11th Hour SXSW Recommendations

Leave a comment

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.

The Lemon Twigs Announce Look for Your Mind LP

Leave a comment

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.

Sylvie’s Head Share Frankie + Announce Debut

Leave a comment

The Swedish scene is always a studious one, looking back through the annals of rock n’ roll history, then repurposing sounds as they see fit, which is the case with Sylvie’s Head. The group embrace a bit of nostalgic 90s alternative, but in doing so, they’ve also embraced the techno culture that was simultaneously working in the underground. Those beats are infused in a heavier fashion than most, leaving the listener with sort of a club version of Jesus and the Mary Chain; it’s a fun trip, and one that comes with lots of tension and release, so you’ll want to be aware of the group when they release Everything is Free via Welfare Sounds later this year!

Runo Plum Preps Bloom Again EP (SXSW Artist)

Leave a comment

Before the announcement of the Bloom Again EP, RayRay and I already had Runo Plum on our artist to watch list for SXSW, and while there are a handful of sets on the schedule, I’m thinking a quiet room in the sunny afternoon might be the best way to soak up the newest track. The dominating force, aside from the vocals, is the heavy-handed strum on the guitar, allowing for this sort of billowing loneliness to embrace a natural beauty. As the tune trickles, I think the slightest bit of arrangement is what allows the weight of the music to really sit with the listener; it’s careful and minimalist, only rising for support when necessary. Looking forward to a few sets, as well as the Bloom Again EP, which is out on May 8th via Winspear.

Touch Girl Apple Blossom Share Vacation Video

Leave a comment

We’ve had nothing but praise for Austin janglers Touch Girl Apple Blossom, and it seems like the world is set up to welcome the group with open arms. A quick guitar shuffle swings you right into the tune; the dueling guitars offer a sunshine brightness while the jangling riffs share a dancefloor ready groove for listeners. It’s quite a mood, and you’re likely ready for the sun to shine right through your living room, but then Olivia’s vocals have this lushness that both works for and against the track’s sharpness. This is the way they magically build tension in their work, dangling slight bits of contrast while allowing their pop sensibilities to take hold. Look for Graceful on May 15th via K Records/Perennial Death.

Cindy Share Procession + Announce Another Country

Leave a comment

I’m an avid Cindy fan, so I should have had this up last Friday, or even Monday, but there’s just so many tunes and I only have just so many words. Alas, here I am with some more words about how incredibly moving Cindy is. They’ve just announced Another Country, which is a nod to James Baldwin, so the literary nature hits home. But, while they tend to embrace the term fog pop on their recordings, I’ll admit that there seems to be a bit more life to this single’s surface. Sure, there’s a forlorn nature to what Karina Gill does on the microphone, but this tune has this almost classic doo-wop swagger to it, looking back to perfect simplicity in pop. Oh, and a little horn nod too? Yep, I’m totally in on Another Country, which hits on May 1st via Tough Love Records.

Circling Back to Figure Eight

Leave a comment

With all the craziness of the early Spring and getting SXSW stuff organized, one can easily slide beyond the secret gems from the underground. I should have known that Cherub Dream Records would, of course, have something brilliant, as the label’s been an incredible powerhouse for up-and-coming acts like Figure Eight. On the band’s latest 7″, there’s this brilliant deployment of space and patience, dreamily stretching over the two minute mark before the song seems to awaken and snap to with a bit of billowing noise. From that moment on, the group embrace a contrast to their quieter moments, letting the volume get cranked up as walls of ambient distortion rush across the front of your speakers. Definitely worth circling back, and its available now!

Special Friend Share Isolation Single

Leave a comment

Our first few listens to the new Special Friend LP have given us relatively upbeat singles, bouncing and clipping along with a classic pop vibe. Now, the duo flip things over and offer up a mellower, albeit equally as moving, brand of pop; this one feels quite a bit like Camera Obscura, particularly in the way the vocals come through here. There’s a softness, with the group settled, happily letting the feathered jangle provide the track with enough rhythm to keep your ears perked up. Adding into the magic is the careful harmonizing of the vocals, which is one of their trademarks in excellence. You’ll be able to grab Clipping in just over a week courtesy of Skep Wax/Howlin Banana/Hidden Bay!

Urq Share Another Mystery Single

Leave a comment

The Louisiana scene has been cranking out some solid indie rock this year, with this new jam from Urq sounding like a definite highlight you’ll want to get your ears on. There’s an eerie video opening, then the track races off at break-neck speeds from the drumming, matched only by the frantic stunt work of the guitar; it’s got that sort of jagged edge that throws off your balance and keeps your body in a constant tilt-a-whirl. On the vocal side, things are a bit calmer, hanging just on the edge of being sung/spoken…in fact, it’s almost like a storyteller narrating whilst keeping pace with the soundtrack to a great tale. All of it put together in a classic slasher film that will grab your attention just as much as this ripper of a tune. The group’s new LP, The Dismal Village, will be out on April 24th via Exploding In Sound.

1 … 8 9 10 11 12 … 2,165
Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com