Austin Spotlight: More New Music from Abram Shook

Abram.Shook.1.300Just a few weeks ago we brought you the first single from Abram Shook, and now he’s gone and outdone himself with another track for your ears.  I love the sound of his voice on this recording, plus the light-hearted emotion that’s created in the tune itself.  There’s lots of layers, but the construction of the track is such that it keeps things airy and joyous.  Listening to this track, you can see why we named Abram as one of our Emerging Artists for 2014. His album Sun Marquee is going to be a must-have when it’s released by Westerny Vinyl in early 2014.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/03-Distance.mp3]

Download: Abram Shook – Distance [Mp3]

Aisha Burns Video Premiere!

It’s interesting when you stumble across an artist who you think you know, such as Aisha Burns of Balmorhea.  As the multi-instrumentalist for the band, I fully expected the music on her album, Life in the Midwater, to be incredible, but it was her voice on the album that won us over, earning her one of the coveted spots on our Top 15 of Austin list.  Today we bring you the premiere of her new video for the single, courtesy of her label, Western Vinyl.

If you like what you hear, and we know you will, you need to hurry out to Holy Mountain this evening to catch Aisha playing a set that will surely remind you of why she’s got one of the great voices in Austin at the moment.  The doors are at 9 PM, and you’ll be able to catch other acts like Easy Tiger and Hikes, so be sure to get there early and support all the great music.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/01-Sold.mp3]

Download: Aisha Burns – Sold [MP3]

Austin Spotlight: New Music from Abram Shook

Abram.Shook.1.300We’ve long been huge supporters of Abram Shook, one of the nicest musicians around Austin.  We adored his work with Great Nostalgic, but now he’s opted to go it his own, which might be for the best if you take a listen to this track.  I hear a bit of Bolan in his vocal delivery, but I like how that works against the twanging guitar that calmly sits in the background.  Sounds like he’s got things moving in the right direction, which we’ll all get a chance to hear when he releases his Sun Marquee, his new album for local label Western Vinyl.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/06-Coastal.mp3]

Download: Abram Shook – Coastal [MP3]

Grooms Sign To Western Vinyl + New Single

groomsGrooms is a band that picked up lots of love on our website a few years ago with their stellar SXSW performances and later with their top albums worthy LP Prom.  So with that out of the way, we were clearly excited to hear that the band had signed with local label Western Vinyl for the release of their new album Infinity Caller on September 3rd.  To preview the new album before it’s release, the band recently dropped this new single “I Think We’re Alone Now”.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy the sort of hazy pop sounds that the band can create so effortlessly.  I find this one irresistible.  

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/02-I-Think-Were-Alone-Now.mp3]

Download: Grooms – I Think We’re Alone Now [MP3]

New Music from Ola Podrida

olapodrida_interviewWe’ve followed David Wingo and his project Ola Podrida for quite some time, so we were more than excited earlier this year when he announced Ghosts Go Blind, his third effort.  Things are slightly different, as Wingo has included a completed band to round out his sound on this album; this should come as no surprise to those who’ve witnessed the the group playing together over the last few years.  On this new single, it adds an uplifting aura to the folk-laden sound.  This might be a stretch, but the pacing alone adds a bit of Pedro the Lion flavor to the tune–we don’t mind that at all. You can expect more great songs when the record is released by Western Vinyl next week.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/07-Speed-of-Light.mp3]

Download: Ola Podrida – Speed of Light [MP3]

Beautiful Track from Ola Podrida

olapodrida_interviewYou know we’ve long supported Dave Wingo and his Ola Podrida project, but he’s been fairly quiet as of late, at least on the OP front…choosing to work on scoring films whilst working in a new band.  Finally, he’s completed his third LP, joined by a full line-up, which adds a different complexity to his quieted folk numbers.  There’s still the same emotional pull from his vocals, but the accompaniment by his new partners creates a depth that some might have seen as lacking (not me!).  His record is titled Ghosts Go Blind, and it’s being released by the folks over at Western Vinyl .

