Party Ends

pomegranate - luther

The big day is here and the new Astro album has landed. All the early reviews I've been reading have been overwhelmingly positive and for good reason: this album is great. Packed full of singing, rapping, Greek mythology, big words, Denton sounds, subversive Paper Chase influence, I think there's some glockenspiel in there, Americana, bandannas, sex, drugs (well, maybe not drugs), murder, rock and roll, strings, fruit, the Devil, and guest vocals, this is the best thing this young Edisonian genius has produced to date. And the album art's not bad either.

I'm sure just the beginning of a much larger world for Astronautalis, Pomegranate is a step into a much broader sonic and thematic realm for the oft overtly personal rapper. Listening more like a series of short stories than a string of observations, Andy carries the listener between time periods, characters, and choices as deftly as any short story author or poet. Throw in some top notch Dentonian guest vocalists, musicians, and the deft production guidance of John Congelon (the Paper Chase) and you have a listening experience genuinely unlike anything you've probably ever heard. Period.
Pomegranate is on a pretty descent media push, so you should be able to look for it at your local retailer or order it from whatever internet distributer you might prefer. You can also check out the extra track from the record on NPR.com right on the front page as their featured song of the day. Pretty swanky.

Also, Austinites, don't neglect to notice our upcoming Astronautalis show at the Mohawk (as if we'd let you forget) on Oct. the 17th. It's going to be phenomenal, I literally can't wait to hear these songs performed live. There are also a string of tour dates, as is usual form fro Andy, from now till doomsday, so don't miss him when he comes through you're little part of the world.

MP3: Astronautalis - the Wondersmith and his Son

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poem party - john

After kirss krossing the country hitting every major summer festival this summer the Dell Summer Rocks tour bus is finally parking in Austin after this weekend’s Austin City Limits and live performances and interviews just keep trickling in. Check out the high-pitched garage rock of the Strange Boys above performing Poem Party. (The band is playing ACL fest btw) If you are heading to ACL to stare at Jenny Lewis and David Bryne on a jumbotron be sure to stop by the giant Dell Dome and grab whatever free schwag they have left from their journey. I heard they have free tattoos and hair dos. Watch all sorts of live clips over on their site including rad performances from Dark Meat and the Walkmen.

Posted at 01:21 PM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (4)

thunder ant are now! - john

Thunder Ant is Fred Armisen (from everything) and Carrie Brownstien (from Sleater-Kinney) and it is pretty amazing. It’s Armisen running wild with his subtly and absurdity and awkwardness. I really like things that make fun of theater so this sketch really hits home for me. Check it out HERE.

Posted at 07:21 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (6)

dfa party tonight- john

   Good morning and happy Monday. Thanks to everyone who came out to take part in the Red River Beach Party yesterday. What a blast that was?! Being the clumsy a-hole I am, I managed to sustain an injury on the moonbounce but have no regrets. I saw some of the most fun-loving people in Austin do summersaults on a slip and slide, drink a copious amount of Corona (who helped pull the whole fiasco off) and make passers by think that Austin is indeed being kept 'weird.' Watch out Mccarren Pool Party- give us a little more practice and a little more word of mouth and we are coming for you. Pictures will surface soon....

   Austin, tonight we have yet another reason on our hands to head downtown to converge on the Mohawk. There is a very special performance tonight from DFA Records Recording artist the Juan Maclean. His dance floor ready tracks have been mainstays of djs around the world for years (including local opener Ian Orth of Learning Secrets) and with his live set up tonight Austin is in for a super treat. Reading like an all star Olympic team of NYC disco movers and shakers : tonight’s supporting lineup features Nancy Whang (LCD Sound System), Nick Millhiser (Holy Ghost!), and Gerry Fuchs (!!!). BUY TICKETS HERE.

   Be sure to come out early and get an earful of LAX, a boy/girl dance group that will send Jaun and co. back on the road telling tall tales of how 'off the chain' Austin acts can get. Ian Orth keeps the electro moving throughout the night. Now, if any one has advice on what do do for a case of jammed moonbounce knee, please pass it along.

Head over to PENNED MADNESS for an MP3 of Find a Way. Welcome to the Dance Club has the new main single Happy House as well as a Remix. Grab it all and see you tonight! Have a good day!

