Jumping on this bandwagon a midge too late perhaps, but if there’s even one person out there who hasn’t heard about the utterly phenomenal heirs to the indie-Scot-rock throne We Were Promised Jetpacks, let us here at Cannibal Cheerleader let you know this group can only be described as utterly life-altering in their musical ways. While their name might inspire jeers and questions, focus not on the sci-fi inspired humorousness of the statement but the sense of emptiness and disappointment, the realization that childhood fantasies give way to harsh, cruel reality. Careening across the Western hemisphere, riding high on the back of their excellent debut LP These Four Walls, this Scottish foursome has a lot to be proud of when they stand beside groups like the Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit at a recent gig at the Mohawk here in Austin. A testament to the power of indie-rock and roll, find out about this group quickly.
FRIGHTENED RABBIT/OXFORD COLLAPSE IN AUSTIN Last night at Mohawk here in Austin audiences were treated to the indie-rock equivalent of the 0ne-two punch, with Scottish crooners Frightened Rabbit teaming up with poppy-punksters Oxford Collapse for an evening of scorching numbers, all played with such effortlessness the boys in the bands made it look easy. Oxford Collapse opened and by the time lead guitarist Michael Pace’s amp blew out in mid-song we knew we were in for a good set. Playing loose and cavalier the trio bounced around the stage with an energy that even got the much-maligned Austin hipster crowd to shake their hips. Frightened Rabbit’s music, while definitely more reserved, nonetheless sounded equally bombastic with the band ripping through tracks from their newest LP the Midnight Organ Fight with ease. Tracks like “The Modern Leper” and Cannibal Cheerleader favorite “The Twist” got us to our feet in no time flat, and frontman Scott Hutchison sings each tune with the grit and fervor of a man holding back years of tears with each word. Both bands provided for an emotional experience that won’t soon be forgotten here in Austin. Great double bill and kudos to OC, FR, and especially Mohawk. Here are some more pics from last night:
Frightened Rabbit Oxford Collapse ******************************************************************** NEW STARS “BITCHES IN TOKYO” VIDEO One of our favorite releases of last year (as you can read from our first post ever) was Stars‘ In Our Bedroom After the War. It combined our love of well-honed and perfectly executed pop music with our penchant for subversive politics, all wrapped up with a little bit of rock and roll to boot. One of the best songs from that album was undeniably “Bitches In Tokyo” so it’s awesome to see that even a year after the album was released we have the band’s new video for this standout track. Check it out below and be sure and pick up the entire Stars’ discography (if you like music that is). Bitches In Tokyo ******************************************************************** NEW BAND CHEER – PONYTAIL We’ve heard the rumblings about Baltimore’s Ponytail for a while now. From their recent Pitchfork review all the way back to mixtapes circling the Internet from radio stations in Maryland. But it wasn’t until we heard the band’s newest LP Ice Cream Spiritual, a bricolage of pop-punkery and noise-rock mashed into a rainbow cataclysm of sound and fury, that we decided to throw our full weight behind this great act. Truth be told Ponytail is one of our favorite new bands of the year bar-none and we’ll be impressed to see what they’ve got in store as the year progresses. Word on the street is they’re one of the best live acts around so here’s hoping they swing through Austin! MP3s are sadly still down but here’s a video to tide you over and introduce you to their fantastic sound. ******************************************************************** TERROR THURSDAY – CREEPERS One of the weirdest Terror Thursdays yet, Dario Argento’s Creepers (the American edit of Phenomena) stars Jennifer Connelly as the new girl in an all-female boarding school when murder mysteriously star occurring. Seemingly missing massive chunks of the plot due to perhaps a poor quality film print or bad editing (perhaps Phenomena is more complete?) the film nonetheless impresses with the Italian master’s signature artful kills and enough disgusting gore (pool of body parts and maggots anyone?) to impress even the most jaded horror fans. I give this one 3 out of 4 bloody pon-poms though it might get more when I rent the full version of the film. Look for the review in the future!
That’s it for this week folks! Hopefully mp3s will be back next week! Any comments?
According to the Giant Drag website, Annie Hardy of our favorite My Bloody Valentine-referencing, shoegazey, post-punk solo/duo band will be recording a new, as of yet untitled EP. The tracklist will include live favorites such as “Swan Song” and “White Baby” as well as tracks “Heart Carl” and “Stuff to Live For”. This is a welcome change for Hardy who was unceremoniously dropped from Interscope following her first awesome LP Hearts and Unicorns. Hardy and other GD contributors are hard at work slamming out a new record but in the meantime visit her Ebay Store so you can donate to the cause of saving Giant Drag from obscurity. Seriously, this is one of my favorite bands in recent memory and definitely deserves to get the opportunity to make more music, so check it out. Also, here’s a sample of “Swan Song” taken live from a Giant Drag show in Paris.
