Stream (and buy) the New LP from the Ocean Party

11856249_10153084418697263_15473172251284196_oUntil earlier this year, we’d kept out ATH Records label rocking the Texas scene, but I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to step out and take on the Ocean Party for their US release. Front to back, Light Weight is a remarkable listening, showing the maturity and the pop sensibility the band has long been honing in Australia. If things go the right way, this should be one of those records your friends will tell you you should have grabbed before it went out of print. To see where I am right, stream the entirety of the LP below. If you’re in love like I am, you can grab it HERE or HERE; it should arrive and ship out this week

Brand New ATH Records Single: The Ocean Party

11856249_10153084418697263_15473172251284196_oI’ve stayed relatively close to home with our ATH Records label, but as I’ve previously mentioned, I’m rather ecstatic to be releasing the newest album from Australia’s the Ocean Party, along with Spunk Records. Their latest single is precisely the reason I agreed to get involved with the act; it has this bubbling post-punk bass line, then swings into this luscious bit of angular guitar pop. It’s short, sweet and finds its way straight to your soul.  They’ve titled the new record, Light Weight, and it’s US release date is currently being pushed to January.

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ATH Premiere: Grape St. Ready New Album

IMG_1455You know we love our boys in Grape St, and we’re excited to share a brand new tune from their fresh new album, Wallpaper.  This latest single displays Curtis’ further progression in songwriting, moving further away from his old group Harlem and into territory dominated by an incredible knack for pop sensibility. It seems like every song on this new record is built for a huge sing-a-long with your friends…but with a little style and flare.  You’ll be able to grab the new record from Burger Records this October; it might just be his best work to date…and be sure to catch the band’s first LP A Date with You, HERE.

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ATH Records to Work with The Ocean Party

oceanpartyUp until now, I’ve stuck mostly close to home for releasing records via ATH Records, and I’ve been really proud of that.  But, every once in a while, you have to step outside your comfort box and do something big.  So, I’ve decided to work with Spunk Records and the Aussie outfit, The Ocean Party.  They’ve already got a couple of great releases to their name, which we’ve covered on our site, so I’m really happy to be part of this new effort, Light Weight. The album will be out in October, but for now, you can grab a download of their excellent first single below.

Check HERE for updates and other ATH Records releases like Rose Sélavy/Templo X and the Lochness Mobsters (both out this week).

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ATH Records to Release Split with Rose Selavy and Templo X

U_70027M_FO_PROOF-2In case you weren’t following us on twitter on Friday, or you don’t troll me like my mother does, then you might not have been aware that ATH Records is putting out a brand new 7″ with our friends Rose Selavy and Templo X…two mostly Austin bands (save Paul from Templo who currently resides in Philly).  I’ve oft complained about the lack of a solid indiepop scene here, and if any bands are going to help make that better, it’s these two acts.  RS offers the more modern take with bubbling bass and warm vocals, while TX turns in a good classic jangling vibe for you.  The 7″ is pressed on green vinyl and limited to 350.  You can pick up your very own copy by ordering it HERE.

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Literature – Chorus

litRating: ★★★★☆

Back in 2012, Literature should have made your radar with Arab Spring, their debut LP that ATH Records helped put out. If somehow you managed to miss that gem of a first record, not to worry, the four gents are back to give you another opportunity to fall in love with their jangly guitar centric rock music. One listen and you’ll be devoid of excuses not to be smitten with Chorus and this band.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, I’m going to liken this album to those instances in your life, or in the movies when everything around slows for a second in a moment of golden enlightenment. For the twenty-nine minutes that Chorus lasts you are swept away in a fury of glittering and shimmering tunes. Each song has a pearlescent quality to it—the guitar licks ripple and glide with each other in endless loops while the percussion is like the foam on the edge of the waves of synth as they crash in. The album on a whole has the golden vibe, but there are also some extra special standouts that will have you instantly wanting to replay them over again.

A few of these songs that have got me especially hooked are back-to-back middle of the album stunners “Court/Date” and “New Jacket.” The first of these two songs starts with an infectious guitar riff that peels right through the center stage, then you have Nathan Cardaci’s voice that comes in deep and rich, but gets pushed to its peak as his voice weaves in and out of the instrumentation. The drums never stop, constantly simmering and then breaking into this epic deep rolling builds during the choral hook. Before you know it you’re on to “New Jacket,” which is less power from the start and more of a tune that builds at its end. There are still the glitter guitars from the start and Cardaci’s breathy hazed vocals, but the guitars feel passive until the song grows and grows to the last minute of the track. Really, I had a hard time critiquing and describing these two tracks as they are so infectious that I would start to play them and have the phenomenon of getting lost jamming.

Thirty minutes comes and goes, but like the movie montages, it’s somehow the apt amount of time for everything to happen; Literature don’t overstay their golden moment. Despite the vast majority of the tracks bordering on spastically fast, the speed of this record works perfectly with the music they have created. Yes, the record is brief, catchy and straightforward, but frankly I feel like the music scene these days could use more records like this to get lost in.

ATH Records Cancer Benefit Sale

athrecordsWhen I started ATH Records with my friend Mike, we had two rules: 1) Put out records we love 2) Work with people we love.  We’ve stuck to that, in our opinion, but now the family of one of our bands, Young Girls, are going through a hard time.  Guitarist Pete Tijerina’s brother has been diagnosed with cancer, and the costs are definitely not easy to deal with. So, since we love those guys, and they’re part of our family too, we’re going to donate 50% of all sales on ATH Records to support the Tijerina family at this time; we’ll be running this benefit for the next 3 weeks.  You can buy the Young Girls EP, Literature LP or Grape St. LP, and help support their family.  Listen to all the releases HERE and pick up one or more copies HERE.  Thanks for helping us help our family.

You can also donate directly to the family HERE.

ATH Take Away: Young Girls – “Caroline”

Youg Girls Caroline Take AwayOh Young Girls.  When you’ve got the hits, you’ve got the hits. We’re excited to put out the Young Girls EP, but even a stripped out acoustic set with the band sounds pretty incredible.  We grabbed the boys during a freezing night, dragged them to Comal Park in East Austin, and filmed the group up against the mural in the alley.  Personally, I’m loving the way the shadows tower over the band, just as much as I like the prevalent hook of “Caroline.” It’s the first of four songs on their latest EP, which is hitting stores at the end of February; you can pre-order HERE. Thanks to Axios Studios and Raul Rivera for all their diligence in the whole process of scouting locations, editing and, of course, the great film work.  Dudes deserve to be huge.

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ATH Records + Young Girls EP: Here’s the First Single

1462910_624894084215760_804735105_nWhen I first decided to start our ATH Records label, my goal was to put out records by bands I loved. It wasn’t to make money; it was to offer up money so bands I cared about would have a way to release their music.  And, I’ve made no secret that one of the acts I really care about is Houston’s Young Girls, so we’re putting out their self-titled EP, featuring four rad new tracks.  Today we’re putting up this new song in hopes that you fall in love with the band, just as we did. Pre-orders will be up shortly, and the record is estimated to hit the streets in late January.  They’re one of my favorite bands, and I’m pretty sure you’ll feel the same after listening to the A-side, “Caroline.”

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Download: Young Girls – Caroline [MP3]

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