The Official ACL Blog for like Eight People!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Ozomatli
Seems like a bad sign when you most popular song on Spotify is not actually your song (Jack Johnson's Mudfootball from some festival compilation disc). But once you get past that, these dudes are latin funk and hip hop-fused rock and roll. They've got at least two Grammys under their belt from 2002 and 2005, and apparently served as the United States' cultural ambassadors in 2009/2010 with officially state-sanctioned trips to play Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, and China. Which is messed up; if people in Asia now believe that this music is representative of America, we are screwed.
Now multiple countries still think we are in to Limp Bizkit and Fishbone. Dear Vietnam, most people in America (except for Michael Bay) quit listening to rap/rock in about 1999. Maybe they just stuck to their rap/cumbia sound when melting Asian faces, although that also ought to be highly confusing for people trying to learn about American culture:
By the way, although we just missed it, April 23 is apparently Ozomatli Day in L.A., so put that on your calendar for next year.
Ana Tijoux
Female latin hip hop.
I've got zero clue what she is talking about. From the video, I think she went to Paris, and then hung out with the Royal Tennenbaums and Flavor Flav (who she robbed), then some people in the Louvre told her to be more quiet, so she went to Six Flags and the little avenue where Jason Bourne's apartment was in Paris, and then fought in the Russian Army for a bit before her time at Texas State University. It's quite a compelling story, actually.
But that song has millions of plays and views, so a lot of other people are digging on it. Here is her second most popular song, which is apparently about fighting the man about him not letting you have free school.
I sure hope the man speaks espanol and doesn't mind you misusing the chairs and desks that belong in his school.
But that song has millions of plays and views, so a lot of other people are digging on it. Here is her second most popular song, which is apparently about fighting the man about him not letting you have free school.
Jon Batiste and Stay Human
Hey now, jazz piano at ACL Fest! This is some jazzy gospel action. Jazz is Now, from 2013, is really nice. I don't listen to jazz music, but if I did, this seems like excellent music to read the New York Times to while drinking non-fat mocha lattes or something. In truth, I just left that album playing as I did some work and the first few tracks are great music. Maybe I should listen to jazz. And eat duck pate with my persian cat. Why can't I be serious in saying this is good? I don't know. But it truly is nice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kT2yCAu2X0
His other 2013 album (Social Music) is more gospel-y (lyrically), with a style that is kind of jazzy, but also kind of pop music. More of a creole sound with some pop flourishes. Here is Let God Lead:
Not going to go see him play at ACL, but I will stream Jazz is Now some more when I know someone with musical taste is going to come into my office, so that I can smugly show that I have a deep and serious appreciation for jazz music that they don't even know about. Take that, future person who will be impressed by me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kT2yCAu2X0
His other 2013 album (Social Music) is more gospel-y (lyrically), with a style that is kind of jazzy, but also kind of pop music. More of a creole sound with some pop flourishes. Here is Let God Lead:
Not going to go see him play at ACL, but I will stream Jazz is Now some more when I know someone with musical taste is going to come into my office, so that I can smugly show that I have a deep and serious appreciation for jazz music that they don't even know about. Take that, future person who will be impressed by me.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Von Grey (No Longer Playing Weekend One)
Poppy country/bluegrass girl group made up of four sisters. Super awesome edgy piercings and side-shaved-head action:
They seem like talented ladies and their EP (2013's Awakening) is solidly good music. I am always a sucker for a well-played mandolin. No clue why I like shrimpy little guitars, but I dig them just about every time I hear them. Their YouTube videos include a large number of "backseat covers," including this well-done mash of Amie and Cecilia:
However, something in the smugness of their look, like - we know we are good and super young and have odd piercings and play clever covers, love us or else you are not cool - grates my nerves. They should respect my dumb conventions of what a normal folkie alternative band should look like! Respect my prejudices!
Moats
Up and coming indie rock. Nothing available on Spotify, but I found a few tracks on YouTube. Toothache:
And one other called Absorb:
Their twitter account says they compose music for television and musicals. I get the feeling they're being cheeky little engines. They are British after all, and are making good indie rock. That second song makes me think of the National with more reverb. I'm interested in what they get going on once they release more than just a few one off tracks.
And one other called Absorb:
Paolo Nutini
If you listened to KGSR as much as I did before KUTX launched, then you have heard Nutini's New Shoes a large number of times. They freaking loved (maybe still do) this song. And its his most popular Spotify track too, with 14 million listens.
The rest of his debut album (These Streets) isn't nearly as snappy and ready for middle-aged people to jam. His music is mostly soulful songwriter type stuff - which is all very nice but nothing on here was especially memorable for me. Makes me think of David Gray, where I generally enjoy hearing his songs when they come on the radio, but I am never going to hunt down his albums to intentionally listen to them. Here is another hit from that first album, Last Request:
Despite my inability to get into this music, the rest of the world thinks he is the shiz. Both his first album and second album (Sunny Side Up) were 5 times platinum in the UK. He has opened for the Rolling Stones and Amy Winehouse. He's played many festivals (including ACL Fest) and been on Conan, Letterman, and Leno. So maybe he is the second coming of Lennon, and my taste just sucks.
