Blonde Redhead @ La Zona Rosa (12/1)

Date 12/1/10
Location La Zona Rosa
Doors 8pm
Tickets $22 @ Frontgate

Indie rock vets Blonde Redhead are stopping in Austin at La Zona Rosa this Wednesday evening.  Icelandic singer/songwriter Olof Arnalds will be joining the crew on stage for an opening set.  For a middle of the week show, this should be enticing to all you music fans out there.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/blonde-redhead-not-getting-there.mp3]

Download: Blonde Redhead – Not Getting There [MP3]

New Tunes from Pujol

We’ve all been running a little lethargically with the holiday season upon us, so I thought I would kick start Monday with a bit of amplified heat. We’re bringing you a new single from Pujol, and this one’s got the backing of Jack White, seeing as he’s the man who produced it, not to mention the man putting it out on Third Man Records.  You’ll find furiously pounding drums in the forefront, with some really clever guitar work going on throughout, all bringing some powerfully energetic rock n’ roll.  This kid can play, which is no surprise, as you wouldn’t expect Jack to back someone who can’t play their instrument. If you dig it, get your hands on the Black Rabbit 7″.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Too-Safe-1.mp3]

Download: Pujol – Too Safe [MP3]

The Parting Gifts – Strychnine Dandelion

Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s not like Greg Cartwright is new to the game of rock n’ roll, but he manages to continuously add the tiniest tweaks to his sound, crafting solid album after album.  This time around, we find Greg joined by Coco Hames of the Ettes to form The Parting Gifts.  Their new release, Strychnine Dandelion, is all over the map, but it lives in a place of nostalgic sound, harkening back to the 60s, twisted through a bit of gritty garage influences.

Pressing play on this LP will probably excite you, as it should, but don’t let “Keep Walkin” fool you.  Jangling garage pop with a catchy chorus definitely makes this song a winner, yet you’ll find that as the record unfolds this song is sort of a one-off, as its the most modern sounding track on Strychnine Dandelion.  Still, the more you proceed with your listening, the more other gems will unfold before you.

Cartwright channels his inner Tom Waits on “Strange Disposition” scratching at his throat to release his vocals over the piano-laden track.  As the guitar drifts in and out of focus, you clearly get the sense that Greg’s in full control of his gifts at this point in his career.  “Shine” really wins you over with the couplet of “I’ve been saving my best lines/for when her eyes meet mine.”  Sonically, the song definitely gives a nostalgic nod to classic country-tinged rock of yesteryear.  Guitar soloing adds an extra bit of class to the track as well.

Let’s not forget that Coco Hames plays the foil to Cartwright in The Parting Gifts. Abundant nostalgia leads to the group to calling upon the girl-group sound during “Born to be Blue.”  It’s a subdued track, with the focus on Hames as she finally takes the lead all on her own, while Gret coos some monosyllabic sounds in the background. She furthers this sound on “Sleepy City” where her pitch definitely has a sultry innocence that makes the tinkering piano seem obsolete, instead letting the listener be drawn in by her voice, which has hints of a classier Neko Case. We shouldn’t forget that her role throughout Strychnine Dandelion also works great juxtaposed against Greg’s.

The closing moments of Strychnine Dandelion don’t make following the musical shifts less enjoyable. The records title track, “Strychnine Dandelion” has a twirling in the clouds arrangement, using strings to further the sound of The Parting Gifts, while that tiny hint of piano allows Cartwright to control his slight warble to great effect.  And then Coco returns to close it all out for us with “This House Aint a Home.”  She’s got a bit more of a country chanteuse on this number, once again displaying the band’s ability to wander all over the map, musically speaking.  Up to this point, the band has covered a great deal of territory, from country rocker to barroom ditty to garage pop, giving us all a bit of everything we love, in both current and past sounds.  That factor, along with the fact that they offer up 15 tracks, allows listeners to traverse the annals of musical history, done to perfection by The Parting Gifts.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/partinggiftskeepwalkin.mp3]

