Month: March 2017

Simian Ghost Share A Clever Video

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One of the lovely things I saw during SxSW was the very charming set by Simian Ghost. The Swedes are not huge fans of the current political climate in these United States. Case in point, they would randomly change a lyric in a song to “Impeach the Clown” during their sets at SxSW.

Aside from having a clever video, “Stop Moving” is a sparkling example of why Swedish pop sensibilities need to permeate all corners of the globe. Their sound is more organic these days, in fact this track is downright disco in nature, as they have picked up the guitars in favor of the pure synths that dominated earlier recordings. There is a new record coming soon via Heist or Hit, but until then…

New Good Field on Slack Capital 2

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Slack Capital 2 is a compilation of music by 27 of the greatest bands in Austin. All proceeds from the comp go to SafePlace, which provides support for victims of domestic and sexual violence. To keep things exciting, we’re unveiling one song per day.

Song of the day: Good Field – “Necessary Feeling”

Good Field is a soulful, gritty indie pop band with chops for days, and their hook laden songs demand repeat listens. “Necessary Feeling” has the band in high spirits, buoyed by a glistening guitar riff that evokes not only the salt of an ocean breeze, but also the memory of an ocean breeze. There are plenty of guitars here, guitars that chop and guitars that peal, adding an AM gold fuzz to an otherwise neatly constructed pop-rock song. At one point in “Necessary Feeling” the song stops, a fake out, as singer Paul Price moans, “Hold my head”– a brief hangover– but after a few beats a crisp drum fill brings us back into the groove immediately. Later, the song roams into an extended freaky jam, but the dreamy existentialist core of this upbeat tune never quite leaves your line of sight. There is an over-caffeinated urgency and eagerness to “Necessary Feeling” that seems to say something like “Life is a lot, but life is good.” – Eric Braden

Pre-order the CD HERE:
Come to the release show. More info HERE.

Chilled Pop from Ferla

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Melbourne’s Ferla has had his music described as ‘low rent disco,’ and while I understand that sentiment, I think pop fans will surely find that there’s nothing ‘low rent’ about it. This song features Ferla’s suave vocal performance, emphasized by emphatic synth stabs in the background; it creates a relaxed vibe that one might enjoy in a dimly lit establishment of cool. This new jam features on his Guilt Pop/Stay Posi double EP, which is going to be released on May 26th by Our Golden Friend. Chill out here.

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Quiet Tune from Sono Oto

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Sitting around listening to tunes to absorb and I’m taken aback by Sono Oto. There’s a pretty simple formula, utilizing carefully strummed notes and backing vocals to craft the emotional pull for listeners. But, while the pacing is slow, there are a few moments within the confines of the song where the notes soar gently, rising in your ears…with a few bursts of force near the song’s end. It’s the perfect track to enjoy in the solace of your own personal listening space, providing you with some quiet brilliance. You’ll be able to hear Inheritance in its entirety next Friday when the album’s released into the world.

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ATX Spotlight: US Weekly Debut LP is Almost Here

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If you’re paying attention to what’s actually going on in Austin’s music scene, then odds are you have been anticipating the release of US Weekly‘s debut as much as I have. While their wild live performances have already won me over, we now turn to their recorded music and their new single. This tune has the perfect balance that displays the band’s ability play with music fans; the bubbling bass and intermittent calm vocal works in contrast to the rolling drums and guttural shouts that burst through your speakers. Bands aren’t supposed to sound so balanced in their execution on their debut…or are they? The self-titled LP hits on April 21st via Night Moves Label.

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Mom Jeans on Slack Capital 2

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Slack Capital 2 is a compilation of music by 27 of the greatest bands in Austin. All proceeds go to SafePlace, which provides support for victims of domestic and sexual violence. To make sure every one of these artists gets the attention they deserve, we’re unveiling one song per day.

Song of the day: Mom Jeans – “Dumb Dude”

Mom Jeans are legit one of the funniest bands in Austin, but lead singer Jenny Bruce is only half-playing with lines like “I saw you on Facebook, talking ’bout politics/ Why don’t you stick to what you’re good at, skateboard and doing tricks,” as she flips the script on men who try to limit the role and place of a woman. That ever-present sense of humor puts Mom Jeans in a position to say something real (and super timely) without coming across as preachy or overly earnest. Even more importantly, the song has an incessantly catchy groove (thanks to Ursula and James’ quirky rhythm section) and sing-a-long melody that makes you want to listen to it on repeat. Perhaps more so than any band in town, Mom Jeans’ combination of laid-back vibe, overt humor, and bone-deep intelligence sums up something about the best of Austin music that the word “weird” fails to quite capture. If you’ve been looking for a song to post when boys act stupid on the Internet, look no further. –Eric Braden

Pre-order Slack Capital 2 rightHERE.

