This is fine.
Last night some of the ATH crew had the privilege of attending another ACL taping at the Moody Theatre downtown. This time around our taping experience was provided by now veteran indie band Dr. Dog out of Philly. It was a solid taping with no frills Americana rock n roll music and a good time was had by everyone in attendance. Follow the jump for a few of my thoughts.
Rating: 
It’s been an extremely busy couple of years for Ty Segall; he’s fronted his own project, joined up with White Fence and now he’s got an effort with the Ty Segall Band—it’s gotta be hard to keep all of that straight. That being said, over-working yourself can often lead to mistakes, and while I am not saying those exist, I do feel like something is amiss on this effort.
Coming into “Death” you want to see just how tight the Ty Segall Band can be, and rest assured, he’s got the right group surrounding him here. While the song begins with distorted feedback, it jumps into Ty seemingly chanting before an onslaught of guitars explode ferociously. Personally, I feel that the instrumentation out-performs the vocals, as so often happens throughout Slaughterhouse. However, I feel like “I Bought My Eyes” is the most traditional Ty Segall effort on the record, capturing the live sound of the band, yet still holding onto Segall’s vocals as the band pummels your ears.
From there, the record seems to go off into a furious live album, which is both good and bad. “Slaughterhouse” brings images of a frenetic live show, with Ty and his man Mikal Cronin banging out the tunes furious and loud. Then you get “Tongue,” which does have a bit of that traditional Segall bounce to it, but again, the vocals get a bit obscured as the band seems to turn up the noise. Therein lays the problem with Slaughterhouse: it’s an album with the markings of Ty Segall all over it, but the final production value isn’t as polished as the work he’s done in the past.
I get that one man can’t repeat himself too much, but as a long time fan I sort of get the impression that Ty Segall Band is meant to capture the live sound of Ty, with more of a nod going to the performance than to the actual songwriting. “Muscle Man” has that angular distorted guitar chug that I love, but the sound of the track itself seems sort of muddy; I just ask for a bit of cleaning up. “That’s the Bag I’m In” follows that up with a sort of childishness that’s none-too-pleasant. It’s forceful in delivery, yet it beats you over the head with Ty’s vocal performance; it’s probably one of the worst performances I’ve heard from him to date.
Slaughterhouse is an excellent listen if you want to picture what Ty Segall Band sounds like in the live setting. It’s heavy and heartfelt, but it doesn’t quite emphasize the songwriting licks that made Ty stand out in the past few releases. That’s always been his dynamic though, right? He’s a great songwriter in the studio, and a brash performer on the stage. I dig both, but I just don’t think I can spin this album as much as I could spin Goodbye Bread or Melted. Just one man’s opinion.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Ty_Segall_Band_-_I_Bought_My_Eyes.mp3]Download:Ty Segall Band – I Bought My Eyes [MP3]
Rating: 
With the current indie landscape coated in folk harmonies and wooded soundscapes, it seems only fitting that Beachwood Sparks would return after taking a break 11 years ago. Interestingly, The Tarnished Gold, while bearing similarities to the modern landscape, has a sound more classic in structure, carefully crafting the perfect listen for fans of all sorts.
Immediately you fall in love, or at least I did. “Forget the Song” sounds like an American version of The Crayon Fields, except filled with a bit of slide guitar and twang. It’s got the same slight echo on the vocal, with guitars and casual drumming all tied in to perfection. Other songs fit this exact same style like “Tarnished Gold,” which is perhaps why I’ve enjoyed listening to Beachwood Sparks so much lately. The guitars definitely give it a more country/folk feel, but the gentle vocals will absolutely carry you away. You’ll also find hints of other great American music throughout.
“Sparks Fly Again” is filled with noodling guitars and vocal harmonizing, but what caught me off guard was the seemingly Grateful Dead chorus jumping in and out. It’s not there in a jam band sort of way, which enables me to appreciate the track all the more, but it definitely reminds me that my age is having me walk a fine line with the hipster abhorred hippy ilk. But, please don’t tell anyone that I just admitted to that. The presence of these sort of moments are all over The Tarnished Gold, demonstrating that the band is much more rooted in the classic structure of Californian pop music, rather than joining the bandwagon of modern folk acts.
