I was reading an article the other day in some magazine (yes they still exist) about the recording of the upcoming Fleet Foxes release, titled Helplessness Blues which now has a hard release date of May 3rd, and quite frankly got me a little excited. It’s been a few years since the band dropped it’s reverb drenched beauty on us, spinning the music media world on it’s head, and it sounds like they may have a suitable follow-up for us instore.

Check out the title track, and tell me it doesn’t conjure up the memories of the first time you heard these guys.

MP3> Fleet Foxes ‘Helplessness Blues’

Austin’s duo Not In The Face, Jonathan Terrell and Wes Cargal, have gotten a decent start to the year 2011 catching the attention of some notable media folks with their scorching, straight from the heart and guitar sounds that will soon be set loose in the form of Bikini. Futuresounds went as far as declaring that Bikini “smacks of brilliance” comparing the sounds to early Springsteen and Hold Steady. With a few songs already floating around from original pressing of Bikini, which is in the process of being upgraded with some new tunes, the band is prepping for the big official release. One of those new tunes just happens to be this one “Not Lonely”. Showing the slower side, and strutting the country influences a bit.

MP3> Not In The Face ‘Not Lonely’

If I know one thing about Terrell, he’s got a passion for the fun, and hard-on for rocking tits off. Hence the bikini?

Catch Not In The Face next Friday for Adi’s First Friday Frolic celebrating the party throwin talents of Knuckle Rumbler. The band plays early, around 6 p.m.

Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox has found some decent success with his side gig as Panda Bear, and with his third release Person Pitch released in 2007. The highly anticipated follow-up is set for release on April 19th of this year, on his own label Paw Tracks (awww, cute) and is titled Tomboy. NPR recently played the single “Slow Motion” on air, and only time will tell if this is the actual album mix or one of the alternate mix singles that Panda Bear is putting out prior to Tomboy’s scheduled release.

One might wonder if the Collective is sensing the wave in the music scene that they have spawned, bringing bands like SilverWolfe Fuck Bear into the fray nipping at their heals.

Crazy for the cats it seems Best Coast’s Beth Consentino might be, aside from her Wavves crush. Lots of them in this video for “Crazy For You” which may be directed to said cats or that aforementioned crush. Speaking of, both Best Coast and Wavves are doing it on the road, with a date here in Austin soon. 1/25 to be specific, and at the soon to disappear outside stage at Emo’s. Tickets

Video please…

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2011 was to devote more time here to local Austin artists. It’s not that I’m not involved in the local scene, it’s just that my involvement is separate from this blog, and overlapping the two would be..a slight conflict of interest? That might not be clear to most, but some of you know what I’m talking about. Either way, my resolution seems to have come at the right time, because starting off 2011, I’ve come across a few local artists that have blindsided me, not only with the fact that they seem to have come from nowhere, but in the fact that have produced some of my current favorite recorded tunes. One of those bands is Black Books. I would have to give credit to Austin Town Hall for catching the talent of this 5 piece outfit pretty quick.

As with most bands that seem to drop from out of nowhere, there isn’t much info out there about the group. Well acquainted friends for years that have played music, suddenly decide to form a band and put out some tunes. Having a band member with a recording studio in his house that doubles as a practice space, is a luxury that most bands would prefer, much less kill for, and from which, would benefit greatly. The band has a 4 song EP titled An Introduction To… which is being handled by the UK label Shifting Sounds. The EP is currently available for FREE download on the bands Bandcamp page, but the free won’t last forever. A Feb 15th release date of limited edition 10″ vinyl via Shifting Sounds will probably bring the free to a halt, so get it now.

As for the band’s sound..it’s pretty inevitable that there are going to be the My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses comparisons based on the vocals and some of the musical tones, but there’s something unique and interesting brewing in this short set of songs. Electronic accessories that hint at Grandaddy on track 1 “The Big Idea” find themselves sharing as much of the structural integrity throughout the recording, while each track establishes it’s own identity within the space and structure that the band collectively weaves. Well written songs both lyrically and musically, with attention to the details will have locals paying attention to Black Books over the next year.

