Thursday, July 09, 2009
Video: Sunset

Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Covert Concert Picks

Here are our picks for live music in Austin this week, with a few tunes to get you in the mood. Use the links to get more information about everything. We're giving away Spoon tickets on Twitter, so follow us if you want in.

Thursday:


also:
Friday:


also:
Saturday:


also:
Sunday:


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Grizzly Bear vs Lil Wayne

VeckaFlyest is a short but sweet project by NYC production duo The Soundmen, pairing Grizzy Bear samples and Lil Wanye's vocals. Their production has been featured and written about in URB, the FADER, and The New York Times among other publications. You can download the Veckaflyest production as a zip file right here, and find the dudes on myspace here and here.
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Monday, July 06, 2009
Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios Florida sounds like Air France as imagined by The Field, with with occasional glimpses of Animal Collective/Panda Bear and Caribou. USF create ambient beach pop with some tribal/drone influences, and their album Ocean Sunbirds is full of tropical atmospherics that arrives just in time for summer.

Not to be listened to in pieces, this music is designed to work together seamlessly from start to finish. Their MySpace describes their sound as “Dense tropical percussion with golden, shining synth lines in an ambient valley where big beat drops are just around every corner.” Recommended for fans of the aforementioned bands as well as High Places and Ducktails.
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Saturday, July 04, 2009
Video: Major Lazer

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Friday, July 03, 2009
Neon Indian

Neon Indian is a new project from VEGA's Alan Palomo. The Austin/Brooklyn-based duo's debut album Psychic Chasms is scheduled to be released in October via Lefse Records, and is full of warped, electro-psych-pop goodness. I heard a couple of their songs yesterday and they've been playing in my head ever since. Here are some words from the press release:
"Neon Indian delivers equal parts synthetic nostalgia, Dreampop lullabies, and grinding guitar noise to create something eerier than the sum of its parts. Forged after a hazy winter gathering in Texas, this initial batch of tracks were the result of field recordings, record samples, a collection of bizarre synth sounds. Orbiting around the themes of drug induced heartbreak, weary afternoons, and lost chances, this music provides a lush soundtrack to the deadbeat exploits of teenage ennui."
The only show on Neon Indian's calendar so far is at the Monolith Festival in Colorado this September. The lineup also includes Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Girl Talk, The Thermals, HEALTH and Deer Tick. Sounds like a damn good festival. You can catch VEGA at Club de Ville on Friday, July 17th.
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Thursday, July 02, 2009
Ratatat at Lee's Palace

This is the best live recording of Ratatat you will find. It's from a show they did back in 2004 at Lee's Palace in Toronto. I've got your easy download link for the whole set right here. Enjoy.
Ratatat - Live at Lee's Palace:
  1. Ratatat - "Noose"
  2. Ratatat - "El Pico"
  3. Ratatat - "Desert Eagle"
  4. Ratatat - "Crips"
  5. Ratatat - "Germany to Germany"
  6. Ratatat - "Breaking Away"
  7. Ratatat - "Kennedy"
  8. Ratatat - "Seventeen Years"
  9. Ratatat - "Cherry"
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Video: Elvis Perkins

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Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Covert Concert Picks

Here are our picks for live music in Austin this week, with a few tunes to get you in the mood. Use the links to get more information about everything.

Tonight:



Wednesday:


also:
Thursday:


also:
Friday:


also:
Saturday:


also:
Sunday:


also:
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Video: Dirty Projectors










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Beck vs Velvet Underground

Beck recently launched a new project called “Record Club” where he plans to cover entire classic albums with the help of some of his musically-minded friends. A few of the cohorts I've seen listed include Devendra Banhart, Jamie Lidell, and MGMT. According to a press release, none of the albums covered will be rehearsed, and the artists involved only have one day to lay down the entire LP. A statement at therecordclub.com reads:
"An album will be chosen to be reinterpreted and used as a framework. Nothing rehearsed or arranged ahead of time. A track will be uploaded once a week on beck.com as well as through the web sites of those involved with the project."
The first album they chose to cover is the essential The Velvet Underground & Nico. Participants for Beck's re-imagination of this one include Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker, Brian Lebarton, and... Giovanni Ribisi? It looks like the first tunes to pop up from this recording session are "Sunday Morning" and "Waiting for the Man."
Beck’s web site will be going through some changes to accommodate not only the covers project, but also a weekly DJ set called Planned Obsolescence. Go over to beck.com for more.
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Monday, June 29, 2009
Spoon's Got Nuffin

Word has it that Spoon are releasing a brand new EP entitled Got Nuffin. The three-song single will be available on CD and digital download beginning tomorrow, with the 12″ vinyl version following in July. Hit up the Merge Records store to get yours. This marks the band’s first newly recorded material since 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and includes the B-sides "Tweakers" and "Stroke Their Brains." Check Austin360 for a fitting review.
Now people will have a new song to shout for during Spoon's three-night stint at Stubb's, otherwise known as SPOONX3. The band will use these shows to debut new songs off their forthcoming album, and to feature a great lineup of supporting acts that includes Black Joe Lewis, Atlas Sound and the Strange Boys. Tickets for all three nights are available here.

