Austin Psych Fest 4

The fourth annual Austin Psych Fest is taking place at Seaholm Power Plant this year, with over 50 bands coming in from all over the world. The 3-day festival will feature performances from the likes of Roky Erickson, Spectrum, The Black Angels, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Prefuse 73, Atlas Sound, A Place To Bury Strangers, Crystal Stilts, The Night Beats and many more.

Dedicated to the preservation of Austin as a birthing ground for psychedelic music, Austin Psych Fest 4 honors the past while also magnifying the modern vanguard of mind-expanding music. Presented by The Reverberation Appreciation Society and The Black Angels, the festival will take place April 29 – May 1, 2011 and will be one of last concerts to happen at the iconic Seaholm Power Plant. Day tickets are on sale RIGHT NOW for $40 per day, and for one day only weekend passes are back to the Early Bird price of $85. Click over to austinpsychfest.com to get yours at this special discount while they last!

Do512 interviewed The Reverberation Appreciation Society, short one member - Oswald James, who produces a DVD of Austin Psych Fest every year through Alta Real Pictures. Filmed and edited by Austin Music Weekly, this short clip provides some background on the history of the festival and their plans for Austin Psych Fest 4:


The full festival schedule, set times, and dates are available on austinpsychfest.com, with a few more SPECIAL GUESTS to be announced. The full lineup includes:

Roky Erickson • Spectrum • The Black Angels • Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group • Black Moth Super Rainbow • Prefuse 73 • Atlas Sound • A Place To Bury Strangers • Crystal Stilts • Crocodiles • Tobacco   Fresh and Onlys • Sleepy Sun • The Growlers • Indian Jewelry • Black Ryder • Beach Fossils • This Will Destroy You • Cold Sun • The Soft Moon • Radio Moscow • No Joy • Dirty Beaches • The Night Beats  • White Hills • Pontiak • Black Hollies • Beaches • The Quarter After • Lumerians • Woodsman • Young Prisms • ZAZA • Lower Heaven • Shapes Have Fangs  • Christian Bland • Bass Drum of Death • The Meek •  Blue Angel Lounge • The Cult of Dom Keller • Cloudland Canyon • Zechs Marquis • ST37 • Vacant Lots • The Diamond Center • Rishi Dhir • Pete International Airport • Shine Brothers • Daughters of the Sun • Weird Owl • Wall of Death • Ghost Box Orchestra • The Sky Drops • Tjutjuna • Chris Catalena • Holy Wave • Hellfire Social

• Bass Drum of Death - "Get Found"
• http://bassdrumofdeath.blogspot.com/

• The Soft Moon - "Breathe the Fire"
• http://www.myspace.com/thesoftmoon

• Black Moth Super Rainbow - "Twin Of Myself"
• http://www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com/

• Atlas Sound - "Logos" 
• http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/

• Sleepy Sun - "Marina"
• http://www.sleepysun.net/

• The Black Ryder - "Burn and Fade"
• http://www.myspace.com/theblackryder

• Prefuse 73 - "When Irony Wears Thin"
• http://www.prefuse73.com/

Moon Duo - Mazes

San Francisco's Moon Duo released their second proper full-length on Sacred Bones today. Do yourself a favor and snag a copy. The album is called Mazes, and it's filled with 45 minutes of glorious psych-kraut-rock to find yourself lost in. Moon Duo frontman Ripley Johnson provides commentary on each track over at self-titled magazine, where you can also stream the entire album. If you can find it, the release is also coupled with an 8-song remix cd featuring remixes by Psychic Ills, Gary War, Cave, and more. 

via Sacred Bones Records:

"For just over two years now Ripley Johnson (Wooden Shjips) and Sanae Yamada have been burning up the scene with their propulsive beats and compelling acid washed shows. Formed in San Francisco, the duo recently relocated to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. This record, however, was cut in Berlin. Certainly the most pop-oriented batch of songs the band has ever delivered, Mazes reveals a more accessible vocal delivery and song structure that is sure to appeal to a wide audience not necessarily well-versed in the psych underground. The concepts of minimalism, expansion through repetition and sensory distortion are all still here and the dynamic interplay between Ripley’s guitar and Sanae’s keyboard continue to push this band and genre into uncharted territory."

