It’s been a few years since D.A.N.C.E., the only real ‘hit’ I know of from the frenchy-dance wunderkind Justice, blazed it’s way from the seedy back-alley’s of Myspace to the seedy limelight of legit Billboard charts, marking the high point of the 00′thousands’ indie-electro obsession and the dawning of even skinnier jeans, more-undersized leather jackets, allover-er printed hoodies, and larger novelty basketball sneakers throughout America’s Urban Outfitters. Now, weather you were down with that whole thing or not, there is one point that the entire world united on, and that was that the music video for that song was really effin’ cool.

Animated T-Shirts! Whaaa? So, apparently the crew that brought us this gem back in 07′ , the now infamous French directors Jonas & Francois, has been pretty much up to the same groundbreaking shenanigans ever since. This new video, for a pretty descent, though simplistic dance track from Audiobullys, a Stereo MC’s-ish outfit from London, is in the same vein, but updated with an even more complex visual concept and a few solid technological steps into the future. It’s the next logical step- ANIMATED TENNIS SHOES!

audiobullys – only man from EL NINO on Vimeo.

First up- a hearty thanks to Gorilla Vs Bear for the above charming little found footage video from Stones Throw Records! It brought a smile to my face. The video features the music of electronic music pioneer and all around hugely influential dude Bruce Haack set to a bunch of awkward popping, locking and coke drinking 80s teens.  It is a great way to spend 5 min.

Also- IFC’s rock and roll cooking show  Dinner with the Band is winding down with another party machine: Andrew WK (and a grand piano.) Check out his performance of Ready To Die and check your local listings to catch the show in it’s entirety.

The three lads in Clubfeet make excellent poly-layered dance music from down under. Here, with the track the Edge of Extremes, the band crafts an odd seemingly nonsensical catchy song with grace and poise that lends itself to being played on repeat. That was a warning, you will listen to this song more than you intend to.   Not too much like the Teenagers and not too much like LCD Soundsystem: Clubfeet gets a hearty double thumbs up from PartyEnds.

MP3: Clubfeet- Edge of Extremes

You can grab some cool records from them and a whole slew of other Plant Music artists HERE.

(image of Salvador Dali and a rhinoceros taken from this amazing collection of rare photos of famous people)

Shangri-La has been cultivating quite the indie trivia night for some time now and I can’t stop hearing about it. It sounds pretty awesome from the group of nerdy regulars! What better way than to reward your shear amount of brain cells than by destroying them with booze?!  Look!  A website!

Every Monday night at 7pm sharp the Weird Trivia Quiz takes place! The tall boys are $2 and the pizza is FREE. Of course, it’s free to play and prize-filled lightening rounds are abundant, which results in random free beers and plenty of glory. (UPDATE: no more free pizza- BUT prizes each week from Tabu Toys and End of an Ear Records! )

So- that’s something to do on Mondays. Hitting up the SUPER popular East Side bar on an off night is the most pleasurable way to do so, because on a Friday or Saturday it is sweaty tattooed elbow to sweaty tattooed elbow in there.

What else is new? How have you been? How is the family?

Inspired by one of those fancy websites that actually posts relevant content everyday, I thought I’d take a quick moment to profile some potentially excellent music related products that are coming out this summer. In all honesty- I will probably just be listening to Will Smith’s Summertime on repeat for the next few months but let’s humor the music industry for a moment shall we?

July 6th:

Big Boi: Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty [Def Jam]- Big Boi has a guest verse on the pre-summer jam Janelle Monae’s Tightrope and with that it was made clear that the Outkast member who doesn’t dress like he’s a space caddy from the future is as awesome as ever. I skipped everything involved with that movie they made so this is the first I’ve heard out of the pitbull enthusiast since Kryptonite. The whole album is streaming on his mysapce page HERE. Is it sacrilegious to point out that the name for this highly anticipated release is completely silly? Like, F5NL Destination silly. Download a nothing but Big Boi Mixtape (with a slightly better title) Mixtape for Dummies HERE.

July 13th:

M.I.A.: / \ / \ / \ Y / \ [N.E.E.T./Interscope]: Does she still have it? We’ll see….

Panda Bear: “Tomboy” 7” [Paw Tracks]: This will make a ridiculous amount of money.

