Memory Tapes – Player Piano

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

It seems like Dayve Hawk has finally worked it out. After releasing music under bands by the names of Memory Cassette and Weird Tapes, somewhere around 2009 he decided to combine the names of the two and settled upon his latest, Memory Tapes. He then went on to make his first noteworth,y as well as full length album, in Seek Magic. Now, two years later Hawk is back once again, ready to present his chillwave once more, hoping to garner as much praise as before.

The first real song on this album, “Wait in the Dark,” starts with some bubbly synthesizer, accompanied by the high-pitched vocals of Hawk himself and methodic drum beats, chugging along. Interesting enough, the song plugs on, lack of many changes at all until the bridge portion, where the elements of the song cut out for a moment, then resurge with a slightly different, yet vaguely the same sound. What seemed like bouncy synthesizer in the beginning of the track, feels a bit flat when the end is reached, simply because it has been repeated so many times. Even though this song sounds good upon the few first listens, providing a pretty decent head bobbing beat, this lack of variety seems a bad sign for the album to come.

“Today is Our Life” follows suit of “Wait in the Dark,” in the use of only three main elements: synth, vocals, and drums, which appears to be the only combination Hawk is going for on this album (he later adds some guitar). While more enjoyable to listen to the than the first song was; the synthesizer elements are more tolerable, it still doesn’t offer up many decisively alluring elements. The same can be said for the remainder of the album. Each song feels like it will prove interesting and worth repeating, but fizzles out by its end, which is disappointing.

Player Piano is no Seek Magic; and for this reason, it seems as though this album comes across worse, due to the fact that we know what Hawk is capable of. In the end, he has made an album full of songs that I do not feel compelled to listen to again. Whereas Seek Magic all blended into one cohesive piece of indie-dance-electronica, I’m left unable to sink myself into this work, perhaps deterred by the repetition that turns into banality on the scale of an album.

New Folk Hit from Musikanto

One man’s love for fast rock n’ roll can only take him so far, so I’ve always got to have some folk or melodramatic jams to help me unwind.  Recently I’ve been introduced to Musikanto, a Chicago songwriter who will likely be making a name for himself all over the country soon. Press releases hint at Van Morrison and Ryan Adams connections, and I definitely see that there, but I also see little pieces of early Mason Jennings.  It’s heartfelt and honest, and there’s a willingness to provide a good narrative, even from a first-person point of view.  Looking for something mellower today? This could be your jam; you can grab it, as well as the rest of the songs from his Sky of Dresses album on August 2nd via Grape Juice Records.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Musikanto-Every-Which-Way.mp3]

Download: Musikanto – Every Which Way [MP3]

New Tunes from Young Buffalo

I have a feeling that people are going to find it hard to pigeon-hole Young Buffalo.  They’re set to release their Young Von Prettylips EP on Cantora Records on July 18th, and they’ve been kind enough to send out a track to give people a listen.  At first, I thought I heard hints of TV on the Radio, but in the middle, the song erupts into a joyous akin to Local Natives, especially with the percussive presence.  However, they seem to have re-imagined that sound, giving something a wee bit different, then softly flowing back into the atmospheric construction that began the song.  If you can’t find a genre to throw at these guys, probably should just stick with the fact that they’re just plain good.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/youngbuffalo_onlywecankeepyoufromharm.mp3]

Download: Young Buffalo – Only We Can Keep You From Harm [MP3]

Friday Top 5: Songs I Want Played At My Funeral

This is a subject that I have personally addressed on several occasions, yet when I brought up the concept to others, it seemed quite unpopular, and viewed as unacceptable and slightly morbid. One person went as far as to suggest that I think about songs that I would want played at my dog’s funeral. Let’s think about this. My dog dies, I’m around to feel the sorrow of the loss. I die, and I don’t feel shit. My friends and family, assuming that people would actually care to show up, will have to deal with my death, but it’s out of my hands and my emotions are done. I want my death to be a celebration of my life, not some archaic, depressing, black suit ritual that we have become familiar with for whatever reason. Am I the only one that thinks about this?

Read more

New Slow Burner from RACES

The LA based group, RACES (formerly Black Jesus) have just signed on with Frenchkiss Records, who will be releasing the band’s debut LP this fall.  In preparation for the ride to their debut, the band have just released a single that should probably win you over pretty quickly.  There’s somewhat of a distance at the opening of the track, but as the vocals enter with the thick bass line, you find yourself being sucked into the dense sound of the “Big Broom.”  Accompaniment of female vocals add a nice softness to the track, leaving you with sort of a sleepy feeling.  Should be an interesting collection of tunes.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/races-big_broom.mp3]

Download: RACES – Big Broom [MP3]

Show Preview: The Villas @ Scoot Inn (7/8)

Date 7/8/11
Location Scoot Inn
Doors 9pm
Tickets $5 @ Door

A recent Austin find to us ATH staffers, The Villas, are playing a great local show at Scoot Inn tonight.  Joining the Austin kids on stage are fellow recent ATH faves Young Girls from Houston and Austinites Magnet School.  It’s rumored that some ATH kids may be on hand so we hope to see you all there.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/01_Spyglass.mp3]

Download: The Villas – Spyglass [MP3]

New Music from Sundress

Our good friends over at Austin’s Paperthin Media sent over this gem of an EP this week, and we see that the word is quickly spreading about Sundress.  The Denton quintet are releasing their EP on August 16th, and it should only brighten the star of press for the band.  On this single you’ll hear squalling guitars and a quieted vocal that rests just on the crest of the compositions.  At times, your ears will hear a shift in levels, with the traditional rise and fall of your every day dream pop.  I can’t wait to hear how their sound blossom and grows in the coming years, as this seems like a good musical investment for us all.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/03-Derelict.mp3]

Download: Sundress – Derelict [MP3]

King Louie’s Missing Monuments – Painted White

Rating: ★★★☆☆

King Louie Bankston has been part of some great acts, playing with The Exploding Hearts and also working with the recently deceased Jay Reatard. It’s a pretty strong pedigree, and with Painted White, he’s ready to take the world on, offering up his garage-rock repertoire to the masses.