The rest of his debut album (These Streets) isn't nearly as snappy and ready for middle-aged people to jam. His music is mostly soulful songwriter type stuff - which is all very nice but nothing on here was especially memorable for me. Makes me think of David Gray, where I generally enjoy hearing his songs when they come on the radio, but I am never going to hunt down his albums to intentionally listen to them. Here is another hit from that first album, Last Request:
Despite my inability to get into this music, the rest of the world thinks he is the shiz. Both his first album and second album (Sunny Side Up) were 5 times platinum in the UK. He has opened for the Rolling Stones and Amy Winehouse. He's played many festivals (including ACL Fest) and been on Conan, Letterman, and Leno. So maybe he is the second coming of Lennon, and my taste just sucks.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
X Games 2014 (Saturday)
I have high hopes for the X Games. I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought wristbands for the whole family, including the 3 year old, so we shall see how well this plays out in reality versus in my likely deluded mind. I need to have them watch some YouTube clips of Big Air tonight to get them psyched up for what they are going to see next week.
In addition to the sweet-bra extreme sports action, the festival is going to have a handful of bands playing throughout Saturday. My hope is that we might take a chunk of time here and there to go sit down with some overpriced corndogs and enjoy a little bit of music. Once again, we'll see how that plays out. My thoughts on what is available on Saturday:
1 pm: Auto Body
Three EPs, from 2010 to 2014, and the Austin-based band describes themselves as "Electro Disco." The most recent EP, Too Late for Words, is a fast-paced synth dance attack. Sounds like a pile of synthesizers getting it on with a drum machine. Seems fun and innocent enough for the kids to enjoy if we don't want to go watch the RallyCross.
1:15 pm: Magna Carda
Not available on Spotify, but assuming this is the same band available on BandCamp as Magna Carda, this is an Austin rapper Megz Kelli who can rap pretty damn well over clean, interesting beats by Dougie Do. Its actually great stuff - a lot of complicated word play, nimble speed rapping, and interesting lines that mostly avoid the generic braggadocio you find on most new rap albums (See every Rick Ross album). And the beats lean towards really appealing and spare jazz samples and not heavily overproduced synth sludge. Feels like classic Tribe Called Quest or Digible Planets. I'd much rather see this than Auto Body, although I may need some earmuffs for the kiddos.
I think you should go listen to this: http://creaturecreativemusic.bandcamp.com/
2 pm: Wavves
Alternative rock. Loads of guitar distortion on basic rockers. More than half a million listens for 9 of his songs, and more than 1.2 million for two of them (Demon to Lean On from 2013 and King of the Beach from 2010). His recent music is much more polished and enjoyable than his first two albums, which have terrible sound and are more like a dude's raw garage rock project. I like the 2011 EP Life Sux, which includes Nodding Off (with Best Coast) and I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl, which is bound to be true, and the 2013 album Afraid of Heights. Good alt rock.
3:15 pm: English Teeth
One 2010 three song EP of raw rock. The copy with this one video says they call themselves "Texas indie Britrock" which sounds about right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLUq5AdDkYM. Kind of an Arctic Monkeys-type sound on the first two songs, then a little new Green Day-esque on the first cut of the EP (Panic!). None of the Spotify tracks have more than a thousand listens, but this is worth listening to. Good rockin' time.
4 pm: Jayceeoh
Remix other people's music on the turntable guy.
5 pm: Bad Religion
This is O.G. Los Angeles hardcore punk from the late 80's and early 90's, although I never really got into them, my punk crush was always Fugazi. Bad Religion was interesting among the punk scene because they didn't shy away from singing harmonies. The music is faithful punk - pounding, tight snare drum with distorted power chords over the top - but the harmony is a great addition to the vocals. Sorrow is a great track from their 2002 album The Process of Belief:
5:15 pm: Black and White Years
Electronic indie rock from Austin. Power to Change got some airplay a few years ago on local radio:
That video is creeping me out, but the song is pretty catchy. Their most recent album (2013's Strange Figurines) has more of a MGMT feel to me. Good music.
7 pm: Mystery Skulls
I was guessing I'd get some black death metal with that name, but nope, more electronic pop dance music. Highly danceable stuff:
Funny video - that priest has some sick moves, yo. Sounds like this is an up and coming band, recently signed with Warner and has been working with Nile Rodgers and Avicii.
7:15 pm: Not in the Face
I love this band name. Makes me smile even before I have any clue what the band is about. After listening to their 2011 album Bikini, I like the music as well. Blues-y, distorted rock and roll from here in Austin. Some surfy reverb, a little rockabilly, its fine fun. I bet this show is a freaking blast.
8:30 pm: Cash Cash
EDM. One song on Spotify with over 16 million listens, while the rest of their songs each have less than a million.
I can't say this interests me much, but sadly, my kids would probably enjoy this the most out of any of the music on this list. They've been trained to think the generic beat drop is the end-all-be-all of good music.
10 pm: Kanye West with Mac Miller
Kanye's music is awesome. There is no need for me to describe it to you unless you live under a rock. In which case, I think it is cool that you get the internet there.
I had not heard of Mac Miller until last year's Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Rolling Stone was all about Goosebumpz, a bonus track on the album - good, offbeat track but not very interesting lyrically. This guy's more popular songs are generally just generic brags over the current beats of the day - Miller's big hit was called Donald Trump:
Again, good beat, but dumb lyrics about haters getting mad because he has lots of money.
In addition to the sweet-bra extreme sports action, the festival is going to have a handful of bands playing throughout Saturday. My hope is that we might take a chunk of time here and there to go sit down with some overpriced corndogs and enjoy a little bit of music. Once again, we'll see how that plays out. My thoughts on what is available on Saturday:
1 pm: Auto Body
Three EPs, from 2010 to 2014, and the Austin-based band describes themselves as "Electro Disco." The most recent EP, Too Late for Words, is a fast-paced synth dance attack. Sounds like a pile of synthesizers getting it on with a drum machine. Seems fun and innocent enough for the kids to enjoy if we don't want to go watch the RallyCross.
