Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Hex Dispensers


The Hex dispensers must have put a spell on me, because I haven't been able to free myself from the grips of their latest album, Winchester Mystery House. The album was released last year on Douchmaster Records, with the late Jay Reatard handling mastering duties. On each and every track, the Austin-based Hex Dispensers bust out high-energy garage punk jams that stick in your ears like a parasite. It's hard to defend against the infectious qualities of songs like "I’ve Got My Doppelgänger On," which attacks your nervous systen with an irresistible vocal hook and three chord pop mastery.
They just unleashed this music video for "My Love is a Bat," written and directed by Jon and shot on 16mm film:


Apparently I am quite late to the party, because after looking around I see that a whole bunch of people have been saying a whole bunch of good things about this album and about this band. Check out some of the reviews right here.

The Hex Dispensers will be playing at Beerland this Saturday in benefit to the Health Alliance For Austin Musicians, so you can do good and have your face rocked at the same time. Plus they will be supported by the Shitty Beach boys, who I am oddly compelled to see.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Video: Arcade Fire



Arcade Fire have released the video for the title track from their album The Suburbs. The master director known as Spike Jonze created video, which was filmed a few months ago on the tarmac area of Austin Studios along with other locations around town.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Kurt Vile in Austin


Philadelphia's constant hitmaker Kurt Vile (along with his band the Violators) is performing twice in Austin tonight. First up will be a free in-store at Waterloo Records at 7:30, followed by a headlining slot at Emo’s indoor. The talented songwriter, guitarist and vocalist has released four albums during the past three years, the latest being last year’s Matador Records debut Childish Prodigy. Vile comes to town on the heels of a new 7" teaser/single/pre-release for his forthcoming LP, which will hit the streets in 2011.
UPDATE: Here's a few photos from the show, courtesy of Mary Rehak

A Fun Fun Fun Recap


The Austin hip-hop collective known as Crew54 were lucky enough to be selected to perform at this years Fun Fun Fun Fest, and they captured the festival experience for their video blog, The 54 Reality Show. Their video recap features a lot of the action that took place on the Blue Stage, which hosted the likes of Pharoahe Monch, Slick Rick and Devin the Dude.

Todd P Goes To Austin


I was there when Juiceboxxx fell through the roof while performing at Ms Bea's. The trailer shows a brief glimpse of it at 1:23. Shit was hilarious. The documentary also features unforgettable live performances from the likes of Dan Deacon, The Death Set, Japanther, Mika Miko and a bunch more.
"Using never-before-seen footage, including material shot by the bands themselves, TODD P GOES TO AUSTIN exposes what life is like surviving and touring at the underground level. Interviews with Todd about the necessity of independent music and creativity connect the bands as they tour down to Austin, TX to appear in the DIY music scene's answer to the SXSW Music Festival."

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Bassnectar BBC Mix


The latest Bassnectar tour just swung through London, giving him a chance to put together a little mixtape for BBC Radio 1. Help yourself to listen/download it below. The video above it is footage from Bassnectar's 2010 Fall Tour, which I was lucky enough to catch at Nocturnal Festival. The track is "Falling" (feat. Paper Machete) from Bassnectar's Wildstyle EP.

Tracklist:

  1. Intro
  2. Bassnectar – Here We Go
  3. DC Breaks – Halo (Bassnectar remix)
  4. Bassnectar – Massive Attack Remix
  5. Bassnectar – The 808 Track
  6. Bassnectar – Bass Head
  7. Sub Focus – Splash (Bassnectar remix)
  8. Jimi Hendrix – various
  9. Deftones – Prince (Bassnectar remix)
  10. Reich – Proverb (Takemura vs Bassnectar remix)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Video: TUNGS



A Timely Daytotter Update



Daytrotter has been killing it lately. Just this year they have published sessions from Austin locals The Black Angels, Riverboat Gamblers, Daniel Johnston, Brazos, The Rocketboys, Cartright, Balmorhea, Dana Falconberry, Alejandro Escovedo, and Agent Ribbons.

Since January they have also done sessions with a few favorites of mine in Tame Impala, Thee Oh Sees, El Ten Eleven, Toro Y Moi, Lover!, Velvet Davenport, Beach House and on and on. This selection from Caribou is just one shining example of the magic that can occur during a Daytrotter session. And it's all free. Epic win.

