This is fine.
Austin based band Young Tongue put a great song called “Cat Calls” last February and we shared it here on these pages. Today we’ve just been sent a new video for the song and I figure why not give the song a fresh listen with some stunning visuals. The video was made by Escape Plan Productions in only 48 hours and was an entry in the Austin Music Video Race. Check out the video after the jump.
Here’s a great new track from Richmond, VA based band Sundials. Now these guys create old school rock music with a no frills approach to the guitar and rhythm work in their songs. Check out “Stun Spore” below and relive what sounds like some of the glory days gone by.
Sundials have a new EP entitled Kicks due out November 4th on Topshelf Records.
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Yea. Alberta’s Twin Library have officially, or quietly, changed their name to No Museums. The name change doesn’t mean that much, as the music still sounds great, which is good considering the band now has a new EP (mini-album?) up for the listening. There are all sorts of musical nods here, but I enjoy the band’s approach to craftsmanship; they’re creating this basement folk music with just hints of distortion that swell and build throughout. Definitely a nice touch. Enjoy your listening.
Download: No Museums – The Mountain Slowing Down [MP3]
Rating: 
We’ve posted a bit lately on Irish act, So Cow, but in case you missed those blurbs, and still haven’t heard of this group, here’s the scoop. They started out back in 2005 as the solo project of front man Brian Kelly, and then evolved into a three-piece outfit that’s put out four LP’s up to date. Back in July the band signed with Goner Records to put out The Long Con, which makes for their fifth full-length record of DIY guitar and lyric-central indie rock.
They begin the album right off with their funky, off-kilter rock with a single “Barry Richardson,” which kicks in immediately with electric guitar that squalls and around the vocals and drums. This, along with the vocals from Kelly gives out a very meandering-post-punk vibe, but then the song manifests itself into a different animal for the chorus. Here, we see a switch to the straightforward chorus as the group joins him to repeat the title characters name. This switch is interesting because it creates a fairly large distinction between the off-kilter opening to the song and the more direct and harsh sound of the chorus. So Cow traverses this fine line for the majority of the album, constantly switching between the quirky and straightforward.
Another track that really draws on this concept is “Guess Who’s Dead,” which has a drum beat that’s all serious business, while the guitar juts out at angles at the end of lines to begin. Again, the chorus gives out a more direct notion of indie-post-punk with the grit of a tinge of metal on the guitar. All the while, Kelly’s lyrics are the very opposite of serious, discussing the going-ons of people around town; the balance here is what’s so intriguing about the sound that So Cow is all about.
My biggest qualm, albeit still fairly small, with The Long Con is that it seems to stretch on just a few songs too long. If you look at each individual song, track-by-track, you can see that this band really pulls off some interesting takes on indie-rock via their style, but it is difficult for a collection as long as this to hold your steady attention for the duration of a forty five minute long album. The last song kind of fizzles out when it comes to the energy of the record, leaving you on a slightly flat note; it makes you question the organization of the album and the incorporation of some of the tracks.
That being said, The Long Con, minus a few minutes, is a quirky and enticing album. Fans of the band will enjoy the twang of not only the lyricism that Kelly brings to the table, but also of the more direct pieces of rock-n-roll.
A little bit ago I got this jam from Holy Youth, but I got sidetracked, forgetting how much I was hooked on the song. The vocals threw me for a loop early on in my listens, but the guitar was just so damn catchy that I couldn’t get it out of my head. I returned today with a bit of a fresh ear, realizing that the youthful approach to the recording of the vocals didn’t really strike me as all that odd, considering other things I’ve been jamming to this year. So, with that in mind, I suggest you give this a good couple of listens, and you’ll be hooked too. Look for their self-titled debut via Happenin Records on October 14th.
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What? You thought I was done posting about Dark Blue? Well, as long as these guys keep pumping out rad singles, I’m going to keep throwing your way. Honestly, I think this is one of my favorite tracks the group has offered so far; it’s definitely got a solid melody hook in the deepened vocals, though the ringing guitars definitely add that gritty touch many listeners will be clamoring for. They’re readying the release of their album, Pure Reality, which has an October 7th release date; it looks to combine dark melodic grooves with a bit more vitriol, so I’m in.
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Here’s a fun little diddy from Austin based band Small Circles. The track is called “Maybe in the Long Run” and features a catchy vocal delivery with a pop/rock vibe sound. Though I knew nothing about the band prior to today, I’m already digging this more than a lot of the popular music currently coming out of Austin. Keep it up boys.
Small Circles have an EP coming out very soon. Stay tuned here for updates.
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If you missed out on picking up your copy of Days of Abandon, the latest offering from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, you’ll be happy to know the deluxe edition heading your way tomorrow will feature several brand new bonus tracks. This tune has a pretty clean quality, which seems to have been the approach Kip took on writing the song for this album; the gaze-iness is pulled back in favor of maximizing some great melodies. My ears seem to think it’s even dreamier than their earlier offerings, including just the right amount of jangle in the tunes, though softening a bit around the edges. Enjoy your listen below.
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Conor Oberst takes a moment to stop in and say hello to his Austin fans and the reception and crowd participation (though, maybe not encouraged) screamed at me something I’ve been denying from my first intimate moments with his music in a dark bedroom on a lonely, suburban street; Conor Oberst is a household name. No, he is not on the front cover of EW from time to time promoting himself. Yes, he still thinks of himself as an independent musician, pumping his heart through his quill with only the purely artistic need to express himself and his feelings. Maybe, though, after so much time, twenty-one years, of painting musical landscapes in which his poetry can frolic, we have all chosen him as a member of our family. Follow the jump for more.
I’ve been intrigued by the festival fascination of the world as of late, but as most of us know, the idea isn’t a wholly new one. For example, Goner Records is hosting their 11th Goner Fest this year on September 25-28 in Memphis. I love the label and the things they’ve been putting out, so I reached out to our friend Madison, who handles press and bookings at Goner, to see who the Top 5 Acts of the festival are.
If you’re looking to get your rock n’ roll fix, and are willing to travel, this is the place to be. You can still get your hands on tickets HERE. Thanks again to Madison for the time, and the advice on who to check out.