1:15 pm: Magna Carda
Not available on Spotify, but assuming this is the same band available on BandCamp as Magna Carda, this is an Austin rapper Megz Kelli who can rap pretty damn well over clean, interesting beats by Dougie Do. Its actually great stuff - a lot of complicated word play, nimble speed rapping, and interesting lines that mostly avoid the generic braggadocio you find on most new rap albums (See every Rick Ross album). And the beats lean towards really appealing and spare jazz samples and not heavily overproduced synth sludge. Feels like classic Tribe Called Quest or Digible Planets. I'd much rather see this than Auto Body, although I may need some earmuffs for the kiddos.
I think you should go listen to this: http://creaturecreativemusic.bandcamp.com/
2 pm: Wavves
Alternative rock. Loads of guitar distortion on basic rockers. More than half a million listens for 9 of his songs, and more than 1.2 million for two of them (Demon to Lean On from 2013 and King of the Beach from 2010). His recent music is much more polished and enjoyable than his first two albums, which have terrible sound and are more like a dude's raw garage rock project. I like the 2011 EP Life Sux, which includes Nodding Off (with Best Coast) and I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl, which is bound to be true, and the 2013 album Afraid of Heights. Good alt rock.
3:15 pm: English Teeth
One 2010 three song EP of raw rock. The copy with this one video says they call themselves "Texas indie Britrock" which sounds about right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLUq5AdDkYM. Kind of an Arctic Monkeys-type sound on the first two songs, then a little new Green Day-esque on the first cut of the EP (Panic!). None of the Spotify tracks have more than a thousand listens, but this is worth listening to. Good rockin' time.
4 pm: Jayceeoh
Remix other people's music on the turntable guy.
5 pm: Bad Religion
This is O.G. Los Angeles hardcore punk from the late 80's and early 90's, although I never really got into them, my punk crush was always Fugazi. Bad Religion was interesting among the punk scene because they didn't shy away from singing harmonies. The music is faithful punk - pounding, tight snare drum with distorted power chords over the top - but the harmony is a great addition to the vocals. Sorrow is a great track from their 2002 album The Process of Belief:
5:15 pm: Black and White Years
Electronic indie rock from Austin. Power to Change got some airplay a few years ago on local radio:
7 pm: Mystery Skulls
I was guessing I'd get some black death metal with that name, but nope, more electronic pop dance music. Highly danceable stuff:
7:15 pm: Not in the Face
I love this band name. Makes me smile even before I have any clue what the band is about. After listening to their 2011 album Bikini, I like the music as well. Blues-y, distorted rock and roll from here in Austin. Some surfy reverb, a little rockabilly, its fine fun. I bet this show is a freaking blast.
8:30 pm: Cash Cash
EDM. One song on Spotify with over 16 million listens, while the rest of their songs each have less than a million.
10 pm: Kanye West with Mac Miller
Kanye's music is awesome. There is no need for me to describe it to you unless you live under a rock. In which case, I think it is cool that you get the internet there.
I had not heard of Mac Miller until last year's Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Rolling Stone was all about Goosebumpz, a bonus track on the album - good, offbeat track but not very interesting lyrically. This guy's more popular songs are generally just generic brags over the current beats of the day - Miller's big hit was called Donald Trump:
Marc Scibila
Soulful singer/songwriter rock from a young New Yorker living in Nashville. One of his 6 non-live tracks available on Spotify has 142k listens, while the rest of his stuff have much fewer spins. That most popular song is 2013's How Bad We Need Each Other, and according to Wikipedia, it has been used on a few TV shows:
That is some Ben Harper-esque soul right there. His 2013 EP is a little more rock and roll that owes a pretty good debt to Springsteen, going between the bluesy, kind of Arc Angels-ish The Shape I'm In, the Springsteen-lite Bad Boys, the earnest and country-ish Shining Like America, and the stripped-down Finally:
In an odd move, the studio version of this song on his EP is a piano-based version that sounds like a Jackson Browne hymn, while this jangly video version is much more of his own spare rocker. This guy is pretty good.
That is some Ben Harper-esque soul right there. His 2013 EP is a little more rock and roll that owes a pretty good debt to Springsteen, going between the bluesy, kind of Arc Angels-ish The Shape I'm In, the Springsteen-lite Bad Boys, the earnest and country-ish Shining Like America, and the stripped-down Finally:
The Last Internationale
Political rock and roll. The Last Internationale have two 2014 singles available on Spotify. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Indian Blood sounds like recent Green Day fronted by a rock and roll Natalie Maines. Killing Fields goes less pop-punk and aims for more of a slinky, almost-Queens of the Stone Age sound. 2013's Workers of the World Unite! is an acoustic folk hymn.
Their website is just a touring schedule and a merch store, but it sounds like this band is following the path of folkies and Rage Against the Machine before them to take a political stand in their music. Which makes sense, because Tom Morello is apparently their executive producer and Brad Wilk, the Rage drummer, is one third of the band. This video cover of a Woody Guthrie song includes a spoken history wanting people to organize in their communities and fight injustice:
All of the rhetoric and messaging aside, they can also flat out jam, as seen here in a 30 minute long concert from this year's SXSW:
Which was always kinda the awesome thing about Rage. They freaking jam. Their amazing music would suck you in to a fist-pumping, head-nodding groove, and then you'd realize later that you were singing about burning books and filling cells to keep the people down. That last video above shows a fun, loose rock and roll band backed by a rock-solid drummer. Sounds like a fun recipe.
