Austin Town Hall

Well, it’s that time of year again; your liver hurts just thinking about it, and your Excel program has never seen so much action since Windows 98 first came out. Let’s put all that anxiety aside and concentrate on some really rad bands that are going to be making it our way in the next few weeks. These are three of the bands I’m most excited about seeing, and I have a feeling that I’ll see one or more of them at least twice…I’m just that guy.

More shows are popping up by the day.  Keep your ears to the Internet for the coolest party info.

Read More

Sometimes things just feel right, and that’s precisely the feeling I get whenever I play the self-titled album from Golden Grrrls.  With warm weather hitting my city, I needed something that would be both energetic and creative, and this album fits neatly into that box.  Bring on the Spring, and bring on more spins of this record.

“New Pop” opens up the album for this Glaswegian trio, and there’s not a better way to start things off than by combining multi-part vocal (male and female) harmonies.  The distorted guitar, the cymbal play and the frenetic pace of the vocal delivery provides a perfect beginning for one of the brightest records of the year.  And it doesn’t stop when Golden Grrrls move into “Past Tense.”  There’s definitely a bit of a more folk feeling bubbling underneath this track, with less distortion being pushed to the front of the mix; it’s probably one of the tracks that wears the badge of Flying Nun Records influences. Ruari’s vocal appearance during the chorus might actually steal the show a bit, but the whole tune’s simply splendid.

Almost every track provides listeners with something to tap their toes to, even when they choose to go in a softer direction.  ”Wrld Peace,” for instance, maintains the warm aesthetic of the multi-part harmonies, but the rolling movement of the drums on this song really stands out to me.  After going back over the record again, I realized that the drums standout on almost every track, at least in some regard, but there’s some many layers of sound going on in each track, that occasionally your attention drifts elsewhere…just be sure to give the drumming some props! Sometimes, all three members join in to offer counterattacking vocal parts, like on “Date It,” which might have been why I drifted away from the superb percussion.  You’ve got to have a careful ear to catch everything going on, which I think is one of the many successes within Golden Grrrls; the formula might appear simple at first, but the subtleties of the craftsmanship really is what allows for repeated listens.  You’ll find that same approach on almost every song.

But, that might be a drawback for some, as many of the songs can bleed together just a bit.  Still, it’s a slight blemish on an otherwise marvelous listen.  You’re not going to find a bad track on this record; it’s simply not possible.  There’s casual tracks of summery pop like “We’ve Got” or there are songs that grab you energetically from the get go such as “Take Your Time,” and they all give you a sense of inner joy.  For my two cents, the record is refreshing, taking a popular format, adding more harmonies and a little bit more focus.  It makes Golden Grrrls one of my favorite acts of the moment, and I’m sure it’ll be yours too.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Golden Grrrls is out now on Slumberland Records.

When a band makes a sonic change, sometimes you lose fans or confuse fans, but the slightest change here should be considered a leap, with Girls Names releasing what I believe is one of the best records that will come out in 2013.  The New Life maintains the group’s penchant for uniting jangling guitars with atmospheric psychedelia, but creates this brooding darkness that propels the group into a category all their own.

“Pittura Infamante” was one of the first singles leaked out, and almost immediately you could tell that the group had something building.  The bass line alone brings in a different level of darkness, with Cathal Cully hauntingly crooning atop the verses.  Yet, two things minimize the black effects: the guitars and the chorus.  Cully’s voice carefully sways from the moment he sings “across,” accentuated by some nice keyboard additives. From there The New Life moves even further into its ghastly presentation with “Drawing Lines.”  My ears can’t get over the vocal here, in a good way.  It sounds as if they’ve been recorded in some ancient cathedral, evoking the purest emotion from any listener.  Also, you’ll note that the first of the two tracks, excluding the introductory “Portrait,” are far greater in length than the work done on Dead to Me–their debut had not a song over 4 minutes, but here, you’re lucky to find the two that just barely fit under that mark.  It demonstrates a bit more creativity and budding craft as songwriters, all which benefit the record.