With all their traditional stylings, one of the things I like best about this Beachwood Sparks record is its ability to go live it out on its own terms. “No Queremos Oro” is a quirky Spanish pop tune, almost like a sunny Mariachi ballad. Of course, my love for all things Latin American forces me to love this track, but you have to have courage to put something like this in the middle of a classic folk tinged album; I applaud the band for that. Luckily, it’s also followed by my favorite track here: “Earl Jean.” I like the sound of the guitar strumming, spliced with some intermittent guitar jabs (noodles?) coming in and out. It’s explosion of bright guitars at the midway point is truly special, and feels so familiar that I swear I wrote it myself.
The more I get involved with The Tarnished Gold, the more I feel that it’s going to become the perfect soundtrack for my summer here in Texas. As the warm sun beats upon my back, I can hear the slide guitars meeting on the humid air of the harmonies. There’s elements of folk music, classic Americana, and even your modern indie feel; it’s pulled off to perfection, giving Beachwood Sparks a return to glory that seems much deserved.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Beachwood-Sparks-Sparks-Fly-Again.mp3]Download:Beachwood Sparks – Sparks Fly Again [MP3]
 Date |
Wednesday, June 27th |
|---|---|
| Location | Mohawk |
| Doors | 900 pm |
| Tickets | $7 at the Door |
This is essentially a great local show with a great out of state opening act. The opening acts Grape Street and No Future (formerly Leatherbag) are two acts we’ve raved about on these pages, and they both put on exceptional shows live. Even if it was just these two bands, it’s worth your $7! But, you also get to see Broncho, one of the stronger acts to come out of Oklahoma. They’ve got ties to Other Lives, Starlight Mints, Colourmusic, Unwed Sailor…so they come with good pedigree, and great songs. Seriously, it’s inside, with cold beer and nice AC, so do yourself a favor and catch some great no-frills rock n’ roll.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/A-Date-With-You.mp3]Download:Grape Street – A Date With You [MP3]
Not sure why the haze pop is really revving my engine these days. Maybe it’s the summertime heat, or more likely, it’s the current quality of music coming out of the genre. This new song for the genre “Night is Dark” by Massachusetts via Domincan Repbulic based artist Grand Resort. The group is essentially a solo project by Andrés Pichardo who decided, for some unknown reason, to move from his Carribean home to the east coast so he could write 60’s brit pop inspired tunes. A new album from Piachardo, Vanguard Dreams, will be available September 4th.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/GrandResort-NightIsDark.mp3]Download: Grand Resort – Night is Dark [MP3]
Rating:
Bart and Friends is an Australian supergroup of sorts, fronted by Bart Cummings. The group features members of the Shapiros and the Lucksmiths, to name a few, so you’re probably going to have some lofty expectations. Luckily for us all, There May Come a Time lives up to those expectations, and in fact, it surpasses them.
Opening the EP is “There May Come a Time,” which features the wonderful Pam Berry on vocals. She’s talking about writing songs, but suggests that there are some words/songs she’ll always remember (those of a love when she was young). I love the brightness of the guitar sound here, not to mention the precision drumming which helps accentuate the depth of the track. You’re going to be hard pressed to find a better album opener on a pop record than this one. But, then they move into some extremely familiar territory with the much covered track, “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” I know the song was originally done by Elvis, but as a kid of the 80s, I think back to UB40 (unfortunately). However, twenty listens into this EP, I will forever think of Berry’s performance here; her voice seems to be perfectly crafted to sing this track. Definitely a special song.
From here you’ll get into the middle of There May Come a Time, featuring two of my favorite tracks, though one is the record’s shortest. “A Kiss You Won’t Forget” encompasses everything I’ve come to love about the sound of pop music that’s been carried over from Australia. Sharp dueling guitars, careful bass work, and some of the best vocal performances. It’s one of those songs you want to put on a mixtape and play for all your friends. There’s only one thing wrong with “There Are So Many Things I’d Like to See,” and that revolves around the 50 second song length. It’s a completed track by Bart and Friends, but I completely wish they’d have pushed it even further; it’s got the makings of becoming one of my favorite tracks every. I’m just going to loop it over and over on my own to reach the desired effect. The group does approach similar territory on “These Words Are Too Small,” but Berry seems a bit more rushed here, so it doesn’t have that drama in it.
