This is fine.
Like everyone else, we’re inundated with all the great bands coming our way in the next few weeks, so we sent out a bunch of questions to our favorite acts, hoping to help spread the word. Our first responder is Grave Babies, who will be releasing their Gothdammit EP on April 17th via Hardly Art. Read on for their answers from Danny Wahfeldt… Read more
Rating: 
Almost less than a year ago, we got Too Young To Be In Love, the second (sort of) album from Hunx and His Punx. It was filled with its usual amounts of scuzzy punk and bits of kitsch. But, that era of frivolity seems to have dissipated, if only temporarily, leaving us with the first solo outing of Hunx. Unlike his normal gig, we find the man much more exposed, emotionally speaking, giving us a personal spin on his always affecting tunes.
“Your Love Is Here to Stay” begins the mellow affair with Hunx reflecting upon a lasting love, but it’s the gentle strummed guitar that distinguishes this from his more frenetic numbers. There’s an element of innocence here too that’s certainly endearing for listener’s, exposing our narrator. “Private Room” maintains that same sentiment, yet with the added female vocal accompaniment and impacting drums, you’ll find a bit more pace on this number. Stylistically, it’s more what you’ve come to expect from Hunx‘s traditional fare.
The one-two punch of hits on Hairdresser Blues comes in the form of “Always Forever” and “Hairdresser Blues.” The first of these two tracks definitely has that California garage-rock feel to it, but only with more restraint–in a positive way. For me, the response of “always forever” certainly grabs my attention and makes it a song I’ll play for some time. “Hairdresser Blues” is a jangling piece of joyousness, though the lyrical content might make you think otherwise. It’s sort of like Hunx‘s version of a Sonny and the Sunsets, compiling pieces of sunshine, pop, and grit to craft a well-written tune.
Perhaps what hits home the most with the record are the two closing tracks. “Say Goodbye Before You Leave” reminisces about Hunx‘s relationship with Jay Reatard, a personal favorite, so it definitely hits a personal note. But, more importantly it’s a song about loss, which holds a universal theme for us all, so regardless of the subject matter for our songwriter here, we can all relate to this, especially the closing statement that “it’s just too bad.” Apparently, “When You’re Gone” is another homage to a bit of loss, with Hunx reflecting about his deceased father. Again, the universality of his lyrics on this effort stand out, bringing home the personal message that seems so important to the narrative being spun on Hairdresser Blues. It wraps up the record with an emotional reminder that surely resonates with every listener–worth the dozen or more spins I’ve given it in the last hour.
What stands out the most about this record really has to be the exposed persona of Hunx on Hairdresser Blues. While he’s usually a bundle of energy and sexuality (things I enjoy), there’s a personal note on this effort that really supersedes the music. While it is a bit solemn, the sincerity leaves you with a bit of solace, a bit of clarity and hope. If he starts to combine these elements with his old-school brashness, there’s no telling what a huge hit Hunx could be.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/HXS_AlwaysForever.mp3]Download:Hunx – Always Forever [MP3]
It’s almost impossible to believe that SXSW is already around the corner. Almost. Things get crazy busy around these parts with planning a party, interviewing bands, and mapping out some semblance of a schedule for the week. At times we all forget that this aint about getting wastey on free booze, but rather “about the music man”. I hope you’ll pardon my lame attempt at an introduction to this post and simply take note and listen to Hardly Art’s finest Jaccuzi Boys. Follow the jump for more. Read more
Sure, I’m a day late on this little jam, but I just couldn’t help myself. It’s hard enough to dislike La Sera and Katy Goodman for her striking beauty, but when she’s rocking such incredible jams as this one, the world is her oyster. Her newest album, Sees the Light, comes out on March 24th on the most excellent Hardly Art, and it’s shaping up to be quite a delight for all parties involved. This jam is brief, poppy, and Goodman sounds as confident as ever–as she should be with tracks like this at her disposal. If you haven’t heard this yet, get to it!
Download:La Sera – Break My Heart [MP3]
If you know our friends over at Hardly Art, they’ve been dabbling in the softer side of indie rock for the last several releases (not that we mind at all #justsaying). But, when you hear this booming track, you’ll realize that the label has a new force to be reckoned with in K-Holes. Their new record, Dismania, should be out on the label on May 1st, and there’s something sonically sinister lurking. It’s got the reckless abandon you can recall from early Liars work, just a lot more demonic, but in only the best way, of course. Don’t be afraid my child, there’s no devil in this rock n’ roll, just killer noise!
