Last night local Bob Marley tribute band Wake Up and Live celebrated Marley’s birthday with a packed house at Cervantes’ Other Side. Thank goodness they took that elevated platform out by the bar, for once no one tripped there! With the new layout and coffee being served, the Other Side is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Portland’s The Quick and Easy Boys from my Jam Bands to Watch list opened, and completely blew me away. I highly suggest checking them out live. Rastasaurus were also on the bill, acting ever more like the polished touring band they are shaping up to be. Read my review at the Westword here:
Since I am a detailed person and a bit of a nut, I enjoy listening to every single band that is being showcased at SXSW before I attend (if you’d like a link to the detailed spreadsheet, follow the blog and I will put up a post when it’s ready close to three weeks prior with calendar). I’ve picked out the best for those that just don’t have the time for this daunting task, and will continue to through the festival, got my flights and vrbo booked, just need new ankle boots. These are my favorite groups out of Group 2 (with Group 1 to come because I accidentally did it backwards).
The Apache Relay- Nashville- Americana folk rock with mano and harp and Edward Sharpeish melodies and singalongs
Black Pistol Fire- Austin- TX rock/garage/blues goodness
Bobby Jealousy- Austin- big, bright happy pop
Brass Bed- Lafayette- reverbed out indie rock
Bully- Nashville- Juliana Hatfield-esque indie rock
Crying Nut- S. Korea- loud, crashing melodic pop punk done right
The Growl- Perth, Australia- sexy garage rock
Hurray for the RiffRaff- New Orleans- gorgeous female vocals, zydeco folk
La Femme- France- plain hot stuff
The Parrots- Spain- garage rock
Quiet Company- Austin- upbeat indie pop
Rey Pila- Mexico City- Scissor Sisters-like disco pop
September Girls- Dublin- grungy but pretty garage pop
So So Glos- Brooklyn- power pop twangy guitar goods
Spires- Brooklyn- jangly psych pop
Streets of Laredo- Brooklyn- fast paced folk rock
Troker- Mexico- funk with some killer organ and horns
First off, highly suggest Wings Over the Rockies museum at Lowry Air Base in Denver. Cool stuff, sweet retired military men telling you stories, and some really fun lighting to shoot.
I compiled a list of “jam bands to watch out for in 2014” for the Westword, and it was my best performing article yet. I figured many people were tired of listening to the same old stuff. Do not be deterred by the words jam bands, these are just straight up funky, rocking bands that get a little loose. Their music feel alive:
I’ve been carefully devouring every single Quilt has thrown out before their new album Held in Splendour releases on Jan. 28th. While the previous fuzzy single showed Shane Butler on main vocals, the effervescent Anna Fox Rochinski is back here, with a voice that sounds like Mary Margdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar. She sounds like a good person to have around if you are sick, absolute soothing while the bouncy beat brings a golden hue to some slightly melancholy vocals. I can’t wait for the album to come out, Houston, you have a Fitzgerald’s date. Don’t miss this band before movie soundtracks scoop all this up for various good indie romances.
Australia’s Sarah Blasko is ready to bust out onto the international scene. Her new album I Awake Live at Sydney Opera House is out today, and she also released a crazy weird but tremendously awesome video for her heartbreakingly beautiful song “Fool”. As slowly strobed images cross against the screen, you get an unsettling feeling when you catch glimpses of shots of her with no eyes, a melting chin, any uncanny valley horror you can think of. Her smokey torch song voice is the anchor to the whole thing though, washing the eeriness away with beauty and soul. Watch and listen to Sarah Blusko’s “Fool” here:
Don’t think she is like all those twee, quirky singer-songwriters with weird inflections in their voices that you hear on every single car commercial, Angel Olsen is a true talent. When she played the Hi Dive last April, she captivated the audience, just her and her guitar. While a backing band eventually joined in, it was nothing like the electric glimpses she has been giving us of her album Burn Your Fire For No Witness out February 18th on Jagjaguwar. Combining her soulful, crackly Americana voice with fuzz guitar is a match made in heaven, and today she released her next single off the album, “Hi-Five”. My first instinct on first listen was to tear up when she croons “Are you lonely too?”, she somehow hits you straight in the feelings. This new album is going to make her a major star. Listen here:
I was supposed to review String Cheese Incident in Denver for New Year’s Eve, but as is typical in the world of Phish, they started playing too well so we last second booked the last two seats flying out of Denver that morning. We stayed with wonderful friends in Williamsburg who had a view of the Empire Building from their fire escape, and even managed to get tickets for face value (one a shiny glittery lotto ticket!). It was fairly amusing that coming to NYE last second took way less planning and stress than if I had decided to go months ago, but isn’t that always the case? The city streets were absolutely electric with excitement, topped only by what Phish was about to pull off inside. My best moments of the NYE run article was published today at the Westword, read all my gushings here. It’s days later and I still spring little tears of joy and gratitude thinking about that Forbin’s.
I can’t get enough of the new single Morgan Delt released today off his forthcoming self-titled album. “Obstacle Eyes” is a haunting piece of psych pop perfection, blending echoey whispery vocals with backing music that sounds like a vinyl album that was left in the sun. Warping to and fro, the dreamlike acid trip noise is given a sense of sanity by overlayering acoustic guitar, reminding me a bit of some of the Flaming Lip’s works. The album comes out on Trouble in Mind Records Jan. 28th. Listen here:
The Westword asked me for my top fifteen albums of the year for their mondo year end list. My choices are all mixed up with the other critics excellent choices, what a great year for music! Please note that Kurt Vile is on my year end list, but he was already chosen.
I love watching sunsets, and have been spoiled to live close to a lake with a western unobstructed mountain view. When the clouds start to go pink, I grab my camera and head to my spot. Sadly, a group of guys that get drunk and listen to music loudly from there cars also like this spot, so I’m usually getting whistled at when taking these. I’ll miss this spot when we move.
leslieloudspeaker 