Must Watch: New Video From Loma

So this may not be the biggest new news that you’ll be met with on this Thursday, but it’s very important that you get aboard the Loma train as it’s about to leave the station. Hell, since the band is already signed to Sub Pop, you may already be too late–but it’s good to stay informed. Loma is the project some Austin darlings– Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg and Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski of Cross Record. Together they’re making entrancing music, as you’d expect from this epic combination, with Cross’ vocals at the centerfold, ensnaring your attention. The instrumentation bubbles underneath with a sinister tonality to it– synths pulse and glide while the steady drum beat keeps everything at a constant run. The whole track builds to a nice ending that you should definitely check it out. I’m stoked for the release of their self-titled debut, which you can pre-order herebefore its February 16th release via Sub Pop.

 

Loma Share Another Track from Forthcoming Album

It should come as no surprise that members of Cross Record and Shearwater will garner a lot of attention, but the depth of song’s like the one below clearly hint at how great this new Loma album is going to be. There’s a wonky, unsettling groove that opens the track, but Emily quickly comes into the picture to calm the storm with her voice. This track was built for her, with layered atmospherics withering in and out of the tune, leaving plenty of negative space for her to carry us with her voice. A different vibe than the first tune, but one we adore over here; look for the self-titled album to hit on February 16th via Sub Pop.

Show Review: Dinosaur Jr. @ The Mohawk (10/5)

It was a packed house, about as jammed up as The Mohawk has ever been. J Mascis ambles on stage. He slowly takes off his glasses, checks the stacks, sets the mic just so and commences to blast the crowd with a wall of guitar sound. This is how a Dinosaur Jr. show starts.

Locals Shearwater pulled homecoming duty to open and thoroughly impressed the crowd.

Read on for a few more thoughts and plenty of pics…

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Ticket Giveaway! + Dinosaur Jr. @ the Mohawk (10.4)

This is history here folks.  It’s not J. Mascis solo; it’s not some other line-up; it’s the old school SST Records line-up, fresh off the release of their newest release, I Bet On Sky.  We’re lucky that Transmission is continuing to bring such solid shows to our town, and they’re not just here to make a buck, they’re here to keep our rock n’ roll community alive and bumping.  If you want to see Dinosaur Jr. for FREE, all you have to do is leave us a number between 1-1000, and I’ll give the one closest to my number a pair of tickets to the show Thursday night.  Incredible openers (and locals) Shearwater will be opening, so show up early to make the most of your night.  We’ll pick the contest winner by 10 AM Thursday, day of show.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/01-Feel-The-Pain.mp3]

Download:Dinosaur Jr. – Feel The Pain [MP3]

If you don’t think you’ll win, you can buy tickets HERE. Doors are at 7 PM.

New Music From Shearwater

I’m sure plenty of you have already heard this new Shearwater tune and have reveled in all its glory.  I wanted to post it here anyway because it’s just too irresistible and shows a new direction for the band that I support in full.  The track in question is “You As You Were” and appears on the bands upcoming LP Animal Joy due out February 14th on Sub Pop Records.  It shows a since of pop from the band that we’ve never seen before and it keeps me intrigued for what’s to come.  Another new song “Breaking the Yearlings” is also available for download over on the Sub Pop site.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Shearwater_YouAsYouWere.mp3]

Download: Shearwater – You As You Were [MP3]

New Music From The Nighty Nite

Yesterday we got word of this new project called The Nighty Nite formed by John Congleton and Jason Garner of the Paper Chase along with members of Shearwater, Wires Under Tension, and The Hospital Ships.  Coming from a short recording session, the new group produced four songs for an EP entitled Dimples due out June 21st via Graveface Records.  You’ll obviously hear the heavy influence of The Paper Chase in these tunes with that familiar indie horror music style that we’ve grown to love.  Glad to hear these guys are continuing to create enjoyable tunes.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Dimes-In-Their-Dimples.mp3]

Download: The Nighty Nite – Dimes In Their Dimples [MP3]

Shearwater @ Central Presbyterian Church (1/15)

Date 1/15/11
Location Central Presbyterian Church
Doors 900p
Tickets $15 @ Frontgate

Local indie giants Shearwater have a very special show planned for Saturday night in Austin at Central Presbyterian Church.  The Austin band plans on playing all three of their albums from the last five years in their entirety.  Needless to say, this would be an incredible chance to catch a show from the band if you haven’t already.  Make sure you get there and get in line early, as shows at the CPC are usually seated on a first come first serve basis.

