Month: March 2011

ATH SXSW Guide & Sampler

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It’s that time of year again for us to share with you two of our favorite things in the world: free music and show recommendations.  First up is a sampler consisting of 27 songs from some of the best up and coming bands performing at SXSW this year.  We tried to drop in some of the bigger names you already know with some of the small time guys you may not know much about.  Check out the sampler as a zip file or stream the whole thing on the sampler site.  The guys at Paravel really outdid themselves this year on the design.

Next up is our fancy SXSW guide that started last year and continues on in full power again this year.  The guide features a day by day list of 3-4 of the absolute best shows to attend.  Our goal is to try and slim down that massive list of unofficial shows you have and give you something that’s easy to read, print, or bring up on your slick iphone.  Each day should give you a few free day show options and at least one show to check out at night.  We also kept around our handy dandy food guide created last year by our friend Bonnie.  This guide is of course intended as an “ATH Recommends SXSW” guide and by no means a complete list of unofficial SXSW shows.  For that, we recommend Do512, showlistaustin, ultra8201, donewaiting, or the many many facebook groups.

Sampler Page

ATH Unofficial SXSW Guide

SXSW only comes once a year, don’t blow it.

SXSW Interviews: Grouplove

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Grouplove are a band that grabbed our attention last year with their debut EP featuring ATH top 50 song “Colours”.  Since that time, the band has been busy with a UK tour and the prep work getting ready to release their debut LP later this year.  In their hectic schedule, lead singer Christian Zucconi answered some of our questions about his band and their upcoming appearance at SXSW.  Follow the jump for Christian’s answers.

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New Song from The Wrens

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Long have I loved The Wrens, who released one amazingly flawless LP, Meadowlands.  They’ve hinted time and time again at new music, but we’ve only gotten glimpses over the past decade.  Today, Stereogum released a track via Epitonic, and I got that warm feeling all over again.  Listening, it has that same brooding/builiding element, forcing you to anticpate the eventual eruption of joy.  Spolier alert: that eruption doesn’t come, as one might expect, but there’s still an element that harkens back to the days of the band’s first album, which immediately makes me smile.  A gentle haze, steady drumming, and that guitar sound. I love it, and I hope you do too.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/The_Wrens_-_As_Ive_Known.mp3]

Download: The Wrens – As I’ve Known [MP3]

Introducing They Stay Dead

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Nowadays it seems like every body has their hands in some aspect of punk rock, which is definitely okay by me.  You’ll get garage, power-pop, post-punk, etc., but what really grabs me are those bands that remind me of those innocent pop-punk days when it was all about just having a blast with your friends, playing tunes in your garage or over at your friends backyard party.  Here we have a new upcoming band from Oklahoma, They Stay Dead, who just put up their first EP.  It’s everything you want good old school punk to be, full of delicious solos, catchy as all get out, and perfect for just cruising in your car with the windows down and the stereo up high.  I’ve been enjoying this EP all week, and if you’re like me, you just might enjoy it too!

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/They-Stay-Dead-theystaydead@gmail.com-Paper.mp3]

Download: They Stay Dead – Paper [MP3]

New Tunes (and album) from the Meat Puppets

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We don’t need to inundate you with the history or the iconic status of a band like the Meat Puppets; that stuff is a given. What we do want you to know is that they’ve got a new record, Lollipop, heading your way April 12 on Megaforce Records. Admittedly, this new single is great, but it’s not one of those songs that is really going to blow your hair back; it’s just a steady song that eases its way into your life by way of simple melodies and warm vocals.  It sort of reminds of all those punk bands that went country, and you know I love those guys.  Also, SXSW fans, you can catch the band at several places, such as La Zona Rosa and Austin Music Hall, so be on the lookout.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Meat_Puppets_-_Damn_Thing.mp3]

Download: The Meat Puppets – Damn Thing [MP3]

Wye Oak – Civilian

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Rating: ★★★★½

It seems like Merge Records can do no wrong as of recent, with stellar releases this year from names like Destroyer, Telekinesis and Apex Manor. So it is not a big surprise that this record is remarkable, well produced and enticing. Wye Oak has indubitably grown a great deal since their last release, and continue to amaze with how fulfilling their sound is for just a two member band.