Paul Wall: Heart of a Champion [SwishaHouse]: Yes! Finally, I’ve been dying to know how Paul has been doing with his paper stacks, his grill making and his extreme gastric bypass weight loss. No joke.

July 20th:

Bill Callahan: Letters to Emma Bowlcut [Drag City]: I have no idea what to expect from this book, but my fascination with Bill Callahan has me liking it before cracking the cover (which has a three legged dog on it.) Kudos to Drag City for putting out oddball products now and then and not just records.

The Coathangers: ”143 (Dan Deacon remix)” b/w “Artritis Sux (Judi Chicago Remix)” [Suicide Squeeze] I like the Caothangers. I like Dan Deacon. This has my interest peaked.

August 3rd:

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs [Merge]: This will make a billion dollars.

Bun B: Trill O.G. [Rap-A-Lot]: This will make a trillion dollars.

August 17th:

Chromeo: Business Casual [Atlantic]: New awesome synthesizer, vocoder and drum machine music from the guys from the Bushmill’s billboards. Catch them in Austin at Stubb’s August 24th.

August 24th:

!!!: Strange Weather, Isn’t It? [Warp]: Oh yeah, I remember this band. I really liked them. Glad to hear they are still at it.

Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin [Walt Disney]: Wait, really? I love the Beach Boys probably a little more than the next guy but this doesn’t excite me at all. I had the pleasure of seeing Brain Wilson in 2004 right before SMiLE got a proper release and he seemed pretty fried. Instead of letting this guy “Reimagine” Gershwin songs- make Okkervil River be his backing band and put out a new record of never released Beach Boys tracks.

The Sword: Warp Riders [Kemado]: Warning: this will be played in all of the East Austin bars nonstop.

August 31st:

Miles Davis: Bitches Brew: 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition [Rounder]: The best part about this anniversary celebration is that there will be a special Dogfish Head commemorative beer that will feature three threads of imperial stout and one thread honey beer with gesho root. I can’t imagine a more innovative and creative beer to go with a more innovative and creative album. According to Dogfish founder Sam Calagione:  Bitches Brew is “the ultimate partner for chili or spicy curry chicken” and best enjoyed “sipped cool, not cold, from a snifter or red wine glass while listening to the Bitches Brew album.” Can’t wait. Read more HERE.

There are a ton more sprinkled each week all summer long but these are just the ones that perk my ears up. Happy summertime.

(photo credit of Olivia Benson’s mom from Life Magazine)

It can be hard to keep up with the vast amounts of mashups on the internet, thanks to technology, more and more people can take part in shaping and reshaping pop culture, for better or worse. There are plenty of college thesises (thesi?) written about this with much bigger words than I’m capable of using.   With the surge, it’s good to remember the great uncles of the whole movement. San Francisco DJ pair A Plus D has been around since 2003 hosting the huge (and now international) party Bootie.

Now you can have the party right in your cubicle or on your living room rug with the free download of the continuous mix CD featuring A Plus D, Party Ben, The Kleptones, DJ Schmolli and hell… even the cast of Glee.  Some of the songs are a tad TOO dance clubby for my taste, (read: a little TOO mainstream) but there are some moments of true wit and skill that make this near solid collection worthy of your summer time.

Check it out and begin enjoying it all HERE.

Here is a fun lil appetizer:

MP3: DJ Schmolli- Bulletproof Radar (La Roux vs. Britney Spears)

As always, thanks for visiting PartyEnds.com. We appreciate it more than you  will ever know. You are the wind beneath our wings.  Have a good weekend.

(Image Credit : Alex Varanese)

I count myself among the fans of HBO’s True Blood. I mean come on! I love the South, over the top characters, and modernizing folk lore as much as the next guy, I can even overlook the second season’s overabundance of really annoying, obviously wrong choices made by main characters and Bill barking ‘SOOKI’ waaay too many times. But I don’t really number among the super-fans, which apparently include prolific rap legend Snoop Dogg.

