Show Preview: Papercuts @ Emos (4/5)

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Date Tuesday, April 5th
Location Emos
Doors 900p
Tickets $10 @ the Door

If you’ve been following our site, or just the Internet in general, the odds are you’re well aware of Jason Quever and Papercuts.  His control over melodies, as well as his lush arrangements in the studio, have made me a huge fan of everything he does.  He’ll be in town at Emos on Tuesday, supporting the recent release of Fading Parade, and it’s a magnificent album, as you can read HERE. Jason’s a busy fellow, so he doesn’t tour too often, which makes this a must see show, aside from the fact it’s going to be ridiculous anyways.  Also, you can catch another up-and-comer, Banjo or Freakout, who’s been making waves over the last year or so.  Sounds like a pretty decent way to kick off this most excellent April music line-up in Austin.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/01-Do-You-Really-Wanna-Know.mp3]

Download: Papercuts – Do You Really Wanna Know [MP3]


New Song from Savoir Adore

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What? You don’t have enough pop goodness in your every day listening habits?  Well, we’ve got the band for you, and a wonderful new track to boot.  Savoir Adore are one of New York’s brightest new stars, blending all sorts of elements into a whirlwind of pop. It’s the kind of thing that starts you off with a bit of a head nod, then a toe tap, and suddenly your swept away in the magic.  This seems like the perfect way to start off our week, so we hope you enjoy this promising new act as much as we do.  And, if you go to their site, you can grab another wonderful track, “Loveliest Creature” for free, so do yourself a favor by visiting them right now.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/savoiradore_sparrow.mp3]

Download: Savoir Adore – Sparrow [MP3]

Bill Callahan – Apocalypse

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Listening to a record from Bill Callahan can often be a daunting affair for all, as his songwriting is superb, but often overshadowed in his work by his abilities as a wordsmith.  Once you indulge in Apocalypse, it’s definitely going to be difficult to find your way out, which is precisely what makes this one of Bill’s strongest releases to date.

Kicking off the album is “Drover” and the lyric “the real people went away/I’ll find a better way someday.”  If you’re looking to unravel Bill’s meaning, especially in regards to the themes within, you’ll probably begin to think Callahan is trying to reclaim America for himself, for his types.  It’s such a beautiful idea, expressing hope amidst a country that’s possibly in decline.  Toss this in with the strumming of the guitar, the occasional string flourishes and light percussion, and surely you will recognize what a strong track this is.

“America!” doesn’t stray too far from this theme, though the discussion seems to reflect upon the great exports of our world from a man missing his homeland, though when referencing someone like David Letterman, it’s difficult to see how seriously we should take the lyrics.  The song itself uses sort of a carnivalesque stomp and some cascading guitar solos to move everything along, all the way to cacophonous end.  It’s odd, as it leads right into the softer “Universal Applicant,” a track that utilizes a hint of flute beneath a shaker of sorts, yet this isn’t the entire story of the track.  A light-hearted guitar chord takes over a few minutes in, with some extremely minimal drumming, providing the track with a bit of an emotional boost, while Callahan sort of walks his lyrics through the rest of the number.

After so many spins, it’s hard not to fall in the love with the latter-half of this album, one of the strongest statements of Bill’s career, in one man’s mind.  “Riding for the Feeling” sort of hovers over the guitar work, clinging to gentle stringing and some careful arrangements that bring the story of Bill’s world in the Apocalypse to life.  It’s pointless to influence you with thoughts on emotional meaning, as each listener will surely bring their own interpretation to the table, but regardless, you’ll want to play this song again and again. Then skip ahead to “One Fine Morning,” nearly 9 minutes of Bill Callahan writing at his best.  Heading out on his journey, Bill seems to be looking over the landscape of America just as much as he’s looking back over his life.  Amidst the quiet dance of guitar strumming and piano, he seems to realize that he, like us all, has to confront “the hardest part,” hoping that when it all comes to an end, there will be a little sun left on the horizon.  It wraps up a wonderful album, by wrapping up a wonderful track.

