Tag Archives: SXSW

SXSW

RAMS’ Pocket Radio is Better than an iPod

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Now I’m stoked to be heading out to SXSW during spring break and all but I’m also mega stoked that I will be there during St. Patrick’s Day. Now, there will be plenty of Irish representatives there in Austin this year, including Flogging Molly, but I want to talk about RAMS’ Pocket Radio. Peter McCauley pretty much does everything for this electric outfit. That would be drums, piano, singing, and songwriting. He does it all.

Check out ‘Dogs Run In Packs.’ The piano bangs with attitude while McCauley’s voice tries to keep it cool. I want to say it’s an Irish version of The White Stripes, but RAMS’ Pocket Radio feels more melodic to me. Maybe it’s the piano that washes around the rough edges of the rest of the song. At any rate, I’ll plan on jamming out to these guys (or this guy) while trying to think I’m cool. Maybe it will work. Just maybe.

[audio:http://146.190.132.255/audio/Rams’_pocket_radio-Dogs_Run_in_Packs.mp3]

SXSW

Kopecky Family Band on the Run

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They aren’t on the run actually, but I am. I’m sitting here in my car while my trusty love handles the wheel rolling down the late night highway. We had out of town business to attend and I’m knocking this bad boy out ultra-mobile like. It also serves as great practice for next week when we take a longer trek down to Austin for SXSW. One of the bands that I have on my speed gun radar is the Kopecky Family Band. Straight out of Tennessee, this Radiohead and Sigur Ros influenced faux family soothes and rocks at the same time.

Give a listen to ‘Birds.’ At first you hear a little bit of some new Black Keys but then it swings around into some new age like Stereolab. The endearing tone lays the foundation starting with Kelsey and the followed by the emotive voice Gabe. Seriously, when Gabe comes in, it tears you away and makes you feel how hard he his feeling. It’s hard to hear that in a pop song but somehow The Kopecky Family Band does it.

[audio:http://146.190.132.255/audio/Kopecky_Family_Band-Birds.mp3]

SXSW

Ahhh Venice is Sinking

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There have been a number of great bands from Athens, Georgia (R.E.M. comes to mind).  So I know that when I hear a band that comes from there, I should pay attention. One such band is Venice Is Sinking.  The bands roots sunk deep into Athens as they had the unique opportunity to record a live album in the town’s iconic music mainstay, The Georgia Theatre.  Members of Venice is Sinking also witness the fire that burned down the place.  Hopefully, nothing will burn down when they visit Austin this year for SXSW.

Listening to ‘Tugboat’ I can’t help but think of alot of similarities between the overseas band Belle & Sebastian.  It’s a tad more gloomy, but the echoing voices of Daniel Lawson and Carolyn Troupe backed by horns can’t help but bring me to that comparison.  The endearing tone of the opening line also brings a Neil Young-esque warble that draws me in like the tugboat Lawson sings about.  Venice is Sinking will be on my chill out portion of SXSW’s festivities.

[audio:http://146.190.132.255/audio/Venice_is_Sinking-Tugboat.mp3]

SXSW

This is No Mondo Drag

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Rock music nowadays just isn’t rock music anymore.  What I mean is that you can’t just call something rock.  It can hard rock, heavy metal, soft rock, pop rock, and so on and so forth.  One of my favorite niche corners of rock just happens to be stoner rock.  Now, I’m no stoner, but the psycadelic grind that stoner rock rivals that of what I see on the mainstream channels.  One such perveyor of stoner rock is Mondo Drag.  They will be heading to SXSW this year.

Just take a trip on ‘Love Me (Like A Stranger).’ It’s your classic 60s freak out with some sludgy rock grind coming up from behind.  Mondo Drag, led by Johnny Cluney, embody what’s missing from rock music today:  a deeper sense of soul that embodies itself as blues driven incantations.  Back in the day, the radio man would say tune in and tune out to Led Zeppelin.  Now we are tuning out to Mondo Drag.

[soundcloud params=”auto_play=false&show_comments=true”]http://soundcloud.com/mondodrag/mondo-drag-love-me-like-a-stranger[/soundcloud]

SXSW

I Got Schooled by Social Studies

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What makes an indie band? Hipster chicks singing in harmony? Kinchy organs flowing overhead? A driving bass with very sharp drums? Maybe so, maybe not, but that’s what makes up Social Studies. Led by Natalia Rogovin on synth with vocals followed by Michael Jirkovsky on drums, Social Studies kicks it indie-pop school straight outta San Fran. They’ll be teaching me a thing or two at SXSW this year.

Take a time out and listen to ‘Time Bandit.’ I know. I know. You’re probably wondering, “What’s Stereolab doing in my speakers?” Okay that was an easy comparison, but pop quiz: Who else do they sound like? Perhaps a female version of Ben Folds? I think that passes. So it’s now time for me to graduate and walk the aisle all cap-and-gowned out while skipping to the Social Studies. Don’t be tardy for these folks or its detention.

[soundcloud params=”auto_play=false&show_comments=true”]http://soundcloud.com/social-studies/time-bandit[/soundcloud]