New Track from Why Bonnie

We were fortunate enough to have Why Bonnie play our SXSW show this year; they wowed us and the many in attendance, assuring their steady rise. And after their In Water EP, the band are ready to drop 5 more tunes for you. Our first listen has the band offering up a more billowy dream number, casually letting the guitars build into this huge wall of atmospherics behind Blair’s stellar vocal performance. It’s great to see the band building on their early success and fleshing out their sound even more. If this band isn’t on your radar already, I don’t know how to help you. But, Nightgown will be out on cassette courtesy of Sports Day Records on June 20th.

Why Bonnie Release Another Tune

Why Bonnie haven’t been around for too long in the Austin scene, but things are already looking promising as we near the release of the group’s In Water EP. They dropped this new tune today, and while not much longer than 3 minutes, there’s an impression left that seems to make your listening experience feel as if it’s sprawling across days. Guitar chords circulate in the background, washed synths atop…both meeting the slowly billowing vocals. There’s a nice little touch where the song seems to slow to a crawl near the 2:20 mark, then bursts back in with an emphatic punch. Look for the new EP on February 16th via Sports Day Records.

Dark Ethereal Bedroom Pop From Ohyeahsumi

Ohyeahsumi is a duo made up of twin sisters, Lena and Rena Vernon, out of LA, who are about to make real waves in the music world. They’ve just announced that they’ve signed to Austin’sSports Day Records.This track, “Daisy,” will immediately win your affection for these ladies, as it’s the perfect slice of brooding bedroom pop. Duelingbass and electric guitar riffs make up the majority of the instrumentation for the song and the piercing vocals provide the effortless accompaniment that really makes this track shine. The whispery, haunting, and almost too pristine vocals give the whole song an eerie, yet beautiful vibe that you’ll be hard pressed to shake as you move through your day. I know I keep coming back–watch out for Ohyeahsumi.

 

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Fall In Love with Slumbers

slumbersThere’s something nostalgic in the waters of late, and this tune from Slumbers somehow makes its way into my nostalgic leanings. There’s an inherent innocence in the softened tones, reminding me of a young Jenny Lewis on the first Rilo Kiley LP. Musically, there’s two guitar lines working against one another, yet in their contrast they wrap your ears in the delicious melody that holds court in your heart. They’re releasing their debut with Sports Day Records; it’s titled Come Over, featuring more songs for you to devour.

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Beautiful New Piece from Arbes

arbesWell, contrary to the date, it’s not quite Fall here in Austin, which makes this track from Arbes pretty perfect; it fits somewhere between the sunny playfulness of summer and the breezy afternoons of early Fall. I love the steadying hand the band employs, carefully moving guitar lines over rolling drums. It’s got this internal joyousness that only arrives upon repeated listens, which I highly suggest. I have a feeling that their new Psalms EP will be the perfect way to move between seasons…not to mention a wonderful way to pass any afternoon; look for its release on October 7th via Sports Day Records.

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Catching Up to Static Animal

Our friend from Sports Day Records passed this tune from Static Animal our way just the other day, and I was running behind in life, so there’s no excuse for running great tunes. It’s a relaxed vibe throughout, letting the mood and the trickling dance of the guitar carry you away to your happy place. I like the subtle little switches in lead guitar that add a vibrant layer to the track whilst the vocals carefully sit in the backseat. The label will be releasing a limited run of cassettes (as well as digital) of the new EP tomorrow, so hurry and grab it while you can.

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Enjoy A New Track from Harley Alexander

harleyWhen listening to this new track from Harley Alexander I was struck by the distinctive power of the voice. It doesn’t quite seem to fit the feel of the laid-back tune, yet in that contrast, listeners are likely to hang on every note, every pitch change and the lyrical content. There’s a softness within the song’s confines, something that warms you as you allow yourself to fall deep within the tune; it’sthe best way to spend fourminutes of your day. Look for his new Harland EP via Sports Day Records next week.

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More Music from Hovvdy

hovvdyHovvdy seems to be one of the hottest tickets in the Austin market right now…as far as bands on the smaller scale of the world go. This song “Meg” is their second single from their forthcoming album, Taster. I think I might actually like this one a bit more than the first; it has the lo-fidelity approach that allows the earnestness of the band to breakthrough your speakers. It’s the trickling bit of pop that got really had me hooked on music in the late 90s. Look for the new tunes on April 15th via Merdurhaus/Sports Day.

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Hovvdy Making Huge Waves

hovvdyAustin bands are a dime a dozen, but you’ve got to have something special to break beyond the confines of the city. It appears that Hovvdy have accomplished done that, blasting thing single all over the world rather quickly (15K listens in a matter of days!). You’ve got to be proud, as an Austinite, but you’ve also got to take note if you’re living beyond. The act is working with Merdurhaus and Sports Day Records, both reputable voices in the void, to release their debut, Taster on April 15th. Take a listen to what it’s all about, as these guys won’t be looking back.

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Nice To Meet You: Arbes

11182190_857958794284353_6505984048708003117_nArbes is a trio of youngsters making some interesting pop music out of Australia.  I know very little about the band at this point since they are so fresh on the scene, but I do know the music is speaking to me today.  Many will hear the enchanting female vocals on a song like “Beach Side” and immediately compare the band to the likes of Beach House.  Though it’s fair, the band also add in these tricky little guitar parts to give everything a more upbeat and groovy vibe.  Stay tuned for more from this young trio as they plan to release their debut EP on cassette this Friday via London’s Sports Day Records.

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