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Over here at ATH we’ve been raving about Tiger Waves for some time, but we hadn’t seen the young band in the live setting just yet. So, we jumped at the chance to catch the boys over at Frank, along with a few other local Austin acts, Milk Thistle and Gentleman Rogues.
Read on for our thoughts.
It’s been a busy few years for XRay Eyeballs, the project of several members of Golden Triangle; they released a full-length, a 7″, and now they’re back with a new album titled Splendor Squalor. Their new effort will come out on February 28th via Kanine Records, and you know we’ll be supporting this group. If you’re looking to make a musical connection, think of The Kills with a mid-70s Max’s Kansas City vibe to it; it’s fueled by bits of garage rock with hints of sexuality tied into it. These guys always make for a great listen, so get on it now.
Download:Xray Eyeballs – X [MP3]
Those of you looking for something to fulfill your folk/americana niche this week definitely need to look into Lost Lander, the project of Matt Sheehy. He’s just released his debut for the project, DRRT, this week, and I’ve definitely got some room on my daily playlist for this album. There’s definitely a rising moment in this song, as the strummed guitar builds to an eruption of lush orchestration featuring various string instruments; it all crashes into a steady drumbeat, creating an emotionally beautiful moment within the song…and then it even has a bit of a breakdown. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill folk number, so lose yourself in this jam.
Download:Lost Lander – Afraid of Summer [MP3]
In the midst of everything out there, you gotta look hard to find catchy gems like this new number from the Maxines. The Olympia duo are releasing their Drugstore EP on the eclectic K Records next week, and while it may be a bit short in length it definitely packs a nice little punch for your ears. For a band with only two members, there’s definitely a loud sound coming out, harkening back to the bratty riot-girl efforts from back in the day. The EP also features guitarist Matt Maurillo on vocals, so be sure to pick this one up when it hits your stores next week.
Download:The Maxines – Hang Around [MP3]
What do you get when you combine bits of Deer Tick, Black Lips and a handful of other songwriters? One listen to the latest single by Diamond Rugs and you’ll see that it’s clearly a country-tinged rock effort. The band’s a collaboration, and they’ll be releasing their self-titled album on April 24th via Partisan Records. It’s primarily the work of John McCauley of Deer Tick, but there’s definitely a visible edge being added by the other members, so you’re sure to see a heavier touch on the full-length–you can even feel it a bit in this track. Seems like it could be pretty solid through and through.
Download:Diamond Rugs – Gimme a Beer [MP3]
When talking to the Terry Malts earlier this year, I was really sad to hear that their other project Magic Bullets was pretty much closed, possibly for good. Still, the band is going to release one final EP on Mon Amie Records on April 3rd, and I’m pretty pleased with the final result; it’s titled Much Ado About. For their faster paced current workings, you’ll find a cleaner sheen on the Magic Bullets front, possibly even one that gets you swaying from side to side with your arms flying through the air. If you haven’t checked out the band’s first self-titled effort, you should definitely pick it up, as it’s one of the most complete albums I’ve heard in the last few years.
Download:Magic Bullets – What Took You So Long [MP3]
The great thing about working on a music web site is that you get great tunes pretty much non-stop sent your way (and some really bad ones too). For me, my tastes have expanded, branching from oddball pop to hardcore punk rock, but this new track from Soft Swells is just a perfect pop number, executed to perfection. This song is from their upcoming self-titled album that will come out on February 28th via Modern Outsider. You have to admit, there’s something to be said for a well-written piece of modern pop music, and that’s precisely what you have here. And if you dig it, you can also check out the video for the song HERE.
When you first press play on the new single from AU, you get the feeling that it’s going to be that sort of sprawling track that ambles on and on, but you’ll soon learn that there’s more to it than that, as the band jumps off into a quick paced romp of their own liking. It’s the unexpected twist that makes the group so enjoyable to listen to time and time again. You can find this track and others on the band’s upcoming Both Lights LP, which will land in stores on April 3rd by way of Hometapes. If anything, at least give the group credit for moving outside the typical pop structures.
Download: AU – Solid Gold
Stephen Paul Smoker might not be a name you’ve heard of, but listening to this new track, I’m going to reach out and say he’s crafting some pretty interesting stuff. There’s a bit of dark psychedelia working in this track, but it still seems to maintain a very organized pop structure. At times you’ll find him meandering with minimal musical accompaniment other than some atmospheric guitars in the background; it creates quite a hypnotic little state carries you to the end of the number. Definitely something you should check out, and if you dig it, you can pick up his album Ripe Fruit on March 20th via Kilo Records.
Download: Stephen Paul Smoker – Green City [MP3]
A few years back, angular dance rock was all the rage. And while we might have moved away from that a bit, it’s nice to hear some people still getting their dance-rock on nowadays. Such is the case with the Beautiful View, who will be releasing their debut album, life is beautiful, this week on Requiemme Records. This song features that ringing guitar you might remember from Bloc Party, as wll as a steady pounding rhythm section keeping it moving for your dance floor preferences. One thing’s for sure: this record’s going to get your feet tapping!
Download: The Beautiful View – The Horseman [MP3]
