A.A. Bondy – Believers

Rating: ★★★½☆

For years now, A.A Bondy has been riding the waves of undiscovered artist; while garnering some devoted fans, he hasn’t exactly achieved instant fame and success of the independent world. However, as per the intrigue of his last album and the original detailed work of his very first effort, this hasn’t seemed to hurt Bondy in the slightest; he is still a master at his folksy craft.

There isn’t a song on this album more dauntingly beautiful than “Skull and Bones,” which crops up third in the listening experience. From the moment it begins, there is a foreboding feeling instilled by the effervescent bass and guitar combo. It’s an unsettling sound that gives a sense of instability and then A.A himself jumps in with those cautionary vocals that add to the darkness of this twisting song.  At a little over three minutes long, it jumps right in and grabs your focus right from the start, and then pulls you further and further in, and by the time the looped vocals of the chorus flood your ears, you can’t help but notice the elegant poignancy that the track dangles out there for you to snatch up on repeated listens. A.A Bondy knows this, and includes a short, cleansing song after it, as to break away from its quiet resonance and move back to his more traditional folk style.

This is a lovely change for Bondy, and though it’s unparalleled on this album, it is certainly not the extent of good songs to be found on Believers. You have late stunners such as “The Twist,” that is just dripping in delectable folk elements and yet it still has a quick pace that doesn’t allow it to be as heavy as earlier songs. This pacing allows it to sink in slower, and not become a bogged down album. By no means is it fluffy pop fuzz, but it is not so thick that it becomes a drag to listen to.

For a third release, this album is very consistent, at least at first glance. It seems that Bondy is just destined to remain under the radar in his work, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as he is currently a man with three solid albums, each of which with its golden moments. This being said, I can definitely see Believers becoming more with time as it ripens in the minds of listeners. Regardless, it’s still worth a good listening to; time will tell if it will be something extraordinary.

Low – C’mon

Rating: ★★★½☆

Low has definitely been around for a while: since 1993 they have been crafting their signature slow core beats for the world to enjoy. Hailing from Duluth Minnesota, this three-part band certainly knows how to spin beautiful tales of whatever they fancy and if nine studio albums wasn’t testament enough to this, than this tenth should seal the deal.

To start things off, Low showcases their most distinctive quality right up front on “Try To Sleep.” Sounding distantly akin to that of some Mott the Hoople song, the album begins with the male/female harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. The light percussive tinkling in the background combined with the slow strumming of the thick guitars comes together to make for a killer groovy jam. Despite the predictability of this sort of sound, you can’t help but take comfort in the peaceful elegance that they create. They are able to drift from a grungier kind of sound to that of clear and compact, forming their own kind of musical genre. From the first to the second song you can see this transition fairly well. On “You See Everything,” Parker takes lead vocals, and her buttery voice just coats everything in a golden light of majesty. The song meanders its slow churning way along, with Parker putting her touch of sweetness upon the topmost layer.

For an album that doesn’t have a big change in tempo, it manages to stay interesting until the very end. “Nightingale,” the third to last track, leaps out as dark and formidable, but twists into a peaceful, but still somber lullaby-esque song. Sparhawk has this sour drawl-like quality to his voice that makes everything drenched in emotion; it’s easy to tell that this man puts a lot of himself into his music. His deep and powerful voice is similar to that of Matt Berninger from The National. Like Mr. Berninger, Sparhawk can convey maximum emotion with his minimalist style.

While C’mon does not falter in its strength, it does get a bit heavy after a while. It’s not too heavy that it would deter from further listening, rather, it grows on you. Low leaves with the feeling that this album was a long-term work that this band really strived to perfect. For a group that has been around for so long, this is true evidence of their talent and longevity and it is another great edition to their ever growing catalog of albums.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/01-Try-to-Sleep-1.mp3]

Download: Low – Try to Sleep [MP3]

C’mon is out now on Sub Pop.

La Sera – s/t

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Known for her bass playing in pop punk super star band Vivian Girls, Katy Goodman has been looking for side projects since spring of last year. She tried her ways under the moniker of All Saints Day, and even released a seven inch. However, it apparently didn’t stick, and Ms. Goodman moved onto her latest project. Enter: La Sera.

