This is fine.
If you’ve read these pages, you’ve likely heard me compare Herzog to the American version of Sloan. It’s a certified fact; they’re incapable of writing a bad song. But, with that said, they might not be on your radar…such is the fate of the greats. So, get to know them below and hunt them down at SXSW.
We love putting out really amazing albums, really amazing ones. Just this week we’ve got the Hermits self-titled album dropping on a beautiful green cassette! It’s filled with these scuzzy pop songs that are bound to get stuck in your head from the minute you press play. You don’t believe me? Listen to “Ruby Red Summer,” a song so good it will ruin the rest of your day…as you’ll likely listen to nothing else. The band celebrate the release of the new LP this Thursday over at Cheer Up Charlies with The Oysters, Nevil and Being Dead. But, if you’re not in Austin, then by all means, stream the LP below…and head HERE to grab it from ATH Records. If you miss the album release, they’ll also be part of our ATH vs SOTO party on Sunday, March 10th at Hotel Vegas.
Looks like our SXSW portion of today is geared towards introducing you to a few acts playing our ATH vs SOTO party, which is an all local show over at Hotel Vegas on March 10th. But, we realize there will be lost of travelers in town, so let us introduce you to the Black Drumset today, in hopes you’ll come out and see them; it’s FREE!
Feel like Hobby Club have been peaking into my record collection. Beth’s voice is powerful and up front; her performance is like she controls the room around her, even when speaking through the speakers. Behind her, there’s these jagged little jangling guitar lines, sharp and turning; they seem to match the drum beat perfectly, struck at just the right time to maximize the infectiousness. Important and fun, that’s how this feels to me, like I need to/have to listen, but I can kick up the feet just a little bit while in the process. I’m looking forward to the duo’s debut EP on Friday!
Flesh Lights has long been a favorite of ATH, it was cemented for me when they opened for Thee Oh Sees (the old name) at La Zona Rosa. Remember, I said a long time favorite. I know we were happy as hell to put this record out. Elissa came out from the drum kit, the band donned Bandanas to do a rousing edition of “Institutionalized”
I love a good house party. I have experience with warehouse parties (don’t remember some of them). I love a party in a backyard. I am fond of parking lot parties, too. Plenty of friends joined us for shenanigans at the loading dock at Fine Southern Gentlemen. Flesh Lights had Werewolf and Dregs join in.
While the late 00s garage/surf re-hash got tired after a few years, it’s still one of my favorite sounds, particularly when it’s presented in a refreshing manner, like Chicago’s Dehd are doing. You can hear that sound immediately, matched by steadying percussion; it’s catchy too, but it’s the chorus that comes in right at the thirty second mark that really drew me into the song. It takes the track into an almost soulful ballad, though it always holds onto the band’s sense of exuberance with the “sha la la la” that crash at the end of the chorus. Catchy and nostalgic, this track makes the forthcoming Water LP very promising; it drops on May 10th via Fire Talk.
Make no mistake about it, I grew up in the 80s, so there’s always been a heavy dose of synth pop in my musical rotation. Through the years, my other tastes have bled in, primarily through Blank Dogs (initially). In a sense, Berlin Taxi sounds a bit like that in regards to the vocals, though they’ve included a little more pop oriented vibes in their tunes. Synth lines are pretty bright in spots, giving off that classic 80s soundtrack vibe, contrasted against the heavier tones of the vocals, just to keep the dance world in balance. On April 12th they’ll release the Contract EP.
I’ve no doubt you’ve already heard me rave on and on about Fanclub, one of our favorite current Austin acts. Well, we realized that not everyone is as familiar with them as we are, so we tossed them our SXSW questionnaire, so you can all fall in love like we did. Plus, if you’re in town on March 10th, you can catch the band at Hotel Vegas for our ATH vs SOTO party!
The story surrounding the release of Jonathan K‘s first solo outing is one steeped in personal tragedy; it’s evident in lines from his new new single like “it’s all downhill from here.” Somehow, the shimmering pop undertones seem to celebrate the tragedy, if that makes sense. There’s these lightly dreamy guitars, along with Jonathan’s voice that falls into the chorus that seem willing to find positivity. The entirety of this track feels like a shared secret, or maybe a spoken explanation of things that went wrong. Whatever the true meaning, that’s for Jonathan; we can still enjoy this song off his forthcoming In Memory Of…
I thought the BVs outdid themselves last year with their EP and 7″ (KUS & Cloudberry). But, they’ve offered us this brand new video to go along with the announcement of their forthcoming LP, Cartography. A little tambourine lets you open the door, and once you’re inside, the song and video roll along on galloping percussion. It sets the song in motion, allowing for the warmth of the vocals to permeate the rest of the track as the guitar operates along some muted jangling to continue the pace. I love love love the extra guitar chords dancing around after the 2 minute mark, working perfectly to match the dreamy vocal notes. Their new LP will be out on March 14th via Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten.
