Summer Salt Get Spooky

The boys in Summer Salt are hard at work on their debut full-length, but you’ve got to take some time off to keep it light…which the boys did with this great new little Halloween ditty. While the lyrical content might lean towards the spookier side, you can still find the band’s perfect harmonies lurking around. A fun track from one of our favorites…and just a friendly reminder to grab their So Polite EP that we dropped this summer; they also have some really rad pins for your Winter jacket.

ATX Spotlight: Isaiah the Mosaic Release Heroin Island

isaiahIsaiah the Mosaic has been making waves in the Austin music community for the last few years, but interestingly enough, they don’t have too much recorded material to offer the masses, aside from their Systems EP. Perhaps some change is on the horizon as the group have just released a brand new single for your ears. It’s got trickling samples working in the front of the song, waiting for the entrance of the warm washing vocals. The pace is relaxed, offering more a steadying hand to the group’s electronic dream world; I will say the live setting is always far from relaxed, so it’s nice to hear a studio version. Hopefully we hear more from the group in the near future.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Isaiah-The-Mosaic-HEROIN-ISLAND.mp3]

Brand New Single From Hethers

hethersA few things seem to have changed for Hethers.  First, they dropped the “a” from their band name. Second, they moved off to New York, having been formerly based in LA. Of course, there’s also some musical changes too, which we could already witness on their last single in June. Some of the jangling moments that were apparent on early songs from the Fear 7″ are gone, and while there’s a huge pop sensibility, I feel like there’s a huge Paul Westerberg influence lurking in this track. Still now news on an official album or a new 7″, but I promise to let you know as soon as I do. I’m just stoked to share a good jam.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/hethers-Guiding-Light-01-Guiding-Light.mp3]

Download: Hethers – Guiding Light [MP3]

Don’t Cry Shopgirl Have a New 7″

11188248_630700463730740_2341388002965267490_nThis is not a Tom Hanks referencing post (wait, too late). Instead, it’s meant to reflect the exciting news coming out of Sweden this week that there will be a new 7″ from Don’t Cry Shopgirl. The song opens as a pretty synth-driven testament, with layered electronic stabs bursting in at varying times. Still, you can hear the angular guitar work that’s popularized in the genre, which never fails to win me over. Luckily, the 7″ looks to be an EP, as there are 4 songs listed; it’ll come out soon via the dependable Cloudberry Records…I’ll keep you posted on the date.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/dontcryshopgirl.mp3]

Download: Don’t Cry Shopgirl – Bring Me Home [MP3]

New Single from Tuff Shunshine

tuffThis brand new Tuff Sunshine track came into the ATH offices this morning, and it’s really hard to turn it off. It recalls that perfect era of indie rock, at least to me, during the late 90s and early 00s where Americana and punk rock all started to fuse (outside the emo realm).  It’s got this incredible groove that drives it, but there’s also this distinctive quality that makes it feel like the brother of Superchunk, just a bit warmer on the ears. The NYC trio will release Fire in the Hero Building on October 31st.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/tuffsunshine_dreamin.mp3]

Download: Tuff Sunshine – Dreamin’ [MP3]

Something New from Human Music

humanmusicI know it’s easy for us to write about all your favorite news from the other sites, but I really try to find things on the weekend that you’re not getting anywhere else, like Winnipeg’s Human Music.  It caught me at first because of the Soft Boys reference, but musically, it’s pretty marvelous.  There’s a pop sensibility, but there’s also some great structural experimentation at work here…like a post-punk band taking on their inner jam tendencies.  You can find the entire stream of their excellent new album, Sup, by clicking HERE…I know I’m hooked. Want great music? This is it. Look for the release on Sundowning Sound Recordings now.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Human-Music-Cool-Party.mp3]

Download: Human Music – Cool Party [MP3]

 

Have You Heard Hotman

hotmanIt’s amazing that in all the hubbub about music cities dying no one is really discussing how difficult it’s been for a lot of musicians to even eke out a living in one band…they often turn to two or three different projects.  Maybe that’s the case for Joe from Low Culture, or maybe he just loves to play music.  This track below opens up with a kinship to Guided By Voices, which initially caught me, though it travels to an entirely different territory as the song drives on, pushing more towards the punk direction that you might associate with Joe’s other band. Hotman only has these two tracks, but they’re NYOP, and they’re both super rad, so get on it.

[audio:http//www.austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Hotman-Ghost-Love.mp3]

Download: Hotman – Ghost Love [MP3]

Fresh EP from Power of Satan

PrintIt’s always interesting to me how music filters and influences places all over the world, which I feel is the case with Power of Satan‘s newest EP. The Japanese band has just released their new four song EP on Bleeding Gold Records, and there’s touchstones of all things indie rock in the last few decades.  I hear little bits of Pavement, but I can also hear a lot of that angular guitar pop that people give Flying Nun credit for; it might seem all over the place with those touchstones, but it’s really a well put together release.  You can grab the EP for NYOP (which means throw some dollars their way).

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/7/POWER-OF-SATAN-BG086-POWER-OF-SATAN-02-Invader.mp3]

Download: Invader [MP3]

Quiet Balladry from Head Clouds

headyI wanted to continue with our Australian themed day by looking over at Head Clouds, which is the product of Jayke Maddison.  In listening to his latest single, there feels like there’s two separate movements happening, especially once the song takes a turn just before the 2 minute mark. The pop aspect is smoothed out, adding in a more pronounced bit of percussion to elevate Maddison’s voice into a loftier place. There’s a new EP in the works, with growth on the mind of Jayke, clearing making a push for the most pristine pop music coming out of Gold Coast.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/HeadClouds.mp3]

Download: Head Clouds – New Light of the Equinox

New La Luz Jam

laluzI think it’s sort of a shame that Ty Segall is getting the love for the new La Luz jam, especially considering he’s just handling production duties.  If you go back in time, you’ll see that this sound is the natural progression of the group’s sound as they prepare to release their new album. They’ve always had a surfy vibe, but I do dig the stronger vocal focus on this latest tune.  They definitely take some leisure with jamming things out in parts, which I suppose could be Segall’s touch, but I’m betting these ladies had these tunes ready to rock when they walked in the studio.  Look for their new album, Weirdo Shrine, on August 7th via Hardly Art.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/02_You-Disappear.mp3]

Download: La Luz – You Disappear [MP3]

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