This is fine.
This is a just a short note, as people everywhere should be on this already, but if you dig Wavves, you can stream the new album right HERE. Personally, I’m really excited for this record, as he enlisted the old back-up band for Jay Reatard, and since I can’t have Jay anymore (RIP), then perhaps Wavves will be the next big thing. Go stream it. Tell me if you like it.
I”ll admit that I’m a sucker for any ballad that appropriately incorporates a piano into a pop track. Lucky for me, the new single, “Empire,” from Jukebox the Ghost does just that. It’s all geared up to give a big push to the rising band as they prepare to release their album Everything Under the Sun on September 7th. You know it will be nothing chocked full of catchy hooks and great melodies, so take a listen to this one while you’re here.
Download: Jukebox the Ghost – Empire [MP3]
| Date | Thursday, July 1st |
|---|---|
| Location | Beerland |
| Doors | 900p |
| Tickets | $6 at the Door |
It’s been a slow week for rock n’ roll right? Well, we have news that should make you a little bit more excited. There’s a great show coming your way on Thursday night at Beerland. Olympia group Gun Outfit will be making their way into town bringing a bit of grunge with a bit of Beat Happening. And don’t let me get you started on the fact that opening the show is one of our favorite newcomers Fergus and Geronimo, along with Austin band Literature. Seriously, get there early, drink a few beers, and enjoy a night full of amazing bands.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/02-Troubles-Like-Mine.mp3]Download: Gun Outfit – Troubles Like Mine [MP3]
Alex Winston is a talented young lady. With the help of a few powerful producers, she created The Basement Covers EP, a wonderful collection of covers, all by herself, playing all the instruments. You’ll find her sounds are similar to other pop female artists like Feist, and we know there are a whole bunch of you out there excited by that comparison. You can get her free EP right HERE with just the submission of an email address. Give it a try, I know you’ll like it.
Download: Alex Winston – The Cave (Mumford & Sons Cover) [MP3]
Canada’s The Paperbacks have been providing us with amazing tunes since back in 2003, crafting lush melodies with their careful guitar work. Their most recent album Lit From Within is a double record, which is a substantial number for any release. I mean, if you’re looking for a bad song, you might find one, but odds are, with a collection like this, you’ll find much more hits. Such is the latest single from the band, “Perpetual Autumn.” We know you’ll love this one.
Download: The Paperbacks – Perpetual Autumn [MP3]
Now that they have a full-time drummer, it’s like The Thermals can’t be stopped. They put out a great record last year, and now news comes that their newest record, Personal Life, will hit stores September 7th via Kill Rock Stars. We won’t complain, as we love this band. The latest single is quick, catchy and not short on the fun, so hopefully you’ll find it beneficial to the doldrums of a slow Tuesday. If not, at least you have new tunes from this great band.
Download: The Thermals – I Don’t Believe You [MP3]
Fresh out of the ashes of Desolation Wilderness comes a new project from Nic Zwart titled Electric Sunset. The first single from his upcoming self-titled album, which comes out September 7th on K Records. He’s blending electronic moments with extreme pop, all which lead to blissful moments for the listener. His record is a sort of journal of sorts, so we’re all sure to find some lyric we can relate to on some level. You’ll want to be sure to get into this now, as everyone’s bound to be talking about this come the fall.
Download: Electric Sunset – Soda [MP3]
This guy just won’t quit! David Vandervelde always writing songs, and we’re always falling in love with them. He’s prepping a new 12″ release, Summer Time Hits, that is set to come out on August 3 via Secretly Canadian, and we’ve got one of those new songs for you to check out. This tune has a touch of glam rock, and there’s a little bit of a falsetto in his voice, similar to the high pitched yelps of Ted Leo. It’s a lot more rocking than his last effort, but when did the rock ever bother us here at ATH? Precisely, it doesn’t, and it shouldn’t bother you, so get with it.
Download: David Vandervelde – Checkin’ Out My Baby [MP3]
It’s hard to keep track of just how many albums The Innocence Mission has released to date, but if you’re a fan of their quiet bedroom spectacles, then the fact that they’re soon to release yet another album is surely exciting news. The album is titled My Room in Trees, and it will hit the streets on July 13th. The lead single, “The Happy Mondays,” is exactly what you would expect, and the little nuance of a quickened pace mid-track really warms the heart. Happy Monday to you.
Download: The Innocence Mission – The Happy Mondays [MP3]
Rating: 
Three albums into their career, it’s difficult to explain what exactly the entity Wolf Parade actually is, as it stands at present. Their insanely popular Apologies to Queen Mary blew us away, but as more side projects came into the foray, the group didn’t seem as tightly knit as they once were, almost as if they exhausted their creativity in other works. Will Expo 86 see the return to greatness? Will it finally win everyone over?
Pounding drums introduce the album, with singer Spencer Krug letting his wavering voice accompany the guitars on “Cloud Shadow of the Mountain” There’s a sense of urgency in the song, as if the band is dedicated to make an impression. If there is a note to make from the get go, it’s that Wolf Parade have come out firing with a barrage of noisiness–not a bad idea.
You’ll relive the heavy bounce of the group’s olden days when you come upon “What Did My Lover Say.” Keyboards are met by slicing guitar lines, and Krug sort of his hangs his vocals in the air during the chorus, but clearly the cohesiveness wins out here, as all elements work together tightly. As usual, this isn’t just Krug’s entourage, it’s a group with two dynamic singers. Dan Boeckner brings his throaty post-punk vocal to “Little Golden Age,” which is an energized number with dark undertones of electronics that drive the song to its rambunctious climax.
You’ll find traces of the individual projects of key members lying around here. “Ghost Pressure” definitely wears the influence of Handsome Furs, using Boeckner and heavy electronic touches to give a little backbone to the tune. Most people will find Dan’s chorus vocal extremely appealing (as I do), but you’ll also note the blasts from 80s house electronica coming through. Krug plays his part too on “Two Men in New Tuxedos,” which bears his mark not only on the vocal, but just in the songwriting in general. He definitely plays the role of the odd writer in the group, giving us less straightforward lyrics to follow than his partner. All in all, there individual voices flourish throughout, but the success of Expo 86 lies in the team aspect.
Their disjointed presence at times has clearly dissolved. You take a song like “Yulia,” which is probably one of the band’s most honest pop tracks to date, and you’ll notice that everyone is working together. Drums are tight, Krug adds his keyboard flourishes, Boeckner takes lead, and it’s all so tight. Separately they’ve honed their craft, and finally brought it all together to create a strongly united Wolf Parade. Perhaps they’ve given up on offering hooks and whatnot to the audience, choosing to create art of their own liking with the perfect balance of all members taking precedent. It makes Expo 86 a great rock album, and one that everyone will be listening to for the unforeseeable future, as the band is back, doing what they do best. They’ve given us unique rock of the heavier sort, which suits us all just fine.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/WolfParade_GhostPressure.mp3]Download: Wolf Parade – Ghost Pressure [MP3]
