FT5: Top 5 Austin Musical Fallacies

The last week or so has seen the Austin Interwebs go a little haywire, with Austinist vs. Michael Corcoran in a debate on the status of Austin as anything more than mediocre. We only talk about music, so we’re not going to worry about the discussions on traffic or eateries…we’re just looking at the music here. I grew up in this town, and I’ve been actively participating in the music scene since 92′, so I feel more than qualified to hold a discussion here.  I do want to say that I actually think both parties make some valid points, which sort of leads me to think that there’s a lot of us in Austin, music or otherwise, that realize our town could make some improvements–whether they’re all the same or not doesn’t really matter, as we should be working together to unify the scene.

The following list is compiled of things that stood out to me in both articles (linked above), or that I just sort of came to on my own terms as an active participant in the “scene.” They’re ordered into a Top 5 to stick with our occasional Friday theme, but the order is irrelevant for the most part. Please feel free to comment on these things, as I think the best thing for our city and music is to have some actual discussion about it rather than make accusations–that’s just a dick move that gets us all nowhere.

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An Interview w/ Terry Malts + Show Preview

For the last year, I’ve absolutely devoured everything this band has released.  Their debut full length, Killing Time, is currently holding its own as my top record pick of the year (Out now on Slumberland Records). They’re heading to Austin on Thursday night (Buy tickets HERE) at Mohawk, so we caught up with the group before their trip into town to chat about various things.  Thanks to Anton for hooking the interview up. Read more

Friday Top 5: Austin Artists to Watch in 2012

Usually the year begins in January, but I typically don’t get my musical gears started until after SXSW.  So I started thinking about the Austin scene, and honestly, I think it’s really struggling right now (and I don’t quite know who to blame).  But, I wanted to give a shout out to five bands that I think are going to make a huge impact this year in Austin and/or Texas, at least that’s what I’m hoping to see from them.  These aren’t in any particular order, so just go with it, and if you see that one of these bands is playing…do Austin a favor and actually go watch them play. Oh, and we included one Houston act because they’re here all the time and we love them. Deal with it.

 

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SXSW Preview: Psychic Ills

Ready for more SXSW rock?  Well, the Psychic Ills aren’t necessarily going to bring you straight ahead rock n’ roll; the band has done lots of experimentation with their sound since their inception in 2003.  Most recently, they released Hazed Dream on Sacred Bones Records, signaling a slight departure from their more traditional sound. It’s definitely going to get lumped into the psychedelic genre, which is probably an easy descriptor, but I laud the band for their vast experimentation over the years.  I hear bits of Spiritualized in songs like “Mind Daze” from their recent release, yet the song evokes different qualities depending upon your own personal tastes.  In reading their bio, you’ll see that the experiments and testing of waters doesn’t just revolve around their efforts in music, but extends to their association with very art mediums while living in NYC.  You lump that in with all their musical trials over the last several years, and you’re in for a fascinating show that will definitely leave you wanting to follow them around Austin for the week. 

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/02-Mind-Daze.mp3]

Here’s a list of their shows, for you stalking plans:

TUE 3/13 @ Whiskey Room (Sacred Bones event)
WED 3/14 @ Elysium (Sacred Bones official evening showcase, 12 AM set)
THU 3/15 @ Urban Outfitters,  2 PM set
                     @ Spiderhouse/29th Street Ballroom (Austin Psych Fest party, 6 PM Set
SAT 3/17  @ Red Eyed Fly (Strange Victory/Village Voice/The Wick party, 3 PM set)

SXSW Preview: Jacuzzi Boys

It’s almost impossible to believe that SXSW is already around the corner.  Almost.  Things get crazy busy around these parts with planning a party, interviewing bands, and mapping out some semblance of a schedule for the week.  At times we all forget that this aint about getting wastey on free booze, but rather “about the music man”. I hope you’ll pardon my lame attempt at an introduction to this post and simply take note and listen to Hardly Art’s finest Jaccuzi Boys.  Follow the jump for more. Read more

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