Last Week’s Jams (1.2 – 1.5)

We swept back into the New Year with a bunch of tunes last week, though technically we were only working 4 days, so not knee deep in jams as we expect to be here for the next few months. New music from David Nance and Ducks Ltd ruled, but there were some left-field gems lurking like My Best Unbeaten Brother and Camille Benatre, to name a few. I keep coming back to the Seasonal Falls and Red Sleeping Beauty tunes too. Not a bunch, but a damn fine collection of rock n’ roll, even including Austin’s Thanks Light. Stream some hits below.

Thanks Light Release Wildcatting

The Austin musical year has officially started, with Thanks Light releasing their latest effort, Wildcatting, today. We wanted to point you in their direction, as they’re channeling a blend of country swagger and pop rock that feels right at home in the confines of our city. Opening track “Liberty Hill” is the perfect introduction, particularly when you listen to all the arrangement work; it’s got this pounding piano and guitar hurry that gets you moving right into the swagger of things. But, like the album, this song’s filled with different grooves, moving from that hip-shaking sound to a more thoughtful bit of melody riding on the back of solid piano work. If you’re up and wanting to listen to the record as a whole, you can hear it HERE, and I assume it’ll all run on Bandcamp later when the band gets out of bed!

Michael Bain Shares Dad Rock Video + Austin Show

Earlier this Summer, Sun June member Michael Bain released Tidal Ways; it had some slight sonic nods to SJ, but clearly he’s found a sound entirely his own. You’ll find that guitar lines are sharp and crisp, while his vocals have a little studio growl to them; the percussion seems almost entirely played on the rim of the drum. It almost seem to have this nice haze upon it, which at times, seems matched by the imagery of the accompanying video. If you fancy the sound, you can find the whole album available HERE. But, if you’re super lucky and live in Austin, you can catch Michael playing at the Mohawk tomorrow night; he’ll be joined by our dear friend David Israel, as well as Thank Light; more info HERE.

Thanks Light Share New Video

Earlier this year Thanks Light released the pleasantly surprising Terrifire. But, the progress and praise led songwriter Zane to revisit the band’s previous release, Hallelujah Amen; he had unfinished business with “Little Pink Fluffy Clouds.” He’d been working on a stop-animation video, but knowingly put it aside due to the sheer magnitude of work involved in the process…and he’s finally ready to share the final product with us. I love how the video utilizes Light Bright, one of my favorite childhood toys; it definitely incorporates the playfulness to this wonderful pop opus. Enjoy the video, and visit HERE to listen to the album, as well as peruse this year’s release.

Thanks Light : : Little Pink Fluffy Clouds : : from Enjoy Eyes on Vimeo.

Premiere: Thanks Light Ready Terrifire

In exactly one month, you’ll all be able to get your hands on the new LP from Austin’s Thanks Light, but before we get you there, we’re here to share one of the singles off the record. This number has this innate bounce to it, particularly during the verses as the guitars give off a bit of a shuffling chugga-chugga. Personally, I like some of the spaces between verses, where the guitars seem to crest and fall down as the cymbals crash in your speakers. Another Austin band with a knack for writing catch pop rock tunes; look for Terrifire on May 11th via Enjoy Ears Records.