This is fine.
Want to know why we like upcoming band Surfer Blood so much? Head on over to Spinner’s The Interface for some live videos of the band performing in the site’s sweet studio space. This is definitely a band you’ll want to check out during the upcoming SXSW music festival. When is that again?
Download: Surfer Blood – Swim [MP3]
Whaaaa?!? It’s barely February and you guys are already talking SXSW? You bet your ass we are! Now still a little over a month or so away, we wanted to kick off our SXSW watchlist bands this year with Victoria, BC band Jets Overhead. Hailing from the great white north, you can hear the obvious Stars/Metric/Broken Social Scene influences that run deep in the sounds of this band. Of course the ATH loves those sounds! Not to write them off as just another Canadian atmospheric rock band, Jets Overhead also show some 70s psych rock parts similar to elements of Velvet Underground (anyone else agree on that?). Now touring behind their second full length LP No Nations, the Canadians will be making their way into Austin during SXSW week and we think you should give them a go. Being as early as it is, we can’t find much information about when and where the band is actually playing. We’ll keep ya posted.
Download: Jets Overhead – No Nations [MP3]
Lo-fi punk darlings Japanther are returning in 2010 with another new album to add to their already impressive discography. This new one will be called Rock ‘n’ Roll Ice Cream features this new track “Spread So Thin”. You’ll notice the addition of a new female member who just so happens to be Anita Sparrows formerly of The Soviettes. Japanther’s new album hits stores March 2nd on Menlo Park.
Download: Japanthers – Spread So Thin [MP3]
| Date | 2/3/10 |
|---|---|
| Location | The Parish |
| Doors | 8pm |
| Tickets | $15 from FrontGate |
We weren’t huge fans of Sondre Lerche’s last album, but we still value him as a musician and songwriter. If he floats your boat, head on over to The Parish on Wednesday night to check out his intimate set. Opening support will be provided by JBM. I’m gonna drop an old tune down below to show you why we’ve still got love for ya Sondre.
[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/04-two-way-monologue.mp3]Download: Sondre Lerche – Two Way Monologue [MP3]
A few years back a band by the name of The Muslims exploded out of California with the supposed surf-rock answer to The Strokes. Now, the band has changed their name to The Soft Pack, and have released their self-titled album on Kemado Records. It’s exactly what you would expect from a California garage group.
Upon listening to the first track, “C’mon,” the band’s formula is immediately apparent. They combine mild surf guitars with the fueling of a garage practice space, and they lyrics have a slight hint of punk drawl delivery. But, what listeners will see is that the lyrics are severely lacking in the developmental sense. The only words that really stand out are “c’mon,” uttered over and over again.
By the third track, “Answer to Yourself,” nothing much has changed in the structure of the album. Lyrics are overtly redundant, and clearly lacking in any creative sense. Musically, it just seems like a consistent re-hash of song after song. There’s a definite energy to the group, but you’ll be hard pressed at this point to find much else in the offering.
When you get to “Pull Out” the bass is a little bit heavier, while the guitars are reminiscent of living close to the waters. Still, water is the only thing that really comes to mind at this juncture in the album. Everything about the band just comes across as watered-down, and just out of touch. It’s not something that you can stand up and say that you hate because it really isn’t horrendous musically, it just isn’t anything that warrants listening to time and time again. It’s almost as if the band is treading water in the same place for the duration of the record. Tired of the water analogy?
What once seemed like a promising moment for the band seems to have slipped away as The Soft Pack has compiled a solid set of forgettable songs that you won’t remember when their gone. It’s quite a shame that all this work and popularity came to nought for the band. Garage moments and surf-guitars are great, but in this day and age something has to be done to distinguish yourself from the masses in order to reach the pinnacle of the genre, and it’s hard to find a standout moment on the album, aside from the joke track “Move-Along,” which is more of just a “WTF?” moment than anything. This is just one man’s opinion, but you won’t find the self-titled album from The Soft Pack spinning around my house any time soon.
We were introduced to the greatness known as Efterklang during SXSW last year, and we’ve been following the band ever since. Previously only available in video form as of a few days ago, this new song “Modern Drift” now has an MP3 available for downloading. The track will appear on the band’s upcoming album Magic Chairs due out Feb. 22nd on 4AD. I’m honestly enjoying this track probably more than anything else that has come out so far this year. Let’s hope the rest of the album delivers as well.
Download: Efterklang – Modern Drift [MP3]
Girls brought the stoned out and sunny, but never too sunny, sounds of their debut Album to life at the Parish last Friday. With support by The Smith Westerns and Magic Kids it was a night of bright shards of pop bouncing off the Parish’s newly re-decorated walls. A great night for a reverb drenched acid trip lead by the eccentric weirdness of Christopher Owens and his mighty side kick Chet White. Follow the jump.
I can’t help but sort of fall in love with Nick Curran, in a musical sort of way. The guy mixes classic punk sounds with the romance of Motown, and since I’m an avid fan of both, this is the perfect thing for me. Nick’s an Austinite, and he has a new record coming out on February 16 titled Reform School Girl. Unfortunately, he’s been sidelined with tongue cancer, so if you’re in Austin, or just a fan of good tunes, you should keep him in your thoughts. Get well soon Nick…and here’s his title track.
Download: Nick Curran – Reform School Girl [MP3]
The beautiful Holly Miranda is prepping her new album The Magician’s Private Library due out Feb. 23rd via XL Recordings. Below we’ve got a chance for you to check out first single “Waves” from the upcoming album. Holly is another one of those ladies with a voice that I find irresistible.
Download: Holly Miranda – Waves [MP3]
If you haven’t gotten to know Black Tambourine, as very few did, then you’re lucky this time around, as Slumberland Records (the one who brought you lots of goodies like Pains of Being Pure at Heart) will be releasing an anthology of the band on March 30th. BTambourine only existed for a few short years, but this new anthology will have four new songs (two originals, two covers) for your ears. Just another thing to be excited about in 2010.
Download: Black Tambourine – Black Car [MP3]
