Tag: The Church

About Last Night: Levitation Night One (10.26)

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I left my day job early to go get in on the action at Levitation 2023, heading out to the Far Out Lounge to catch a handful of great guitar acts from the 90s take the stage; it was there where I was greeted with a reminder of what a nightmare festival pricing can be. Let’s be real, a $13 Miller Lite draft? $20 parking when there are no other options in proximity? I mean, I get overhead, and a convenience fee, but for real, fuck that. Shitty decision making out there, and kind of soured me in the setting. Don’t even get me started on one food option, and it being outside the venue.

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Show Pics: The Church with Helio Sequence @ 3ten (9/19)

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Nostalgia acts are difficult. Ticket prices are usually higher, merch is prominent, meet and greets are “a thing” and expectations can be low. I have had several great experiences lately with bands I loved years ago coming in and performing at an insanely high level including two recent shows at 3ten with The Fixx and Midge Ure.

The Church, more to the point Steve Kilbey and a slowly evolving support band, last came through Austin for SxSW. I was always overlapped and didn’t have the chance to catch them along the way. When I saw the announcement for The Church to headline a show at 3ten, my interest level was sufficient to go on radar. When I saw the announcement that The Helio Sequence would open, I was locked in as they are one of my favorite things.

It was a good show, but not without issues. That is what we call a teaser. Click through for notes and all the pics.

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The Drums – s/t

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Rating: ★★★★☆

The Drums have been on everyone’s radar for a little under a year now, but their star has continued to shine all the way up to the release of their self-titled album.  Their combination of surf guitar hooks and 80s electronic beats is destined to make this record the smash of the summer.  It might possibly be too sweet, but this is the kind of fun we should all have as we sit in our kiddie pools drinking beers with our friends this summer.

Opening with “Best Friend” you’ll find that bouncing groove of the bass moving you right into your first dance movement of the album.  Jonathan Pierce’s hip little croon will keep you swaying, just as it should.  It’s possible that this might not be the most artistic work, but there’s no denying that from the moment The Drums begins, it’s catchy as all get out.

First single from the group “Let’s Go Surfing” was one of our favorite Songs of 09, and it still has the same charm it did when we first heard it. Beach guitar sounds fused with whistling and a charming lyrics make it hard to ignore this song, and no matter how long you listen to it, it still has the kick you ask for in a great single.  Then you come into the beneficial “Book of Stories.”  While it retains the same surf-dance sensibility of early tracks, it definitely slows things down, turning the album in a different direction.  It’s pleasing to see such a variance here, as too much straight lo-fi pop might have put listeners in a sugar coma.  Similarly “Down by the Water” does the same thing, just a few songs later.  It provides a nice contradiction to the infectious pop moments, and Pierce’s voice rises high in the most charming way possible.  Personally, it gives The Drums more in common with bands like The Church rather than the surf version of New Order or The Smiths.

“Forever and Ever Amen” is accompanied by a killer video, and the swirling melody within this sound, despite a redundant bass line, really makes you swing your arms in pure ecstasy.  As the chorus goes “forever, baby its forever,” you feel as if you’re being sucked into some perfect John Hughes montage.  In fact, you can see the Breakfast Club dancing about the library here, at least in my mind, which is perfectly fitting.  It’s a reminder that the album is filled with a certain sense of innocence and frivolity that, when done in good taste, reaps marvelous rewards for listener and songwriter alike.

Time will surely tell how important The Drums self-titled debut actually is.  But, one thing is for sure right now: their intelligent pop tactics combining summer sounds with electronics is the perfect music for kicking off summer in the right way. This album is full of melody, hooks and just simple fun, and while that might not always be my cup of tea, it surely seems to be working with this record.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/02-lets-go-surfing.mp3]

Download: The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing [MP3]

The Go-Betweens – Bellavista Terrace

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Rating: ★★★★★

This is another album in our mini-series of old albums that you should probably revisit, or say hello to for the very first time. Our current selection comes from the Australian band The Go-Betweens.

Background information from this album:  First off, this is a compilation of some of their best songs from their earlier albums. It’s a good starting point, as it was the place that I first began. The band revolved around the songwriting partnership of Grant McLennan and Robert Forster. They played together, taking breaks, up until 2006, when McLennan passed away.

The closest comparison I can think of when referencing this band is to say that they come off a bit like The Smiths, which isn’t a bad way to begin if you ask me. I think that comparison deals more with the sounds of the vocals; there is a great deal of resemblance to the way Morrissey sings.

However, they don’t have a Johnny Marr, so the angular guitar sounds are a little bit smoother, which allows room for some really solid melodies. For me, it gives a little bit of a folk feel to the traditional eighties dance mixes. The drums, throughout the album, are extremely crisp, accenting every beat perfectly.  There isn’t a bad moment from the rhythm section on this album.

Every song on this compilation has something redeemable, and I always listen to this album from the first song to the last. Here are some of my personal favorites:

That Way: This is probably the song I dance to the most in my bedroom all year long. The guitar work is very clean, encouraging you to swing your arms about your body in glee. And the percussion work on this song is ridiculous – every time the kick-drum comes in, I’m taken aback.

Draining the Pool for You: This song is all about seeing through that person you’ve pined after for years, and you come to realize they’re a little less special than you thought. The chorus alone makes this song worth every listen.

The House that Jack Kerouac Built: This song has strings in the background to accompany the bands. For me its a very dark song, which I kind of think is the point, as the lyrics ask “to keep me away from her.” This is what Joy Division could sound like if they were mixed differently.

Streets of Your Town: If you wanted a cheesy song to sing along to at your wedding, I think this is the one for you. It sounds a lot like The Church, which is another great Australian band. Every few words, female vocals come into the background, creating melodious moments of magic. I think this is one of their most popular songs.

There are many more songs on this album worthy of mention, but I don’t want to take up all that space. It’s sad that McLennan passed away because this writing partnership gave the world some of the better moments in music history. If you’ve passed them up, start here.  It will get you acquainted with one of indie-rock’s best kept secrets.