New Music From Secret Cities

It’s fairly obvious that we here at ATH are big fans of Secret Cities and the sweet tunes they’ve been brining our way over the last year or so.  So only about a year removed from their highly under-appreciated debut LP from last year, the band is looking to release their sophomore effort this Spring on Western Vinyl.  New album Strange Hearts will be available on March 29th and features this new single “Love Crime”.  It shows a whole lot of promise and makes me think you might want to pick up this new album come March.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/04-Love-Crime-1.mp3]

Download: Secret Cities – Love Crime [MP3]

Friday Top 5: Reasons You Should Listen to Some Tunes from the Past

I could, honestly spend hours honoring this personal request, and at some point just might do that fucking thing. F*CK new music! Sure we get the occasional handjob every now and then, but really? Do we see a respectable Disciple on the horizon? Not really.

Anyone who thought that Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs really deserved an album of the year nomination for 2010, should check out now. Booooorrrrrring. We live in a time where music/art takes place in a nanosecond. Things move fast now, and as you move forward in life, only faster. Controlling the content is completely up to you.

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New Music from Cult of Youth

Earlier this week I got word from some friends about Cult of Youth, and just today Stereogum gave them the “Band to Watch” tag.  Their self-titled album hits the streets on February 22nd, and this is another one of those bands that appeals to both my nostalgic personality, as well as my newer tastes.  There is this dark bass line working, with an underlying sense of lighter melodies, but what gets me is the vocal.  Vocals on this single are brash and throaty, like some snotty little punk-rocker playing in some dense club.  It’s a great dichotomy, and one that should be equally as exciting for all you punks gone soft.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Cult-Of-Youth-New-West.mp3]

Download: Cult Of Youth – New West [MP3]

More New Music From The Go! Team

A few months back we shared a new track with you called “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.” from somewhat forgotten pop hit makers Go! Team.  Well now the band’s new LP Rolling Blackouts is hitting stores next week and we figured the Friday before release date would be a good time to share another new song.  This one is called “Voice Yr Choice” and might just put Go! Team back on top of the indie dance playlists.

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

Download: The Go! Team – Voice Yr Choice [MP3]

Show Preview: Monotonix @ Mohawk (1/29)

Date 1/29/11
Location Mohawk
Doors 8pm
Tickets $10 @ Frontgate

Those crazy bastards known as Monotonix from Israel are making a stop into Mohawk on Saturday night.  Joining the punk rockers and opening the show up are our local favorites The Strange Boys.  I’d recommend the Boys finish and get out of the way so as to not get a butt cheek in the face.  I’m sure this show will be just as nuts as all their other ones.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Set-Me-Free.mp3]

Download: Monotonix – Set Me Free [MP3]

New Music From Dag För Dag

Dag för Dag are an American-Swedish band formed by brother sister duo Sarah & Jacob Snavely.  We were recently sent new single “I am Assassin” from the group and have been digging them ever since.  They tend to remind a lot of old school Radiohead, with a chick lead singer of course.  You can pick up debut American LP Boo from Dag för Dag on April 26th via Ceremony Recordings.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/DFD-02_I_Am_the_Assassin.mp3]

Download: Dag för Dag – I am the Assassin [MP3]

New Music From Cat’s Eyes

Despite their absolutely ridiculous band name, I’ve been enjoying this new relaxing tune from Cat’s Eyes called “Not a Friend”.  The relatively new duo formed by Rachel Zeffira and Faris Badwin of The Horrors are dropping their debut self-titled LP on April 11th in the UK on Polydor Records and stateside on May 3rd via Downtown Records. You can also head over to the P4K to watch a live video of the band’s first ever breathtaking performance inside the Vatican, yes THAT Vatican.  No lie.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Cats-Eyes-Not-A-Friend.mp3]

Download: Cat’s Eyes – Not A Friend [MP3]

Apex Manor – Year of Magical Drinking

Rating: ★★★½☆

So what do you do if you’re Ross Flournoy and your band has just finished their productions as a group? Keep writing songs and diving further into the musical world, of course. In 2009, when The Broken West ceased existing, Flournoy continued his work alongside former band mate Brian Whelan, and also his new roommate Adam Vine— thus creating Apex Manor, a new group for him to belong to. The result is a power pop bang of goodness that will have you jamming along with the distorted guitars.

“Southern Decline” kicks the pop party right from the start. Flournoy spins the story of getting “high, while [he] feels low,” with guitars strumming away, juxtaposing such a negative subject with strong instrumentations. “Under the Gun” then follows and you can see the crystal clear and masterly executed production of Dan Long (who produced such bands as Local Natives) shining. Just enough distortion on the guitar parts fills all the nooks and crannies of this song, so that there are no holes for the airy percussion elements to slip through.

