I know I’ve only had post-festival stuff up so far, and yes I’ve been at the festival the past two days and am heading back out here in a few, but I promise that more will come soon enough.

Band of Horses played the Parish on Saturday night to celebrate the launch of the new online music site Blurt, and to raise money for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians Foundation. HAAM is a local non-profit that provides low cost health care for working Austin musicians. Great idea, great foundation, and Austin musicians are lucky to have them around.

Not only was it a pleasure to see Band of Horses @ the Parish playing for an enthusiastic crowd raising money for a great foundation, but I got to shake Bill Murray’s hand. I’m not one for being too interested in celebrities, but it was Bill Murray!

photos : valerie@fremin.net

Band of Horses play the Dell Stage @ 7:30 Sunday @ ACL.

photo : michael maly

As the dust settles in Zilker park (and my lungs) on day one of ACL 2008, I leave the most enjoyable set of the day, being performed by Manu Chao, a bit early to make sure that I make it to Emo’s to catch that band from Athen’s GA, Dead Confederate. For anyone that visits this site on any regular basis or who knows me in person, you know I’m a big fan of these guys, both as musicians and as people. They’re good folk, and they make some damn fine rock.

Two songs into the set, I realized why I like this band as much as I do…they put on one of the best rock shows around right now. Bold statement, I know, but I stand by my words.

Dead Confederate rumbled, growled, and screamed their way through a haze covered set that converted any doubter or newcomer into a believer of the DC. The band covered some of the best territory from their full length debut Wrecking Ball, including “Yer Circus”, “All the Angels”, and “Start Me Laughing”. Even the more listener friendly “The Rat” which I’ve listen to more times than I dare admit since it first surfaced on the band’s EP sounded as great as the first time I heard the song.

Wrecking Ball just hit shelves on September 16th and the band is currently on the road well into the end of November, finding them all across the U.S. States. They make a visit with Conan O’Brien on Oct 10th.

Tour dates @ Dead Confederate Myspace

MP3> Dead Confederate ‘It Was A Rose’

I know that there are many of you out there that enjoy the internet radio/webcasting site Pandora, and for good reason. It’s a great site created to assist the music listener in discovering new music based on the listeners already decided likes. Pick an artist that you are a fan of and Pandora will suggest endless possibilities of artists that you might like based on a very complex system that involves analyzing hundreds of details of songs. They analyze and match.

Now, it’s not just Pandora that needs your help right now, it’s the entire webcasting/internet radio world. Once again the giant corporate radio mongers are doing all they can to make it more difficult for these ententies to exist. I received an e-mail from Pandora founder Tim Westergen early today, and I’m sure many others did as well, that details the issue at hand. Please read and please take action.

Hi, it’s Tim from Pandora;

After a yearlong negotiation, Pandora, SoundExchange and the RIAA are finally optimistic about reaching an agreement on royalties that would save Pandora and Internet radio.  But just as we’ve gotten close, large traditional broadcast radio companies have launched a covert lobbying campaign to sabotage our progress.

Yesterday, Congressman Jay Inslee, and several co-sponsors, introduced legislation to give us the extra time we need but the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which represents radio broadcasters such as Clear Channel, has begun intensively pressuring lawmakers to kill the bill. We have just days to keep this from collapsing.

This is a blatant attempt by large radio companies to suffocate the webcasting industry that is just beginning to offer an alternative to their monopoly of the airwaves.

Please call your Congressperson right now and ask them to support H.R. 7084, the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 – and to not capitulate to pressure from the NAB.  Congress is currently working extended hours, so even calls this evening and over the weekend should get answered.

If the phone is busy, please try again until you get through. These calls really do make a difference.

Representative Lloyd Doggett: 202-225-4865

Thanks so much for you ongoing support.

Tim

Please take the time to contact your local Representative and voice your opinion.

The Swell Season is the name of a 1975 novel written by Czech author Josef Skovrecky.

It is also the name of an album recorded in 2006 by Glen Hansard (also of The Frames) and Marketa Irglova, a classically trained Czech musician.

Now, it is the name the duo often use when performing together since the release of a film called ‘Once”, which they both starred in.

Did I mention they also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song?

Naturally since then, the duo has gone on to play prominent gigs like Coachella and Bonnaroo, along with their own extensive tour. After ACL, they’ll be playing a handful of shows with Iron and Wine.

