It’s finally here Cannibal Cheerleaders, the new SpinneretteGhetto Love EP has arrived and none too soon for our ears. It seems that ex-Distiller Brody Dalle has been reincarnated as a nightmarish punk burlesque dancer, wrapped in layers of electronic decadence while still maintaining the poignant and fierce lyricism on which she’s built a name. Dead romance, blood mixing with tears, makeup running down one’s face, all wrapped in pleather in a smoky, shady bar corner, that is Spinnerette (our kind of band!). Check the video for “Ghetto Love” below and head here to purchase the new EP (only five bucks people, quite the deal we’d say).
Today we begin our ‘end-of-year’ wrap-ups, mercifully soon so we can get back to the real business of music journalism! Seems like every blog does their “best of’s” around this time so we figured we’d hop onboard, with a few Cannibal Cheerleader touches of course. Our first category…
TOP FIVE LOCAL AUSTIN BANDS
SOUTHERN DRAMA
Whether you interpret this local all-female trio as a wildly imaginative Vaudevillian act or a indie-pop folk band wrapped in old-time mystique one thing’s for certain, Southern Drama is easily the most original and creative act currently playing in Austin and one of our favorites of the year.
With the release of their stellar sophormore LP Pardon Me, Are Those Your Claws in My Back, the Faceless Werewolves have cornered the Austin market on furious blues-rock and garage-punk, cementing themselves as one of the Capital City’s most treasured acts.
Soaring in on a wave of delicated strings and hushed arrangement, Balmorhea has made good use of one short year, finding themselves poised to be the next big thing in neo-classicist cum indie-rock and making it easily onto our 2008 best local band list.
With a fiery carnage matched only by the band’s steadfast determination, Prey For Sleep have brought the brutality back to the Austin metal scene, whipping the small but vengeful community into a fury behind their debut LP and carving a spot into our end of the year list.
Swirling down on a wave of guitar squalls, Ringo Deathstarr single-handedly have revitalized the flagging shoegaze scene in Austin with an MBV-referencing sound and a distinction for being lost in a vortex of white noise, though they managed to find their way onto our top local band list with ease.
With girl-group vocals and shoe-gaze guitars all combined into a surf-rock playing style, the Vivian Girls have proven themselves as a formidable new act through relentless touring, capturing a sound long thought dead and revitalizing a genre with the ease of a reverb pedal.
With a level of delicate instrumentation and unique percussion almost unheard in indie rock, High Places have taken lilting pop ballads into the realm of wild experimentalism and are on the crest of a wave of musicians combining creativity with indelible songwriting abilities.
With a torrent of positive press flying their way after the release of their sophomore LP, the Gaslight Anthem have gone from celebrated underground Jersey punks to acclaimed rock and roll stars all in the course of one short year, due to their combination of lovelorn Springsteen-referencing lyrics and Social Distortion riffs.
Blazing onto the scene on the backs of several fiery singles and EPs, Heartsrevolution took punk-electro to new heights, combining dance-rhythms and electronic whirlings with shrieking vocals and violent imagery, making them one of the most original and exciting acts of the year.
Equal blues rock and female fronted indie-pop, Grand Ole Party deliver fiery vocals and spidery guitar lines in a fierce package of minimalistic garage punk that heralds this trio as an act to watch for years to come.
Here at Cannibal Cheerleader we recently had an interview with one of our favorite local acts Southern Drama. Here’s an exercpt:
“REMOVED BY REQUEST“
Read the rest of the interview when it gets published over at Soundcheck Magazine. Here are some more awesome pics by Meg Seidel from their show at Beauty Bar – enjoy!
The demand for a new Madvillain album has clearly reached a fever-pitch as Stones Throw Records is releasing a remix album of the original Madvillainy entitled Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix by none other than the original producer Madlib. While the sick rhymes from MF Doom might be the same, the new production from Madlib makes this album more than worth listening to, as his inspired new flavoring of all your favorite MV tracks (supposedly crafted while on a ten-hour plane ride to Tokyo) reignite the passion that came with the first spin of the original’s rapid-fire raps. Check out a few tracks below and order this album from Stones Throw (specifically the completely awesome sounding deluxe package complete with comic book) immediately.
Madvillain – “Pearls” ******************************************************************** NEW BAND CHEER: FIGHT BITE
After hearing about these guys from both Gorilla vs. Bear and Stereogum, and noticing that they live just up the road in Denton, Texas, we here at Cannibal Cheerleader decided to check out Fight Bite, and we’re definitely glad we did. Like stumbling upon the latest shoegazey-wunderkind before they’ve reached their full potential, the duo of Leanne Macomber and Jeff Louis produce such star-filled, dreamy, escapist pop masterworks to suggest they’ve been around for decades rather than just for a few months. Check out “Swissex Lover” below, the anthem to every teenage late-night firework fight captured in slow motion on super-8 film ever. They don’t have any shows planned for south of the DFW area right now, but hopefully they’ll take the roadtrip down to Austin and delight us with their syrupy goodness before too long!
Also, be on the lookout for their debut LP Emerald Eyes (that’s the cover up above) which they’ll be releasing tonight at a specialshow in Denton.If anyone obtains a copy shoot it our way, we’d love to get a copy! ******************************************************************** NEW GASLIGHT ANTHEM VIDEO
New Jersey punksters the Gaslight Anthem have just released a video on their Myspace for their newest single “The ‘59 Sound” from their forthcoming LP of the same name. Take a gander below and if you can spot these guys on their never-ending tour around the country, and you have an attraction to Springsteen and townies, check these guys out immediately!
LADYTRON @ STUBB’S Our favorite electro-rockers Ladytron spun some tunes at Stubb’s this past Friday and our lovely correspondent Kat L. took some sweet photos. Word on the street is the show (predictably) ruled so here’s Ladytron’s new single to celebrate! Ladytron – “Ghosts” ******************************************************************** NEW BAND CHEER – THE GASLIGHT ANTHEMHeir to the throne of working-class punk rock by way of Against Me! with a splash of Springsteen comes The Gaslight Anthem, a New Jersey quartet with enough blue-collar sing-a-longs in their grimy back pockets to make a room of 9-to-5 stiffs pump their fists in time. Having recently garnered praise from Spin Magazine for their new EP Senor and the Queen the band is putting in some time on the Warped Tour and spinning around Europe before their sophomore LP The ‘59 Sound drops August 19th.
Seriously, this is a band with a devoted following for a real reason. I haven’t found a punk rock sound this year with this much heart and soul; lead singer Brian Fallon grizzled and heartbroken voice couldn’t sound more gut-wrenching if he tried. How many times have I said the word heart in this section? I dunno but this band’s got a lot of it. Check them out NOW if you like punk rock or hey, music in general. Also, be sure and buy their ‘59 Sound 7” when it drops July 22 via SideOneDummy. Heck buy their excellent debut LP Sink or Swim, just get into them soon people before they’re touring your nearby stadium.
The Gaslight Anthem – “I Coulda Been A Contender” ******************************************************************** NEW CRUISERWEIGHT VIDEO Cruiserweight have put out a killer new video for their cover of “American Girl” from their new EP Cruiserweight Rocks the Moon which is due out on iTunes on June 17th. Check out the video below.
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!
