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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Arm's Way

Montreal band, Islands, released a pretty killer disc last month. I don't know if you've heard it yet, but Arm's Way is pop music at its best. Now I'm not talking about Justin Timberlake pop, I'm thinking more like Badly Drawn Boy, with a touch of Beach Boys crossed with Jethro Tull(?). Island create perfect little melodies then they embellish the hell out of 'em with strings, keys, layered vocals and other textural sounds. Arm's Way is pop on a grander-scale, to me you can hear an almost theatrical quality in the music.

Islands is basically a bedroom band that has evolved from the ruins of the band, The Unicorns, into a 6-piece touring band with revolving studio guests. Arm's Way is the second release from Islands, who is on the Anti- label in the US and Rough Trade in the UK.

I attended a SXSW day party this year called, Mess With Texas, where Islands performed. But if we're being honest I was too drunk and chatty at that point to remember much of anything about their performance. Islands will be returning to Austin, gracing Emo's outside stage on June 23rd. Check the band's MySpace to see if they'll be in or near your city.

Video after the jump...



Islands - The Arm via YouTube


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Speaking of ACL

For those of you not in Austin you should know that ACL is Austin speak for the Austin City Limits Festival not to be confused with Austin City Limits, which is what people call the show on PBS. Anyway, so today is schedule launch day, a very exciting day in the city because now we get to start planning. You can decide which stage you want to commit to or make a plan for which day you want to attend. That's right, today is also the day to purchase passes for individual days at a cost of $80/day.



This will be my first August in Austin so I have never done ACL fest in the past. To be honest I am not very excited about cooking in the 100 degree heat for days on end to catch a 45 minute indie rock set. I'm thinking I may buy a single day pass but most likely I will just rock it like I do SXSW, which is to say, do all the free stuff that's outside the official event. Last year there were a lot of ACL after-parties downtown and to me that's where it's really at. I'd much rather see one band in one small venue than 15 bands at one HUGE venue. Also, they usually do a few taping for Austin City Limits the show featuring some of the biggest/up-and-coming bands from ACL festival, in August.

But check out the schedule and let me know what would be your biggest conflicts. For me it's Jamie Lidell VS. Jose Gonzalez. But it looks like people will also have to choose either the Raconteurs or Gnarls Barkley. That's the problem with so many bands spread across 5 stages over the course of three days...one of the problems. For my money, I would choose the middle day.

Check out a track from Friday's headliner, and one of my favs, Manu Chao:

Manu Chao - Me Llamen Calle
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Get Thee to Stubb's

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are back in Austin this week. You may remember they made an appearance at Antone's not too long ago. They will also be back in August for ACL. However, if you missed 'em at Antone's and don't want to try to catch them at Zilker in August, then tomorrow night is your night.

For those of you who don't know already. The Dap-Kings are a Brooklyn-based soul band. They are known for being the house band on Daptone Records as well as for being the band behind Amy Winehouse's Back to Black. You can also hear their horny riffs on, producer, Marc Ronson's record. Ronson will also be at ACL, just for the record.

Since the show is at Stubb's it will start and end early. So if you planned to see the headliner at say Emo's then you can still catch both shows. Tickets for Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are shockingly only $20. This is a discount considering most shows at Stubb's are at least $35. I have to work tomorrow night so send me some photos if you make it the show.

Check out the soulful sounds of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings with this free single courtesy of Daptone Records:

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
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Drone Rock Spaces-Out Hipsters

I caught the Black Angels' CD release party at Emo's last night. The doors opened at 8pm but the Black Angels didn't go 'till around midnight. Whenever you read about the Black Angels you always see the words psych-rock and I think they must embrace that idea. Their merchandise was very trippy, without being tie-died. They even had a 3-D poster dude.

As far as the music itself I would say that it was the drone of psychedelic music more than the agitated freak-out part. As soon as the band took stage and the 16mm films from the 60's began projecting on the stage behind them I knew I was going to get what I came for. All of the sounds coming from the stage were drowned in reverb/echo. The driving bass parts were matched up with pulsing floor toms beats. And lead singer Alex was holding court with his eery sing-speak vocals, and maracas. Think The Black Angels Death Song by the Velvet Underground.

The crowd in the armpit at front stage seemed transfixed, some of them had obviously altered their consciouses to "enhance" the Black Angels sound. They were nodding and swaying, lots of people with eyes-closed. Personally I could only stand in that section of the audience for about 3 songs. It was probably 1000 degrees or so, with drunk people dropping beer bottles, stoners passing blunts (with very nice filters), and smokers lighting cigarettes off one another.

All in all I'd say I was certainly not disappointed by the Black Angels live show. I would say it was like going to a post-9/11 acid test. A less optimistic sounding psychedelia, than the one our parents knew. This age of acid freak out is more about escaping reality than enhancing it.

It was really hard to snap good photos due to the fact that I don't have a digital SLR camera, and the whole two films being projected on the band +/- stage lighting. But you can see the 4 mildly viewable ones I took here.
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Black Angels Emos Tonight

Local Psych/Prog Rockers, the Black Angels, will be headlining Emo's outside stage tonight. The show is in celebration of the release of their latest LP, Directions to See a Ghost.



It seems to me that the Black Angels are already much bigger in Europe than they are here. But expect big things from this band in the next year or two. If you're reading this from Austin, you're probably thinking duh, they're already huge. But trust me, to the rest of the U.S. these guys are still up and coming.

Their sound is dark, hypnotic-rock that, at times, sounds shoe-gazy and at other times sounds like molten metal.

Sample a song from their previous record, Passover:
the Black Angels - the First Vietnamese War

Video after the jump...

Watch their video for Black Grease, also from Passover

the Black Angels - Black Grease via YouTube
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