Last Week’s Jams (6.19 – 6.23)

It was a pretty busy week around these parts, though on a personal level, the next two weeks are going to be a bit of a shit show. So, it was good to settle into that ride with some great new jams. New music from Colored Lights and Lola Tried got me super excited, so we’re kicking off last week’s jams right there. B. Gray shot some great photos of Love and Rockets, which you can scroll back into and find, thus their inclusion. RayRay ran a review of the latest from Elder Jack Ward, so you can get your soul fix in. I probably played it safe and close to home with new songs from Snooper, Swansea Sound and Film School, among a bunch of others. Unfortunately, the new Lewsberg tunes are streaming yet, so those aren’t here, but go back and listen, please!

Lola Tried Drop Don’t Care At All Video

I think Lola Tried are definitely ready to be considered one of the premiere pop rock acts in Austin at the moment. There’s a certain maturity in Lauren and Ray’s songwriting that seems to hold dear to a punk ethos while aiming for much bigger sounds, bolstered by a thunderous rhythm section that allows the song to ebb and flow perfectly. When the guitars pull back and allow the vocals to take center stage, one realizes how they’ve maximized space to play up the grittier bits. And for all the hooks in the vocals and bass lines, there’s still that rad tenacity, maxed out with a ferocious closing. Fingers crossed a new LP is around the corner here!

 

ATH vs SOTO SXSW Party – March 12th @ Hotel Vegas

First there was Covid, then I had another kid, but I’m back this year to reignite the annual AustinTownHall vs SideOneTrackOne SXSW Party. It’s a 3 stage extravaganza over at Hotel Vegas, bringing in some of our favorite acts from all over Austin and having them throw down ridiculous sets that make us all proud of our music scene. Huge shout out to John at SOTO and 101x Homegrown for the organization, and thanks to the Vegas crew for having us back here. This year, we’ve even got a fun playlist for you to sample the tunes and share around to get your friends excited.

Show starts at 3 PM on March 12 at Hotel Vegas/Volstead! FREE! See you there!

Last Week’s Jams (2.13 – 2.17)

We’re not sure if you’re off or not for President’s Day, so we wanted to make sure those stuck in an office, or just browsing the Internet at home caught on to what we dished out last week! Ryan premiered a fresh track from Slow Fiction, plus he was able to get some SXSW coverage up via interviews with Dream, Ivory and Free Range. I was stoked to hear our friends Lola Tried return, plus I loved that new track from Ghosts on TV; the new stuff from Dry Cleaning and Lunar Vacation wasn’t bad either. Plus, there were lots of weirdo bits in between like Monde UFO and Swim Camp too! Oh, and did you see the IT Department was back on the grind with some Orbital coverage? Yep, stream away friends.

 

Lola Tried Return with Black and White

It’s been a minute since we last heard fresh tunes from Austin’s Lola Tried, but on their Renvers EP, you could hear a broader songwriting perspective, a certain fearlessness for the band to face pop rock on their own terms. As you’ll hear below, there’s absolutely no turning back, as Lauren Burton seems to only be rising higher with her craft. This song build slowly, like a warm up lap, letting the listener sink into the song. But, as it creeps along and Burton’s voice takes control, the song bursts into an all out spring, erupting with this crunching wall of rock n’ roll that would surely lead into a huge breakdown in the live setting. Absolutely loving this performance, and hoping you are too. Plus, if you’re in the Austin area, they celebrate the release of the new single tonight at Chess Club!

Last Week’s Jams, Today (September 7 – 10)

Welcome to another Monday my friends. First, taking a minute here, as I’m writing this post, to celebrate the 7 day young Rhys Bennett Lankford! That’s right, went and had me another one of those kids, and its been a lot of fun, and well, we’re super stoked on the lil’ fella. That said, we also had a short week, so maybe we didn’t get as many jams in as we might otherwise. But, rest assured, we’ve got a pretty solid little collection of tunes here for you to begin your week, with quite a few ATX appearances from the likes of Lola Tried, American Friend and more. You know what to do, press play and stuff.

Lola Tried Drop Renvers EP

Today let’s celebrate another great release from one of our favorite Austin bands, Lola Tried. The band haven’t released anything new since their eponymous debut in 2018, but they’re coming back with a vengeance, packing some pop rock that’s bold and boisterous. I love how the guitar work on this single seems to be holding back, just teasing us on the cusp of rock, all before letting lose to drop in these crunchy old school emo-style riffs. Lauren’s vocal control is phenomenal, bold and angry where it needs, holding onto melody when called for; the band’s backing vocals also add a nice little textural harmony in there that certainly doesn’t hurt. Stoked for the band, so celebrate with us by streaming the whole Renvers EP today. If you’re in the ATX area, the band celebrate the EP with a show tonight at Native Hostel.

Win Tickets to An Horse at Barracuda on May 5th

After a long hiatus, Aussie duo An Horse are returning with their brand new album, Modern Air this Friday. We’ve heard several of the tracks, all just as convincing as when the band left us with Walls back in 2011. But, more importantly, the band return to Austin this Sunday at Barracuda, and seeing as it’s never easy to catch an Australian band in the States, you should jump at the chance to win free tickets! Plus, the group will be joined by local powerhouse, Lola Tried.

All you have to do to win two tickets is pick a number between 1-1000, leave it in the comments, or tweet it at us! The only hint I’m giving you is that it’s not my favorite number! You’ve got 48 hours! Go!

Regular old tickets are HERE.

Karen Meat and Lola Tried at Hotel Vegas Tonight

Sure, it’s all sorts of hot outside. But, the best part about Summer (at this point, anyways) is that it does tend to cool off at night. What better way to cool off than hitting up a solid little rock show at Hotel Vegas tonight. Lola Tried recently returned from a nice long tour, so you can bet they’re a well-oiled machine…more so than usual. But those looking to get something extra will enjoy Karen Meat, who just recently released You’re An Ugly Person via Emotional Response…and which we’ve mentioned previously. The songs are catchy and infinitely witty…and you might just leave having snuck in one of the best kept secrets in indie rock circles.

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