“The Girl of the Nite” jumps into the record with a pure power-pop guitar line, and a steady vocal approach, making the track a steady hit. But, as soon as you pass this tune, there’s an added gruffness that comes with the vocals on Painted White, clearing the way for a harder edge than many might be expecting.

For instance, “Victory Lap,” has this smoker meets alcoholic wispiness to the vocals, and I mean that to come across in a flattering way, as I enjoy that harder edge.  The song itself blends a bit of soft garage rock with poppier rock elements, but you can’t help other than to associate the music with a more punk rock element, sort of like power-pop’s answer to Against Me.  Still, if you’re looking for infectious hooks associated with steady beats, this record is full of them.

Personally, I’ve found a great bit of allegiance with tunes like “Black Rainbow.”  Bankston’s rough-edged voice provides the perfect contrast to a somewhat rock-a-billy/counrty tinge on the actual songwriting.  In doing so, it takes the song from run-of-the-mill power pop to guitar based jam. Similarly, “Nite Fall” has a barroom chant associated with it; the lyrics are simple enough to sing atop your lungs, and while the twang of the song it pleasant, it’s not overly intrusive, allowing for the occasional gang vocals (not to mention the regular ones) to carry the song.

Those of you looking for a faster paced in your garage-pop will find pleasure in the end of the record with songs like “Broken Hands” and “Hot Class.”  It’s not just the quicker pace of the tracks that will attract you, but the sharper influence of the guitars, using less twang.  This allows for these tracks to give a bit of momentum to the record that may have been missing in the earlier tracks. And it all closes with the semi-ballad “Dance All Nite,” which leaves Painted White with more of a traditional feel, in regards to modern spins on power-pop.

It’s hard not to have King Louie’s past in mind when listening to his current work, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Knowing everything that he’s been through as a musician, you can ignore missteps, or gruff vocals, and appreciate Painted White for what it is: a man having fun writing music.  Perhaps that’s the best thing about music of this sort, as there’s no pretension or scene, it’s just music. It’s good music, but it’s still just music, and it doesn’t always have to be taken so seriously.  So give this a go, and remember, it’s alright to just have fun while listening.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/01-The-Girl-Of-The-Nite.mp3]

Download: King Louie’s Missing Monuments – The Girl Of The Nite [MP3]

New Song from Big Troubles

I had heard about the signing of Big Troubles while stalking Slumberland Records (as you can see I’ve been doing today!).  I’d been keeping my eye on these kids since their debut, Worry, came out, so I’m excited to see that September 27th we can celebrate the arrival of Romantic Comedy.  Clearly, there’s a bit of youthfulness going on with this band, which enables them to sort of take dead aim at crafting pop gems with earnest, without having to endure backlash about who or what they were influenced by during the writing process. Smoky vocals placed lightly atop sharp bending guitar lines make this worthy of repeated listens.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Big-Troubles-Misery.mp3]

Download: Big Troubles – Misery [MP3]

Young Montana? – Limerence

Rating: ★★★½☆

Long is the laundry list of beat makers via the UK, but one of the rising stars of the scene, Jon Pritchard aka Young Montana, is a ripe 20 years old. Following in the footsteps of renowned veterans such as Prefuse 73, FlyLo, and Madlib, Young Montana? has just released his debut album, Limerence on Alpha Pup, with some fantastic artwork to boot. Emerging from relative obscurity in Coventry, a smallish town in the UK, Pritchard has managed to bottle up some of the most fluid beats of the year with a strong down-tempo style perfected in his own backyard.

While the flow is intermittent at best, the release works as a host of independent sketches comprised of a multitude of ideas, much like Prefuse’s Apexian. The overall theme varies widely from the soulful to the askew to the more gathered bass-driven tracks, but when Pritchard hits the right chord, the sound is rich, interesting, and energetic. In many ways, Pritchard is on the forefront of the next wave of beat makers trying their hands at the game after years of study dominated by the masters. While Limerence is not entirely ground-breaking, the release more than makes up for it in sheer jam-ability, on tracks ‘Sacré Cool’, ‘Suchbeats’, and ‘Repetition’. While most vocals are reserved in snippets thrown in for an added texture, the release is more or less instrumental. Utilizing his full arsenal of techniques and tricks, nearly every track holds a recognizable pattern worthy of a head bob. ‘Legwrap’ however, is where Pritchard is certainly pushing the boundaries, incorporating the pinnacle of his off-kilter, wonky, and plain off the wall trips and ticks before emerging as one of the more killer beat structures found on the album. Such is the way Pritchard directs his listener, always keeping us wondering what may come next.

The final track ‘Connct’ once again thrives on the bass heavy, but throws in a music box to keep the listener always guessing. While it makes what begins as one of the most enjoyable tracks less so, it’s still interesting enough in its own right to justify a listen. For such a young mind at an essentially old man’s game at this point, I predict good things from Coventry and a multitude of small towns throughout the world in the years to come in the wide open world of beat-making.

1 1,580 1,581 1,582 1,583 1,584 1,931