MUUK Share Seis Ausente

It’s seems strange to me that we cover so much music from Canada, yet our closest neighbor (here in Texas at least) gets minimal coverage. But, thanks to Devil in the Woods returning, I’ve been turned on to some great tunes, like this new single from Mexico City’s MUUK. It’s an instrumental number that works with sort of four distinct movements. At first, you get sort of a lost radio message, something that seems to hiss at you from the past. Then the song drops in, guitars sharpening themselves over ambient noises, building on the pulse of electronics. We venture into a soft respite with a meandering guitar chord sort of skittering about while the percussive element and soundbites intoxicate the listener. It all crashes down emphatically with the heavier hand coming in the song’s final quarter, releasing all the song’s earlier tension in one final closing moment.

New Single & Video From Good Looking Friends

Ah yes, couldn’t we all agree that 4 day weeks followed by 3 day weekends should be the social norm? As you struggle with this serious intellectual quandary, I suggest you check out this new track “Front Porch” from Brooklyn based band Good Looking Friends. It reminds me quite a bit of post rock band like Sparta, especially with the gritty and explosive vocals. If nothing else, it should certainly wake you up on this slow moving Monday.

Good Looking Friends will release Settle In, Decay on April 6th via Old Press Records.

Post Rock From Animal Flag

Please stop me if you’ve heard this before, I have a special place in my heart for the post-rock/post-emo genre. What’s even more exciting for me is the resurgence of the genre with bands like TWIABP or Us and Only Us. What can I say, it was the turning point of “good music” for me back in the day and it’s stuck with me ever since. So consider me excited when I hear a song like “Fair” from Boston based band Animal Flag. It has the hot riff guitars, reserved vocals, and perfect explosions into ferocity from the slower moments of the song. YES.

You can hear this song and more on the band’s new album Void Ripper out April 13th on Flower Girl Records. Pre-order yeah?

We’re Back, So Is Yndi Halda

yndiAfter a brief little hiatus, we’re trying to play catch up with some of the tunes that came out last week. This one immediately caught my attention, seeing as Yndi Halda hasn’t released an album for some eight years. Well, like us, they’re back with something new, and I love the understated approach taken on this tune. Everything seems equal here, even the vocals seem to sit right inside the main mix of this tune. Still, the band employ a post rock approach, building and building towards a crescendo that never quite comes. encouraging listeners to keep coming back for more. Definitely excited to see what comes our way when the new LP is unleashed in March.

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ATX Spotlight: Legendary Skies Release Novarupta (4/10)

11081179_1091877397495744_644842800649873449_nAustin’s been known to host an instrumental post-rock act or two…from Balmorhea to Explosions in the Sky, and everything in between.  Enter Legendary Skies, one of the newer acts on the scene, who are ready to unleash their album Novarupta to the Austin masses (and hopefully beyond). Interestingly, the band draw from all the forebears in our local post-rock scene, building crash atop crash, yet always falling in step with more intricate guitar pieces made for long drives along sparse Texas highways.  Head over to Hole in the Wall this Friday night to catch the band live, and help celebrate the release of their album.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/TxRWQQPVEYs[/youtube]

Dark Rock from Disappears

disappears_zoranorlicI’m always into the mood to listen to Disappears.  I’ve raved about them at various shows, and now it’s time to get ready for their brand new album to come our way.  Their fourth album, Era, is set to come out on August 27th via Kranky, and it’s shaping up to be something completely different than before.   There’s much more empty space that the band is working with, allowing them to create a different audial vibe than on their previous works.  After three records, they’re ready to mix things up, and I have a feeling that the new direction is definitely going to benefit all listening parties.

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New Experimental Pop From The Dandelion War

I was close to calling this new song “Drifters” from The Dandelion War an instrumental tune since the lyrics and vocals are extremely hushed and low in the mix.  You might also rush to that conclusion upon first listen with the sounds conveyed similar to Sigur Ros meets This Will Destroy You.  It’s lengthy, it’s epic, and it’s completely open to your own interpretation.  The band have a new album, We Were Always Loyal to Lost Causes, coming on September 12th via Deep Elm Records.  Right now we’ve only got a stream for you.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/02-Drifters.mp3]

New Instrumental Jam from Equals

Texas, especially in the summer time, seems to breed bands that just want to get down and play together, fully unleashing whatever sounds come to their fingers.  Such is the case with up-and-comers, Equals, one of the newest in the Texas field of post-rock.  While the beginning and end definitely rely upon the quieter side of the musical stream, you’ll find that there’s some chaos swirling in the middle for you, giving you precisely that level of noise many need in their instrumental rock.  The group is releasing their debut self-titled EP on August 30th, and from there, they can only get bigger. Let’s do this.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/equals-falselight.mp3]

Download: Equals – False Light [MP3]