Harlem equals raw power, or should I say raw power equals Harlem. Either way, the trio couldn’t be contained by the small confines of the Peacock, nor would they be denied. The Austin psych-band proved that you can still have style without having to compromise your music, say, like, unyielding guitar chops and screeching yelps of fury. Yeah, I said it.
Of all the shows I was fortunate to catch last week, I can pinpoint this one as my favorite. The bass being pumped inside Emo’s Jr. was a bit overwhelming, but the trio delivered in a hot steamy sauna that had their beats cutting through the humidity as fast as our government is spending our tax dollars. All of a sudden, the Secret Machines are an afterthought.
School of Seven Bells-Half Asleep [mp3]
Hype is a bitch. Everybody expects for greatness to manifest itself from the stage when everybody writes something resounding about said group or person. As the case with California kid blogger turned musician into an indecipherable spaz onstage. I tried to see what it was all about and I came away empty handed. Turns out that the recorded version is a bit better at trying to understand what is being said.
Wavves-Sun Opens My Eyes [mp3]
The latest IT export from the UK came with their fuel gauges at F and created a whisking craze amongst the fortunate to get into Cedar St. I had never been to the Filter Party where it was at capacity and the only fortunate few to come in were wristbands or badges. The band played a high intensity show and treated the day party as serious as possible. The crazed kids were preceded by Razorlight (it is to my understanding that these guys sell out any gig in the UK, though I find it hard to believe) and Late of the Pier (I wish we had gotten there earlier, they sounded amazing and they stuck up for their fans by intervening with security). White Lies lived up to the hype!
White Lies-To Lose My Life [mp3]
The beauty layed down on the album Azar by Georgia group, Venice is Sinking, is even more beautiful live. The glory hit on every note is even much better, or perhaps it was the Lone Star, or a culmination of both excitement and the right amount of booze. There isn’t enough press on the group and hopefully that changes in time.
Venice Is Sinking-Ryan’s Song [mp3]
The Portland crew put on a loud raucous show for the giant crowd expecting nothing less. I was fortunate to catch the last part of the show. The last time I had caught them, it was when they opened up for the Shins, and they had outshined their Portland counterparts.
Viva Voce-Drown Them Out [mp3]
I can only imagine seeing Lemonade is like being at Rio. I didn’t anticipate all the percussion or the whistle blowing. The live interpretation of band had me floored and I couldn’t seem to stand still at any given moment.
Lemonade-Real Slime First Bounce [mp3]
One of the things that keeps me going every year is the accessibility of some bands. They play seventeen times over the course of a couple of days. Or, I might get lucky and catch a number of amazing bands at the anything goes venue that is Mrs. Bea’s. A gazebo functioning as a stage in the middle of an open lot littered with empty beer bottles and chain smoking kids. The memory of haunting surf sounding 60’s rock is alive and well. At times the guys sounded a bit Doorsish (not a jab), but a baritone Jim Morrisonesque type voice. They lived up to the hype, I’m just upset at myself for not catching them earlier.
Crystal Stilts-Crystal Stilts [mp3]
One of my favorite things about SXSW is how you could be leaving one venue for another but get sidetracked because you here something magical over a wired fence or a rock wall. We decided to venture out and check out the beautiful sounds coming from this East 7th venue that looked shabby from the outside only to find out that it was one of Austin’s own.
Oh No! Oh My! – I Love You All the Time [m4a]
Norwegian kids make good on SXSW trip. The guys could’ve used more cowbell (IMHO), j/k, but they had Peckerheads in a dancing inferno this early in the afternoon. You don’t need a translator for the types of beats they were slinging, and despite some of their vocals being indecipherable, it didn’t matter. Big ups to the guys over at Music Slut and Hype Machine for putting on a great party!
Casiokids-Verdens Storste Land [mp3]