MP3> Black Books ‘The Big Idea’

Deer Tick was one of my favorite band discoveries of 2010, and the band’s Black Dirt Sessions finished up the year on my most listened to list. With that being said, any move by Deer Tick’s John McCauly is one to follow, and linking up with Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit sound like a match to pay attention to, if just on paper. More than just good on paper, Middle Brother are stirring up quick attention with only two live appearances under their belt, first one being here in Austin during SXSW 2010. The second performance was for the KCRW sponsored benefit in Los Angeles, for the Invisible Children project.

The band is set to release their debut self-titled recording on March 1st with a tour kicking off soon after that leads them to town where they first took the stage together, Austin, TX for SXSW 2011.

MP3> Middle Brother ‘Me Me Me’

Middle Brother performing “Me Me Me” @ The Troubadour in LA

Middle Brother // Me Me Me [live] from Brandon Tauszik on Vimeo.

Middle Brother Tour Read more

Once lauded as one of the loudest bands around, Glasgow’s Mogwai are prepping to release their seventh studio album, an album that might move the band from it’s relative obscurity in regards to more mainstream audiences, to less obscurity. Maybe even land a car commercial.

Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is set for a Feb 15th release on the Sub Pop label here in North America with release in the UK taking place on the band’s own Rock Action Records. I’ve been spinning the recording for awhile now, and if you’ve never been a fan of Mogwai this album is a great introduction to a band that established a genre that many a band have embraced, even one of Austin’s own. I’ll let you figure that one out.

MP3> Mogwai ‘San Pedro’

The band takes it’s sonic assault on the senses on the road, with a stop here in ATX at Stubbs

North American Tour Dates Read more

You can’t say that you didn’t expect this ugly dog to awaken from it’s slumber, and rekindle the flame that brings the much heated, frequently addressed debate between the residents of our neighborhoods and the businesses that work to support the city’s self appointed title of “Live Music Capitol Of The World”. It reared it’s ugly head on Red River years ago, and on South 1st at Freddie’s Place, and not too long ago struck down one of the giants KGSR’s Unplugged At The Grove. Follow the ever changing trends in hot spots in town, and you are sure to find this debate lingering in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to resurrect itself. The increasingly popular, newly developed Rainey Street area which houses Lustre Pearl, Clive Bar, Bar 96, and a handful of popular rolling eateries, with more projects in the wings, is the battle ground currently. Heating up the debate is the lingering SXSW festival which would find the Rainey Street area a prime destination for all things SXSW and non-SXSW related IF they can continue on with their pursuit of providing live music.

Personally, I tend to favor the live music scene (obviously), but I find myself thinking that I should have a better understanding of the ordinances and zoning issues involved in this process, which admittedly I don’t. If you find yourself in the same boat, there’s an opportunity for you to learn a bit more by attending the City Council meeting this Thur 1.13 @ 4 p.m. to hear the owners of Clive Bar, Lustre Pearl, and Bar 96 plead their case. The following is a letter that has been released by the owners of these venues.

January 9, 2011

Dear Rainey Street Patrons,

This letter is a request for action and support from you, the patrons who gather on Rainey Street. Please
come to the City Council meeting and voice your support on Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 4:00PM.

It has been a pleasure taking care of your food, drink and entertainment service. The growth we’ve
experienced over the past year and a half is due largely to high-quality customers like you who faithfully
support and promote our business.

I immediately saw the potential on Rainey Street when I drove through your neighborhood in December of
2008. This historic neighborhood looked like it had fallen on hard times and needed some fresh investment
to help in its regrowth. The neighborhood was already Commercial Business District (CBD) zoned. I brought
my vision and confidence to the neighborhood and opened Lustre Pearl in April of 2009, a time when other
investors were hesitant to bring business into your neighborhood to boost an economic revitalization. Since
then we have grown, and the old Rainey Street has a fresh vibrancy. While growing Rainey Street, we have
always followed the rules, complied with the city, and tried very hard to be a good neighbor.

We have earned and kept our clientele by paying attention to detail, demanding excellence, and providing
the quality service that you have come to expect from Lustre Pearl, Clive Bar, and Bar 96. As a small
entrepreneur, I incorporated Austin’s fun and intriguing character into the design and upkeep of our bars.