Their website is just a touring schedule and a merch store, but it sounds like this band is following the path of folkies and Rage Against the Machine before them to take a political stand in their music. Which makes sense, because Tom Morello is apparently their executive producer and Brad Wilk, the Rage drummer, is one third of the band. This video cover of a Woody Guthrie song includes a spoken history wanting people to organize in their communities and fight injustice:
All of the rhetoric and messaging aside, they can also flat out jam, as seen here in a 30 minute long concert from this year's SXSW:
Which was always kinda the awesome thing about Rage. They freaking jam. Their amazing music would suck you in to a fist-pumping, head-nodding groove, and then you'd realize later that you were singing about burning books and filling cells to keep the people down. That last video above shows a fun, loose rock and roll band backed by a rock-solid drummer. Sounds like a fun recipe.
The Jones Family Singers
Traditional gospel. A basic but funky rock line covered in a strong-voiced lead and some solid harmony. Some are female lead, some are male, but all of them are pretty kick ass singers.
They have four albums available on Spotify, and their 2014 release, The Spirit Speaks, is good. The first track is called Down on Me, and while I can't find a YouTube video of it to share, I like the frenetically-paced, bopping beat - it feels like an old Ray Charles or Robert Randolph song. The rest of the album is generally more chilled, but is really nice. This might be my favorite of the gospel bands for ACL Fest - maybe I can hook up a Stubb's gospel brunch with them.
They have four albums available on Spotify, and their 2014 release, The Spirit Speaks, is good. The first track is called Down on Me, and while I can't find a YouTube video of it to share, I like the frenetically-paced, bopping beat - it feels like an old Ray Charles or Robert Randolph song. The rest of the album is generally more chilled, but is really nice. This might be my favorite of the gospel bands for ACL Fest - maybe I can hook up a Stubb's gospel brunch with them.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Miniature Tigers
Rolling Stone declared them "one of the 25 best bands on MySpace" in 2006. Damning praise these days. Like saying the best ice beer. This is electronic indie pop with a generous salting of hip-hop flavor. Their first album, 2008's Tell It To The Volcano, has their most popular song on Spotify, which is an interesting disco-y, driving, acoustic ditty called Cannibal Queen.
New album, Cruel Runnings, only has a few songs available on Spotify, but I think I've heard the first single before on the radio, called Swimming Pool Blues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTLyfpiibUE (apologies for lack of embeddedness...)
The other two songs accessible on that new album are "Used to Be the Shit," a Hall and Oates'ey synth song longing about a relationship gone downhill and "Oblivious," which is more of a 80's new wave synth track (Thompson Twins? Psychedelic Furs?).
The album before Cruel Runnings, 2012's Mia Pharaoh, included Sex on the Regular, which also sounds familiar to me. Also sounds like a joke Chromeo/Lonely Islands disco about getting it on. The video is super weird, and if your work has issues with animated nudity, then also not safe for your workplace.
Mia Pharaoh sounds a little like Ween, kind of jokey pop music with a sing-song, falsetto delivery. I gave the whole album a shot, and I can't say I enjoy it very much. It is definitely not terrible, but I'm not feeling it.
New album, Cruel Runnings, only has a few songs available on Spotify, but I think I've heard the first single before on the radio, called Swimming Pool Blues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTLyfpiibUE (apologies for lack of embeddedness...)
The other two songs accessible on that new album are "Used to Be the Shit," a Hall and Oates'ey synth song longing about a relationship gone downhill and "Oblivious," which is more of a 80's new wave synth track (Thompson Twins? Psychedelic Furs?).
The album before Cruel Runnings, 2012's Mia Pharaoh, included Sex on the Regular, which also sounds familiar to me. Also sounds like a joke Chromeo/Lonely Islands disco about getting it on. The video is super weird, and if your work has issues with animated nudity, then also not safe for your workplace.
Foster the People (2014)
Pop rock for the masses. Unless you have been living under a rock or refuse to listen to normal radio or watch TV or otherwise exist in a regular, public arena with the rest of us, you have heard Pumped Up Kicks before. Likely more than a million times before:
This video has been seen over 137 million freaking times. I mean, damn. Plus 73 million spins on Spotify. It was a number one single, received a Grammy nomination, and generally took over the world in 2011. And despite the sunny little tune and happy sounding chorus, the whole thing is about a psychotic kid who is telling other kids that they'd better run when he starts shooting them. You would also probably recognize "Helena Beat," "Don't Stop," "I Would Do Anything For You," and "Houdini" from their first album. This video, for Houdini (from their first album) was up for a Grammy but did not win:
That original album (2011's Torches) ended up selling a ton because of Pumped Up Kicks, and some of those other songs were pretty popular in their own right, especially Don't Stop. I've already linked you to one version of their big song off of their new album (Supermodel), because the ACL Fest artist called Young & Sick did the cover art for Supermodel and made a time-lapse video of recreating that art as a huge mural. Here is the regular video for that song, which is a pretty catchy ditty:
My preconceived thought is that I dislike these guys. Pumped Up Kicks got (and still gets) so much airplay that I'm annoyed by it. This seems like pop factory music made to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Without giving them a shot, I've got loads of that hipster-held-hatred garbage for something inauthentic. But if I toss all of that out the window and just enjoy Coming of Age, its a damn fun jam.
And I think Mark Foster is a great success story. He moved to L.A. to pursue music and was going nowhere, working day jobs and just trying to get noticed, scuffled around for a few years and came up with Pumped Up Kicks. I think that is cool.
