This is fine.
We’re in the midst of the fest, but still have time to check out some stuff that we really love, like Honey I’m Home. The Dutch outfit are playing our Welcome to the Jangle Party this Sunday at 29th Street Ballroom/Tweedys, so they were kind enough to answer some questions to get some extra info about the band and their work. You can track more of their SXSW shows HERE.
Back in my early 20s, we spent a lot of time listening to Unwed Sailor, driven by Johnathon Ford’s role in bands like Roadside Monument (and Pedro the Lion). He’s kept at it throughout the years, with an uptick the last five or so years in his output. This week the band announced their newest LP, High Remembrance, and it brings with it this really incredible dose of kind of post-punk-post-rock. The visual is the perfect accompaniment, the waves of the song matching the waves lapping the shore; both vide and songs are all about great vibes, which bodes well for the new LP. High Remembrance is out May 8th via Current Taste.
Well it is here people, and having been in the downtown area early this morning, I can tell you that the festival has started. So get your last minute prep in and come say hey to us this weekend. We’ll likely be kicking things off tonight somewhere on Red River. Before we lock it up for a few days, we have another interview to share, this time from rising Welsh act Hana Lili. Check out all them deets and tunes after the jump.
We get caught up in trends, admittedly, and so every once in a long while I will circle back to my roots and just good old fashioned solid indie rock songwriting, like The Level. I’ll admit, there’s no tricks or gimmicks, but this new single is just a solidly written tune. It rides this crest of a light strum into a powerful groove where the lyrics ride with this great bit of confidence; there’s a hint of swagger too, though presented with a steadiness that sets up the chorus that drops in at 1:16. When that moment hits, I hope you’ll realize just how great this tune is in both its simplicity and style. There’s even some moments where the track boogies down the line too, which I love. Just jam it out and be looking for a new EP real soon!
My wife and I are super excited about the return of Broken Social Scene, and in fact, we’ve already bought tickets to their Austin return this summer. On my end, I’m definitely appreciative of their sonic return, particularly as their new single pulls from their old-school strategy of songwriting. It kicks off nice and gentle, sort of a trickling bit of folk-pop, punctuated by some little bits of horn work in the background. Then, as it crosses the one minute mark the track erupts into a joyous explosion, employing trademark harmonizing to the maximum effect. We’ve heard two track from Remember the Humans, and I’ll admit this one is my favorites thus far; the record drops via Arts and Crafts on May 8th.
Thomas Savage has quite a storied career, traveling all of the world, starting bands like Kins or Oh Mercy, then after years of being abroad, has come back to his home in Melbourne to craft elegant pop music under his Vilde moniker. His latest record almost seems like a bedroom pop project, albeit one with these delicate production pieces that take the genre and elevate it. On “Sunblush,” I lov the weary sound of the piano coming through, carefully surrounded by light percussive beats. Savage’s voice has this sincere fragility to it, adding to to the sort of stark contrast that courses through the whole of the track. If you’re into it, Vilde just dropped Qualia at Odds!
When I got this new Wendy Eisenberg tune in, I really loved the way there was this sort of saw of ambience sweeping across while a percussive note kept a metronomic beat beneath, letting the guitars bend and break between the vocal lines. Brief moments display the improvisational movements Eisenberg is known for, but it’s not until after the 2 minute mark that her voice begins to play its part in the track’s ever expanding sound; it rises up and down with little crumbs of whimsy, then it all pulls away to let the accompaniment have a little light and joy from within the song’s confines. A light marvel, and one you’ll surely enjoy when you grab her new self-titled album, out April 3rd!
Really just a day or so now before we sort of shut this machine down and head out to cover as much SXSW madness as we can. It’s a new year and I know the crew has a few “must see” bands not to miss this time. Cashier is surely one of those bands on our list, and are seeing a huge rise right now with our indie music community. We are super excited to share their interview answers with you. As always, full responses, show dates and tunes are after the jump.
Let’s do this in a quick and dirty way. Songs selected courtesy the ATH IT Dept.
Nightbus – I have vinyl, shameless plug for Welcome to the Jangle (Sunday at Tweedy’s). “Ascension” and “Angles Mortz” (below) capture the vibe from the Manchester Duo. Are ya mad for it?
Chalk – Belfast’s Chalk has been featured here at ATH a couple times, I am bracing myself for menacing melody and heavy beats. LFG.
Modeselektor – Speakeasy will play host on Saturday night to early 2000s synth vibes straight out of the East Berlin scene.
Night Drive – To know them is to love them, annual tradition of a SXSW dance party a Valhalla is becoming a thing, see ya tomorrow night (3/12).
Jet Cemetery – March 14th day party at 13th Floor, it is a record release in the chaos of SXSW. I have the vinyl already (I pre-pre-ordered) and it is one of my favorite things so far this year.
For as much as I like folks pushing boundaries and taking risks, I’ve always got a spot for acts like The Lemon Twigs who seem to have perfected a classic pop rock sound. It’ll be hard not to catch the feels of great pop acts when you check the video here and immediately think of great acts like the Oneders or that other scouser four-piece that got really popular. Still, the execution doesn’t feel cliche, and frankly, flirts with taking the classic formula and turning it into power-pop. And, while nostalgia’s great, the respect for this band comes from their own mouths where they claim they are always “adding an element which comes out of left field,” dropping in little pop wrinkles along the way. Look For Your Mind is out May 8th via Captured Tracks.