• Moon Duo - "When You Cut"
• Moon Duo - "Run Around"
• http://www.moonduo.org/

White Denim Mixtape

White Denim recently put some of their favorite jams into a an hour-long mixtape. There's a full tracklist below, along with a song from the band's new album, D, which is out May 24 on Downtown Records. Thanks Austinist for the tip.

White Denim Mixtape by WhiteDenim

Jeff Simmons – Cop Out
Happy End – Haikara Hakuchi 01:10
Lee Hazlewood – I’ve Got To Be Movin’ 04:05
Triangle – Les Contes Du Vieil Homme (excerpt) 05:35
Head, Hands, and Feet – Safety In Numbers 05:55
Wendy and Bonnie – You Keep Hanging On To My Mind 09:18
George Duke – Searchin’ 4 My Mind 12:04
Crazy Horse – Dirty, Dirty 13:48
Moby Grape – Road To The Sun (excerpt) 15:39
Patto – See You At The Dance 16:32
Emmylou Harris – Luxury Liner 18:54
Ann Steel and Roberto Cacciapaglia – My Time 22:27
Monique Gaube – Avec Amour (édit) 24:45
Jeff Simmons – Madame Du Barry 26:12
Heads, Hands, and Feet – Let’s Get This Show On The Road 28:17
Jim Ford – Long Road Ahead (excerpt) 29:08
Connections 30:12
Alessandro Alessandroni – Aliante Giallo 31:52
Amon Duul II 33:08
Hank Williams Jr – Family Tradition (excerpt) 35:12
Little Feat – Easy To Slip 36:50
Billy Joe Shaver – Black Rose 38:55
A. More – Judy Get Down 41:09
Triangle – Blow Your Cool 42:56
Ernesto Djedje – Pieli 44:48
Eddie Callahan – Santa Cruz Mountains 48:27
Roberto Cacciapaglia – Sei Note In Logica (excerpt) 51:42

Anvil Everything by WhiteDenim

http://whitedenimmusic.com/

Ten Favorite SXSW Discoveries: Part One

There is almost nothing to complain about when it comes to South By South West, only that there is not nearly enough time to see it all. Though I far from accomplished this, I made a pretty valiant effort and discovered enough new music to make it to SXSW 2012. If you were not able to attend as many shows as you would have liked, perhaps this list of my Ten Favorite SXSW Discoveries will relieve some of the pain. I always try to mix it up, and this the best of the best, so you are sure to find something that toots your flute. I introduce you to part one of my three part series, and would love to hear about your favorites from the week.

Marz Lovejoy

Photo via Marz Lovejoy
Like most attendees of the Village Voice/ Frank 151 SXSW Party, my designs were on Wu-Tang and Erykah Badu, but as I walked home, all I could think about was Marz Lovejoy. At 19 years old, Lovejoy may well have been the youngest person on stage that evening, but that did not stop her from tarring up the Austin Music Hall. Her unique beats, reminiscent of the grime sounds of MIA and Dizzee Rascal, lend themselves to strikingly syncopated rhymes like little else that comes out of this country. In late 2010 she released her freshman record, “This Little Light Of Mine”, featuring an extended mix of “Sticky” which she closed her Villiage Voice set with. I highly recommend it. She is all over Youtube where you can watch her model, free-style, perform live, and the video for “Love Bullet Gun”. Oh yeah, and she has been modeling for 14 years, and is ridiculously beautiful.