Download: The Parting Gifts – Keep Walkin [MP3]

New Music from The Dears

It seems like the Dears are one of the most under appreciated bands in Canada, and we’re always hoping that they’ll make a huge breakthrough Stateside. Their latest effort, Degeneration Street will be hitting the streets on February 15th via Dangerbird Records, and everything we’ve heard so far has us once again delighted about the possibilities from their forthcoming album.  It’s not even fair to compare these guys to anyone, as they never cease to reinvent themselves, for better, time and time again.  Definitely going to be loving this track for months to come.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/01-Omega-Dog.mp3]

Download: The Dears – Omega Dog [MP3]

New Music From The Get Up Kids

Welp, the wait is almost over, you crazy Get Up Kids fans will finally be getting a new album from the band in early 2011.  New Joint, There Are Rules, will hit the streets on January 25th and is of course the first new album from the group in 7 years.  A new MP3 of song “Regent’s Court” from the LP can be found below for streaming or downloading.  Judging from their new song and the recent EP, this should be a return to old form for The Kids, or at least better than Guilt Show

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/The-Get-Up-Kids-Regents-Court.mp3]

Download: The Get Up Kids – Regents Court [MP3]

New(ish) Music From Everyone Everywhere

To say we get a lot of CDs in the mail would be a major understatement and sometimes the stack gets so big that we miss out on some solid bands.  Such is the case with Philly band Everyone Everywhere.  These guys released their debut self-titled LP over the summer and have been working hard ever since to make a name for themselves.  Below you can also find a sample of the band’s music with rockin’ track “Tiny Town”.  I find myself thinking of some old school Mineral or maybe early Braid material when listening to the boy’s new LP.  Their tunes remind me of a simpler time when bands had street teams, knew how to play their instruments, and could rock some faces.  Don’t we all miss those times?  If this appeals to you, as it should, why not purchase the new Everyone Everywhere album on vinyl or get yourself a digital copy on itunes.  You’ll thank me later.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/04-Tiny-Town.mp3]

Download: Everyone Everywhere – Tiny Town [MP3]

New Tunes from Chikita Violenta

Typically we think of Arts & Crafts as the label of Canada, but it seems that they’re really into NAFTA, as they’ve just picked up Mexican band Chikita Violenta.  In preparation for a crazy January, A&C has added Chikita’s release of TRE3S to the slot for January 25th.  Listening to this first single, it definitely has the feel of early Broken Social Scene, with spastic vocal bursts working diligently over spliced guitar lines and crazy hooks.  We’re super excited about this release, and we hope that once you hear them, you’ll follow our lead with the band.  You can check the band’s SITE for a 2 song mini-single, one which is kicking off the jams below.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Tired.mp3]

Download: Chikita Violenta – Tired [MP3]

Show Preview: Eisley @ The Parish (11/24)

Date 11/24/10
Location The Parish
Doors 8pm
Tickets $15 @ Frontgate

My favorite band from Tyler, TX Eisley are stopping in Austin again on Wednesday night.  Now normally this would be a tough day for you kids to go out with it being a school night and all, but most of us should have the next day off!  Joining the lovely ladies (and two guys) on the Parish stage are Ives the Band and a special solo opening set by  the younger sister of the Eisley girls, Christie Dupree.  We here at ATH have a soft spot for this band so expect to see us in the crowd.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/05-I-Could-Be-There-For-You.mp3]

Download: Eisley – I Could Be There For You [MP3]

New Music From Destroyer

News is spreading on the interwebs today of a new LP from Dan Bejar and his band known as Destroyer.  The new album, Kaputt, is set to be released on January 25th via Merge records.  Until that date, we’ve got new track “Chinatown” below to tide you over.  If this song is any indication to the new album’s sound, I think we’ll all be jamming this one long into 2011.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/01-Chinatown-1.mp3]

Download: Destroyer – Chinatown [MP3]

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