The Tubs Announce Dead Meat

Having been a huge fan of their previous acts, side projects, not to mention grabbing the Names EP, it seems only fitting that I squeeze out a few quick words between passing periods on the Tubs. Today the band announce their debut LP, Dead Meat, slated for a release in January of next year via our faves Trouble in Mind. There’s a definite post-punk vibe on the guitar work, recalling acts like Omni and Deeper, though they’ve mixed up the formula to meet it on their own terms, brandishing a melodic little treat in the middle. All of this makes sense if you remember some of the pop moments coursing through Joanna Gruesome pieces, as the songwriters have always had an affinity for hooks. Kind of feels like they’re taking a little Talking Heads meets noisier post-punk approach, and I’m totally here for it. Dead Meat drops on January 23rd!

Ted Tyro Release How Can Single

A band featuring members of Wombo and Murals, dedicated to the sounds of Talking Heads and Omni, is surely going to find its way on our pages. So, here we are with Ted Tyro and their latest single. Let the first half of the song set the scene, calmly wrapping guitar notes around you, allowing the vocals to sedate you as the drum work keeps time. Then, you hit the 1 minute mark and the chorus jumps in, shifting the focus into that more artful twist and turn you might find in a track from the aforementioned Omni. But, I’m digging on how its a little heavier here, at least in tone, just on the cusp the angular ways alluded to elsewhere, but rounded and darker…as the band are clearly making their own path with this fresh tune.

Minka Channel Talking Heads on New Track

In all the rehash, few bands even try to tread the groundwork put down by the Talking Heads, but while Minka might not be there quite yet, at least they’re taking a run at it. Their latest single from the forthcoming Born in the Viper Room definitely looks at Byrne-esque vocal display, though the guitar work seems to have a lighter air to it. It’s how looking back should feel, nostalgic but with promise for what’s coming up next. The group drop their latest album on May 23rd, so feel free to pencil in a good listen to see just how close these guys can get to greatness.

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Groove to the Beat of Kisses

kissesI feel like somewhere I gravitated away from dance music in the last few years. I hit it hard for awhile, then I sort of went the opposite direction again; it’s the cycle of my musical life. Anyways, I can definitely hear remnants of the 00s dance greats like LCD Soundsystem and !!! in the groove crafted by Kisses on this new track. It’s about as funky as anything they’ve done (that might be the reason for the title “Jam”), and it doesn’t hurt that they’re tossing out names like Talking Heads and Orange Juice in all the press literature. Wanna get down today? Wanna get down on October 9th? Then check out their new effort, Rest in Paradise.

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Friday Top 5: Psychopath Songs

Nothing brings out our core values like the holidays. Halloween, for example, is a day to celebrate the most important American values. Values like fake blood and childhood obesity. Come to think of it, there’s something unsettling about Halloween. Why do people dress their children up like monsters and parade them around the neighborhood to extort candy from strangers? And what about adults who willfully engage in dressing like zombies, or slutty nurses, or slutty nurse zombies? That all sounds a little. . . you know, crazy.

It’s one thing for us to invent Vampires and Werewolves. But the real monsters, the Dahmers and Mansons, that look just like us? That’s a little harder to get a handle on. I guess that’s why people write songs about psychopaths. They want to get up close and personal to get a big whiff of crazy. If you embrace lunatics, you demystify them. The ghosts just become people in bedsheets. With that in mind, here are five songs about psychos for your Halloween weekend:

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FT5: Beatles Songs with Subversive Lyrics

The Vatican recently saw fit to forgive The Beatles for wrongs committed against the Catholic Church. The Beatles were guilty of such crimes as: claiming they were bigger than Jesus, having kooky haircuts, and of course, making the the best pop music the world has ever known. In their musical pursuits, the controversy The Beatles fostered was often was linked to the lyrics of their songs. Maybe Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a reference to LSD. The fire referred to at the end of Norwegian Wood could be an act of arson. And every school boy knows that Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except For Me and My Monkey is really about one man’s unsavory love affair with a primate. For decades people have been decoding Beatles lyrics looking for any minor detail that might be inflammatory, but the fact of the matter is, many Beatles lyrics are more blatantly strange. Follow the jump for the Top 5 Beatles Songs with Subversive Lyrics

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$2 Music Mondays at Draft House

The Alamo Draft house on South Lamar in Austin has been featuring $2 dollar music Mondays for quite some time now. Tonight the draft house will be showing one of the best rock concert films in history Stop Making Sense about 80s pop giants Talking Heads. For only $2, I suggest you make a point to stop by draft house tonight to check out the musical stylings of David Byrne and company. Even if you don’t enjoy the band, the price has got to sound nice if you have nothing better to do on a Monday night.  Buy tickets at the Drafthouse’s website.