Tag: hardly art

Unnatural Helpers – Land Grab

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Rating: ★★★½☆

It’s a good thing ballsy rock n’ roll is back in fashion, otherwise the hits that Unnatural Helpers have been churning out up in Seattle might not sound as sweet.  But, that’s not the case, so the short hits from the foursome hit hard and fast, then they’re gone, leaving you with the desire to hit repeat over and over again on their latest LP, Land Grab (Hardly Art).

“Medication” immediately introduces you to the bouncing garage pop side of the group, using a rolling drum beat and catchy guitar line that forces your toes to tap themselves to death.  Vocals are delivered in a sort of spoken word manner, though I enjoy the bratty edge of Dean Whitmore, even when the poppy backing vocals join in.  They’ll stay in the same place for a moment with “Stiff Wind,” although you’ll probably find the guitars a bit more dangerous than on the opener.  Land Grab is definitely a record you can turn up loud while the wind blows your hair straight back.

While the pop element exists in spots for Unnatural Helpers, I’m particular to the more punk leaning sounds that they’ve been able to balance in between the bubbly elements. You’re first real taste of this sort comes via “I Trust It Hurts;” I imagine this song being best sung by Whitmore stalking an audience with sweat dripping down his face–it’s over just as you get yourself moving, which might be a slight drawback. “Hate Your Teachers” is another such song, beginning with a heavy bass sound, which continues with a barrage of noisy guitars and frenetic pacing.  For me, the punk rock ethos pervades the entire album, but it’s good to have the above mixed tracks in here to provide some differentiation in the group’s sound.

All that said, Land Grab has a few incredible hits that weren’t represented in the singles, my favorite being “Waiting Girl.”  It closely represents the poppier side of the band, with forceful riffs blasting through the speakers from the moment the song opens. Here, the vocals have a bit of a cool swing, something you’d find in old UK post-punk records; it’s helped by the addition of vocals that chime in in unison during the chorus.  It might not be the hardest hitting song the band’s got, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t everyone’s favorite track by the end of your listen.

There’s two great things that Unnatural Helpers have going for them, aside from being on a great label: short songs and differentiation.  The short songs are great because with a sound like this, you don’t want to be overbearing or grow too complacent, which is why the differentiation factor is so important.  Yes, you can see a similar strain of thought in the music, but not many of the songs sound exactly the same.  That’s really refreshing considering the genre has the uncanny ability to grow stale after too many repeated listens.  Fortunately for you, Land Grab benefits for the group’s hard work and stylistic choices, leaving you with one of those records you want to turn up loud and play for all your friends.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/UnnaturalHelpers_HateYourTeachers.mp3]

Download:Unnatural Helpers – Hate Your Teachers [MP3]

Land Grab is available now from Hardly Art.

 

New Dark Jam from Black Marble

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If the first few singles are any indication of what Black Marble have up their sleeve, then their new release, A Different Arrangement.  For me, this newest single, “Static,” has the feeling of a more approachable Blank Dogs track.  It’s got this underlying darkness being portrayed by the electronic element, but the overall feeling is definitely one that leans more towards pop.  You’re going to need to pick this record up the day it comes out, just to show your friends how good your tastes really are. You can pick the album up on October 6th from our dear friends over at Hardly Art Records.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/BlackMarble_Static.mp3]

Download:Black Marble – Static [MP3]

Seapony – Falling

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Rating: ★★★½☆

These days there seems to be a real abundance in lo-fi, dream and twee pop. In recent years, the indie world has witnessed and transitioned into a world filled with that of these genres, but with the overwhelming growth of the shoe-gaze movement, how does a fan sift through the vast amount of music and find the bands that do it right? What makes a lo-fi band stand out against the masses?

Seapony stands out in the overwhelmingly bright and sunny nature of their pop tunes as well as the ever-apparent guitar hooks that are featured throughout the music. A little over a year ago, they introduced you to their take on dream pop with Go With Me, which seemed to fit perfectly into the summery bedroom listening category. On this sophomore release, lead vocalist Jen Weidl and company are back with more cheery guitar riffs and jangly percussion to dance to. Up first is “Outside,” that throws listeners into the swing of things right from the start. Weidl’s sugary vocals are a distorted, making them a bit heavier on this song than on the majority of the other songs that can be found on this album. The guitars jangle along with these gritty vocals, while the drums punch in the background. It’s not the fastest of songs, but it certainly gives you a taste of what Seapony is all about.

