Holy Golden are a duo out of New York comprised of Leslie Schott and Andrew Valenti. Together, they make dream pop mixed with 90s alt-rock that will have you coming back time and time again. The latest from them is “Wheel of Fortune,” which reminds me vocally of The Cranberries mixed with Evans The Death–that kind of immaculate and crisp angelic voice. Instrumentally, the track is sparse, letting each element take up just the right amount of space before the track really builds up. Give it a listen below.
L.A. Witch have lived up to their namesake with the latest video for “Baby in Blue Jeans,” which they shared yesterday. All haze, grit and glam of ‘classic LA,’ the band goes around town to iconic destinations, bringing the dark surfy vibe of their tunes to life in a cinematic way. It’s a fun video for an even better track, one that will let you zone out with the group. Take a peek below and then go scoop a copy of the band’s debut album on Suicide Squeeze Records.
Y’all! We are straight up one month away from another ACL Festival! I know you’re all stoked to see Paul McCartney and Arctic Monkeys and Childish Gambino and The National, but what would ACL be without a little love for some great bands making sweet tunes right here in our city? You know we here at the ATH love to keep it local, so you can bet your bums this is a post dedicated to getting yourself to Zilker Park early every day and showing up for that band you saw at Cheer Up’s a few months back. Or if you’re less versed in the local scene (how?) now’s the time for you to figure out that there’s some solid bands here (duh). Wanna be that knowledgeable guy/girl that gets to brag to your friends from out of town about what a great choice you’ve made to move to the Live Music Capitol of the World? Click through the jump to get a preview of your (possibly) new favorite Austin bands.
After the last single shared from Black Belt Eagle Scout, I was anxiously awaiting another from Katherine Paul. This go ’round we’ve been graced with a far subtler, but just as moving, track in the form of “Indians Never Die.” Filmed on theThe Ancestral Lands of The Chinook, Chinnuk Wawa, and Tillamook Tribes, the video is vastly gorgeous– sweeping landscape shots command your attention. The instrumentation is quiet, just the gentle plucking of a guitar, and a stark percussive motif that lingers through the whole song. “Indians Never Die,” visually shows Paul in both traditional Indian garments and skinny jeans with her guitar–the constant tapping rhythm a reminder that Paul is a combination of past and present, two selves existing, both essential to the other. Black Belt Eagle Scout will release her album,Mother of My Childrenon September 14.
For me, lyrics are one of the main things that grab me about a track, so it takes a lot for a song in a language that I don’t speak, or understand really at all, to move me. That all said, this new number from Botschaft is truly a winner; jangly guitars weave delicately through the song and the vocals remind me of the likes of Shout Out Louds. The title, “Sozialisiert in der BRD” translates to “Raised in (West) Germany” and, according to the band is “meant as a radical criticism of growing up in democratic capitalism. It is characterized as a process of adaptation in which the young “citizen” not only is taught a calculating use of mind but also to internalize all the external dutys it has to obey: identity-making.” Take a listen and fall for the band as I did.
I may be a few days behind on this one, but it will kick your 80s synth pop ass straight into gear. Pizzagirl is the project of 20 year old, ‘Peter Zer Girl,’ out of Liverpool, but he’s making music that will take you back in time, or perhaps take you into the future? It’s got a very Neon Indian vibe to the leading line of pulsating synths. The lyrics yearn for a past time, which tie in gracefully to the nostalgic sound. It’s a right bop– I dare you to listen to this track without a toe tap.
The Holydrug Couple are on their way to releasing a new album on Sacred Bones Records, and today we’re graced with another lovely single from Hyper Super Mega. This new number, “Forever End” is a sweeping psych number–lush synths and a groovy bass line hold your hand throughout. The vocals are high pitched and chime in like another line of synth, creating a whirlwind of hazy sounds that all spiral into a hypnotizing sound towards the end of the song. Safe to say we’re pretty excited for the release ofHyper Super Megaon September 14–preorder here.
I may be a few days late to this track, but it’s too good to not pass along. Night Shop is the project of LA’s Justin Sullivan (previously of The Babies) who will be releasing his debut LP soon on Woodsist/Mare Records. This track is everything you want in a bedroom pop ditty–delicate acoustic guitar strumming, a deeply compelling vocal resonance, and soft percussion that eventually joins the mix. It’s not all soft edges though, some deftly executed electric riffs give way about a minute in and add just enough bite to the number. Sullivan winds his lyrics through the track, which bounces along gracefully for almost four minutes of bedroom pop bliss. Take a peek at the cute video below and then ready yourself forIn The Break, which will be out on September 14.
