Transmission Entertainment : Transmit Socially

Entries

Pontiak at Mohawk - Dec 2

Pontiak
RIYL: The Black Angels, Dead Meadow, Brightblack Morning Light
Performing: December 2 @ Mohawk

Pontiak are three brothers from Virginia, who play “post-stoner,” psychedelic sludge rock that’s been compared to a Sabbath, the Doors, Floyd and Harvey Milk. Their latest full-length, Sun on Sun was recorded in a log cabin in their Blue Ridge home state in four days and later released on Thrill Jockey Records (home to free jazz icon Fred Anderson and post-rock pioneers Tortoise and The Sea and Cake).

“Sun on Sun” is like a nightmarish reimagining of Cooder’s Paris, Texas soundtrack, a hellish trek through a psilocybin desert where the heat makes you hallucinate. Largely instrumental, the track unfolds with workman like precision, Van Carney’s vocals disaffected and uninterested. Churning bass tones, acid rock organs and reverb heavy guitars fill out the rest of Sun on Sun.

From The Mind of ADI #11: Fun Fun Fun Fest Recap - Day Two

As I mentioned in my Day One recap, the 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest brought some incredible punk, hip hop, indie, electronica, and comedy acts to Waterloo Park in Austin in early November. The result was a mouthwatering buffet of an assortment of musical genres to satisfy our appetites. The stellar lineup had a fair balance of local and national talent and I was lucky enough to have the honor of interviewing a number of the artists in the Austinist media tent at the fest. The Austinist and Roxwel teamed up with Transmission Entertainment to conduct 54 (has to be some sort of record!) interviews in two days – most of the individual interviews are still being edited and will be available on Roxwel's site in due time, but we can offer a couple of early, sneak-peak recaps -- Day One and Day Two. Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy some action from my Day Two at Fun Fest below!

On Sunday, our initial afternoon interview schedule was light so the Austinist and Roxwel early birds decided to take a walk to the Indie Stage. Til We're Blue Or Destroy really seem to be finding its feet of late and although I wasn't able to stick around for the set, I did watch them investigate a few songs during their soundcheck (pictured above). I have seen this band live quite a few times on Red River St. and the multi-faceted collective and its novel compositions seem to be getting better and better with time. Ume has been receiving rave reviews as well and Lauren Larson is a true rock star on stage. I took in quite few of Ume's crunching rock ditties before making my way back to the media tent.

From The Mind of Adi #10: Fun Fun Fun Fest Recap - Day One

The 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest brought some incredible punk, hip hop, indie, electronica, and comedy acts to Waterloo Park in Austin last weekend and the result was a mouthwatering buffet of an assortment of musical genres to satisfy our appetites. The stellar lineup had a fair balance of local and national talent and I was lucky enough to have the honor of interviewing a number of the artists in the Austinist media tent at the fest. The Austinist and Roxwel teamed up with Transmission Entertainment to conduct 54 (has to be some sort of record!) interviews in two days – most of the individual interviews are still being edited and will be available on Roxwel's site in due time, but we can offer a couple of early, sneak-peak recaps -- Day One and Day Two.

I arrived at Waterloo Park bright 'n' early at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday the 8th, as evidenced above. By 10, I was enjoying The Dead Milkmen's energetic soundcheck and sticking around to ensure they made the short trip to our media tent for the first interview of the festival. The band spent a good twenty minutes with us, going over countless classic anecdotes, and their families were equally friendly, thoroughly enjoying the spotlight thrust upon their fathers and significant others.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#20) - Little Joy & Danielson

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of Hot Off the Press, featuring acts such as Deerhunter, TV on the Radio, Deerhoof, Cold War Kids, of Montreal, Juana Molina, Crystal Stilts, Final Fantasy, Peter Bjorn & John, White Denim, and Grizzly Bear.

