Austin Town Hall

The last track we offered up from Spectrals was an upbeat affair, somewhere in the vein of modern power-pop.  But, this new single definitely shows the songwriting prowess that’s present on the band’s new album, Sob Story; the title track is an ambling number with bending guitars and a soulful croon walking you through it all.  It’s almost as if this is a country track, which definitely hits home with us down here in Texas, yet more importantly, I’m just excited that the album’s going to have various avenues for listeners to enjoy.  You can pick up your copy from Slumberland Records on June 18th. 

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Seems like it’s going to be a pretty good year for Slumberland Records.  They’ve already tossed out the new Wax Idols/Girls Names/Golden Grrrls LPs, and now they’re set to release Long Enough to Leave on June 18th.  On the latest hit from The Mantles, the group offers up a bit of nostalgia to go with their blend of garage-pop;  it’s current, but could easily fit into the late 60s. There’s definitely an evolving spirit from the San Fran/Oakland group that has my ear perked for the full-length. Just more great hits from SR today I guess!

I picked up this English Singles 7″ from the record store last night, so I had to share it with you all, that way you could do the same.  It’s precisely what I expected from the group, filled with catchy hooks and sing-a-long lyrics.  Just listen to that pounding drum beat; try to listen and not find yourself bobbing up and down. There’s three jams from the Sacramento act on the Ordinary Girls 7″, which I’m telling you is a must for your collection.  You can pick it up from Slumberland Records immediately!

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Download: English Singles – Ordinary Girls [MP3]

Admittedly, I’ve been a casual fan of Spectrals for some time, though I’ve never become overly involved with the project of Louis Jones.  I have a feeling that things are going to change this time, and not just because his new record will be released by the always reliable Slumberland Records, rather it’s the feel of the song.  It takes a bit of a jaunt into just good old fashioned power rock n’ roll. It’s got hooks, decent drumming and nice guitar licks; this is the sort of tune that you sit back and enjoy, grateful someone out there made it. The new record is titled Sob Story, and it should be in stores on June 18th.

I’ve been waiting for new music from The Mantles for what seems like a long time; you know, something like four years.  On their first single for their new record, it almost has the feeling as if it’s been recorded in the group’s home studio; it’s got an uplifiting guitar jangle to it, while the vocals hold on to a certain sense of earnestness.  If you need some charming pop music to get you through the day, then you don’t need to look any further than here.   On June 18th Slumberland Records will be releasing Long Enough to Leave, and it’s already in my year end lists, I promise you.

Okay, so 24 hours later and this track is probably old news, but you can’t escape the fact that it’s simply just a great song.  While the first Weekend effort was simply noisy, it looks like the next effort is going to perhaps go a little softer, maybe.  Yes, there’s that dark sense of post-punk brooding from the start, but a little bit into the track and the guitar begins to soften the approach, cutting in and out of the background.  And when you hear the vocals, it’s a nice change to hear the clarity, though the affecting quality still remains.  The band will release their second LP, Jinx, via Slumberland Records on July 23rd–get ready to rave about this release.

Where have these guys been?  It’s been almost two years since we last heard from Kids on a Crime Spree, and I’m ecstatic that the band is back today.  Their sound compiles elements of hazy guitar pop with bouncing rhythms and floating vocals, all of which guarantee a hit over at the ATH offices…and hopefully beyond.  The group has a brand new Creeps the Creep 7″ that comes your way next week courtesy of the most excellent, Slumberland Records.  Hopefully this great tunes is just a hint at great things to come from the group in 2013.

If you’re looking for a repeat of Wax Idols last record, No Future, then you should probably take a second to reflect before you press play.  There are hints, though slight, of the band of old, but Hether Fortune and her band mates have come to give you something entirely new with Discipline & Desire; it’s refreshing to see a group push themselves, no matter what the risks.

“Stare Back” immediately puts you on your back foot, opening with discordant noise and a bubbling post-punk bass line.  Fortune soon enters with an echoing wail.  The repetition of “stare back” is met each time with an emphatic drum hit.  Swirling vocals come in and out of the foreground, but what’s most noticeable is the tracks exploration into a noisier punk realm.  But, just because Wax Idols have opted for a heavier-handed approach doesn’t mean there aren’t inherent pop hooks, which you’ll find immediately following the album’s opener on “Sound of a Void.”  Personally, I love the way the guitar parts work together, weaving a pristine pop hook between the distorted wall of guitar noise.  Also, the driving delivery of the vocals approached the anthemic attitude that was present on past efforts.  They keep that attitude up with “When It Happens” by using perfectly placed backing vocals, which balance Ms. Fortune’s guttural singing.  Three songs in and you can see that despite a darker approach, there’s still a knack for infectious tunes.

I think the biggest success of Discipline & Desire is the group’s ability to travel back and forth between approachable pop and discordant post-punk.  The perfect song for that hypothesis is “Ad Re Ian,” which really lives in both worlds.  The verses are possibly some of the most accessible and poppy moments Fortune has put together under the Wax Idols moniker, but the choruses represent the band knack for blasting off into dangerous punk jams.  Still, holding through it all is this faint dreamy vocal that supersedes every established notion; it’s probably one of my favorite moments on the record.

But, if I had to pick a favorite to claim as my own, I think I’m going to stick with “Elegua.”  It’s the closest thing to a ballad that lives on Discipline & Desire; I think if also demonstrates the vocal qualities of Hether, which people often overlook.  There’s a gentle quality to her delivery, almost a whisper at times, that fits perfectly with the haunting meandering of the guitar, constantly being accentuated by firing of snare hits.  About 2.5 minutes in, the song continues to forge its own path, pushing towards a swirling closing that  really encapsulates the idea that the Wax Idols have continued to push themselves in every aspect of their sound.

In my mind, it would have been really easy for Wax Idols to retrace their steps from No Future, which I consider a great record, although having spent weeks with this new effort, I’m glad they didn’t go that route.  Discipline & Desire definitely darkens the mood at time, but the group’s ability to explore their own sound has left us, the listeners, with so much to be grateful for.  It’s angry, sometimes ferocious even, but it also has a softer underbelly that will allow this album to sink deep into your heart.

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