Huge Wall of Noise from Makthaverskan

Makrhaverskan fotograferad av Jessica LundWell hello Sweden! Feel like you’ve been quiet for too long.  But, now I feel like Makthaverskan makes up for it the absence. Aside from the nod to Pussy Riot in the artwork, they take that Swedish sound of jangling guitar ring and fill it with a bit more noise; it sounds like a sloppier (albeit intentional) version of Love Is All.  The vocals have this siren quality, haunting the track and the listener while the rest of the band works furiously to provide a more rocking element.  Still, there’s a harmony to the voice that’s utterly intoxicating.  Definitely a track to keep in your rotation this weekend. This tune will appear on a Tour 7″ they’ll be bringing to the States for their huge Spring tour.

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Enjoy This New Nic Hessler Tune

unnamed-4A few weeks ago I hit up a Nic Hessler tune, and I wasn’t entirely sold on it.  That’s until I got hooked on this new single, which made me realize how great Nic’s work could potentially be going forward.  It’s an example of perfect recording, starting the song off a bit slow, then waiting to explode in this huge swell of pop magic.  It’s surprising that more music ins’t being crafted in precisely this manner; it seems so simple (though I’m sure it’s not) and so easy, yet that’s precisely why I give Hessler credit, as I don’t think everyone can perfect it in such a manner. Look for Soft Connections in stories on March 17th via Captured Tracks.

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Introducing Dogheart

unnamed-5It’s always good to hear from your friends and discover their new discoveries.  Seems like Portland’s Dogheart have something going, despite only being a fairly new band (formed in 2014).  They’ve got this catchy hook they rock right away in this song, and the sound of the vocals is pretty appealing.  It’s a casual song in a sense, honing in on the group’s ability to ply their trade at great pop songwriting. This song is definitely promising, so I’ll be interested to hear their debut What Burns the Best when it’s release in a few weeks (Feb 17th).

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ATX Weekend Show Spotlight

austiniloveyouI’ve already tossed a nod towards Knifight playing over at Cheer Up Charlies tonight, but there’s definitely some other shows that should pop up on your local Austin show radar.  There’s actually a lot going on on Friday, but I’m going to highlight the places you should probably end up…then I’ll take a quick look at Saturday’s events too.  These are just one man’s recommendations.  Read more

This Is One of Alex G’s Best Songs

alexgI’m a fan of Alex G, and I have been for some time…probably about the same time as the rest of the world heard about him.  But, after years of wading through his extensive Bandcamp page, I’m really happy this new tune has come to light.  It’s an old song, though just getting the light of day as a bonus track on his upcoming Trick album reissue.  This song exemplifies precisely why I found myself enjoying Alex’s work so much; it’s got this endearing quality that only comes with a careful intimacy established between musician and listener.  It reminds me of falling in love with Bright Eyes in 98, though I’ll admittedly say that Alex’s voice might be sweeter; there’s an innocence and sincerity in his work. This track’s been played everywhere lately, but why on Earth would one ignore such a jam.

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ATX Spotlight: Stream the New Knifight Album (+Album Release Gig)

KnifightSometimes I get mad at Austin’s Knifight.  I feel like they don’t give us enough shows to display their prowess; I’m not mad really, I just want to see them more often.  Perhaps that will change now that they’re releasing their newest effort, V.  You’ll still hear the band’s signature affinity for electronic touches, but I think there’s a huge leap in the overall construction of the tracks on this release.  They sound more mature, and the finer details have been given great care, making the group’s sound more well-rounded; it’s a lot more dense,in that great musical way (not like you Aunt’s pound cake). A powerful album to go with their dominating live shows should make these guys stick out in Austin in 2015.  Check em at Cheer Up Charlies tonight for their album release.

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Continuing Love Affair with The Black Ryder

blackPretty sure this is the umteenth time I’ve written about The Black Ryder, and if they release a single for every song on their new LP, then I’m going to write about it.  There are parts of the album that have this shimmering shoegaze, but there are other pieces that unleash this hazy beauty, like the track below. It’s a really drawn out track, sprawling with this floating melody for just over 4 minutes.  As if my love wasn’t enough, the band has been awarded the opening slot on some of the JAMC tour dates, so people are taking notice of the act.  Look for the Door Behind the Door on February 24th via the Anti-Machine Machine.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/04-let-me-be-your-light.mp3]

Download: The Black Ryder – Let Me Be Your Light [MP3]

Take a Listen to Alexei Shishkin

alexeiThis track from Alexei Shishkin got passed my way yesterday, and it took a second for the song to sink in, but once it got there, I couldn’t stop playing it.  It’s really chilled, with just a little bit of a warped sound coming off the careful guitar work.  Shishkin has somewhat of a spoken word delivery, but it’s got a smooth touch that really warms to the listeners ears. There’s also something quite familiar about that vocal, though I can’t quite put my finger on it.  He’ll be releasing his debut album, the dog tape, this April via Forged Artifacts.

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Show Review: The Dead Space @ Hotel Vegas (2/3)

Dead SpaceNathan and I were on double show duty. We started the evening at Red7 for Zola Jesus. We made notes, we shared them with Nicole, she didn’t entirely agree with what we had to say which we are OK with.

…and now for something completely different.

We made our way to Hotel Vegas for some jams to catch Beth Israel, Ghetto Ghouls and The Dead Space. Click past the break for a couple notes and plenty of pics…

Read more

Something Different: Blossomer

awesomeblossomI’m all over the place musically today, so why not go down a whole different road? Blossomer, a band from the U.K. have their debut single, “Foreign Nature” available for your listening pleasure and it’s most likely a little different to you than your average electro pop song. This has to do essentially with the vocals, which are the soulful, yet almost solely falsetto. It’s an interesting twist to this genre, and hopefully you find yourself engrossed in the different kind of tune. “Foreign Nature” debuts officially on February 23rd and you can check out more about it here.

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