“One Fine Morning” serves as the final statement here on Apocalypse, and while the record might slowly fade into the background, you’ll reach over and immediately play it all over again.  Slower pacing seems to suit Bill Callahan, his voice especially, allowing him to give us an honest account of his thoughts in a way only he can pull off.  Nothing more needs to be said; it’s just an endearing listen from start to finish.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bill-Callahan-Babys-Breath.mp3]

Download: Bill Callahan – Baby’s Breath [MP3]

Apocalypse is out on Drag City on 4/5.

Friday Top 5: Unusual Collaborations

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Artists don’t always make the best decisions. Perhaps they just get bored. Reinventing themselves after every album must get tiresome. I guess that’s why some musicians choose to collaborate with people from other genres. Leaps of faith, even if they are doomed to failure, are more interesting than repeating the same old song and dance. Finding out the hard way that something is a bad idea is more exciting than going through the motions of what has been done before. Oftentimes though, it’s best to stick with what you know. Otherwise you end up with the kind of collaborative catastrophes listed here. Let’s take a look shall we? See the Top 5 Unusual Collaborations below:

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The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

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Rating: ★★★★☆

For years, The Mountain Goats have been wooing you with their cryptic and lyrical masterpiece songs that are poetry set to various tunes. You’ve fallen in love with their endlessly complex yet simple bank of songs that just keeps on getting bigger. So I’ll save you the introduction to a band that has already made itself a staple in a whole lot of hearts, and I’ll get to the review.

Much of this review and the perception of All Eternals Deck is determined by your current state of affairs with this band. If you like the Mountain Goats already, then this album will be just another reaffirmation of your love for them. If you don’t like the Mountain Goats already, this should be a step in the right direction towards your newfound affection towards them. If you hate them already, stop reading this.

As I’ve mentioned, this album is just another great addition to the overwhelmingly large catalog of songs that this group has already produced. From the first song “Damn These Vampires” begins with the familiar half spoken-half sang vocals of John Darnielle, who never fails to impress me with his delivery. A brilliant voice he has not, Darnielle still manages to convey the raw emotion that is needed for poetry. Despite the title, the first song comes off as an empathetic and encouraging tune for an unknown protagonist. As the tale is spun, you feel encompassed in the lyrics of this band and it’s as if you have been transported into the world of fiction of the Mountain Goats; a place where you will remain for the duration of this album.

Like a great novel, the songs that make up this release all wrap you in their cloak of deception at first, but after some thought, the words begin to make sense and add up to something that cherishable. Early tracks like “Age of Kings” draw you into their cryptic world, with dramatic strings chipping away at the underlying belly of the song. Other works like “High Hawk Season,” incorporate “ohs,” “ahhs,” and harmonies in the chorus from a juxtaposed deep voice that takes some of the nasal from Darnielle. The songs work together to lead you to areas that you never thought a song could, potentially becoming a new favorite work of fiction.

Overall, it’s a really well written work from this group. It warrants many listens trying to decipher just what those words mean. More importantly, what they mean to you as the humble listener.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The_Mountain_Goats_-_Damn_These_Vampires.mp3]

Download: The Mountain Goats – Damn These Vampires

More New Music From We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves

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Earlier this year I posted a new song from a recent band discovery going by the name We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves.  I was intrigued back then, and now with this new pop jam “Stop Moving”, I’m ready to call myself a fan of the band.  The awesome and unique voice of the lead singer is still a big draw to me which is complimented nicely by the jangly sound of the guitars.  Apparently a new LP from the band is currently in the works with more details coming soon.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/WE-CANT-ENJOY-OURSELVES-Stop-Moving-01-Stop-Moving.mp3]

Download: We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves – Stop Moving [MP3]

New Track from Snowmine

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Damn you Brooklyn! Why must you have such stupendous bands?  Can’t the rest of us share a little bit of that love?  Well, actually we can because we get to hear the incredible meandering pop of Snowmine, who are set to release their debut LP, Laminate Pet Animal on May 3rd.  Listening to the first single, “Nervous” reminds me of what you would get if you crossbred Suckers with Grizzly Bear.  I don’t know, maybe that’s lazy, but those vibrant melodies mixed with that odd percussion and delivery definitely left me with that feeling. See what you think about this track; I mean I know it’s good, but is my comparison right on?

