Jason Collett – Rat a Tat Tat

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Many people will recognize the name Jason Collett for his involvement in Broken Social Scene, but this is not his first foray into solo work. Rat a Tat Tat is Collett’s fourth official album, and it has all the trademarks of his previous work, while also stepping forward into a bit of playfulness that wasn’t present on earlier recordings.

Opening this album, you find Jason dealing with relationships in his own way.  “Rave On Sad Songs” reveals his prowess as a songwriter of heartfelt tunes, something probably not accredited to his role in BSS. It’s a soft spoken song relying upon soft piano and very gentle guitar strums, which allow his distinctive vocals to tug at your heart.

Such mellow numbers were commonly featured in his last few releases, especially Idols of Exile, but as you move into tracks like “Love is a Dirty Word,” you find that Collett has gotten a little bit more lively.  As the bass line seems to shake your body, Collett delivers his idea that love is not quite all its cracked up to be.  Bouncing rhythms haven’t always been his forte, but he pulls it off here, showing that he’s got room to grow as a songwriter.  The idea that Jason is out to goof around a bit with his audience is only made stronger when you listen to “Bitch City,” which has a vocal performance reminiscent of Devandra Banhart, not to mention the subject matter.  Oddly, that same vocal effect shows up once again at the end of the album “Vanderpool Vanderpool,”  something that wasn’t noticeable on his earlier releases.

On his last record, Here’s to Being Here, we saw him exhibit a little bit of straightforward polished pop.  He still brings those lighthearted moments to this album, on songs like “Cold Blue Halo.”  There’s a fuzzed out keyboard groove that opens the number illustrating his widening set of tools, some provided by his longtime backing band, Zeus.  All that being said, the tune has a bit of foot shuffling feel to it, something sure to win out in the live setting. All playfulness aside, Collett still has the ability to write quiet numbers that find their way into your regular listening rotation on iTunes. “Long May You Love” and “Winnipeg Winds” are two songs that illustrate this point perfectly, as both have the steady stroll of acoustic pop moments attached. “Winnipeg Winds” creates an effective wind motif with the howling vocal backing that haunts the song when Jason is not at the helm.  One can assume he’s added these quiet moments to the record in hopes of keeping a perfect balance, and he succeeds in accomplishing that feat.

Focus at this time is surely on the upcoming BSS release, but aside from that project, it’s clear that Jason Collett has his own style and his own agenda to push.  Rat a Tat Tat is just another record that demonstrates what a strong songwriter he is, proving that he grows stronger as his music evolves.  Sure, it’s a lot more fun than previous works, but by making that change, Jason balances out this record, giving himself more options to write great songs in the future.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/jasoncollett-loveisadirtyword.mp3]

Download: Jason Collett – Love is a Dirty Word [MP3]

jj – n° 3

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Rating: ★★½☆☆

If you know anything about jj, please tell me. The amount of information is limited, but is slowly emerging. We know they’re Swedish girls, so that’s a start. (pro-tip: That Google Image Search is NSFW, which I suppose is a good omen) Maybe this stereotype is exactly the reason for the group to withhold their identities, but I digress. The illusive Swedes now follow up their critical acclaimed previous release n° 2 and debut single n° 1, and while continuing their trend of numeric releases, n° 3 lacks the mystery and intrigue of the former. I wonder how long it took the group to name their newest release. However, this secrecy can only take you so far before your followers grow tired of this cat and mouse game. Prior to this release, jj had emerged from complete obscurity and seemed to thrive with their lack of human qualities. Only recently, did we finally catch a glimpse of the band in their first music video for Let Go. The video is beautifully shot, although it seems to be meaningless other than art for art’s sake.