Their new album (2014's Supermodel) is pretty good from front to back. Just enjoyable dance rock, It should set off some fun, even if it won't inspire the next Springsteen.
As an aside, I had a weird moment, where I thought Spotify had messed up and started playing A$AP Rocky, because Foster the People's new track A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon actually samples A$AP Rocky's LVL, which is an odd juxtaposition.
Just listen to the first 15 seconds or so, then listen to this:
Weird, right?
And I think Mark Foster is a great success story. He moved to L.A. to pursue music and was going nowhere, working day jobs and just trying to get noticed, scuffled around for a few years and came up with Pumped Up Kicks. I think that is cool.
Their new album (2014's Supermodel) is pretty good from front to back. Just enjoyable dance rock, It should set off some fun, even if it won't inspire the next Springsteen.
As an aside, I had a weird moment, where I thought Spotify had messed up and started playing A$AP Rocky, because Foster the People's new track A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon actually samples A$AP Rocky's LVL, which is an odd juxtaposition.
Sam Smith
R&B crooning. I had no clue who he was until I started listening to his EP (2013's Nirvana), but one of the acoustic songs on there is one that I have heard before, albeit in an electronic version, a good number of times while jamming last year's Disclosure album.
The Nirvana EP switches between piano-ballad soul/R&B and electronic hook singing, but from his Spotify listens and YouTube views, it looks like his electronic-based music has higher popularity than his acoustic action. Money on My Mind, from that 2013 EP, has 42 million listens while none of his other songs crack 10 million:
His Spotify bio says Money on My Mind hit #1 on the U.K. Singles chart. In the more chilled numbers, something about his voice reminds me a lot of that Missing You song from the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack. Stay With Me is also from his EP:
It sounds like he has a full-length album out by now in the U.K., but it has not yet been released here in the U.S. Really strong voice, but I'm not particularly in love with Money on my Mind or Stay With Me. Just doesn't click with me yet - I'll give his full album a try sooner or later.
The Nirvana EP switches between piano-ballad soul/R&B and electronic hook singing, but from his Spotify listens and YouTube views, it looks like his electronic-based music has higher popularity than his acoustic action. Money on My Mind, from that 2013 EP, has 42 million listens while none of his other songs crack 10 million:
His Spotify bio says Money on My Mind hit #1 on the U.K. Singles chart. In the more chilled numbers, something about his voice reminds me a lot of that Missing You song from the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack. Stay With Me is also from his EP:
Shields of Faith
Funky gospel sounds. Spotify has a seven track album from 2007 available, which I assume is the right group, although YouTube has quite a bit of music with Shields of Faith in the title (including one very flute-heavy instrumental rendition of Amazing Grace), so hard to know which is which. I'm going to assume this is the same thing as the group that will be at ACL:
If it is not the right band, just put your hands together and jam out for six minutes and thirty-nine seconds anyway. Entertaining stuff.
If it is not the right band, just put your hands together and jam out for six minutes and thirty-nine seconds anyway. Entertaining stuff.
Dawn and Hawkes
It seems impossible that their last names are really Dawn and Hawkes - it just works too dang well as their band name. Another boy/girl pair making harmonic music in the Civil Wars vein. Apparently from Austin, which is cool, and it sounds like they recently had a successful turn on the TV show The Voice.
Interesting. The article I read about them says that Voice coach Adam Levine loved these guys, and so their album shot onto the charts. Must not have been the main Billboard charts, because their Spotify plays total around 35k for all six available songs. But they should be on the charts, their music is wonderful.
I saw Civil Wars play ACL Fest two years ago, and was very surprised at how great their sound translated to a huge stage with thousands of fans. There was a great moment during that show when Joy Williams looked out at the crowd and just reveled in the size - you could tell that she was really affected by how many people had come to hear them. D&H might have a similar feel in October if they continue to blow up.
There is a restaurant here in town with a music venue underneath it called Winflo, and a friend has been trying to get us to go eat and watch music there for a while. Dawn & Hawkes are going to be playing there next week and I think it would be a really great way to see them play.
Interesting. The article I read about them says that Voice coach Adam Levine loved these guys, and so their album shot onto the charts. Must not have been the main Billboard charts, because their Spotify plays total around 35k for all six available songs. But they should be on the charts, their music is wonderful.
I saw Civil Wars play ACL Fest two years ago, and was very surprised at how great their sound translated to a huge stage with thousands of fans. There was a great moment during that show when Joy Williams looked out at the crowd and just reveled in the size - you could tell that she was really affected by how many people had come to hear them. D&H might have a similar feel in October if they continue to blow up.
There is a restaurant here in town with a music venue underneath it called Winflo, and a friend has been trying to get us to go eat and watch music there for a while. Dawn & Hawkes are going to be playing there next week and I think it would be a really great way to see them play.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Modoc
Good, straight-up rock and roll revivalism. Kind of makes me think of Jet, when they launched out a few years ago with some serious Zeppelin-worshiping rock. This is a little more southern-tilting, you can hear some Nashville influence in there. They've got one song with 29k listens, but nothing else breaks into 5 digits. No Use is that "hit," and it is a good one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhE-iTyGXj0 (I'm starting to believe that videos with a dash or underscore in the path name are the ones I can't imbed. Highly annoying).
The lack of listens is too bad, because I think they have a good sound. That one above is live and just doesn't do that song justice. The studio version is quite a bit better. Here is a studio version of another, Runnin':
Their web bio says they had another song (Devil on my Shoulder) that has apparently been used on both ABC and CBS shows, but I can't find a good video for it.