Our quality business in your neighborhood is at risk due to the concern of other neighbors about the
Outdoor Music Venue (OMV) permit Lustre Pearl applied for and received. I want to keep in mind the
interests of the people within the 650 foot radius noted in the guidelines for this permit while also increasing
my investment in your neighborhood. While some are concerned that by offering live music, we will attract
too many guests, but the size of the crowd at Lustre Pearl will not change, as the Austin Fire Marshall has
already established capacity limits for this business.

We are more than happy to work with the DANA association and other neighborhood associations to do
what we can to come up with a fair and amicable solution.

I would like to ask for you again to give us your support by coming to the City Council at 4:00pm, Thursday,
January 13, 2011 meeting and speaking out in favor of the Rainey Street revitalization.

We appreciate your continued trust and business, and we’ll keep working hard to give you the outstanding
service you have come to expect of us.

Thanks again for your business and your support. Please feel free to contact myself at
bridget.dunlap@gmail.com or Scranton Twohey at Scranton.Twohey@gmail.com.
Sincerely,

Bridget Dunlap
Owner of Lustre Pearl, Clive Bar and Bar 96

Just as I was starting to gently slip into the digitized pool of electronic dance rock and chill wave, while waving a handful of daisies at 60′s influenced, lo-fi, California hug me sounds, Austin’s Bridge Farmers punch me right in the f****** mouth. And I like it.

Rewind back to the 90′s, past the mid 90′s when the grunge fallout spurned a slew of wannabe hard rockers that dominated the terrestrial airwaves and encouraged suburban kids to wear flannel and doc martins, back to when bands like Mudhoney and Screaming Trees were slugging it out on the same stages as Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Back before the spoils of success ruined what was great, even if it seemed to last for just a minute in the history of rock and roll. That’s where Bridge Farmers take me, if not intentional, it really doesn’t matter.

Bridge Farmers came together when our heroes where first drawn to a distant light in the desert. They followed this light for days and then it stopped and hung in the air over a abandoned spaceship. Not knowing what to do, they looked up towards the light and then it lit up the sky and knocked our heroes into a state of slumber. When they awoke they began to play rock-n-roll and spread their love of music throughout the land…….and they hope to see you along this journey. .. -Bridge Farmers Myspace

Austin’s Bridge Farmers have little on the web to give you any insite to their world, their existence, their reasoning, but sometimes a little mystery makes it even that much more intriguing. The band does have a 6 song EP titled Din Of Celestial Birds available for stream and download on their Bandcamp page, and an upcoming show @ Red 7 on Jan 22nd. You can bet that you’ll be hearing more about this band in 2011.

MP3> Bridge Farmers ‘Dancing Bones’

I posted a track from this Philadelphia based duo that calls themselves Work Drugs a little more than a week ago, just for the simple fact that the track grabbed my attention as it came through my inbox. Upon further inspection, the band which consists of Benjamin Louisiana and Thomas Crystal seem to be taking a pretty simple approach to getting their music out, by releasing a track with a video randomly, feeling out the response before planning their next move. An approach that seems to be working to a certain extent. No plans for touring, or even putting out a record, just setting loose their music, which they appropriately describe as sedative -wave / smooth fi.

I awoke this morning to find this track “Dog Daze” awaiting me, appropriately setting the tone for this cold rainy day in Austin, Tx. I suspect that we’ll be hearing more from these guys soon enough.

MP3> Work Drugs ‘Dog Daze’

Smith Western’s are barely legal enough to by a drink in bar, but the band is prepping to release it’s sophomore LP Dye It Blonde this upcoming Jan 18th on Fat Possum Records. The video for the band’s single “Weekend” surfaced recently along with a stream for the the second single “All Die Young”. A quick listen suggests that these Chicago based kids spent a little time in their basements, spinning tunes from the ’70′s Glam-rock era, ala Bowie and Bolen.

Check out the video, click to stream “All Die Young’ and peruse the tour dates for your city and a visit from Smith Westerns.

Stream “All Die Young”

Smith Westerns – Weekend from Fat Possum Records on Vimeo.

