ATH & Songsinc Party @ Empire Garage/Side Bar (3/17)

Today we are pleased to announce our 3rd annual unofficial SXSW show during the madness of the festival next week.  This year we decided to go with a night show as opposed to a day show since many of you have voiced complaints about not enough good music to see at night.  Well here you are people, we have partnered with our friends over at Songsinc to bring you a show at Empire Garage (next door to Side Bar).  Deets are as follow:

Thursday March 18th

– Location: Empire Garage

– Doors: 7pm/Music 8pm

– Lineup (in order of appearance with links):

Ash ReiterShe SirThe FlingEulogiesCloud ControlOne AM Radio

This show is totally free and open to the public with no RSVP, wristband, badge or other B.S. needed to get in.  Just come out and have a good time while listening to some great music at one of the best bars in Austin.  You’d probably be at Side Bar anyway right?  The two places are connected so come on over and say hi.  We’re also very pleased to have Floyd’s Barbershop, Dangerbird Records, and Sweetish Hill Bakery on board to help put on this event.  You can also help us promote by liking the event on facebook, Do512 and Ning.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Theres-Nothing-In-The-Water-We-Cant-Fight-1.mp3]

Download: Cloud Control – There’s Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight [MP3]

Eulogies – Tear the Fences Down

Rating: ★★★½☆

When we last heard from Eulogies on their album Here Anonymous, you could feel the energetic undertones dying to creep out from beneath your speakers.  While their latest piece, Tear the Fences Down definitely holds true in some areas to such a niche, we find the band exploring newer territories, ground that seems a bit more subdued, illustrating the growth process of one of our favorite bands.

The stuttering guitar line on “Out of Style, Out of Touch” might you to believe the band will be following line for line their old stylings, yet Peter Walker’s voice has a little hint of solemnity to it, giving the music a calming effect.  Sure, there’s a bit of a guitar solo off in the distant horizon, but the tinkering piano/keyboard and Walker keep the pace in a more soothing realm. “Intimate Debris” continues the push into a more developed sound, no longer relying on bombast and sharp edged guitars.  Here the band almost takes on a bit of a folk serenade, building a collective group effort to the forefront.

But, as promised, the band still has some definite hooks to toss your way.  “You Hide” has one of the catchiest choruses to hit the Internet this year, and the rest of the song dutifully builds that frivolity throughout, though you might think that there’s definitely a hint of innocence and discovery playing a role here. Even though such moments do exist for the duration of Tear the Fences Down, they are few and far between; this, however, is not necessarily a reason to dismiss the record–far from it!

I’m reminded a great deal of Nada Surf the more I go through the record.  They achieved moderate success, then evolved into something much warmer, creating a canon of music that even the truest of pop fans have to look upon with envy.  Such are the moves of Eulogies, crafting little melodic twists, altering their sound for the better. “Tear the Fences Down” uses acoustic guitar to give the song a more natural feel, and in doing so, it lets Walker take control of every bit of melody crafted inside the practice studio.  Once the drums kick in you have a frolicking piece of genuine pop music, and while it may not knock you on your ass, it gets more ingrained in your soul with each ensuing listen.  When I came across “Separate Heart” my inferences about the band’s progression really hit me; this band is really grown up–they’re really pushing themselves.  Okay, so it might not be the most original thing to include accordion (or whatever it may be), but that chorus is built with such care that eery listener surely will find that it hits a personal note–one of appreciation.

Closing the record is a little bit of acoustic rambling, one certainly indicative of the band’s home state, California.  You probably wouldn’t have guessed such a sunny piece of acoustic pop would have sprouted from the last effort, but sure enough it has; its done so in such a successful manner that listeners might not think of Eulogies the same way.  Perhaps that’s what the band wanted all along; they wanted more from their music and themselves.  Tear the Fences Down, in both title and music, shows the band reforming their sound, and building things up from the ground.  If they do it this well, who knows how far they can go.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Eulogies-YouHide.mp3]

Download: Eulogies – You Hide [MP3]

New Tunes from Eulogies

It’s been a bit of time since we’ve heard from Eulogies, but worry no more folks, as the band are gearing up for a new release.  After a bit of time, they’ll return January 18th with Tear the Fences Down on Dangerbird Records.  This first single layers vocal melodies atop vocal melodies, while sharp drumming fuels the rest of the band along.  One thing I do like immediately is that the song doesn’t seem stuck in the mindset of the last album, which I liked, but progression never hurts a soul.  This is definitely something you’re going to want to keep your eye on as we break into 2011; January already looks ridiculous!