Googl-ing Modoc gets you a lot of potential histories for their name:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhE-iTyGXj0 (I'm starting to believe that videos with a dash or underscore in the path name are the ones I can't imbed. Highly annoying).
The lack of listens is too bad, because I think they have a good sound. That one above is live and just doesn't do that song justice. The studio version is quite a bit better. Here is a studio version of another, Runnin':
Their web bio says they had another song (Devil on my Shoulder) that has apparently been used on both ABC and CBS shows, but I can't find a good video for it.
Googl-ing Modoc gets you a lot of potential histories for their name:
- They all met in the Missouri Department of Corrections
- They are all Modoc Indians, a federally recognized tribe
- They all descended from a Welsh gang operating in the anthracite coalfields around Mahanoy City, PA during the 19th Century
- They served together on the USCGC Modoc, a Tampa-class Coast Guard cutter
- Or they really liked the novel by Ralph Helfer, based on the true story of the longest-lived elephant.
Mike and the Moonpies
Country swing from here in Austin. They call themselves outlaw country, but it sounds more like traditional Texas country than the rock and roll country that I associate with the outlaw movement. But maybe I don't know my current country-clique nomenclature as well as I think. You be the judge.
http://youtu.be/g2INaAQfsWc (sorry about the dumb link).
Sounds a bit like Pat Green?
I first heard of these dudes a year or two ago when that cruise line got stranded out in the Gulf of Mexico because the lead singer was one of the folks stranded out there on the Carnival Poop-liner and the local news made some sort of mention that a local celeb was trapped out there. http://austinist.com/2013/02/15/mike_and_the_cruiseship.php
As a second aside, their website says that you can be in the band too if you "step on, play three hours of true country music, and you're in like flint." Which is weird - can I play the kazoo and be in the band? Because I will crank some true country music kazoo for three hours if I get to play ACL. Because I find those phrases fascinating, I figured I'd take a look, because I'm pretty sure I've always said in like flynn. According to Wikipedia, which may be entirely false, the phrase is In Like Flynn, and it purportedly has several potential origins:
All of my weird side discussions aside, these guys are good. Raw and unfussy old school C&W that is played well and sounds good. I dig the slide playing. They apparently play Austin all the time at the Spoke or White Horse, I should take the wife out some night and get after it.
http://youtu.be/g2INaAQfsWc (sorry about the dumb link).
Sounds a bit like Pat Green?
I first heard of these dudes a year or two ago when that cruise line got stranded out in the Gulf of Mexico because the lead singer was one of the folks stranded out there on the Carnival Poop-liner and the local news made some sort of mention that a local celeb was trapped out there. http://austinist.com/2013/02/15/mike_and_the_cruiseship.php
As a second aside, their website says that you can be in the band too if you "step on, play three hours of true country music, and you're in like flint." Which is weird - can I play the kazoo and be in the band? Because I will crank some true country music kazoo for three hours if I get to play ACL. Because I find those phrases fascinating, I figured I'd take a look, because I'm pretty sure I've always said in like flynn. According to Wikipedia, which may be entirely false, the phrase is In Like Flynn, and it purportedly has several potential origins:
- After movie star Errol Flynn, who apparently had an easy way with the ladies, so that "in like flynn" meant that you were guaranteed an easy hook up;
- After Edward J. Flynn, a political boss whose backing meant that candidates were guaranteed to win;
- After some super confusing quote from a 1942 San Francisco Examiner article: "“Answer these questions correctly and your name is Flynn, meaning you’re in, provided you have two left feet and the written consent of your parents”
All of my weird side discussions aside, these guys are good. Raw and unfussy old school C&W that is played well and sounds good. I dig the slide playing. They apparently play Austin all the time at the Spoke or White Horse, I should take the wife out some night and get after it.
The River City Christianettes
R&B gospel. They have one album available on Spotify, from 2007, that generally sounds like a mid-90's vocal group (SWV or Tone Tony Toni or something), with a strong lead singer and some other ladies coo-ing along over a soft little groove. Here is a rendition of the first song (Holy Spirit) from their album.
They have a couple of other videos on YouTube, but none of them want to cooperate with blogger, so feel free to check those out on your own.
They have a couple of other videos on YouTube, but none of them want to cooperate with blogger, so feel free to check those out on your own.
St. Vincent (2014)
Quirky electro-indie from a Dallas girl. I have read a lot about her in the past, as she was something of an indie darling with Rolling Stone over the past few albums, but I never checked out her music. After the RS review of her new album (St. Vincent), I gave it a try and it is twisted fun. You may have heard Birth in Reverse:
or Digital Witness:
on the radio here in Austin, those are in heavy rotation these days. Both are great glimpses at the sounds she's got on this album, some basic beats with tunes over the top that range from quirky Bjork horn sections to pop synth swells to driving guitar rocking. And she has a great voice to slide right over the top and then through those arrangements. I also love the lyrics to Digital Witness, about our obsession with being seen online by other people. I mean, how obnoxious are people who can't listen to music without telling the entire world about it? Oh, wait. Well, regardless of the irony, this song is fantastic.