******************************************************************** PREY FOR SLEEP TOUR CANCELLED!
“Due to issues with our booking agent we’ve been forced to cancel our upcoming nationwide summer tour”, says lead singer Hunter Townsend of awesome Austin metal act Prey For Sleep. Apparently the booking agent was unable (or too lazy!) to secure spots for PFS and the band was forced to call it off due to monetary issues. In the meantime though Hunter and the boys would like to know what Austinites or any of their fans want from the band now. Their latest Myspace bulletin reads:
“Here’s a thought.
What do you want from Prey for Sleep in the next few months?
T-Shirts? Lighters? Hoodies? DVDs? Lunch boxes?
Let us know what you need to spread the word.”
So there you have it, let Prey For Sleep know what you need from them by contacting them at their Myspace. A PFS lunchbox sounds pretty rad to me that’s for sure.
The band will be heading up to Cleveland in August to record an as of yet untitled EP, then plans to attempt a nationwide tour in January. Good luck guys! ******************************************************************** SUMMER SHOWS IN AUSTIN – CC CALENDAR
Here’s a rundown of some upcoming shows in Austin that Cannibal Cheerleader will definitely be attending:
Hey to all of the readers/users of Waffles.fm, the best replacement ever for Oink.cd in my opinion. Thanks for swinging by the blog and reading the ‘Converge’ piece posted on the front page of Waffles. If you don’t know what Waffles is you should read this article about file-sharing and see if the Oink/Waffles movement is right for you. Until next time, comment people!
Sorry about taking a break for Memorial Day guys, hope this monster post makes up for it! See you tomorrow!
While I don’t mean to ask such a heavy question it seems appropriate given the fact that I haven’t updated in over a month. Where was your faithful narrator? Did he himself lose the Faith? The answer is no, I was off on a venture called Geronimo Live, but unfortunately the people I worked with were too unprofessional so I’m returning to doing my own thing, and that includes updating CC religiously. So how does one begin updating again after so long off? Well, I suppose I’ll start today by doing a rundown of my favorite things so far in 2008.
TOP LOCAL BANDS 2008
BALMORHEA This folksy post-rock band recalls Sigur Ros if they were, like, actually good (sorry, just never been an SR fan). Their new album Rivers Arms simply blows the roof off any instrumental album you’ve heard all year. With a sound like a faded Polaroid and a roster of challenging musicians, Balmorhea would do well to stay in the scene and continue making awesome music.
This metal-cum-punk firestorm of a band seems to be on the cusp of a major breakthrough. With the intricate instrumentation and frank brutality that seems to be the zeitgeist of the ever-elitist metal community right now, combined with the punk politics and self-releasing ideology of the Maximum Rock ‘n Roll crowd, PFS refuses to copy old metal standards, instead creating a style all their own.
Could it be possible that one of the coolest, most interesting bands in Austin has actually outdone itself on their sophomore release? The excellent Pardon Me, Are Those Your Claws in My Back? definitely is in my top ten for the year, and it’s no wonder considering the band has perfected its manic, self-referential Monkees-cum-punk sound. Three vocalists, all with virtuoso performances on their respective instruments, this trio, with their equal parts bluesy and rock sound definitely keep Austin proud.
RINGO DEATHSTARR Here’s a band that namedrops old-school Dandy Warhols, fuses shoegaze and wall-of-sound ethos with a rock attitude, and sports a live show that frequently features destroyed drum kits and guitarists falling all over each other. Need I say more?
TOP ALBUMS THAT I WAS ANTICIPATING AND LUCKILY WERE AWESOME
CRYSTAL CASTLES Cannibal Cheerleader favorites Crystal Castles definitely delivered when their debut LP dropped this March. Keeping the best tracks from their respective EPs (”Alice Practice”, “xxzxcuzx me”, “Love and Caring”) and dropping new awesome tracks like the fantastic “Black Panther”, “Knights”, and “Through the Hosiery”. These guys remain some of my favorites for 2008 and their SXSW show, while short due to an injury by lead singer Alice Glass, was nonetheless a freaking blast. Keep an eye on these guys and see where this album takes them.
This foursome’s sophomore release Get Awkward was everything I could’ve wanted from a followup. It retains the breakneck speed and silliness of their self-titled debut but rewards with deeper lyrics, more refined melodies, and sharper hooks that show a band that’s definitely maturing. The unfortunate part of this album’s release was Universal’s refusal to release three of the album’s best tracks (”Becky”, “Blow Your Mind”, and “Black Hole”). Sucks for purchasers of their US release *cough* but somehow people might manage to find these tracks… Black Hole Blow Your Mind Becky
THE RAVEONETTES Lust Lust Lust is the soundtrack to all your woozy, colorful nightmares. The visions of spiraling down into a hazey ether are pretty heavily captured in the shoegazey goodness that is this duo’s fourth release. Highly recommended for shoegaze and aspiring rock critics alike.
GNARLS BARKLEY While The Odd Couple is definitely a weirder LP than this power duo’s debut, the underground hip-hop vibe comes across stronger here and I’d wager to say first single “Run” is a better single than “Crazy” anyway.