Hansard and Irglova both share vocal and songwriting duties, with Hansard on acoustic guitar and Irglova on piano. The combination creates wonderfully melodic indie rock. Every song I have by them, from both the film and from their album, is worth listening to.

I have yet to see them in concert, but I’ve only ever heard positive comments about their live performances. You’ll definitely find me at the AT&T Blue Room on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

MP3> The Swell Season ‘Falling Slowly’

Another young band from the south that’s doing their part to keep rock-n-roll alive, Colour Revolt have been a favorite of mine for a good part of the year. Armed with 3 guitars and Jesse Coppenbarger’s intense, often despair riddled, and constantly questioning lyrics, this band deserves many an attention. Complex arrangements, which some compare to math rock, require a committed listen to understand the quality and depth of the material.

The band signed to Fat Possum Records after releasing their self-titled EP, and released their full length debut Plunder, Beg, and Curse earlier this year. Putting off much touring until the band members could finish up their college commitment, summer finds the band both scholastic graduates and freshman in the music world. Put on your serious face and prepare to be bludgeoned by the music of Colour Revolt.

Colour Revolt play the BMI Stage on Sunday @ 4:40

MP3> Colour Revolt ‘Moses Of The South’

Although not playing the ACL Festival, Athen’s Dead Confederate find themselves playing and official ACL aftershow on Friday night with another favorite band of mine, Heartless Bastards. Dead Confederate haven’t been back in Austin since their SXSW 2008 debut that found the band opening for another Athen’s, G.A. band @ Stubbs, R.E.M. Pretty decent company to find yourself in, early in your career, with only an EP to show for your work.

Since then, the band has been readying the Mike McCarty produced debut full length Wrecking Ball which just hit shelves September 16th. The recording is dark, it’s heavy and intense, and although the band wears it’s influences on it’s sleeve, it’s on of the most powerful rock records to be released in awhile. Faith in serious guitar driven rock wrapped around lyrical angst, personal protest, and dark imagery has been restored.

I’m confident in saying that the live show won’t disappoint for those who aren’t afraid of a little  heavy rock that is a bit psychedelic at times. I’ve seen them a few times, and this is one of the more highly anticipated shows of the weekend.

Heartless Bastards w/Dead Confederate and Wax Fang @ Emo’s Inside 9.26 Doors @ 10  Tickets

MP3> Dead Confederate ‘The Rat’

ANTICS is very proud to be hosting the official Austin City Limits afterparty on Friday September 26th at 508 House in Austin. We’ll have a stunning DJ sets from CSS and special guests, as well as delicious free drinks courtesy of the good people at Blackstone Winery, Glaceau Water, Heineken Light, and Tito’s Vodka so RSVP now!

RSVP Here: ACL 2008 Kick Off Party

It’s open to the public and it’s FREE! I know you people like FREE!

I believe that I posted a YouTube video of these two great bands covering Dylan, and now the official live recording has surfaced for our listening pleasure.  If you want to do so quite honest and commited, Wilco asks that you pledge to vote in this year’s election for a free download of the song.

MP3> Wilco and Fleet Foxes ‘I Shall Be Released’ it’s a Dylan song

I’m going to try to curb my feelings on this subject as much as I can, but seriously…what the F***? If you are that interested in the debate or football game, then stay the f*** home! It’s not that I don’t care about either, but I’m at a music festival for the music, the music that takes me away from and separates me from the population that invests too much time and energy into politics and sports. I could spend an unnecessary amount of time and keystrokes on this subject, but choose not to do so. It pains me nonetheless.

I’m not going to reveal the details.

I’m going to speculate that a majority of the bloggers out there putting out recommendations for this year’s ACL Festival are picking this band, Fleet Foxes . They are recommending for good reason.  I held off on getting on-board with the Fleet Foxes for a few months, only to find myself completely engrossed with the amazing melodies, song structure, and harmonies of this extremely talented group. In this current state of the music industry when “buzz” bands go from virtually unknowns to indie rock celebs, most really fail to deliver on promises made by the “buzz” makers. Fleet Foxes aren’t that band. Their “buzz” is the real deal and they deliver.

This band has released what could be my two favorite recordings of this year, the self-titled full length on Sub Pop Records and the equally impressive EP Sun Giant. The band was a late addition to the festival and unfortunately has an early time slot that will inevitably evade most folks. I can guarantee that the presence of the Fleet Foxes will be felt many times over in the coming year and festival slots will be geared more to the bands advantage. How the beautifully delicate structure of the band’s music will translate on the large stage early in the day is yet to be determined, but missing out on the opportunity to see this band on it’s rise shouldn’t be an option.

