Show Review: Chad Valley @ Sidewinder (10/22)

The SidewinderChad Valley 18In my show preview, I noted that Chad Valley has become a must see for me. The last time through as a solo act, Hugo played Holy Mountain. Part of the sell of The Sidewinder was that it would be able to take Red7 bookings and have a space that was comparable to the dearly departed Holy Mountain. My back to back shows to start my time at The Sidewinder were outside and then inside so I have a decent feel for how the space works for both stages. Add to that a pleasant surprise in Stranger Cat and we have a great Thursday night show to kick off my F1 weekend.

Click through for a few more notes and plenty of pics.

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Mellow Alt Rock Track From Carroll

CARROLL_011_PG

Carroll are a group who hail out of Minneapolis and they’re making spiraling and sleek indie rock with just enough bite to grab your attention. The track below, “Green Acres” is reminding me a lot of the sound of Snowmine; the vocals are light and airy, synths and guitars take turns sharing the spotlight, and bombastic drums propel the track forward. It’s a great alternative rock song and the band is just about to release their debut self titled album on September 18th via Entertainment One Music.

 

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Top 50 Albums of 2014

TOP 50 ALB 14These lists are everywhere, so you’ll be excused if you just roll your eyes and skip on. But, that being said, we always seem to be way off the mark when it comes to our Top 50 Albums of the Year.  Sure, we have some of the sure fire hits on this list like Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten, but don’t even read on if you’re look ing to see where Run the Jewels made it…they’re not there. Sorry not sorry.  So, if you’re into arbitrary lists by people who like to push their own agenda, then this list is for you! Read more

ACL Recap & Photos: Day 2

ACLHave you recovered from your weekend debauchery at ACL Fest by now?  I know the ATH crew has been struggling this week, but we’re ready for more shows this weekend.  Now we shared with you our thoughts about Day 1 yesterday so naturally today we’ll be discussing Day two (Saturday).  We’ve got some fancy photos and a few opinions on what went down.  Check it out after the jump.

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New Video & Single From Snowmine

Upload_Snowmine_2012_03_16-14_21_33After hanging with the boys in Snowmine at ACL this weekend, the band alerted us to a new single and video they had just put out to grow some excitement for their current tour.  The song is called “Tidal Wave” and features something a little different from the group than what we’ve heard in the past.  Our atmospheric tones are still present, but the instrumentation has been scaled back quite a bit with a sound that feels almost more r&b than it does pop.  Give it whatever label you want, this track will appeal to just about anyone.  Check it out after the jump.

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ATH & ACL: 5 Bands to Watch

acl2014It is time.  Though it’s hard for me to believe, it’s time for us to start gearing up for yet another ACL Festival in October.  ATH has done this thing a few times now so we feel like we’ve earned the right to offer a little bit of advice about bands to see and the proper way to go about attending.  I’m jumping off our coverage today with a list of 5 bands I think you should see over the 2 weekend event.  As a disclaimer, I typically recommend bands that many people either don’t know very well or write off for whatever reason.  So yeah go see Spoon & The Replacements for sure, but let’s not forget about the underdogs.  Let it begin after the jump.

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Snowmine – Dialects

dialect_zps43d236b1Rating: ★★★★½

If you seriously don’t know who Snowmine is at this point, the time is now upon you to become close with this Brooklyn based outfit. In 2011 this band put out a killer debut album that had us salivating for more, and their own campaign for a self-produced and fan supported sophomore album has proved successful for the band. This time around the group definitely took risks, not only releasing it themselves, but also in streaming it for free a week before its release. These details aside, this band has sealed themselves into the indie pop world with Dialects.

“To Hold An Ocean,” sets the tone, first up on the album, with its serene and yet constantly moving sound. The vocals are soft and so are the music components—string work and bubbling synth, precisely akin to the kind of music you would expect to hear before a band takes the stage in a live setting and it gives that feeling of hype of the album. The band just jumps right into it with “Rome,” their textured indie pop music complete with vocals drenched in reverb and a beat that makes you want to dance around your bedroom. If you’re new to the band, this track should spark your attention immediately, as its elements in culmination offer a different take on indie-pop. Call it a combination of alternative soft rock with electro pop and classical elements mixed in, but whatever you call it, it’s hard to turn away.

Though Laminate Pet Animal was a lovely first album, this second effort shows grace and maturity from the group. The sound is cohesively smooth, while sharp enough to prick your attention and hold you there. Each song is a delight in itself, even up to the close of the album, you are excited to hear where the band is going next. Take rocker “Plans,” which is dominated by its heavy beats and bass lines and lightened with some synth riffs to push it into a dance friendly number, all while not losing sight on some detailed lyrics that their previous album was far from short of.  Or maybe “Silver Sieve,” with its crescendo-ing culminating finish, is more of your favorite number. It’s sharp and smooth, near and far away, and all you could want from a pop group: detail and effortlessness all in one neatly wrapped package. Or perhaps “Dollar Divided,“ the slow simmering finale is more of your speed—my point is this: it’s all there and it’s all good.

Call me impressed. Dialects is a firm statement for Snowmine: they are here and here to stay, perhaps even to burst onto the big stage. Don’t wait to hear them on the radio, if you still listen to that thing, but enjoy this delightful album now! Get in on this love affair we’ve been admittedly apart of for years.

New Track From Snowmine

Upload_Snowmine_2012_03_16 14_21_33Have you heard that we have a small love affair with Brooklyn band Snowmine?  Well if you didn’t know that, I guess you don’t read our work too often because we’ve been raving about these guys over the last few years.  This track “Columbus”, is yet another superb track from the band’s upcoming 2014 sophomore effort Dialects (out Feburary 4th).  I dig the orchestral sound here with the violins and “big” sound throughout the entire track.  Earl favorite for 2014.

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New Music from Snowmine

SnowmineFrom the very first time I heard Snowmine, I was in love; they’ve played our SXSW party and made several of our year end lists.  After dipping their toes in the waters of record labels, the band have decided to release their new effort, Dialects, on their own.  The first big single is definitely what I expected from the band, using these incredible instrumental accents to build a wall of pop extravagance. The vocals, as always, are delightful, reminding me of exactly why I fell so hard for the band in the first place.  I’m sure if you spend some time with this new single that you’ll feel exactly the same way we do.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Snowmine-Rome.mp3]

Download: Snowmine – Rome [MP3]

ATH IT Dept. & SxSW: 3 to Watch

sxsw-&-athThe IT Dept. is going to SxSW.

My picks for stuff to see is based solely on random selection, what I heard recently that caught my ear while perusing the intarwebs and names that I am happy to see on the list of showcasing artists. SxSW is like that; follow your folly. You will always miss something. You will always hear about some big thing that you can’t go to. So ,take a chance with me and the ATH IT Dept. and dance a little, because I am going digitally affected for my list. Read more

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