ACL 2015 WE2 In Pictures: Saturday Edition

TV On The RadioCollection Two…

Saturday’s lineup was feeling a bit weak as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, but I soldiered on and ended up having a great day. Despite being first, I still contend that FIDLAR was the most rock and roll we got in any 45 minute slice at ACL this year. Come at me, I’ll argue it and win. The “Sweater Song” done with meows for the verses? Can’t beat that. It was also home to the most legit beer-throwing. After that, I chased music and photos equally ending the night with a brief amount of deadmau5‘s crazy stage setup in the viewfinder and a stroll through the Waterloo Records tent. My real headliner was TV on the Radio; such a great set and about the best we have seen from the band in years – concise and on point. In between, we have Ryn Weaver, Glass Animals, Houndmouth, locals Sounds Del Mar, a very solid set from Unknown Mortal Orchestra and a revisit of Jose Gonzalez.

Click through and get lost in the memories…

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ACL Recap From Team ATH

ACL 2015 Banner WE1…with links to all the pics from Weekend Two.

This past weekend, team ATH hit up Zilker Park with a few hundred thousand of our closest friends to catch some live music at what has become one of the most popular music festivals in the country. We were treated to absolutely perfect weather for braving crowds and jamming out without dying of sweat and dehydration. Wether you’re looking to relive, or to decide who should be on your weekend 2 must see list, we’ve got the highlights of weekend 1 for you. Read on for each member of team ATH’s winners and losers and awards of the first weekend of ACL 2015 and see some lovely B.Gray pics.

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Hear Another Birds of Night Tune

birdiesA few weeks back we were fortunate to premiere the first single off the new Birds of Night tune, and now they’ve returned with another smoldering indie rock groover.  The Denton band’s newest tune has them in the territory of early TV on the Radio, exploring the range of the vocals, yet there’s some continued progression of the seemingly non-stop soloing guitar; it creates a sensation of consistently being pushed forward, consistently enjoying yourself as your fueled by the sputtering energy. Their self-titled LP will be out on April 21st, so keep a look out.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/birdsofnight_asleepinthepine.mp3]

Download: Birds of Night – Asleep in the Pine [MP3]

 

More New Music from Santiparro

santiGOLDJust last week I encountered the music of Santiparro.  I was struck by the fragile quality of the vocals, placed gently atop these great little folk-influenced ballads.  On his latest single, that’s the case once again, though I turned my speakers up to the max so I could hear the tiny little details that lurk in the background of this song.  Clearly he’s made a name for himself already, as this song features that Kyp Malone chap from TVotR, so people are taking notice of his work, and I hope you’re one of those as well.  Look for his new album, True Prayer, to come out on February 24th via Gnome Life Records.

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New Dance Banger from Icky Blossoms

It’s Friday and that means Spring Break’s here! In honor, I wanted to toss up some funky hits today, like this catchy new tune from Icky Blossoms. This is definitely a dance track, and I’d love to hear it in the club (you know versus my laptop); the song is the debut single from the group’s upcoming debut on Saddle Creek. Dave from TV on the Radio is producing it, so you know there’s a man with tastes behind the knobs.  The band will be here for SXSW too, so turn it up, shake it a little, and lets get ready to party.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/01Babes.mp3]

Download:Icky Blossoms – Babes [MP3]

Funky New Jam from The Coast of Nebraska

I’ll be damned if The Coast of Nebraska isn’t attempting a great musical feat, releasing a new EP every month for the rest of the year.  Sounds like a huge amount of work, and I wouldn’t be convinced had the October EP not made its way over to our inbox.  Looks like the big hit off this EP is going to be “Dark Signal,” an electronic exploration of pop, with a tendency to sound a bit like Tunde of TV on the Radio.  Give this one a try, and be sure to keep up with the band as they seek to toss out hit after hit for the rest of the year.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/The-Coast-of-Nebraska-Dark-Signals-01-Dark-Signals.mp3]

Download: The Coast of Nebraska – Dark Signals [MP3]

New Tunes from Young Buffalo

I have a feeling that people are going to find it hard to pigeon-hole Young Buffalo.  They’re set to release their Young Von Prettylips EP on Cantora Records on July 18th, and they’ve been kind enough to send out a track to give people a listen.  At first, I thought I heard hints of TV on the Radio, but in the middle, the song erupts into a joyous akin to Local Natives, especially with the percussive presence.  However, they seem to have re-imagined that sound, giving something a wee bit different, then softly flowing back into the atmospheric construction that began the song.  If you can’t find a genre to throw at these guys, probably should just stick with the fact that they’re just plain good.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/youngbuffalo_onlywecankeepyoufromharm.mp3]

Download: Young Buffalo – Only We Can Keep You From Harm [MP3]

New Song from Pat Jordache

Somehow Pat Jordache seems to have escaped my ears, but with the release of his recent album, Future Songs, things are changing in my world, and hopefully his as well.  Pat used to play with Sister Suvi, with one of his former mates going on to help in Tun-e-Yards.  This track has a really deep vocal, but it’s got an odd effect on it, which reminds me of that vocal approach sometimes employed by TV on the Radio.  Intrestingly, the music itself seems to counteract the vocal itself, giving this even more of a feeling of unsteadiness, yet it all works, creating a song that immediately attracts your ears, though you might never figure out why.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/patjordache_getit.mp3]

Download: Pat Jordache – Get It [MP3]

Future Songs is out now on Constellation Records.

TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light

Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s been quite a long time since TV on the Radio released Dear Science back in 2008. While three years may or may not be considered a long time for some, it is still plenty of time for things to change, one of those things the sound of a band. As many fans know, the longer the time between releases increases anticipation and excitement for the record to release, but it also allows for some doubt to come into play: is this the band that you loved so long ago?

Nine Types of Light is both a yes and no answer to that question. When you press play on the cheekily named “Second Song,” you can’t be quite sure. Yes, everything is where it should be: the strikingly unique vocals, the textured guitars, and the occasional electronic noise. However, that furious energy that TV on the Radio brought to their last album seems to be missing. While you expect a fast and frenzied opening number, you get a well-reasoned and well-written slow burner, complete with that falsetto croon that this band is known for. For the chorus, the band brings back their traditional sound, and then lets it fall away on the verses and you can’t help but notice that this band seems to have both feet in different places, straddling that line between past and future. If anything, this combination of sounds is a great start, and is topped off by some horn work in the end.

As the album continues, it is clear that this is definitely a calmer approach to tunes than before. They chose to focus on what made songs like “Family Tree,” so wonderful on their last album; simplicity and elegance. “Killer Crane,” the longest song on the album, spans six minutes, sprawling with delicate vocals and even more delicate instrumentation. All the instruments, from the strings to banjo, all have room to breathe, and are not crowded by an overload of others.

While the first half of this album feels more meditative, the second half has that manic energy and fun that you’re used to associating with TV on the Radio. “New Cannonball Run” has those quick and sharp lyrics, while “Caffeinated Consciousness” is that number that you can always bob your head and tap your toes to.

In effect, while this band does sound fairly different at first, they bring it full circle. Their focus may be on the slower simplicity that they found, but this album is by no means a setback: it’s filled with a ton of detailed and enjoyable songs, so I suggest you take a listen.

New Music From TV On The Radio

We have yet to post any of the new TV On the Radio songs and I think it’s just about time that we did so.  This new jam “Caffeinated Consciousness” is set to appear on the band’s upcoming LP Nine Types of Light due out April 12th.  I’m glad that I’ve finally posted one of the new songs because they are quite good.  You can hear another new slow style jam called “Will Do” over on the gum.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/TV-On-The-Radio-Caffeinated-Consciousness.mp3]

Download: TV On The Radio – Caffeinated Consciousness [MP3]

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