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Eulogies-YouHide.mp3]

Download: Eulogies – You Hide [MP3]

Contest: Eulogies/Dears Prize Package

dears03eulogies

Alright listen up, we’ve got one helluva contest for a couple lucky winners out there so pay attention.  Upcoming on May 18th, The Parish has one very solid lineup in-store featuring The Dears & Eulogies along with The Great Northern as opening support.  If you aren’t feeling spendy, we’re going to giveaway some prize packs to two lucky winners.  That’s right, first place AND second place.  Deets:

1st place – 2 tickets to the show, a copy of the Eulogies latest LP Here Anonymous on vinyl, and a fancy Eulogies t-shirt

2nd place – A copy of Eulogies last EP Tempted to do Nothing on vinyl, The Dears Latest album Missiles on vinyl, AND a Dangerbird Records hoodie.

If that doesn’t spark your interest, I don’t know what will!  Let’s try something new for entry in this contest… Simply leave a comment OR hit us up on Twitter and mention something about the contest in your @. Please remember to leave a valid email address so we can get in touch with our winners.  Contest will be open until May 12th (one week from now).

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/thedears_meltdowninamajor.mp3]

Download: The Dears – Meltdown in A Major [MP3]

Eulogies – Here Anonymous

eulog Rating: ★★★½☆

Sometimes a seasonal change will require a certain approach to listening to music; sometimes it will require that you ask something extra of your most recent purchase.  Here Anonymous, the debut album from Eulogies is precisely that record; it’s the one you have been waiting to blast from your speakers as the windows roll down on that perfectly sunlit afternoon.  It’s packed full of melody, throbbing bass lines and a certain sense of catchiness that just won’t let the album leave your head.

Bass and vocals open up the album on “Day to Day,” but it’s not until the guitar begins to chug along in unison do you really get a sense that you’re in for an afternoon joyride. Once you’ve taken a brief listen, your ears will require you come back for more.

It would be easier to type-cast this band; they are the next Tokyo Police Club; they sound a lot like Ra Ra Riot; these are all completely understandable, yet entirely unfair.  The one thing that differentiates Eulogies from other such bands is that they don’t seem to come across as overly repetitive.  Where as some bands in the same sphere of swirling guitar pop have a tendency to rehash the same moments from time, this band escapes it.  This is largely in part to singer Peter Walker, who is able to change the pitch just enough so as not wear one down with his voice.

Another attribute that allows for the band to push through the more monotonous moments is the bass-work.  It would be easy to use the angular guitar approach throughout the record, as this is a commonly used tool, but here, the bass seems to lay the ground work for a lot of the songs.  This is beneficial because, well, you can’t go wrong with a solid rhythm section, but also because it allows for more space for the other instruments to meander and do as they please.  A much more interesting listen.

Just to make sure you don’t get bored with the upbeat tunes, they toss a couple of slow-burners your way for kicks.  “Two Can Play,” “Goodbye” and “The Fight” all have mellow moments that leave time for you to turn down the stereo long enough to see if the rest of your friends in your car need to stop for a drink.  The latter is probably the more memorable of the slower songs, though the shared male/female vocal on “Two Can Play” is likely to hit home with some.

Now, the one detractor from the album, if you were to find one, is that the band isn’t breaking any particularly new ground with this release.  They will draw numerous comparisons over and over, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have peers.  Still, Eulogies benefits from the fact that at least they keep the game interesting. And they’re sure to keep you interested, at least the first two dozen times you play this on your drive home for Easter.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/07-out-of-character.mp3]

Download:Eulogies – Out of Character [MP3]

SXSW Watchlist: Eulogies

eulogies321150_largeWith such a direct reference to sadness in their band name, you’d think that Eulogies might just be another one of those sad bastard types.  Leading man Peter Walker clarifies that he doesn’t focus on remembering the dead, but rather “saying those things that someone would say only at that moment but wish they had said right now”.  Take that idea of true sincerity in the lyrics with a superb backing indie rock band, and you’ve got Eulogies in a nutshell.  The band is also about to release their sophomore effort LP Here Anonymous out April 7th on Dangerbird Records.  Follow the jump to read a brief interview with front man Peter Walker, see some SXSW dates and hear a tune.

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