Come to the release party April 14 at Barracuda. EVENT PAGE.

New Pataphysics Pops on Slack Capital 2

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Slack Capital 2 is a compilation of music by 27 of the greatest bands in Austin. All proceeds go to SafePlace, which provides support for victims of domestic and sexual violence. To make sure every one of these artists gets the attention they deserve, we’re unveiling one song per day.

Song of the day: Pataphysics – “Carrasco”

Spend any time in the Austin music underground and you’re bound to encounter a strain of music that seems to come from an alternate universe in which The Big Bopper was as popular as The Beatles, and where Buddy Holly lived long enough to start a New Wave band. This sub-genre of music is sometimes called zolo, or zonk (zany punk?), and when you see it, it feels like a direct link to the oddball punk legends of Austin history like Big Boys and The Dicks. You kind of laugh at yourself, standing there with your arms folded, and think, “Oh yeah, music can be fun!”

Pataphysics, led by former Zom Zom frontman Pat Healy, is definitely one of these bands. Their contribution to SC2, “Carrasco,” is an addictive synth-pop ode to Tex-Mex “Nuevo Wavo” legend Joe “King” Carrasco, whose fun-loving songs “Party Weekend” and “Man Overboard” Healy used to play back in the day as a dee-jay at KVRX. Healy says “Carrasco” is about a fictitious party thrown by the King. The best detail–“his friend’s Michael Jackson!”–turns out to be true, as the King of Pop himself supposedly sings background vocals on Carrasco’s reggae tune “Don’t Let a Woman (Make a Fool Out of You).”

Recommended for fans of Oingo Boingo, The B-52’s, and the black-out rush of getting off the couch too fast. –Eric Braden

Pre-Order Slack Capital 2 HERE.

Ian McKinney Has 2 Songs on Slack Capital 2

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Slack Capital 2 is a compilation of music by 27 of the coolest bands in Austin. All proceeds go to SafePlace, which provides support for victims of domestic and sexual violence. To make sure every one of these bands gets the attention they deserve, we’re unveiling one song per day. (Except today, where we reveal two songs!)

Songs of the day: Ian McKinney – “CRIMEWAVE”/ TV Dads – Vertical Sync

Ian McKinney and TV Dads are the same person, but they represent two very different vibes. CRIMEWAVE is a corroded future-punk anthem, a hilarious and addictive account of what it’s like to thrive in a rotten, failing society. A through-line that connects many of the songs on this compilation (and a quality that, arguably, is essential to the “weird” quality of Austin you hear so often about) is a deep sense of irony, and as McKinney repeats the titular word, it feels more like a taunt aimed at the folks in the gleaming towers than a cry of alarm. Meanwhile, McKinney’s contribution here under the TV Dads moniker is more like a salve, a warped and gentle instrumental with alien-sounding birds in the distance. In the song sequence of the comp, it happens to work as a wonderful introduction to the sweet heartbreak of Magia Negra (but you don’t get to hear that track yet). –Eric Braden

Pre-order Slack Capital 2 rightHERE.

And…we’ll be throwing a release show with proceeds going to SafePlace on April 14th @ Barracuda.

SXSW Awards – 2017

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How is it possible we’re already through SXSW hangover week? It seems like only yesterday the ATH crew was hanging at Hotel Vegas, with Lone Star in hand, kicking off the week a couple of Sundays ago with the awesome lineup put together by Nathan and our boy Mr. Laird. As always, we move on, reflect on the fun behind us, and plan for the next great lineup or festival. Such is the beauty of living in the live music capital of the world. To look back on the festival, Nathan, Brian, and myself came up with an arbitrary list of awards with each of us picking our choice for the category.

Hit the jump for our awards, final thoughts and a few related pics from a fun, exciting, and draining week.

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New Music from Rat Columns

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Perhaps there’s no greater joy for a blogger than to watch a band you love, such as Rat Columns, blossom into something you can tell you’re going to obsess over for years to come. This new single from their album Candle Power is honestly one of the favorite things I’ve stumbled upon this month; it’s got this relaxed indiepop vibe with twinkling bits of bells bouncing through the mix. There’s even a classic rock n’ roll guitar line cutting through in the distance, popping up between verses. Upset the Rhythm release the album on April 1st, and I’m going to love it from that day forth.

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