Austin Town Hall – Page 1497 – Bringing the jams…

RayRay’s Top Songs 2025

Much like Nathan, I feel like our days in the blogging world are numbered as we continue to see others in the game either falter, put up gaudy pay walls,

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Nathan’s Top Albums of 2025

I could wax, poetically, about the meaning of year-end lists and how they turn us onto great tunes to create our playlists, but instead, I feel like this is my

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Levitation Freakend Friday in Photos

When the Levitation team made to the decision to move the fest back to being a single site festival atmosphere, the Haloween adjacent tradition was broken. BUT, they had a

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Solander Is Coming To SxSW

January 6, 2014 brian.gray Leave a comment

OK, you have an opportunity to do a nice thing. Yes, this song can be downloaded for free by zero dollaring. Like the previous preview track, it is a gem. Here is an idea, use someone else’s email address for a name-your-price purchase and give it as a gift.

Solander absolutely blew me away at SxSW a few years back. I was lucky enough to catch them at one of the church spaces that are taken over by us heathens and it was a forty-five minutes I will always love. With the harmonies, melodies and craftsmanship of their music, multi-instrumental perfection was delivered and I believe all in attendance waited around to chat with the band. Just wish there had been more of you with me. Luckily, you will have the opportunity see this band during SxSW this year.

The album Monochromatic Memories comes out February 4th on Tendervision.

<a href="http://solander.bandcamp.com/album/the-woods-are-gone">The Woods Are Gone by Solander</a>

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New Music From Seahaven

January 6, 2014 RayRay Leave a comment

After we’ve all enjoyed a nice little break, it’s time to start talking music again for the upcoming year. One release I’m pretty pumped about is coming our way from Canadian friends Seahaven. This track, “Silhouette (Latin Skin)”, is a preview of the new album and I like the updated blues the band is bringing. It’s a truly “loud” and epic sounding number that does a lot to get me even more excited for this release.

New album Reverie Lagoon: Music For Escapism is coming this spring/summer, but this track will be available on a 7″ 3 song single due out January 21st via Run For Cover Records.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/123358976″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Tunes

We Like This By Stanley Brinks

January 6, 2014 brian.gray Leave a comment

…with The Wave Pictures.

First collaboration between Stanley and the band in four years, this fun little number could be my new theme song for surviving SxSW. Yes, it is true; “The radio sucks balls.” Fika Recordings has posted up the preorder, but you can stream it now (oh hey, look at that down there). You can also check out the video for “Orange Juice” after the break where they enjoy the ditty in a kitchen.

The full release is Gin is due in early March. Perhaps SxSW? Nothing official. We had much fun with The Wave Pictures during their 2012 opening spot for Allo Darlin, best show banter award winners, so here’s hoping.

<a href="http://shop.fikarecordings.com/album/orange-juice">Orange Juice by Stanley Brinks and The Wave Pictures</a>

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Creative Tune from Morgan Delt

January 6, 2014 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

This latest jam from Morgan Delt has been floating around for a week or so, but please excuse me, we were on a break! And during that break I was able to spend a lot of time with various upcoming records, including this gem self-titled effort from Morgan. It’s filled to the brim with all sorts of nods to California, both in the arena of psych and just traditional pop. It creates a listening experience that begs to have a listen from start to finish, and that’s the best way to take it all in. For now, however, you can just enjoy this little number until the album comes out via Trouble in Mind Records on January 28th.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/05-Obstacle-Eyes.mp3]

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New Music from Skeletal Shakes

January 6, 2014 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

While we’ve posted several outfits featuring Emma Kupa of Standard Fare, we hadn’t talked about Dan and Andy, the other two members of my favorite three-piece. Luckily, this weekend the two rolled out some new songs they’ve been working on under the name Skeletal Shakes, and I’m pretty impressed with the three tracks. The one below is the most upbeat of the three, using bits of angular guitar parts to combine with a quickened pace. Not sure what the two are planning in terms of releasing things, but I promise to keep you posted on the good news as it comes our way.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/127885189″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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Weekend Free Week Preview!

