As you can probably see, this site has not been updated in quite some time. I'm more interested in fresh starts than revivals, so rather than try to bring this beast back to relevance, I've started a new project. It's much simpler, much more to the point. You can check out that new start here . The new site is called My Life With.... Thanks for all of the support over the years!
Just wanted to drop a quick note about an awesome show at The Mohawk this Sunday night. Two of my favorite bands are playing the inside stage on the evening in question, one local and one decidedly not local. The evenings headliners are Scotland's own The Twilight Sad. I fell really hard for this band a couple years back when they released their jarring debut 14 Autumns and 15 Winters back in 07. It made it all the way to #2 on my best of list for that year and I think I [...]
SXSW is officially over and my feet are quite happy to be given a rest. The rest of me is just annoyed that I actually had to go back to work today. I'd call this year a success for sure. I avoided almost all of the terrible bands and saw some impressive performances from faces both new and old. I'll list some of my favorite shows and then I'll give some overall thoughts. These are in no particular order (although Caspian was the best). 1) Marnie Stern at Club [...]
I fell hard for a new band this week, and that band is Cymbals Eat Guitars. You've probably heard the name this week since their debut album Why There Are Mountains was awarded the coveted Best New Music tag by Pitchfork. I'm far from a Pitchfork fan boy, but as a rule, I generally check out anything that makes their list and holy crap am I glad I decided to check this band out. First off, how great is that name? It's so perfectly evocative of how Rock and Roll should be. I've [...]
I ventured over to the Mohawk last night for the free Decider party. The place was packed for a loaded bill of local and touring acts. Opening the show were Low Line Caller. They really seem to be coming into their own, fully incorporating vocalist Marc Ferrino into their fuzzy reverb laden sound. I enjoyed their set, as usual. Following Low Line Caller was another local act, The Lemurs. Before The Lemurs took the stage we were treated to a brief comedy set by Eugene Mirman [...]
Last night I went to my first SXSW related event of the week, Austinist's Local Music Is Sexy VII at the Pure Volume House . They opened the doors late, and the line was sooooooo slow moving, but once inside I had a blast. Free beer and vodka, plenty of room so I never felt uncomfortably crowded, the PA was loud and the bands were good. Can't ask for too much more. Below you can find some pictures from the night including the events opening band, The Calm Blue Sea. [...]
Break out the earplugs. April 21st, 2009 Austin Music Hall My Bloody Valentine Get tickets here ($43.50 per with fees included) I just bought mine. So fucking excited.
Head over to www.thethermals.com to download the first song from their upcoming album Now We Can See . I gave the song a listen for the first time this morning and I was immediately hit with a full on, all five senses at once, memory. I haven't listened to The Thermals all that much recently, but when their last album came out I listened to them near daily. As soon as this new song started I was hit with this memory of sitting at my desk in my old house with the window open [...]
Girls are one of the bands that I am most looking forward to checking out during SXSW week this year. Girls come to us from San Francisco and they play a jangly sort of stoner-twee, lo-fi, surf/garage rock that seems to be making a huge resurgence lately. They have very very little released so far, just the Hellhole Ratrace 7" as far as I know, but are promising an LP before too long. I'd be sure to add them to your list this year. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace (mp3) [...]
"The Strangers" is the first track to hit the web from St. Vincent's new album Actor which is due out on May 5th. The album was co-produced by Annie Clark herself and John Congleton (Explosions In The Sky, This Will Destroy You, Modest Mouse, Polyphonic Spree, the list goes on...). "The Strangers" sounds great, although I wish they had picked a more spazzy song for the first song to debut. Regardless, I'm excited for Actor and I will be trying to see one of Annie's shows at SXSW for sure. Oh god, she;s [...]
25) Caddywhompus - Caddywhompus EP I first heard about this New Orleans based guitar-drums duo from the guys in The Calm Blue Sea after they finished a run of shows with the youths across the South earlier this year. Then one day I got an email with a link to download their free EP and I was instantly hooked. I'm honestly having some trouble describing their sound, it's sort of a No Age with some Marnie Stern- ish flourishes kind of thing. Eh, I dunno, [...]