Shad

Photo via Dominique Imani Kaplowitz
With parking lots serving as official venues, it should come as no surprise that Homeslice Pizza hosted their own unofficial party, “Music by the Slice”. It was there that I stumbled upon Shad as he opened for Aesop Rock. Sweat dripping from his forehead he brought the audience to their feet with energy matched only by his precision, he even busted out a guitar during the set. Rather than sporting a gold chain and eschewing the virtues of the street life, the Montreal MC rocked a black wooden Africa necklace and rapped that young people should be “sent to school for possession rather than jail”. DJ Tedo provided phenomenal backbeats, equal in excellence to Shad’s rhymes. I recognized references to Nas, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, Jay-Z and Kanye West during the set, and am sure I missed a few. Though his tone is quite similar to that of Jay-Z, it is certainly not identical, and Shad opts for faster runs and more progressive subject matter. Check out his video for “Rose Garden” on Youtube, and try to catch him next time he makes it through the Lone Star State. I promise that it will be well worth the wait.

Wakey! Wakey!

Photo via Erin Park
At the Do512 Lounge we were treated to a solo performance by Wakey! Wakey! front man Michael Grubbs. Virtuosic piano and choirboy vocals filled the room and sent shivers through the shoulders of everyone in it. Reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright and Elton John, there is not a vibrato in all of indie rock more perfect than Grubbs’. As he crooned, “So tell me why we’re talking when we dance so good”, we were transported to his living room where he told his favorite stories and deepest secrets. Grubbs’ between song banter genuinely put the icing on the cake. Charismatic, funny, intimate, and beyond talented, the redheaded New Yorker certainly won my heart, and I am sure that of many others. The Do512 Lounge Sessions video will be available soon, and in the mean time check out the Wakey! Wakey! music video for "Light Outside".

- April Kaplowitz

Spencer Bell Legacy

Everyone loves a benefit concert; you get happy helping people feelings and happy music feelings all in one place! A phenomenal musician in his prime, in 2006 20-year-old Spencer Bell died of adrenal cancer. This Saturday, March 26th from 2pm to Midnight at the Mohawk, musicians from across the country will honor the legacy of the young man.

Admission is a sliding scale from $12 to $40 with proceeds benefiting The Spencer Bell Memorial Fund which “aims to raise awareness for adrenal cancer research, support research and provide a training ground for young students interested in a career in medicine or science through sponsorship of summer research fellowships in laboratories associated with the Adrenal Cancer Program.”

For more information visit the facebook event page. It will be a great time for a great cause, and I hope to see you there!

• Spencer Bell
• The Stevedores
• Tin Tin Can
• The Kissing Club
• Mechanical People
• Netherfriends

Covert Curiosity and The Reverberation Appreciation Society Present:

Covert Curiosity and The Reverberation Appreciation Society have teamed up to bring you a free night of psychedelic exploration at Emo's on Monday, March 14.

Start your south-by with a bang and catch sets from Seattle psych trio the Night Beats, Austin's own Shapes Have Fangs, Costa Rican female garage rockers Las Robertas, Chicago psych quintet Secret Colours, reverb enthusiast Christian Bland, and the Portland surf-punk trio Guantanamo Baywatch.

Scott Conn and Oswald James will be on hand to provide visual accompaniment via digital video and oil projections. The show is FREE with RSVP, thanks to generous support from Spellbound Studio, Birds Barbershop, and Smoke ATX. Doors will open at 8pm and early arrival is highly suggested.