Connected with the new season, which is finally here, is the D-oh-double-G’s latest single, a tribute to the often annoying heroine of the series that keeps things as dirty and hilarious as any other classic from Mr. Dogg. Everything is in here, from alluding to menage a trois with Tara, to a bevvy of badly costumed Sooki backup dancers, to a ‘True Nuts‘ prop held by a rap-video girl in a ‘Fangbanger’ t-shirt. If you’re not a fan of the show, you probably will think this is funny / awesome for the first minute or two, but the constant show references, topical word play, and obvious fandom keeps me entertained pretty much every time I watch it, which is now numbering in the double digits.

The New Movement Theater stays busy. Offering a ton of free and cheap shows throughout the week, the intimate room exudes laughter from each and every seat. Friday night’s first Overkill Show placed an emphasis on social media and embraced the phenomena in such a way that audience members were encouraged to interact on the digital plane with hashtags, upload videos to Ustream etc. It was very Web 3.0.  Openers and New Movement founders Chris and Tami used the audience’s most recent “check in” thingies from Gowalla and/or FourSquare as prompts for their collected and organic scenes which each developed in a way that only a pair who know each other that well could have pulled off. The two share more than eye contact and the improv building blocks that can be taught in books; being real life boyfriend and girlfriend Chris and Tami have a connection on stage that translates to incredibly “on” comedy that seems effortless. I’ve seen the two perform under the Terp 2 It nerdcore moniker several times, I’ve seen them work in ensembles, I’ve listened to the podcasts- but this was my first time to see the two do imporv by themselves and very much look forward to doing so again.  Keep up with all the shows at the East Austin comedy hotbed HERE.

Next up was a new Austin troupe called Spirit Desire who performed a hybrid of sketch and improv. The group was fast paced and had plenty of punchy and absurd gags that made for a great set. Become an early adapter and “like” them on the facebooks HERE.

Next time the Overkill is going down check it out and be sure to get there early for a seat and if you’re lucky – some free pizza.

Chris and Tami originally hail from New Orleans so here goes an semi- awkward segue-way into some music….. Have you heard the single from New Orleans’ Caddywhompus? It is super good. Their record came out in May and I am just now getting into their whole weirdo/tribal/prog/punk thing.  If you like the track below grab the WHOLE record for free from Community Records HERE.

MP3: Caddywhompus- Let The Water Hit The Floor

BUSY busy weekend going down in Austin as we approach the end of June.

Tonight at the Ghost Room, the Midget Men are taking a break from recording to pop up and open a show for San Saba County who are in turn opening for King Fisher. The working title for the fourth Midget Men record is allegedly Van Gogh Cut Off An Ear After Listening To Passion Pit. Awesome.

Saturday night at the Ghost Room, Austin popsters Hollywood Gossip are celebrating the release of their first full-length titled Dear as Diamonds. See and hear LIVE in person the self-aware and dripping in candy paint songs as the band takes the stage after Sally Crewe & the Sudden Moves and 100 Flowers.

Saturday night over at Club DeVille there is  yet another great show! Starting out with Laserz, then Wine and Revolution and finally- before the noise ordinance kicks in- La Snacks! Austin’s favorite band that is as hyper-literary as they are hyper-drunk will be showing off songs that they will be recording as they go into the studio to commit their next album to tape for. After their set ends, the crowd will be drenched in lonestar and sweat from frontman Robert Segovia and then immediately begin grooving to the hip hop disc jockey styling of Hip Hop Hooray’s Miss Manners. She will provide the tunes to keep you there until last call. Check out the facebook thingy HERE.

Down the street at Beauty Bar,  DJ Car Stereo (Wars) will be back in Austin forcing beats, hooks and irony down the dancefloor’s throat after openers Betaplayer do their nu-hip-hop thing.

Decisions decisions. I might just stay in and try to finish West Wing season 3.

MP3: Hollywood Gossip- Narcissus in the Window

(image credit)

Wait- no need to put that LSD in your coffee this morning. Just watch the highly addictive new video from Candi and the Strangers for their song Tetsu. At first it seems too simplistic and low budget to get into, but then a perfect physcadellic storm hits of strobe lights, vibraphones, blacklights, trippy film projections, shoegazy vocals and omnichords. I can’t stop watching it. It is burrowing into my head like an bollweevil on acid.

Candi&TheStrangers “Tetsu” from Mac&Cheez on Vimeo.

