This is fine.
So in case you didn’t hear, Austin Town Hall put on a little SXSW showcase last weekend. We had 5 bands handpicked based on how much we like them and how much we wanted to hear them play live together. All in all, the show turned off without a hitch and even ended on time for everyone to get their shit together and still get a beer afterward or make it to Auditorium Shores. Follow the jump for a brief review of our bands and see some fancy photos.
We here at ATH started getting a little jealous of everyone having fun with this day party thing during SXSW week, so we thought it was time to join in the fun. The shindig we’ve put together will be going down at Victory Grill on March 21st from 3pm-8pm and is completely free. Our lineup should spark your interest and make you want to leave all those other free day parties behind. You won’t even have to leave the kids at home since all ages are welcome at the show! I’d recommend getting to the venue early as space is limited. If you’ve got a little free time, be sure to Like our event on Do512 and check out their sweet SXSW coverage while you’re there. We almost forgot a map to the venue for you out of towners! Follow the jump for more details and links to all participating bands.
So when we thought making an albums of the year post was hard, this one proved to be even harder. How do you take literally thousands of songs and narrow it down to the best 40 of the year? Not too sure how to answer that question, but we tried. Each of these songs scream 2008 in our ears. As evident by this list, the year in music was quite a good one and we had some tough choices to make. We’ve got some of the songs streaming for you or links to the song on youtube. Follow the jump to see if your favorite tune of the year made the list.
The year of 2008 is winding to a close, so it’s only appropriate that we wrap it up with our year-end albums list. We don’t expect many to necessarily agree with our list, but we worked really hard to make sure we had what we thought were the best thirty albums of the year. These are the records that spun over and over again in our heads and stereos, so this list is dedicated to their longevity in 2008. We’ve conveniently broken it down into two segments, with albums 30-16 after the jump. Read more
ATH photographer Jonathon Edwards took some fancy pictures this past weekend at Fun Fun Fun Fest, and we tried to compile a few photos of each of our favorite acts. If you like what you see, say hello to Jonathon on Myspace. Follow the jump to check out all the hot shots.
During our triple the fun weekend at Fun fest, ATH had the good fortune of speaking with Nick Thorburn and Patrice Agbokou of the Montreal based band Islands. Nick and Patrice offer insight into a few various topics about Canada, music and some secret new side projects. Follow the jump to read our entire interview.
We here at ATH are getting really pumped about this weekend’s Fun Fun Fun Festival. But, as we all know, it’s difficult to figure out who to see when there are so many bands playing. You have time conflicts, you don’t know who some of the bands are and you wonder who will put on the best show? Well, our Friday Top 5 is a compilation of bands that ATH is excited to see. Hopefully this helps you make some decisions before you head out to the festival. We’ve also got some MP3s you can stream for each band in the list, so fire up the ATH Radio and enjoy.
Oklahoma boys Colourmusic will be playing a free instore at Waterloo Records this Thursday afternoon at 5pm. I guess you could call this a teaser for the band’s full blown set at Fun Fest this weekend. It’s also probably well known that we enjoy this band’s music and never miss their shows. The free beer Waterloo provides should make the decision to head out even easier.
Colourmusic – F, Monday, Orange, February, Venus, Lunatic, 1 Or 13
Rating: 
Oklahoma’s Colourmusic won me over long ago with their fantastic live shows, something I mentioned in the past, and now we are here to see if their debut album lives up to the hype of one of the most exciting bands around.
They open the album with “Motherfather,” a light tune that evokes some of the band’s British influences. And you can add to that joy a brief bass solo. It’s a clear statement from the beginning that Colourmusic will be a difficult band to define.
Immediately afterwards they push forward with the grittier “Put in A Little Gas.” The song is fueled by the distorted guitars, juxtaposed with the playful chorus–or is that a verse? This song is sure to be the staple of the band’s live show, as the repetitive lyrics make it difficult for any crowd participant to ignore.
This act keep the pressure on with the continually upbeat “Gospel Song.” It’s the indie world’s response to call and response choir work, with a sexual undertone that may or may not be intentional. Clearly this is a song that makes you want to throw your hands up and stomp around the floor of your room until the floorboards are nothing but dust.
I’m tempted to say that “Spring Song” has a little too much kitsch. There is a line of playfulness that the band can cross at times, and this is one of those times. Still, there is an attractive quality to the song that makes this song enjoyable. I wonder if, as they say, “everyone is singing my song.” It is catchy.
Enter “Circles.” It’s one of the band’s oldest songs, and it is one they’ve mastered to near perfection. The constant switching in time builds the momentum throughout the song, encouraging you to tag along with the band. Go far enough, and you’ll find yourself caught up in the chorus near the end of the circle, swinging yourself and your loved one “all around.”
“Someday Speaks Loudly” is something I can’t really describe. It begins with some atmospherics, then the ghastly vocals float carefully through the core of the song, as the drumming builds in the background, crashing quietly into the end of the song. Something is so familiar about this song. I can’t place it, but if you can, let me know.
Prepare yourself for “Yes.” This is easily one of the better songs on the album. Sure, it gets a touch redundant lyrically, but its one of the more powerful songs the album has to offer. Totally Belle and Sebastian playing metal songs.
“Rock and Roll Polar Bear” employs a similar tactic seen in this album. It is a song that builds, slows down, then builds. This is the key to Colourmusic and their intoxicating quality; they know precisely how to construct a song to evoke everything on their minds. I’m not sure there are other bands who can switch it up as quickly and convincingly.
Make sure you don’t skip “You Can Call Me by My Name.” I don’t have anything bad to say about this song. Each moment in this song seems to fit exactly perfectly with the bands intentions; this is definitely one of those songs that people will beg for live. It’s a solid song.
When I listen to “Fall Song,” I find it hard not to escape the Simon and Garfunkel reference points. It’s either the gentle vocal quality that goes throughout or the effortless guitar work that evokes that idea. This has to be a S & G cover song. It has to be.
“Winter Song” is the best song on this album, and one of the best songs you will hear this year. Honestly, it might not jump out at you immediately, but sometimes the simplest songs allow you to get carried away in your own mind, and in this case, you can go far. Come on, “lets fall in love,” with Colourmusic.
The last two songs, “Try” and “Moolah” are a fitting end to the album. They offer a glimpse of everywhere this band has gone on the album, and hint at possible planets they can visit in the near future. As the album draws to a close, you realize that each song fits in to the album as whole. It’s as if Colourmusic took their time to craft a great album–imagine that. Everyone can find something in this album, and odds are, if you listen carefully you’ll find some special moments that you can hold close to your heart. Let’s thank these guys for that.
Oh, and don’t forget to check them out at this years Fun Fun Fun Fest.
And as an ATH exclusive, we have a new track for you to sample:
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/02-put-in-a-little-gas1.mp3]Download: Colourmusic – Put in a Little Gas [MP3]