Here are some sights and sounds:

1:00 - The Night Beats (Seattle, WA)

• Night Beats - "Shadows In The Night"
• http://www.facebook.com/Night-Beats

"Night Beats currently hail from Seattle but as two of the three members are originally from Texas, it's not hard to pick out the influence of golden age Texas psych idols such as the 13th Floor Elevators, Lost and Found and Golden Dawn." Trouble In Mind

12:00 - Las Robertas (San José, Costa Rica)

• Las Robertas - "The Curse"
• http://lasrobertas.com/

"Las Robertas hail from San Jose, Costa Rica, perhaps a rather strange place to find a flourishing punk scene. Nonetheless, these girls make melodic lo-fi punk as good as anyone else. They sound most like New York’s Vivian Girls, all wistful vocal harmonies and crunching guitar riffs, belting out a mercilessly crisp sound that turns their noisy background into a beautifully sweet chorus." Artrocker

11:00 - Shapes Have Fangs (Austin, TX)

• Shapes Have Fangs - "Shapes Theme / Only Blood"
• http://www.shapeshavefangs.com/

The Austin garage R&B congregation Shapes Have Fangs likes to get rowdy, with live shows that can turn into a fiery rock and roll dance party without any warning. The band is just a few days away releasing their debut LP 'Dinner in The Dark' via The Reverberation Appreciation Society. The album serves up 12 rhythm-driven garage and fuzzed-out pop songs, distilled into potent, narcotic rock and roll.

10:00 - Secret Colours (Chicago, IL)

• Secret Colours - "Western"
• http://www.secretcolours.com/

"The album is pleasingly dense, with chiming acoustic guitars, swirling vocals, jet-fighter electric fuzz, and tom-heavy drumming. Secret Colours wear their influences on their sleeves—not just the Black Angels and the Brian Jonestown Massacre but also the Velvet Underground, Spacemen 3, and Stone Roses." Chicago Reader

9:15 - Christian Bland (Austin, TX)

• Christian Bland and The Revelators - "I See You"
• http://www.bland-design.com/

Christian Bland is a sound and imagery speialist for The Black Angels. He also plays the occasional gig with his friends known as The Revelators, and recently released 'The Lost Album' under that very name. The album was recorded with fellow Texan artist Greg Ashley (The Gris Gris), resulting in 13 tracks of mind-opening psychedelia that sold out on first pressing. The 2nd (and digital version) is available for consumption here.

8:30 - Guantanamo Baywatch (Portland, OR)

• Guantanamo Baywatch - "Clam Party"
• http://www.guantanamobaywatch.com/

"Guantanamo Baywatch: Looking somewhat like Blondie meets The Stray Cats, this band surely creates cognitive dissonance for the first-time listener, who may be surprised by the tight surf rock the band unleashes. Their instrumental performance echoes the spirit of their surf predecessors, reminding us why Dick Dale has never been uncool. Think “Surfin’ Bird” in all its timeless proto-punk glory, mischieviously packaged with a postmodern wink." - Smells Like Pop

SXSW Preview: RAS (Riders Against the Storm)

There are two camps of Ausinites when it comes to SXSW: those who flee for the hills (or I suppose more a appropriately, the Planes), and those who embrace the abundance of free beer and fill the week with shows and parties. I am a little embarrassed to say that I generally flee, or rather, hibernate, and dedicate only one day to seeing some of my favorite artists. But this year, with my very free schedule, will be different.

One of the bands on my “must see” list is Riders Against the Storm (RAS). Austin locals, the gorgeous husband and wife duo counter culture by becoming culture. Their rhymes are pure poetry dedicated to communicating the African diasporic experience, and working toward positive change. But they do not lean on their message rather than talent. In the tradition of Tupac, Talib Kwelli, and Common, RAS combines contemporary beats with clever and meaningful lyrics that evoke both shivers and swaying hips.

During SXSW they will be performing at the So Fresh by South West party, and officially at 9:30 on Friday, March 18th at The Marq (Along with Covert Curiosity favorite, Zeale). In celebration of their SXSW debut, during the week of the festival, RAS will have their entire album available for free download on their website.

Latest Do512 Lounge Session

I arrived just as Auroavore was finishing their sound check. The room filled with applause and laughter as the band began their set. With nearly the entirety of the line-up (Zeale, Ume, and The Black and White Years) among the crowd, there was no line between artist and audience, a rarity in the ever-growing Austin music scene. In the Do512 Lounge, libations flowed freely and praises of the bountiful sliders, provided by Black Sheep Lodge, were loudly sung. The session had a feel much more reminiscent of an after-party than a concert, and every one was into it.