Little Joy – Little Joy

released November 4th on Rough Trade
Report Card: B

So here’s a list of things I thought when I first encountered Little Joy’s eponymous debut:
1. Finally! A band has actually followed in the vein created by The Strokes’ Is This It without sounding grossly derivative! It sure has taken long enough!
2. Or even maybe, this is the album The Strokes should have come out with the last time around, rather than merely aping their own sound and relying on dull, lifeless verse-chorus-verse and refusing to move beyond the year 2001!
3. Wow, sometimes that female vocalist sounds a bit like Nico—I bet you a million bucks Andy Warhol would have just loved this album!

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#19) – DJ/rupture & Peter and the Wolf

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of Hot Off the Press, featuring acts such as Deerhunter, TV on the Radio, Deerhoof, Cold War Kids, of Montreal, Juana Molina, Crystal Stilts, Final Fantasy, Peter Bjorn & John, White Denim, and Grizzly Bear.

DJ/Rupture – Uproot

released October 7 on Agriculture
Report Card: B+

Pasting together swatches of 23 diverse, seemingly random, and very-much-someone-else’s songs could make it seem like DJ/rupture, known to his mother as Jace Clayton, is a plain thief or merely yet another mashupologist who captures the familiar and repackages it in smile-worthy fashion. But despite the fact that he’s utilizing the source material of others, a technique prone to aping and obnoxiousness, there’s a simple kindness to Uproot, as if Clayton’s working to amplify the gorgeousness of the originals in a tributary tapestry, rather than simply trying to make a buck off of stolen beats and the electronic excitement that is the fade-out and fade-in.

Fun Fun Fun Fest Preview - Revival Tour

Revival Tour featuring Tim Barry, Ben Nichols, Chuck Ragan and Tom Gabel
Performing Sunday on Stage Two at 3:00

Old punks don’t die; they just reinvent themselves as tattooed troubadours. That seems to be the motto of the Revival Tour. Tim Barry, Ben Nichols, Chuck Ragan and Tom Gabel are arguably four of the best wordsmiths of their generation, so it seems only natural that they would shed the boom and bang of their full-time bands for stripped-down solo settings, flirting with bluegrass, country and folk.

HOT OFF THE PRESS(#18) - Deerhunter

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of Hot Off the Press, featuring acts such as TV on the Radio, Deerhoof, Cold War Kids, of Montreal, Juana Molina, Crystal Stilts, Final Fantasy, Peter Bjorn & John, White Denim, and Grizzly Bear.

Deerhunter – Microcastle & Weird Era Cont.

officially released October 28th on Kranky
Report Cards: A & B+

It’s easy to understand renowned freak-out Bradford Cox’s recent freak out regarding Deerhunter’s unenviable history with internet leaks. After all, Microcastle was perhaps exhibit 1A of the potential terribleness of leaks and their ability to diminish the significance of an actual release date: while Microcastle finally hit the shelves of your favorite indie record store just last week, the intrepid web scourer probably stumbled upon the album more than five months ago. Yeah, that’s a long time, and the result was that a healthy dose of the excitement surrounding what would have been a highly-anticipated third release was diluted by the spread out nature with which listeners encountered the work. Of course, you could make a counter-argument that the seemingly interminable delay for the album’s actual release date (why did it take so long, after all?) lent enough separation for those who listened to and enjoyed the album months ago to now be reintroduced to it, with greater perspective and, really, a much more refined ear for just how excellent the album ended up being.

Fun Fun Fun Fest Preview - Walter Schreifels/ Rival Schools

Walter Schreifels / Rival Schools
Performing Saturday on Stage Two at 3:00 (solo) and Stage One at 5:40 (Rivals Schools)

Punk rock has produced few artists as influential and prolific as Walter Schreifels. As a teenager in the late 80s he served as chief songwriter in the influential hardcore outfits Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits. Following the Biscuits’ demise, Schreifels formed Quicksand, helping to define the sound now known as post-hardcore. In 2000, Schreifels toned things down ever-so slightly and formed Rival Schools with fellow hardcore veterans Sammy Siegler (Judge, Shelter, Civ), Ian Love (Burn) and Cache Tolman (Civ, Iceburn). The bio keeps going – in between all these influential bands, were short-lived projects, like Project X and Walking Concert. The man just can’t stop playing music. Today, like fellow Fun Fun Fun Fest participants and punk rock legends Tim Barry and Chuck Ragan, Shreifels finds himself performing solo acoustic sets, losing none of the angst and passion that has defined his music for the past twenty years.