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red river beach party ends - john

Good morning. Please pass the coffee. Lasts night’s show at Emo's was awesome. As expected the Yuppie Pricks delivered with a good array of Sarah Palin jokes and plenty of goofy faces. Coke Party and Prick 4 Life were especially memorable. The Riverboat Gamblers impressed everyone with in a 3-mile radius with their Hives meets East Bay Hard Core style of punk rock. Congrats to Robert A. for winning the tickets! The real show stealer of the night was Kabobalicious, which is a across the street from Mugshots right off 7th street. Color me ignorant if this portable happiness station is old news but I was truly blown away by the flavors going on in my mouth. I wish them all the best, may Kabobalicious make all the money in the world and feed the drunken masses with their secret recipes that they clearly stole from heaven.

   Hope you all have a good Friday and Saturday night and are up for an intense 12 hour Red River Beach Party on Sunday! The likes of which, have never been attempted. We are proud to be a part of a show that features 12 of the best Austin bands and 12 of the best Austin djs and crams them all together at both the Mohawk AND Club DeVillle along with inflatable slip and slides, moonwalks and kiddy pools. And beer and sun and water and snow cones and hotdogs! This will be an epic Austin celebration, no doubt about it. The weather in Austin is currently making the whole united states jealous so come out and really rub it in the their faces that Austin is the best place to see music. There are so many GREAT acts playing that I don’t even have time to link to them all but I will let the schedule speak for itself.

[CLUB DE VILLE]
3:00PM - Naysays
4:30PM - Nick Ginbey
6:00PM - Loxsly
6:45PM - Gomi
7:30PM - Ume
8:15PM - Starsign
9:00PM - Til We're Blue or Destroy
9:45PM - Giant Hornets
10:30PM - Moonlight Towers
12:00AM - Orion/King Louie/CO2

[MOHAWK OUTSIDE]
2:00PM - TA and Lawless
3:45PM - The Onlys
5:15PM - Blasé Faire
6:00PM - Hobo D
6:45PM - Goldcure
7:30PM - Trey Lopez
8:15PM - Poor People
9:00PM - Scandalizer
9:45PM - Shapes Have Fangs
10:30PM - Bigface
11:15PM - Manny

[MOHAWK INSIDE]
11:00PM - Toko-Ri Get High
12:00PM - Wine and Revolution
12:45AM - The Strange Attractors

[MOHAWK - THE GREEN ROOM]
12:45AM – Tweedy

   There are a lot of great folks involved in this event that are making sure it will be going off seamlessly but probably non more than the fine folks at Bar Towel Productions who previously brought the world the interactive festivity DJ Mêlée (in fact most of the djs for this beach party are honorary alumni of the Mêlée)

   So, come out Austin. We are giving you a reason to start you evening at 2pm. Cover is a mere 5 bucks and I promise you there will be someone in a hula skirt. Also give you a chance to admire the new 10-foot concrete wall and other renovations that the Mohawk has under done. No way will those condos across the street be getting free peeps at girls in bikinis. And just think- around 10pm- Kabobalicious opens and you can have the dinner of champions.

Posted at 08:05 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (10)

thursday is pink - luther

What better way to celebrate Thursday than by having some delicious food and I'm guessing some form of cake over at Hot Mama's, on the East side, while enjoying a seminal 80's classic. John Hughes was rarely better than this, and you can watch it in the Big Red Sun-ified courtyard of a nice little cafe. Seriously, it's nice. Check it out.

Posted at 08:34 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (5)

free gamblers/yuppie pricks tix –john

   There is a crazy good punk show this Thursday night at Emo’s and lo, the outside stage will be packed.

   Opening up are Austin by way of Wall Street rockers the Yuppie Pricks. The boy will be giving out stock tips and playing their hearts out while picturing Sara Palin holding a shotgun. And we are not talking about imagining – they will be remembering. The Yuppie Pricks are perhaps Austin’s most important band for the upcoming months of election run offs. Their new album Balls recontextualizes classics from punk’s ever-growing classic history (Buzzcocks, Big Boys! etc.) and creates new oil guzzling and FOX news approved republican punk anthems. Oh the irony. Be sure to show up early to catch these guys. They are totally rich.

