You know we love raving about Literature, who’ve recently departed Austin for Philadelphia, so I’m happy to share with you the A-Side to their new Tie Dye 7″, which the band is putting out via Square of Opposition Records (it’s up for pre-order right now!). When the song starts off, it’s got that catchy jangle that made me love their sound, but what’s interesting is that as the song begins to fade out, they add a new layer to their sound. It’s a wayward sounding group harmony with just a bit of fuzz on it. Oh, and if you didn’t buy their debut Arab Spring, you need to get it HERE since I only have about 10 left!
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Our boys in Literature have had a pretty solid year thus far, having released their debut Arab Spring LP with us earlier in the year. They’re back at it again with the new Tie Die 7″, which will come out via our partners for the LP, Square of Opposition Records. On the B-Side for the release you’ll notice that the urgency of the power pop the band used in the past has receded slightly, allowing for their melodies to take their time coming through the song. In what’s already been a banner year for the band, they continue writing great songs, maintaining their spot as one of our favorites. Oh, and if you haven’t bought their LP, you can still grab a few HERE.
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The day is finally here! We’ve had some tweaking to the site in the work behind the scenes by our excellent partners, Paravel, and I’m here to announce the first update. I hope you know by now that we’ve started a non-profit (aren’t they all) record label, and our first release was Literature‘s Arab Spring (partnered with Square of Opposition). It’s a great record that has gotten lots of national press, so you should definitely check it out (and buy it!). You can purchase the album directly from us by going HERE. There’s also a little tab on the lower right of the home page, and we’ll be updating it with all our releases. If you prefer to get your vinyl in a non-Internet environment, it’s all over Austin at End of an Ear, Waterloo and Trailer Space. Here’s a few great tracks to stream so you know exactly what you’ll be getting. Keep an eye out for more updates on the site, and on the record label!
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No mincing it, welovethisband. So much so that Nathan has Austin Town Hall backing the vinyl which can be ordered here. So why do we need to review the record? Probably because it is warranted. A recent blog post by Michael Corcoran lamented the mediocre Austin music scene. I simply retorted you aren’t trying.
Make no mistake, there are jams being laid down by several bands born of the Live Music Capital and Literature is one of the bands doing it in their blue collar, super pop way.. So let’s examine Arab Spring.
The album opener is a gentler affair, easing into the poppy blasts that are coming. And blasts they are with the longest track weighing in at an impressive 2:51. This pace creates the punk tension, stay on top of it, or you might miss something. So, “14 Seconds” features a break midway of guitars, a recurring theme for the rest of the album. Great introduction to the band and the interplay of Kevin and Nathaniel on vocals.
“Lily” starts to really show off the melodic constructions, from the vocals to the building guitar layers. Has a feel of Arctic Monkeys in the best way, without accents and over indulgence. “Push up Bra” brings unleashed pop, jangly riffs, quick lyrical delivery and festive backing vocal destined for sing along participation. “Criminal Kids” starts the swing into my favorite span of the album. “This town scares me.” – attributable to Corcoran? The band follows with “Arab Spring”, the title track, “Then there is you, and others too, that will be left uninvited.”
“Grifted” and “Rooney” are two songs I would use to show off our Austin scene. The former is my high point, best opening hook I have heard in a long while. Nice breakdowns and layering as the vocals resume and proper use of keys to settle the song in for the outgoing jam. The latter is the biggest song on the album, another great guitar hook that climbs and gives way to loud chords. The short run time just makes you want to play it again, right away. Again, trading vocals, trading guitar lead, all while Mike and Seth run the show with the rhythm section.
The album’s finish is composed of a three song set. “O.J.” is the tender vocal moment with a great climbing and falling bassline from Seth. “Esquire Esquire” asks what am I supposed to do? when I can’t win, can’t lose. The finale, “I am Right Here”, doesn’t let us off easy; staccato, fast, short and sweet. Vocals are delivered in a matter of fact way.
So what do I want to complain about? It is over too soon. But it has to be. Arab Spring as a collection of songs is fast, to the point and leave you wanting to do it again. Literature captures the essence of pop, bridging gaps, sometimes more serious and sometimes more playful. Most important, the album shows where we are going. Things are breaking down and our “scene” is getting back to basics. It is time to have fun at shows. It is time to get sucked into two minute blasts of energy, take a short break and do it again.
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We’re nearing the release date of Literature‘s Arab Spring (April 10th), which will be our first AustinTownHall Records release, working with our friend Chris over at Square of Opposition. Sure, I’m easily biased as I believe whole-heartedly in this record, but I wanted to share another track to convince you that you’ll need a copy in your hands! ”14 Seconds” opens the album, setting the mood for a jangling indie pop record that inevitably gets you to swing your hips as the record completely sucks you in. You definitely need to head HERE to get your pre-order on before you have to hunt down this brilliant release!
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Okay, admittedly we’re going to give a little plug here for ourselves, but I’m totally okay with that. As we’ve mentioned here before, we’re going to be helping put out the new album, Arab Spring, from Austin’s own Literature. It’s a project we’re stoked to be part of, and one that we hope will help us launch our non-profit label (aren’t they all?) to help Austin/Texas bands. Anyways, for those interested in getting your hands on it, you can preorder the album today from our partners (the other benig Cop’s Kids Records) in this venture, Square of Opposition. Go HERE to get yours now, and sample one of the sweet tracks from the record below!
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It’s been a minute or two since we ran a Lost in Austin Take Away feature, but we’re back today with one of our favorite local acts, Literature. Again, we’ve teamed up with the good folks over at GuerillaWaltz to coordinate the best in video and music, so we hope you like the coverage.
If you’ve been following this year, you’ve probably heard me hype up local Austin band, Literature. Well, prepare yourself for a whole lot more, as the band’s about to release a phenomenal record for you all to enjoy. The record is titled Arab Spring, and pretty much every song is an absolute gem. The band’s been kind enough to let us pick our favorite jam, which, believe you me, has been a difficult task this weekend. I chose, “Grifted,” as there’s a bit of elegant charm, and immeasurable catchiness to go along. This song should definitely demonstrate why I’m so excited about this band! The record’s so solid that I’m sure someone will pick it up once the band self-releases the album here in the next few weeks, and if they don’t, fuck it, I’ll do it.
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You know we love raving about Literature, who’ve recently departed Austin for Philadelphia, so I’m happy to share with you the A-Side to their new Tie Dye 7″, which the band is putting out via Square of Opposition Records (it’s up for pre-order right now!). When the song starts off, it’s got that catchy jangle that made me love their sound, but what’s interesting is that as the song begins to fade out, they add a new layer to their sound. It’s a wayward sounding group harmony with just a bit of fuzz on it. Oh, and if you didn’t buy their debut Arab Spring, you need to get it HERE since I only have about 10 left!