Before this album, she did a collaboration with David Byrne that has a very similar sound to this album, but with some Talking Heads singing on there. Her 2011 album (after one listen) is generally good synth-pop indie music, but is not nearly as immediately appealing as the new disc. A little bit of the quirk that was coming, but not as easily accessible for me. 2009's Actor is much more gentle, still some odd adventuresome sounds, but more Tori Amos than Bjork. Here is Cruel, off of 2011's Strange Mercy:
Also of note, she jammed with Nirvana at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction this year, and it was disappointing. This video was shot by someone in the nosebleeds and is not great quality, but you'll get the idea. Her voice is too nice to properly replace Cobain, who sounded like he was dying when he sang this song. But still, if I could go see her do a full show with the surviving Nirvana guys, I'm there in a heartbeat.
or Digital Witness:
on the radio here in Austin, those are in heavy rotation these days. Both are great glimpses at the sounds she's got on this album, some basic beats with tunes over the top that range from quirky Bjork horn sections to pop synth swells to driving guitar rocking. And she has a great voice to slide right over the top and then through those arrangements. I also love the lyrics to Digital Witness, about our obsession with being seen online by other people. I mean, how obnoxious are people who can't listen to music without telling the entire world about it? Oh, wait. Well, regardless of the irony, this song is fantastic.
Before this album, she did a collaboration with David Byrne that has a very similar sound to this album, but with some Talking Heads singing on there. Her 2011 album (after one listen) is generally good synth-pop indie music, but is not nearly as immediately appealing as the new disc. A little bit of the quirk that was coming, but not as easily accessible for me. 2009's Actor is much more gentle, still some odd adventuresome sounds, but more Tori Amos than Bjork. Here is Cruel, off of 2011's Strange Mercy:
Also of note, she jammed with Nirvana at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction this year, and it was disappointing. This video was shot by someone in the nosebleeds and is not great quality, but you'll get the idea. Her voice is too nice to properly replace Cobain, who sounded like he was dying when he sang this song. But still, if I could go see her do a full show with the surviving Nirvana guys, I'm there in a heartbeat.
Spanish Gold (updated)
Dangit. I'm getting highly annoyed by these bands with just one song and a pile of promise. This is some slinky rock and roll excellence from three beardy dudes. I'm feeling Black Keys and My Morning Jacket influence. Ah, and then I look up their story, and one of them is the drummer from MMJ, so that makes sense. The other guys are from Grupo Fantasma and Hacienda.
Bottom line, I am loving this song. I have no clue if the rest of the album (purportedly out next week) will be as good, but this is a really strong first step towards world domination.
UPDATE: The rest of the album is just as good. Fabuloso. Bluesy, driving, rock and roll that has gotten better with each listen to the album. I may have to actually go to Waterloo and buy another piece of plastic to join my collection of musical dinosaur bones. Definite confirmation of my MMJ/Black Keys thoughts posted earlier - I love both of those bands so this is a super love child to have in the world.
Dang blogger or YouTube is not cooperating to let me show you this live video of them jamming, but I think you should check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPsXn42ygi0
I also think you should go to Spotify right now and jam the new album (South of Nowhere) and enjoy.
Bottom line, I am loving this song. I have no clue if the rest of the album (purportedly out next week) will be as good, but this is a really strong first step towards world domination.
UPDATE: The rest of the album is just as good. Fabuloso. Bluesy, driving, rock and roll that has gotten better with each listen to the album. I may have to actually go to Waterloo and buy another piece of plastic to join my collection of musical dinosaur bones. Definite confirmation of my MMJ/Black Keys thoughts posted earlier - I love both of those bands so this is a super love child to have in the world.
Dang blogger or YouTube is not cooperating to let me show you this live video of them jamming, but I think you should check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPsXn42ygi0
I also think you should go to Spotify right now and jam the new album (South of Nowhere) and enjoy.
Gospel Silvertones
Bring it on home.
These guys look like Austin-based gospel action. Nothing on Spotify, only that one YouTube video came up for me, so I can't tell you much about what they have going on. But that little clip from Gruene Hall above is okey doke.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Fun Fun Fun Fest
Yeah, buddy! Lineup announced!
I have been to FFFF a couple of times before, and it can be a really fun time. You're going to have a big pile of well-known acts, the sort that end up on the ACL poster about 10 artists down, but who are pretty awesome. I got to see Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky, The Head and the Heart, and Girl Talk a few years ago and had a ball.
It is also fun because you get a super varied line-up - Orange Stage is indie/alternative rock, Black Stage is metal and punk, Blue stage is Rap/ Electronic, Yellow Stage is comedy, and Green Stage is X-Games style sports stuff.
This year, the big guns are Judas Priest, Nas, Death Cab for Cutie, Girl Talk, Neutral Milk Hotel, King Diamond, Wiz Khalifa, Alt-J, 2 Chainz, Dinosaur Jr., New Pornographers, and about a jillion more. Of note, Ginuwine is going to be there, and my sincere hope is that he just plays Pony the entire time so that scientists can measure the kinetic power of 30 minutes of pure and unadulterated grinding.
The major problem I have had with FFFF is that it is, as usual, about a month after ACL. It is hard enough to get a hall pass from the family for 3 days of ACL, but trying to do another 3 day one month later? Not popular. The last time I went, I did the Saturday only pass, with the wife in tow, and that worked out well (until her iPhone battery died and she couldn't avoid the screaming Black Stage thing I wanted to go watch by waiting for my text). We'll see about this year, but Nas, Death Cab, and Girl Talk would be really fun to go see.
I have been to FFFF a couple of times before, and it can be a really fun time. You're going to have a big pile of well-known acts, the sort that end up on the ACL poster about 10 artists down, but who are pretty awesome. I got to see Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky, The Head and the Heart, and Girl Talk a few years ago and had a ball.
It is also fun because you get a super varied line-up - Orange Stage is indie/alternative rock, Black Stage is metal and punk, Blue stage is Rap/ Electronic, Yellow Stage is comedy, and Green Stage is X-Games style sports stuff.