So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite


Dreamend is a project fronted by Ryan Graveface, who also serves as a member of Black Moth Super Rainbow and proprietor of Graveface Records. So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite is their third album, and it is fucking awesome. Through a series of nightmarish folk songs, each one heavy on banjo, bells, guitar, organ and fearlessly honest vocals, the album chronicles the events in the life of a serial killer who acts on his destructive fantasies and impulses. I don't think songs about brutal murder are usually this catchy:
Graveface believes an album isn't complete without distinctive custom artwork and the unique personal touch of on-site assembly, which frequently entails time consuming, literal cutting and pasting, e.g., the pop-up book packaging from Dreamend's last album. Upping the ante, the LP version of So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite is presented like a phenakistoscope, a classic Victorian animation machine:


Find out more at Graveface.com
"For all its dark and horrific ponderings, So I Ate Myself succeeds in nearly every way. It elucidates the thoughts of a decided anti-hero, and in doing so captures the frustrations of a media-saturated, materialistic generation. On his label site, Graveface pitched this as the first of two volumes, indicating that the next installment would arrive sometime in 2011. With the first, he has clearly surpassed all expectations in the indie-folk field." - Tiny Mix Tapes

All Day



Monday, November 15, 2010

Video: Warpaint

Warpaint "Bees" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

"Reverb and minor chords are beautiful things for Warpaint, a four-woman band from Los Angeles. The reverb makes the guitars weightless yet enveloping, and when the women use them for high, intertwining, arpeggiated lines, they hint at the gleam of Congolese pop. The minor keys keep the songs pensive and serious. And the songs unfold with architectural clarity, advancing from ethereal to earthy....First they hypnotize; then they get you dancing." -NEW YORK TIMES

Shake The Shackles

"Shake The Shackles" is Crystal Stilts' first release since "Love Is A Wave" and is a great snapshot of where the band is now and a taster for their second album, due in early 2011. Driven by echoed guitar strum and droning keys, it's a dexterous update of 60s garage pop that places it alongside late 80s Paisley Underground heroes like Green On Red and later Dream Syndicate, but the song itself is totally timeless, and impossible to place anywhere but firmly in Crystal Stilts' own unique style. -slumberlandrecords.com

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Video: Paper Bird


A few weeks ago I lucked out by catching a very special, secret performance by Paper Bird, a seven-piece ensemble from Colorado. Their playful performance is truly something special to experience. Here is their Daytrotter Session. I highly recommend.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

New from Monahans

Watch the full episode. See more ACL presents Satellite Sets.


The more I hear and see from Monahans, the more impressed I become. I got turned on to their first album, Low Pining, back in 2007, falling hard for the track "Undiscovered." The follow-up album Dim the Aurora arrived via Misra Records in 2009, showing off a fuller sound and a whole new level of ambition.

It appears that Monahans have added ex-Spoon bassist Joshua Zarbo to the lineup, which certainly bodes well for the band moving forward. They recently performed on the fabled KLRU Austin City Limits stage for the spinoff series ACL Presents Satellite Sets. The video above comes from that set, and the rest can be found here.

Monahans are giving away free downloads of their latest recordings over at their official site, and the band will play Austin again on 11/19 as part of the Movember Beatles Benefit at The Mohawk.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Video: Dark Horses


Video: Ratatat


Official video for NECKBRACE from RATATAT's LP4

Directed by E*VAX

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

The Rumble Austin



The Rumble Austin is a free monthly showcase that that puts the spotlight on emerging Austin talent. The November edition of The Rumble will take place at Beerland on Wednesday, November 10th, featuring a fantastic lineup that includes Prayer for Animals, The Coast of Nebraska, The Redboys, and Sad Accordions.

As always, the show is absolutely FREE, and put together by the collective of Futuresounds, Covert Curiosity, Austin Town Hall, A.V. Club, The Austinist and Waterloo Records. You can find more information at Do512 and Facebook.