Fun Fun Fun Fest Preview - Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit
Performing Sunday at 2:45 on Stage One.

Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight (Fat Cat Records) is probably one of my favorite albums to come out this year. From start to finish, every track on this full-length is absolutely brilliant; soulful folk wrapped in richly layered production, songs that start with nothing and build to foot-stomping, barn-burning anthems with brutally honest lyrics every drunken and horny romantic can relate to.

Monday Transmissions - Halloween Edition

In all honesty, I never really get down on the Halloween vibe. Never been one for dressing up in costumes, not a big fan of candy, never really liked scary movies (except The Gate – love that one). I know. I’m such a sourpuss, thanks. A lot of people do seem to dig Halloween though and they get all sorts of excited when it falls on a weekend. Never one to let my own misgivings about the holiday get in the way of a good time (when do I ever let ANYTHING get in the way of a good time, really), here’s your special, Halloween edition of Monday Transmissions. On Thursday (it’s been a busy week – sue me).

Thursday: What’s Halloween without a metal show – Red7 apparently doesn’t know and that’s why Thursday you can see Vows in Ashes, Havoc Dose, Manifestation and Self-Induced Pain. Not so scary – Pocketful of Deng, Goodnight Goddess and Fatback Circus inside. As expected, costumes are encouraged. And let’s hope A Pocketful of Deng dress up like the droogs in A Clockwork Orange – that is where they got their name from after all. Wouldn’t that be clever.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#17) – Alexis Taylor & Max Richter

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of Hot Off the Press, featuring acts such as TV on the Radio, Deerhoof, Cold War Kids, of Montreal, Juana Molina, Crystal Stilts, Final Fantasy, Peter Bjorn & John, White Denim, and Grizzly Bear.

Alexis Taylor – Rubbed Out

released on October 21 on Treader
Report Card: B-

Ohmygodhotchiphotchiphotchip. If that’s your immediate reaction upon hearing that Hot Chip frontman and oft-dynamo Alexis Taylor is releasing an under-the-radar solo album, then you’re going to have to prepare yourself for a somewhat muted response to Rubbed Out. Because while this little disc sure enough features the familiar vocals of one of music’s best pairs of nerd-glasses, there’s also a reason it’s not a widely publicized side project a la Department of Eagles or Megapuss, and the fact it’s barely making a dent in the musical landscape of Hot Chip’s widespread and adoring international fanbase is not without rationale. And that rationale is as follows: of Rubbed Out’s fifteen tracks, maybe five or six are fully realized enough to draw in a listener, while the rest feel like the unfinished recordings of a regularly-brilliant musician far too busy with his other projects to give sufficient time to this one.

From The Mind of ADI #9

TEN REASONS: Exploring the pros versus the cons of a pop culture phenomenon. Today's topic: SPI Music Fest at South Padre Island, October 31st – November 2nd. (Lineup)

South Padre Island -- what you do to me. The first thing that comes to the mind of adi when that little party spot in Texas is mentioned = SPRING BREAK '99. Sure that was a while back but the memories of those debaucherous days, including a Toadies concert at Charlie's, and tons of late night poolside fun (not to mention countless beer bong efforts), have me desiring a second bite at it. So it's no surprise that I'm heading back to check out this little music festival taking place all over the island during Halloween weekend. But should you join me? That question needs some closer examination.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#16) – Women & Pit Er Pat

released October 7 on Jagjaguwar
Report Card: B+

Immediately bursting with ramshackling madman ambition, the inventive promise of Women’s first two tracks—the excellent though frustratingly brief “Cameras” and the boisterous “Lawncare”—announced Women as a major new-band-of-attention. And despite the near impossibility of effectively Googling the group, the delightful ugliness of their sound, what with people “singing” the same words over top each other, and in a slightly misaligned fashion (such as on late-album lynchpin “Shaking Hands”) makes them almost immediately endearing, and worth the digging it takes to find out these hooligans are from Alberta, Canada, of all places.

MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#11)

Everyone seen the set times and stage assignments for Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008? No? Click here and start planning your weekend! It’s only 2 weeks away, people. In the meantime, here is your Monday Transmission for the week of October 20, 2008.

From The Mind of Adi #8: R.I.P. Lucy’s Retired Surfer’s Bar

From The Mind Of Adi #8: R.I.P. Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar.

Now fulfilling the fine citizens of San Marcos, Lucy's was one once a 6th St. staple in Austin. The space that used to be Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar is now motoring on as The Chugging Monkey -- Andy Roddick thinks it's good and so do tons of college kids probably. But I have to give a shout-out to some classic Lucy phenomenons -- "Power Hour" when the blinking light and siren announced that it was $1 drinks for the hour, Jello-Fest (a plethora of bands, tons of slimy jello, wrestling included, and plentiful sausage wraps), and of course the many BANG shows.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#15) – Crystal Stilts & Times New Viking

Monday Transmissions (#10)

I won’t lie to you folks, on the surface this week looks to be a relatively slow one in terms of live music – but don’t be fooled! There are some great bands playing all over Austin, as always. So what if you don’t recognize a name here and there? That’s why you read this damn column! And that is why I write it. So follow the links, listen to some music, then get your ass out to these shows. From Kayo Dot (Monday) to Astronautalis (Friday) and Bankrupt and the Borrowers (Wednesday), there is great new music everywhere. Without further ado, here is your Monday Transmission for the week of October 13.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#10) - Fight Bite & Department of Eagles

Department of Eagles – In Ear Park

To be released October 7 on 4AD

Report Card: B-

It’s not hard to get excited about the potential behind Department of Eagles. After all, the band’s frontman is none other than Daniel Rossen, Grizzly Bear extraordinaire, and of late it’s seemed that anything Grizzly Bear touches turns to gold. And while the deeper-voiced Ed Droste is perhaps Grizzly Bear’s most recognizable member, Rossen is a big reason for the band’s Midas-touch, as he sings lead regularly, and got the ball rolling on the band’s assault on the most-anticipated-album lists with his stirring “While You Wait for the Others,” the first post-Yellow House track the band released. And if that wasn’t enough, Rossen’s cover of Jo Jo’s “Too Little Too Late,” a mostly terrible song in its original incarnation, kicks ass. So yeah, it’s easy to get excited about Department of Eagles, where presumably Rossen would be able to differentiate himself from his Bear brothers, not to mention giving the music world another class A release.

MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#6)

This week we’re gonna try something a little different for Monday’s Transmission. Still got a calendar below, with all the hot shows you should check this week, but we’ve got a little more in here too: a profile of a great new band out of LA (via Seattle) called Army Navy, and a short review of the flick Heavy Metal in Baghdad. Enjoy.

Army Navy

There are plenty of reasons for you to check out Army Navy. The band’s self-titled debut was recorded with Adam Lasus, who also worked with one Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (hey – aren’t the playing Fun Fun Fun Fest this year?), not to mention Yo La Tengo and Helium. Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello’s The Attractions played drums on the record, following their first drummers departure to pursue a screenwriting career. The band has two songs featured in the film Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (out early next month) and one on the soundtrack. Not to mention that Army Navy funded the recording of their self-titled debut themselves and are releasing it on their own label The Fever Zone next month despite offers from other labels both big and small. Oh and the record is damn good too – a jangly mix of Teenage Fanclub-style infection with nods to The Pogues, The Smiths and/or The Libertines.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#9) - Of Montreal’s “Skeletal Lamping”

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#9) – Of Montreal’s Skeletal Lamping
by Nick Courtright

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of Hot Off the Press, featuring acts such as Vivian Girls, Bodies of Water, White Denim, Conor Oberst, The Walkmen, The Bug, The Music Tapes, Lackthereof, and Grizzly Bear.

Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
To be released October 7 on Polyvinyl.

Something has happened to Kevin Barnes. Whereas he once was purely quirky—a Beatlesesque Elephant 6 personality with comic intent and limited musical scope—he now has become the superfamous man of the hour, the widely-adored can-do-no-wrong pinnacle of electro-dance-pop glamour and glory. The transition has been embraced so thoroughly it’s become almost blasphemous to make a disapproving declaration regarding the advances of his personal musical and self-revelatory state—it is as if his evolution has acted as a statement for the acceptance of alternate character, and the warm fuzzy feeling everyone has gotten from it (not to mention a collection of some of the last few years’ most satisfying, endearing, and excellent songs and albums) has created enough goodwill, apparently, for him to push his audience’s ability to accept to a new level.

MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#5)

Monday: This Monday at Plush we’ve got a good one – Bridge Farmers (if Kurt Cobain had grown up in Texas, he’d be in this band), The Bread, and The Van Buren Boys (think Defiance, Ohio or This Bike is a Pipe Bomb). Shows are always 21 and up and always free.

Tuesday: Mohawk is promulgating Big Lebowski Tuesday with $3 Caucasians and Happy Hour prices all night. The Dude abides.

If you absolutely have to see live music Tuesday, I suggest Lymbyc Systym and This Will Destroy You at Emo’s.

FROM THE MIND OF ADI (#4) - Firsts, Vol. 1

Firsts: Sh*te that happened before other sh*te happened.

Today: Adi’s firsts!

1st favorite song: “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel.

Get Flash Player to see this clip.

Yes, it was probably Christie Brinkley who did it."

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#8) - The Bug & Kemialliset Ystävät

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#8) – The Bug & Kemialliset Ystävät
by Nick Courtright

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of HOT OFF THE PRESS, featuring acts such as Vivian Girls, Bodies of Water, White Denim, Conor Oberst, The Walkmen, The Music Tapes, Lackthereof, and Grizzly Bear.

The Bug – London Zoo
Released on August 12 on Ninja Tune.

London Zoo is, said as straightforwardly as possible, one of the most striking and unmistakable albums to hit the shelves so far in 2008. The England-based brainchild of Kevin Martin borrows from the musical heritage of Jamaica to form heavy, lumbering, blisteringly rage-filled music that is sure to drive off as many listeners as it attracts. But while the scowl this album wears makes much hardcore rap look like child’s play, the album’s polarizing effects are a sign of its ingenuity—Martin’s sensibilities regarding darkness and repetition make it the perfect collection of anthems for sneering and cursing as you cut off other drivers on the highway.

FROM THE MIND OF ADI (#3) - A Look Back: Fugazi (1995)

A Look Back: Exploring the rich history of live music in Austin.

Today’s topic: Fugazi @ Liberty Lunch in 1995.

Growing up, I had a fair share of musical acts recommended to me, primarily via two personal sources, besides the staple radio and television suggestions. My father entrusted me with some of his finest tapes – quite a wide variety – Black Sabbath, Kraftwerk, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Police. My cousins’ collections turned out to be a useful secondary supply and would lead to the hair metal mania that duly took over the Mind of Adi until the early 90s. Yes, thank them for the RATT in me. All was not lost, though – I would continue to find time for cheese-free acts like INXS, U2, Crowded House, and Midnight Oil. Still, there was work to be done, more musical education to be acquired, and more live concerts to attend...all of which would change my life.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#7) - Vivian Girls & The Music Tapes

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#7) – Vivian Girls & The Music Tapes
by Nick Courtright

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for Nick Courtright’s weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for other recent editions of HOT OFF THE PRESS, featuring acts such as Bodies of Water, White Denim, Conor Oberst, The Walkmen, Lackthereof, and Grizzly Bear.

Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls
To be released on CD September 30 by In the Red.

