NEW TREASURE MAMMAL 7” Fresh from our mailbox to your computer screen comes the newest release from Phoenix-based rapper/experimental artist/motivational speaker Treasure Mammal, and boy it’s a doozy. The EP is a split with Whitman but it’s our friend T. Mammal who steals the show, especially with his excellent rendition of “Ain’t No Shame in My Game”. Seriously, Abe’s flow is becoming a serious force to be reckoned with, his scattershot metaphors mixing seamlessly with his vocal delivery, which dances between righteously spastic and smoothly droll. It’s a one-two punch from the mammal-master, so hook yourself up and buy one now. While you’re at it, buy your friends one too so you all can have a proper dance party, Treasure Mammal style.
Treasure Mammal – “Let’s Get Naked” ******************************************************************** NEW TEGAN AND SARA VIDEO Tegan and Sara are still making videos it seems for last year’s excellent The Con, but we here at Cannibal Cheerleader don’t mind one bit! Check out the vid for “Call It Off” below.
Balmorhea – “San Solomon” ******************************************************************** NEW TV ON THE RADIO VIDEO CC faves TV on the Radio have released the video for “Golden Age”, the first single from their new and most excellent LP Dear Science. Check it below!
Swinging in for a free in-store performance at End of an Ear Records a little over an hour later than expected, Thao Nguyen and her backing backing band the Get Down Stay Down nonetheless managed to tear through a set of bluesy indie rock that kept the audience rapt with attention throughout short set. With intricate guitar-picking skills that nonetheless seems to flow from her fingertips like raindrops, and a voice that recalls a mix between a Southern
songstress croon and a riot grrrl yelp, Thao beat-boxed, strummed, wailed, and shredded her way through an abbreviated set in preview for her Emo’s performance tonight. However, the
intimacy of the record store maximized the poetic and heartfelt nature of her songs and while the downtown concert venue will no doubt attract a bigger crowd and ellicit a longer set, the experience of seeing Thao and the Get Down Stay Down in this tiny room stands out as one of the best live performances this year in Austin. We’ll definitely be keeping up with Thao as she
Balmorhea, the neo-classical sextet that wowed us with their unbelievable sophomore LP Rivers Arms are goin’ out west with Bexar Bexar in tow and meeting up with Tiny Vipers along the way. Touring violinist Aisha Burns has set up a blog called Stages, Stories, and Highway Signs to chronicle the bands’ adventures. You know we’ll be checking it out daily to see where this great band goes.
At the same time, Prey For Sleep, our favorite Austin crust-punk-meets-metal act, is heading up north to Ohio to record a six-song EP. Driving all the way, lead singer Hunter Townsend will be blogging about his adventures when the quintet gets a free second over at the band’s Myspace.
Here’s to both these groups, we’ll be checking in on your progress over the next month with great interest. Good luck you guys and you move across the country!
******************************************************************** WEEZER ANNOUNCE TOUR W/ AVA, TOKYO POLICE CLUB
Now that Weezer has returned to form musically, it’s about time they return to touring like a normal band as well. The Rivers Cuomo-fronted foursome will trek across America with Cannibal Cheerleader faves Angels and Airwaves and Tokyo Police Club in tow, landing at the Frank Erwin Center here in Austin on Oct. 20th. Get your tickets now because this show will sell out quick!
Hey Cannibal Cheerleader faithful, we’re halfway through the year so I figured it was about time to announce the albums, acts, songs, and shows that I feel are the best of the year SO FAR. Below are some tentative lists with the entries in no particular order and I’m not going to comment on these choices because frankly, they could change tomorrow! But I think what follows will be a good template of where we stand here in the middle of June and I believe a good deal of these may join us again in December. So, without further ado, the Halfway There Cannibal Cheerleader lists:
A lot is happening in the world of our favorite local neo-classical group Balmorhea. For starters, according to singer/guitarist Michael Muller, the band, once a duo, then a foursome, is now a sextet. Also, not only is the band planning an upcoming tour with the excellent local experimental artist Bexar Bexar and Seattle’s Tiny Vipers (a fantastic solo artist we featured here), but is also recording a new album. Good snap that’s a lot to digest! The tour begins August 5th and swings up through Marfa, Texas before going out West (where the wind blows tall!). They have at least six dates with Tiny Vipers along the West Coast so you know we’ll be keeping an eye on the group as they travel. Good luck guys! Here are some pictures from their recent show at Mohawk.
According to this Stereogum story Meg White of White Stripes fame reappeared briefly during a Raconteurs set, but didn’t play anything and scurried offstage as Brendan Benson and co. filed back on stage. Wrong band Meg! I feel this is worth mentioning because you’ll remember when Meg White bailed on last year’s ACL festival, causing much ire in frustration in festival promoters and concert goers alike I’m sure. The Raconteurs are on the schedule for this year’s ACL fest – can we expect another Meg White appearance? You know we’ll be there…
When reviewing the new Cryptacize album on his Asthmatic Kitty Records website, our favorite pseudo-religious solo artist (not to be confused with Bodies of Water) Sufjan Stevens appears to take a little pot-shot at Cape Codders Vampire Weekend. Here’s the quote:
“Sometimes I worry that the ever-increasing trend toward excessive innovation has pushed the art and music world into a slapstick exhibition of dog breeding, generating increasingly newer, more contemporary fashions: gothic folk, for one. Or Afro-beat Ivy League pop.”
None too subtle I suppose. But he makes a point – maybe some people don’t prefer the melting pot of music. Maybe the more liberal interpretation of the American (music) mosaic where each musical genre retains some sort of allegiance to its past unspoiled by other styles is what Sufjan is looking for. Either way, it goes without saying that while Vampire Weekend writes a good pop-hook or two, the fucking sweaters and boat-shoes are getting a little old. Thanks Sufjan for saying what we were all thinking (I think?).
Alt-country holds a special place in the Cannibal Cheerleader heart (MMJ, Rilo Kiley, Whispertown2000, etc, etc.) and so it’s with great excitement that we announce Lucero will be holding court at Emo’s July 16th. You know we’ll be there with bells on.
To celebrate here’s a video of Lucero live in North Carolina. Enjoy!
