This is fine.
Considering the last week seemed sort of dull, at least in regards to live music about the town, we were really excited by the killer bill at The Parish, featuring two of our favorite acts of the moment, Other Lives and the Rosebuds–we were unaware local band O.A.X. (pronounced Oaks) was joining the night as well. As usual, the Parish had excellent sound, and air-conditioning, so it’s hard to find anything bad to say about the evening.
One of my surprises for the summer has been this excellent debut record from Brooklyn’s Sundelles. Initially, they caught my ear with a 7″, which sounded sort of like a bratty Cali-pop beach jam, but this new release is nothing short of warm and brilliant. Part of me feels like the melodies on Georgia Swan belong in the Oceanic regions of the world, with hints of haziness and just a slight bit of jangle, but perhaps that’s just one man’s idea. You, however, will vastly benefit from going on to iTunes, and grabbing this, or ordering it directly from the band. I’m a few weeks late on the heads up, but I absolutely promise that you will not be let down here.
Download: The Sundelles – Kiss The Coast [MP3]
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Electronically driven, but vocally backed, is what Handsome Furs have shown us their sound consists of on their past two full-length records. It seems on Sound Kapital, they chose to put an even larger strain on the electronic elements of each song, nixing the guitar somewhat completely. Although an interesting choice, this heavy electronic sound is one that works stylistically for Dan Boeckner and his wife, and follow member, Alexei Perry.
This album starts out somewhat misleading on “When I Get Back.” Sure, there is the lovable drawl of vocals, but there is also this backing dub-esque beat that throws the number off a tad bit. Despite this underwhelming start, Handsome Furs progress as the album moves along. After the pace increases on “Damage,” they follow with “Bury Me Standing,” which is the first real standout track, complete with raging synthesizers, a hint of electric guitar and quickly iterated lyrics. Here, you also have the introduction of a mechanical feeling emoted from the songs. The repeated lyrics turn into a motif, feeling similar to a machine doing the same thing over and over.
This proves to be a bit of a double edged sword for this band. For some, this may prove to be simply too much because of the doubly repetitive base in synth. However, others may be allured by the gripping intensity of Boeckner’s vocals that Handsome Furs has not previously been known for, as exemplified on the power double of “What About Us,” and “Repatriated.” As I mentioned before, it seems like as this album moves along, the songs get better and better, and these two are no exception; they don’t contain the redundancy that the earlier tracks seem to have. Or perhaps the band’s sound just grows on you with more exposure.
But the most impressive song for me comes at the very end with the seven-minute stunner that is “No Feelings.” The exact opposite of its namesake, this song is packed with head bob inducing beats, but is also driven intensely by the power of Boeckner’s vocals. He successfully takes over the song, as opposed to letting the electronic aspects have the lead, and it does not feel longer than any of the other songs on Sound Kapital because it is so enjoyable. The track itself ends with the repetition of “no feeling” over and over, contributing to the overall theme of the growth of industrial behavior, in the most careful way possible.
With the large focus on electronic beats, I was pleasantly surprised with this album. The prevalence of Boeckner’s vocals draw away from heavy synth, creating nostalgia for those who love his power in his other works, and furnishing a new love for those who haven’t delved into his catalog.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/07_Repatriated.mp3]Download: Handsome Furs – Repatriated [MP3]
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For close to two decades, Will Johnson has been all over the map, crafting songs under his own name, with various co-writers, and of course, with Centro-matic. For the most part, his music has always had a sort of country-shade to it, and his voice has always made it heart-wrenching, no matter the lyrical content. But, on Candidate Waltz, there’s more of an uplifting construction to the songs, giving you an album that could be considered his most widely accessible work to date.
You can easily discern that there’s going to be a sharper, polished sound on Candidate Waltz the minute “Against the Line” drops in with it’s sharp guitar chords. Of course, the fragility in Johnson’s voice remains, creating an interesting juxtaposition that allows the song to be absorbed by your soul on multiple levels. Jagged guitar lines cut through the following track, “All the Talkers,” with the group sounding a bit like a more rocking version of Lucero, but the interesting aspect of this song comes in near the final two minutes. The track switches from a gritty rocker into this carefully crafted pop lullaby ending, created by the melodious backing vocals; this is perhaps one of the brightest moments on the record.
If you’re looking for that classic Centro-matic sound, with Johnson’s voice pulling at your gut strings, you’ll find that those songs, too, live within the confines of this latest effort. “Estimate x 3” relies upon a time-keeping drum beat, quiet guitar lines, and Will. The gruff quality of his voice always makes him seem so vulnerable, and that has consistently made his tracks seem tragic, yet towards the end of this number, as he repeats “give me what you want/don’t tell me” you can sense a softer side emerging in his work.