The blogosphere is an odd, isolated place, and sometimes the excitement about an album is so thick and mad and foaming at the mouth that it’s shocking to find out the rest of the world hardly knows what’s going on. But this seems to be the case with Vivian Girls, a band who’s been riding the wave of Internet love and adoration these past few months, yet—perhaps because their limited edition vinyl debut has been sold out since practically the minute it was released—most people haven’t yet caught the fever. All that said, Vivian Girls’ clattering, energetic approach to punky two minute pop-rock is befitting of the web's fawning, and surely soon enough the Brooklyn trio (all women, no less) will be the darlings of a wider populus…even if the album as a whole doesn’t thrill as fabulously as the first couple singles would have you believe.

MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#3)

Who else is stoked for FunFunFun Fest? I’ve seen the lineup – and you haven’t. HA! But get stoked. Seriously. Lineup drops this week – keep checking TransmissionEntertainment.com and be the first to know. In the meantime, here are your Monday Transmissions for the week of August 18, 2008.

- James Taylor

Monday: Rest up – you’ll need it. This week's a doozy. Or stop by Plush (7th and Red River) where I work the door and occasionally step behind the bar. Come say “Howdy.”

Tuesday: Prosthetic Records’ Infernaeon bring their blast beats and black t-shirts to Red 7. I prefer my “Black Metal” to be in the vein of Fishbone and Living Color. Dimmu Borgir and King Diamond? Not so much. But hey – if that’s your thing, Red 7 is your spot Tuesday. Manifestation, Self Induced Pain, and Disfigured support with three of the most metal sounding bandnames imaginable.

THE FRIDAY PROSPECTOR (#2) - Questions, Crusty Old People, and the Woes of Canada.

It's an old maxim, but we'll say it again: Digging for shiny nuggets in the endless mine of global daily news ain't easy, but somebody's gotta do it. And that somebody is THE FRIDAY PROSPECTOR. Presenting your weekly music industry news column - appearing every Friday here on the Transmission site - where one of our illustrious blog contributors brings you the stories that matter most (to him, at least) in the worldwide music industry. He's a bit surly, so if he offends your sensibilities, please, just take it in stride. And now: the news.

Ask My Morning Jacket some questions and stuff (the Internet is fun! and profitable!).
As you may have heard, My Morning Jacket's coming to Austin later this month. These guys are on a roll, man, and it appears as if they hype machine is now fully engaged on their behalf.

FROM THE MIND OF ADI (#2) - A Look Back: Garbage @ Liberty Lunch (Austin, TX 1996)

A Look Back: Exploring the rich history of live music in Austin.

Today’s topic: Garbage @ Liberty Lunch (R.I.P.) in 1996.

1995. Quite a landmark year in the life of Adi. I moved to Austin and began my four year stint at UT – a stint that allowed me to spend many a night checking out the excellent concert choices available in the “Live Music Capital of the World.” It was also the year Garbage invaded our airwaves (definitely no pun intended) and brought to light the hypnotizing vocals of the sultry singer Shirley Manson.

Ahh, yes. It's true. I loved her.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#6) - Lackthereof & Conor Oberst

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#6) – Lackthereof & Conor Oberst
by Nick Courtright

Lackthereof – Your Anchor
Released July 22 on Barsuk.

It’d be pretty easy to compose a lengthy treatise on the rash of loop-based musicians playing prominent roles in the scene nowadays, a group ranging all the way from classically-trained Andrew Bird to knob-twisting Panda Bear, but instead we’ll just discuss Your Anchor and how it takes advantage of the benefits of looping, while also encapsulating the method’s potential pitfalls. Lackthereof, notable because they are the primary project of Menomena member Danny Seim, make music that sounds like a Menomena song lying prone on the studio room floor, like an engine taken totally apart and put only a little bit back together.

MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#2)

I realized reading over last week’s “Monday Transmissions” that one might be inclined to think I am a metal junkie – a black t-shirt wearing, Jagermeister drinking, long haired and thick bearded, head banging member of the metal army. Not true. Top five favorite recording artists of all time: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, U2, The Clash and Sunny Day Real Estate.

