Planning Your ACL

I probably already mentioned that I'm not going to the official Austin City Limits Festival next weekend. I'm focusing my efforts on hitting the after-shows at the clubs downtown. I'm not much for ginourmous crowds, and blazing afternoon sun. But that doesn't mean I can't suggest a schedule for those of you who will be attending...

Here's a little taste of who you can expect to see on Day 1 of ACL.

Yeasayer - 2080

Day 1 highlights + video after the jump...

The way I look at it, there are two basic ways to approach a festival. You can either commit to a stage and jockey for great positioning to see the artists on that stage, or you can do what I propose below, which is to hop from stage to stage in an attempt to hear music from key artists.

There are a lot of Autograph Signings at ACL, which to me it's like...why? Can I exchange my Vampire Weekend autograph for a tank of gas? Or a burrito? Cause if that's the case, I'm in!

Alright, so I'm just gonna list my choices, in time order:

Dan Dyer 11:45-12:30
Christopher Denny 12:50-1:30
Yeasayer1:30-2:30
Vampire Weekend 2:30-3:30
Jamie Lidell3:30-4:30
Gogol Bordello4:30-5:30
Hot Chip5:30-6:30
David Byrne6:30-7:30
Alejandro Escovedo7:45-8:45
Manu Chao8:30-10:00

There were a few conflicts in that list so here is my VS. list:
Yeasayer VS. What Made Milwaukee Famous @ 1:30
Vampire Weekend VS. Jakob Dylan VS. Louis XIV @ 2:30
Jamie Lidell VS. Del tha Funky Homosapien @ 3:30
Gogol Bordello VS. M. Ward VS. Patty Griffin @ 4:30
David Byrne VS. N.E.R.D @ 6:30
Manu Chao VS. Mars Volta @ 8:15


Dan Dyer - Love Chain video via YouTube


Christopher Denny - Age Old Hunger video via YouTube


Yeasayer - 2080 video via YouTube


Vampire Weekend - A - Punk video via YouTube


Jamie Lidell - Jim video via YouTube


Gogol Bordello - Wonderlust King video via YouTube


Hot Chip - Ready For the Floor video via YouTube


David Byrne & Brian Eno - Strange Overtones video via YouTube


Alejandro Escovedo - Always a Friend video via YouTube


Manu Chao - Me Gustas Tu video via YouTube

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Is Ra Ra Riot the new VW?

It seems like only a minute ago that all the blogs were a buzz about Vampire Weekend but let's face it. These are internet times and Vampire Weekend's moment ended before summer even started. So who's the next band to receive the 30-second spotlight? It is with this thought in mind that I bring you, Ra Ra Riot. The band has already received the kiss of death that is the Rolling Stone Artists to Watch label. This should pretty much guarantee their bottle-rocket success story.

Now don't be mislead you will enjoy the music of Ra Ra Riot, you may even see them in concert. You'll hear one of their songs on Gossip Girl or Grey's Anatomy, it will be in a car commercial, they'll play SNL but then their moment will be over and we'll be on to the next one. Let's enjoy the ride while it lasts shall we?

Ra Ra Riot - Dying is Fine

Video and more after the jump...

It may seem from my tone above that I don't like Ra Ra Riot but that's not true. I think, their latest release, The Rhumb Line is def one of my favorite releases of the fall so far. It must be popular with lots of others too because when Ra Ra Riot plays here in Austin next month they'll be at Stubb's, which is a much bigger venue than the Mohawk where I first saw Vampire Weekend. Haha, upon further inspection of the Stubb's site I noticed that RRRiot are playing the Inside stage at Stubb's, making the whole thing MUCH less impressive...sorry RRR.

Here's a video for the song I posted above the break:

Ra Ra Riot - Dying is Fine video via YouTube

This one sounds like the Talking Heads if you ask me.


Ra Ra Riot - Oh, La video via YouTube

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Dr. Dog Back in Austin

The first time I heard anything about Philadelphia band, Dr. Dog was when my friend Summer tried to drag me to their in-store at End of an Ear last spring. Well it's been over a year since that happened and in that time I figured out who they are and what they sound like.

I would def lump Dr. Dog in with the hipster-folk sounds of Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes. Their sound is vintage, their songs sound classic and far away and their latest effort is called Fate. I've had the album for a few weeks but have only given it a cursory listen. However, I can tell you that if you liked their previous album, We All Belong then you shouldn't be disappointed in, Fate.

Catch Dr. Dog at the Parish this Saturday, tickets still available here. If not there, try any local ticket outlet.

Dr. Dog - Worst Trip

Video and more after the jump...

First of all I should mention that you can download 7 other Dr. Dog songs from their website. But the song I really wanted to post for you wasn't on that page. It's actually Dr. Dog covering a song by Architecture in Helsinki, Heart it Races. Lucky for us Stereogum archives all of their links, and they posted this song like a year ago...or more.

Dr. Dog - Heart it Races

The song Alaska was the first Dr. Dog song to get my attention. Here's the video:


Dr. Dog - Alaska video via YouTube

Looks like the Dr. Dog dudes dig animation.


