Album Stream: The Wild Kindness – Happy Now

The members of The Wild Kindness have deep roots in the Bay Area music scene, and with their new project, they took their time to really develop their sound for their debut Happy Now. It’s an LP that seems like an amalgam of everyone’s favorite bits of indie rock over the last 30 years, like the little vocal nod to Pavement in “Space Companion” or the sunny Cali pop stylings of “Long Haul.” You’ll also hear great guitar moments that are most visible in your favorite guitar pop acts, letting notes hang and ring in the distance of the mix. The album title ends up fitting rather well, as you’ll leave your listening with your spirit uplifted, and maybe a new band to adore for the foreseeable future.

Ultimate Painting Announce New Album

Ever since Ultimate Painting first came onto our radar, we’ve pretty much wholeheartedly supported the band and their music endeavors. Today comes news that the group have a brand new LP ready for the world, along with a brand new single. Honestly, this might be one of my favorite tracks from the band to date, especially as they take the casual pop stylings and then slow them down even just at the 2:15 mark on the number, letting the song drift off into the world. Ever charming, UP will drop on April 6th via Bella Union. You’ve been warned.

Some Free Week Photos

Free Week is great. The concept of having people fill venues so bartenders and stage crews have a little cash in their pockets is totally a get-behind theme. Now, my epic level of cynicism that creeps in from time to time means that I will give the evil eye to anyone mad about one-in-one-out at a venue. These bands are playing all over town, all year long and sometimes opening for a touring band you would think is too expensive to go see. #value Let’s go, Austin, spend that twelve bucks.

My Free Week rant is over. Let’s get on to some notables and photos. A. Sinclair is a constant fave for rock and or roll. Abram Shook lends credibility to any music catalog. That performance had two-thirds of Feverbones; they are wicked excited for the new record, naturally so are we. Tres Oui‘s invisible bass player had a killer set (#sarcasm). Space-sparse of Soft Healer was a reset. I got to see The Infinites at Beerland as a full band. I do miss a little of the DIY nature of looping to fill sounds, but the layered gazy post punk sounded really rad with guitars filling the room. Fave thing of the time I spent Red Rivering.

Peep the gallery. I spent time taking photos of friends and the people that make Free Week go. I even used a flash. Crazy right?

I love y’all.

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The Bankees Are Back

It hasn’t been that long since the last release from The Bankees, but we were under the impression that Friends (2015) would be the last release from our favorite French popsters. Luckily, Simon reached out this week to drop me their new album, Sunny Days. It’s carefully crafted casual pop music, with hints of Kevin Morby or Dan Bejar, but what I love is that the track are succinct, with only a couple of the tunes stretching beyond the 3 minute mark. You’ll find this record fits perfectly into your afternoon rotation, letting you drift off into the slow crawl of the day.

New Music from Bill Baird

On Friday, one-time Austinite Bill Baird will release his latest outing, Straight Time; he says it will be the last self-recorded/produced of his for awhile. On the tune below, he paints an ode to Austin, filled with various local native name drops, but ultimately, it’s the song that takes hold of you. It’s an ambling track, riding this beautiful guitar sound to the promised land; it’s almost as if you’re sitting in the back of a convertible on a warm Texas afternoon, cruising down the interstate as Bill coolly blasts his vocals through your stereo speakers. Somehow he’s captured the essence of Austin in song; I particularly enjoy the slow burn of the chorus before he jumps into the “Wilford Brimley” line. If you want to know what this city’s all about, give this tune a listen…and be sure to grab Straight Time on Friday.

Holly Miranda Drops New Tune

I’m already starting to put together a list of anticipated albums for 2018, and it sounds like Holly Miranda just added her name to the list. Her performance on this song is pretty stunning, especially when accented by Kyp Malone, who takes on few verses on his own. Perhaps the best thing about this track is that the duo leave a big space behind the delicate guitar and vocals; it draws the listener deep within the confines of the track, rolling them over and over in melancholic pop. Look for a new album from Miranda come February of next year.

Another Tune from The Luxembourg Signal

Having already released one of the best songs of the year in “Laura Palmer,” The Luxembourg Signal are back with the announcement of Blue Field, their brand new LP. I love the sounds of the guitars working against one another; one sounds like an acoustic strum while the other cuts through with discordant rings. You take those two bits fighting joyously, then top it off with incredible vocals that seem to hang in there, even after the syllables have been released. This is some of the best indiepopmusic being written, period. I couldn’t be more excited to get my hands on what’s sure to be gem of an LP, when Shelflife drop it on October 13th (KUS will handle Europe).

New Woods Album!!!

We’ve all been talking about how music can provide us solace in the next four years, hoping that someone writes great tunes to provide us some escapism. Woods, one of our favorites, have just announced a brand new six song album that aims to just that…though they’re doing so with a vibe of positivity. They acknowledge that many of us feel helpless in our surroundings, but ultimately we’ll turn to friends and artists to provide positivity and love in our lives. They’ve titled the album Love is Love, and it’s slated for an April release via Woodsist…sample the album’s title track below.

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New Album from Red Hunter

Former Austinite Red Hunter was always one of our favorites when he was working under the Peter and the Wolfmoniker. He’s now moved on to Brooklyn, and we’re here to share with you an entire new album of songs from the fella. It still bares the signifier of Red’s early music, offering up intimate bedroom recordings with incredible word play and delicately plucked notes. The songs are fairly short, relatively speaking, so you can breeze through the record, then come back and listen for a whole lot more. Take a trip with Red and The Dolphin King, and be sure to fund the cause!

Brand Spanking New Bastards of Fate

bastardspress2-kent-mooreBoredom tends to sink in at this time of the year, as we read through an abundant list of Top whatevers, quietly disagreeing. Enter Bastards of Fate, an other worldly affair Personally, their offering up something that’s indescribable, and I mean that in a flattering sense. You’ll ear elements of classic instrumentation (in the opening moments), discordant flair, rockabilly, prog…and it’s all wrapped up in a tight little pop sensibility bow for your ears. It’s kind of reminiscent of the B-52s, if they were possessed by the devil and impervious to what’s cool. Their new album Suckthe Light Out will be released by HHBTM on February 10th of next year.

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