Spoon will also be playing Merge’s 20th anniversary celebration next month, otherwise known as XX Merge. Head to spoontheband.com for more.
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Little Girls

You should think about getting down with Mexican Summer. Here's why:
"Mexican Summer is a limited edition vinyl and digital only label. Our records are pressed in very limited quantities and are also available for download via our website. The vinyl will also be available on a subscription basis and at a select group of exclusive indie retailers across the country. 2-3 albums will be released every other month in various formats - 12", 7", Picture Disc, etc and will be beautifully packaged, numbered, pressed on high quality virgin vinyl and include a download card."
They mostly deal in neo psych/garage, and have released records by the likes of Wooden Shjips, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Golden Triangle, Kurt Vile and more. The most recent Mexican Summer offering that has caught my attention comes from Toronto post-punk group Little Girls. Here's the skinny, a couple of tracks from the EP, and a link for your mouse. Use of headphones is highly recommended.
"Mexican Summer is proud to announce the debut release from Toronto pop band Little Girls. Originally conceived as a solo project from Josh McIntyre's other band Pirate/Rock, it wasn't long before these five tracks made their way across the blogosphere. Now they make their way to you, on vinyl. Little Girls' sound rests comfortably into a modern lo-fi demographic, stirring up shoegaze, bedroom goth, and memorable riffage into tiny, murky little packages of joyful release. Drum machine, hazy vocals and plenty of thick guitar strum are what's in store."
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Ty Segall

Burying '60s sing-alongs and dance crazes beneath waves of reverb, Ty Segall has carved out his own spot in the San Francisco psych-garage scene alongside compatriots (and Covert faves) Thee Oh Sees. After impressing the Bay Area underground as a frantic one-man-band, Segall has now given up the solo act for a three piece with a live setup that is a better reflection of his work in the studio.

Ty Segall's self-titled debut was released in 2008 on Castle Face Records. These two songs come from the Cents 7'' teaser single for his upcoming Goner Records full-length, Lemons. You can catch Ty Segall performing live in Austin at Beerland on Sunday, July 5th. Do512 is giving away a pair of tickets to the show right here.
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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Deer Tick

John McCauley recorded Deer Tick's debut War Elephant at age 19, performing every instrument on the album. But his vision from the start was for Deer Tick to be a real band, so by the time the second full-length album (which is great) was released (last week) the band had developed into a quartet featuring two guitars, bass and drums - with three members singing and writing.

The result is an album full of rambling country-rock with "desperate lyrics delivered straight from the bottom of the bottle." McCauley's raspy voice layers everything in a warm blanket of authenticity, even when it's just being used to cover the old standard "Goodnight Irene" (hidden track) complete with beer can sound effects. If you're in the market for a little tailgate-down twang with Hank Williams-warped sensibilities, lend your ears to Born On Flag Day.

Deer Tick was just on Daytrotter a few days ago with an unreleased song and a cover of The Boss. Also, they will be playing in Austin at Emo's with Dawes on Thursday, July 9th.
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White Denim - Fits

The new White Denim album was released last week. I listened to it all the way through for the first time while taking a little trip out of town yesterday, and couldn't wait to get back in front of my computer so I could share some of this stuff on the blog. The album doesn't sound much like their debut Workout Holiday, and many of these songs bear little resemblance to what you would have heard at the band's earlier live shows.

From the overall polish and professionalism of the recording, to things like the instrumental percussion/organ groove of "Sex Prayer," the hand clap opening of "Paint Yourself" and animated sing-along finale of "Syncn," this is a noticeably new direction for White Denim. And it's a good thing. I think this is their best effort so far.

You can get Fits on CD/LP/MP3 right now at Full Time Hobby. Check The Quietus for a decent review. White Denim are currently supporting the release with a European tour.

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Thursday, June 25, 2009
It's hot

The temperature in Austin is 103°F. Not cool. Not cool at all.
Posted by Mr. Curiosity
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