   Next up are Vagrant Records' gutter punks the Night Marchers whose fans will no doubt have a ball wrapping their brains around the Yuppie Pricks. Some will love it. Some will be very confused. I expect a few : “Is that guy wearing a USA Speedo?” Yes. Yes he is.

Finally, the Riverboat Gamblers take the stage fresh after two warm up gigs for the Toadies at Stubbs last week. While I am sure that those shows paid the bills and scored plenty of free BBQ a headlining show at Emo’s is the only way to see the group in Austin. There is plenty of scaffolding for lead singer Mike Wiebe to entangle himself around and swing from. This is the show to beat for Thursday night and we are pleased as pie to giveaway a pair of guest list spots! Just shoot an email over to PartyEnds@Gmail.com with “Balls” in the subject line and one of my coworkers will randomly pick a winner by Wednesday at 5pm. Not feeling lucky punk? Grab your tickets online HERE!! Good Luck!

Posted at 09:40 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (7)

ben, tim, eric, darren - john

You Dont Know Me (featuring Regina Spektor)

In honor of the upcoming Ben Folds Five one time only REUNION show in Chapel Hill this Thursday- an epic occasion I have seriously toyed with buying a plane ticket for- let’s post up the new Ben Folds video from his latest album. You would think that it would be hard to misstep with Tim, Eric and Ben Folds all in one tasty package but honestly this video doesn’t blow me away by any means. The BEST Ben Folds footage ever recorded to tape is by far their Sessions at 54th street set. The hanging picture cameo by Regina Spektor is nice in the new one tho.

UPDATE: apparently tickets for the BFF reunion sold out in 5 seconds or something absurd.

Speaking of Ben Folds Five updates: check out this great and in depth interview with BFF drummer Darren Jesse over at A Special Way of Being Afraid. Here, he discusses his new band Hotel Lights, Kool Keith, and the Beatles. I am waiting on a good long interview with Robert Sledge now!

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straight outta illinoise -john

(image LINK)

   Scottie Pippen, R.Kelly, John and James Belushi- these are not the only amazing artists to ever come out of Chicago…. Check out Mic Terror and Hollywood Holt! Sure this next big thing to come out outta be compared more along the lines of of more hipster hop Chi culture icons like the Cool Kids, Kid Sister or Flossy D.

   According to the awesome bio on his MySpace page, "Mic Terror was born a full grown man in a laboratory in Austria, Germany, one late night in 1942 at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Mic Terror was a top secret experiment gone wrong. The Nazis attempted to make the perfect man and they got pissed when they discovered he was 'black'. The Nazi scientist tried to terminate Mic Terror, but he broke loose...to wreak havoc on the world as Mic Terror..."

   Hollywood Holt is an energetic Chi town hypeman who isn’t ashamed of loving mopeds. His music ranges from up-tempo booty shakers to slower bass tracks for kicking back and eating deep dish pizza to- or whatever goes on in Chicago. Listen:

MP3: Mic Terror- Juke them Hoes- LINK VIA ZSHARE

MP3: Mic Terror- Hiooooooo- LINK VIA ZSHARE

MP3: Mic Terror- King of The New School- LINK VIA ZSHARE

MP3: Hollywood Holt- Swerve and Lean Ft. GLC and Shala- LINK VIA ZSHARE

MP3: Hollywood Holt- Caked Up (Klever Remix)- LINK VIA ZSHARE

MP3: Hollywood Holt- Hollywood LINK VIA ZSHARE

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wet hot american movie night - luther

Isn't Austin great (some of the time)? Like tonight, for instance, when you can go to the tastefully underrated east side coffee shop Hot Mammas, new home of the food that made Arrarat an Austin household name, and ceremoniously wrap up summer with a classic American comedy, a hot dog, and some remarkably reasonably priced beer, wine, and sangria.

