New Tunes from David Vandervelde

This guy just won’t quit! David Vandervelde always writing songs, and we’re always falling in love with them.   He’s prepping a new 12″ release, Summer Time Hits, that is set to come out on August 3 via Secretly Canadian, and we’ve got one of those new songs for you to check out.  This tune has a touch of glam rock, and there’s a little bit of a falsetto in his voice, similar to the high pitched yelps of Ted Leo.  It’s a lot more rocking than his last effort, but when did the rock ever bother us here at ATH?  Precisely, it doesn’t, and it shouldn’t bother you, so get with it.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/01-Checkin-Out-My-Baby-1.mp3]

Download: David Vandervelde – Checkin’ Out My Baby [MP3]

New Music From Here We Go Magic

Luke Temple and his band Here We Go Magic are currently sitting on top of the world.  They earned spots on all kinds of year end lists with their debut LP last year and pretty much everyone is labeling them the next big thing.  Now only a year after their debut release, HWGM are planning to release their sophomore effort, Pigeons, on June 8th via their new label Secretly Canadian.  This album will feature collaborations from all band members as opposed to last years album that was basically a Luke Temple solo effort.  Below you can find the first sneak peak from the album, “Collector”, which some of you may recognize as a staple of their live sets.  After a few spins, I’m ready to call this best new song of the week and a must have album in 2010.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-Collector-1.mp3]

Download: Here We Go Magic – Collector [MP3]

New Tunes from David Vandervelde

vander-picIt’s been awhile since we heard anything from David Vandervelde, but now that there is wind of a new recording, we couldn’t be more excited.  We loved Waiting for the Sunrise, so we expect more great things from David this time around.  Secretly Canadian has put up a digital download of a couple new tracks, and we’ve got one of those to tide you over before you get your hands on it yourself.  Expect his next record to be nothing short of sublime.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/learnhowtohang.mp3]

Download: David Vandervelde – Learn How to Hang [MP3]

New Tunes from JJ

jjphotoOur friends over at GvsB alerted us to a new tune that will be coming out on JJ‘s new album JJ n° 3, which hits stores March 9th via Secretly Canadian. Based on the adoration by all the blogs last year, this should be an album you’ll want to check out.  I can’t help but feel as if the harmonica changes their dynamic on this tune, but in a good way, I assure you.  Grab a listen.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/03-let-go.mp3]

Download: JJ – Let Go [MP3]

New Music From Yeasayer

yeasayerFinally.  After a long and patient (sort of) wait, Yeasyer are ready for us to hear new music from their highly anticipated sophomore effort.  This new single is called “Ambling Alp” and will appear on the band’s upcoming LP Odd Blood.  The new album will be made available on Feb. 19th on Secretly Canadian.  Anyone ready to offer up some first impressions?

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/01-Ambling-Alp-1.mp3]

Download: Yeasayer – Ambling Alp [MP3]

More New Molina & Johnson

molinaandjohnsonphotoNot long ago we dropped a new track on you from the Will Johnson (Centro-matic) & Jason Molina (Magnolia Electirc Company) collaborative project.  Now, just a week away from the release, we have another new track to get you excited for the release.  This one’s called “Almost Let You In” and will appear on the duos self-titled debut album out Nov. 3rd on Secretly Canadian.  This one is just as quietly beautiful as the first.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/almostletyouin.mp3]

Download: Molina & Johnson – Almost Let You In [MP3]

Molina & Johnson Release First Single

molUnless you’ve been living under a rock for a while, you’ve heard that Will Johnson of Centro-matic and Jason Molina of Magnolia Electric Co. have teamed up for a collaborative release.  So after much anticipation, the duo has a single ready and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.  You can pick up Molina & Johnson Nov. 3rd via Secretly Canadian.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Molina-And-Johnson-Twenty-Cycles-To-The-Ground.mp3]

Download: Molina And Johnson – Twenty Cycles To The Ground [MP3]

BLK JKS – After Robots

SC197lpjacketRating: ★★★★½

Having started in 2000 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and only releasing an EP (Mystery EP, recently reissued by Secretly Canadian in March) the BLK JKS (pronounced “Black Jacks”) have built up quite a substantial buzz stateside in the recent months in anticipation for their debut album, After Robots. After several listens to After Robots I have to tell you, that buzz was justified.

BLK JKS will initially be compared to The Mars Volta, but to write them as a prog-rock doppelganger would be unfounded.  Sure, the frenetic pace of the music is there, but the guitar work of Lidani Buthelezi and Mpumi Mcata is way more focused and stable than Omar Rodriguez-Lopez could ever hope to be and Buthelezi’s vocals is an even mixture of Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio) and Nick Urata (DeVotchka) rather than the caterwauling of Cedric Bixler-Zavala. (This paragraph just won Scrabble)

Having lived in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya and Mwanza, Tanzania, specifically) for a considerable amount of time, the beats and rhythms showcased by BLK JKS encapsulates the frenzied lifestyle that exists most major metropolitan areas on the continent: it’s dirty and hot, but vibrant and alive.  In the songs ‘Molalatadi’ and ‘Banna Ba Modimo’, I can see the streets of Nairobi, with heavily armed police officers and feel the tear gas stinging the back of my throat.  These songs are punctuated by the 9-piece Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Mos Def, Erykah Badu) which adds an extra layer of urgency.

The other seven songs in this collection run the musical gamut from jazz (‘Lakeside’) to dub (‘Skeleton’) and even hints of folk (‘Tselane’).  Throughout these changes in style one thing remains constant: joy.  These songs are played with a verve that, I assume, could only come from group of individuals that grew up with the specter of apartheid looming throughout your country. These nine songs have a spirit not found in the majority of the music we easily label fresh and groundbreaking, they feel like they were poured out on to tape not because a new record was due, but because they had to be.  Music needs more of that.

Between the success of District 9, Charlize Theron’s appearance on Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis and the release of BLK JKS After Robots, South Africa is having a pretty good month.

You can also catch these guys live October 12 @ Emo’s.  Tickets for that show will be sold at the doors for $10.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/molalatladi.mp3]

Download: BLK JKS – Molalatladi [MP3]

New Tunes from Music Go Music

musicWe got word yesterday that a final street date had been announced for Music Go Music‘s new album Expressions.  Said album comes out via Secretly Canadian on October 6th, and it features the wonderful song “Light of Love.” It absolutely reminds me of some sort of candy-pop from back in the day; the sort that recalls various montages in movies throughout history, particularly the birthday party scene in Problem Child.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/01-light-of-love-1.mp3]

Download: Music Go Music – Light of Love [MP3]

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