This is fine.
In a year that already seems full of releases from our favorite bands, there is yet another one to keep us on pins and needles. The New Pornographers are set to release their fifth album, Together, on Matador Records on May 4th. Thanks to the Matablog, we’ve got a new tune to bring your way this morning. Enjoy!
Download: New Pornographers – Your Hands Together [MP3]
For most on U.S. soil, Fyfe Dangerfield might be a name largely unknown, but you might recognize his work with his band Guillemots. Â They’re a quartet of indie popsters who’ve made waves with British press, but now it’s time for Fyfe to take flight on his own. Â Fly Yellow Moon is a remarkable debut affair, and one that will surely find fans on all sides of the Atlantic. Â If you’ve ever been in love with British pop, then this is the record for you.
You’ll start your listening experience with “When You Walk in the Room,” and you’ll find your feet stomping. Â This number wears the influence of all sorts of British pop, primarily from the late 90s. Â Fyfe’s throaty vocals find their way into your heart; this has to be one of the single’s of the year.
But just as he has you stomping your feet to the pop, he spins around and goes all Richard Hawley on you. Â For the next couple of tracks he’s a barroom crooner, and one that seems every bit as passionate and believable lyrically. “Barricades” might rest a bit too much along the lines of Travis, but there’s really nothing wrong with that now is there?
Just as you get comfortable sitting in a bar with your favorite pint, he mixes it up again. Â The piano-laden”Faster Than the Setting Sun” has a darker quality than previous tracks, as guitars atmospherically fill out the background. Â At this point, as a listener, you should remark to yourself the dynamics of Fyfe’s vocal performance on the album. Â You can throw the variance of each song on the Fly Yellow Moon into the ring of praise; it’s clear that you’re witnessing one amazing songwriter.
And so the album goes into a bit of an acoustic interlude, pushing two great acoustic songs upon you. Â While “Livewire” has a generally folky feel to it, “Firebird” sneaks in with a bit more of an ominous tone to it. Everyone should appreciate Dangerfield’s ability to mix it up, even when the instrumentation seems to be somewhat of the same vein. It’s hard not to say it too much, but not a single song here holds onto its predecessor, yet they all fit together extremely well. Â Just wait until you go from the quiet “Don’t Be Shy” into the steady beating “Any Direction.” Â If you added a little bit more bass and snare to the mix, the latter would surely be a club hit across the globe.
Stepping out from behind the safety of a band is never an easy task, but Fyfe Dangerfield seems to have done so with such grace that you’ll be astonished at how remarkable a debut this actually is. Â It’s not an album bogged down by modern indie rock conjecture or hipsterdom. Fly Yellow Moon is just a refreshing collection of great pop tunes, and in being such a record, you’ll fall in love with just how refreshing it feels.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/05-When-You-Walk-in-The-Room.mp3]Download: Fyfe Dangerfield – When You Walk in The Room [MP3]
Rating: 
Last year, Austin’s Balmorhea released their grandiose coffee-core album , All is Wild, All is Silent, to much critical acclaim. Its epic sprawl captivated listeners. Â Celebrating the dynamics in the title, it was an album of polar opposites, sometimes soft, and other times more upbeat. However, with their newest album, Constellations, there is nothing for the musicians to battle, only the black emptiness that is dotted by billions upon billions of sparkling stars.
For the most part, the band succeeds in fulfilling the aesthetic instilled in listeners who pay close attention to the title of the album. Â Everywhere you look, there seems to be empty space on the album, or places the band could have easily filled with limitless touches of their inspiring instrumentals. Â But, where as they chose to let those moments loose on All is Wild, All is Silent, here they show restraint, barely letting the control out of their crafty hands.
Some listeners might yearn for the more moving moments of the past, but Balmorhea seem keen not to repeat themselves, which is an honorable stand for an up-and-coming group; Constellations is not the same album, and it refuses to be such. Â Instead of forcing violins and piano work into the organic construction of the songs, these kids hold back, filling the spaces with just the right amount of music necessary to hold onto listeners. Â The most spirited you find them is on “Bowsprit,” a song you will adore if you love to hear the sounds of a string instrument (even guitar or banjo) plucked properly. Â But, if you came in search of a repeat performance from last year, then you will be severely disappointed, as the one thing this album lacks if proper movement; at times it seems far too stagnant for its own good.
But, one thing that made their debut album so convincing was the way the songs built upon little moments, creating a voyage for listeners to take. Â Constellations, which is a fantastically cohesive grouping of tunes, doesn’t seem to operate along those same lines at all. Â Where you expect to find a rapid pace, or just a guitar that rolls you along, you find Balmorhea pulling back upon the reins. Â Where they could increase volume, they instead choose to hide in the vastness of the night sky.
Perhaps this is what the band expected of their performance. Â They wanted to dot the night sky with their own inspirations; they wanted to fill the void in our listening experience with their own light touches of instrumental genius. Â If it is to be read as such, then Constellations is one of the most successful concept pieces you will find as of late. Â It is a record that defines looking into the night sky with your telescope whilst putting musical notes inside your head. Â Balmorhea have filled that black canvas in the night, or in our lives, with generous drops of light, and for that much we can be thankful.