Hot Mamma's is hosting an outdoor screening of Wet Hot American Summer, the movie that confirmed David Hyde Pierce is the only guy who should ever say 'fuck my cock', and that the State should never have been cancelled (possibly the first major downturn in the spiral strait to hell MTV is today), among other things. This will be accompanied by a super cheap hot dog stand and the usual fare of great food that the establishment offers. It says it starts at seven however, it'll probably just start when it gets dark, but you have to get a seat. See you there.

Posted at 08:48 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (7)

vast wasteland -john

TV was in top form last night. First there was the new J.J. Abrams premiere FRINGE. It was pretty amazing. It had rotting corpses; see thru skin, Pacey from Dawson’s Creek and Lt. Daniels from the Wire. There were twists, turns and even a cyborg arm. I am completely immersed ad hopeful for all sorts of pseudo science subplots that are sure to come. (it airs again on Sunday night- check your local listings yo)

After this hi brow conspiracy romp the fine feathered folks at Fox programmed another brilliant show- HOLE IN THE WALL. This is a new show that is as mind numbing as it is extraordinary. It was stolen from another country by the same producers who stole American Idol. It takes the absurdity of a task or obstacle from a Japanese game shows, gets rid of the kitsch and self awareness and reduces the show to what COULD be scathing satire of our vast broadcast wasteland but actually is just the state of fox programming. The dreaded other side of their coin to the acclaimed animated series and now Fringe. This is the Fox that people make fun of Fox for- and oh, what a Fox. This show although could be completely fake like American Gladiators (a show were contestants are clearly feed lines to say into the camera) I believe after viewing one episode that this is real. I want to believe. So will all sorts of wrestling fans who are tired of all the plot and hard to remember allegiances between the guys in tights- now there is a new show with guys in tights – but no pesky (albeit transparent) story lines. It is simply people getting hit by a Styrofoam wall and getting knocked in water. God bless America. Oh, did I mention the silver lame unitards. Those are good too. Oh TV- you so crazy.

MP3: Beck- MTV makes me want to smoke crack

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trash yoself - john

(image LINK)

Time for some new electro-bangers from boy girl powerhouse Trash Yourself. It’s Tuesday morning- why not make your day feel like a Saturday night with a bunch of ultra dancey remixes. The Kids at the Bar mix is my favorite because it highlights the profanity the most. The AC Slater mix is a little too high hatty and Discobelle-y for me. The Sick Boy one is good too.

MP3: Trash Yourself - Touch (AC Slater Remix) LINK VIA ZSHARE.

MP3: Trash Yourself - Touch (Kids at the Bar Remix) LINK VIA ZSHARE.

MP3: Trash Yourself - Touch (Sick Boy Remix) LINK VIA ZSHARE.

Added bonus: here is the new full mix! Trash Yourself is currently in the studio working on a full length album that will no doubt be a mainstay of Beauty Bars across the country. In the mean time grab this mini mix:

MP3: John Bourke of Trash Yourself - Summer Mix 08 LINK VIA ZSHARE
Tracklisting:
1. (Intro) Sebastian - Motor
2. MSTRKRFT - Bounce
3. Muscles - Sweaty (Shazam Remix)
4. Classixx - Cold Act Ill
5. Cut Copy - Lights and Music (Boys Noize Remix)
6. Tegan and Sara - Back in your Head (Tyler Fedchuk's 1/2 Alive Disco Remix)
7. Rye Rye - Shake it (John Bourke Edit)
8. Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend how to Dance (Twelves Remix)
9. Budy Akai - Cut Me Up (Villains Remix)
10. Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Guns n Bombs Remix)
11. Dusty Kid - The Cat
12. Fake Shark Real Zombie - Fake Shark Real Zombie (Designer Drugs Remix)
13. Kid Cudi - Day N Night (Crooker's Remix)
14. Treasure Fingers - Come True Tonight
15. MGMT - Kids
16. The Ting Tings - Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix)

***********************************************************************************

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PARTYENDS LUTHER. He is a true american badass.

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why? tonight? - john

It is once again time for all of the Anticon Record nuts to come out of the woodwork and make their way downtown for a good old fashioned Why? show! Touring in support of their third LP, Alopecia, the group brings their poetic and abstract tunes to Austin for what I think is the first time since SXSW. The former cLOUDDEAD member and co. are known for playing widely diverse sets from night to night on tours, so, no telling what songs from what era they will be dropping tonight. Rest assured, you can count on lead “single” the Hollows in what will probably be an amazing arrangement that may or may not be similar to the album version.

