Austin’s best kept secret finally has some recordings to their name – White Dress. The self-titled EP from the Arum Rae-fronted blues-rock duo showcases the incredible range of musicality this group can accomplish in just five short songs. Beginning with the tender and lilting “Light Hearted”, a classic country tale of years gone by too fast, the album quickly takes a sharp turn with the rip-snarl of “Wearing Red”, with its shattering opener, fuzz-choked guitar roars, and Rae’s inimitable croon. “No Solid State” is classic Nashville session band with an experimental edge, combining harpsichord warbles with boom-tsk drum work, all sounding raw and haunting as if through blown speaker cones. “The Kill” sounds as if its sung from beyond the grave, with echo-filled vocals being tossed about in a sea of pummeling guitar riffs, and “Five Feet of Road” ends the EP on a thrashy, downtrodden rager that sees Rae smearing the instrumentation across the record like lipstick on a truckstop bathroom mirror in a slithering, sexy fashion. Rae’s penchant for combing classic blues musicality, kicking it up an art-rock notch, and injecting it full of overt heat and passion puts the Austin transplant on par with some of the best indie artists working today. Overall a fantastic and utterly fearsome debut – here’s hoping we can hear more soon!

White Dress – “The Kill”

Solo efforts are risky business. Even when all the talent, the bombast, and the appeal of a band rests firmly with the frontman, to remove oneself from the safety net of the group, to pull in all the disparate elements and take on every role, to shoulder the burden of success without even a few hired hands at your back at best breeds a simple, warm distraction and at worst falls miserably flat. For all the greatness Kele is not Bloc Party, the Last Shadow Puppets are not the Arctic Monkeys, and, dare we say it, Jenny Lewis is not Rilo Kiley. However, once in a while, the black rock-star boots fit. Brandon Flowers, with his new, effortless release Flamingo, is an American Morrissey. Crafting a record of Killers-esque dusty rockers Flowers injects such a level of sophisticated and heart-on-sleeve emotionality to the sweeping proceedings that it rings not only genuine but truly passionate and personal. From his duet with Jenny Lewis “Hard Enough” to the fabulous, barn-burning opener “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas”, from the slinking synths of “Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts” to the pomp and circumstance of closer “Swallow It”, all surrounding the magnificent centerpiece “Crossfire”, Flowers has assembled a collection of heart-breakers so worthwhile as to stand next to his best work with his day-job band. Outside of the confines of a group act this frontman gives himself room to breathe and gives in to his deepest inner passion.
Brandon Flowers – “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” by Cannibal Cheerleader

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!

The Black Angels – “Bad Vibrations” by Cannibal Cheerleader

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!

The Great Wilderness – “Sandbox” by Cannibal Cheerleader

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.

03 Summer Well by Cannibal Cheerleader

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.

The Action Design – “Desperation” by Cannibal Cheerleader

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!

EGYPTIAN HIP HOP // Wild Human Child from theartof agency on Vimeo.
Egyptian Hip Hop – “Rad Pitt” by Cannibal Cheerleader

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.

Pull In Emergency – “Everything Is The Same”

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!

Megafauna – “Speck”

True to their face-melting metal form Virgina-based dirgers Salome absolutely 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.

Salome – “The Vivification of Ker”

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In a shameful oversight to our big ‘Cannibal SXSW ‘10′ post, Brooklyn blues-rock duo and Cannibal Cheerleader fave She Keeps Bees will 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.

She Keeps Bees – “Gimme”