Month: October 2009

Built to Spill – There is No Enemy

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built-to-spill-there-is-no-Rating: ★★★☆☆

You know who Built to Spill is and you all know if you love them or hate them.  In my short time here at Austin Town Hall there has been no band that has brought about such highly contested debates as Built to Spill.  It’s undeniable that we here at ATH are fans of this band, but none of us can say we are diehard fans of their catalog as a whole. Some of us swear by the lo-fi pop sensibility of There is Nothing Wrong With Love, while others lean more towards the meandering rhythms of Perfect from Now On or Keep It Like A Secret. Don’t even get me started on the oft-shunned (Ancient Melodies of the Future) or critically-acclaimed but forgotten (You in Reverse) albums. 

I must say from the get go that, in this reviewers eye (ears?), Built to Spill have earned a lifetime pass as far as new records are concerned.  Each release is technically proficcent and good, but different levels of “good”.  They can range from “absolutely fantastic” to “this could be much worse”.  A bad Built to Spill record is still exponentially better than other bands great records.

So where does Built to Spill’s new album, There is No Enemy, reside? Is it too poppy? Is it too jammy? Is it fantastic or could it be much worse? Strangely enough you could answer yes to all those questions.  The eleven tracks on There is No Enemy range for short bursts of Dinosaur Jr.-like speed (Pat and Aisle 13) to the more drawn out and introspective (Life’s A Dream and Things Fell Apart).  While There is No Enemy is a completely listenable album, it fails to bring anything new and exciting.  Say what you want about Built To Spill’s previous two albums, there were at least one or two tracks that showed the band’s progression, even if it sounded like reggae.  But with this new offering the songs often fall flat.  There is a moment at the three minute mark of Life’s a Dream where a new riff begins that’s punctuated by a brass section. At that moment I felt what I felt when I first heard Untrustable, Part Two or Carry the Zero, but that moment was fleeting.

This is the problem with giving bands lifetime passes.  On one hand they continue releasing competent albums, but often times they are just that, nothing more.

Built to Spill will be playing at Stubbs on Saturday, October 24 with Dinosaur Jr. and Lou Barlow & the Missingmen

New Tunes from Ola Podrida

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daveWith our continued support and love for David Wingo and Ola Podrida, we bring you a new tune off his upcoming LP Belly of the Lion due November 10th.  Not only do we get to support a great local Austinite, but in doing so, we get to support the great local label Western Vinyl.  Here’s to that, and here’s that new tune.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/08-Roomful-of-Sparrows.mp3]

Download: Ola Podrida – Roomful of Sparrows [MP3]

New Music From The Laughing

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thelaughing_jpg_595x325_crop_upscale_q85A local band you shall all know about, The Laughing, have just dropped some new material on the interwebs and we think you should check it out.  These two new tracks will appear on the band’s upcoming album Fever, which will be hitting stores this week on October 15th.  You can also catch the guys Thursday at Red 7 or at this years Fun Fun Fun Fest.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/01-Elevators-1.mp3]

Download: The Laughing – Elevators [MP3]

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/03-Runner-1.mp3]

Download: The Laughing – Runner [MP3]

Free Sampler From Urban Outfitters

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uonumber7So for the second time in our existence, we bring you an incredible free sampler from Urban Outfitters.  This one is the seventh installment in the companies LSTN series and features 25 tracks from established indie acts.  Artists include White Denim, Le Loup, No Age, Girls, and tons more.  Here’s one of those tracks from El Perro del Mar.  Download the whole thing on itunes and jam out on this Monday.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/01-Change-of-Heart.mp3]

Download: El Perro del Mar – Change of Heart [MP3]

The Blakes @ Mohawk (10/13)

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The Blakes 2

Date 10/13/09
Location Mohawk
Doors 9pm
Tickets $8 from Frontgate

Seattle trio The Blakes are coming to town and stopping at the Mohawk on Tuesday night.  The inside stage will also feature openers The Ripe and English Teeth.  Check out this awesome track “Souvenir Basket” from the guys and tell me you don’t want to see this live.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/TheBlakes.Souvenir.BasketSingle.mp3]

Download: The Blakes – Souvenir Basket [MP3]

New Music From Charlotte Gainsbourg

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charlotte-gainsbourg1News has been churning over the interwebs as of late about this new Charlotte Gainsbourg album that will feature major contributions from the always versatile Beck.  This could really be sold as the latest Beck LP since he wrote the music, produced and even co-wrote the lyrics for the album.  Regardless, the french singer/actress will release IRM in January via Elektra.  Here’s the lead single from the upcoming album.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Charlotte-Gainsbourg-IRM.mp3]

Download: Charlotte Gainsbourg – IRM [MP3]

Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones

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e33dac3ad5c61f79c033dbd7643e220fRating: ★★★★☆

It’s been quite the week for children’s choirs, huh? First Karen O and the Kids and now Dead Man’s Bones, children’s choirs are having the best week ever! But I digress.  Dead Man’s Bones is the brainchild of Oscar nominated actor Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields.  When I initially heard of this project I, of course, was skeptical. I mean you when hear about two actors who wrangle up a children’s choir and write an album based on zombies, vampires, and werewolves, your cynicism is warranted, these conditions are capable of inducing Scarlett Johansson amounts of worry.

