Black Moth Super Rainbow Ticket Giveaway + Show Preview

imagesMan, it seems like there’s a whole lot of shows coming our way here in Austin, and we’re back with a chance for you to win a pair of tickets to an exciting show over at the Mohawk next Tuesday.  Black Moth Super Rainbow will bring their experimental pop tunes our way, still riding the praise from their latest album, Cobra Juicy.  They’ll be joined by the Hood Internet, so you know that everyone’s going to have a blast just by being in attendance, let alone enjoy some great tunes.  All you have to do to win a pair of tickets is leave a comment with a number between 1-1000; the contest will end Friday at Midnight.  If you want tickets the traditional way, you can head HERE.

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Folk Pop Beauty From Golden Suits

Hi-Res_Fred1Here’s a very beautiful and interesting folk pop themed number called “Didn’t I Warn You” from Brooklyn based Golden Suits.  The band is essentially a one man show featuring Fred Nicolaus of Department of Eagles doing most the work with a few friends helping during the recording process.  Sounds could easily be related to Nicolaus’ other band and I can see nothing wrong with that.

New debut self-titled album is due out August 20th via Yep Roc Records.

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The National – Trouble Will Find Me

20130321_national_trouble_will_find_me_91Rating: ★★★★★

Though already a staple of brooding indie rock and alternative music in general, The National are going to be one of those bands that follow you years down the road, regardless of their continuation of putting out new records. Fact of the matter is, time after time they have doled out albums whose entirety have wowed audiences, as they are filled to the brim with tracks that speak on a deeper emotional level while also rocking out pretty hard at points. If you haven’t figured it out by now, they’re sort of a big deal, and if you haven’t fallen in love with them by now Trouble Will Find Me is yet again another perfect place to start.

Around for 14 years and counting, this group of middle-aged men has found an uncanny way of speaking to you in ways you never thought they could and they keep on digging their way deeper on this sixth full length studio release. They’ve made some changes, but overall they’re still the same tight knit crew of brooders that will break your heart in some strange way that you enjoy. First up on Trouble Will Find Me is “I Should Live In Salt,” which brings you into the new sound for the band. As always, front man extraordinaire Matt Berninger croons away behind the lead vocals, but his voice has found a new vulnerability in its higher register here. Instead of his deep baritone, borderline mumbling voice, which is the norm for the band, we are introduced to this higher version of our favorite dark and cynical voice and the result is already and emotive difference. If you can believe it, The National have added yet another layer to their emotive depth, making this one of their most accessible albums.

As with any brilliant album, upon the first listen through, every song seems to be fighting for the prize of best track in your mind; every twist and turn the band takes seems to build upon something bigger. On Trouble Will Find Me, this is truth in every sense—the imagery carries through from track to track and if you’re listening closely, from their previous releases. However, it’s not just a rehashing of what they’ve already done, but a slightly different take on the dark and swirling mood that The National is famous for. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still extra dark and swirling like you like them, but at places, these dark clouds part a little to reveal a little glimmer of light. Take some lyrics from one of the most anthemic songs the band has written, “Graceless:” “Put the flowers you find in vase/if you’re dead in the morning they’ll brighten the place/don’t let ‘em die on the vines, it’s a waste.”

When I said accessible earlier, I didn’t mean easy or lazy or boring, but the very opposite. I could go through song by song here, iterating to you how excellent each one is, but Trouble Will Find Me speaks for itself. If you’ve been present in the indie world in the last few months, it’s quite possible you’ve already heard anywhere from one to five of the songs off this album without participating in any sort of illegal activity; the band has played the songs. They were confident that every song on this album is a solid, well-produced addition to their already extensive catalogue of highly emotive and outright beautiful music. They were right.

 

More New Music From Young Hunting

younghuntingYoung Hunting has already shared with us two new songs off their much anticipated new album Hazel due out June 11th on Gold Robot Records.  The band creates these beautiful moments full of restraint, but also powerful in the subtle way the pop is delivered on your ears.  This new track “Maze” furthers my enjoyment of the band and should get everyone overly excited for the new album.  Legit.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/03-Maze.mp3]

Download: Young Hunting – Maze [MP3]

 

 

More New Tunes from Case Studies

CaseStudies5.1Long have we supported Jesse Lortz, ever since his early days with Dutchess and the Duke; he’s since moved on, working on his new project Case Studies. He seems so much more comfortable stepping into the light on his own, with a great drawl to his voice, evoking every last drop of emotion.  The song’s built around the backbone of a piano, but the solo guitar work near the end of the track really emphasizes the accomplished range of Lortz as a songwriter.  His new album This Is Another Life will be out on June 11th via Sacred Bones.

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New Crooner From Daughn Gibson

Daughn GibsonDaughn Gibson is an artist who receives a lot of praise around these parts, and rightfully so.  It’s an interesting style of music, think Merle Haggard with synth beats, that evokes everyone’s inner fist pump in the air.  Daughn has a new track for us today called “You Don’t Fade” that will appear on his new album Me Moan due out July 9th via Sub Pop Records.  Of course the deep vocal range is there, making us all try to mimic, but failing miserably.  The beats are also once again solid as ever.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Daughn-Gibson-You-Don_t-Fade.mp3]

Download: Daughn Gibson – You Don’t Fade [MP3]

More New Music from Spectrals

spectralsThe last track we offered up from Spectrals was an upbeat affair, somewhere in the vein of modern power-pop.  But, this new single definitely shows the songwriting prowess that’s present on the band’s new album, Sob Story; the title track is an ambling number with bending guitars and a soulful croon walking you through it all.  It’s almost as if this is a country track, which definitely hits home with us down here in Texas, yet more importantly, I’m just excited that the album’s going to have various avenues for listeners to enjoy.  You can pick up your copy from Slumberland Records on June 18th. 

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/04-Sob-Story.mp3]

 

Another New Jam from Songs for Walter

coverI appreciate the work of Songs for Walter, not to mention that he’s dedicated to releasing a free track every month on his way to finishing up his full-length debut.  I like the gentle quality of the guitar work, accompanied by added instrumentation.  And that voice. You can’t tell me it’s not intoxicating to a certain degree. This project is picking up steam all over the UK, so remember, you heard it hear first!

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Download: Songs For Walter – Stamping On Snails

Strummed Ballad from Crass Mammoth

crassmammothMan, this track was really just what I needed.  Not that any other song deserves less attention, but there’s something about the strain in the vocals on this lead single from Crass Mammoth, which will be on their Ef En Eu EP.  A great deal of the song is spent with just heavy-handed strumming, but twice, there’s this drifting atmospherically enhanced moment, making the song stand out even more so in my mind.  It’s one of those tracks that hits you immediately with its honesty, and wins you over with its grace. You can pick up the EP from 3qtr on June 4th.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/02-Dear-Violet.mp3]

Download: Crass Mammoth – Dear Violet [MP3]

Fresh Alternative Jam from Lemuria

lemuriaMan, I’ve been listening to the latest single from Lemuria pretty much non-stop for the last hour or so.  Sure, it’s got a pretty clear homage in sound to the alternative rock of my youth, but with the combination of male and female vocals, it just kills.  Throughout the song, it’s pretty steady in both hooks, but they even add a stylish pause near the end of the track.  If you’re into the sound, and I think you really should be then you’ll have your chance to hear even more from the band when they release their album, The Distance is So Big, on June 18th; it’s filled with hit after hit.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/07-Oahu-Hawaii.mp3]

 

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