Austin, Texas has a fantastic new edition to its local lineup of great artists with newcomer Balmorhea, an instrumental, neo-classicist group bursting onto the scene with their second LP, which was given a glowing review by none other than Pitchfork Media (a 7.8, yowza). The band had a CD release show this past Saturday at ballet Austin and the packed dance room was a testament to the buzz this band is building. The band’s second LP Rivers Arms is a collection of dreamy tunes that swirl around you like the breeze of a middle-of-nowhere Texas town (such as the one from which the band borrowed its name) and recall images of hazy polaroids, plaid shirts, and dirt roads. This LP is definitely my my new late-winter favorite and all readers should help the band out by purchasing one of their CDs from their website and helping fund their new cross-country tour, which begins today and winds across the north, eventually ending back here in Texas for SXSW. Here’s hoping the gang keeps us updated as they travel! Here’s some more pics from the band’s End of an Ear in-store performance, which they had the day before their CD release party.
New Faceless Werewolves Song (From New Awesome Album)! Good ol’ garage-rock will never fail me, even though it’s necessary to spice it up once in a while. That’s exactly what Austin’s Faceless Werewolves does to your average guitar-rock band; take a trio (two guys and a girl), give them all vocals on different songs, then set the blender to ‘puree’ and voila! In celebration of of Valentine’s Day the gang posted a rad new track off their sophomore LP (awesomely titled Pardon Me, Are Those Your Claws On My Back?) called “Couldn’t Believe It Blues”. Check out their Myspace for this new track and definitely get their album when it drops March 11th (though they’ll be having an in-store pre-release performance at Waterloo Records on March 7th, and you know I’ll be there!) ************************************************************************************* Kanye Coming to AustinThat’s right Kanye will be coming through April 30th at the Frank Erwin Center. Also, check out that poster dawg!! ************************************************************************************* V-Day is for SuckersNot to be emo or anything, but V-day is l.a.m.e. So to celebrate the lameness of V-day and girls in general, here’s a Converge video from their Jane Doe LP (the most thrashtastic breakup record ever). This of course coincides with some news I heard today that the band will be performing in Austin April 22nd at Red 7. Prepare for ultimate metal destruction Austin.
Our friends Prey For Sleep had their party for the release of their debut LP A Bitter Beginning at Stubb’s last night and the word to describe the performance was brutal. The band’s fiery energy seared through tracks old and new and vocalist Hunter Townsend sounded particularly fierce, letting the audience know that ’somebody needs to get hurt’ in the crowd. The crowd was definitely there for PFS, as evident by the thin crowds both in the sets before and after the band. The band’s youthful energy and their brand of metal-cum-crust-punk has clearly lit a fire under the Austin metal scene, and we’ll definitely be seeing a lot more of these boys soon. Here are some more pics.************************************************************************************ Obligatory Crystal Castles UpdateThere’s plenty of reasons to like Crystal Castles. Perhaps it’s because their one of the most original and exciting acts in music right now. Or perhaps it’s because 2008 is shaping up to be their year, with massive touring (and a spot secured out SXSW now, woohoo!) their debut album coming out soon March 18th. But most of all I think it’s because like Cannibal Cheerleader, they’re a CC. And CCs are always good.
Rolling Stone’s Rock Daily blog recently named the band a Breaking Artist in this here online post. Definitely check it out along with the accompanying video.
Also, go here and vote for Crystal Castles to be on TV in the UK (I guess on Lily Allen’s show?).
Lastly, here’s one of my favorite CC songs to celebrate them coming to Austin. *************************************************************************************** New Kanye Video Our ol’ friend Kanye West has anew music video out for Graduation standout “Flashing Lights” directed by Spike Jonze. Definitely a weird one (and by weird, I always mean awesome). Check it:
