This is what the kids are calling "blitz-pop." I don't what genre I'd put it under, but it's not too bad. Awolnation's new album Back From Earth is growing on me. I like the groovier tracks like "Guilty Filthy Soul." That's what I almost named this blog coincidentally. True story. Anyway, take a look and listen to Awolnation here:
Awolnation is headling a show this Thursday at Stubb's with two of my favorite local bands, Quiet Company and Bright Light Social Hour. Buy tickets at the door for only $3.For those of you who aren't so indie or are a little older, join me at Red Eyed Fly for Sponge.
Toronto indie band, Make Your Exit, have just released their new music video for their single "Leave This Town." While the single is good, the video is awesome. Every element of the music video was hand made by the band and their friends. It reminds me of something from the early '80s video era. I dig it. For those in Austin, they kind of remind me of Quiet Company. Check out the video here from AUX TV.
Austin indie band, Quiet Company, put out this new Star Wars JibJab video. Aside from making good tunes, they have The Force. More bands should do this sort of outside the box promotion.
I almost hate making this show as my Sunday Free Week pick, but I couldn't help it. Both Quiet Company and The Boxing Lesson are what my friends and I refer to as "blogger bands". Every hack job of a blog in Austin has mentioned both bands periodically last year, but in this case the coverage or mention is well deserved. Both bands, while on the same bill, are completely different. They couldn't be more different actually.
Quiet Company is a young Ben Folds Five style indie band, some even referred to them as a "piano rock band". While they do have a piano and it is prominent in their music, I don't see them as a piano rock band. They are like a indie pop band for adults. They have intelligent lyrics, take their music seriously and an obvious desire to "make it". They've played a lot around town and regionally this year, improving every step of the way. I saw them in spring, summer and fall in 2009. They were their best in the fall, which is no surprise. Their most recent album, Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon, is a good album. I only really loved a couple of songs on it, but I can see why people like it. As with many bands, seeing them live is the way to go. Seeing them for free is the best way to go fro new fans or casual listeners. To give people who are new to Quiet Company an idea of what I just wrote, here's their video for my favorite Quiet Company song,"It's Better To Spend Money Like There's No Tomorrow". I dig the Iggy Pop sounding, "Lush For Life" intro.
Also on the bill for this Free Week show at Emo's is Austin's most blogged about psychedelic indie band, The Boxing Lesson.This band grew on me last year. They were talked about so much on the local blogosphere, largely in part to the arrest of their drummer at the time and because they have one hell of a publicist. Now they don't even have a drummer, their down to just two. If you are just seeing this band for the first time, notice how lead singer Paul Waclawsky looks like an older, bearded Ryan Reynolds.
I reviewed their album, Wild Streaks and Windy Days, on Double Stereo and was only mildly satisfied with what I heard. Like the Quiet Company album, there were only two songs I liked enough to keep in my iPod. That being said, I enjoyed them a lot more live than on CD. Somehow they managed to open for a lot of headlining touring acts I checked out and I saw them five times. I never left the room during their set except maybe if the bar or bathroom was outside. Something kept my attention, maybe the synthesizer sounds. I do dig synths. Check them out live Sunday and maybe you can tell me what it is. For those not familiar with The Boxing Lesson, check out their video for "Brighter" off of Wild Streaks and Windy Days.
Also on the bill for this great Sunday night Free Week show are Corto Maltese and Many Birthdays. Doors are at 9:00pm. Enjoy the show.
Monday night at The Parish, one of Austin's best sounding venues, will be one of the most interesting shows of the winter season to say the least. Headlining will be Austin's piano-indie rockers, Quiet Company. They are one of the better local talents not signed to a major label. They have really come up and worked their asses off to build their name this year. I reviewed their album, Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon, earlier in the year and enjoyed it despite it not falling in my usual realm of taste. Often compared to the likes of Ben Folds Five, Quiet Company has the potential to be nationally well known. Their music is hip enough for you to like but approachable enough for the JB and Sandy audiences of Mix 94.7. What will determine whether or not they are the real deal or not is their next record. That will say not only to me, but to the world, whether they are capable of sustaining in the long haul. I saw them live recently at Beerland and enjoyed their set. Based on that and their album, my guess is that they will only evolve and get better. Check them out now before their cover charge goes up.
Playing with Quiet Company are two touring acts, both in the realms of a teen market. In fact, I'd be so inclined to label both groups "Disney Rock". I couldn't listen to either Frank and Derol or Windsor Drive very long, but each do have their own interesting stories. I'll break down each group briefly for you.
First, Windsor Drive is a Houston based band that originally from Wisconsin. They are touring to support their latest EP, Bridges. They have pretty much lived on the road since they started as a band, building their name that way. Their sound is very poppy, but mature considering these dudes are young. If music got movie ratings, they'd be PG....maybe even G. There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone has to be too cool for school or so angsty. Middle America needs something to listen to, along with young teens and tweens. Their music is so ABC Family and Disney movie ready. If I had kids, I'd let them listen to Windsor Drive. Look at these guys; they even look nice and safe.