There isn’t much to complain about on Falling. The songs work together well so as to avoid repetition and banality, but there are also standouts to be found in this mix. Such a noticeably grand number is “Follow,” which relies on the dreamy and ever feminine voice of Weidl and the glorious focus on the guitar riff. It’s a song that sounds so blissful that you can practically feel a cool breeze on your face. An equally beautiful song comes on the single for this album, “Prove to Me.” As opposed to “Follow,” the guitar is set further back into the other instrumentation and the vocals so that it blends in, but is also able to float to the surface and become the center of the song in places.

My only qualm with this record is that it is perhaps a little too sunny, if that’s possible. It feels like Falling should maybe have been released a few months ago, when the weather was heating up and not cooling down. But it’s still quite hot here in ATX, so soak up this radiance before the leaves start to change and the wind blows cold.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Seapony_ProveToMe.mp3]

Download:Seapony – Prove To Me [MP3]

Falling is out now via Hardly Art. 

Show Preview + Interview: Fergus and Geronimo

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What? You don’t have your own copy of Funky Was the State of Affairs yet? What are you waiting for? It’s one of the most interesting listens of the year, and the band makes their way into Austin at Beerland on Friday night, ready to share their talents with us all. We caught up with the band trying to get the story on their life and their latest release.

ATH:  On Funky Was the State of Affairs you seemingly steer clear of the folk art rock spectrum you were lumped into on the first release.  Was the progression natural or did you actively seek to distance yourself from your past?

F&G: Interesting, because I also saw the folk rock comparison being drawn. I don’t get it. But to answer your question, it’s both.  This band started as friends making music pretty randomly; without too much thought given to cohesion or style. Our first output was really just a collection of songs that didn’t fit with our bands at the time. Both of us are fairly prolific songwriters. When it came time to do the first Lp we had the opportunity to define the bands identity a bit. We were already tired of being lumped into the indie/garage/lo-fi labels that were popular at the time. Music is so much more fun when you stop trying to please others and just do what you’re gonna do. Fergus & Geronimo is a good outlet for me to be a bit more daring than I am in my other bands.

ATH:  Thematically speaking, what’s the most important aspect of the new record you hope people take away after listening? Do you feel that message is being well received by the regular earthlings such as myself, or have we missed the point?

F&G: I don’t really want to make any suggestions about what the audience should take away from the record. Let them glean what they will, because at this point I’m not sure if I even intended any narrative for it. I definitely don’t think its a record for everybody. I mean, there is a reason that this band isn’t headlining festivals, we can only survive in the very small margins of independent rock music that we do. Music is not a universal language, thank god.

ATH:  I think I unjustly lumped you in with bands like White Denim when you first burst onto the Texas scene.  Who do you guys see as your musical contemporaries, be them past or present?

F&G: I identify with bands that are fiercely individualistic. Funkadelic, Sparks, Devo, Quintron, Beck. I’ve never heard White Denim. 

ATH:  When bands create a piece of work like Funky…. I always wonder whether or not the group is taking a jab at listeners.  Do you guys feel like there’s any relevance to that comment, or did you set out just to create a record where you could have the most fun in the studio?

F&G: Yeah I think by nature we Are slightly confrontational.  But, most of the art I enjoy is cut with a healthy dose of aggression. I can feel how somebody might feel alienated by this record and deem it as being tedious. But, that happens all the time, people ask that artists understand them rather than seeking to understand their art.

ATH:  Do you guys feel like you’re appreciated in Texas, or do you have a bigger response from audiences outside of your home state?  I always feel like Texans have a tendency to look the other way until their bands make a bigger name for themselves.

F&G: As much there as anywhere else I suppose, I haven’t noticed any place that has more F&G fans than others really.  I would say our biggest fans are our close friends, many of which are in Texas.

ATH:  If there’s a statement song on Funky Was the State of Affairs, one where you establish the mood/theme/etc for the whole record, which track do you think that is?

F&G: I think it would be the titular track.

ATH: You guys are obviously in the midst of a good long tour.  What’s the one thing you miss the most about being in the comfort of your own home?

F&G: Well it’s only day three so I haven’t really started missing anything yet.  I’m sure the answer for me is alone time.

ATH:  What advice do you have for all the young upstart bands in Texas?  What should their goals be?

F&G: Just do your thing And have fun. Freak life is a beautiful thing, embrace it.