I have to tell you though, and I apologize for gushing, but this album, their self-titled debut on Anti-, is a joy to listen to.  The Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir does a terrific job supplying ample amounts of atmosphere for these well-crafted songs.  On the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack, the childrens choir was used to convey wild and youthful abandon, but with DMB (no, not that DMB) the choir comes off more creepy and ethereal.  This coupled with waltzes about vampires (Young & Tragic) and doo-wops about zombies (My Bodies a Zombie For You) makes for a truly original album.

On the initial listen, I kept thinking I would get bored, but even when my attention was waning on the current track, I was always looking forward to what Gosling, Shields and the Kids would showcase on the next track.  I don’t say that too often, especially in this age of a la carte listening, picking and choosing your favorite tracks and discarding the rest.  Dead Man’s Bones deserves a full listen, and then some.

Once again, if you have kids in your life they should love it!

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Dead_Mans_Bones_-_My_Bodys_A_Zombie_For_You.mp3]

Download: Dead Man’s Bones – My Body’s A Zombie For You [MP3]

Donations For Jon Pettis & Family

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TheVersatileSyndicate_062-1It was a sad day in the Austin music scene on Friday and this weekend as news spread about the death of Bankrupt and the Borrowers multi-instrumentalist  Jon Pettis.  Jon and his band were well known for their rowdy live shows and their drive to make a name for themselves in and out of Austin.  If you ever experienced a Bankrupt and the Borrowers live show, you know that Jon always put himself into every set.  As a friend of ATH and a prominent member of the Austin music scene, we would like to offer our condolences to Jon, his family and friends, and his fellow members of Bankrupt and the Borrowers.  You will be deeply missed by all.  If you would like to help out Jon’s family and his fiancee, The Versatile Syndicate has set up a donation page to help out in their time of grieving.  Whether is be $1 or $100, I’m sure anything will help.  Plans are currently being made for a benefit show and we’ll let you know the details when we know them.  R.I.P. Jon Pettis.  Donation Page.  News of Jon’s death came out Friday via the Austinist.

Thomas Function – In the Valley of Sickness

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Thomas _F_Cover_StickerMockupRating: ★★★★☆

When I fell across the Alabama outfit Thomas Function last year at SXSW, I absolutely loved what they brought to the live performance.  Their vibrant energy and jangling guitars brought so much force that it was hard to ignore them.  So when Fat Possum sent me their new album, In the Valley of Sickness, I was eager to see if their live stage presence would carry over the recorded material.  Surprisingly, sort of, they do live up to my expectations, if not exceed them.

As soon as you hear the vocals, you’ll recognize them, at least if you’ve been hanging out in the Austin area for the last few years.  The voice sounds exactly like The Strange Boys, with a whole lot of Southern influence, but just a touch more clarity than the Austin kids. Sure, they sound a bit off-kilter, but the energy hiding behind the vocals is enough to push the music along.

As you go track by track through this album, you can tell that these boys are all about having a little it of fun, which is great to see, as this is the least arty record to come out this year.  “Day in the Shade” comes at you full force, and it almost seems as if these boys are going so fast that they are bound to run off the tracks at any moment.  Still, they hold back just enough to finish the song.  You also can’t deny the humor from this album, which shows once again, that Thomas Function is just out there enjoying their rock n’ roll lifestyle.  On “Picking Scabs” the call of “are you going to buy a record or not” seems to show that these boys know their place in the music world, and if you help support them, you’ll keep them out on the road to rock for years to come.

For me, I can’t really go on with this review without mentioning “Belly of the Beast.”  It’s like mellow power-pop with a twist from the Deep South.  Backing vocals are used to perfection, and touches of organ don’t ever seem to hurt a song with jangling guitars.  Similarly, “Two Pigs” is another such tune that shows the band’s abilities, even when they aren’t going full force in your face. Holding back seems to suit the group, if not only to show their diversity as songwriters.  These two songs fit perfectly into the album, and by filling out the sound, it shows Thomas Function knows no bounds.

For all those kids who loved the early Kings of Leon albums, or just enjoy a touch of Southern rock in their punk, you’ll want to find your way to a record store to get your hands on In the Valley of Sickness.  This group is far and above one of the more enjoyable listens for this year, and you’ll treasure all the foot-stomping moments Thomas Function gives you for the rest of your days.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/06-Belly-Of-The-Beast-1.mp3]

Download: Thomas Function – Belly Of The Beast [MP3]

Friday Bottom 5: ACL 2009

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1009top5coverSo just as I did last year, I’m going to take a minute to be a negative nancy and focus on some of the downer moments of our ACL weekend.  As always, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives and I still enjoyed my festival experience (no matter how much it rained).  You’ll notice that most of my list consists of things that no one can really do anything about so that leaves me hopeful that next year will be near perfection.  I’m willing to bet that you can guess my #1 & #2 slots, but damnit if that weather wasn’t the worst I can ever remember.  Yes it may even top the 107 degree heat and the dust from hell.  So follow the jump for my bottom 5 of ACL 2009.

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