Don’t bother looking for their MySpace, or a website for that matter. In addition, what resembles a website of Sincerely Yours, the Gothenburg-based recording label, is as basic as basic gets, with little to no information. (You can however buy a bullet-proof vest) In a world where the prospective seller has to go to the buyer, jj has the music blogs to thank. They obviously revel in their anonymity and seemingly don’t concern themselves with any sort of fame (state-side at least), which is refreshing in an annoying sort of way. On the other hand, it almost seems overconfident that the group can rely on their music to speak for itself, especially as I don’t think their music speaks very loudly. It’s the mystery following the band leading to this wave of popularity. I sense that the group rushed to release their second full length quickly following their debut, to not fall into obscurity in our rapidly evolving musical climate. To me, there’s not much substance to hold my interest following one spin of the record, and a forced second spin.

Their debut took many blogs and listeners by surprise when it showed up very high in best of lists last year, but paint me as ignorant or biased, but I’ll stick to the Icelandic pop; which seems to carry with it so much more weight and depth. It’s a very short sophomore release coming in at just over 27 minutes, similar to n° 2, whose 9 tracks spanned roughly the same length. The tone of n° 3 is distinctive from their last, where the previous was a summer anthem; this is a winter lover’s theme music, conjuring images of Swedish chalet roofs draped in ice and snow.

The constants are there, with dream pop and synthesizers as the overwhelming attribute. The group displays more dissonance, especially within the opening track My Life. It’s soft and airy much like the previous release, but is more distant and less touching. Let Go, with its distant harmonica is really the only highlight for me on a record with virtually every other track sounding remarkably similar. From their previous release, they have retreated from the drum driven rhythms to the more ambient and guitar lead melodies. The only exception is shown with the tribal percussion of Into the Light that reminds me of the title track to Ferngully.

When the denouement of the final track No Escapin’ This hits, I for one am glad that it’s just a song title., but maybe that is unnecessarily mean.  It’s not that I completely dislike it, the release holds some intriguing melodies which float in similar patterns to n° 2; however, it has lost its gleam. For you Austinites who gush over Pitchfork reviews, you’ll be happy to see jj on the schedule for SXSW. Here, you can catch the group in its physical form and here’s hoping they put on a good live show. Somehow, I think they’ll disappoint. They are also currently on tour with fellow buzz artists the xx. It’s no doubt that they’ll gather together at some point during the tour to discuss their loathing of capitalized letters.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/03-let-go.mp3]

Download: JJ – Let Go [MP3]

SXSW Watchlist: Bowerbirds

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Bowerbirds are a band we have given tons of love to over here at ATH, so you shouldn’t be surprised to see their name pop up when we talk about bands we want to see during SXSW.  These guys have been doing their thing musically now for close to 4 years, all the while touring the country from coast to coast.  Their sounds fall into the indie-folk category with plucked acoustic guitars, vocal harmonies, and a less is more approach to music.  Also as stated previously, we’ve seen Bowerbirds twice in Austin over the last year or so and we’ll be waiting in line to see them again.  Leading up to SXSW, we had the chance to shoot some interview questions over to leading man Phil Moore.  Follow the jump for some SXSW oriented questions with Phil.

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New Music From Hacienda

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While you may not be familiar with our San Antonio friends Hacienda, you are probably familiar with Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach.  What does Auerbach have to do with Hacienda?  Well a few years ago, Auerbach got his hands on a Hacienda demo, liked what he heard, and subsequently helped the band record their 2008 debut Loud is the Night.  Now in 2010, the guys plan on releasing their sophomore effort Big Red and Barbocoa on April 6th via Alive Records.  Check out new single “I Keep Waiting” below as you await their upcoming LP.  You’ll probably notice right off the bat why Auerbach picked up on these guys.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/HACIENDA.IKeepWaiting.mp3]

Download: Hacienda – I Keep Waiting [MP3]

New ATH Sponsor: Ear Peace

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As we lead up to our showcase during SXSW week, we wanted to give a quick shoutout to Ear Peace who have graciously jumped on board to help sponsor the show.  Ear Peace is a new start up company that plans to re-define the way you protect your hearing during live shows.  These ear plugs are what we call “top of the line” and actually allow you to hear the music while still protecting your ears.  I think we all know that’s important during SXSW.  Ear Peace will be around the showcase handing out some free samples along with premium carrying cases to all attendees.  You can read more about this new company on their website or follow them on their twitter page.  Expect these guys to be a household name after SXSW.  Stay tuned, as more free stuff for the showcase is soon to be announced.