01/18 Brooklyn NY Glasslands #
01/27 Lexington, KY Al’s Bar*

01/28 Nashville TN The End*
01/29 Knoxville TN Pilot Light*
01/30 Chapel Hill NC Local 506*
01/31 Athens GA 40 Watt Club*
02/01 Atlanta GA Drunken Unicorn*
02/03 Orlando FL Backbooth*
02/04 Tallahassee FL Club Downunder

02/05 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon*
02/06 Houston TX Fitzgeralds*
02/07 Austin TX Emos *
02/08 Dallas TX The Loft*
02/10 Phoenix AZ Rhythm Room*
02/11 Los Angeles CA Echo*
02/12 Costa Mesa CA Detroit Bar*
02/13 San Francisco CA Bottom of the Hill*
02-15 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
02-16 Vancouver, British Columbia – Biltmore Cabaret
02-17 Seattle, WA – Crocodile Cafe
02-18 Boise, ID – Neurolux
02-19 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
02-21 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
02-22 Kansas City, MO – The Record Bar
02-23 Omaha, NE – Waiting Room
02-24 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
02-25 Madison, WI – The Frequency
02-26 Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
02-28 Toronto, Ontario – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
03-01 Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa
03-02 Boston, MA – Great Scott
03-04 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel

03-16 – 03-19 Austin, TX – SXSW

The little band that landed the big deal with very minimal amount of effort, hits the road with a stop here in ATX for SXSW, although unconfirmed as official SXSW talent. But, how could SXSW not have the band that has accomplished the almost impossible in today’s music environment? Cults will undoubtedly go down in indie rock history as the band that landed a recording deal with Columbia records while only having a few songs posted on their Bandcamp page and little less than a year of touring. I have to admit that the band’s performance at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 was a standout next to indie darlings Best Coast and Wavves, but what’s the real deal with this deal? Soon to find out as the band hits the road, with one of the most grueling tests of a band’s stamina happening in March. SXSW.

Hopefully this schedule means that Small Black has it’s sites set on SXSW as well.

MP3> Cults ‘Most Wanted’

I find myself dipping into the electronic pool occasionally these days just to see how the newer generation is fairing in this genre, generally coming away not all that impressed. Leave it to one of my favorite smaller labels Old Flame Records, which has put out some great recordings by Dead Confederate, Twin Tigers, and Cloud Nothings, amongst a few others, to put out an electronic record that inspires the dance in me.

Millionyoung might be just a whisper in the scene right now, but me thinks this will change with the release of the band’s upcoming full-length titled Replicants, which becomes digitally legal on Jan 11th with physical following Feb 15th. Not much known about this band other than it is the work of Mike Diaz who claims Florida as his base. Early shows featured Diaz weaving his sound from a laptop, but have evolved into an act that features a number of musicians on stage. Keep an eye out for Millionyoung at this year’s SXSW, where the Floridian will be making a splash in the Live Music Capital of The World.

Check out “Replicants” which found it’s way to the web today and the previously released “Perfect Eyes”

MP3> Millionyoung ‘Replicants’
MP3> Millionyoung ‘Perfect Eyes’

As you visit the Western Vinyl website, you’ll notice that under their logo, the statement “Thanks for listening” resides. My thought is, thanks for putting out so much great music. The label has churned out recordings by Dirty Projectors, Balmorhea, J. Tillman, Ola Podrida, Here We Go Magic, Sleep Whale..just to name a few. All the matter of a few years. A pretty impressive roster for the Austin based label.

On the near horizon, and I’m not sure of a date, is the upcoming release from Callers Life Of Love and the second track to be released (first was a cover of Wire’s “Heartbeat”) is the title track “Life Of Love”.

MP3> Callers ‘Life Of Love’

Tour dates as well, and one would believe the band is warming up to hit ATX for SXSW. Let’s hope so anyway. Read more

Many enjoyed the low-fi, sunny fuzz sounds of L.A.’s Best Coast this year via their 2010 release Crazy For You, to the extent that the album made frequent appearances on many “best of” lists for last year. Watch the Bethany Consentino fronted trio play the single from the release, “Boyfriend” on Jimmy Fallon. Unfortunately, you have to make your way through the entire show to get to the performance.

Best Coast will be hitting the road, with a date here in Austin at Emos on 1/25 along with the boyfriend fronted Wavves. Don’t miss the few remaining opportunities to experience your favorite bands on the Emo’s outside stage, as the end is near…it’s truly sad.

Best Coast tour: Read more