Show Pics: Two Door Cinema Club @ Stubb’s (4/10)

Guilty pleasures, we all have them (Timberlake, comics, shimmying, wrestling, jello shots). I have a thing for Brit-Pop and the poppiest stuff going in my playlists has to be Two Door Cinema Club. I swore them off after the last show based on their destined rise with a rabid fan base of teenage “drop me off at the show, mom” crowd. More on them in a bit.

Inevitably, openers will get also get more mainstream as the crowd changes. Robert DeLong is an interesting creature.

But, even if you hate the bands involved, I hope you will take a look at the photos. I shot the second night and the photo pit to myself. It was well lit and a ton of fun to shoot.

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Careful Electro-Pop from Standish/Carlyon

SC_PURPLE_1SQ-300x300Standish/Carlyon are one of the newest acts to sign on with our friends Chapter Music over in Australia, though the US release comes via Felte Sounds.  This is the second single from the duo’s upcoming Deleted Scenes LP, demonstrating how electro-pop can unfold before you when it’s created so delicately.  Just as you think the track can explode, it calms back down just as quickly, like one of those waves you think you’ll catch before it fades away into the ocean.  I’m thinking a lot of people are going to be interested in what this band has to offer us all in 2013, don’t you agree?

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/04-Gucci-Mountain.mp3]

Download: Standish/Carylon – Gucci Mountain [MP3]

Jangle to The Mantles

1885I’ve been waiting for new music from The Mantles for what seems like a long time; you know, something like four years.  On their first single for their new record, it almost has the feeling as if it’s been recorded in the group’s home studio; it’s got an uplifiting guitar jangle to it, while the vocals hold on to a certain sense of earnestness.  If you need some charming pop music to get you through the day, then you don’t need to look any further than here.   On June 18th Slumberland Records will be releasing Long Enough to Leave, and it’s already in my year end lists, I promise you.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/86999803″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Driftwood Pop from Young Hunting

YH_promo_webThere’s a great deal to be said for carefully crafted pop songs, especially the sort that slowly unfolds. Restraint and all that.  Such is the feeling you’ll get when you listen to the first single from the upcoming album from Young Hunting.  Their track builds towards the climax, which turns listeners on their ears during the chorus, also adding more musical accompaniment to the rest of the track from it’s first bright burst.  Each note has a purpose, allowing the band to maximize their emotional pull.  You can find the group’s new single on Hazel, their new LP being released by Gold Robot on June 4th.  Be sure to follow along carefully.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/08-Babys-First-Steps.mp3]

Download: Young Hunting – Baby’s First Steps [MP3]

Cool New Tune from Creative Adult

Promo2.1When I first listened to this new track from Creative Adult, as you might be doing now, the vocals took a second to sink in; they sounded as if they were almost slurred into the microphone.  But, the more I listened to it, the more I realized that it couldn’t be anything but that vocal to make this song so hauntingly enchanting.  Mood wise, it’s definitely a dark song, with the swirling guitar ring leaving a post-rock taste in your mouth.  It’s heavy, but it’s not fast…I appreciate a band that will mix it up.  You can grab the band’s new Bulls in the Yard EP on May 7th courtesy of Run for Cover.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/86249918″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Special Pop Track from W-H-I-T-E

WhiteI’ve got some work to do.  I had no idea who W-H-I-T-E was up until I received the email that contained this incredible tune.  If you’re not in the know either, it’s the project of Cory Hanson, an LA musician who seems to have created the perfect blend of pop music.  There’s a heavy coat that hangs over this entire track, but the vocals are so soft and serene that you find yourself playing the song over and over again.  This is what the new direction of electronic music sounds like to me, or it should anyways.  He’ll be releasing his third album, aptly titled III, on May 28th via Aagoo Records, so be sure to pick this one up.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/W.H.I.T.E.I-wasnt-Afraid.mp3]

Download: W-H-I-T-E – I Wasn’t Afraid [MP3]

Dark Wave from Vår

This came across the twitters and I decided to share.

The band is called Vår, formarly War. They are a four-piece composed of friends living in Copenhagen, including a dude from Ice Age. The bio on the Soundcloud page for Sacred Bones has plenty of great descriptives for the band’s sound, but give it a listen and get transported onto a fog filled club with very little lighting wearing all black. This is goth-punk-dance-synth done at a high level.

The album No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers lands 5/14.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/86400675″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Let’s Rock with Dirty Fences

DF_2LORESLate last year I brought you a nice little anthemic rocker from Dirty Fences, and I almost forgot about them. That’s until I received this new single to help spread the word on the release of their new LP.  Their album Too High To Kross was released today by Volcom Entertainment, and I think a lot of people will really enjoy this tune.  You’ll find a catchy/anthemic chorus you can sing along to, but the music got this fast paced heavy grit to it, which isn’t too far off the beaten path from bands like QOTSA…minus the drama. Kick off your shoes and let this one blow back your hair.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/08-White-Lies.mp3]

Download: Dirty Fences – White Lies [MP3]

Show Preview: Bleached @ Mohawk (4/12)

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Date 4/12/13
Location Mohawk
Doors 9pm
Tickets $10 @ Frontgate/$12 @ Door

As we previously mentioned, this week of shows, or even month, is insane in this town.  I mean, this is why we all live here right?  Well I feel like this one going down at the Mohawk on Friday night might be flying so far under the radar that people are forgetting about it.  On the loaded bill you get lady rockers Bleached, Hunters, and Fleshlights.  It just seems like something you should be doing.

 

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Think-of-You.mp3

Download: Bleached – Think of You [MP3]

Introducing: Dead Owls

570396716-1I think it’s my personal job to try my best to cover the Australian scene from afar, so I bring you my latest discovery, Dead Owls.  The band hails from Perth, which is quite a bit away from the traditional hotspots like Melbourne and Sydney.  I chose to use this track off the band’s new Small Talk EP (out now on Gun Fever Records) because I think it shows both sides of their approach to songwriting.  It starts off rather casual and poppy, but it’s got a fierce ending based around garage rock stylings–those are effects that the group employs more often on the rest of their latest EP.  It’s just a good-hearted jam, and I hope you look into the band.  Let’s show Australia we love them.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Dead-Owls-Only-Child.mp3]

Download: Dead Owls – Only Child [MP3]

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