The Morning Benders – Big Echo

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Rating: ★★★½☆

California’s The Morning Benders (though they claim NYC now) have been flying under the indie radar until recently.  They’ve put out multiple releases, but the hype seems to have finally brought the band to the forefront with Big Echo.  A lot of this will be due to the production credits being given to Grizzly Bear‘s Chris Taylor.  While you can definitely feel the touches of Taylor, especially in guitar and bass sounds, The Morning Benders seem to have grown into their own sound.

Remember how Phoenix opened up Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix with its two best tracks?  Well, The Morning Benders seem to be applying that strategy to this album, and these opening numbers are blissful moments you won’t soon forget.  “Excuses” begins the album with a little bit of tinkering on the piano while some beach guitar washes over the song like waves.  All this arrives prior to the sweeping vocals being introduced along with the atypical percussion (not necessarily drums, but still percussion).  Mid-song, they seem to do a bit of meandering, but once again, the band kicks in at the 3 minute mark with that percussion and creative bliss.  They’ll follow this up with “Promises,” one of the songs that definitely resembles the work of the producer.  That bass and guitar sound definitely hit at the heart of Grizzly Bear, but The Morning Benders make it their own by coating the tune in a wash of pop.  Also, the vocals are not as pristine as Droste’s, which actually make a more compelling statement of musical prowess.

If you were to find a detractor to this collection of songs, you’ll find that it hits really hard up front, offering two brilliant songs, but then it kind of takes a step back.  Instead of pushing forward with their California avant-indie pop moments, they recline.  They trade the vibrant noises they began the album with for a set of bedroom moments, such as “Bedroom Sighs.” It’s an aptly named song, as you definitely feel as if the band has relaxed, wavering just a bit.  The end of the song does have sort of climactic moment near the end, but it just sort of loses the punch of the earlier moments of brilliance.  “Mason Jar” is similar, as the music is less movement oriented, choosing to push the focus on the vocal melody.  These aren’t necessarily bad moments by any means, it just lends the record to remaining a bit unbalanced.

However, “All Day Day Light” definitely kicks the album back into gear. You’ll find it as one of the more inspired moments on the latter half of the record, and it seems like the band could have employed a little bit different track-listing to balance out the power of tunes like this with the quieter moments.  All that being said, this number really shows you that the band is able to move beyond the producer.  It’s filled with energy, not to mention a little bit of sonic noise that shows The Morning Benders have a creative talent all their own.

And so Big Echo comes to a slow end with “Sleepin In,” another bedroom listen.  Although at times the record seems a bit unbalanced, it’s clear that The Morning Benders are more than just a masterwork of Chris Taylor.  They have a different spin on their own creation of pop, leaving the listener with a lot more bright moments.  Even the slow songs start to evolve on their own after repeated listens, so stay with this album, as you might have just found yourself a new favorite band to follow, and an collection of songs that will keep you occupied for weeks to come.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-Promises.mp3]

Download: The Morning Benders – Promises [MP3]

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks

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Rating: ★★★★½

Ted Leo has been around long enough to have amassed a great deal of influences and personal touches on his musical repertoire.  Throughout the years he’s tried hard to squeeze all those influences into one cohesive album, to varying results.  Finally, The Brutalist Bricks sees Ted meeting expectations, combining influences and flair to create one of his best records to date.

His voice opens the album on “The Mighty Sparrow” with his trademark yelp meets croon.  You’ll notice that ringing guitar in your ear just before the drums kick into the song.  But, like the perfect Ted song, he slows it down in the middle just before a solid drums solo.  It’s this kind of classic songwriting that makes his music seem so refreshing and enjoyable listen after listen.

