debut self-titled LP from the project will be out on April 7th, but like I said, you should sample it now.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TONER-Thats-Fine.mp3]

 

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

CBRating: ★★★★☆

Courtney Barnett is one of the most buzzed about artists of this year and with reason. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit is her first proper album and she’s already taking the indiesphere by storm with her no-fucks, laid back yet creatively catchy buzzy rock songs.

The first half of this album is fast paced and opens up quickly with “Elevator Operator,” which has Barnett spitting out her tongue-twisting tale spinning lyrics about people she encounters. Her storytelling is lucid and smooth, talking about the colorful characters that she comes across and the imagery sticks out impressively. Meanwhile, the music is complementary to this style but doesn’t ever overpower the lyrics on this first number, but serves as a slight accompaniment to the story. “Pedestrian at Best,” reverses this effect somewhat; while the lyrics are still filled with quick quips and assonance, the garage fuzz is equal in the mix, and Barnett’s vocals weave in and out of the loud rock. This is one of those songs you have to get up off your ass and jam along as the track spirals slowly out of control.

This album consists primarily of songs like these first two: descriptive, unapologetically raw and rambling, but wholly honest and easy to enjoy. I personally like “Aqua Profunda,” which is all at once rock and sugary pop; the guitar licks are all rock, but those drums are smooth and crisp. Later on, Barnett cools her jets for a bit on the last two songs to get a little sentimental, even putting down the electric guitar and trading it for acoustic on the very last track of the album. “Kim’s Caravan” the second to last track is an emotive and powerful track, starting gently and growing slowly to its final crescendo of gritty and twangy guitars and shimmering percussion. These two songs back to back bring you down from the high that was the rest of the album, but a part of me wishes this mood would have been dispersed a little more evenly throughout the earlier tunes.

So yes, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit is a pretty fun and groovy first record, but Courtney is the first to say “put me on a pedestal and I’ll only disappoint you.” These tunes are casual and laid back, which works for the most part, but leaves us with one level to connect with Barnett. I connect, I dig it, but then I want a little more than the one dimensionality. Perhaps a sophomore effort will see her reaching a little further at least in variety, for now, this is just fine.

SXSW Superlatives: RayRay

Young BuffaloIt’s always a struggle to get back to work after over a week of play time.  Reminiscing helps ease the sleepy eyes and doldrums so lets have another look back at the awesome week of music that was.  Nathan kicked us off yesterday with some fine observations and I’ll continue the opinions today about the SXSW music week.  Follow the jump for my awards.

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Sleek New Wave From Controller

controller

Sometimes you just need a track you can turn up loud and jam to and New York’s Controller are here today to give you just that with their new song “Separator.” This song is pretty straightforward new wave indie rock, but it has this nice little choral hook that will get you to jam on this Tuesday. Personally, I needed this song to wake up and start my day dancing, so hopefully you’ll use it in the same way wherever it finds you.

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Welcome Return for Gim Kordon

gimmykiblerIt’s been over a year since Gim Kordon released their last record, and I’m definitely stoked to hear the entirety of their new 7″, Vielakin On Ikava.  While the band chooses to work in their native Finnish tongue, the crisp guitar work and the steady drum work provide a nostalgic turn to classic alternative guitar rock.  This is hopefully just a glimpse of greater things to come, with the band hard at work with their friends at Soliti Music to bring you something explosive.  If you’re lucky, you might be able to grab this limited release on April 18th.

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Crunchy Guitar from Van Dale

vandeeOur friends at Fleeting Youth Records are on a pretty good roll here in 2015; they’re cornering the market on crunchy guitar pop (sometimes of the nerdier sort).  Today I bring you another tune from the soon to be released self-titled Van Dale album; this one features more of the distorted guitar we heard on their earlier single, but there’s a cocksure swagger that inevitably builds into a delicious hook you want wrapped around your ears. You want something you an turn up loud and play air guitar to? Then grab the record on March 31st!

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/06-Speak-Yellow1.mp3]

Download: Van Dale – Speak Yellow [MP3]

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