This year, the big guns are Judas Priest, Nas, Death Cab for Cutie, Girl Talk, Neutral Milk Hotel, King Diamond, Wiz Khalifa, Alt-J, 2 Chainz, Dinosaur Jr., New Pornographers, and about a jillion more. Of note, Ginuwine is going to be there, and my sincere hope is that he just plays Pony the entire time so that scientists can measure the kinetic power of 30 minutes of pure and unadulterated grinding.
The major problem I have had with FFFF is that it is, as usual, about a month after ACL. It is hard enough to get a hall pass from the family for 3 days of ACL, but trying to do another 3 day one month later? Not popular. The last time I went, I did the Saturday only pass, with the wife in tow, and that worked out well (until her iPhone battery died and she couldn't avoid the screaming Black Stage thing I wanted to go watch by waiting for my text). We'll see about this year, but Nas, Death Cab, and Girl Talk would be really fun to go see.
Falls
Lovely. Harmonic duo in the vein of Civil Wars. One EP on Spotify, with most songs having a few listens but one, Home, at almost half a million. I'm guessing it was featured on Gray's Anatomy or something.
The rest of their EP is just as good. Sounds like these guys were originally a couple, broke up and then got back together to make music - the website says "They met. They fell in love. They fought. They broke up. Falls." Also sounds like they are blowing up, playing Bumbershoot festival in Seattle, Loufest in St. Louis, and then ACL. Pretty good for a band with only 6 songs.
"Girl That I Love" makes me think of Paul McCartney on the White Album at first, then the female comes into the song and it is a wonderful harmony. This live version isn't quite as nice as the studio one, but you'll get the idea.
I bet an ACL taping with these dudes in the Moody Theatre would be fantastic. I need to get this EP over to the wife, as she would absolutely love it. I'm pretty close behind her.
"Girl That I Love" makes me think of Paul McCartney on the White Album at first, then the female comes into the song and it is a wonderful harmony. This live version isn't quite as nice as the studio one, but you'll get the idea.
Wesley Bray and the Disciples of Joy
Praise be. Wesley Bray is a gospel musician who has been in a number of apparently well-known gospel groups, like Malachi, Original Bells of Joy, and then this group. Good stuff though:
This reminds me that I really want to get out to Stubb's for one of their Gospel Brunch deals on a Sunday morning. It looks like a fun time and it would likely be kid friendly (except for them drowning the BBQ in flippin' ketchup, ugh).
This reminds me that I really want to get out to Stubb's for one of their Gospel Brunch deals on a Sunday morning. It looks like a fun time and it would likely be kid friendly (except for them drowning the BBQ in flippin' ketchup, ugh).
Sphynx
Their bandcamp page says they are "like queen, but with two freddy mercurys and also phil collins." According to Wikipedia, I should not confuse the three groups called Sphynx: (1) a dance music act that hit #1 on the Club Play chart with What Hope Have I in 1995: (2) a disco-era studio group assembled by Egyptian produced Alec R. Costandinos; and (3) a new British alternative rock band. Good to know, I will do my best to avoid confusion.
Spotify does not note that there are multiple bands out there using this name, and I'm not even sure that the one that Spotify has is the same as any of those three bands discussed above. From comparing the music discussed on the twitter feed for @sphynxmusic and the tunes on Spotify, it looks like these dudes are actually an Austin band. Here is Sha Dynasty:
Loogit that gramma destroy some Hot Cheetos and vodka and then boogie down! Word.
And all of that music archaeology aside, they have really fun music. Real drums with electro-pop over the top. I won't say they've got Freddie Mercury singing for them, but definitely a falsetto-loving band, some of it reminds me of the new Daft Punk, robot disco electro pop, or MGMT. But less so this one song, Swagger:
Ugh, the pre-song interviews on these Balcony TV videos are so bad. These dudes were apparently high school friends who formed a band called El Guapos that was successful but disbanded when they went to college. That Sha Dynasty song is fun - these guys are good stuff.
Spotify does not note that there are multiple bands out there using this name, and I'm not even sure that the one that Spotify has is the same as any of those three bands discussed above. From comparing the music discussed on the twitter feed for @sphynxmusic and the tunes on Spotify, it looks like these dudes are actually an Austin band. Here is Sha Dynasty:
Loogit that gramma destroy some Hot Cheetos and vodka and then boogie down! Word.
And all of that music archaeology aside, they have really fun music. Real drums with electro-pop over the top. I won't say they've got Freddie Mercury singing for them, but definitely a falsetto-loving band, some of it reminds me of the new Daft Punk, robot disco electro pop, or MGMT. But less so this one song, Swagger:
Ugh, the pre-song interviews on these Balcony TV videos are so bad. These dudes were apparently high school friends who formed a band called El Guapos that was successful but disbanded when they went to college. That Sha Dynasty song is fun - these guys are good stuff.
The Barton Hills Choir
Huh. Sixty Five videos of these kids available on YouTube, looks like it is literally students from Barton Hills Elementary. This video is freaky, but these little girls are freaking awesome.
Like a drug-addled Kidz Bop Unplugged in video form. Here is the full choir jamming in the Zilker Tent in 2013 (the video is 15 minutes long. Regulate yoself):
What can I say, this makes me smile. Go get 'em, little kids.
Like a drug-addled Kidz Bop Unplugged in video form. Here is the full choir jamming in the Zilker Tent in 2013 (the video is 15 minutes long. Regulate yoself):
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