Indigo marks the fourth full-length studio release of Wild Nothing, the moniker for Jack Tatum’s sonic explorations in the realm of shimmery indie rock. We’ve seen Tatum’s style change with each release; a devotee to growth and expansion, Tatum is not one to rest on the early success of the band, but has pushed himself in entirely different directions. Indigo sees yet another direction, but one that functions essentially as a patchwork quilt of past soundsyou can hear elements of prior albums, but Tatum has reimagined them into an album that burns brighter and bigger than the past.
Opener and lead single, “Letting Go,” positions Tatum to soar higher on this release than before. The guitars, ever jangly and bright, ease past fans into the sound. While familiar to Nocturne at first, the track then surges into infectious pop with the choral hook. Tatums vocals are high and resonate starkly at the top of the mix, cueing us into the glossy production that is present all over Indigo.Here is a more proto-typical pop song than weve heard from the dark and simmering Wild Nothing and it’s refreshingly glorious. Not to be outdone by sultry, “Partners in Motion,” whose echo-y percussion and vocal effects make for a 80s synth banger. When Tatum sings lines like, “I had a temper/but now I’m delicate,” the vocals are doubled over and drenched with reverb, urging you to join along. A toe-tapping bass line, playful and snappy guitar licks, and saxophone flesh out the tune into something great.
While the production on this album is glossy and clean, were not so far away from the humble beginnings of Geminithat we feel alienated by Tatum’s new sound. On the contrary, at a cursory listening this record is very easy to cling to with its catchy choruses, danceable synths. You get swoon worthy moments all across the eleven tracks, but probably the most sincere chunk of is the combination of “Shallow Water” and “Through Windows.” Both songs dive into what it means to be in a loving relationship through life on the road, the former a sweeping ode and the latter a tightly wound jam. With lines like “When I’m home/ there’s nothing I’m looking for/ that you havent already found,” Tatum crafts the wonderfully genuine “Shallow Water” as a number about being off the road and completely comfortable with another, the kind of love that people yearn for. Conversely, you get “Through Windows,” about being on the road and not wanting to give it up, but recognizing at some point Tatum will give it up, but that wont be entirely a loss: “Quit this circus life/ and take off my shoes/ I’m still paying what I owe/ to be noticed by you.”
It’s not all sunny pop though–the brightest gem, for me, is “Canyon on Fire,” which is a guitar heavy track that you are immersed in for its five-minute duration and then immediately play again. A brief moment of pause between the previous instrumental interlude of “Dollhouse” washes over you before the squall of electric guitar announces itself with a roar. Soon, you’re hit with dueling riffs that perfectly compliment each other while an even bass line chugs away and airy percussion keeps everything just on the verge of chaos. Tatum weaves us a picture of Los Angeles through his eyes, each line hitting with a soothing cadence that provides lovely juxtaposition to the snarling guitars. He asks, “Who would I be without you?” addressing a love or potentially the city itself, and then answers the question with “Someone I dont know,” acknowledging that Tatum is married to the subject–be it LA or a significant other. That kind of bond has made it impossible to imagine life otherwise. This all takes places within a simmering bridge before the track surges once more into full volume for a glorious victory lap. “Canyon on Fire” merges Tatum’s impeccable songwriting with the infectious guitar riffs from Nocturne-era to make for the best track on this album.
In the end, Indigo, is a well written record about love and being deep in the waters of it. Unencumbered by irony and disdain in an otherwise bitter world, the soaring pop of this album makes for a sincere feel-good (and just damn good) eleven tracks of escape, though far from devoid of introspection. Tatum has found his stride, crafting a collection of songs that youll find hard to turn from. Indigo is both intimate and lofty, hoisting you up with each track as it flies to new heights for dream pop.
I’m not sure what exactly I expected from a band entitled Black Belt Eagle Scout, but “Just Lie Down,” gives the kind of edgy darkness that some part of me knew was coming before I pressed play. Heavy percussion and squealing guitars greet your ears as soon as you press play; a dark introduction to the track which leads me to believe it comes after a solid jam on the forthcoming LP,Mother of My Children. About a minute in, the proper portion of the song begins, and you get the vocals of Katherine Paul, which are all reserved power, conveying emotional vulnerability as well as pure lushness. The track is a slow-burning beast of alt-rock goodness, making me excited for the September 14th release ofMother of My Children on Saddle Creek Records.
Y’all! We are straight up one month away from another 
I may be a few days behind on this one, but it will kick your 80s synth pop ass straight into gear. 
Rating: 
I’m not sure what exactly I expected from a band entitled