Last Week’s Jams (2.20 – 2.24)

Even after taking off Monday, we managed to get tons of coverage out there. I was stoked to hear that new Cindy song that I had been promised late last year. RayRay started pushing some of our SXSW introductions out with Pendant and Orions Belte. A handful of Austin acts tossed out new tunes, so check in on Hallo, Space Tan and Transy Warhol…a few who will be playing our just announced ATH vs SOTO SXSW Party. Plus, I got a bonus add by getting an excuse to post a little Braid to this site, on top of including my favorite releases of the week for streaming purposes. Get at it below.

Get A Lil Rowdy with Dust

We are easing into the weekend over here in the ATH offices and we were hoping to maybe tear you away from that Gorillaz stream for a second to check out this new up and coming Australian band dust. For me, I am loving this new wave of alternative punk bands in the scene like Shame or Idles, but these Aussies seem to offer a bit more melody and ever so slight pop tendencies to makes things more upbeat and engaging. Their new single, “Ward 52” is a surefire way to kickstart one of our last free weekends before the madness hits. Stay strong.

Pre-orders are now live for the debut EP from dust entitled et cetera etc via Kanine Records.

Enjoy a New Single from Mini Trees

Sometimes it takes a long while to sort of wade through the waters of life, especially for drummers. But, Lexi Vega has made it through, stepped out from behind the drum kit and crafted this brilliant new EP under the name Mini Trees. Our first listen has this really soft tone throughout, but there’s enough of a natural hook that really draws you over. I’m personally taken aback by Vega’s performance, she sort of lets her voice ride up and down on the melody, while never trying to overdo things. I’ve got high expectations for the Steady Me EP, which will drop this May.

Infectious Pop Tune from The Golden Age of TV

We’re midway through our week here, and why not enjoy the spirited pop of The Golden Age of TV. The music’s vibe works in contrast to the song’s message of holding on to what’s passed, but even the happiest songs sometimes have a message we all need to hear. I think Bea Fletcher’s vocal performance is spot-on, especially as she stretches her voice to reach those higher notes. It seems like this Leeds-based project is just getting started, so expect to hear more from them in the near future…I promise I’ll help you out.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/316851906″ params=”color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Trippy Pop from Dream Joint

In my search for something a little different, I stumbled upon this new jam from Dream Joints, who will be releasing a 7″ with Bleeding Gold Records in the very near future. This track is the B-Side to that, filled with sampled percussion and an interesting wash of distortion fluttering in the background. The vocals are sunk deep into the heart of the song, with some added electronic textures thrown in to craft a deeper emotional appeal. Give it a listen and stay tuned for more from this project in the next few months!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/296891682″ params=”color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Austin Spotlight: I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness Return

I-Love-You-But-Ive-Chosen-DarknessIn the early 00s, Austin was alive, like most of the country, in the rehashing of 70s/80s influenced dance music; Red Fez, Whiskey Bar and Beauty Ballroom were the hot spots.  In the middle of that mini-musical explosion was I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness, who unfairly got lumped in under the genre of Joy Division copycats.  But, they’re back with a brand new album, and from the sounds on the single, they’re not really going to have to wear that mark much longer. Sure, there’s that melancholic tone, but the guitar and percussive work seemingly move more into a post-rock sphere; clearly this a band who’ve taken some time to grow.  They’re new record, Dust, will be released on Secretly Canadian on October 28th.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/162682733″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

New Music from Destruction Unit

dunitThis great new Destruction Unit tune is featured as one of the many singles from the Adult Swim Singles series, and while there’s been some hits, this is definitely my favorite.  I just love the wall of noise the band constructs in practically every song, especially when various pieces of the group pick up the pace mid track…drumming and guitar in this case.  You can look for other great singles coming from the series, with Diarrhea Planet and Speedy Ortiz already schedule for the next couple of weeks.  Salud.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dust.mp3]

Download: Destruction Unit – Dust [MP3]