This is fine.
Merge records wants you to remember their artists when making your year end lists so they decided a free year end sampler would be a good way to do that. The free sampler features 13 tracks from She & Him, The Broken West, The Rosebuds and 10 others. This is not the first free year end digital sampler from record labels and probably won’t be the last. Download/stream all the tracks now.
Download: She & Him – Why Do You Let me Stay Here [MP3]
If you’re looking for something to do this Monday night, head over to Emo’s for what is sure to be a fun show. The lineup tonight features Olin and the Moon, local act Zookeeper, and Cory Brannan. Doors for the show open at 9pm with tickets on sale now for only $6.
Download: Zookeeper – Snow in Berlin [MP3]
Rating: 
Envelopes is a little known band from France, so little known that no one wants to release their record in the United States besides iTunes. However, their second full length, Here Comes the Wind, is definitely one of the more complete releases of 2008.
If one was to label the band’s sound, you would be pretty close if you threw it under the genre of jangle pop. The melodies are bubbling full of brightness, making the joy of the songs immediately accessible for listeners. Throughout the album, the band presents you with hook after hook, encouraging you to bob your head in shear ecstasy.
Vocally, they combine male and female vocals, as if they were trading roles. At times, the vocals recall Frank Black’s Pixies yelp, but at other moments it’s the croon of David Byrne they seem to be evoking. Despite reference points, they seem to mix it up enough to keep you interested, as no song sounds exactly the same, which is what most of us seem to enjoy.
Lyrically, the band has never been one to provide the deepest meaning in their songs, which we could blame on the fact that the band is working with a second language. Still, the lyrics are easily distinguishable, which allows listeners to hold onto certain songs, and sing them loud for all of your friends.
Most noticeably, you can feel a true influence of the Pixies. The bass lines sound as if the band jumped Kim Deal and stole her stylings. Angular guitars crash into each other, creating waves of beauty. But, at the core of it all is a true pop sensibility, free of the darker elements that went with their immediate influences.
This album is wonderful through and through. It won’t wear you out after hundreds of spins, and each time you put it on, you seem to get more out of it. A complete album is a rarity nowadays, so head on over to iTunes and pick this one up before your friends get hip.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/10-03-heaven.mp3]Download: Envelopes-Heaven [MP3]
Ice Cube, that’s right I said Ice Cube, is playing at The Mohawk of all places this Sunday evening. Not sure why Mr. Cube would be playing at the usually indie bar but it should be a wild show. Tickets are available now for $25. Doors open earlier than usual at 7pm.
Download: Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day [MP3]
Several months ago, we told you about the brand new digital download store from Sunken Treasure Records. Now the label that spawned from the Done Waiting blog is making all of their releases available for free download. That’s right, free. Not pay what you want, not email subscriptions, but free. The label has some pretty good acts like Miranda Sound, The Evil Queens, Celebrity Pilots, and a few other sweet bands. Check it out now, music is only free till the end of the month.
For those of you who get annoyed with your favorite bands makin’ it big and not playing smaller venues anymore, Trail of Dead have a treat for you. The now veteran Austin band are planning to play at Red 7 this Friday along with friends Those Peabodys & Glorium. Now time for the bad news… Tickets for this surprise show are being sold only at the door so get in line early if you want to make it inside the small club. Doors are opening at 8pm. Recent single from TOD can be heard below.
A few days ago, we gave you part one of our albums of the year list. Today we bring you the best of the best from a wide range of artists who brought the noise this year. We’ve fought it out amongst our ATH writers for weeks and these are the albums that we all loved. These 15 albums went into thunderdome and emerged victorious. Follow the jump to see if your favorite band made the Top 15 of 2008.
Another good local band show is going down Friday night at The Mohawk with The Midgetmen and The Calm Blue Sea teaming up for a sure to be rockin’ show. Music should start around 10pm for this one. Preview the show with a track from The Calm Blue Sea entitled “We Happy Few”.
Download: The Calm Blue Sea – We Happy Few [MP3]
Swedish rock band, Soundtrack of Our Lives, have been hard at work on a new double LP (that’s right, double LP) and are streaming new song “Flipside” from the album on Rollingstone. The huge new album is entitled Communion and is due out digitally on January 6 & physically March 3rd. Anyone else remember the lead singer running out into the crowd at the band’s early ACL set several years ago?
The 101X Independent Worforce is putting on quite the show at Emo’s this Thursday evening and we’re here to give you the details. First off, the lineup is outta site with The Ting Tings, Black Kids, Eagles of Death Metal, Airborne Toxic Event, and even local boys The Black and White Years on the bill for the event. Showtime is set to kick off at 9pm. Unfortunately, tickets have been sold out for quite some time so try searching craigs list for a bargain.
