This is fine.
One of our favorite artists from last year, Horse Feathers, just did a Tiny Desk session for the fine folks at NPR music. The session features 3 live songs including one of our favorites from last year “Curs in the Weeds”. Check out the full session now. Here’s that beautiful song from last year again.
Download: Horse Feathers – Curs In The Weeds [MP3]
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Local Austinite Andrew Kenny made waves long ago as the leader of American Analog Set; he returns to Austin after a lengthy absence with a new band in tow, The Wooden Birds. While you immediately recall his vocal styling, the music definitely takes a different approach on the band’s first proper album, Magnolia.
Musically, this album comes directly at you. There are no waves of distortion or ambient sounds; this is an album comprised very simply of guitar, vocals and percussion. Kenny’s gentle guitar plucking will bring to mind some comparisons to Iron and Wine, though Andrew’s been at it longer, so we should give him credit there (not that it’s a competition).
While the approach may be very simple in it’s delivery, you can tell that in the writing process Andrew spent a great amount of time fleshing out the melodies that would accompany the softness of the music he composed. His voice, at times, seems oddly similar to that of Ben Gibbard, especially when he takes on that bedroom-quiet whisper.
Oddly, a lot of the songs do seem to play off the same set of standards, with only the slightest of variations. For instance, “Quit You Once” and “Never Know” open in precisely the same way, which also appears to happen with “Hailey” and “Hometown Fantasy.” Despite the lack of change in much of the album, you still take interest in how the songs develop individually; this is all due to the abilities of Andrew as a songwriter.
From start to finish the album is carefully and quietly written. It’s the type of album that draws you in with its approach to the craft of the song, and such talent allows listeners to look beyond the similarities that might otherwise render the album dull and boring. Luckily, Mr. Kenny has been at this long enough to know precisely how to rise above such issues, and his success is just another reason why he is regarded with such respect among the musical elite (as you could witness by his recent performance with Broken Social Scene at Bass Concert Hall). Sure, the quietude of this album may not be your precise cup of tea, but it’s great to have one of our local boys back composing such softly wonderful music.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/04-hailey.mp3]Download: The Wooden Birds – Hailey [MP3]
One of our favorite Canadian acts, The Dears, are stopping into town next week at The Parish. We’ve been pretty excited about this show for a while now and we were even more excited when leading man Murray Lightburn took some time to answer a few of our pressing questions. We talk to Murray about all sorts of interesting topics. Follow the jump to read our full interview.
My Old Kentucky blog continues to pump out some really great session as part of their Laundromatinee series with a set from Canadians Great Lake Swimmers. The in-studio features video and MP3s from 4 new and old songs from the band. Check it out now. We’ve also got an awesome live version of “Rocky Spine” from the session.
Download: Great Lake Swimmers – Your Rocky Spine (live) [MP3]
Nashville based rock band The Features have a new album coming out soon and have a couple songs available for you to check out. We’ve got a song called “The Drawing Board” available for you below and song “GFM” can be downloaded from the band’s wesbite. Some Kind of Salvation is in stores June 9th or can be bought from the Features online store now.
Download: The Features – Drawing Board [MP3]
It seems Slumberland can’t really go wrong with their picks of bands to support, and our friend GVSB has found yet another band on the small label worthy of our interest. Sweden’s Liechtenstein recall a lot of that all girl aesthetic encouraged by bands like Vivian Girls. Here is a new track for you to enjoy. The band will be releasing their album Survival Strategies in a Modern World on May 26th.
Download: Liechtenstein – Roses in the Park [MP3]
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Bricolage released their self-titled album earlier this year in the UK, but little fanfare made its way over to the United States, aside from a little bit of bubbling press; rest assured that Bricolage is an up-and coming act that will surely win you over upon your very first listen. And let’s not all act surprised that this is yet another solid band hailing from Glasgow.
Here you find a band that is ready to make guitar music you can dance to, and they do it in the most straightforward fashion that you have to be enamored by everything that they do. The second track, “Flowers of Deceit” brings to mind the boot-stomping moments from early Franz Ferdinand records, but in a much less post-punk sort of way. Guitars are a little bit warmer, as if each chord is struck with a little bit less anger/more affection.