It’s going to be difficult to find something that allows you to disregard Candidate Waltz. There’s sweeping melodies, great song arrangements, and really, there aren’t any misstep songs. “Only in My Double Mind” has a banging piano and drum to start it off, while Johnson’s vocals do a great job carrying the melody throughout, giving you a short glimpse at just how powerful his voice can be, even when the music doesn’t appear to be the most innovative. There’s a gentleness to the way he croons “ooh ooh,” providing those mono-syllabic moments with bits of depth you typically don’t see. And the record finishes off with much the same fashion as it begins, bringing a warm rocker to your ears by the name of “If They Talk You Down.” It shouldn’t cease to amaze you how emotionally charged Will’s vocals come across, even when he’s just using his voice as an instrument. Personally, the gentle strings in the background make this track another standout.
There’s not a bad thing to say about Candidate Waltz, no matter how many times you listen to it, unless of course, you wanted more songs. But, the brevity of the experience, combined with Will Johnson’s powerful voice provides listeners with more than enough to swoon over, just before Centro-matic wraps it all up. The best thing is that as soon as it ends, you’ll want to start if all over again. And again.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/05.-Only-In-My-Double-Mind.mp3]Download: Centro-matic – Only In My Double Mind [MP3]
Here’s another new song from from Mike Fish and his project known as Dakotafish. This new pop styled jam comes from recent album Many Moons which is available for purchase/stream on the Dakotafish bandcamp. Hope you enjoy.
Download: Dakotafish – Great Ones [mp3]
It seems like Tom Russell has been around forever, usually rocking his country-folk approach, with hints of Americana fueled by Mexicana. He’s got a new record coming out on Shout Factory in September titled Mesabi, and I’ve really been channeling the music of my father today, so this track definitely hits home. But, for those of you unfamiliar with the veteran, you’ll find vocal reminiscent of Roky E, which is no surprise since both men have been rocking the Texas scene for some time. But, the use of trumpets, gives this more of a straight-up country-rocker, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Oh, and if you need some indie cred to add to your listening pleasure (you know, to make it cool), then note that Van Dyke Parks and Calexico help all over the new work.
Download: Tom Russell – Mesabi [MP3]
Are you looking for that perfect pop track with a nice little hook and some female vocals? Well, you need look no more, as we’ve got this great track from Finnish group Burning Hearts, who just released their Into the Wilderness EP on Shelflife Records. There’s something nostalgic in the craft of this song, yet it definitely still maintains every bit of modernity, coating the sound with bits of keyboards and a lightly strummed guitar in the background. Be sure to give credit to Jessika, as it’s her vocals that make every bit of this track (and EP) worthwhile! Hope you enjoy a nice little dose of swooning pop today.
Download: Burning Hearts – Into The Wilderness [MP3]
With the daily temperature peaking at 105 most days, we can tell that summertime is upon us. When this season hits, I always look forward to all the summer-release beers that show up on the shelves. Many beer companies take advantage of their customer’s need for a refreshing brew during the summer heat, and beer is definitely the best way keep cool and unwind after a long, hot day. I enjoy looking around hoping to find a cheery and delightful depiction of a summer paradise on the label, and give it a try. Good summer beer isn’t just light and drinkable, but is easy to pair with barbeque and poolside sipping.
Several ATH folks and friends gathered around to conduct a summer beer taste-testing session, and selected 11 beers to complete our ratings. We realize this does not encapsulate every single summer seasonal, but we grabbed what we could find. We were served a sample, discussed the flavor, created a nickname and rated it as follows: Great Summer Beer, Average and Never Again.
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Portland’s Nurses is a band we told you about awhile back that we really didn’t know much about at the time. What we know now, is that the band recently wrapped recording for the follow up to their 2009 album Apple’s Arc, and we continue to dig their quirky pop tunes. This new single from the band “Fever Dreams” appears on the band’s upcoming album Dracula due our September 20th on the Dead Oceans label.
Download: Nurses – Fever dreams [MP3]
In my opinion, there’s only one festival that would be seriously worth my time this summer, and that’s the Indietracks Festival in Derbyshire this July. Unfortunately, I can’t quite afford the trip, but I can enjoy this great compilation you can grab too put out by Make Do and Mend Records. It’s like the best sampler ever, with 40 jams, some exclusive, from some of the best bands around, including those I’ve admired on there here pages, like Milky Wimpshake, Crystal Stilts, and Math & Physics Club. If you can’t go, head over HERE, and check out the sampler. Don’t forget to donate, as it goes to a good cause! Seriously, it’s 40 incredible pop songs, including the one below!
Download: Math & Physics Club – Trying To Say I Love You [MP3]