Why? murmurs, raps, sings, enunciates, and can play the hell out of their instruments. This is one thing that I have always thought sets this Anticon act leaps and bounds above their label mates, they do not rely on the traditional hip hop methodology – rather, they mesh hip hop and indie rock together in a way that is truly unique. Why? is a perfect gateway artist for Anticon acts. Check it out tonight on the Mohawk outside stage and see one of the most interesting and continually envelope-pushing artists in the alternative music landscape. Opening up is former dude from the Microphones new project Mt. Eerie

Grab tour tickets in advance HERE

MP3: why?- the Hollows

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balls to the rnc- john

In honor of the RNC ending last night, let’s listen to the Yuppie Pricks. Can someone please get these guys on The Colbert Report as the house band for a week?! Please? I think the heroes of America would really enjoy the astounding satire, and hell, even the huge crotch shot on the cover of their new album Balls.

If enough people buy this record, Sarah Palin will drop out of the vice presidential race and be replaced by Jeb Bush who will then take office after McCain dies giving the country another 4 years with a Bush in office. Nothing would make the Yuppie Pricks happier. Get your polo collars up, start buying low and selling high with these starter tracks. Once you are hooked, pick up Balls on Austin imprint Chicken Ranch Records.

MP3: Yuppie Pricks- Greed is Good
MP3: Yuppie Pricks- Collars Up

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BFF! - john

This is the most excited I have been about anything in American music since Trapped in the Closet came out. For the first time in almost 10 years- Ben Folds Five is reuniting! They will be playing The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in it's entirety (!!) in Chapel Hill, NC on September 18th. This is a one time only event but thankfully MySpace’s new show (who knew they had shows?) called Front to Back will be filming it. They have yet to announce when the footage will air.

Ben Folds sez:
"When MySpace approached me about doing this gig… I misunderstood and thought they wanted us to play Purple Rain front to back, so of course I said yes, but we're happy to do The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner instead. Of our three albums, this one brings back the most vivid memories. It was actually written to be one song of many movements, which is why there are motifs that appear throughout the album. That should make Reinhold a natural to be played front to back."

The question is: how will they do "Your Most Valuable Possession". Bring Ben’s dad on stage or use an answering machine?

Tickets go on sale Sept. 8 via eTix.com, I can’t figure out how much they will be just yet…

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bury the cynics- john

The new Lovely Sparrows comes out soon! Check out the new video above! This one is going to be huge for them, both Austin Sound and Spin can back me up on this one. The deeply personal storytelling mixed with conversational colloquialisms are reminiscent of Ben Folds while the music itself has Elephant Six and Jagjagwuar written all over it. The new full length Bury the Cynics is available at a fine record store near you Sept 9th you can preorder it now over at Abandoned Love Records.

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sup - john

(photo from Cracked.com)

Best Week Ever has a pretty good list of the Porniest American Apparel ads. It is pretty bizarre. Wowo. The debate of "sweatshop free and soft vs. degrading advertisement" rages on. Click if you dare. NSFW.

MP3: Propaghandi- Apparently, I'm A P.C. Fascist (Because I Care About Both Human And Non-human

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soko, not soco - luther

So, real quick, I spent some time trying to track down something new for y'all and came across this great bit of French musical wonderfulness called Soko. The songs are sometimes a little too intentionally lo-fi for my tastes, but it seems plausible that it's out of necessity, despite a heafty Myspace subscribership and the fact that I tracked her down from the site of the guy who does Face Hunter.

Touting the cutest voice since the girl from Envelopes, Soko crafts honest, minimalist folk songs that might verge on obnoxiously cutsy if she wasn't so up-front about it. Uncontrived and bare boned, the songs stand on their own without benefit of the crutch of production, which can be refreshing in this age of blatant Autotune and overdubbing.