Dr. Dog - My Old Ways video via YouTube


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Random 80's Videos

I heard this song at work last week and I've been pretty much obsessed with it lately. So now it's your turn to have this song tattooed on your brain...again :-)


Tears For Fears - Head Over Heals video via YouTube


Even though their look and their music are somewhat dissimilar Tears For Fears always reminds me of Fine Young Canibals, which may be one of the top 10 worst band names of all time.


Fine Young Canibals - She Drives Me Crazy video via YouTube

Since, I'm bringing up 80's music that gets stuck in your head I have to include this:


The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another video via YouTube

And this one is 'cause the Fixx always makes me think of Howard Jones:


Howard Jones - Things Can Only Get Better video via YouTube

How about that haircut on Howard Jones eh? Pretty fargin' sweet.

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Britt Daniel Plays New Song

Britt Daniel - Who Backs Your Money? video via YouTube


Thanks to Stereogum for the heads up on this. They are also hosting an Mp3 version of the song, which you will find below.

Britt Daniel - Who Backs Your Money?
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Common @ Stubb's

Is it just me or has there been a lot of good hip-hop here in Austin lately? For a city known for its indie-rock scene we sure see all the hip-hop that a hipster could ask for. This week it's Common at Stubb's with an after-party at the Mohawk.

It looks like Common is touring to support his newest single, Announcement. I don't know a heck of a lot about it other than that. So if you want to catch yet ANOTHER legend of hip-hop this week, tickets are still available.

Video and more after the jump...


Common - Drivin' Me Wild ft. Lily Allen video via YouTube


Common - The Game video via YouTube

Damn it Universal Music Group I am SO sick of you disabling embedding. What's the deal? Don't you want us bloggers to promote your artists? It's not like we can't find the video someplace else anyway. Get with the times UMG!! With that said, all of these videos belong to UMG...so don't embed them like I did.


Common - The Light video via YouTube

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Ben Folds New Stuff

I was listening to KGSR the other day when I heard a new song by Ben Folds, featuring Regina Spektor. My love of Ben Folds comes and goes over the years. I still remember the first time I heard One Angry Dwarf on, the short lived, MTV Live. It was so clever and so catchy, and I think these are things you can almost always say about Ben Folds.

Even if nowadays he doesn't play with Darren or Jesse, from Ben Folds Five. He is still a very clever song writer and lots of times he still plays with a trio. In any case, he has an album due out September 30th called, Way To Normal

Here is the first single:
Ben Folds ft. Regina Spektor - You Don't Know Me

Tour info and video after the jump...

Ben Folds will be here in Austin, playing Stubb's on October 25th. If you want to know if he is playing near you, there is a tour section on his webpage. Get your tickets for the Stubb's show early.

It's also pretty exciting to note that Ben Folds Five will be re-uniting for at least one show this year. They will be playing The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner on September 28th in Chapel Hill, NC. I had the chance to catch Ben Folds Five in Maine on their last tour, which was for the Reinhold Messner album and it was a fantastic show. To this day I still listen to that album I think Narcolepsy is one of the greatest songs of all time.


Ben Folds w/West Australian Symphony Orchestra - Narcolepsy video via YouTube


Ben Folds - Landed video via YouTube


Ben Folds - Such Great Heights (cover song) video via YouTube

I stumbled upon this Ben Folds fan page that has all kinds of cool media to check out including this little nugget. But head on over to Woke Up Way Too Late for all kinds of cool, rare Ben Folds media for free download.

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Lemurs @ the 'hawk Tonight

Local Austin band, The Lemurs are celebrating the release of their new EP, Million Little Bits. If you do make it to the show tonight you will get a copy of the CD upon entry.

Opening for the Lemurs on the outside stage will be another buzzy local band, Low-Line Caller. So get your skinny jeans and your guyliner and head on over the Mohawk music starts at 10p. Tickets are $12 and should be available at the the door.

Find some video after the jump...



the Lemurs - My Definition video via YouTube


Low-Line Caller - Strangers (Talking To) video via YouTube


the Lemurs - Breaking You Down video via YouTube
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BTW Squeeze, La Zona, Tonight!

Squeeze - Black Coffee in Bed video via YouTube

Find tickets to see Squeeze at La Zona Rosa

Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) video via YouTube


Squeeze - Cool For Cats from Top of the Pops video via YouTube

You woulda been mad if I hadn't put this song in here in some form.

Squeeze - Tempted video via YouTube

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Jet Back to Aussie-Land

One of the things I love about living in Austin, is the sort-of daily interaction with the music industry. I wait tables at a popular Austin eatery, where I see politicians, painters, lawyers, musicians etc. Well apparently the group of young gentlemen with the down-under accents eating the Hippie Burgers, we've seen lately, is Australian rock-band, Jet. They have been in South Austin the last few weeks working at Wire Recording studio.

Don't go camping out at the studio just yet, because the band has left Austin for now. But expect them back again soon, when it's time to promote whatever they were working on.

Find a little reminder of who Jet is after the jump...



Jet - iPod Commercial ft. Are You Gonna Be My Girl? via YouTube

Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl? video via YouTube

Even though these studio diaries were shot in NYC, these guys were def in South Austin .

Jet - Studio Diaries pt. 1 video via YouTube


Jet - Studio Diaries pt. 2 video via YouTube

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