With fresh faces and lavish locks, Auroavore would fit in just as naturally at a frat party as in this cozy yet classy lounge. Rejecting the apathetic ennui-ridden rocker persona that is all to common among independent artists, the energy and excitement communicated in the performance was refreshing. Their stylized vocals and poppy hooks certainly merit comparisons to Neon Trees with notes of Pico vs Island Trees, but Auroavore has its own distinct sort of charm. I must say I was a bit smitten.


As The Black and White Years set up, I could taste their oozing rock stardom from across the room. Each member had his own modus operandi from Billy Potts, the head-phone clad and deeply pensive drummer, to John Alderidge whose ability to visually invoke the 70’s was only surpassed by his impressive skill on the keyboard, trumpet and bass. Landon Thomson’s Joy Division-esque glittering guitar and spot on back up vocals added that bit of polish that forced the band the illuminate. That said, I was completely mesmerized by Scott Butler’s (guitar, keyboard, vocals) performance. Step aside Katy Perry, white pants and all - Freddie Mercury reincarnate has arrived. Although Butler’s voice resides comfortably alongside that of John McCrea (Cake), Tom Smith (Editors), and Paul Banks (Interpol), his entrancing and confidant stage presence mark The Black and White Years as sumthin’ else.


It was about eight-thirty when Ume began their set. The audience was thoroughly inhibited, but liquid courage was hardly necessary as the crowd cheered for the Austin favorite loudly and wholeheartedly. We welcomed the band back from tour, and Ume thanked us with their usual intensity and virtuosic composition. Lauren Larson looked exquisite in a black kimono dress. And as she sang sweetly vibrant blond locks blurring her face, thick punk riffs cocooned the room, leaving the audience in a silent trance.


After a night of intense guitar and mind-blowing keyboard hooks, Zeale’s change of tone was a welcome one. Strongly supported by DJ Rapid Ric, Zeale played with the conventions of hip-hop and rap, bringing the audience along with him. Not only did his songs regularly feature out-of-genre hooks (favorites of the evening included “Feed the Lion” feat. The Black and White Years, and “Monzter Hozpital” feat. MSTRKRFT and Metric), his tone was incredibly distinct. Not quite a bellow, his unique voice was deep and his lyrics ranged from impossibly fast to laid back. He owned the stage, making small talk with the audience between songs, and even giving us a taste of his freestyle. Zeale is like no one you have ever heard, and is likely to define the sound of Austin hip-hop.

After Zeale’s much-desired encore, I walked home with thoughts of dope beats and thick guitar riffs dancing in my head. The evening thoroughly wet my palate for South by Southwest where, even with incredible bands from all over the world, Austin music more than holds its own. Thank you Do512.

-April Kaplowitz (Photos by Dominique Imani Kaplowitz)

via Austin Music Weekly:

New TV On The Radio

TV On The Radio has released another track from their upcoming album, Nine Types of Light, which drops on April 12. The new track is entitled 'Caffeinated Consciousness', the second track we’ve heard from the new album. You can stream the former track 'Will Do' via TV On The Radio’s Website. The band will be in Austin for SXSW, of course. Dates:

March 17 || Austin, TX || Stubb’s – SXSW (AOL Spinner Event)

March 18 || Austin, TX || Stubb’s – SXSW (Spin Party)

March 19 || Austin, TX || Mohawk – SXSW (MOG Party)

• TV On The Radio - "Caffeniated Consciousness"
• http://www.tvontheradio.com/

And here's one from Maximum Balloon, the solo project of TVOTR's Dave Sitek. His album was number 24 on Rolling Stone's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010.

