SxSW 2016: Welcome to the Jangle

Popfest's JangleThank you, Spider House. Thank you, Mother Nature. Thank you, bands.

The weather was absolutely perfect. We were given blue skies, the occasional cloud, a lovely breeze to pair with some of the best music heard at SxSW. I mean, Diet Cig, The Spook School, Beverly and Brothers In Law to name a few, and add splendid local talent like Summer Salt, Rose Selavy, Ramesh and an Austin reunion of Literature. How can I dare say there was even more awesome?

Check out words from Team ATH about best-ofs, hashtag all of it kicked ass, and plenty of pics.

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ATX Popfest Presents…Welcome to the Jangle @ Spider House (3.16)

welcome to the jangleSXSW is nearing, and ATH has been working with our friends at ATX Popfest to bring you what we know is THE place to be on Wednesday, March 16th. Welcome to the Jangle! Those of you who are pop fans need to come over to Spider House on that day, starting at 12 PM. It’s ALL AGES, and will go all day and night…filled with some of the best talent coming into town. Here’s a quick list of who all is playing: Summer Salt, Hockey Dad, Pinact, Mercury Girls, Wildhoney, Brothers In Law, Beverly, Expert Alterations, Rose Selavy, Fear of Men, September Girls, Diet Cig, Spook School, Dead Stars, Hibou, Tennis System, Literature, and Ramesh.

We’ll have more details as we get closer, but wanted you to plan on taking the day off to spend it with us.

More from Brothers In Law

brosItaly’s Brothers In Law have long been on our radar, and their new effort Raise is a huge step in their musical game. They still hold onto some of their elements of dream/indiepop, but they’ve thrown in that circular guitar swell that’s been so enchanting for many shoegaze fans. Vocals are hiding a little bit on some of the more recent work, filling in the space just behind the cascading wall of guitars. This track definitely displays the band’s new found sound and sees them pushing themselves to new levels. Look for their new album via WWNBB now!

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Sweet New Track From Brothers in Law

unnamed (5)As we all recover from what was surely a long weekend, I thought we could all go for something a little dreamy this morning to boost our moods.  Today that goodness comes our way from previously loved by ATH band Brothers in Law.  Yes this Italian group should brighten all of our spirits today with this sweet new tune called “Middle of Nowhere”.  Just soak up all of the dreamy delights here and continue about your day.

Raise will be out on January 29th via We Were Never Boring.

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ATH & SXSW: 3 to Watch Part 2.

sxsw-&-athWell, it’s that time of year again; your liver hurts just thinking about it, and your Excel program has never seen so much action since Windows 98 first came out. Let’s put all that anxiety aside and concentrate on some really rad bands that are going to be making it our way in the next few weeks. These are three of the bands I’m most excited about seeing, and I have a feeling that I’ll see one or more of them at least twice…I’m just that guy.

More shows are popping up by the day.  Keep your ears to the Internet for the coolest party info.

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Brothers In Law – Hard Times for Dreamers

2697516072-1Rating: ★★★★☆

Dreamy guitar pop is definitely one of my favorite genres, and it seems that its quickly reemerged as one of the world’s favorites too.  I’ve heard gems from Australia, the UK, Mexico, Japan and now, with Brothers In Law, Italy. The band’s latest album, Hard Time for Dreamers, fulfills the promise that was apparent on their early single, providing listeners with an uplifting pop record that’s breezy and enchanting.

There’s something familiar about the way album opener “Lost Control” begins, but as soon as those steadily bouncing drums kick in, I forget about that, and just let myself get lost.  Guitars swirl in the background and the vocals are uplifting in tone; it’s hard not to find yourself immediately falling for Hard Times for Dreamers, especially when the wayward guitar playing you carries you away towards the end of the track.  It fits nicely with the next tune, “Go Ahead,” which lives in a similar sonic realm, though there’s something about the vocals that gives it a different feel.  It’s just a brief moment, but they raise higher in pitch, leaving me with one of my favorite 2 seconds of pop this year. 

I definitely can see that there are times when the vocals might have too much coating on them, but it’s almost as if Brothers In Law intended to be that way.  It’s as if the voice has been built to add the depth of another instrument.  That being said, during “A Magic,” there is some clarity just after the two-minute mark when the song breaks down to a slower pace for a momentary relaxed movement.   But, that brief moment sets the scene for “Childhood,” where the voice takes the central role in spectacular fashion.  For the beginning, the whole song centers around the voice, surrounding it with warmth, as you would expect in some sort of cathedral recording.  Then, the drums begin to pound, the guitars are turned up, and they shuttle you away to the place where Hard Times for Dreamers lives: a bliss-filled state of relaxation.

If you’re in need for a certifiable hit, and let’s face it, most of us are, then you can probably find the answer to your search by going straight to “(Shadow II) Leave Me.”  Almost from the moment it starts the angular guitar cuts its way back and forth between the solid drumming section.  Honestly, I’m pretty sure this is the best song that Wild Nothing never wrote.  Yet I’ll admit that it’s not easy to find a standout on Hard Times for Dreamers, and that’s not because the record falls short in any way.  In fact, it’s so consistent that you could easily find yourself listening to every track over and over for many days to come.