Busdriver Mohawk Saturday

My friend, and fellow blogger, Tim posted an article today about "intelligent hip-hop" no offense Flo-Rida. Hey I just got that, is he from Florida? Anyway, so Tim's post got me thinking about that Busdriver show this weekend.

Busdriver is part of that class of hip-hop they used to call Backpacker Hip-Hop now a days I would call it Hip-Hop for indie rockers, or unpopular hip-hop? Included in this group for today I would say Aesop Rock, or Cannibal Ox, maybe Dilated Peoples, or MF Doom.

Anyway, Busdriver will be at, my favorite venue, the Mohawk (outside) this Saturday with AntiMc, Aspek, and Bomber. From the looks of thing Busdriver is in town to promote a new single, but I suspect we'll hear about a new release in the near future. Tickets are only $10, the show starts at 9p.

In the meantime the latest full length by Busdriver came out in '07 it's called Roadkill Overcoat and features production by Boom Bip. For some reason Busdriver is on Epitaph records home of Bad Religion, the Offspring, Story of the Year and other metal/punk/hardcore/pop-variations. What's up with that?

Check out some sounds and videos after the jump.



The only "official" audio I could find was pretty old, update your site Busdriver.

Busdriver - Kill Your Employer

If you click the tiny mp3 button on this ugly player from Epitaph you can download these two songs.



Check out this weird-ass Busdriver video. I think he was doing the Gnarls Barkley schtick before Gnarls Barkley.


Busdriver - Sunshowers video via YouTube

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Rook(s)

Local band Shearwater will be playing an in-store at Waterloo Records in a few hours. Their newest disc is called Rook and if you ask me that's some of the best cover art I've seen in years. It's such a disturbing image isn't it?

Shearwater is a side-project band of Okkervil River, intended to be the more folky, dramatic, serious off-shoot. Rook is the bands 5th full length release and only the second on Matador Records. Their last album, Palo Santo saw a deluxe re-issue when the band was picked up by Matador last year.

If you've never heard Shearwater, some of the words I might use to describe their sound: haunting, evocative, dramatic, sorrowful. I'd say they sound somewhat like The National, or maybe Bruce Springsteen when he is using lots of piano. They also have a bit of a post-glam Bowie thing going on. In any case, check them out before the critics eat this up and spit it out. And if you're in Austin, check 'em out for free at Waterloo @ 5pm.

Listen to the first single from Rook:
Shearwater - Rooks

Link courtesy Matador Records.

Video after the jump:


Shearwater - Rooks via YouTube

Shearwater - Seventy Four, Seventy Five via YouTube

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Ch Ch Ch Changes

Just a quick note to make you aware of some semi-relevant changes. First and foremost, you may have already noticed you can find me at www.austinbloggylimits.COM now. I'm still hosted on Blogspot but now you don't have to type it.

The other little change is the Project Playlist thing on the right ----------->
is now more relevant to the content of the site. So if you don't want to download the tracks from the artists I mention you can stream songs through the Project Playlist player.

Also, Jason has helped me change my layout so now I can hide more content in those Read More links. The post about Shearwater Rooks is the first one to take advantage. But in the future look for more stuff after the jump by clicking the Read More link.

That is all.
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Can't Afford the Freeway

I had a bit of a panic this afternoon thinking Aimee Mann was at La Zone Rosa tonight, but thankfully it's next Tuesday. But for those of you who would like to see Aimee Mann here in Austin, she is playing at La Zone next Tuesday, the 17th. Doors open at 7PM and tickets are $25 if you plan ahead, $27 if you can manage to get 'em the day of the show. If you're not in Austin check Aimee's MySpace for complete tour dates.

For those of you who aren't familiar, Aimee Mann is a singer/songwriter/producer/label-owner who does gorgeous, delicate music. I would call it acoustic pop with a folk bent. Her music has been used in films, and television, most predominately in P.T. Anderson's Magnolia. Oh yeah and she used to be in that band 'Til Tuesday. Remember them? They did that song Voices Carry.

In any case Aimee has a new album out on her own label, it's called @#x%x*! Smilers, or something like that. It's her 7th solo album and the first single is called Freeway. There is a YouTube contest over at her site for those of you who are video inclined.

Listen to Aimee Mann's new single:

Aimee Mann - Freeway

Link courtesy LouderSoft.
'Til Tuesday link courtesy of Ear Farm
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Gobbledigook

Ok, so this post is a few weeks behind by blogging standards, but have you heard anything from the new Sigur Ros album? Sigur Ros has been one of my favorites since I first heard Ágætis Byrjun in 2000. I have seen them in concert 5 times and they NEVER dissapoint. Sometimes the audience is disapointing but never the band itself.

Anyway, if the first release from Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust is any indication Sigur Ros have a new sound. Their last release Takk required the least patience of any of their albums up to that point. I think the first single Gobbledigook could actually be played on alt-rock radio!

Sigur Ros have not dialed down the drama but they have certainly turned up the metronome. Gobbledigook is the fastest paced Sigur Ros song I have ever heard. They manage to do verses, chorus, and bridges all at about the 3 minute mark. Quite the milestone for this Icelandic band.

I would compare the new sound to an Akron/Family record, but don't worry it still sounds like Jonsi and the boys. They just sound a little less delicate and much more mature.

Stream the album after the jump.

You can stream the whole album at the band's official website.




Listen to Gobbledigook courtesy of Stereogum:

Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook

Watch more Sigur Ros videos on their YouTube channel. Including my absolute favorite video of all time by any band...ever.
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