It seems like our obsession with Sweden has faded since a few years back, but luckily for us, there is still a lot of great music coming from the Scandinavian country. Â It’s the home of Shout Out Louds, a quintet who has slowly built a following in the States by releasing several albums chocked full of pop hooks and those crafty Swedish melodies. Â Work is another solid display of a band who knows their strengths, who can pull them off with such precision that it’s hard to find a thing wrong.
We’ll start our journey with “1999,” a tune that spends its first thirty seconds tinkering away on the piano before Adam Olenius’ vocals kick in to really get the song going. Â Just for fun, they toss in a couple of “oohs” to grab you with a little hook. Â But, where some bands might push the limit during the chorus, Olenius has the band pull back, leaving a perfect pop gem in the wake.
You can continue to push through this record, and those of you who are familiar with Shout Out Louds will notice that the work of Phil Ek (producer) has really put the spotlight on the group’s assets. Â Sure, they have those New Order guitar chords cutting in and out of the entire album, but you’ll definitely take note of the percussion. Â One of the things that made bands of this ilk so fashionable was the drummer, and Eric Edman definitely solidifies everything in the music. Â He’s steady, and his delicate touch in songs like “Candle Burned Out” display his dynamics behind the kit.
Percussive elements are not the only noticeable difference with Work; Shout Out Louds have gradually grown a little bit softer. Â On Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, they seemed a lively bunch, eager to have you bounce around the club to their tunes, but that’s all changed. Â It appears now that they just want you to nod your head and tap your toes, which has admirable traits in itself. Â “Too Late, Too Slow” has a jangle to the guitars, but instead of pushing forward as the group has done in the past, they let vocal interplay between Olenius and Bebban Stenborg carry out the song. Â While it may not jump up and drag you to the dance floor, it might convince you to grab your lover and dance once around in the living room together. Â “Walls” does much the same thing. Â It chugs along pleasantly with steady guitar, and while you might find it catchy, it’s a restrained sense of joy. Â And, the chorus is quite emphatic, showing they’ve never strayed too far from where they began years ago. Â These are how perfect pop moments are made.
Just make sure that you save your dancing shoes because the group hasn’t given up entirely on their knack for throwing in a solid groove. Â You might have to wait until the end of the record, but “Show Me Something New” is not only one of the best tracks in this collection, it’s the one most likely to get you moving frivolously to and fro. Â Using Stenborg to balance out Olenius’ voice perfects the chorus, and it seems the group can do little else to win you over.
Shout Out Louds seem to have outlived the fad of the Swedish invasion, and they’ve done so by not sacrificing their original formula. Â Instead, they’ve chosen to perfect each inch of recorded material; they’ve pushed Adam’s vocals to new levels, and they’ve pushed themselves to an entirely new levels. Â Work shows a band who have finally found the place where they’re the most comfortable writing great pop songs, and we’ll all be better off for it.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Shout-Out-Louds-Walls.mp3]Download: Shout Out Louds – Walls [MP3]
It’s been awhile since we heard anything from David Vandervelde, but now that there is wind of a new recording, we couldn’t be more excited. Â We loved Waiting for the Sunrise, so we expect more great things from David this time around. Â Secretly Canadian has put up a digital download of a couple new tracks, and we’ve got one of those to tide you over before you get your hands on it yourself. Â Expect his next record to be nothing short of sublime.
Download: David Vandervelde – Learn How to Hang [MP3]
Vancouver’s The Constantines have long been one of my favorite bands (I love their post-punk ways), and I always felt like no on gave them enough appreciation. Luckily, Daytrotter has done me a favor; they put the band up with an unreleased track to boot! The rest of the songs come from the group’s most recent effort Kensington Heights. Check it.
Download: constantines-sub-domestic [MP3]
Somewhere on the long stretch of HWY 290 between Houston and Austin, Holy Fiction was formed from the ashes of various other bands who’d been playing in their respective local scenes. Â After countless demos and honing of their own musical voice, the band is now set to release Hours From It, their debut LP.
Turning on Hours From It, you’re bound to recognize Evan Lecker’s distinctive voice. Â It dwells somewhere in the land between The Twilight Sad and Shearwater, though we’ll lean more towards the latter since the band hails from Texas. Â You can’t help but ignore the comparison, however, as the way he carefully extends certain syllables and seems to hold notes just a second longer than most define a great portion of the album.
It seems that the story of Hours From It relies upon sweeping movements and accentuated elements. Â Take “Song 10,” which holds onto a somber emotion, but it’s fleshed out by orchestral touches and keyboard notes in all the right places. Â Such light notes take what would seem an ordinary song and carry the tune unto another level entirely. Â These are insights into the careful planning the group spend in crafting their debut.
