Month: October 2011

Show Review: Washed Out @ The Mohawk

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Washed Out is all growns up?

Ernest Greene has been a buzz-worthy blog-hyped man and a latop. He and his wife manage all merch. He records in the corner of a bedroom at a lakehouse. This is a solo act. Or is it?

The stage was full of instruments. There were three sets of keyboards, drums, a bass and, yes, a Macbook. But it wasn’t front and center. It wasn’t on a card table up front with a small keyboard for improv. More on the band, the tech and the openers Feathers and Sleep ∞ Over after the break.

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Friday Top 5: Instruments

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We spend a ton of time on this site covering music and musicians, but rarely do we ever set our focus on the tools of music-maker’s trade. Excluding voice, clapping, whistling, etc. as instruments, which were almost certainly the first true musical tools, several apparatuses have left indelible marks on human society. Without instruments, some of the finest art and music in the recorded history of man would cease to exist.  The romantic image of a child and a piano becoming the next Chopin lead parents around the world to push their children into musical apathy, but sometimes a musician needs an instrument to find their voice, not the other way around. Throughout the history of music, a few instruments stand out as more important than others, so here is the FT5 of influential instruments.

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Show Preview: The Drums @ The Parish (10/23)

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Date Sunday, October 23rd
Location The Parish
Doors 800p
Tickets $13 from Frontgate

For all intents and purposes, this is sort of a must see show.  The Drums have pretty much dominated the surf-pop spectrum for the better part of two years, and their latest record, Portamento shows a great bit of maturity–not to mention some killer tracks.  Yes, I admit that I definitely had some issues with their last set over at the ND awhile back, but that’s neither here or there.  I’m going to be at this show, swinging my arms, taking part in all the joyous harmonies and surfy riffs the band brings.  Plus, it’s gotta sound great over at the Parish. Come on out kids.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/04-Money.mp3]

Download: The Drums – Money [MP3]

New Folk Core from Two Dark Birds

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Okay, so Folk Core is totally made up, but I wanted to make sure I had your attention.  In all actuality, Steve Koester and Two Dark Birds are a lot more folk, a lot more traditional, so much so that you might call them hardcore folksters.  Their new record, Songs for the New, comes out next week via Riot Bear Recording, and it’s shaping up to be a really beautiful listen, filled with traditional folk elements spun in an entirely novel manner. It makes you yearn for wintery weather, which we just so happen to be experiencing, so what a wonderful way to wrap up our Friday.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Two-Dark-Birds-Black-Blessed-Night.mp3]

Download: Two Dark Birds – Black Blessed Night [MP3]

Contest: St. Vincent @ ACL Live (10/24)

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It’s contest time kids!  It seems like forever since we’ve had ourselves a ticket contest and I’m pumped that our first one in a long time is for St. Vincent tickets.  So I’ll cut the crap and give you some contest deets:

Rules: Leave a comment below with why you should win and we’ll pick winners with the best answer.

Prize: 2 tickets to the St. Vincent show at ACL live on Monday the 24th.  We will pick TWO winners who will each receive ONE ticket.

Timeline: We’ll pick our winners and email them sometime this weekend.

Tickets for this on are still available for $20 if you don’t win.  Don’t forget to leave a valid email address in the comment section so we can get in touch with the winners.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/st-vincent-actor-out-of-work.mp3]

Download: St. Vincent – Actor Out of Work [MP3]

New (old) Punk Rocker from Tyvek

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It’s Friday, so I feel like we all needed a nice swift kick in the ass, you know, to get us going into the weekend.  With that in mind, I’d like us all to have a listen to this little rocker from Tyvek, who just put out Fast Metabolism via M’Ladys Records. It’s a compilation gathering all the old singles from the group’s early days, thrusting some furious rockers back in our ears.  It’s always good to listen to the history of bands we love, so it’s good to get to finally have a hold on these gems from some of my favorite rockers.  Give this a go; it’ll save your Friday.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/02-Frustration-Rock.mp3]

New Track from The Golden Awesome

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New Zealand’s The Golden Awesome aren’t necessarily what you’d associate with the typical Oceanic fare, but that’s a good thing. They’ll be releasing their album, Autumn, via M’Ladys Records on November 15th, and it’s shaping up to be a darkly tinged bit of poppy noise rock.  If you stream the single below, you’ll be met with walls of guitar noise drenched in warm female vocals.  Clearly there’s an element of pop one can’t escape in NZ, but there’s more than enough darkness lurking in the songwriting of this group.  Stream the jam below for a taste of great things to come.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/03.mp3]

Show Pics: Wye Oak @ The Parish

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I chased Wye Oak around at SxSW only to be thwarted by flu fatigue and a late cancellation at a day party, but to get to see them play at The Parish more than makes up for it. Add to that, it was my birthday. Add to that, I get to bring my camera to share pics with you.

So off to the Parish we went, the Hall in a good mood, but a little tired from the week’s shows. Erika Wennerstrom opened with a set of stripped down Heartless Bastards tunes.

Head past the jump for plenty of pics and few show notes…

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New Dance Jam From Chairlift

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As we get ready for this sweet DJ set on Friday, it seems fitting that we run a new song by dance inducing hit makers Chairlift.  This tasty new jam “Sidewalk Safari” appears on the band’s upcoming new LP Something due out January 23rd on Young Turks in the UK and one day after in the U.S.  Let’s hope this gets you ready for the weekend.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Sidewalk-Safari.mp3]

Download: Chairlift – Sidewalk Safari [MP3]

More New Music from Richard Swift

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We gave you the heads up on the new Walt Wolfman EP from our favorite Richard Swift, which just came out a day or so ago via the good folks over at Secretly Canadian.  Well, today, in case you weren’t able to make it to your local store, the label (and SPIN) tossed up another groovy track from the record. This one’s a bit different, using some ramshackle drumming to keep the beat while Swift sings atop it all.  I highly encourage you to get your hands on this work as soon as possible, giving Richard some much deserved love; it’s definitely an interesting, and enjoyable listen.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/02_MG_333_1.mp3]

Download: Richard Swift – MG 333 [MP3]

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