The Black Angels continue to churn out brilliant psycho-rockers after barn-storming brilliant dreamweavers of records, this time in the form of Phosphene Dream, a ten-track journey to the depths of the inner eye, a window to a hard-rocking, drug-infused, phantasmagorical dreamworld. More than ever the band relies heavily on 60s-era Zombies-esque melodies while incorporating the loud-quiet-loud dynamics of modern indie rock, crafting a sound wholly their own and unbelievably exciting while still familiar. Quite possibly their strongest record to date, check out more from this great Austin band!
Shattering and exploding their way out of San Jose, Costa Rica The Great Wilderness craft a brand of bluesy-psych rock that, by the power vested in a few dozen shoegaze pedals, absolutely and unbelievably incinerates, sending the listener careening through the haunting dreamworld this quartet has managed to manufacture. Equal parts pummeling riffs and ethereal guitar rhythms these four ladies sound every bit the more garage-rock edginess of early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with enough feedback, tape hiss, and distant, uninterested vocal stylings to make this underground sensation the coolest group you’ll no doubt hear all year. There exists in the Great Wilderness not only a fierce level of originality, combining grunge rock energy with dream-pop introspection, but also a heightened degree of genuineness, owing no doubt to the rabid ferocity that comes through with every track off their excellent debut EP Afterimages of Glowing Visions. As an aside, were there a greater match between title and content for a record this year, let us know because the sunspots in your eyes after the flash is every bit what the Great Wilderness bring to the table. Download their EP here immediately – here’s hoping these girls can make it to the States soon!
Having just finally obtained a fresh copy of Interpol’s self-titled newest LP, Cannibal Cheerleader can say with confidence that’s we’re sticking with our initial review that the group’s use of swirling guitars and angular rhythms are back in fine form. A cerebral and radio un-friendly record Interpol seems positioned to grow on listeners, immediately warranting and subsequently rewarding multiple listens. Stripping away the dancier elements of some of their previous records and emphasizing the otherworldly qualities of their haunting instrumentation, incorporating layers not touched upon since Turn On The Bright Lights. Altogether a mysterious and strangely fulfilling work – definitely worth checking out.
It’s been far too long since we’ve posted something about one of our absolute favorite bands of all time the Action Design and since we missed them when they swung through Austin the last time in July we’re a little behind on the arrival of the band’s new 7″ single “Desperation”! It’s a fantastic tune that packs M’s blasting vocals with their manic Metric-esque dance-punk and wirey guitar lines worthy of Silent Alarm-era Bloc Party. With a level of production that sounds assured in its addition of new layers of fuzz and synths, the group seems poised to head in a new, electric direction on subsequent releases.
Currently the Action Design store has completely sold out of “Desperation” 7″ (oh no, none left for Cannibal Cheerleader guys!?) but fear not, the group should be putting a few back online now that their tour has wrapped up – at least, here’s hoping! Listen to the track below.
Cartwheeling out of Manchester the mysterious foursome known as Egyptian Hip Hop shred a brand of post-punky dance-rock with a penchant of yelped lyrics and wirey basslines. Sounding every bit a recall of classic Manchester rockers like Happy Mondays with a dash of new found lo-fi goodness and a punk ethos these fellas seem poised to get the young-uns grooving like it’s 1985 again. Check it and have a good weekend!
We’ve been waiting with bated breathe to see if our favorite London-based garage-poppers of yesteryear Pull In Emergency could followup on the aplomb of their excellent double single “Silence” and “Planes” and with the recent release of their first single “Everything Is The Same” from their self-titled debut due out Sept. 6th we’re highly convinced we’ve got one of the finest albums of the year on our hands. Featuring the same lo-fi production and girly growl with an extra ounce of bounce that’ll keep your feet moving PIE seemed poised to breakout – here’s hoping we can hear the album soon! That’s the cover up above and the tracklist is below.
Austin’s a town of guitar-heroines, with Cannibal Cheerleader favorites like the Faceless Werewolves and Ume shredding and face-annihilating audiences up and down the blood-soaked streets with unimaginable licks and killer technique, and one of our favorite finds of 2010 Megafauna are no different, with Dani Neff wielding the axe like a instrument of torture. Still, what’s truly surprising about the band’s new LP Larger Than Human is not the guitar wizardry on display, formidable as it might be, but the depth with which the sound is incorporated into the group’s layered and mysterious sound. One moment Neff acts the chanteuse, lithe and nimble in her articulation, bubbling softly over waves of propelling rhythm care of bassist Will Krause and drummer Cameron Page, and the next the beast of her guitar roars to life, searing a certain passage or rip-roaring through a particular breakdown with hot wreckless abandon. The record delights in unusual song structure, strutting about with garage-rock forwardness on tracks like “No Humans” before dipping into a noodly-indie-rock lesson in guitar proficiency on songs like “Speck”. Then it’s back to a slow, heartfelt verse in the singer-songwriter style as on “Warm House” before once again smashing down in a grungey corpse-strewn mess as on “Butter Cookie”. To say that Megafauna defy simple definition would do Webster a disservice – the group has it all, wrapped in a small three-person-package, and its weird and haunting and erratic and inspiring and wonky and frightening and wonderful all at once. If you’re looking for something new, check ‘em out.