While Girls Names have created more sprawling adventures this time out, don’t let me convince you that it all has to be affected by doom and gloom.  The swirling guitars that eventually open “Occultation” surely display an added light to the record.  Of course, Cully enters again with that demonic croon while the distorted guitar reverberates in your speakers.  Sonically dark, yes. Emotionally light, check!  Towards the end, the song has its own negative space exploration before jumping right back into a spirited close.  But, just because the band can traipse off into their own sonic realms in spectacular fashion, that doesn’t mean you should ignore the shortest track on The New Life.  Neil’s drumming really pushes the pace here, and the brighter side of the group’s guitar playing really shines through.  Even when they do things in tighter fashion, they give you more than you bargained for.  Right now, I’m particularly in love with the chorus.

Hopefully I’ve given you some insight into what listening to The New Life will be like when you let that needle hit the record. However, those are just some personal highlights, and I think what each listener brings to the table will really play a huge role in how the record is perceived.  That being said, I couldn’t be happier for Girls Names–they’ve taken on their remarkable promise as a young band and taken things to an entirely different level.  Feel free to swoon over this record for the rest of 2013…and beyond.

The New Life is available from Slumberland Records on 2/26.

Honestly, I’ve had my hands on the new Veronica Falls album for a few weeks, and I can’t tell you how much the band has progressed since their first self-titled release.  The melodies are tightly woven and the vocals are simply intoxicating…and that’s on every single track.  You can put all preconceived notions aside, as this record sounds so much brighter than the previous effort.  Waiting for Something to Happen is just around the corner with Slumberland Records slated to release the tune on February 12th.  I have faith that this entire listen won’t let down a single fan, and should award the group many new adoring listeners.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t write about the most recent Girls Names track to come out of the Internet.  I’d also be in the same boat if I didn’t admit that I have no idea where the group is going musically, in an extremely exhilarating sense.  When I first heard this tune, I noted the semi-Orange Juice guitar chops, but was thrown off by the haunting of the vocals.  Then came this progression with keyboard intrusions and a brighter tone to the vocals–it honestly reminded me of The Fresh and Onlys traveling back to the early 80s, which basically equates to a hit in my ear.  Luckily, The New Life will be in stores from Slumberland Records on February 18th, so I’ll finally get to put all the incredible pieces together.

It says a lot, to me at least, that among the forty emails I waded through yesterday, this Wax Idols tune was one of the standouts. I’ve adored the group for some time, and I’ve really been looking forward to this their new record, Discipline & Desire.  For me, this jam completely encapsulates both sides of the band, you know–where they’ve been and where they’re going. There’s a subdued haunting introductory pop that comes back and forth with Hether calmly singing atop, but then it blasts off.  It goes into a dark post punk bit of a stomp, living a bit in the group’s sonic past.  When it shoots off into the bright guitar excursion towards the end, it’s clear that they’ve got a hit. You can get the record on March 26th from Slumberland Records.

Man, these Glaswegians are really something special.  I’ve written about Golden Grrrls and their powerful hooks once before, but this newest single is just ridiculously tasty.  They’ve got a self-titled album coming out on February 26th on the always reliable Slumberland Records, and if it’s filled with more songs like this, you won’t be able to put it down.  Personally, the interplay between male and female vocalists is quite enchanting, but the musicality of it all has me really excited.  It’s not your typical all out twanging guitars and distortion, but a steady-paced blend of on-point drumming and a slightly folk-influenced guitar work.  Absolutely one of my favorite tracks of the year already.

With the release of No Future, Wax Idols quickly made my radar as a band to keep an eye on, and news has finally come out that the group’s second outing is being geared for release on March 26th from Slumblerland Records. Listening to the first single from Discipline & Desire, you can tell that the group has put a darker mood into the record, replacing the anthemic power-punk with a more haunting array of sounds.  For one, singer H. Fortune has a more pronounced, albeit more gloomy, vocal presence, while the rest of the band does their best to round out the complete emotional state.  This is shaping up to be a nice gem for your March listening pleasure.