4.28.2008
Laura Barrett

So I've been MIA for about a month. I apologize profusely. Going to Hopkins can really be a major time and energy sucker. TGIAS (almost summer).

Without further ado, I introduce to the unintroduced-to, Laura Barrett. She may look quirky and weird, and that's because she is. Her music is heavy on the kalimba (aka the "African thumb piano"), and complete with the occasional solo on the kazoo. What a crazy beach.

Despite the wackiness, Barrett's music is perfection. The unexpected sounds and musical components provide a freshness and perspective that has been all but absent in the newest batch of contemporary self-proclaimed acoustic artists. The lack of guitars and drums and all other instruments deemed necessary to an indie song makes Barrett's sound all the more interesting. Her minimalist approach to her craft makes for pure, light, squeaky-clean tunes that uplift. All that classical piano-training must've taught her a thing or two about music.

On her Myspace, Barret writes "I sing whimsical ditties about amorphous terror, planned obsolescence, and mind-body dualism." Listen to more pretension on her independently released EP

mp3 Robot Ponies
mp3 Time City
m4a Deception Island Optimist Club

Published at 3:03 PM by Alina.
1 comments
4.24.2008
[Mouthful of Bees]
"It's too late for you, and it's too late for me."

I hate bees - unfortunate situation involving me, a bee and my coke can. Despite the name, however, Mouthful of Bees is anything but an unpleasant experience. No, the bees in reference here leave pots of sweet, sweet musical honey in your mouth, not stinger-induced sores. Starting up as a brother-sister guitar and drummer duo, Mouthful of Bees is a Minneapolis-based quartet, all of which cannot ask for a brewskie at the bar, legally. Yep, these guys are young'ns, and it is on that foundation of youth that Mouthful of Bees builds a structure of healthy, intelligent rock. Vocals reminiscent of Clap You Say Yeah's front man - that queasy hush of vocals - warble through sharp lyrics. Anyone that liked the Battle Royale ought to like these guys. They're labelmates and even hold 2 of their members. The thing that really pulled me in was the brilliantly fun opening guitar riff on The Now and the subsequent fancy guitar work kept my interest in them building. Be sure to check out Mouthful of Bees...

Various Songs From Mouthful of Bees (all songs are right click - save as):
Jessica
The Now

Learn more about Mouthful of Bees at their site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - Woah! Where have I been? Yes, yes - the posts will start regularly again soon once this whole school thing ends...

Otherwheres - For anyone in my area of Austin, Texas and the immediate beyond, Party Ends! is throwing a shindig tonight at the Beauty Bar. Head on over for some song and dance and *cough* free vodka *cough*...

Otherwheres - Win tickets to catch The Rosebuds over at the Dame on April 28 on You Ain't No Picasso...
Published at 5:28 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
0 comments
4.11.2008
[Solid Gold]
"Who You Gonna Run To? Who You Gonna Run To Now?"

When it comes to this band, I only had one thing noted. Scribbled on the corner of their one-sheet where the words, "Solid Gold = Sexy Music." Honestly, I can really leave it at that. Summed up, Solid Gold is sexy music. Eased vocals seduce you into a bed of plushy keys and steady percussion. Add in a bit of atmospheric synthiness and you got yourself a slice of electric goodness that is Solid Gold. The Minneapolis-based trio spent their preliminary year recording in a remote cabin on a frozen lake - somehow...somehow that situation led to Solid Gold. It seems a bit of cabin fever has its benefits. Though they still may not have been completely immune considering these guys spent all of 'o7 South By clad in mariachi suits. If you likey what you readey, Solid Gold will have you saying, "Giggity-giggity aalll riiiight."

Various Songs From Solid Gold (all songs are right click - save as):
Get Away
Who You Gonna Run To?

Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - Lawrence over at Covert Curiosity does the work for me and tells you all 29 bands in that mash-up I posted...

Otherwheres - Party Ends! reminds you that DJs are well-capable of doing more than just standing there and spinning records round...

Otherwheres - Wha-wha-whaaaat? IGIF turns into a bit of a gossip-hound...
Published at 12:58 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
0 comments
4.07.2008
[ACL Fest 2008]
ACL Fest |:| September 26-28, 2008

Gather round dear readers for the closing of South By only means that ACL Fest can start tipping it's own domino chain. Spring's arrived and with it comes fresh ACL Fest news - a list to blossom fully on the 15th. Seeing as it's always been in their nature to tease, the folks responsible got together with Austin's own Car Stereo (Wars) and put together a little mash-up showcasing 29 artists set to be shared with the release of the rest of the list a week from now. A mash-up? that deserves a gold star. I remember when the teaser was a crossword. As the New York Times can vouch, I suck at crosswords, so this method is well appreciated. The mighty fine people on the ACL Forums have already rather much confirmed most of my hunches, naming the likes of:

Okkervil River
Man Man
Silversun Pickups
CSS
N.E.R.D
Gnarls Barkeley
The Raconteurs
MGMT
Jamie Lidell
Eli Reed
Neko Case
Kate Nash
Hot Chip
Del the Funkyhomosapien
Heartless Bastards
Robert Earl Keen
Xavier Rudd
The Octopus Project

And then, as most forums go, they got a little distracted. That still leaves a little less than half the artists in the mash-up open for speculation, so start twisting the rest of this musical Rubiks Cube and speculate along...

2008 ACL Lineup Teaser (all songs are right click - save as):
Car Stereo (Wars) - 2008 ACL Lineup Mash-Up

You can already grab yourself passes at the ACL site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - I was hoping I wouldn't be too late in helping to announce Party Ends! next party to start - Stockholm Syndrome! A night of Swedish fun abound! If you're in my area of Austin, Texas and the immediate beyond, be sure to head on over on the 10th for one Swede, Swede night...

Otherwheres - Matt over at You Ain't No Picasso puts in your name for a chance to win Encyclopedia Asthmatica in exchange for some linkage to your favorite LOLCAT - k thnx bye!

Otherwheres - Looks like Nathaniel from IGIF and I are in the same boat, I got all reminiscent and put Frontier Psychiatrist on YouTubage loop a week or so ago myself...

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Published at 10:10 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
4 comments