posted by Patrick on October 30, 2008
The Broken West have mastered the art of indie pop. “Perfect Games” doesn’t inspire many words, but it’s exactly right for a Friday on the edge of winter. If, like me, you’re missing summer already, hit play and think back to blue sky and a sun-soaked day.
Perfect Games
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» Meaningless labels: Anthemic • Catchy • Danceable • Male vocal • Poppy
(10 votes)
Loading ...posted by Tina on October 29, 2008
The Shore’s somewhat generic name doesn’t do them justice. Odds are, they’ll peak your interest the minute you hear them. Ben “Boy Name/Girl Name” Ashley crafts meaningful lyrics, but it’s his voice—a deep vibrato—that made me swoon.
Despite their talent, The Shore hadn’t released an album since 2004. Just last month though, they released a new LP, “The Light Years.” It was well worth the wait. “The Light Years” combines vintage psychedelic pop with a modern keyboard-driven sound. Ashley’s vibrato voice isn’t the only thing going for The Shore, but check out “Listen to me” and you might swoon too. Or at least understand why I couldn’t resist…
—Tina
| Myspace |
Listen To Me
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» Meaningless labels: Male vocal • Psychedelic
(8 votes) Loading ...posted by Patrick on October 26, 2008
Jordan Geiger, a longtime indie songwriter and trumpeter for Shearwater, has added another line to his resume with a new one-man band, Hospital Ships, and a terrific debut album. The songs on Oh Ramona are equal parts sadness and whimsy, with vocals that swell like waves before they quiver and break. The band’s label, Graveface Records, describes his sound as a “a bedroom pop symphony,” and they’re dead-on. In fact, once you’ve heard the album it’s no surprise to learn John Congleton mixed it. Don’t know the name? He’s worked with several of the most interesting indie bands out there, including Explosions In The Sky, Modest Mouse, The Mountain Goats, and The Polyphonic Spree. Hospital Ships has a sound all their own, but the influences are plain. You can (and should) buy Oh Ramona here.
The Shots I Drank
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» Meaningless labels: Bedroom Band • Clever Lyrics • Male vocal • Orchestral • Twee
(12 votes) Loading ...posted by Lauren on October 23, 2008
About the time I begin to think Austin is running out of talent, I am caught off guard by someone new. One absolutely promising band is The Boxing Lesson, which has already made its presence strong in the Austin music scene. Their music mixes the spacey, disorganized control of Pink Floyd, with organized, alt-rock soon-to-be-anthems, conjuring up the consciousness of Elvis Costello. Speaking of which, singer Paul Waclawsky sounds oddly like post-punk crooner, which might add to the likely association. The album, Wild Streaks & Windy Days mirrors the emotional rollercoaster of, dare I say it, Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, pulling the listener from confusion, to drive, to lazy mind walks, back to wonder.
The excitement of The Boxing Lesson grows with their upcoming tour: starting this Saturday afternoon and evening, October 25th, at a free show at the Backyard, with Alpha Rev and Del Castillo. It should be a great show, as these guys have put together a great album to build from.
This is their new single, Dark Side of the Moog, which definitely pulls from its experimental Floyd roots and even Brian Eno influences. A sweet video comes out soon. Check out their Myspace for tour dates and info, and go rock out!
Dark Side of the Moog
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(10 votes) Loading ...posted by Rachel on October 22, 2008
The Dandys should be a household name by now, but they’re far from it. While they became bigger than big in Australia and UK, it didn’t quite happen in the States. Instead, the Portland band just released their 6th album on their own label, Beat The World Records. Like earlier albums, “Earth to the Dandy Warhols” sounds different from each one before it. “Come Down” is a study in shoegazing, while “13 Tales of Urban Bohemia” found the band channeling the Rolling Stones with their uber hit “Bohemian Like You.”
“The Legend of the Last of the Outlaw Truckers AKA The Ballad of Sheriff Shorty,” in addition to vying for the Guinness Record for longest rock song title, is a tour de force of growling rockabilly. “Now You Love Me” is poppier and the lyrics are less strange but the music is just as interesting. Both tracks draw on very different influences; Reverend Horton Heat on one end of the spectrum and My Bloody Valentine on the other. Somewhere in the improbable space in between, The Dandy Warhols have emerged and created their own unique sound.
The Legend . . .
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Now You Love Me
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October 27th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Nice…the piano really works.