Category: News

ACL 2019 Festival Updates

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Are you attending? Are you dreading the heat? It will be a dry heat. Like that helps…

While we aren’t as excited about the lineup this year versus last, my fest schedule is still full with either artists I want to see and shoot. That means staying hydrated while staying in motion and as you are making the stage to stage pilgrimages, there are some news bits that ACL sent out that you should pay attention to. Click through for the full skinny and a bag policy cheat sheet, but here a few highlights.

HI, HOW ARE YOU LOUNGE: Jumping on the Daniel Johnston thing for a good reason, there’ll be a lounge area to decompress and here about the Hi, How Are You Project.

BONUS TRACKS STAGE: I am going to call this the podcast stage. Lookup the schedule for interviews and discussion panels.

BEER HALL BITES: Two-for-One zone, now, get a beer and snack. Pretzels and beer cheese, carb up and protein intake, perfect.

MORE ENTRY LANES: Ramping up flow in, but y’all think hard about bringing a bag. Load up your pockets. Make one person that is reliable carry through the gear and buy them beers (and water).

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Shimmering New Track From Newmoon

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Taking a break from my ACL coverage, I stumbled across this brilliant new track called “In Harmony” from Antwerp based artist Newmoon. It’s certainly in the shoegaze vibe, but also has some nice elements of noise rock with the occasional swirling guitar and drum solo. This is definitely for fans of bands like POBPAH or LUDGF with the music loud and the vocals a little bit on the hushed side. Lots to like in this song.

Newmoon will release new album Nothing Hurts Forever on October 11th. Pre-order here.

Charming Pop from Orouni

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Perhaps the greatest thing about working on this site for the last ten years or so are all the incredible and kind artists who’ve reached out to say hello or share a song. This is exactly how I stumbled upon this special track from French outfit, Orouni. The band are pretty open about their affinity for Belle and Sebastian and the Divine Comedy, and you can hear that in the way they craft these broad sweeping arrangements behind simple vocal melodies; it sounds like a live film score written especially for you in your bedroom. The story behind this particular track was comes from a tale in the New Yorker about an employee stuck in an elevator for 41 hours. This is absolutely brilliant; you can find the tune on their latest LP, Partitions, available now from December Square.

Desert Souls Drop Turtle

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It’s been a hot minute since I got excited about a band that brandished the sort of garage style that was popular all the rage upon its reemergence. Desert Souls, however, seem like they’re up to something great on this brand new single from the German outfit. Things seem all ramshackle and joyous from the get-go; it’s that classic train flying off the rails style we here at ATH enjoy. But, what sold me, was the hook in the chorus from the vocals. I love the way “me” gets stretched out higher, as it definitely got its hooks in me. This jam appears on the group’s mini-LP Back to the Coast, which is out next week via KUS.

Black Marble Drop Private Show Video

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Can I not just have this whole Black Marble LP already? This is the third single from the forthcoming Bigger Than Life LP, and again, it’s sure-fire gem. I’m actually really drawn to the beats on this one; they have this energetic pulse faintly tinged with a darkness that seems to match the fogginess of the vocal delivery. It’s probably cliche at this point, but balancing of the light and dark is so well executed that you can’t help but be caught up in your own emotions. But, perhaps the most striking moment comes just before the 4 minute mark, when the song seems to be stripped of its energy, leaving you with heavy vocals draped across minimal notes; it’s a pretty special twist. This new LP drops on October 25th via Sacred Bones Records. Don’t forget the band will be in Austin for Levitation!

ACL Gimme 5 – Ley Line

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As you can tell by the barrage of posts recently, we have jumped head first into ACL Festival coverage with tons of previews, guides, and recommendations. Today I am kicking off my yearly feature of Gimme 5 playlists with several performing artists selecting 5 of their favorite songs from other bands playing the festival. Last year seemed like a rousing success so I sent out a ton of these this year to collect a varying perspective on performing acts. My very first feature comes from our local friends in Ley Line. Hit the jump for their playlist and some words on each song.

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Cats of Transnistria Announce Aligning

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I’ve been covering the Finnish music scene for the last several years, and generally, I feel as if I’ve got a fair understanding of the musical landscape. That said, Cats of Transnistria always keep me guessing, as they seemingly do within their own works; they’ve evolved into this sort of brilliant slow-core pop act that fans of Bedhead or early Low would fawn over. Here, you feel the emotional tension build for over 2 minutes before the vocal notes dare peek into the track. From there we add textures, and at times, it seems like we’re losing touch with melody, losing ourselves in this discordant moment, only to be calmed by the warm blanket of song. I love the little imperfections, or the ones that seem as such, illustrating a desire to capture every emotion in its present state, perfect or not. This is cinematic brilliance captured in song form, which is what we can expect when Aligning drops via Soliti Music on November 29th.

Fresh Indiepop from Salt Lake Alley

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I first caught wind of Salt Lake Alley when they dropped a 7″ over on Cloudberry Records about a year ago (also noting the Honeydrips lineage). They’re back with a brand new single, and I’m pretty sure it’ll make your Wednesday. It slinks in with this angular guitar stutter that opens into a more dreamy bounce, giving way for the vocals to swoop in and swoon, hanging the lines “you feel good/so do I” into thin air. Take a breath, and the guitars shuffle their dancing licks into the picture as the chorus forces your feet into flailing high kicks and a grin that’ll stain your face for hours to come. It’s energetic and poppy, with an underhanded charm that will have you coming back over and over again. You’re welcome.

Guitar Pop from Candybomber

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I was really into the Kensingtons, though they came onto my radar just as they were seeming to slow things down. Now that they’re geographically separated, Stewart has a brand new project, Candybomber. The band have just shared this new single, which, to me, recalls a more melodic Wedding Present. You still have these distorted guitars jangling and ringing out loudly, tearing through your speakers. But, the song’s core revolves around the gravitational pull of the melody that shines through Stewart’s vocals; it’s the classic loud/quiet juxtaposition, and it’s executed to perfection in this tune. Turn this one up super loud, and don’t look back at that whole in your speakers.

Please to Meet You: Lilla Parasit

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Perhaps the title is misleading, as I’ve definitely covered the various members of Lilla Parasite in some fashion or another, most recently with Are Steinsholm’s other band, Melby. But, this is a Swedish super-group of sorts, though they’re offering up a more folk-laden version of pop music than what I’ve grown accustomed to from the region. There’s this faint warble in the vocal, which I can’t tell if that’s due to singing in English, or if its merely the nature of the song, but distinctive voices always catch my ear. Musically, the band has this almost like glade majesty, as if you were a deer traipsing about in your favorite meadow as some minstrel fashioned a song for your journey. It’s a cool introduction to a band I hope you’ll enjoy.

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