PRAYER FOR ANIMALS:


"These Texas boys have embraced their surroundings, developing an amalgamation of rock genres into their own southern fried blues attack on the masses. With prevalent influences ranging from alt country, Americana, surf, and psychedelic rock, Prayer For Animals have created a beast entirely their own, and are on to something as distinctive as it is incredible. The band wails through an eclectic range of ambitious stylistic shifts, with diverse influences including Neil Young, The Doors, Pavement, and Television." - Exploding in Sound

"Prayer For Animals is one of the best bands in Austin, frankly. They're an air-tight live band with aggressive on-stage energy. Their timeless sound is an organic blend of surf, blues, country, and psychedelic rock. They sound HUGE live." - Nites
THE COAST OF NEBRASKA:


These locals by way of upstate New York are making catchy pop laden indie rock with 80’s styled melodies, as evident on their track “Soft Surrender.” Comprised of Matt Bell and Will Hoback, The Coast of Nebraska combine reverby rock with electro beats and synths; resulting in a unique sound that has locals cathcing on.

“Best thing about this duo is their variety of material; they have rockers and disco ballads and seem generally unconfined by self-imposed genre restrictions.” – Big Western Flavor
SAD ACCORDIONS:


Sad Accordions began as a project between Seth Woods and Ben Lance, who are both involved in other Austin bands. Woods performs as a solo artist under the moniker The Whiskey Priest, as well as playing bass in the Austin band Zookeeper. Lance plays guitar in the bands Zookeeper and The Ovenbirds. The band recorded "A Bad Year For The Sharons" in 2006, which Austin Sound said "displayed a slew of talent and promise behind the band’s ability to serve up ballads that carry the understated yearning of Wilco and the epic sweep of U2, as well as high-energy shots of rock ruggedness.
THE REDBOYS:


Brothers Ben and Max Redman are 11 and 9 years-old, respectively. Together they make up the rock duo known as The Redboys, and they love rock and roll. They have played some of the best venues in the city, including Antone’s, The Parish, The Ghost Room and The Mohawk, including shows during the SXSW Music Festival in 2010. They also shared the stage with Dead Confederate at Red River On The Rocks. Influences include RUSH, Zeppelin, Muse, Van Halen and the White Stripes.

Monday, November 08, 2010

Video: Sunset

Sunset - "Lunar Eyes" on Vimeo.

Bill Baird's Sunset has a new video for "Lunar Eyes" from their new Loveshines... long-player. The video captures Bill Baird singing the tune on a walk with Praveen Ayyagari (director of the Loveshines II video) and his dog Townes, bookending a video Bill made for the track.

Holy Wave


Holy Wave is a four-piece band from Austin that I randomly discovered earlier this year. While running back and forth between a couple of downtown clubs I stopped by Beerland to catch the Night Beats, who I saw for the first time a few months earlier at Austin Psych Fest 3. Though I had to take off before their set I did get a chance to check out Holy Wave, who were cranking out some really loud, reverb-fueled psych that you couldn't help but pay attention to.

Once they were done I bugged them about sending me some music to check out, which arrived in the form of their six-song debut CD that was recorded by Shapes Have Fangs guitarist Skyler McGlothlin. Any psych band worth their salt have been influenced by the likes of The Velvet Underground and Spacemen 3, and you can definitely hear shades of that from Holy Wave.

What stands out about Holy Wave is the sonic textures they apply to make their sound pierce through the smoke-filled haze that engulfs most psych bands. Kind of like A Place To Bury Strangers, Holy Wave can successfully take it to 11. They also manage to show some range over the course of their eponymous effort, touching on drone territory à la Brightblack Morning Light (Drugband Blues) and tossing in a jangly guitar number (The T. H. Sea.)

You can hear/read more on Holy Wave at TapeBombs and the Austin Chronicle.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010


I've pimped Tame Impala a time or two or three. Their single 'Lucidity' went on sale today, backed by a remix by the French re-edit master Pilooski. Like so:
During their month-long trek across these United States, the Aussie trio will visit Austin on Wednesday, December 1st for a show at Emo's with Stardeath and White Dwarfs. Tickets are available here.

Monday, November 01, 2010

Video: Continents


The Kansas City, MO music project known as Continents has released the official music video from their album Land of Plenty, entitled "Future Waves." The video was compiled from archive footage by frontman Jim Button, employing classic 60’s art-movie techniques in homage to the psychedelic headscape of his influences. "Land of Plenty" is available for streaming and/or purchase here.