The band’s having a record release show at Hole in the Wall on August 21st here in Austin – be sure and make it down!
True to their face-melting metal form Virgina-based dirgersSalomeabsolutely annihalated the inside stage at Emo’s during the Brooklyn Vegan Day Party. With careening drum-work, bass-heavy riffage, and Kat’s indescribable shriek from beyond the grave, the trio turned the quiet interior of the downtown Austin club into an instant apocalypse. About the time the ‘Brooklyn Vegan’ sign fell of the wall due to the pummeling nature of the group’s blasting sound the audience began to realize they were witness to a grand metal becoming as soon-to-be behemoths of the scene lit up the darkness with fiery musical madness. Great way to start off SXSW 2010.
In a shameful oversight to our big ‘Cannibal SXSW ‘10′ post, Brooklyn blues-rock duo and Cannibal Cheerleader faveShe Keeps Beeswill be playing the big fest here in Austin this Saturday at the Red House Pizzeria at 6pm and the Driskill Hotel at midnight. Catch one of these shows as a great cap-off to a fantastic festival – seriously, if you’re in the mood from some soul with a smidge of snarl, check these two out, they’ll make you cry and bleed all at once. Now that’s a recipe for Cannibal Cheerleader success.
With South By Southwest 2010 gearing up here in Austin this week, Cannibal Cheerleader features five ‘under-the-radar’ bands that will be playing the festival that are “must-sees” for anyone looking to find the musical needle in the haystack.
Holly Miranda
Having put out the strongest album of 2010 so far with the Magician’s Private Library, it will be interesting to witness howHolly Mirandaconverts her David Sitek-produced, dense orchestral soundtrack into a live setting. Look to spot some serious stripped-down blues rock and roll at End of an Ear on Mar. 18th at 2pm at End of An Ear.
With SXSW finally featuring some serious metal acts on its roster (High on Fire, Torche, and Dillinger Escape Plan come readily to mind) it’s no wonder that they’re selecting some up-and-comers to pummel new audiences as well. With a riff-heavy production complimented by shrieked female vocals, Salomeare poised to pierce every eardrum at Emo’s at 2:50pm on March. 17th.
Local favorite and Cannibal Cheerleader approved blues masters, White Dressare the best band to come out of Austin in years and more than deserving of all the positive press they’re going to inevitably receive. Check these rockers before their blues is about being too rich instead of too poor – we’ll be catching them at 1:15 Friday March 19th at 1711 S. Congress – Frontgate Tickets Day Show!
Follow That Bird!
Even though the ferocious females inFollow that Bird! have been on the Cannibal Cheerleader radarforquite some timenow they’re just now starting to get the much deserved national recognition for their brand of Sleater-Kinney riffage and rip-snarl musicianship. Check them out at the Dikes of Holland House Party at 4pm on Friday March 19th.
Enough can’t be said about the inimitableTreasure Mammal – go to this show and you will have the best time of your life. Every year artists keep getting closer and closer to what CC has come to refer to as the “T-Mammal factor”, and that is their artistic proximity to the phantasmagorical experience of a Treasure Mammal show. Check him out to start off your fest Wednesday at Domy Books at 12:40pm.
Lastly folks, don’t try to do it all, buy a strong lock for your bike (don’t even bother driving), and come see She & Him with us Saturday night as Auditorium Shores to polish off an incredible week.
We here at Cannibal Cheerleader have been waiting with bated breath since even before we started the blog for new material from our favorite foul-mouthed ferocious songstress Annie Hardy akaGiant Dragand finally her infamously delayed Swan Song EP gets a release date – Feb. 16th people on Roar Scratch. Get on this immediately folks, check out the tracklist below, the sweet as shit video for lead single “Stuff to Live For” below that, and a live version of “Swan Song” below THAT. Exciting stuff.
Swan Song EP
1. Swan Song
2. Stuff to Live For
3. White Baby
4. Heart Carl
Austin’s a town of guitar-heroines, with Cannibal Cheerleader favorites like the Faceless Werewolves and Ume shredding and face-annihilating audiences up and down the blood-soaked streets with unimaginable licks and killer technique, and one of our favorite finds of 2010 