Fleet Foxes play the AMD Stage @ 12:30 on Saturday the 27th.

MP3> Fleet Foxes ‘Mykonos‘ Sun Giant EP

MP3> Fleet Foxes ‘Ragged Wood’

In standard tradition, I suggest artists that I think are good picks for checking out at this year’s ACL Festival in hopes that you might discover something that you might not known about.  Quite honestly, I have some holes in my schedule this year.  Not that there aren’t plenty of great opportunities, but instead of investing time with artists that I may have already seen this year and weren’t super impressed with, even though they might be the “buzz” band of the moment, I’m leaving time available for discovery. Some people think that being a music blogger means that I know everything about every band, which really isn’t the case. I do know a few bands, but there are many more that I don’t know anything about. I’m always open to suggestions, and I hope that you might provide me with some. Who do you think I should see this year at ACL? I hope that someone out there reads this and takes the time to post a comment. Tell me which band you are excited about and why I should make time to check out this band. I have the time and am listening.

It almost goes without saying that “Lazy Eye” was one of many summer anthems last year. At this point, it’s probably already been used in several commercials for various products. But there’s a lot more to the Silversun Pickups than that one song.

Slowly but surely, the L.A. quartet has started to rise among the indie ranks.
Their often gritty, grunge-like sound ultimately makes me nostalgic for old school alternative bands like the Smashing Pumpkins (circa Mellon Collie). Yet there still is a certain quality to singer Brian Aubert’s vocals that are (refreshingly) different.

Having already opened for the likes of Wolfmother and the Kaiser Chiefs, as well as played Coachella last year, Silversun Pickups will be a band worth seeing on Sunday at 4:30 on the AT&T stage.

MP3> Silversun Pickups ‘Lazy Eye’

MP3> Silversun Pickups ‘Three Seed’ Live @ Emos

Always on top of what’s happening, Brooklyn Vegan is reporting that the band Flipper has cancelled it’s NYC date and possibly the rest of the tour. This could be of some concern for those here in Austin planning to catch the legendary punk band @ this year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest. No official word as to if the tour has been cancelled, but the fact that all of the dates once posted on the band’s Myspace have disappeared, it doesn’t look hopeful. It will be a tough spot to fill for sure.

Every time I revisit M. Ward’s recording Post-War, I’m reminded of how much I really enjoy the talent of his songwriting, and promise to myself to invest more into his work. A promise that I have yet to fulfill, but will rectify this week in preparation for his performance at this year’s ACL Festival. As I write this, I find myself getting more excited about seeing Ward for the first time.

If you aren’t familiar with Ward’s work, surely you are familiar with a few of the many artists that he has been involved with over the years. The most recent project has him paired up with Zooey Deschanel recording under the band name She and Him, and previous collaborators include (and not limited to) My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst, Beth Orton, Cat Power, and Jenny Lewis, just to name a few. Ward performed with Jim James during this year’s SXSW Festival, which is yet another performance I kick myself for missing.

While finding himself in good company amongst some of the most talented modern day songwriters, Ward’s style feels and sounds more classic. From a time when radio brought fans the music, vinyl was the form, and digital was a futuristic idea not even being considered by the most inventive. It’s no surprise that Ward’s favorite piece of musical equipment, aside from his guitar one would believe, is a TASCAM 4-Track recorder on which he uses for every song that he writes.

M. Ward plays the WAMU stage @ 4:30 Friday the 26th. You should really be there.

MP3> M. Ward ‘Poison Cup’

MP3> M. Ward ‘Chinese Translation’

I know that there are going to be some seriously dissapointed folks out there when they hear this news. Erykah Badu has cancelled her Friday Austin City Limits taping for the popular show, and has been replaced by The Drive By Truckers. She is still scheduled to perform at the Festival on Saturday the 27th at this point.

A time for the taping hasn’t been determined yet, as The Truckers are also scheduled to play that night @ Emo’s for one of the official ACL Aftershows.

More ACL tapings scheduled for that weekend:

Saturday, September 27 – Gnarls Barkley
Sunday, September 28 – The Swell Season
Monday, September 29 – Foo Fighters