This is fine.
Had I known it was going to be the last day of ACL, I would have gone all out, but I didn’t foresee the future, so I only went mildly out. Regardless, I was up bright and early, as one of my favorites, and perhaps one of the best acts, had an early slot.
Shotgunned beer? Check.
Now on to my highlights and Brian’s photos.
Fridays tend to ease you in, Saturdays tend to beat you down. Or at least the odds of self-inflicted wounds go up exponentially. You have a little hangover, perhaps you start the day with a bloody mary, but by the end you are shirtless, missing a flip-flop and wondering why your hand is blue. For me, it was a pretty non-stop run at awesome; I won at Festival.
Click-through for a few notes on the first Saturday. *spoiler alert* The Cure wins in the end.
You’re only a few days away from what seems like great weather and a great musical experience. But, you’re scanning the festival line-up trying to find that one band that will be perfect in this setting. I’ve got you covered folks: Junip. While Jose Gonzalez made big waves a few years back, his new project has made some incredible strides, leaving us with a stronger personal attachment. While Gonzalez still takes a lot of the vocal roles on, the rest of the band work on providing you with these extremely layered sounds that highlight the soft vocals of Jose. At times, there’s a dark underbelly, but you turn the corner and you’ll find this spiritually up-lifting moment making its way through your speakers. I can just picture nodding my head (while my arms are crossed; I’m that guy) while the below tune floats atop the breeze into the audience. The group has this ability to encourage light dancing or swaying, but also has this atmospheric pop attribute that makes them absolutely perfect for anyone looking to fill their schedule with top tier bands.
The group will take to the stage both Saturday’s at 3 PM on the Honda Stage. You’ll want to catch them in order to here the great jam below.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/04-Your-Life-Your-Call.mp3]Download: Junip – Your Life, Your Call [MP3]
Having already been a fan of Jose Gonzalez, I’ve really liked the way that the career of his group Junip has unfolded. After releasing their sophomore effort, the group has gotten together with a new EP, Walking Lightly. The EP will feature several remixes, but the main single is just a gorgeous number meandering through space. There’s a slight effect on the the vocals, making them even a touch more solemn than perhaps they’d be otherwise. It works really well with the untraditional percussive element that provides minimal rhythm on this tune. Here you go.
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/105714498″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
This new track “Your Life, Your Call” from Junip is a bit of a new turn sonically from what you might expect from the band. Sure it still has the hushed vocals from Jose Gonzalez, but the synth heavy bass is definitely something of a new bit for Junip. What’s created is a really interesting experimental sort of folk song that manages to make you nod your head along to that nice bass track.
A new self-titled album from the band is out April 23rd on Mute Records.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/04-Your-Life-Your-Call.mp3]Download: Junip – Your Life, Your Call [MP3]
| Date | Tuesday, May 10th |
|---|---|
| Location | Mohawk |
| Doors | 630 pm |
| Tickets | $12 from Transmission |
Most people might not recognize the name Junip, as it hasn’t quite become a household name, but surely you’ll all recognize one of the principle songwriters in the band, Jose Gonzalez. The Swedish group is coming to the Mohawk to support the release of their recent Fields LP, a collection of beautiful songs that quietly sank deep into the souls of every listener. The likelihood of a cool Spring breeze blowing into town as the band takes to the stage only makes this opportunity for music all the more special, matching the music with its seasonal counterpart. Not only will you fall in love with Junip, but you’ll also have a chance to see Acrylics, the NYC band steadily building themselves their own reputation. Just another great night of music in Austin.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/rope_an_summit.mp3]Download: Junip – Rope and Summit [MP3]
| Date | 11/18/10 |
|---|---|
| Location | Mohawk |
| Doors | 8pm |
| Tickets | $11 @ Frontgate |
Now I don’t know what his new project known as Junip will be like live, but I do know that I’ve seen José Gonzalez live and the man can transfix a crowd in the right setting. Mohawk on what is sure to be a cold Thursday night should be one of those great settings to see the man and his intimate music. Be sure to get there on time as Sharon Von Etten is an opener you won’t want to miss. Plus it’s only a two band lineup so don’t be one of those fashionably late people either.
[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/rope_an_summit.mp3]Download: Junip – Rope and Summit [MP3]
Jose Gonzalez and his band Junip are prepping their debut LP of new material for release this fall. Prior to the album date, the band is offering up a free EP for the price of an email address over on their website. You can pick up the new Junip LP, Fields, in stores September 14th. Below you can find single “Rope and Summit”, which appears on the free EP as well as the upcoming LP.
Download: Junip – Rope and Summit [MP3]