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

Download: Shearwater – Black Eyes [MP3]

New Shearwater Album “Enron”

Austin’s very own Shearwater have just put up a new album for sale on their Band Camp site entitled Enron.  The album is all instrumental and focuses on the “experimental” side of the band.  Let’s just say you’ll probably want to have a listen to a few songs before you spend any money on this thing… Shearwater is also currently on a long tour of the east coast with Damien Jurado, so watch out New England kids!

Dominant Legs – Young at Love and Life EP

Rating: ★★★½☆

Ryan Lynch has been on our radar for quite some time now, as well as the radar of every major publication around these parts.  It’s not surprise that his first offering to the public as Dominant Legs gives us a slight peek inside his poetic pop ethos, but mind you, its just a peek; you won’t see anything more than the Young at Love and Life EP, as of now.

Title track “Young at Love and Life” definitely has a bit of a groove to it, right from the get go.  You get an electric jangle guitar backed up by some bleeping keyboard, just before Lynch kicks in with his vocals.  Hannah Hunt is a great counterpoint to Lynch’s heavier vocal traits, bringing back a circle of light heartedness that aligns itself with the upbeat movement of this track.

“Clawing Out at the Walls” has a bit more of a kitchen sink effect to it, using tribal rhythms along with various assortments of music in the background.  Ryan sounds a lot like Shearwater in this track, having a bit of a hiccup to his voice.  Similarly, the  music seems to have a sprawling quality, as if it sort of trails in and out with a wonderful melody.  At the two minute mark, he drops the vocals down an octave, and alters his vocal delivery; it suits this song perfectly, possibly more than the main vocal recording.

When you get to “About My Girls” you’ll find that Dominant Legs are back into the groove of everything, giving the listener a bit more of a beat to swing along with for the song’s duration.  There is a solid hook underlying this track, but it could probably use a bit  more distance from the opening track, as they seem to operate in territory far too close in proximity. As a stand alone track, however, this would surely win many over.

Closing out the short Young at Love and Life EP is “Run Like Hell for Leather.”  As the song opens, there’s a lot of open space, setting the perfect scene of one walking along a trail covered in foliage.  It’s got a bit more of a folk feel, which really allows for Lynch’s creativity and voice to go places he didn’t seem capable of going, at least when you use the more typical beat-laden tracks for comparison.  But, as you draw near the end of the song, you’re probably hooked.  You’ve been pulled closely by these four tracks, and sucked into the hype with the rest of us.  Surely this will be an adventure when the future of Dominant Legs sets its sights on a full length, but until then….

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Dominant-Legs-Clawing-Out-At-The-Walls.mp3]

Download: Dominant Legs – Clawing Out At The Walls [MP3]

End Of An Ear 5 Year Anniversary Events

On of our favorite record stores in south Austin End of an Ear are celebrating 5 years in the music business this week with in-store events starting on Wednesday and going through Sunday.  Each day is of course free and features some great talent from the Austin area.  Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening every day:

Wednesday 6/23Ralph White @ 5pm & Jonathan/Thor of Shearwater @ 6pm

Thursday 6/24 – The Viet Minh @ 6pm

Friday 6/25 – ST 37 @ 5pm & Octopus Project DJ set @ 5:30pm

Saturday 6/26 – TBA

Sunday 6/27 – Ola Podrida @ 5pm

You can of course find more info and updates on the End of the Ear website.  Thanks for keeping it real guys.

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