A.A. Bondy – Believers

Rating: ★★★½☆

For years now, A.A Bondy has been riding the waves of undiscovered artist; while garnering some devoted fans, he hasn’t exactly achieved instant fame and success of the independent world. However, as per the intrigue of his last album and the original detailed work of his very first effort, this hasn’t seemed to hurt Bondy in the slightest; he is still a master at his folksy craft.

There isn’t a song on this album more dauntingly beautiful than “Skull and Bones,” which crops up third in the listening experience. From the moment it begins, there is a foreboding feeling instilled by the effervescent bass and guitar combo. It’s an unsettling sound that gives a sense of instability and then A.A himself jumps in with those cautionary vocals that add to the darkness of this twisting song.  At a little over three minutes long, it jumps right in and grabs your focus right from the start, and then pulls you further and further in, and by the time the looped vocals of the chorus flood your ears, you can’t help but notice the elegant poignancy that the track dangles out there for you to snatch up on repeated listens. A.A Bondy knows this, and includes a short, cleansing song after it, as to break away from its quiet resonance and move back to his more traditional folk style.

This is a lovely change for Bondy, and though it’s unparalleled on this album, it is certainly not the extent of good songs to be found on Believers. You have late stunners such as “The Twist,” that is just dripping in delectable folk elements and yet it still has a quick pace that doesn’t allow it to be as heavy as earlier songs. This pacing allows it to sink in slower, and not become a bogged down album. By no means is it fluffy pop fuzz, but it is not so thick that it becomes a drag to listen to.

For a third release, this album is very consistent, at least at first glance. It seems that Bondy is just destined to remain under the radar in his work, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as he is currently a man with three solid albums, each of which with its golden moments. This being said, I can definitely see Believers becoming more with time as it ripens in the minds of listeners. Regardless, it’s still worth a good listening to; time will tell if it will be something extraordinary.

New Jam from Fanzine

One of the places I frequently troll for new music tipped me off to this great little London act, Fanzine, They also alluded to a possible signing with Fat Possum, which wouldn’t seem out of line after they picked up Yuck last year.  The group are self-releasing their Low EP, and there’s definite gems for you to enjoy.  Whether you want a slow-pace pop ditty or a nice upbeat stomper, you can find it on this short EP.  One things for sure, the band has the hooks, seemingly, to write a great track, so I’m sure we’ll hear more from them in the future.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/02.-Fanzine-Rocket-Fuel.mp3]

Download: Fanzine – Rocket Fuel [MP3]

More New Music from Gross Magic

A few weeks ago I brought you a jam from UK up-and-comer Gross Magic.  I’m going to go ahead and take credit for pushing this band on the masses, as they seem to be exploding on the Interwebs at this moment. As we get closer to the American release date of the Teen Jamz EP on October 11th via Fat Possum, more music is floating out.  One listen to this beat-laden track, and you’ll begin to realize precisely why I find GM so interesting, making the sound more than just your average pop collage piece.  This is definitely one of my favorite short EPs of the year.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/03-Sweetest-Touch.mp3]

Download: Gross Magic – Sweetest Touch [MP3]

New Tunes From A.A. Bondy

One of my favorite singer songwriters A.A. Bondy has a new song floating around the web these days.  The new song, “The Heart is Willing”, can be found below for your streaming enjoyment.  Apparently it’s part of a new album from Bondy entitled Believers that’s due out September 13th on Fat Possum Records.  It really baffles me how this guy still manages to fly just below the cusp of being huge.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/aabondy-theheartiswilling.mp3]

FTC: T. Rex

Seems like forever since we’ve run a proper From the Closet, so what better way to start things back up than with a little coverage of one of our favorites, T. Rex.  You can get a piece of the band’s collection brand new starting October 26th, as Fat Possum is re-issuing the catalogue, one LP at a time, beginning with The Slider.