TOP ARTISTS THAT I DISCOVERED OUT OF THE BLUE
FRIGHTENED RABBIT Found these guys by picking a random review to do for Soundcheck Magazine the other day and they’re definitely the bee’s knees when it comes to tender indie-rock. A foursome from Glasgow they remind me of a more sincere Shins, with a knack for melody and harmony but with a singer-songwriter confessional edge that, while sounding naive and young, is all the better for it in its conviction and depth. Definitely worth a look if you’re into the high drama of Arcade Fire but the simple instrumentation of early Death Cab.
DEAR AND THE HEADLIGHTS Saw these dudes on a chick’s purse and thought it was the coolest name for a band ever. Went to the myspace and really was astounded by their musicianship and ultra-tight hooks. Definitely check out the single “Sweet Talk” and you’ll be instantly converted. They’re on tour now with Paramore and Jimmy Eat World, and they definitely recall the latter’s early albums so hear them now before they get big.
CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES Saw this girl at the Alternative Press Showcase at SXSW and her set was pretty phenomenal. Just a girl on guitar and a guy on a keyboard, CS is poised to really come into her own this year, just based off the strength of the songs I saw her play at her 30 minute show. Confused as to how Charlotte fits into the Warped Tour community (she’ll be a staple artist for the whole tour) and having picked up her eponymous three-song EP it’s easy to see how she straddles the line between singer-songwriter chic and punk rocker with songs like “Sweet Valium High”. Definitely worth checking out and definitely pick up the new album when it drops.
GRAND OLE PARTY I have a thing for female vocalists and short of Erica from the Faceless Werewolves, the best drummer/singer in rock is>> from Grand Ole Party, who remind of early White Stripes, with its minimalist edge and bluesy-vocals. Check out “Look Out Young Son” for a fantastic sample of what their debut album Humanimals has to offer.
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Coming off as a working class Against Me!, Gaslight Anthem hail from Jersey and they like to make it known. Tracks like “I’da Called You Woody, Joe”, which they absolutely tore through at their show at SXSW will convert you to this band’s sound quicker than a Bush can sink an economy.
TOP LIVE SHOWS FROM SXSW ‘08
MY MORNING JACKET This band tore it up both at the Parish and at the Austin Music Hall during SXSW, and the new tracks from their upcoming Evil Urges sound like it could be their best album yet. Definitely an experience.
CRYSTAL CASTLES After having waited over a year to see these guys since they skipped out on a performance at SXSW ‘07, I finally got a five-song performance from the beaten and bruised (due to a car crash) Crystal Castles. Ripping through “Alice Practice” I understood how this band gets kids dancing and moshing all at once, and for some reason, it still makes sense.
ALL TIME LOW While it’s easy to write All Time Low off as a scene band, one has to admit that the band has got some great hooks and their renditions of “Coffee Shop Soundtrack” and “Let It Roll” at their AP Showcase performance rank among the best by any band at the festival this year. Definitely a great band.
CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES Tired of singer-songwriter babes? This girl’s breaking the mold and her new album’s going to break rock if it features some of the songs from this AP showcase performance.
TOP THINGS I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2008
CAT POWER @ STUBB’S APRIL 20TH I’ve been unable to satiate my love for live Chan Marshall with just the online download of her Black Session bootleg. Her show at Stubb’s has been on my calendar ever since I first heard of it.
THE NEW MY MORNING JACKET ALBUM EVIL URGES I mean jeez, wouldya just look at that awesome cover?! Keep rock Evil I say. Keep an eye out for awesome tracks like “Highly Suspicious” and “
CONVERGE @ RED 7 APRIL 22ND I’m completely ready and willing to be torn to shreds in a punk rock frenzy worthy of the history books.
BE YOUR OWN PET @ STUBB’S Missed these guys at SXSW so I’m ready to make up for it. Too bad though that they’re playing with lame as shit band She Wants Revenge, but what can you do.
RILO KILEY @ STUBB’S The final stop of this their Under the Blacklight Tour is right here in Austin in June and my friends and I have definitely already bought tickets.
THE NEW CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES ALBUM WAVES AND THE BOTH OF US Again, awesome cover! Hey, maybe I’m a stickler but I think of an album cover as a piece of pop-art so bands today should know you can’t skimp on that stuff. Actually, I think the real cover has Charlotte up as a marionette and not a suicidal emo girl but both really work for me. Plus, I’m really looking forward to hearing studio versions of some of her awesome live tracks.
WEEZER – THE RED ALBUM New Weezer album? Rad! Return to old, nerd-rock anthems? Hells yeah! A return to another eponymous, color-coated album? My life is complete. June release for this bad boy, it’s going to be epic. Stay tuned for all the big Weezer/Cuomo news as it comes out in the next few weeks here at Cannibal Cheerleader.
And hey, if you read this, do be so kind as to leave a comment so I know there are people out there who enjoy my stuff! This is the post for Monday April 7th so I’m posting a day early just to give everyone time to check it out! Thanks all!
