Category: News

Art Pop from Beachniks

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I’ve heard rumors of Beachniks for some time, but I really haven’t been able to come up with too much information on the group.  That is until I stumbled across news that the band would soon be releasing their album In Color on Neotomic Records sometime early in the new year.  I can’t tell you how great their lead single is; it reminds me of the clever interplay that was always present on albums by Comet Gain…yet it still maintains a sense of harmony and artfulness, enabling me to act all smug when I listen to it.  Actually, I don’t even care about acting cool…this is just a great jam.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/67394291″ params=”show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Scuzzy Slow Burner from Black Forest Fire

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Personally, I’m expecting good things from Austin’s Black Forest Fire after delving into their latest single for a bit.  It’s got that magic slow-burn to it, which at first seems to hold a bit of fuzziness to it, but as the song progresses, the ringing guitar seems to give birth to the songs inherent beauty. Singer Karen comes in carefully, but she’s only around for a short bit, providing just a bit of vocals to the heavy mix.  You can find the song and a slew of others on the band’s recently released Transit of Venus, which was just put out by Sedimental Records.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/black-forest-fire-live-news-feed_2012-11-21-155630-4137-0-0-0.128.mp3]

Download:Black Forest Fire – Live News Feed [MP3]

Dreamy Girl Pop from Mini Dresses

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I know I haven’t been doing my job when there’s an Austin band that I haven’t come across that completely floors me.  This just happened today with this track from Mini Dresses, a group who’s put out a couple of great singles, including this dreamy little jam.  I love the sound of the bass just quietly bouncing along beneath the vocals, then the cascading guitar that echoes into the song as it fades out.  You can find this gem on a recent 7″ the band released through Manic Pop Records; keep an eye out on the band both here and afar.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mini-Dresses-Post-Office-Girl.mp3]

Download:Mini Dresses – Post Office Girl [MP3]

New Radar Bros Tune

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News leaked a few weeks ago that Radar Brothers would be releaing their eighth album, appropriately titled Eight, which will be released on January 29th via Merge Records.  Our first listen gives off a dark ray of hope, with the band crafting well-orchestrated arrangements around a ringing discordant guitar.  The deep tone of the vocal has always been something that’s attracted me personally, so having it slowly drawn out through the track prepares me for another winning record from the group.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/01-Radar-Brothers-Eight-If-We-Were-Banished.mp3]

Download: Radar Brothers – If We Were Banished [MP3]

 

Show Pics: Of Montreal @ The Mohawk (12/4)

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Of Montreal is notorious for putting on lovely and bizarre shows. Mixing theatrical shenanigans, hippy jam band lighting, punk show crowd energy and props to keep you invested, there is rarely a dull moment as props, projectors and extras fill your eyes as the band puts forth another solid sounding set. French Horn Rebellion had opening duties.

It was one of the last outside shows at The Mohawk and the weather was freaking perfect. I had to go. FEATHER CANNONS!!!1!11shift+one

Couple more thoughts and plenty of pics after the break.

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New Solo Project from Andy Comer : Bloody Amateur

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If you don’t know Andy’s work with labels like Matador and Dim Mak, or his bands Tel Aviv and Prosaics, then you might want to go back in time and find the hits.  But, you can also put that aside and focus on his new project, Bloody Amateur, which will be releasing a self-titled debut on March 5th via Teen Beat.  Below you’ll find him stripped down and open, bearing his soul to the listener with little more than a guitar. Sometimes simplicity is just what you need to craft a wonderful song, and this tune fits nicely into that category.  Share it with your friends.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bloody-amateur_companions_teenbeat506.mp3]

Download:Bloody Amateur – Companions [MP3]

Smooth Listening from Leapling

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Just a few weeks ago I brought you this semi-new tune from Leapling, letting you know that the act had recently signed with the wonderful Father Daughter Records.  Not even a week later, I’m back with news that the bands 5 song EP, Losing Face, is now set for release on January 15th.  In my ears, I appreciate the careful approach to pop songwriting the group has taken here–nothing seems forced or trivial.  This is the sort of music that is both challenging and comforting, which makes it a winner in my book; it should be one in your book too, if you’re writing one.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/04-If-Youre-Patient.mp3]

Download:Leapling – If You’re Patient [MP3]

 

New Music from Beach Fossils

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It’s hard not to be on board with Beach Fossils, but this new track they’ve just released to announce their upcoming record is something I didn’t exactly expect, in a good way of course.  My first listen sort of reminds me of early 90s indie pop, using jangling guitars and a bit of shoegaze flourishes to mold the sound of the song.  There’s still a bit of that angular guitar sound from the group, but they seem to have steered clear of repeating themselves with those sunny guitars and bubbly bass lines.  You can grab the new record, Clash the Truth, from Captured Tracks on February 19th.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/04-Careless.mp3]

Download:Beach Fossils – Careless [MP3]

WTF? Ducktails New Jam

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Man, I’m really stuck on the fence with this Ducktails track that just came out.  Matt Mondanile has added a posse of contributors for his newest record, The Flower Lane, but I’m not sure I’m sold on their collaborative appeal.  This tune has Dan Lopatin who uses some hipster-approved moniker, and while I appreciate the effortless keyboard work behind the song, I just don’t think it’s quite as enticing as the work done on Ducktails III.  I don’t mind loops and such, but in his early tape days, Matt was using guitars crafting this dense pop collage–seemingly not the case.  I’m not jumping off the fence entirely, but I’m approaching the January 29th release date on Domino with a little trepidation.

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