I’ve been racking my brain to identify the hook at the end of the track but it finally clicked. I know it from an old KVRX Local Live compilation (vol. 9 : College Ruled)! The song it’s referencing is Tokyo Drifters from the band God Drives a Galaxy, which apparently had members who are now in CatS (note: what a fun acronym!)  The full length CatS album is out now on iTunes and at a fine independent record store near you.

The video is directed by Stephen Fishman who also does projections and visuals for the band when they play around town. Be on the lookout!

Recently I was flipping through the late night channels, trying to find something to watch during the commercial breaks on Star Trek TGN on Syfy, like you do, when I stumbled into the middle of this great live performance on the Mo’Nique Show of the new single / heavyweight-contender-for-hottest-Summer-jam, Tightrope, by Janelle Monae. In full theatrical force, and simultaneously weaving all of her most obvious influences, from Michael Jackson to James Brown, into a serene, building crescendo that eventually reaches far beyond the single’s radio demeanor, any doubts that Mr.s Monae is riding a one hit pony are laid to rest. What you see in this video is the makings of a career that is going to reach far beyond the trappings of an indie-friendly, cross-genre radio tune. The transition from the single’s strait forward progression is seamless about mid-way into the video, and things only get better from there, so enjoy.

I don’t know how most people feel about the new Beck produced Charlotte Gainsbourg record IRM-  I’ve personally been on the fence about the whole thing since I actually got my hands on it, being mostly disappointing with her run in with Air on 5:55, but I’ll admit, I was expecting a lot from the new pairing. What we seem to have is a new-school Beck record with a so-so female vocalist- you can now officially hate me, but yes, I don’t think she’s a particularly good singer. I’m all for this new direction for Beck, as I believe I’ve pointed out before, so I think I’m ready for him to step it up a notch with something that’s as intriguing in practice as it is in theory. This new(ish) video for one of the Beck-y-est tracks on the album, Time of the Assassin, plays out similarly to the record itself: it’s not bad, and if you stay with it the pay off is aaaaaalmost there, but in the end your still just watching / listening to it because you like Mrs. Gainsbourg (and this goes for you ladies too, we are all inexplicably drawn to her).

You’ll spend most of the time watching Charlotte doing her Unhappy Hipster thing, morosely driving her fancy, probably bio-diesel car into the pretty countryside to sulk around in some forests and hills in designer clothes and pet horses- we know, that’s tough- before things finally get weird… well, a little weird. If you aren’t happy with the strange dream-tilt-walking here, I would suggest you please go watch the trailer for Inception (because it is suh. weet.).

Welcome back to Texas the Sour Notes from your cross country tour! Good luck playing before the Flaming Lips at that big festival in Houston on Sunday!

Ok- time to stop talking directly to a band that doesn’t know me.  How about I switch to talking to a whole internet that doesn’t know me.  Ahem… The Sour Notes have been in different incarnations since 2008 but now they are primed take over. Need some one to co-sign that statement? How’s about Daniel Johnston who they are opening for at Mohawk June 19th? Apparently he is only playing on Austin show all of 2010 and they will be setting the tone for him. Not too shabby for a bunch of shoe gaze and keyboard fans… They are currently working on their fourth album Write What You Know expected to be released in December 2010.

To tide you over until the future- check out these songs NOW!

MP3: The Sour Notes: Do-ers & Say-ers

MP3: The Sour Notes: Beyond Recognition

Good evening and thanks to everyone who came out to Mohawk last night for the show! Extra special thanks goes to the Mohawk staff knows how to satiate mediocre music bloggers and underground hip hop stars alike with tall boys and signature drinks.

It’s an honor to show you a new track from Bomarr. Bomarr is one third of the Anticon Records band Restiform Bodies (along with Passage & Telephone Jim Jesus) and apparently, also quite the archival footage enthusiast! Check out a preview from an upcoming solo release along with some mind-blowing public domain footage that works together with the track in an almost too good way. The footage adds an odd compulsory paranoia to the music. It is a pretty awesome music video and a great glimpse into what is to come.  Enjoy. (The fainting family in the beginning is some of my favorite footage ever committed to film.)

Bomarr – “Strugglebus” from Bomarr on Vimeo.

If you like that you will love his earlier (and longer) Surface Sincerity video that you can view HERE! Happy Summer.