Speaking of Disney and ABC Family, that brings me to Frank and Derol. These three beautiful young ladies have an entertainment background of sorts. Right off the bat when you read the band's bios, you'll see the last name "Cyrus". The older half-sister to Mylie Cyrus, Brandi Cyrus, plays guitar and sings in Frank and Derol.
Frank and Derol
The other entertainment link is actress, Megan Park. I was already familiar with Park, as she co-stars on the ABC Family series Secret Life of the American Teenager. Before you go judging me for watching it, know it was the Molly Ringwald factor that drew me in. That may date me a little, but so be it. Ringwald plays the mother on the show, but I even that couldn't keep me watching it. It was too sex obsessed and cheesy. Megan Park plays the role of Grace Bowman, a young Christian girl who wants to wait until marriage and have sex then screws her football player boyfriend. Afterwards, her dad dies and she blames herself, yada yada yada. That's when I stopped watching. Anyway, Park sings and plays synthesizers in Frank and Derol.
I feel bad for the third wheel, I mean member, of Frank and Derol. Codi Caraco, who sings and plays piano, is probably always the last member mentioned if at all. That's too bad, because apparently she has talent. Her bios say she went to Berklee School of Music on scholarship for a year before moving back to LA to form Frank and Derol with her friend, Megan Park.
Quiet Company
Frank and Derol sound like indie-Disney, if there were such a genre. Their bios hit it on the nose when describing their sound as "Wilson Phillips meets Postal Service". I wouldn't mix the two, but they did. There you have Frank and Derol. Again, I imagine there will be a lot of young fans in attendance with their parents. I want to tell parents to make the trip to The Parish worth your while and stay for Quiet Company. Kids, stay for Quiet Company and listen to what an adult band sounds like. You'll thank me later. If you're not yet familiar with Quiet Company, check out their latest video for their single "On Modern Men".
Just a reminder, doors open at 7 PM and it is open to all ages. The Parish is located on 214 East Sixth Street, Austin, Texas 78701. For more info, visit The Parish's website here:
Austin indie rockers, Quiet Company, just sent over their new video for their single "On Modern Man". The song is their show closer and has quickly become a fan favorite as the band openly invites audience members to join them on stage and perform the song with them. The video just premiered today and looks great. It was directed by Digital Shakedown's Justin Kirchhoff. Check it out and give it a listen. After watching, someone please tell me if that is downtown Round Rock. It looks really familiar.
Tonight my show pick is technically outside of the Austin City Limits, but close enough to make the trip for a good show. My Friday night pick is in San Marcos, just south of Austin on IH-35. Home to the Texaas State University Bobcats, Aquarena Springs and The Tanger Outlets, San Marcos is quite the college town. Many Bobcats make the venture north to party in downtown Austin, as it only about 20 minutes or so. When they stay in town, they party or hang out at The Square, located in downtown San Marcos.
Bar 141 on The Square, formerly known as Lucy's, is playing host to three great indie bands tonight. Two out of the three playing, I have seen and can attest to their great live sets. The first band is Austin's own Quiet Company. I have their album, Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon, and caught them twice in the past six months. They are indie-piano rock, like if Bens Fold was actually a young hipster(ish) band. When I saw them live, they always sounded pretty good.
The Soldier Thread (photo by Randy Creman)
The second band on the bill is another Austin indie band, The Soldier Thread. I have their album, Shapes, that I picked up at show at Mohawk at The Morakestra's CD release show. I remember being taken away by the violinist and impressed with how beautiful her voice was. They also have a pianist and full backing band. From what I understand, they're pretty new and Shapes is their first full length album that I know of. I can totally see them being an indie blogger band and taking off. If they catch one good break, kiss seeing them for five to ten bucks locally good bye.
This Will Destroy You
The apparent headliner, This Will Destroy You, is a band I just got wind of recently and have yet to check out live. I was talking to a random stranger at the bar one night at Mohawk during a Calm Blue Sea show, and he mentioned This Will Destroy you to me. He was telling me if I liked The Calm Blue Sea, or just really good ambient indie rock, to check these guys out. I wish I knew his name. I'd thank him. After I heard some songs on their Myspace, I put This Will Destroy You on my list of bands to see live. In fact, I will see them live at Fun Fun Fun Fest at Waterloo Park on November 7th. That should be cool.
This is the only clip I found on YouTube that was good sound quality. Their live videos weren't very good, but you get the idea with this vid. Checkout the band's links below and listen for yourself. Bar 141 is the spot tonight.
Austin Indie band, Quiet Company, has slowly seeped into my Ipod without me knowing. Their latest album, Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon, has a little bit of Ben Folds and a hint of Cold War Kids. I am not into either of those bands really, which I was surprised I liked some of what I heard from Quiet Company.
Ian is a graduate of Round Rock High School and attended St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. In 2008 he joined the team at Double Stereo (formerly CD Fuse) as their Blog editor where he reviewed concerts, albums, and did interviews for the popular music site.In January 2009, he became the Editor in Chief for Austin Vida. In 2010, with the help of some of his most talented friends, he launched Red River Noise. "Ian's Music Blog" is also one of the few blogs selected to be a Do512 All-Star.
On any given night of the week he can be found in downtown Austin on 6th Street and the Red River live music district.