Something sunny this way comes. “Footsteps” is just another track that exemplifies the swinging emotion of the band. Layered guitars and precision drumming bring to mind the poppier moments of bands such as The Lodger or Mystery Jets. All these bands use warm vocals to counter the angular guitars; you can’t help but roll down the window and let the music carry you down the road.
Let’s not think that this band is nothing but a modern dance troupe as they have the ability to carry a classic pop ballad along the way, such as “Plots are for Cemeteries,” which seems to use a bit of tropicalia in the overall crooning aesthetic. “Sleepwalk to Me” is similar in that it slowly maneuvers along, progressing without ever really picking up the pace. Even in the slow moments the band can catch your attention.
“Turn U Over” is an obvious single, instantly ready for your best dance party, at this late moment in the album, it makes you look back at the album as a whole; the album is full of great moments and great songs from start to finish. The latter half of the album packs as much punch as the first part of this album, and the only thing that detracts from this entire collection of songs is that you might find that the band walk the same line for much of the album, but using multiple vocalists allows enough strength to each song that you never get the feeling that the band is retracing their steps. Bricolage is just another reason we should all move to Glasgow.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/02-flowers-of-deceit.mp3]Download: Bricolage – Flowers of Deceit [MP3]
Elvis Perkins will be bringing his brand new band Deerland to The Parish on Monday for what should be a nice evening of music. Mr. Perkins will be joined on the stage by Oklahomans Other Lives. Doors for this show are at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now for the low low price of $14. Here’s latest single from Elvis Perkins in Deerland “Shampoo”.
Download: Elvis Perkins in Deerland – Shampoo [MP3]
Alt-country/punk band Lucero are making a stop in Austin at Emo’s on Friday night. Lucky for all concert goers, longtime ATH favorite Black Joe Lewis will be providing your opening entertainment for the evening. Head out at 9pm for doors and 10pm for music. Tickets are available now for $12.
Download: Lucero – I Can Get Us Out of Here [MP3]
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Conor Oberst has long been able to manage his own evolution as a songwriter. Since he was a young lad in his hometown of Omaha he has asked for little help outside of Mike Mogis and Andy Lemaster; on Outer South he gives up a fair amount of the writing to various members of his Mystic Valley Band. Unfortunately, this group of mystics just doesn’t come across nearly as convincing as anything previously released under Conor’s name.
A noticeable difference here is that the acoustic guitar and orchestration that usually accompanies an Oberst outing, even on last year’s self titled album, has always played a significant role in the presentation of song. Even the spectacular work of Mogis always seemed to raise the guitar to the heavens for all to listen; this round, the full-on band approach that began to evolve on Conor Oberst has fully taken root.
The side effect, not only of allowing others to take part in the songwriting, but the encouragement of the full band sound, aside from the mostly acoustic “Ten Women” or “White Shoes,” makes much of the record seem somewhat disjointed. The album seems to waver between various songwriters, and the effect makes it difficult to grasp the album as a whole entity.
The good news aside from the lack of cohesiveness is that there are some bright moments on the album that solidify the progress that Conor has made as a musician. Many a detractor always commented on the warble that existed in his early recordings, especially when you look at Fevers and Mirrors, but that unstable vocal has long since disappeared, making way for a more mature vocal. His songs benefit from this; “White Shoes,” for example, is probably one of the better songs he has written (furthered by the fact that it seems to be mostly him on guitar).
Perhaps this sort of evolution is completely acceptable, and in fact, it should really be encouraged. No one wants to listen to the same record being recorded time and time again, so you have to give it to the man for going out into new territory, but in doing so he is bound to alienate various listeners, perhaps even his most diehard fans. The error with the album, though there are bright spots, is that he has lost his intimacy throughout the recording of this album. Where he once seemed to speak to you in your bedroom through your speakers, he now shouts at you as the lead speaker for a group of musicians. Let’s forgive him for now, and hope the intimacy returns.
Outer South is out now on Merge Records.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/09-white-shoes.mp3]Download: Conor Oberst – White Shoes [MP3]