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/05-Track-05.mp3]

Download:Ola Podrida – Staying In [MP3]

New Instrumental Jam from Balmorhea

So I’ve been hitting you in the face with rock n’ roll today, so perhaps I should pull it back a little.  Good thing this great Balmorhea track is cleared to post.  It’s an interesting listen, really giving you two different songs in one, but that’s what we’ve come to appreciate about one of Austin’s most revered acts.  I love the way the song slowly inches its way along, then with the lightest of switches, the guitar picks up a touch, the percussion moves in, and the song begins to move in a faster direction–they continue going off in this fashion as only they can. If you dig this, you can pick up the band’s new record, Stranger, on Western Vinyl October 2nd.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Balmorhea_-_Pyrakantha.mp3]

Download:Balmorhea – Pyrakantha [MP3]

JBM – Stray Ashes

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Truly heartfelt emotion is difficult to insert into a song, but it seems that Jesse Marchant, aka JBM, really excels in this sphere of the musical world.  His newest album, Stray Ashes (Western Vinyl) is soaked with emotion, and a lot of that has to do with Marchant’s voice, but he also implements careful accents to each song, giving listeners with an active ear pure joy.

Make no mistake about it, listening to Stray Ashes is probably going to leave you in a sullen/somber mood; there’s very few tracks that could even be described as upbeat, but that’s what will enable listeners to completely lose themselves in the work of Marchant. “Only Now,” which is a piano driven tune, is one of the few numbers on the record that I could see as even remotely light-hearted, and that revolved around the mood created by the pounding piano (and the brief drill of the snare drum). Still, Marchant’s vocals do their best to sway you away from feeling light-hearted; it’s as if he wants you to sink into the tracks, just as he dove into writing them, lost in his own world.  “Forests” is the other tune that I feel has a brighter quality.  I really enjoy the opening guitar line, and the way it sort of trickles in and out of your consciousness as you go to focus on Jesse’s voice; this song is my personal favorite.

Clearly, JBM‘s art is personal; you don’t write songs of this sort without completely investing your soul in the composition.  So when listening, it’s hard not to look deep inside of these songs, and yet close examination just lets you lose yourself in the construction of the song.  For instance, the opener, “Ferry” has this shaker that comes in and out of the track, then disappears, only to be replaced by a thinly veiled backing vocal.  Each time I listen, I try to search to see where, or if, they overlap, and each time, I’m more and more involved in the track; well played Jesse Marchant.  This a theme throughout the entirety of Stray Ashes, which is what helps you escape the occasionally monotonous tones of Jesse’s voice, which, by the way, I can’t entirely place.  It’s definitely familiar and been referenced to Jim James, but I’m not sure that’s what I’m thinking.  Anyways, aside, aside. Even the gently strummed tracks like “You Always Keep Around” or “Crooked Branches” have these faint flourishes (slide guitar, random percussion, etc) that are barely audible, but they’ll guide you to the immeasurable joy you’ll take out of each individual song; I can attest to this.

Initially, I couldn’t get into Stray Ashes as a whole.  It had some standout moments, but I wasn’t sold entirely on Jesse Marchant’s voice (might not be still).  However, the wonderful thing I discovered about JBM, as I’ve alluded to, is that he has the innate knack to draw you in emotionally with the song itself, then bring you in deeper with those extra touches that only come from truly gifted songwriters.  Each time I listen to a track, I immediately play it again to see if I heard what I thought I heard initially, and in the end, I find myself falling aimlessly into the song, and into the record itself.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JBM-Winter_Ghosts.mp3]

Download:JBM – Winter Ghosts [MP3]

New Mellow Tune From JBM

It’s taken me some time to come around to the stylings of Jesse Merchant, a.k.a JBM, but I think his new record Stray Ashes has turned me into a permanent fan.  The subtle songwriting approach from JBM isn’t going to make you want to jump and dance so don’t come here looking for that.  No, these tunes are going to make you stop, take a long listen, and really appreciate the subtleties of each song.  It’s a contemplative album that continues to get more intriguing with each passing listen.  Keep your eyes peeled for the May 22nd release date on Western Vinyl.  Until then, we have this beautiful new song “Winter Ghosts” for you to enjoy below.  While you’re at it, check out new song “Only Now” over at Paste for even more greatness.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JBM-Winter_Ghosts.mp3]

Download: JBM – Winter Ghosts [MP3]

Show Review: Balmorhea @ The Parish (1/13)

On a chilly and regrettably less than spooky ‘Friday the13th’ evening, the Parish and Western Vinyl hosted a sold out event of emerging and established local talent.The audience was full with family and friends, young and old, who were treated to a sonic experience of the highest order and the way in which Balmorhea, in particular, presented their craft might have caught a few of them off guard.  Follow the jump for the full review. Read more

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