 Like Vivian Girls, La Sera has those cutting guitars and the presence of Goodman’s wispy vocals. However, while her voice takes a backseat on her full time band, it is the main element of distinction to this album. On “Beating Heart,” the opening song, her voice is layered upon itself to create echoed sugared oohs in the background. The clear guitar contrasts with this vocal quality, and builds up to the breaking point of the song. This is when the clarity of the guitar shifts muddier, wrapping up the bubbly lo-fi track before its close. Next is “Never Come Around,” one of the singles from the album. Some tambourine spices things up right off the bat, mixing effortlessly with sunny vocals and thus the airy yet viscous song—the norm for this album.

I think what makes this album decent is that Goodman knows her limitations; most of the songs barely reach two minutes, which sharpens the difference in between them, so that the listener doesn’t get caught up in the thick and sticky jangly songs that this album is chalked full of. In this way, the album is able to have those crests and troughs, all while staying close to that happy medium. It doesn’t become too complex for its own good and frankly none of the songs are what I would call bad or boring.

While its shortness is what makes La Sera, it also seems to be what breaks it. When reaching the end of this quick burst of energy album, it’s fairly easy to forget the latter part. The simplicity of the whole thing turns on itself, and suddenly it’s over, and you haven’t really been taken anywhere: like running on a treadmill. Slight fluctuations were present, the songs varied, but there was never that pop punk power punch that knocked your socks off and left you satisfied.

All in all, it’s still a pretty good way to spend thirty minutes of your life. Goodman hypnotizes you with her serene pop/lo-fi tunes, as any good jangly guitar album should.

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

Download: La Sera – Devil’s Hearts Grow Gold [MP3]

Banjo or Freakout – s/t

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

The bedroom effort of Alessio Natalizia, Banjo or Freakout has become fully realized with this debut release. With a touch of professional production, the spacey and atmospheric sounds of this group feel tangible, yet still far away in their nature. A mix of electronic and physical sounds mesh fairly well on this album, and for some of the time, the band maintains that tightrope of emptiness.

Starting out strong, the band doesn’t sound very atmospheric. On “105,” the only hollow element that is prevalent in the song would have to be Natalizia’s pale and borderline falsetto voice that intensifies the buzzing guitar. Some synthesized dulcent undertones gradually trickle into the song, and pull it away from its humble beginning into the deep void of electronic emptiness. The synth undertones meander their way to “Go Ahead,” which is one of my favorite tracks on the album. A little bit muddier than that of the first track, it really focuses on a slightly playful quality in the mumbled vocals of Mr. Natalizia. Even though it’s shift towards a more electronic style, which I’m normally inclined to disgust, it takes a step in a fulfilling direction and becomes an enticing narrative marked by effervescing synthesizer and the dull roar of fuzz.

 Despite its promise at the beginning, there are some huge setbacks to this album. While it is a good start for a band like this, it is nowhere near perfection. Like other albums similar in style, the golden qualities that are presented in the beginning fizzle out, leaving the rest of the songs to sound overlookable and boring. The atmospheric levels of noise that interest and seem so intricate during the first few tracks slip easily into the recess of the listeners mind. Too simply it becomes background music that only serves for filling space, not for bedroom listening. Tracks at the very end like “Dear Me” lose the boundary between vocals and hollow sound, so that the two mold into one. The song loses its edginess and becomes just a bunch of noise that sounds thrown together with much haste.

 Some may say that this album falls under the chillwave category, or at least the latter part. While it does offer a relaxing break from a stressful day, it doesn’t stimulate the senses, save the first few songs. Perhaps I stand alone in the desire for music that will push and pull me places, all while maintaining entertaining qualities. Banjo or Freakout just leaves my brain hanging alone in the cold void of outer space. With some work, their next release could be stellar, so long as they focus on what makes the start sound so good.

ATH Free Week Guide

So it’s that time of year again in Austin when all us music nerds get our geek on with a slew of free shows going on.  Thats right folks, it’s free week in Austin!  Now we know that the free shows really began this past weekend, but ATH was nursing a minor hangover from New Years so we missed out on those shows.  We would however like to share our picks for the best show each night of the week going through the upcoming weekend.  Obviously options abound for shows and choosing just ONE show for each night was a tough chore for us.  We just figured that you could see ALL your options on most other sites in town.  We’d recommend Show List Austin or Do512 for all expansive show lists.  Follow the jump for our nightly recommendations.

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