get better records - Austin Town Hall

Fresh Share Merch Girl + Announce EP

March 19, 2024 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

If you didn’t listen to 2002’s Raise Hell, might I implore you to go back and check out Fresh‘s last LP before completely diving into the new track. That said, it won’t be easy, as this new tune has all the reasons to fall head over heels for the group. There’s plenty of bite and tenacity in the guitar sound, which bleeds into the vocals too. I found Kathryn Woods’ ferocious performance perfectly fitting, allowing the faintest melodic hint to slide beneath the surface to seduce pop rock fans. They’ll be releasing their new Merch Girl EP on April 19th via Get Better Records/Specialist Subject Records.

<a href="https://freshpunks.bandcamp.com/album/merch-girl">Merch Girl by Fresh</a>

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Hit Bargain Share Immaculate Vaxxer

October 11, 2023 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Upon pressing play here, Hit Bargain immediately set my body ill at ease, crawling through the speakers like some demon possessed. Guitar chords shudder in and out, with vocals splashing through the verses in haphazard fashion. But, when you hit the chorus, there’s no longer an ominous feeling, as the band flexes every muscle and turns that growl into a pummeling call to arms. It’s as if the song’s writhing and squirming, only to make one last ditch gasp to eradicate the demons inside, and as it does this the final time, the song fades to a close. Look for A Dog A Deer A Seal on November 10th via Get Better Records.

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Friday Album Streams: Lower Plenty, Class, Open Hands + More

October 6, 2023 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

It’s Friday, and while Austin is focused on ACL Weekend One, I’m here to turn your ears towards some great albums that you’ll benefit from if you’re into the whole streaming process. Several of these we’ve talked about quite a bit, so it’s good that now you can get your hands on them in their entirety. Going to start with what’s quickly becoming one of my favorite LPs of the year, then let you pick and choose what’s your flavor.

Lower Plenty – No Poets (Bedroom Suck Records)

<a href="https://bedroomsuckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/no-poets">No Poets by Lower Plenty</a>

Class – If You’ve Got Nothing (Feel It Records)

<a href="https://nowthatsclass.bandcamp.com/album/if-youve-got-nothing">If You’ve Got Nothing by CLASS</a>

Open City – Hands in the Honey Jar (Get Better Records)

<a href="https://theeopencity.bandcamp.com/album/hands-in-the-honey-jar">Hands In The Honey Jar by Open City</a>

The Suncharms – Things Lost (Sunday Records)

<a href="https://sundayrecords.bandcamp.com/album/things-lost">Things Lost by The Suncharms</a>

Half Stack – Sitting Pretty (Forged Artifacts)

<a href="https://halfstack.bandcamp.com/album/sitting-pretty">Sitting Pretty by Half Stack</a>

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Lande Hekt Shares Gay Space Cadets Video

July 6, 2022 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Lande Hekt burst onto everyone’s radar earlier this year with her excellent Romantic 7″ for Emotional Response, and she’s turned right around and delivered another gem, but this time with an album announcement! This song starts out with this ringing guitar riff, and honestly, I can’t believe how easily it slides into your ears and implants itself in your memory. When it hits the chorus, you can easily hear why everyone is fawning over the songwriting, brightly charming as the melody rises up; you’re going to be begging us to get this song out of your head by the end of the day, but it lives there now, so get used to it! The new album, House Without a View, is slated for release in September, with Get Better Records.

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Fresh Announce Raise Hell LP

April 5, 2022 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

If you haven’t been listening to UK punks Fresh, then what have you been doing? I was stoked today to wake up and see that the band had just announced their brand new Raise Hell LP with a rocking new single. Kathryn Woods dominates the track, giving this powerful performance linked to the feeling of having a “mind that’s both under-stimulated and over-stimulated at the same time.” I love the way the bouncing keyboard sets up the huge drop in of heavy riffs to match up with the melodic delivery of Woods in the chorus. I can tell this one’s going to rip. Raise Hell will be out in July via Specialist Subject/Get Better Records.

<a href="https://freshpunks.bandcamp.com/album/raise-hell">Raise Hell by Fresh</a>

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Evan Greer Shares the Tyranny of Either/Or Video

April 1, 2021 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

This great video from Evan Greer for “The Tyranny of Either/Or” dropped yesterday for Trans Visibility Day; I failed her, as I mostly work at night and didn’t see it until putting my kid down; I’m sorry. But, this song has so many levels to it that I can’t even really begin to explain. First, it’s great pop punk; it does what great pop does, putting an important lyrical message in a pop package for the masses. Second, the video is a history lesson, an important one on the continuing struggle for trans folk. Third, I teach kids, several of whom are celebrating their own trans lives, and it pains me to know how alone they are in virtual learning, so all I can do is encourage them to use their pronouns and refuse to deadname them if I need to talk to their parents; I’ve got to be on their side. So yeah. The song rips. It’s on the new LP, Spotify is Surveillance, out April 9th via Get Better Records and Don Giovanni.

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