Posted at 09:41 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (0)

on our way home - john

Check out the new video from the Silent Years from their brand new album the Globe. The vid is part Smashing Pumpkins “Tonight Tonight” and part Modest Mouse “Float On” with a twist of Brave New World thrown in for good taste. We have been big fans of this Detroit group since they played a SXSW day party for us two years back. Their sound has certainly matured since then! Comparisons to Grizzly Bear are sure to be fluttering around blogs before to long – if they aren’t already! The video is directed by Ann Orrin who I have not been able to find anything out about online. Her work is stunning and impressive and compliments the new Silent Years track aptly.

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weakend - luther

These summer weeks just fly by and mid day rain storms and bar-b-ques don't help, but hopefully this weekend will be a time to slow down and enjoy some of the residual texas burn. Labor day marks the beginning of the end of super hot weather, so we should celebrate with some indoor options for the three day weekend... like blogs!

Sexy People seems to have been around a while, but my Lord, is it thoroughly entertaining. Always good for a morning pick-me-up, this 'blog' (it's really just a consistently updated website) is a "celebration of the perfect portrait"; in other words, it's a collection of terrible studio portraits from every decade.

Apparently classic to many in the graphic arts community, I recently was informed of the wonder that is Photoshop Disasters, a genius little site that points out the obvious over sites of commercial Photoshop abusers. Everything from celebrity magazines to the Microsoft website is fair game for images ether rushed out on deadline or blatantly neglected by their respective graphics department. Funny if your an average joe, extra funny if your an avid user (but aren't we all?).

And, of course, the only indoor activity that might verge on as much exercise as something you might be doing outdoors, the dance party. Car Stereo (Wars)'s Chris is back from his Eurotrip (no doubt a carbon copy of the classic, tasteful film) and is back at, where else, the Beauty Bar with an impressive lineup. Accompanied by allaround cool guy Bird Peterson, fresh off keeping the beer flowing at our boat party, and the recently resurrected and better than ever the Laughing. It should be a great way to truly celebrate our nation's fine and honorable labor.

Posted at 08:15 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (0)

goody two cranks - john

Screw Vin Desiel in Babylon A.D. The only action movie anyone should be excited about is Crank 2!!!!!!!!!!! Check out this amazing interview with Jason Statham (star of Death Race in theaters now!) READ IT! Statham states: "It's like Crank 1 but times 1,000." YESSSSSSS! (thanks joe for the link!)

Here are a few energetic and frantic songs from Jaguar Love from their new album Take Me To The Sea. Crank 2 would approve.

MP3: Jaguar Love : Bats Over The Pacific Ocean
MP3: Jaguar Love : Highways Of Gold

Posted at 09:47 PM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (10)

women, their work and conan-john

(photo: PartyEnds at Birds Bigtop Blowout)

Man, Conan is going to be at least twice as tall as the adorable little Swede Lykke Li on TV TONIGHT (aug 28th). This will be her first US late show appearance and will certainly not be her last. My money is on her playing "Dance Dance Dance" ,although it could be the other standout track on her debut: “Breaking it Up.” Both are strong tracks on the album Youth Novels and have long been a favorite of ours here at PartyEnds. We had the pleasure of seeing her play live at the Birds Bigtop Blowout last year during SXSW, which as far as we can tell was her first US performance EVER. So, set your tivos, hold off on watching DNC post coverage, and prepare to go into work tomorrow with a smile on your face because this will indeed be some charming tv.

************************************************************************************

ALSO- there is a big "Summer 4 Ever" party at the Women and Their Work Gallery (1710 Lavaca Street) tonight featuring Katie Pell's sculpture exhibition Tiny Acts of Immeasurable Benefit and the entertainment of Austin Video Bee and Tummy Toast. Tummy Toast seems to know more ins and outs of Auto-Tune technology than Cher and T-Pain combined. It is glam electro pop at it's finest and is all going down tonight FOR FREE from 7-10. (which means you can go home and catch Conan!)