Three songs into the album comes my personal favorite “The Party Line.” Just when you think that The Year of Magical Drinking is going to be just another pop album, Flournoy throws in this number and you’re hooked again. Gentle, undistorted plucking of guitar begins the song and then the beat gets going and some more rock feeling washes over, making your head bob and fingers tap. It’s pure bliss for three minutes and fifteen seconds, even during the short return to quiet that comes before the final chorus. It’s a song that’s meant to be blasted, and blast it you must.

 Accompanying the previous track is another less pop, more rock song: “Teenage Blood.” The repetitive line of “I’ve got teenage blood/boiling in my brain” resounds, and for a second, you almost believe that perhaps there is a little bit of angst in Flournoy; the vocals stray from their refined execution, and the cymbals crash chaotically, but within a few minutes, the band is back to their style—a nice deviation and then return, so that they can finish strong. “Holy Roller” slows things down for basically the first time on the album and Apex Manor shows yet another side of their musical talent; a sort of bluesy , soft rock flair, without the cheesiness of course.

For their first full-length album, Apex Manor has done well. While not the most ground breaking sound, they combine pop with rock, and solid production to match their every beat. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and it is a very good example of what mostly pop albums should sound like. Here’s to hoping for excellent future albums from this fine group.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/02-Under-the-Gun-1.mp3]

Download: Apex Manor – Under the Gun  [MP3]

Show Preview: Paperthreat @ Beauty Bar (1/28)

Date 1/28/11
Location Beauty Bar
Doors 9pm
Tickets $5 @ Door

Those looking to check out some of the best local talent Austin has to offer should head out to Beauty Bar on Friday night for a set by Paperthreat and some other solid acts.  Joining our former artist to watch band on stage are Motel Aviv, Bloody Knives, and Go Go Garcia.  Seriously kids, for only $5 you can support local music and hear some great live tunes at the same time.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/01-Conveyer-1.mp3]

Download: Paperthreat – Conveyer [MP3]

John Vanderslice – White Wilderness

Rating: ★★★★☆

It seems odd that John Vanderslice doesn’t get more praise all over the world.  He’s done great work as a producer, put out some pretty solid records, and collaborated with favorites like John Darnielle.  Yet he never seems to get the credit.   However, on White Wilderness, he should begin to get some recognition, not only for his work with the Magik Magik Orchestra, but as an incredible songwriter as well.

You have to love the fragility in John’s voice from the minute that “Sea Salt” takes off, perfectly matching the quiet piano tinkering in the background of the song.  It might be a subdued opening, but as the string arrangements join, the depth of the song really begins to take off.  But, it’s almost as if John’s an on-looker sitting beside the orchestra, never really letting the strings overwhelm his sound.

“Convict Lake” seems to have a brighter side to it, as the horns and female vocal accompaniment definitely create one of the shiniest moments on White Wilderness.  What will stick out to listeners, however, is how well the lush orchestration fits in perfectly with Vanderslice’s songs.  He breaks into chorus at just the right time, and even lets his voice falter just a bit, evoking strong emotions from listeners. Surely one can appreciate his work as he goes quiet, then loud, then grows quiet, almost to a cool whisper, begging you to listen to his storytelling.

Perhaps for some, though, the album might be a bit tedious to work through.  Orchestrated moments left and right will definitely call a less self-indulgent Sufjan Stevens, but that’s a lot to endure for many listeners.  “The Piano Lesson” is one such song, where everything doesn’t quite fit together, as it has throughout the whole of White Wilderness.  It’s one of the few times where even John’s restraint doesn’t seem to give justice to the song living beneath the Magik Magik Orchestra.  But, bold artistic moves are made to divide us, and perhaps my subjectivity is getting in the way here.

John Vanderslice‘s bread and butter are those songs when he holds the orchestra back, as stated earlier.  “After It Ends,” though one of the shortest numbers on the record, is precisely the type of song that really should render the man a household name for music fans.  His gentle vocals and light guitar strumming provide the listener with the intimate moments we always yearn for from our greatest songwriters.  Even those songs like “Alemany Gap” where there’s light arrangements in the background allow Vanderslice to break on through with his love for melody.  Those enjoying this style of song will also adore “English Vines,” which is perhaps my favorite track of the entire album.  Light strings in the background, a little woodwind action and a softly strummed guitar.

All said and done, White Wilderness is a bold statement by a songwriter who hasn’t really gotten the praise he deserves.  He might have set out on such a large undertaking to finally make his name known.  Every track is worthy of repeated listens, some more so than others.  It’s time we gave John Vanderslice his acclaim because this record shows that he deserves every bit of it, if not more.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/01-Sea-Salt-1.mp3]

Download: John Vanderslice – Sea Salt [MP3]

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