This is fine.
This past Saturday we were lucky, as were many of our fellow Austinites, to catch Broken Social Scene in the act. The band played for nearly three hours, despite Kevin Drew’s illness, which forced him to cancel their show in Dallas on the previous evening. Here are some solid pictures from the show for you to relive those special moments, or to pretend you were there. You can also read our interviews with Charles Spearin and Brendan Canning.
Atlanta boys Manchester Orchestra just posted a free new song on their website. The new tune is called “Ive Got Friends” and is set to appear on the band’s new album Mean Everything to Nothing out April 21st.
Download: Manchester Orchestra – I’ve Got Friends [MP3]
This week we bring you a tune you’ve all probably heard, at least for those of you who are fans of Wes Anderson. Or maybe you just like to go through Rod Stewart‘s entire catalog. Regardless, this is a pure gem. And, to top it all off, Austin is now home to one of The Faces founding members, Ian McLagan, who now fronts The Bump Band. Cheers.
Rating: 
Some of the simplest music occasionally connects with you on the most personal level, and this probably is just one of those times. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have released one of the most personal albums of the year, and yet there is no explanation. From start to finish, the album wins you over, time and time again.
Minute one is full of the jangly guitar pop that leapt all over the indie landscape throughout the late 80s and into the 90s. Surrounded in layers of reverb and feedback, it chugs along, claiming that “you never were a contender.” Lyrically, it is one of the most simple ideas put to paper, but you can carry that any which way you like; it never takes away from the magnificence of the music.
At times, you can clearly see the influence of bands like My Bloody Valentine, as the band use various effects to coat their sound in a darker spectrum, but at the heart of it all is a clear understanding of the craftsmanship in pop formulas. Suppose you cleared away all the atmospherics intentions of the band, just for a moment. You would find the most accessible pop song you’ve come across this year, but that’s what makes it so wonderful. This New York quartet didn’t take the easy way into your hearts, they took the road less traveled.
Vocalist Kip seems like the sort of guy you always wanted to hang out with when you walked through your campus. He wasn’t pretentious, not even in his writing, as he was assuredly an English major. Still, every time you saw him cross your path, you knew he had something to him; you knew he could take over the world. Here, his voice is warm and entirely unassuming. The songs he crafts are all the things you wish you could’ve written, and he’ll gladly share them with you.
One of the more intriguing elements here is that the bobbing bass work is precisely what this record needs to move along. It’s got a certain bounce to it that makes you want to continually move your feet. It’s club music for those that just don’t have the need to go to the club every single night of the week. Toss that in with the simple, yet exact, drum work, and you have a rhythm section that can really claim to be the backbone of this band. See “Teenager in Love” for the perfect example of the strength of the rhythm section.
Vocal interplay across the album is perfectly fitting, coddling every little harmony. There is nothing modern about this record, other than the fact that it came out in modern times. It could fit in alongside the best albums of the Cure or even the Go-Betweens, yet it stands on it’s own two feet. Each turn brings you a new melody, a new angle with which to approach the songs. You don’t want to put it down, as you are sure that there has to be more to what lies beneath the album.
But, greatness aside, there is a drawback to the album. You want to keep listening to it over and over again. You want to play it on your walks, in your house, in your car on a sunny day. That can be a bit much, and since the sound is a bit repetitive at points, you might find yourself worn out on the album in a short time frame. Rest assured, you’ll be back soon to keep listening to this album time and time again
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/07-everything-with-you.mp3]Download: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Everything With You [MP3]
We’ve always been fans of Los Campesinos!, but we honestly weren’t sure what to expect in a live show from a 7 piece indie band comprised of members all in their early twenties. Throw out those preconceptions if they’re keeping you from seeing the band, because they brought the house down at The Parish on Friday night. In a time when most indie or indie “pop” bands can be boring and uninspired, Los Campesinos! brought a raw energy, musicianship and stage presence far more mature than their years would suggest. The band was a non stop bundle of energy jumping on and off stage while telling jokes in between songs. Despite the sometimes spastic tendencies of their music, the songs were beautifully done and created some small mosh pits towards the front of the crowd. Make a point to check these guys out the next time they come to your town and don’t forget your dancin’ shoes. Follow the jump to see some fancy live photos from the show.
