Austin’s The Calm Blue Sea recently had their self-titled album reissued by Austin’s own Modern Outsider Records on Aug 2nd. While mostly an instrumental piece, the album does feature one track with minimal vocal tracks titled “Literal”, and today IFC premiered the video for that track. Directed by Paul Beck who animated Richard Linklater’s films “Waking Life” and “A Scanner Darkly”, the video combines real film footage accented by cartoon heads and blotted out faces.

Beck on the video:

“As I was making the video, listening to the music, I wanted images in the video to challenge the viewer by asking, ‘Are we living the good life?’” Beck asks. “‘Are we living the nightmare?’ ‘What character are we?’ ‘What tabloid-media-mash up comforts us through the long night?’”

The National playing live in Austin..YES! Playing at the Austin Music Hall…BOOOOOOOO! Once written up in a magazine article during SXSW a few years ago as “the place where good music goes to die”, the Austin Music Hall is one of my least favorite venues in town. You would think that spending the millions that they did on the remodel, something decent would have resulted, but not the case. Either way, its the National and they are bringing indie darlings Local Natives along for the ride.

Dec 4th is the date and tickets will be selling HERE.

If you haven’t bought into the idea that the sounds of the 80′s New Wave have permeated much of today’s modern music, then Twin Shadow will surely change that. It’s a good thing though.

Operating under the Twin Shadow name, George Lewis Jr. weaves hazy electronic tinged pop tethered to R&B rhythms, that feels at home in the current music climate and would coexist nicely in the 80′s pop scene. Twin Shadow’s most recent released full length titled Forget, produced by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor set legal last Oct, but is still garnering attention.

Twin Shadow is currently smack dab in the middle of it’s Clean Cuts Tour which features a clean cut for each city on the tour, except Austin…boo.

Twin Shadow: Saturday @ 1 p.m. on the Google + Stage

TWIN SHADOW “SHOOTING HOLES” from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

The fascination with nostalgic imagery, memories, and items indicative of retro throwback has inundated realms of social media, graphic posters at Urban Outfitters and the ambient music of Apple commercials. If it’s cute, it’s good, right? Michael Lerner, singer, drummer, and the one man behind Telekinesis compresses this sentimentality into his pop-infused reflection, creating a sound that applauds its place among its culture, but still laughs on the joy ride with you. Plus, the man knows how to wield his fingers on the electric guitar. Songs to check out: “Car Crash” and “Please Ask For Help.”

Telekinesis: Saturday 11:45am on the Google+ Stage

Beardyman mixes ironic themes with dance and dubstep, serving a rich and informed experiment. Oh yeah, and the music is all beatboxing, electronically distorted via trending “live-looping” – sound manipulation applied to the mouth better than auto-tune, if you ask me. This guy will bring something original to the BMI stage; worth a listen. Songs to check out: “Where does your mind go?” and “U R Mine.”

Beardyman: Friday 4:30-5:30 on the BMI Stage

Shortly after landing himself on the Matador Records label, Kurt Vile began to generate a slow buzz in the music community, capturing the attention of Sonic Youth member Kim Gordon along the way. Gordon mentioned in an interview that Vile’s Childish Prodigy had become a guilty pleasure for her, guilty because she listened to it too much. Vile has followed up the 2009 Childish Prodigy release with this year’s Smoke Ring For My Halo, which continues and builds on Vile’s style of music ranging from soft acoustic driven songs to tracks that are capable of bringing the noisy Crazy Horse crunch. Tours with Thurston Moore, Dinosaur Jr, and Bright Eyes indicate that Vile and company put on a show worthy of complimenting some of the best in the industry.

Kurt Vile and the Violators play the Austin Ventures Stage @ 5 p.m. Friday

Is that a glockenspiel, you ask? Yes, a well-placed glockenspiel surrounded by glittery guitars, synth-infused beats, and a vocal power duo. Cults’ sound is reminiscent of Shiny Toy Guns, but with a pop flair. Lovers of MGMT and The Animals may enjoy the organ chords plucked straight from the pulpit. Outfitting for ACL will be interesting as well, considering the female vocalist Madeline Follin wears an anemone-like wardrobe made of balloons in the video “Oh My God.” Songs to check out: “Go Outside” and “Abducted.”

