This is fine.
Whenever the opportunity arises to catch local instrumentalists, Balmorhea as the 6-piece live incarnation of Rob Lowe and Michael Muller’s cathartic project, we at Austin Town Hall jump all over it. Friday night’s album release party at the fantastic Stateside at the Paramount Theater stage for the band’s enthralling sixth LP, Clear Language was no exception. Follow the jump for more on the show. Read more
One of the great things about following labels is that you can identify certain sonic similarities in the work they put out, much like Western Vinyl who’ve worked with artists like Balmorhea (among others). Sure, Lean Year doesn’t have the exact same sound, but if you listen carefully, you’ll be absorbed by the band’s cinematic quality (perhaps owed to Rick Alverson’s participation). Every note seems to have been dropped perfectly in place, every vocal line placed precisely in position. Quiet throughout, you’ll likely find yourself immersed in the expanse the band has created for you. Their self-titled album will drop in your lap (I hope) on October 20th.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t support our friends in Caroline Says, especially considering they just dropped this brand new video and single. Plus, this is one of my favorite tracks on 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Cant Be Wrong; it has this almost dream pop vibe to it with understated jangling guitars, balanced perfectly by the heavy tones of Caroline’s voice. The group is quickly gaining new fans (even P4K got in on the action), so don’t be left out in the cold…get hip to Caroline Says! The record will drop on August 4th via Western Vinyl.
Western Vinyl is so hot right now; they’ve got new Balmorhea, Caroline Says reissue and now a new Katelyn Aurelia Smith announcement! I’ve always really appreciated Smith’s work, particularly her care with the compositions that surround her voice. Here, we see her drifting into that realm where the Knife left us, beauty and hints of darkness intertwined. This composition is pretty sparse, but I like that it leaves plenty of room for folks to get lost as the song builds towards the end. Look for the Kid on October 6th!
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Caroline Sallee is a good friend of ours over here at ATH; she’s one of the guitarists in our ownPollen RX, but we wanted to make sure you were aware of her solo work as Caroline Says. Not too long ago she released 50,000 Elvis Fans Cant Be Wrong via bandcamp and a handful of tapes…now it’s getting the reissue treatment from the revered Western Vinyl. This song’s a great introduction, mostly working with intimate picking and Caroline’s voice; there are some slight atmospheric touches atop too (including vocals towards the tracks end). It’s the sort of song that lets you sit at your window with a cup of coffee in hand, gazing into the distance as your mind drifts in and out. It’s a winner for sure. Look for the reissue on August 4th!
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We love you Austin.
Everyone is already looking forward to doing it again. More on that later. I took photos, we did our shimmy thing, records were sold, merch was sold, group shots, industry discussions, ball-busting, cider sampled, dogs joined in, kids were indoctrinated into collecting vinyl.
Modern Outsider, Super Secret Records, Western Vinyl, Holodeck Records, Launch Cycle, Chicken Ranch Records, Keeled Scales, Saint Marie Records, Nine Mile Records and, as Nate said, our own little ATH Records all had the booths up and running. We had the musical stylings of The Sour Bridges and A. Sinclair.
Please enjoy my little photo essay on the Austin Record Label Flea Market. Click through to see what you missed or reminisce…
While Austin musicians get a lot of love for their hard work, there’s anumber of incredible Austin record labels that work equally as hard to make it all happen. This Saturday at 3Ten ACL (right below the Moody Theater), you can come see a handful of those labels setting up shop and selling their records and moreover at the 2nd Annual Record Label Flea Market.
Labels involved: Modern Outsider, Super Secret Records, Western Vinyl, Holodeck Records, Launch Cycle, Chicken Ranch Records, Keeled Scales, Saint Marie Records, Nine Mile Records and, of course, our own little ATH Records.
Entry is free. Open from 1-5 PM. Performances by The Sour Bridges and A. Sinclair!
Here’s a new A. Sinclair tune I hope we get to hear too:
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When RG Lowe stepped to the side of Balmorhea to focus on his new project, I was really interested, as I always gravitate towards more lyrically based music. And, with his latest single, he’s completely heading in a pure pop direction. While the song begins slowly, almost ornately, the pace jumps and guitar stabs create that infectious stomp in your toes. You could see this song sliding right up against a handful of mainstream acts, and you’d be proud for Mr. Lowe, just knowing how much he works to perfect his craft. It’s adult contemporary pop for the cool kids. Look for Slow Time on June 2nd via Western Vinyl.
All of us in Austin are extremely familiar with Rob Lowe, not the actor, but one of the key members of Balmorhea. Don’t you dare expect anything in the vein of his previous work, as he’s clearly stepping out to craft a huge pop sound. This lead single from Slow Time is filled with funky bits of guitar stabs and synth beats bursting…all while Lowe carefully croons and bounces his way through the vocal performance. It’s almost like an uplifting soul experience, and definitely worthy of our attention. You’ll be able to grab his new release via the ultra-reliable Western Vinyl on June 2nd.
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We haven’t heard from Abram Shook since 2015, but the good news for Austin, and everywhere, is that he’s back with the brand new Love at Low Speed. The batch of songs on this album is said to be of a more personal nature, which inevitably will hit home for listeners. I love how this song opens with Shook and guitar, and little else. It seems to fit the song, creating an immediate intimacy that captures the audience, before the track is built up by further accompaniment. It’s a slow-paced adventure filled by Abram’s continued sonic exploration as he seeks to reach musical perfection. My two cents? You’re close pal, so so close. New album will be out on June 16th via Western Vinyl.