• Maximum Balloon - "Tiger"
• http://www.maximumballoon.com/

Zeale Doin' Work

Hot off the press from Austin Music Weekly, here's some video of Zeale rocking the Do512 Lounge.
 
Hands down, Zeale is one of the top hip-hop talents in town. This young man blasted into the national freestyle rap scene as a finalist in Ohio’s Scribblejam - the same one that gave Eminem his first break - and since then has obliterated artists in competitions such as the 2007 World Rap Championship in New York and 2010 Redbull "Emsee." His dynamic lyrics are accompanied by a powerful combination of hip-hop, rock, dance, and electronic sounds.  

Zeale’s previous performances consist of SXSW including the Rolling Stone Showcase, Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008, ACL Festival 2009 as a guest performer, and the Miami Music Festival 2010. He has shared the stage with notable hip-hop artists including Talib Kweli, KRS One, NAS, and Lil Wayne.

• http://www.zealerapz.com/ 
• http://zealerapz.bandcamp.com/

The Island (Mario Kart Edition) by ZEALE

In Love With Oblivion

Here's another sample from the new Crystal Stilts album, "In Love With Oblivion," which will arrive on April 12 via Slumberland Records. With their new album the band stretches further than their 2008 debut "Alight of Night," honing their songcraft and indulging their more strung-out sides, full of elliptical verses and perfectly chiming guitars, cranky pop organs and the punkest of rhythms. Crystal Stilts will appear at Austin Psych Fest 4, taking place April 29 – May 1 2011.

Crystal Stilts - Through The Floor by Slumberland Records

True Widow

I spent some quality time with this debut True Widow album yesterday, and quickly realized I should have done it a long time ago. Lucky for me, being late to the game means I can soak this one up and not have to wait long for their new double album 'As High As the Highest Heavens and From the Center to the Circumference of the Earth', which is dropping soon on Kemado Records. (See teasers here and here.)

True Widow is a self-described 'stonegaze' trio from Dallas, comprised of ex-Slowride guitarist/vocalist Dan Phillips, bassist/vocalist Nicole Estill, and drummer Tim Starks. Their music broods with touches of shoegaze, sludge and post rock, creating a melodic and heavy balance of guitar, bass and drum that will pummel you slowly. It's the all-too-rare kind of thing where you can just press play and let it ride all the way through, without ever having to bother shuffling between songs.

Check out a recent feature on True Widow in the Dallas Observer, and see their plans for SXSW here.

• True Widow - "Minor It Down"
• True Widow - "All You Need"
• http://truewidow.com/

getting there: another hungry hearted mix

Life is a crazy journey -- here is a mix to pass the time.

DOWNLOAD: GETTING THERE

• Love Is All - Bigger Bolder
• Middle Brother - Someday
• The Beatles - I’ve Got A Feeling
• Woods - Mornin’ Time
• Matt Pond PA - Wild Girl
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Little Shadow
• Tennis - Waterbirds
• Nancy Sinatra - Flowers on the Wall
• Liz Phair - Wild Thing
• Lucero - All Sewn Up
• Bob Dylan - Sitting on a Barbed Wire Fence
• The Walkmen - All My Life
• Deer Tick - Mange
• Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Bright Lit Blue Skies
• The Rolling Stones - Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow
• Jens Lekman - Rocky Dennis Farewell Song to the Blind Girl
• Fang Island - Dorian
• Man Man - Doo Right
• Twin Sister - Nectarine
• White Hinterland - Moon Jam
• Camera Obscura - Razzle Dazzle Rose
• Dusty Springfield - When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes

(via hungryhearted)

Not In the Face! at Beerland

Not In The Face rocked the house at our Rumble party at Beerland last month, and luckily Austin Music Weekly was there to capture it. Check out the rest of their coverage at the link. Browse the rest of AMW's recent work here, which includes sets from Zeale, Soul Track Mind, Freshmillions, Zorch, White Denim and a bunch more.