Download: K Holes – Rats [MP3]
 Date |
Saturday, Feb 4th |
|---|---|
| Location | Mohawk |
| Doors | 800 pm |
| Tickets | $11 from Frontgate |
Rock n’ roll season is clearly upon us, and Mohawk is kicking things off the right way. They’ve got one of the best live acts around coming to town Saturday night with King Khan and the Shrines taking to the stage. We haven’t really heard a lot of new stuff coming from the camp, but their catalog is worthy of endless sets of straight out jams. And if that wasn’t good enough, the most excellent Jacuzzi Boys will be starting your night out the right way, fresh off the release of their album, Glazin on Hardly Art. Come on folks, get out and get rad.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/king_khan-torture.mp3]Download:King Khan & The Shrines – Torture [MP3]
I’m a label loyalist, so when our friends at Hardly Art send something our way, I’m pretty much guaranteed to like it. Perhaps that leads me to make judgmental errors in regards to what’s good and what’s not, but in the case of Black Marble, I think I’m right on with this one. The vinyl release of their Weight Against the Door EP will be out on Valentine’s Day, and I hope it features just as many darkened tracks as this number. Musically, it’s just a steady, almost simple, electronic production, but the vocal vibe creates that sort of haunting feeling you had as a kid when you first listened to Joy Division…or more recently Blank Dogs. Taste it.
Download:Black Marble – Pretender [MP3]
Within minutes of receiving this email, this track blew up all over the Internet; everyone is posting it. This is a testament to the excitement surrounding the new release from La Sera, which will be hitting the streets on March 24th via the good people over at Hardly Art. I really like the juxtaposition of vocals and music on this track; it’s got this Misfits/Spits guitar riff pushing you on through, but we all know Katy Goodman’s vocals come with that girl-pop sugar–we all know we can’t live without it. It’s a nice little twist to what’s become a moderately watered down genre, so my hopes are high for this record, Sees the Light.
Download: La Sera – Please Be My Third Eye [MP3]
Rating: 
Three years ago, back in 2008, The Beets began their garage-y, sporadic, and minimalist percussion rock up in New York. After a few years of scraping under the radar and keeping to punk scene of up north, The Beets have made their way into the eye of those previously unfamiliar with their lo-fi stylings. Although still lo-fi in nature, this band has come a long way from their original sound, which was muddied to the extent that it consumed the entirety of the music. After cleaning up their sound and holding on to the best bits, they are able to emerge as skilled crafters of the garage sound.
First up is “You Don’t Want The Kids To Be Dead,” which gently eases you into the fuzzy, campy sound that the Beets are doling out. Juan Wauters’ mousy voice wavers with the jangle of the guitar and the soft drum beats barely making themselves apparent. It establishes the lighthearted attitude that is the backbone of the sound on this album, and allows you get familiar with this breezy style of jam, if you hadn’t already waded into the waters of The Beets. Up next is “Now I Live,” relying on the vocals to carry it through the minute and a half in which it lasts, until the third track “Preso Voy,” is up. Third up, this song is entirely in Spanish, which if anything increases the interest level, latching onto syllables belted out with heightened emotion.
As far as this style of records go, The Beets follow the pattern that has become synonymous with punk-garage rock: more than ten songs of which only one reaches above the three minute mark. However, whereas most bands tend to fall victim to this structure, The Beets manage to use it to their advantage, avoiding that dreaded repetitive monotony that can sometimes accompany such choppy albums. You have songs coupled together such as “As The World,” which relies on feminine ooh’s to keep it chugging along, and “I Don’t Know,” which comes across as one of, if not the most, old-timey songs on this album. Together, they balance each other out, to make for a meet in the middle groove, keeping The Beets above banal sound and makes for a standout among other releases of this genre.
Let the Poison Out is sure to live in your CD player for a while; its brevity ensuring that you’ll be singing right along in no time.
Here’s another new jam from ATH favorite band The Beets. As previously reported, the band is about to release their brand new LP Let The Poison Out due next on October the 24th via Hardly Art. This new track is called “Friends of Friends” and should keep your eye out for that release date.
Download: The Beets – Friends of Friends [MP3]