Posted at 09:33 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (3)

they shoot music don’t they?- john

   The big trend lately on this wide-open internet of ours has been filming bands in interesting places and re-contextualizing the songs to be even more innovative and interesting. I am a total sucker for it ever since I saw Arcade Fire playing a song in a freight elevator on the one that started it all La Blogotheque. Other notable contenders are Austin’s ReTread Sessions, the Dell Summer Rocks Series, and now a new challenger They Shoot Music Don’t They? Based out of Vienna, Austria the website does a damn fine job of filming performers in out of the ordinary places but what they really have going for them is their selection of artists to work with. I first stumbled upon them as a result of their breathtaking acoustic footage of John Congelton from the Paperchase in a men’s room stall.   Shaky, lo-fi steady cam, focusing on far away objects and always working back to the subject the two songs he performs are captured expertly by They Shoot Music. The best part about the Paperchase acoustic is that the “unplugged” movement that was made popular in the 90s is proven to still thrive. The songs are transformed from off-kilter angst ridden epic horror anthems to jangly 'guy-with-a-guitar-in-an-elementary-school' fables. The wall is broken at the end of “You’re One of Them Aren’t you” as Congelton looks at the camera and directly sings “suffer little children” like a twisted SNL sketch about a children's musician who sings terribly haunting music. It is fantastic.

   Another standout session on They Shoot Music… is from the band that we stole our website name from - Saturday Looks Good To Me. Here, the band is stripped down to a three piece and performs with guitar, bells, tambourine in some sort of abandoned cattle hall where they perform "(Even If You Die On The) Ocean" and "Sun Doesn't Want To Shine" privately to a crowd of a guy with a camera and a guy with some really good sound equipment. At some points the beat is off, the camera goes behind them, gets a little out of focus but all of these imperfections are what makes the performances wonderful. Not since Brain Jonestown Massacre in DIG! have I watched so much tambourining so attentively. The performance is intimate and wonderful. Watch it all HERE.

   I am mainly a forever fan of They Shoot Music thanks to their cinema verite take on the Paperchase, but there are plenty of reasons to love the site- other artists they have worked with include: Bishop Allen, Final Fantasy, Two Gallants and TONS more. Keep and eye on this site. It is great.

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fox in a box - luther

Faux Fox has been a Texas favorite of mine for a good long time. Between their outlandish, theatrical stage show and their ability to make consistently catchy and equally outlandish and theatrical semi-electronic dance tunes, they cover pretty much all the bases of a great band you very well might never have heard of, despite carrying a hefty and loyal fan base.

Their newest minimal blipfest is called "Class Ring," heading up the release of their newest full length All That Remains. Check it out and catch them in Houston on the 30th, Dallas Sept. 5th, and Austin on Sept. 6th all along with the outstanding Dallas dance power-team The Party.

MP3: Faux Fox- Class Ring

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all aboard - luther

(Photo by Erin at Recovering Lazyholic)

Well, I'm in the office this Monday morning practically alone because everyone I know partied just a little too hard yesterday at our Summer Extrav-o-Ganza 3 boat party on Lake Travis. The Ark was in full swing yesterday afternoon as we loaded up a bunch of youngsters, a bunch of beer, hot dogs and burgers, and a bunch of post-ironic sunglasses and set sail for sunny swimming.

The day started out nicely enough but for an angry looking body of water as we loaded on board; but soon after embarking we were drenched in a torrential downpour as everyone huddled together on the lower deck trying to keep dry, despite being in bathing suits. This didn't, by any means, slow down the drinking. Soon enough the diluge ended and we were waying anchor and grilling up waaay too much food. Much happy summer fun-time stupidity ensued.

I have to say, I have been to few summer bashes with better music as Bird Peterson and Ceepluss Bad Knives tore it up while the group drifted on their neon noodles to everything from Pavement to Midnight Vultures Beck. It was like swimming to my own personal playlist with a few curve balls throw in to mix it up a little. To top that off was, of course, the indellible White Denim doing their soultastic pump-up jamz to end the perfectly temperate day. Their set concluded well after we began the long journey back to the docks as the whole boat turned into a half-concious dance party. No one was left behind or lost that we know of yet, and a good time was had by all, score two points for Austin. I can't wait for SE4!

*A big thanks to everyone involved in the success of yesterday's festivities: GPV, Austinist, Transmission, Cacophony, Annie Ray, and anyone else who helped us put it together and take it apart!*

We'll update y'all on the inevitable photos and other coverage that will be coming along later this week.

Posted at 08:28 AM | Perm-o-link | Talk Back! (14)