Closing out the EP is “A Summer’s Dream,” the most chilled out track on There May Come a Time. Here, while Berry again sounds great, it’s the sound of the guitar that really shines. It’s as if each note was carefully picked for maximum melodic power; there’s a carefree mood created by both the band and Berry. It’s a relaxing feeling, the way every summer dream should be. The ending is perfectly fitting for this EP, as the band have bookended both sides of the EP perfectly. But, don’t think that the middle is just filler; you’re likely to find some of the most special pop moments of the year hiding in there. Go see for yourself.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/There_May_Come_A_Time.mp3]Download: Bart and Friends – There May Come a Time [MP3]
There May Come a Time is available now from Matinee Recordings.
Rating:
Britain has long had a history of crafting glowing guitar pop, though the more brash bands abroad have garnered more attention. That’s probably a good thing, with bands like Charlie Big Time quietly making their way to our ears. The group’s newest EP, Dishevelled Revellers is brief, but for those of you unfamiliar with the band it’s the perfect introduction to the group, now a proper trio.
The title track begins the four song affair, beginning casually for the most part. It’s a quieted pop approach allowing listener’s to get a full grip on the inherent harmonies present within the track, but that changes at the 1 minute mark. A chorus erupts with a more distorted guitar sound, giving a heavier touch to the softer melody working beneath the tune. It’s a familiar song, sonically speaking, but one that speaks volumes to the craftsmanship of Charlie Big Time.
You’ll find that the lead single “The Liberation of Love” provides the perfect “pleased to meet you” moment with the band’s newest member, Beth Arzy. Her effortlessly gentle voice provides the perfect juxtaposition to the deeper male vocal role, and gives a different level to the slower track. There’s’ a wandering jangling guitar noodling its way about the track, which is one of the reasons I find Dishevelled Revellers so enjoyable; it’s not here to beat you over the head with brilliant pop, only here to let you sit back and enjoy incredible songwriting.
Personally, I immediately fell in love with “Real Estate” from the moment that guitar line comes in. Strummed guitars are met with solid vocals and various other textures that demonstrates the creativity of the group–it even includes some light horn flourishes. Beth’s here again, but her voice is slightly understated, turning it into more of an instrument of lushness, rather than a counterpoint. The subject matter seems fairly dark, but you’d never really know by the emotional tug you’ll get when listening to the track, happily floating away with the tune in your heart.
Then it all comes to an end with sullen “Passion and Headaches,” the fourth and final track here. It seems like the perfect song for someone living on the British Isles, or even the Northwestern US. I find that there’s a bit of a cold haze that floats about the casual track; I picture the group crafting the song on their porch as the rain comes down. But, like all great pop, you cannot help but to feel a bit of an uplifting aura surrounding the track, much as you’ll find on the whole Dishevelled Revellers EP. Charlie Big Time have managed to quickly burst into the scene of great pop songwriting, and hopefully we’ll get to hear more from them soon.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/02-The-Liberation-of-Love.mp3]Download:Charlie Big Time – The Liberation of Love [MP3]
Dishevelled Revellers is now available from Matinee Recordings.
While wading through the emails we get from our contact form, Nathan and I tend to hear tons of terrible music. Every once and awhile though we get some great tunes like this one called “Catch the Sun” from L.A. based band Good Luck Bear. It’s a great driving rock tune that’s perfect for this summer weather. The band have their entire new album The Nearest Faraway Place streaming for free over on bandcamp if you dig this song.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/catch-the-sun.mp3]Download: Good Luck Bear – Catch the Sun [MP3]
We gathered our team together this past Thursday, hoping to catch a great show over at Red 7. Two of the much-hyped Interweb bands would be taking to the stage, so we figured we had to be there to see what they really had to offer. Our photographer Brian was on hand to snap some great pics despite being forced to shoot from behind and around the ridiculous amount of video cameras present.
I’ve long been a supporter of Bankees ever since I came across their last album, Kimono. Unfortunately, the French group has largely gone unnoticed over here in the States, but I hope I can change that. This song is their first single from their upcoming record, Homes, which is shaping up to be one hell of a listen. On this tune, they’re taking a casual approach to effortless pop, just letting the guitar trickle in while the vocals calmly win you over. It’s the sort of pop tune with a melody that gets stuck in your brain, which is the kind of stuff I like. I’ll keep you all posted on the new album as more details come our way, but you can spread the word on these guys in the meantime.
Download:The Bankees – Days [MP3]
