This is fine.
As we offer more preparation for SXSW week coming soon, I am excited to share one of my top bands to see during the week, Blondshell. I have been jamming the new singles a lot recently and just clicked purchase on my pre-order of the upcoming debut album. Always a pleasure to hear from new and unique perspectives from all over the world. Hit the jump for full deets.
After switching their name up from Thigh Master to Dippers, the band helmed by Matthew Ford have really upped their productivity. An eponymous EP dropped in late last year, but now we’ve got news of a fresh LP, Clastic Rock. With that, we get a slew of sharp guitar work hitting your speakers from the get-go; it’s almost as if they aim to knife through, hitting with such rapidity that things almost feel more buzzsaw than angular. When you hit the chorus, it almost subtly passes you by, as Ford’s vocal maneuvering hides the hints of structural song changes. Plus, the group are about to make their way to the States for a mini-tour and SXSW, so keep your eyes out! If you’re into buying great music, then be sure to grab Clastic Rock from Tenth Court/Goner Records on June 23rd.
Seth Woods has worked with a lot of incredible names from the Austin scene, like Chris Simpson (Mineral) and Emily Cross (Loma/Cross Record), but as of right now he’s working under his solo moniker, The Whiskey Priest. Today we bring you the first listen from the forthcoming LP Grief & Praise; it’s an expansive piece of balladry, shot by our good friend Michael Maly. Lyrically, the song seems to be a reflection on coming to terms with the present while looking back at what was once shared. With Woods voice, the song definitely pulls on the emotional elements of our nature, as it has this pseudo-gruffness that practically gives voice to a sense of longing. Listen carefully, as there’s huge arrangements that sweep through the song too, adding this textural depth that is undeniably powerful. Grief & Praise is out April 28th via Casita Records.
We continue today with more introductions to artists who will be rolling into Austin during SXSW week; this one’s extra special as they’re working with our friends over at Keeled Scales. They also just released a brand new set of songs this past week, which you can hang out and listen to after getting to know the band a little bit below.
Obligatory posts are very rare, but when someone’s in the writing form like Glenn Donaldson has been, it seems like it’s a no brainer as his songs for The Reds, Pinks and Purples are that good. There’s something in the title track for The Town That Cursed Your Name that seems uplifting, spiritually, almost joyous. For me, I think that highlights some of the thematic pieces that course through the entire record, as Donaldson seems to have found solace in just creating, pushing forward to balance living and art, despite the trials and struggles artists face these days. It feels like he’s giving a voice to all those out there in the same spot, loving to create in the face of decreased opportunities. The new LP is out March 24th via Slumberland Records.
While I feel I moved on a bit from that soulful garage sound that I fawned over in the early ATH years, I’m still a sucker for the sound when its done well…and no one’s done it quite as well as Gringo Star on their latest single. This one’s got this almost LSD-infused desert vocal that rolls through the track like a lone tumbleweed. Musically, it almost feels like its given everything to the vocals, except the space gets filled in by these perfect bits of string arrangements that manage to elevate every inch of the song by their very presence. It almost feels like it was penned in the traditional soul era, and I don’t mind that one bit. You’ll find this tune on their new LP On and On and Gone, which was just announced!
After releasing their debut album this past year, Puppy Angst are ready to venture into Austin for SXSW, so we wanted to make sure that you were prepared to get to know the band. They give us a little insight into what you can expect in their performances, with a sly wink that there’s something brand new in the works. Check out what they had to say!
Joel Johnston is on his way to SXSW with his project, Far Caspian, and if we’re judging by the response to his latest single, then there’s certainly going to be a lot of buzz swirling about here. This new single hits somewhere in the vein of modern acts like Dummy and Peel Dream Magazine, building in these synthetic layers that mingle with driving guitar notes, all of wrapped tightly around this delicate melody at the core of the track. Me personally, I love the brevity of it; it’s like a quick little taste of what Joel has in store when a full-length is finally in the works.
A few years back I raved about Es; they were a band that felt like they made post-punk dangerous again, almost frightening. Now that they’ve announced a fresh EP, its nice to see the band hasn’t lost their tenacity; this song opens up with a mixture of growling rhythm and howling vocals. To a degree, the song sounds like a death march of sorts, albeit punctuated by little melodic notes from the synth work so as to avoid hurling us down the cavernous depths of the band’s heavier side. Vicious and clever; I’m looking forward to the Fantasy EP; it drops on April 7th via Upset the Rhythm.
The latest single from our friend Jana Horn was everywhere yesterday, but seeing as we love her work and craft, we’ve got to do our part and make sure our three readers also are aware of it. For me, the arrangement of this song really won out from the start; I love the careful twang of the strings as the drum quietly rolls over the hills and into the song, slowly plodding along as various other elements fill in the gaps. Jana’s fragile vocal delivery is always enchanting, and according to Horn, the song came across “as a sample to the whole,” referencing the song’s place in the arc of her new record. Don’t be a dummy; grab The Window is the Dream on April 7th via No Quarter. I’ve also included an image of me asking Jana how awesome the new record was going to be, but you’ll have to grab it to find out her response…maybe on Bandcamp Friday.