Famous Centro-matic front man Will Johnson is making another solo stop in Austin at the Mohawk on Thursday night. Tickets for the show can be bought now for $8. Music is set to start around 10pm with a set by Cory Branan followed by The Monahans. If you want to get an idea of what goes on in Will’s head, check out a recent interview we posted with him during Fun Fun Fun Fest.
Download: Centro-matic – Flashed and Cables [MP3]
Waterloo Records is getting back in the game with an in-store by Ben Kweller today. As always, things will get started around 5pm and free keg beer will be provided if you make it out early. Mr. Kweller is currently emabarking on a massive tour in support of his new country sounding album Changing Horses which we just reviewed today.
Ever since Ben Kweller flopped down upon the floor of stages to play his keyboard many years ago, we were all instantly hooked. His uncanny knack for creating simple pop tunes had long been known, but at such an early point in his career it was hard not to be flabbergasted by the young lad. Now, two albums later, can he still win us all over with Changing Horses?
His first release brought us a slew of pop tunes that seemed to be centered around creative tunes written strictly on his piano, but then he brought out the rock with his release of On My Way. If anything, Ben Kweller couldn’t be pigeonholed for a staple sound, and this album is just another example of his musical maneuvering. We find Ben channeling his inner country soul throughout the entirety of his newest release.
Sure, it’s nice to see a singer-songwriter push forward into new ground, and we all saw this coming with the release of his latest EP. Still, the twang of the slide guitar seems to be a step to far in a different direction from Ben. It comes off entirely forced, as if Ben wasn’t really pushing to break new ground so much as he was trying his best not to fall into old patterns. He had tried it the ways he knew best, so why not go in an entirely Texas direction?
For one thing, the clever sensibility that he always maintained seems to be a bit far off on each of these songs. “Gypsy Rose” sounds too much as if he wanted to go down the path of the forefathers of folk music, resting on gentle guitar plucking. You can juxtapose that with “Sawdust Man,” which may share similarities to Dr. Dog, but comes off more in the vein of a teenager trying to write the score to his latest homemade Western movie.
Now, the one thing that always remains true for Ben is his ability to keep you interested by holding onto his voice. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t have a soft spot for some of his better traits, namely this spectacular voice. The way he can manipulate his inflection mid-melody is definitely something you could use to pass the time. However, sometimes it just doesn’t seem to fit the country-mold of the album as a whole.
You’ll find a few gems lying beneath the covers here, such as “Ballad of Wendy Baker,” which comes across like a more subdued version of some of his earlier releases. Here he lays his voice on the line, backed by appropriate guitar strumming and simple string instrumentation. It’s one of the shining moments. “Things I Like to Do” is very simplistic in its lyrical content, but that is precisely where Ben has always succeeded. He’s never been one to get to deep with the discussion in his lyrics, and simple suits him just fine. It just might not be enough for most fans. Even “On Her Own,” which seems to channel a little Pete Yorn vocal has some fine elements worthy of repeated listening; it just seems like these moments come few and far between.
Ben Kweller has always supplied us with hit after hit, creating seamless albums you could play all the way through. Changing Horses, in the title alone, demonstrates a move in a different direction, as he can no longer ride the same one-trick pony to stardom. Sadly, this might not be a winning horse either.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/05-ballad-of-wendy-baker.mp3]Download: Ben Kweller – Ballad of Wendy Baker [MP3]
Prior to Broken Social Scene taking the stage at Bass Concert Hall we were able to grab a few minutes with Brendan Canning and Charles Spearin. They talk about the current state of the band, their most recent tour, and details about their solo albums. Thanks to Robin and Brendan for all of the arrangements and preparations.
Read the Brendan Canning Interview
Read the Charles Spearin Interview
We love everything that we’ve heard from Violens up to this point. At times, they can cover their pop sensibility in reverb, or, as in the attached song, they can clean it all out to reveal everything beautiful about their sound. Here’s to more great tunes from yet another promising band from New York. You can listen to more songs at their Myspace Page, or buy their first EP.
Download: Violens – Doomed [MP3]