Then the group kicks it up a notch with “Mourning in America.”  Here is the hard-hitting song that began to surface on Living with the Living, but instead of a non-stop barrage of fury, he tones it down around the 2 minute mark.  Somehow, the rockers on this album seem so much more refined, as if he found the perfect recipe for his creations.

You’ll find yourself already involved in the album by the time you reach the one-two punch that is “Ativan Eyes” and “Even Heroes Have to Die.”  It’s the way that he strikes the chords that grabs at you emotionally in “Ativan Eyes,” but the vocal performance near the end grabs you when he strains to push his notes a bit higher.  The latter number is one of the catchiest tunes Ted has written, yet you’ll find it hard to figure out precisely why this is such an incredible song.  It seems like any other song he’s done, until you hit that ridiculously poppy hook in the chorus.  Some might say that this is a radio-friendly song, but the way he mutes his picking just prior to the “ooooooh, oh well” moment that is the hook makes it distinctively Ted.

Even when you hit the seemingly highest point, a place where Leo has occasionally fallen off in the past, The Brutalist Bricks continues to deliver great moment after great moment.  “Bottled in Cork” begins with a riotous fury of guitar and commentary of the political sort, but he pulls back and throws in an acoustic moment talking about “the path of least resistance” that carries until the end.  He mixes it up further with “One Polaroid a Day,” which is sort of a groovy number fueled by his “chugga-chugga” guitar rocking out (there might even be some sort of harmonics in the background) prior to a mini-solo, then going back into the groove.

Be sure not to miss “Bartolomeo and the Buzzing of Bees.”  For me, a long time fan, this is probably one of my favorite tracks.  The throbbing bass lines provide the backbone, which gives Ted the freedom to maneuver his guitar back and forth throughout the song.  This time he seems to relish in some negative space, filling it with feedback, but his vocals feel so warm here, that you just have to fall in love with Ted all over again (if you ever stopped).

And then there is the swan song, “Last Days.”  It’s the perfect closing statement for The Brutalist Bricks. It encapsulates everything about this record, and about Ted Leo.  It’s got that twangy guitar sound that is all things Ted, but there are some eruptive blasts throughout, both vocally and musically.  It shows you that he finally found the formula that allows him to put the tenacity and vigor of his live shows into his music without going too far on record.  It makes for a perfect personal statement for Ted Leo and should push the band further into the hearts of listeners.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Ted-Leo-Even-Heroes-Have-to-Die.mp3]

Download: Ted Leo – Even Heroes Have to Die [MP3]

FT5: WTF? Songs I Found in my iTunes

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During 1989 I received my first CD player.  Since that day, I’ve collected music vigorously, but only recently has that seem to have gotten a little bit out of hand.  Some friends know I have stuff, so they want to borrow it, or they want a burned copy.  Other times, people want me to make a mix for some purpose or another, so I gladly oblige.  It recently hit me that there are some mysterious tunes lying around in my iTunes library that I really rather wish weren’t there, or that I am going to pretend like I downloaded for a friend and lay no claim to whatsoever.  Do you have those too? It can’t be just me.

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Your ATH SXSW Guide

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Ladies and Gentlemenz, we are again pleased to announce to you the 2010 Austin Town Hall SXSW guide.  It’s super fancy and comes with all the bells and whistles you can imagine.  Just like last year, you’ll see a day by day breakdown with the best 3-4 parties going on that day.  You’ll also find an awesome SXSW food guide and a breakdown of the artists playing our showcase on Thursday.  Not enough for ya?  Try plugging that page (http://sxsw.austintownhall.com) into your fancy lil’ iphone.  Now I know you like that.  We’re hoping this site will help you weed through all those parties you’ve been RSVPing to and stick to the ones really worth a damn.  Check out the new page now!  Please keep in mind that we’re going off the information we have as of right now.  More parties are sure to be announced (looking at you Fader Fort) as the week draws closer.  Also, don’t forget to RSVP to our showcase and check out the sweet ATH March music sampler.

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