If you like what you hear, you can catch Fergus and Geronimo rocking things out Friday night at Beerland.  Thanks to J. Baxter for help setting up the interview! Pick up Funky Was the State of Affairs now at Hardly Art.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Fergus+Geronimo_RomanTick.mp3]

Download:Fergus & Geronimo – RomanTick [MP3]

More New Rock From Unnatural Helpers

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A couple months ago I shared a new rockin’ tune from recent Hardly Art Acquisition Unnatural Helpers called “Hate Your Teachers”.  Well today I have another new song for you going by the name “Toil” and it rocks just as hard as that last tune.  Don’t forget that the band have a new album coming out on September 25th entitled Land Grab.  It’s sure to be a hot one.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/UnnaturalHelpers_Toil.mp3]

Download: Unnatural Helpers – Toil [MP3]

Fergus and Geronimo – Funky Was the State of Affairs

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Last time out, Fergus and Geronimo seemed intent upon playing themselves into the artier side of the garage rock game, but such attributes will rarely be seen on their newest effort.  They set off to make Funky Was the State of Affairs a complete album, and after spending days with this record, their work has revealed a group intent upon making their own way in the indie sphere, compiling bits of proto-punk with hints of Devo and snippets of enhanced messages for the listener.

“No Parties” is the first traditional song, following the album’s opening bit of quirky messaging.  While there’s a bent towards the proto-punk of Wire, Fergus and Geronimo are intent early on to reveal their notes to the fans.  Themes of mass-consumption and indifference to the greater Earth seem prevalent, and it’s something that only grows stronger as the record progresses.  “Roman Tick” soon follows with a brattier rock n’ roll moment, but this time the boys are aiming their guns at the trials and tribulations of modern dating.  I like the propulsive drum beat and the vocal delivery on this note, harkening back to one of my favorite periods in music history.

You could probably skip around on some of the tunes, or tidbits, from Funky Was the State of Affairs, but you might miss some of the elements that run through the entirety of the album.  For instance, “Roman Numerals/Wiretapping Muzak I” wouldn’t make much sense when listened to by skipping the snipped that precedes it, but when it’s all tied in, it makes for a special moment where listeners can see the dedication to tying everything together. Would “Earthling Women” make any sense if we ignored “Earthling Men?” In truth, probably not, but that’s just one of the special attributes of such an intellectually accomplished effort.

I mean, if you’re looking for solid songs from Fergus and Geronimo, those definitely exist within the woven fabric, and it’s not like you have to search for them.  Aside from the previously mentioned tracks, “Drones” is another solid track you’ll find yourself tapping your toes to while you press play.  Nice work on the high-hat gives the song it’s rhythm, and the vocal delivery is sort of spoken word, matching the pace of the track itself.  This one here is probably one of my favorite songs.  Or, maybe you’re looking with something funkier? You’ll find that in “Marky Move,” a track that opens with handclaps and a bobbing bass line.  Just to keep things interesting, the group throws in a nice horn solo to coincide with the stomping delivery of the lyrics.  These are just a few moments of the clever songwriting present throughout.

Funky Was the State of Affairs is probably one of the first records to be put out there that really sticks to the point.  Fergus and Geronimo set out to make a record with thematic elements that hit the listener from start to finish, and their execution is spot on; each song ties into the album somehow, somewhere.  It might not be the album for everyday listening, but it’s an album that requires your attention and dedication to completing your experience from start to finish.  Should you accept the mission, you’ll be rewarded.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/02-No-Parties.mp3]

Download: Fergus & Geronimo – No Parties [MP3]

Funky Was the State of Affairs is now available from Hardly Art.

More New Magic from Seapony

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Our good friends Seapony, who helped kickstart our awesome SXSW party this last year, are back again with another new track from their forthcoming album, Falling. Hardly Art will again be putting out the record on what is shaping up to be a very huge September 11th release date. It seems like the group is starting to shed a little bit of their traditional hazy guitars in favor of more straight-ahead pop moments, but, that being said, it still completely works for us here at ATH.  We’re still head over heels in love with this band.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Seapony_ProveToMe.mp3]

Download:Seapony – Prove To Me [MP3]

Show Preview: Mynabirds @ Mohawk (7/28)

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Date Saturday, July 28th
Location Mohawk
Doors 900 pm
Tickets $10 from Frontgate

 
 
 
Tons of great acts are playing in town on Saturday night, but here’s where we have our eyes set.  Mynabirds sweep into town fresh off the release of their sophomore record, Generals; it’s been called enchanting, but most of all, it’s been called good. Personally, I’m stoked to see Deep Time, a band that really deserves some Austin love, seeing as they’re from our hometown.  They just put out their latest, Deep Time, on Hardly Art, and it grows on my the more I listen to it.  But, be sure to get there early because another great Austin act, My Jerusalem will be opening the night up.  And I’ll be honest, if you live in Austin and aren’t at a show on Saturday night, give yourself an F. Unless you have kids. Then a D since I gave you at least a day’s notice to get a sitter.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/05-Homebody.mp3]

Download:Deep Time – Homebody [MP3]

 

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