January 3, 2014 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Free Week is upon us, and it’s time for you to go spend your night hopping around catching shows. I caught several acts last night that I’ll be mentioning in the next few weeks, so it’s your chance to go discover some new tunes too.

Here’s our recommendations for the weekend. Yeah.

Friday:

OBN IIIs and Pharaohs at Beerland @ 9 PM

Young Girls and Bobby Jealousy at Hotel Vegas @ 9 PM

Bloody Knives at Elysium @ 9 PM

Saturday:

Spray Paint at Beerland @ 9 PM

Young Girls at North Door @ 9 PM

Megafauna and Little Radar at Holy Mountain @ 9 PM

Sunday:

Grape St. and Little Wesley at Red 7 @ 9 PM

The Baker Family at Holy Mountain @ 9 PM

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Caroline.mp3]

Download: Young Girls – Caroline [MP3]

Shows

Free Week Preview: Thursday!

January 2, 2014 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Today officially begins Austin’s tradition of Free Week. It’s like SXSW, just with tons and tons of great Austin (and a few Texas) bands. Sure, there’s been some recent debate about the validity of free week and how the musicians get paid, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least give you some suggestions for the opening night, and hopefully suggestions as it goes along.

First, since there has been debate about how the bands earn money during free week, while you get free rock n’ roll, here’s a few quick tips on how to help them out: 1) Buy merchandise. Austin is notoriously bad at this, but bands are able to fund their tours, their recordings, etc. when you buy their stuff; ten bucks go a long way. 2) Buy lots of booze. A lot of venues are giving percentages to the bands to pay them, so be sure you spend well at the bar, or just leave a tip with the band.

Now, here’s my suggestions:

Royal Forest and Reservations at the Belmont @8

The Baker Family and Ruby Fray at Mohawk @ 8

Big Bill at Chain Drive @ 9

Pick one, skip around, do your thing, but be sure to catch a ton of shows. You owe it to yourself.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/02-John-Denver.mp3]

Download: Royal Forest – John Denver [MP3]

Shows

Merry Christmas Or Whatever

December 25, 2013 brian.gray Leave a comment

Did you get that Flexi-7″ from your favorite band? Did your parents discover the mp3 player on QVC? Did you make something cool for your friend, like a Willie bandana with pigtails?

Did you listen to obscure or obtuse Christmas records? I just found out Erasure made a Christmas record. It has some strange stuff on it.

Is your dog holding up to yelling nieces or nephews? Perhaps pouting in the kitchen ready for a visit from the Meat Fairy?

Are these a few of your favorite things?

Anyway, whether or not you celebrate the day, be Merry. We love you.

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Crunchy Rocker from Cherry Glazer

December 20, 2013 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Don’t think just because I’m loving my wintery tunes at the moment that I don’t appreciate a solid rock number, like this new single from Cherry Glazer. The group have just announced that they’ll be releasing their debut, Haxel Princess, on Burger Records, which will hit stores on January 14th. I like the sound of the female vocal working against the guitar in this song. There’s a softness that fits nicely against the jagged edges of said guitar that really gets me, emotionally speaking. Hope to hear more rad tracks from the band in the future.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/122843779″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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The Best Gallery Of The Year

December 20, 2013 brian.gray Leave a comment

I had a fun year.

I took a lot of photos. I met a lot of artists. I took some portraits. I got jumpshots. I found the interesting people in the crowd, friends and strangers alike. I rejected releases and used my cell phone (looking at you Adam Ant). I went to festivals and went elbow to elbow with besties, frenemies and national media to get you the goods. I got to shoot The Cure and New Order. I saw new great bands breaking out and great bands before breaking up. I took pics of bands for which Nathan released records. I had a fun year.

I hope you enjoy browsing and clicking. They are a collection of random things and happenings.