Bennett Shares Glass Ball Single

After time away from the local scene, Bennett has returned to the Memphis musical world, this time on their own, fleshing out a collection of songs that’s likely to charm as well as offend. Admittedly, I felt a blast of emotion here. I loved the stuttering drum opening, met by twinkling guitars and synths. But, then there was this warble that threw me off; I wasn’t sure where to go, but the groove kept me tethered, dragging me along for the ride. As the track unfolded, those vocal forays fleshed out into more traditional crooning, kind of reminding me of playful artists like Jarvis Cocker. That playfulness pushes into the song too, especially in the latter half, with the song moving into a more theatrical pop realm. It’s one of those tunes where at first I was completely bamboozled. Like, WTF?! But, I went back again…and again…and again. This debut single here comes courtesy of Goner Records.

Optic Sink Share Personified Video

Optic Sink is the new project from Natalie Hoffman (NOTS) and Ben Bauermeister (Magic Kids); they’ve just announced their debut felt-titled album via Goner Records. While the presser hints at a wide range of sounds, our first listen is this pulsing electronic number, matched up with this visual enhancer. For me, the song sort of strips the humanity from Hoffman, offering an almost sterile machine-like vision, devoid of emotions in its presentation. Perhaps its a last gasp, a final attempt to hold onto all that we hold dear as we struggle with loss on so many levels. Whatever it may be, it’s definitely cool to my ears. The LP will be released on October 2nd.

Top 10 Fun Fest Acts

So we hope everyone had just a dandy time at Fun Fest this past weekend.  ATH of course had a lot of fun jamming out, day drinking, and chilling with our music biz homies from around town.  As per usual, we thought we’d recap the weekend in list form via our Top 10 bands from the festival.  With so many acts to be seen, this can sometimes be a difficult task.  Follow the jump for who made the list.

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Magic Kids – Memphis

Rating: ★★★½☆

Who thought that true twee pop went away and died?  Well, if it did, the word certainly didn’t reach the Memphis group Magic Kids.  Their new album, cleverly titled Memphis, is full of that old fashioned bounce and melodic shuffle that adorned some of the greatest indie albums of all time.  That being said, this record is good, though probably not quite on the list of all time greats.

“Phone” does throw some musical allusions around, though the one that sticks with me, at least in regards to instrumentation is Beulah. It’s got emphatic horns riding the crest of jangle guitars.  Backing vocals provide a nice warmth that fans of only the best indie pop will appreciate, and the strings continue with that nostalgic nod. But, “Candy” has a much more current spin on pop music, using a driving rhythm and male/female vocal tradeoff moments to create a saccharin sweetness destined to give your ear some serious cavities.

“Superball” is a good listen, though the best moments are the rising and falling melodies in between verse and chorus.  Something about it gives it a touch of adolescence, and that goes beyond the reference to the childish toy in the title.  Then, the group suddenly switches pace on the listener, giving the rest of Memphis a mellower twist.  Songs like “Summer” demonstrate the depth of the group as a whole, layering the various elements of the group carefully, creating a much stronger sound.  Perhaps it’s the arrangement, or the change in pace, but you can extract more emotion from the latter half of the record, though the first three tracks are still quite enjoyable.

Still, “Hey Boy” signifies a band well versed in hooks.  It begins with the female vocal entry, coming in quite playfully, but then it takes on a little bit of pace, using electronic touches, and a rolling drumbeat to take you on a summery trip full of good times.  Similarly, songs like “Sailing” carry a wave of bounce into the audience’s ear, although not with the same amount of whimsy that was applied to earlier songs on Memphis.  There is a certain sense of maturity with the craftsmanship on the latter-half of the album, even though playful elements like handclaps are still apparent.  They’re not really giving up on the tried and true tradition of twee, rather they’re actually making their own adjustments as a group, building their own sound.

In the end, Magic Kids have created a really strong debut album, and it’s one that will provide listeners with endless pleasure, which seems to redeem itself the more and more you absorb Memphis.  If you just put aside the first three songs, you’d have a really consistently fun record of great hooks and solid melodic moments, but you don’t want to discard those songs either.  They’re catchy, but in their own way.  Some might take a listen to this and claim to see the band growing up before your ears, and that’s a valid point, as the songs clearly progress in a more meaningful manner as the album goes one.  That being said, you’ll want to listen to it all anyways, as it’s just plain good fun.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/03-Superball.mp3]

Download: Magic Kids – Superball [MP3]

Show Review: Ariel Pink @ the Mohawk (8/3)

For years people have been talking about Ariel Pink as if he was some sort of underground genius, waiting for his chance to break through to the masses, if only he had the chance.  After the release of the recent album, Before Today, it seems the chance is upon him.  We headed out to the Mohawk to see for ourselves, and to catch Puro Instinct and Magic Kids along the way.  Follow the jump for more.

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Ariel Pink @ Mohawk (8/3)

Date 8/3/10
Location Mohawk
Doors 8pm
Tickets $10 @ Frontgate

Ariel Pink and his haunted Graffiti have a highly anticipated show planned at The Mohawk for Tuesday night.  Joining the group are Magic Kids and Puro Instinct.  It’s a good night for music options in Austin and this show should be on your list of choices.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/RoundandRound.mp3]

Download: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round and Round [MP3]

1/29 Girls @ The Parish

girlsshow_bannerGirls brought the stoned out and sunny, but never too sunny, sounds of their debut Album to life at the Parish last Friday.  With support by The Smith Westerns and Magic Kids it was a night of bright shards of pop bouncing off the Parish’s newly re-decorated walls.  A great night for a reverb drenched acid trip lead by the eccentric weirdness of Christopher Owens and his mighty side kick Chet White.   Follow the jump.

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Girls In Austin (1/29)

girls05

Date 1/29/10
Location Waterloo/Parish
Doors 5pm/9pm
Tickets Free/Sold Out

Girls are making their triumphant return to Austin on Friday and you’ve got two chances to see the band.  First up is a free Waterloo in-store starting at 5pm with the usual free keg beer.  Second is a show at The Parish along with Magic Kids and The Smith Westerns.  That Parish show has been sold out for awhile so try the free in-store or buy a ticket from a homeless guy at Logans.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/01-lust-for-life.mp3]

Download: Girls – Lust for Life [MP3]