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New Tunes from Yuck

While I might not be 100% behind the name of this group, I definitely can get behind their sound.  Yuck hails from the UK, and they’ve just signed an American deal with Fat Possum, which seems to be picking up lots of solid groups.  You might say they have a little bit of POBPAH in their sound, but the female vocals are a lot stronger, giving a youthful vibe to the group’s sound, while still keeping it in that gaze arena.  The band has the Georgia single coming out in the Stages on November 23rd, and you can look to find a whole full-length in 2011. Buen Proveche.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Georgia-wavv-1.mp3]

Download: Yuck – Georgia [MP3]

New Music From Lissie

One of the best voices in indie rock, Lissie, is busy readying her debut LP coming out next month.  The album, Catching a Tiger, will be hitting stores on August 17th via Fat Possum Records.  Before that date, you can check a new tune from the album below entitled “Bully”.  You’ll hear pretty similar things to what we got on Lissie’s debut EP from last year.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/04_Bully.mp3]

Download: Lissie – Bully [MP3]

New Music From The Walkmen

The big news of the interwebs today has been the sounds of a new Walkmen song called “Stranded”.  As far as we can see, the tune is only streaming on most sites, but we’ve got a nice little download for you below.  The very Walkmen-esque slow burner will appear on the group’s latest LP Lisbon which is set for release on Sep. 14th via Fat Possum.  We’re sorry we every doubted you guys.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/The-Walkmen-Stranded.mp3]

Download: The Walkmen – Stranded [MP3]

Thomas Function – In the Valley of Sickness

Thomas _F_Cover_StickerMockupRating: ★★★★☆

When I fell across the Alabama outfit Thomas Function last year at SXSW, I absolutely loved what they brought to the live performance.  Their vibrant energy and jangling guitars brought so much force that it was hard to ignore them.  So when Fat Possum sent me their new album, In the Valley of Sickness, I was eager to see if their live stage presence would carry over the recorded material.  Surprisingly, sort of, they do live up to my expectations, if not exceed them.

As soon as you hear the vocals, you’ll recognize them, at least if you’ve been hanging out in the Austin area for the last few years.  The voice sounds exactly like The Strange Boys, with a whole lot of Southern influence, but just a touch more clarity than the Austin kids. Sure, they sound a bit off-kilter, but the energy hiding behind the vocals is enough to push the music along.

As you go track by track through this album, you can tell that these boys are all about having a little it of fun, which is great to see, as this is the least arty record to come out this year.  “Day in the Shade” comes at you full force, and it almost seems as if these boys are going so fast that they are bound to run off the tracks at any moment.  Still, they hold back just enough to finish the song.  You also can’t deny the humor from this album, which shows once again, that Thomas Function is just out there enjoying their rock n’ roll lifestyle.  On “Picking Scabs” the call of “are you going to buy a record or not” seems to show that these boys know their place in the music world, and if you help support them, you’ll keep them out on the road to rock for years to come.

For me, I can’t really go on with this review without mentioning “Belly of the Beast.”  It’s like mellow power-pop with a twist from the Deep South.  Backing vocals are used to perfection, and touches of organ don’t ever seem to hurt a song with jangling guitars.  Similarly, “Two Pigs” is another such tune that shows the band’s abilities, even when they aren’t going full force in your face. Holding back seems to suit the group, if not only to show their diversity as songwriters.  These two songs fit perfectly into the album, and by filling out the sound, it shows Thomas Function knows no bounds.

For all those kids who loved the early Kings of Leon albums, or just enjoy a touch of Southern rock in their punk, you’ll want to find your way to a record store to get your hands on In the Valley of Sickness.  This group is far and above one of the more enjoyable listens for this year, and you’ll treasure all the foot-stomping moments Thomas Function gives you for the rest of your days.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/06-Belly-Of-The-Beast-1.mp3]

Download: Thomas Function – Belly Of The Beast [MP3]

New Tunes From A.A. Bondy

aabondyAfter the moderate success of his debut 2007 solo album American Hearts, folkster A.A. Bondy is back and ready to release his sophomore effort.  The new album will be called When the Devil’s Loose which hits stores September 1st via Fat Possum Records.  First single from the album “When the Devil’s Loose” can be found below.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/aabondy_devilsloose.mp3]

Download: A.A. Bondy – When the Devil’s Loose [MP3]

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