You’re once again faced with that plaguing dilemma- ‘how shall I celebrate half of the work week passing this time?’. Well, we constantly have your hump-day needs in mind over here at PE, so you are covered. Join us this evening at the Mohawk and check out one of the best hip-hop lineups in recent memory, a mish-mash of touring and local acts that is sure to add up to a roof raising good time. Awol One and Dark Time Sunshine are joined by Austin’s own Fresh Millions and Custodian for some truly eclectic rump shakin’. Show starts at 10pm, $7 at the door, $9 for minors.

The new New Pornographers record Together is certainly a refreshing follow-up to the neo classic Challengers. This is their fifth record together with the loveable ragtag group of indie troubadours A.C. Newman, Dan Bejar, Neko Case and the rest. In a successful effort to spice things up in the recording studio some heavy hitters were brought into the mix by way of Okkervil River’s Will Sheff, St.Vincent’s Annie Clark, and even the incomparable Dap-Kings horns section. Once you get past the annoying and somewhat spooky album art, (not pictured btw) you have yourself a fantastic record that I’ve been rotating in and out of other summer jams to make sunny days all the more sunny. It’s super-intelligent pop music drenched in chamber rock production, hooky hooks and polyphonic harmonies.

The supergroup will be rolling into Stubb’s BBQ in Austin Friday July 23rd with the Dodos and Imaad Wasif. Pick up Together HERE.

MP3: The New Pornographers- Your Hands (Together)

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PSSSSSST! OVER HERE…. Don’t forget about the big, awesome PartyEnds sponsored show at Mohawk tomorrow night featuring the touring talents of Awol One and Dark Time Sunshine as well as Austin up-and-comers Fresh Millions and CUSTODIAN!

I have been digging on Awol One in preparation of the awesome big show on Wednesday. The songs are full of cool samples/hooks and a refreshing take on straight hip hop that you don’t hear on top 40 radio. No mention of Patron, no mention of swagger, and no mention of anyone jacking anyone else’s style. Instead the songs have introspective reflection, empathy, and what I’m told is referred to as “real talk.” Anyway- this show is going to be great. You should come. It is Wednesday June 2nd at Mohawk.

MP3: Awol One- Stand Up (feat. Myka 9 and Aesop Rock)

MP3: Awol One-Glamorous Drunk

Downtown Austin has been full of crusty punks the past few days, and will continue to be thru this Memorial Day weekend. The spiked hair thousands descend from all over for Choas in Texas, the annual festival that helps keep Hoeks Pizza in business each year. In honor of all that, I like to share some tracks from the Ramones and synthesizer loving band the Spits! They played last night at Red 7 but there is still plenty of great shows to catch if that’s your thing. perhaps most notably is The Riverboat Gamblers performing Something To Crow About in its entirety!

MP3: The Spits- Let Us Play Your Party

MP3: The Spits- Schools Out

TGIF yall.

(Image Credit)

Is there a Janelle Monáe fan club I can join. In theory, each month they could send me new (simplified mind you) dance move to practice and a 2-foot James Brown pompadour wig I could wear as a signifier to other fans of her retro/future pop.

Her video for the song Tightrope is easily the best music video I’ve seen in a long time. Directed by Wendy Morgan who has previously worked with Gnarles Barkley and the Unicorns it manages to be base, classic fun and if you are so inclined to search for it- have deeper meaning. It’s not just the metaphors per se- it’s the facial expressions, the amazing dancing and the high-water pant legs. Oh, and the dudes with capes and mirror faces aren’t to shabby either. Don’t let that sentence scare you. Just watch:

This is my new favorite pop star. This is my new summer jam. This is how I dance now. It won’t be long before Glee catches onto to this ish. Ellen just did.

For more in depth analysis of the video and of the artist : check out the well-written words over at Bitch Magazine.

UPDATE: HOW TO DO THE TIGHTROPE INSTRUCTIONAL DANCE VIDEO!

PartyEnds.com is proud to host the Austin installment of the national tour for underground hip-hop superstars Awol One and Dark Time Sunshine and to pair them with Austin up-and-comers Fresh Millions and CUSTODIAN.