The title track, “Hours From It,” provides listeners with the opportunity to hear what the band may sound like in a live setting, or on future recordings. Â It’s a grittier tune, with the vocals coming across less pristine, which actually does a lot for the emotive quality of the song itself. Â Then, just as the song seems to fade away, it begins in an entirely new direction, but with the same unrefined sound alluded to earlier. Â Holy Fiction backs that up by closing the album with another similar track, “Yes They Were Here.” Â As unfortunate as this may sound, Lecker’s vocals are at times too pristine. Â Just a little bit of scratchiness makes him all the more enchanting, and that is precisely what the last two album tracks offer listeners. Â The music, too, benefits from this dynamic, as the vocals no longer seem to be simply hiding within the song; they stick out a lot more, giving the lyrics a bit more definition.
As debuts go, Holy Fiction has to be pleased with the work they’ve put into Hours From It. The record shows careful thought in the way the songs were pieced together, which demonstrates that this won’t be the last we hear from this band. Â All the clarity in the instruments creates vibrant soundscapes that rise and fall with Evan Lecker’s voice, leaving listeners yearning for more. Â Keep your eyes on the road ahead, as this shows a bright future for HF.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/05-Song-10.mp3]Download: Holy Fiction – Song 10 [MP3]
The Brewis brothers have just returned from their brief hiatus, which featured several decent albums by their respective projects (School of Language and The Week That Was). But, as they’ve reunited with Field Music, they present the masses with Measure; it’s a burdensome album that takes twenty songs and goes beyond the 70 minute mark.
It becomes apparent that the group hasn’t strayed too far from their staccato style prog when you first press play. The piano even has a stabbing sound to it, albeit one surrounded by various layers of texturizing. This will ultimately be the story of this album, it’s the inclusion of textures and layering that fleshes out Measure. Some listeners will see them as sort of a British version of Pinback. Both bands operate on these mathematical constructs, as if each instrument has been placed into the stero by way of equation rather than heart (that’s not to say I don’t like that about them).
Unlike some of their brethren in The Futureheads or Maximo Park (bands who’ve joined the group in the studio and on the stage), the one thing that doesn’t push this record forward is that it does seem so calculated. You can cruise through the first five songs until you land on “Effortlessly,” which is the first song that seems to really draw you into the record itself. Then you sort of wander back and forth through meandering instrumentation until you hit “You and I,” the tenth track. Perhaps the slow-core tempo is really the breeding ground for inspiration here because the lacking of pace in this number is what makes the jump in the volume during the chorus seem to emphatic.
As a fan of the band, Measure is still really hard to follow along all the way until the end. Like Sufjan when he released Illinoise, this whole thing will sort of wear you down; it’s just too long for a modern listening experience (that’s a whole other issue). Formulaic rock is great, and there are a lot of incredible little moments throughout the whole affair, but you have to recall be on your game as a listener to take this whole thing in one sitting. Try as I might, and I’m a fan mind you, I couldn’t get through it all at once. Songs bled into one another, and the larger idea of the record sort of faded away.
But, you can take a different approach, one that will reward you. Listen, at first, in brief sittings. Take three or four songs at once, then pause and reflect.  “Measure” your thoughts, if you will. Might I suggest starting at “First Comes the Wish,” which just happens to be one of the stronger songs.  Start here, then go forward two song, then maybe skip around. Although I like the record a lot from this point until the end. In pursuing a different listening experience for yourself, you will define this album on your own terms. It will reveal itself to you in an entirely different manner than perhaps it did me. This way, you won’t be worn down or burdened by the large undertaking.
Taken in one sitting, this album bleeds together, which makes the formulaic sound a little weaker than Field Music intended. But, if you can move in and out of the record, finding your own passage through Measure, then you will be rewarded, as the group has cleverly constructed a piece of art that deserves your deconstruction.
We all know what a great music scene Austin has, but SXSW gives us all a chance to support our Texas brethren, and we’re here to do our part by highlighting Denton’s Fergus and Geronimo.  Primarily the work of Andrew Savage and Jason Kelly, the group expands to a raucous foursome for live purposes.  You might find them in the same line as The Strange Boys, though I’ll definitely have to give it to this group for their vocal qualities over our Austin compatriots.  If you want to get a head start on the band, you will be happy to know that they currently have three 7 inches up for grabs, all of which feature the band’s traditional American garage sound.  After seeing them open for The Dutchess and the Duke earlier this year, I found that they are the sort of band you can get behind every single night.  Fergus and Geronimo have several shows during SXSW, one being at the Woodsist showcase, so be sure to catch hold of them now, as they’ll be a hot ticket for the rest of the year.
Download: Fergus and Geronimo – Tell It In My Ear [MP3]
Andrew Kenny has been one of Austin’s leading musicians for quite some time now; he first appeared in The American Analog Set, and now The Wooden Birds. Right now, Insound is giving away a free Ep, that you can find HERE. The EP features demos of four tracks that ended up on the band’s debut album Magnolia. It’s free, so why not take it home with you?
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