Cults : Friday at 11:45am on the Honda Stage

A little bit surprised that this band from Athen’s GA made the cut for this year’s ACL Fest, but definitely glad that they did. This year has seen the band performing on the road in the Bonnaroo Buzz Tour, at Bonnarroo, and with the Drive By Truckers, just to name a few. Quite the year for the Futurebirds so far.

Early Friday at ACL Fest will see Futurebirds going head to head with one of this year’s biggest buzz bands Cults. Two different sounds for sure, and maybe enough time to start of your day with a little of both. My vote goes to Futurebirds on this specific occasion as the live show takes the recorded material and cranks it up tenfold. A little country, a little psych, and a lot of rock. You can bet if Graham Parsons were still alive, he’d be standing in the crowd with cold beer in hand soaking up the sounds of Futurebirds.

Futurebirds Friday 9/16 11:45 on the Google+ Stage

Futurebirds “Megachills” by: wino-strut from HYMNAL on Vimeo.

Austin’s own The Boxing Lesson have managed to stay in mind’s eye with the constant evolution of psych-rock and their videos that span just plain weird and freaky to eerie. And that’s not a bad thing, it just makes them that much more interesting. The latest video for the title track from their recently recently release Muerta EP keeps in step with that path. The video features the band slowly drowning in the deep sea complete with sea creatures and musical instruments. Victims of a plane crash or boat sinking, we may never know….rest assured they are still quite alive.

The Boxing Lesson – “Muerta” from Consequence of Sound on Vimeo.

The Wooden Birds, which you could might call an Austin band, but more like an all-star band consisting of frontman Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set, Broken Social Scene), Matt Pond (Matt Pond PA), Leslie Sisson, drummer Sean Haskins and Chris Hansen (Matt Pond PA) are coming to rest from a US tour playing Mohawk this Wednesday. The band recently released their second album Two Matchsticks this past June 7th on Barsuk and has received some favorable press.

“Patient, generous, and smart” – Pitchfork
“Perfect for summer days and lemonade.” – MTVHive

The Wooden Birds  @ Mohawk show @ 10 p.m.  ((sounder)) opens

Check out the video for the title track “Two Matchsticks”

My interest in Washed Out has been curiously peaked over the past couple of weeks, and the first time I watched this video I enjoyed the song. A couple of listens later, I realized that this song sounds oddly familiar, almost to the point of exacting another song that I’m familiar with, but can’t quite name at this moment. It’ll come to me, but until then…a girl and her motorcycle.

The fine folks over at Fun Fun Fun Fest take no qualms when it comes to being as ambiguous as possible when it comes to hints and now leaks in regards to performers for this years fest. Take the following video which is supposed to reveal the first 5 artists leaked, through a series of nautical codes. HUH?

Well, if you didn’t make it out on your own..this is the short list covering what would appear to be one artist from each one of the various stages you’ll find at Fun Fun Fun Fest..

Brian Posehn, Okkervil River, Odd Future, M83 (yes!), and X

Stayed tuned for more leaks which should be coming soon, and if you haven’t gotten your tickets FUN 2 tickets go on sale this Thur, and they’ll go quick. GET THEM HERE.

Kurt Vile has one of the more interesting albums out this year with “Smoke Ring For My Halo” and did more than just impress at this year’s SXSW. “Baby’s Arms” is a simple, phone camera shot video for a song that proves to be a suitable companion.

The Dallas based stonegaze, sludgerock trio True Widow have set loose a video for the track “Skull Eyes” off of this years release As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center Of The Circumference Of The Earth (whew!) on Kemado Records. The bands self-titled 2008 debut has received more than it’s ample amount of attention from this guy, and I look forward to spending more time with AHATHHAFTCOTCOTE.

True Widow – “Skull Eyes” from Kemado Records on Vimeo.

Canada’s modern answer to hardcore, punk based rock, Fucked Up are set to release their epic 18 track album titled David Comes To Life next Tuesday 6.7.2011. Two dates into the David Comes To Life tour finds the band playing Mohawk during the Chaos in Tejas weekend this Sunday 6.5, and if you haven’t seen this band live, you owe it to yourself to get a little Fucked Up. The larger than life, bald, and often wearing little clothing lead singer Damian Abraham is worth the effort.

MP3> Fucked Up ‘The Other Shoe’

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Watch a short doc on the making of David Comes To Life

Fucked Up Tour: