Bringing the jams
Somehow I woke up today, turned my computer on, and suddenly realized that Levitation Festival is going down this weekend. I suppose with all us ATH members being so dang busy over the last month or so, we fell asleep and failed on our pre-coverage. Well today that changes with our first band to watch feature spotlighting veteran Welsh band Super Furry Animals. Follow the jump for some brief personal thoughts and a video or two.
Psych fest starts tomorrow! Tomorrow I tell you! Now that I’ve got your full attention, lets focus on the task at hand and get you even more prepped for the weekend. Today I’m continuing our coverage with yet another interview this time from L.A. based band Fever the Ghost. Follow the jump for full interview and deets on the band’s festival set.
What’s that? Levitation is this weekend!? It seems like only yesterday we were talking about the chaos of SXSW and all that jazz. So ready or not, ATH will be out this weekend in full force covering the festival just like you know we do. Since we are just a few short days away, we’ll be spotlighting a few bands this week so maybe you’ll feel a bit more prepared. I’m kicking this bad boy off today with a few words about huge veteran UK act Spiritualized. Follow the jump for more.
The city of Austin is gearing up for Levitation Festival (Psych Fest) in just a short couple of weeks and you have to know your friends at ATH will do our best to get you ready. I’m kicking off the coverage today with an interview from San Diego based psych rock group Amerikan Bear. Let’s get it on after the jump.
I had a fun year.
I took a lot of photos. I met a lot of artists. I took some portraits. I got jumpshots. I found the interesting people in the crowd, friends and strangers alike. I rejected releases and used my cell phone (looking at you Adam Ant). I went to festivals and went elbow to elbow with besties, frenemies and national media to get you the goods. I got to shoot The Cure and New Order. I saw new great bands breaking out and great bands before breaking up. I took pics of bands for which Nathan released records. I had a fun year.
I hope you enjoy browsing and clicking. They are a collection of random things and happenings.
Head over to the big photo site, search and get a print, if you feel so inclined…
Yet another small festival in Austin has grown into something much bigger than we ever thought it would and now Psych Fest is ready to stake a claim with the festival cool kids in town. As we usually tend to do, we’ll be previewing some of the artists playing the festival with a few spotlights on bands we think you should pay attention to. Today we’ll kick things off with festival artist and ATH approved Bass Drum of Death. Follow the jump for more.
We’ll get things going on your drab Monday with the new tune “To the Boy I jumped in the Hemlock Alley” coming your way from rockers White Fence. It’s a psych rock type of tune that’s reminiscent of something you might have heard in the 60s coming from The Doors or other bands during that era. If you’re into it, new album CYCLOPS REAP will be dropping tomorrow via Castle Face Records.
You’ll also have a chance to see White Face live when the stop in for Psych Fest in a couple of weeks.
Sure, Psych Fest just ended here in Austin, but I’m already trying to organize next year’s artists for the festival. I’ve decided the first band they should pencil in is the Allah-Las, a hot group out of California. After spending my weekend with music that blended together, I think there’s some distinction in the blend this band is playing, offering a cleaner spin on the genre. Their second single, Tell Me (What’s On Your Mind) is something you’ll want to try and order from the group; I want you to take a nice little listen to the lead track from said single before you get your wallet out.
Download:Allah-Las – Tell Me (What’s On Your Mind) [MP3]
Seeing as Psych Fest is going to be taking over Austin this weekend it seems only fitting thta we rep one of the many great Austin bands: The Ripe. This week the group just released their album, Into Your Ears, on Get Hip Records, and we’ve had a lot of fun spinning it for ourselves over here at ATH. Just one look at the album’s cover and you might think these guys play on the darker side of the Psych realm, but you’d be asboslutely wrong. There’s a light-hearted garage feel to what they’re working on, and fans of both modern indie rock and classic tunes will enjoy themselves. These dudes have gotten some great press from all over the world, so it’s about time people in Austin pay attention, and that means you!
The Ripe will take over the stages at Psych Fest on Sunday, April 28th at Emos at 4:00 PM. See you there!
Here’s an MP3, plus you can sample the band’s whole album right HERE.
[audio:http://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/drawning-sound-june-2011.mp3]Download:The Ripe – Drawing Sound [MP3]
Psych Fest is going down this weekend over on the East Side of town, and I wanted to give you a few bands I think you should check out. The first band I’ve got for you is Nashville’s The Paperhead. After releasing a wonderful self-titled record last year, they’ve got a new 7″ on Trouble in Mind Records this year; this new jam displays their blossoming maturity in regards to their songwriting. You will find that it’s a lot less psychedelic than the last effort, almost coming off as the second coming of the Kinks or the Beatles (neither of which is a bad thing). There’s still hints of darkness in the sound, but the writing’s lacks some of the frills. Regardless, this a band that many have taken notice of in the last couple of years, and you should add your name to the list.
You can catch their set at 3:15 at Emo’s East on Saturday! And here’s one of their new tracks off that aforementioned 7″.
[audio:http://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/The-Paperhead-She-Is-Above-Me.mp3]Download:The Paperhead – She Is Above Me [MP3]