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/SNOWMINE-Nervous.mp3]

Download: Snowmine – Nervous [MP3]

Craft Spells – Idle Labor

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Rating: ★★★½☆

It’s not that Craft Spells are necessarily a new band, nor are they one bringing you anything particularly new in the way of bedroom pop, but that isn’t going to devalue their version, or your likelihood of unlimited enjoyment.  Captured Tracks has just released the group’s record, Idle Labor, and like similar artists coming off the label, it’s chock full of shaking percussion and darkly tinged lyrical affectation, leaving listeners spinning about their bedrooms or dingy clubs, whatever works.

One of the first winners from Idle Labor is going to be “You Should Close the Door,” which has a hint of jangle to the guitar work, though it leans more towards a certain lo-fi affinity along coastal regions.  The bright hues of the chords are juxtaposed with the baritone vocals of JP Vallesteros, providing a haunting effect for those with their ears tuned in closely.  But, while the guitars play an underlying role in the sound of Craft Spells, it’s the percussive element that definitely influences the band and fans alike.

“Your Tomb” really has a steady pacing to its drumming, which gives a pleasurable pace to a track that otherwise appears quiet.  Gentle touches of percussion dictated the movement in your feet, and you’ll know after a couple of spins precisely what I’m talking about here, as your feet will grow weary.  Okay, perhaps the sharply ornate guitar sound coming from tracks such as “After the Moment,” probably contradict the idea that guitar sounds are meant to service the drumming here, but that’s precisely what seems to make Idle Labor ultimately successful.  You’re enjoying the groove of it all, then comes a track that encourages the swaying of hips and possible twee two-stepping on the dance floor.

However, it’s not all pseudo-angular dance moments, as there’s definitely a subtle new-wave vibe you’ll find featured in various tracks.  “Given the Time” begins with a darker intro than almost all the other tracks, yet it quickly picks back up into the 80s vibe of swirling melodies surrounded by somewhat monotone vocal displays.  Sure, you can probably do a nice stomp of the boot if you’re sticking to the bass groove on the track, but it definitely has an underlying pop element that’s buried, more so than on other tracks. “Party Talk” has the same mannerisms, once you consider some programmed percussive elements being added here, which don’t dominate Idle Labor, as much as one might think, not noticeably at least.  It also features a great deal of experimentation, when you compare it to some of the more minimalist songs.

It’s easy to say that Craft Spells have crafted (see what I did there) another bedroom gem for Captured Tracks, but the more you involve yourself in a close listening process, the more other elements slowly begin to leak out, making this more than just a casual listen for fans of the style.  Idle Labor, while stylistically similar to other acts on the label, and in the scene in general, eventually moves itself out from beneath its peers, leaving you with a deeply personal listen that’s fitting for play at home, at the office or at the club…what a trifecta of pop magic.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/After-the-Moment-1.mp3]

Download: Craft Spells -After the Moment [MP3]

New Song from Sarandon

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It’s unfortunate that a lot of bands go largely unnoticed, especially when you can see that they would fit in with so much going on, both past and present. Such is the case with Sarandon, who’ve just released their new album, Sarandon’s Age of Reason, in the States via Slumberland Records. Now, this isn’t going to be your normal SR release, mostly because the band have a much more proto-pop-punk feel to them, with the sort of delivery of bands like early Wire. Sarandon’s Age of Reason is full of songs just like this one, and while I think this band would have been an enormous success in say 2002-2003, I still definitely dig the sound they’re kicking out. Trust me, you should love this stuff.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/sarandon-piglet-edit.mp3]

Download: Sarandon – Piglet [MP3]

Show Preview: Akron/Family @ Parish (4/1)

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Date 4/1/11
Location The Parish
Doors 8pm
Tickets $15 @ Frontgate

Akron/Family released a crazy experimental album earlier this year and are now stopping into Austin at the Parish Friday night in support of the new LP.  Joining the band as opening support is Delicate Steve.  I’ll be anxious to hear what these new songs sound like translated to the live setting.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/01-Silly-Bears-11.mp3]

Download: Akron/Family – Silly Bears [MP3]

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