Tonight! Go to the Mohawk for Sea Legs' CD release show for their new LP, Ghost of Alabama . I hear a lot of early Wilco as well as Sea Wolf's (Sea Wolf not Sea Legs ) excellent 2007 effort Leaves in the River on Ghost of Alabama . One Hundred Flowers and Dana Falconberry provide support and I've been told that Sea Legs [...]
Below you will find a video of Built To Spill covering MIA's "Paper Planes" at a recent show in Italy. I must admit that I am bored to tears with this song by now, but I love Built To Spill and this version isn't all that bad. (Via Stereogum )
My Brightest Diamond (aka Shara Worden, previously of Sufjan Stevens' Illinois-makers) released a new album this summer called A Thousand Shark's Teeth . It's a fantastic effort and continues along the same musical lines as her previous release Bring Me The Workhorse. Shara's beautiful voice dances elegantly over an intricate mix of guitar, piano, strings, and various other interesting little plucks and oddities of sound throughout the course of A Thousand Shark's Teeth's 11 tracks. Highly recommended for fans of St. Vincent. (MP3) [...]
My Brightest Diamond (aka Shara Worden, previously of Sufjan Stevens' Illinois-makers) released a new album this summer called A Thousand Shark's Teeth . It's a fantastic effort and continues along the same musical lines as her previous release Bring Me The Workhorse. Shara's beautiful voice dances elegantly over an intricate mix of guitar, piano, strings, and various other interesting little plucks and oddities of sound throughout the course of A Thousand Shark's Teeth's 11 tracks. Highly recommended for fans of St. Vincent. (MP3) [...]
Sorry about the 3 Margot posts in a row... Sunday night at the Mohawk Margot & the Nuclear So and Sos played their second Austin show of 2008. As is to be expected from a band that just released a new album (2 new albums actually) the set was filled mostly with new songs (I didn't write down the set list but off the top of my head I can think of 4 old songs that they played: Skeleton Key, On a [...]
I completely forgot to mention that Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos will be playing at the Mohawk this sunday night. The always entertaining David Vandervelde opens for them. Buy tickets here Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos w/ David Vandervelde and Judgement Day Sunday October 12th @ The Mohawk Show starts at 8pm Tickets are $8
Indianapolis based Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos have just released their sophomore and junior albums on the same day. The band has been working on the follow up to 2006's fantastic The Dust of Retreat for quite some time. The album, which was referred to as Animal ! almost from the start, was finished some months ago but there were differences between the band and their new label (Epic) about which tracks should make up the new album. The band argued for one tracklisting, while Epic pushed for a similar, [...]
Austin( ish ) bands This Will Destroy You and Lymbyc Systym are getting set to release a new split EP called Field Studies via Magic Bullet Records . The EP is available now through the Magic Bullet store and will also be available on the band's upcoming European Tour. This Will Destroy You offer up 2 new songs while Lymbyc Systym offer 3. Check out the tracks below for a preview. MP3 [...]
The Calm Blue Sea CD release show (read my review of the album here ) is going on this Saturday night (October 4th) at Emo's Lounge and I have a pair of guest list spots to give away for the show. Leave a comment telling me why you want to go to the show and you'll be entered to win. I'll select a winner at random on Friday and will notify the winner via email. The winner and a friend will get free entry into the show. Also on the bill on Saturday are [...]
The Sound of Marching Feet
The Shins: “September” (b-side of “Simple Song” 7”)
St. Vincent - 'Cheerleader'
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Ni**as In Paris (Explicit)
OK Go - Needing/Getting - Official Video
Ladyhawke - Black White & Blue
Watch: Trailer for Dave Grohl’s documentary, Sound City
Childish Gambino - "Heartbeat" (Official Music Video)
First Aid Kit – Emmylou
Hardwell Bootleg Pack 2012
James Blake – Live Album