Over his 15-year career Awol One has built a strong grassroots fan base from touring extensively around the world by himself and as a member of the legendary Shape Shifters crew. He has collaborated on tracks with high profile hip-hop artists such as KRS-One, Kool Keith and Atmosphere just to name a few. Awol One even performed to packed crowds of indie rock fans when he toured with those wacky Canadians Islands in 2008. Through the years Awol One has continued to gain respect from artists and fans of all genres partially thru his great stage presence. Getting to see him on the Mohawk inside stage is sure to be a treat.

Dark Time Sunshine is made up of Onry Ozzborn and Zavala who together are making some of the best new and exciting independent hip-hop in the game right now. Remember we told you about them back in January? Their new album Vessel from label Fake Four Inc has been met with fan and critical praise. It can best be described as “Psychedelic Gangstarr.”

Using computers, synthesizers, live instruments, and a plethora of patching cables, Fresh Millions blends disco-era bass lines and electro-era pop synthesizers with heavy, danceable beats. The result is a most intriguing blend of genres. While the group often draws comparisons to Caribou, Yeasayer, Passion Pit and Ratatat, their music remains unmistakable for anything but itself. Despite not being hip-hop, Fresh Millions will fit right into this bill, you wait and see!

CUSTODIAN will make sure the Mohawk is thoroughly swept and reeks of Windex as their conceptual performance art meets Sugar Hill Records is both fresh and clean. CUSTODIAN is the latest project from former Single Frame frontman Adreon Henry and his partner Jay Bradley. The sample heavy music provides a backdrop for Henry to paint a picture of a blue-collar janitor who just wants to escape and go on a world rap tour. It’s simultaneously old school and completely novel in an odd new way.

Check out some samples below and we’ll see you on the 2nd!

MP3: Awol One- Stand Up (feat. Myka 9 and Aesop Rock)

MP3: Awol One-Glamorous Drunk

MP3: Dark Time Sunshine- All Aboard (F. Reva Devito)

MP3: Fresh Millions- Spunout

MP3: CUSTODIAN- Under the Scene

This neverending internet of ours makes it hard to keep up with everything! I’ve been bugging my co-workers, cats and wife lately with a bunch of new hippty hop, so to help me get it out of my system I need to vent about it here.

First up is comedian/actor/ Troy of Community and close personal friend of Joel McHale: Don Glover whose hipster boom-bap stage name is Childish Gambino. This is not a novelty or vanity venture in a different artistic realm like Billy Bob Thorton and his 30 odd foot of Grunts, Dennis Quaid and the Box Masters or Russell Crowe and the Quaid-Tones all have given a shot.  This is a hobby that actually is quite good.  Childish Gambino is as witty and verbally nimble as your favorite MC and probably a little better. And his cred is soaring thru the roof as his free download mixtape I Am Just A Rapper samples Grizzly Bear and Neon Indian just to name a few. Its self-aware, it’s funny, and above all it’s plain good; just like Community. Check out a Sleighbells sampling track below and get the rest HERE.

MP3: Childish Gambino- New Prince (Crown On the Ground)

I’m sure I’m late to this, but the new Big Boi single that is being pimped around the internet to raise awareness of his new (three years in the making) release Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty (set to drop July 6) is beyond great. It’s not just because he namedrops the Geto Boys and UGK, it’s the whole vibe of the song. Listening to it makes you feel like you’re surrounded by pit bulls at a private table in Hotlanta posing for the paparazzi. I wish it was about 40 minutes longer but I guess that is why I’ll have to keep looking forward to the actual album.

MP3: Big Boi- ShutterBug

Lastly, the new mixtape from A-Trak Dirty South Dance 2. Holy Smokes! Sure, it’s a bunch of rap songs you’ve already heard… but not like this. This mixtape wins. It’s got just enough top 40 to be accessible to the folks who aren’t reading the Hollertronix message boards every hour and just enough scratching skillz to impress the guys who write  Serato HQ telling them ways to improve for SL4. Every single beat is dead on. This FREE mixtape is very much worth your time and money unless you want a boring summer. Here’s a sample track…

MP3: A-Trak- Trizzy Turnt Up

Get the whole thing for FREE HERE.

Alright yall, time to listen to all of this again today. Hope you like it!

(Photo Credit: My Parents Were Awesome)