Civilian is typical in that it has its immediate standouts, but unique in that after repeated listens, those that didn’t stand out before begin to emerge from the background, becoming new favorites. The opening track, “Two Small Deaths,” is one that grabs your attention upon the first listen. A bit of indiscernible chatter opens the song, giving that feeling of the moment before a show is about to start. It puts a bit of anxious-excitement about what is going to come after the chatter falls away, and Wye Oak certainly do not disappoint. Some simple feedback eases you in, and then the elegant and buttery vocals of Jenn Wasner hit you over the head, commanding your attention.  The track ebbs and flows between the swell of folk sound from the beautiful vocals and the shoe gaze guitars.

While the start to this album is certainly calm in it’s nature, it is by no means a template for the rest of the songs. On numbers like “Plains,” there are drastic build-ups to the powerful, vocal and instrumental, crescendos. It is here, along with the rest of the album, where the rich and strong vocals of Wasner are comparable to that of Victoria Legrand from Beach House. It’s so easy to get lost in the delicate, yet hurricane force strength of the vocals, but it’s not a feeling of misdirection. Instead, it’s the wonderful feeling of having nowhere to be, and getting lost leads you to something that you never would have found otherwise.

On the title track, “Civilian,” the song builds upon itself, layering the crispness of folk and the grit of the guitar. It grows and grows, and then hell breaks loose; all tension that has been built is suddenly released in a cathartic swell of squalling feedback. Elements of brilliance such as this are found all over Civilian, both in the attention grabbers and the slow burners. The prevalence of control and detail that Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner bring to their sound allows for them to push their boundaries, all while staying calculated. Sound like this merits multiple listens, and careful listens at that, or else you might miss a savory indie rock treat in this album.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/05-Civilian-1.mp3]

Download: Wye Oak – Civilian [MP3]

ATH & Songsinc Party @ Empire Garage/Side Bar (3/17)

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Today we are pleased to announce our 3rd annual unofficial SXSW show during the madness of the festival next week.  This year we decided to go with a night show as opposed to a day show since many of you have voiced complaints about not enough good music to see at night.  Well here you are people, we have partnered with our friends over at Songsinc to bring you a show at Empire Garage (next door to Side Bar).  Deets are as follow:

– Thursday March 18th

– Location: Empire Garage

– Doors: 7pm/Music 8pm

– Lineup (in order of appearance with links):

Ash Reiter, She Sir, The Fling, Eulogies, Cloud Control, One AM Radio

This show is totally free and open to the public with no RSVP, wristband, badge or other B.S. needed to get in.  Just come out and have a good time while listening to some great music at one of the best bars in Austin.  You’d probably be at Side Bar anyway right?  The two places are connected so come on over and say hi.  We’re also very pleased to have Floyd’s Barbershop, Dangerbird Records, and Sweetish Hill Bakery on board to help put on this event.  You can also help us promote by liking the event on facebook, Do512 and Ning.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Theres-Nothing-In-The-Water-We-Cant-Fight-1.mp3]

Download: Cloud Control – There’s Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight [MP3]

New Music from Those Darlins

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Later in March we’ll all get to hear the much-anticipated sophomore record from Tennessee’s Those Darlins titled Screws Get Loose, which they’ll be releasing on their very own Oh Wow Dang label.  If you take a listen to this album’s title track, you can definitely hear a bit of the brattiness exhibited by early punk rock females.  Then you combine that with a bit of swirling melody, and wouldn’t you know it, you’ve got yourself an infectious song for everyone to fall in love with today.  Let’s hope the rest of the album lives up to the phenomenal promise I find in this little ditty. What say you?

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Those-Darlins-Screws-Get-Loose.mp3]

Download: Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose [MP3]

New Tunes from Oupa (Daniel of Yuck)

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If you’re looking for more Mascis-infused fury from one of the members of Yuck, then you can probably skip this, as it’s nothing like that.  Instead, think more along the lines of an Atlas Sound bedroom session.  Oupa is the project of Yuck‘s Daniel, and he’s going to have release his debut Forget LP some time in June of this year.  You can tell by this single that there’s definitely something to draw you in, whether you like the rising vocal in the chorus, or the darkened tones of the piano as it plays out through the song.  And, if you’re in Austin for SXSW, you’ll be able to catch Daniel doing his thing at the Gorilla vs Bear Party on March 17.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/03-Forget1.mp3]

Download: Oupa (Daniel of Yuck) – Forget [MP3]

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