Melancholy Storytelling from Tom Brosseau

tommyboyI can’t say that I’ve been too familiar with Tom Brosseau up until this point, but after listening to a great deal of his new work, I think I’m going to join in with the applause.  He’s got a classic style to songwriting; it’s one that puts him next to old work of Kelley Stoltz and M. Ward.  There’s a transparency in his narratives, but there’s also a sound that I recall hearing around my house as a young kid….later in my smoke-filled one-bedroom apartment.  His new effort Perfect Abandon will find it’s way into the traditional American cannon when it’s released on March 3rd via Crossbill Records.

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Can Metz Live Up to the Hype

metzHonestly, Metz was a hot commodity a few years back, and I feel like their resurgence is perfectly timed.  I’m weaning myself off (a little) from the mild folky tunes of Winter doldrums, and looking forward to getting my rock on, so this is fitting.  Musically, the band’s as dangerous as they’ve been before, though there’s a bit of a change in the vocals that’s slightly new.  To me, this track feels like a post-hardcore blast of rock, which is perfectly fine, but I’m interested to see what the rest of Metz II sounds like; it’s being released by Sub Pop on May 5th…and for the record, I’m buying into the hype.

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ATX Spotlight: Decisions Decions Are Ready to Rock

228747_1088522405580_3663907_nDisclaimer.  I’m friends with Stuart from Decisions Decisions. Disclaimer. Stuart was also in the Rise, who I think any old-school Austin music fans fawned over.  His new band has that same tenacity, living somewhere between the realm of post-punk and hardcore. The vocals border on angsty scream, though they have a bit more control, allowing the actual lyrics to shine through the track.  The band have just uploaded 8 new songs to their Bandcamp page…and they’re worthy of your time, if rocking out real loud is your style.  Check it…and I’ll keep you posted on upcoming shows.

Introducing: Mumrunner

mumsthewordThought I was pretty in with the Finnish scene, but Soliti always has to keep me on my toes.  They just tossed out this excellent single from Mumrunner today.  Honestly, this might be one of my favorite new things from the label in recent months; it’s got that swirling jangling guitar I love so well, but the vocals bring in a smoky male vocal, touched up by a nice female counterpart, and I’m in love. They’re polishing up the final touches on their newest EP, and I dare you not to immediately fall in love with this track.  I’ll keep you posted on the new EP…hopefully with a new song!

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SXSW Interview: In Tall Buildings

tallbMan. The In Tall Buildings record is good; did you check out Nicole’s review? Well, in case you wanted to know a little bit about the story behind the album, Diver, we’ve got the inside scoop courtesy of Erik himself. This will also give you a good heads up as to why you should check out ITB during SXSW; it’s one of the shows I’m really anticipating, and I really appreciate Erik’s thoughtful answers, so read on to hear what he has to say.  Read more

Heart Beach

tumblr_njjyzkZXey1tq4r3mo1_500I just heard about Australian based indie band Heart Beach today and I’m already stricken with their music.  This song, “Away”, is what started it all for me and I’m hoping you feel the same way when you hit play.  It’s a song that is seemingly always waiting for the beat to drop, it never really does, and I find myself loving every second of that.  Loving the guitar sounds created here too.  Check out more of their tuneage over on bandcamp.

Heart Beach have their debut LP coming out on March 20th this year.[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/185477389″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Show Preview: The Dodos/Springtime Carnivore (02.18)

dodos-779623

Date 02.18
Location The Parish
Doors 9:00pm
Tickets 15$ Here

Now this is a show I am super excited for as both of these bands are on the heels of releasing killer albums, so you really can’t afford to miss out on this night of music. Up first will be Springtime Carnivore, the psychedelic pop project of Greta Morgan, whose debut album is filled with classic pop hooks and effortlessly reverb soaked vocals that will set your feet to dancing and your head bobbing in approval. If you’re having doubts check out “Name on a Matchbook” below and get hooked.

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And of course, who can forget the main act of the night, The Dodos, whose recent fifth studio LP felt like a trip back to their high energy sound. They’ll surely bring a setlist of new and old tracks, both of which are bound to delight. If you haven’t already, listen to “Competition,” so you’ll be refreshed and reminded of how infectiously good these guys are at making rustic pop music.

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Los Angeles Police Department Return with Soft Pop

551494_904732099561401_6340773065914297492_nWe’re just about a week away from the February 24th release date of the new Los Angeles Police Department 7″, and so they’ve offered up another tune to get you in the mood for their dreamy pop tunes.  This tune has this great restraint, never pushing the envelope beyond the song’s capabilities, which in the end really allows for the group to hone in the track’s underlying melody.  Vocals are soft, and the drums never overwhelm, ending in this sprawling track of perfect pop blissfulness. Look for their release next week via Fat Possum Records.

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ATX Spotlight: Abram Shook Announces New Album

Abram ShookWe’ve been behind Abram Shook since his early Great Nostalgic days, and we were especially happy to see his progression with Sun Marquee last year.  It seems that he’s not long to stay in one place, as his newest single continues to show is continually evolving sound; he includes little bits of drum samples in this track, as well as some funky guitar chops.  His ability to operate within varying genres and styles is one of the many reasons his music’s always been so enticing, which makes us even happier he’ll have another album, Landscape Dream, coming our way this year; it’ll see a release via Western Vinyl on May 12th.

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