But enough about me – wondering what to do this week? Here are your Monday Transmissions.

TONIGHT (MONDAY): La Zona Rosa hosts The Faint and Blood Brothers progeny Jaguar Love. This one’s sure to make hipster hearts flutter. Beauty Bar hosts the official after-party, with members of The Faint DJing as Depressed Buttons.

THE FRIDAY PROSPECTOR (#1) - Long Live the Music Industry Bourgoise!

Steven Tyler gets $2 million for autobiography.
I actually received an early copy of the manuscript for this one from a publisher friend of mine. I'm telling you, the story is gripping and absolutely stunning at every turn. {{SPOILER ALERT}} Did you know that Steven Tyler spent the majority of his adolescent and adult life banging strippers on backstage coffeetables, impregnating groupies at will, all the while careening wantonly down a tropical waterfall of cocaine, speedballs, whiskey and qualudes, only to finish off his career releasing a series of records that completely discredited him as a serious artist? Man, I didn't either. Total surprise. I guess, sometimes, you really need to get it from the horse's mouth to understand a famous person. Live and learn.

FROM THE MIND OF ADI (#1) - Rock the Bayou (or, don’t)

Welcome to our new Thursday column, FROM THE MIND OF ADI, written by local music writer Adi Anand. We have no way of controlling what he'll say in this column as the weeks come and go...his mind is like a wild stallion that grimaces at the thought of rein and bridle. So, we just let him go off on whatever's on his mind each week here on the Transmission site and hope he doesn't hurt anyone or destroy any large buildings in the process. Of course, we can guarantee nothing, so consider this our official disclaimer.

Greetings, friends.

TEN REASONS: Exploring the pros versus the cons of a pop culture phenomenon.

Today’s topic: Rock The Bayou in Houston, August 29th to September 1st. [Check out this amazing line-up]

Observe.

Obviously, at first glance, this seems like an amazing opportunity for even the most selective music fan. Who among us wouldn’t hit this up? But let's not get ahead of ourselves. To be more objective, let’s dig in and really evaluate the options here.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#5) - Bodies of Water & Russian Red

This is the fifth installment of a weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Search for "HOT OFF THE PRESS" in our search engine to the right to see the previous four editions of this Wednesday column.

Bodies of Water – A Certain Feeling
Released July 22 on Secretly Canadian.

We’ve all seen flashes of Arcade Fire’s influence in the music scene these past few years, and it’s hard to believe it’s been almost four years since Funeral took us all by storm. But rarely has an album truly jumped out and demanded to follow in the bombastic footsteps of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne’s Canadian outfit, while still being talented and unique enough not merely to seem like parrots. But A Certain Feeling has that quality to it, as it’s flamboyant and very, very large in sound, all the while featuring dueling male and female vocals, steady percussion, and the occasional classic rock-esque guitar riff.

MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#1)

This is your first weekly installment of MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS, a regular column providing the Transmission community with useful information & opinion on upcoming shows of interest taking place throughout the Austin underground.

I’m starting to fall in love with Metal Mondays on ME. Last week I saw videos from locals Pack of Wolves and Set Aflame followed by Pig Destroyer, High on Fire and Red 7 veterans Goatwhore (yep, I said Goatwhore). Seriously – why go out on a Monday when at home I’ve got beer and metal on ME? Why ever leave the house when such entertainment – I mean, come on, we’re talking Goatwhore here, people – is at my fingertips? I can always just call the grocery store to have my groceries delivered.

Just kidding. Really. Go out and support your downtown Austin economy. Get out of the house. Disengage from the television. Save yourself.

This Tuesday @ The Mohawk: EARLIMART

Get Flash Player to see this clip.

Video for Earlimart's "We Drink on the Job," a track from their 2003 LP Everyone Down Here (Palm Pictures).

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#4)

The Walkmen – You & Me
To be released August 19, 2008 on Gigantic.

I won’t lie and say I was just buzzing with excitement over the release of the new Walkmen album. After all, they’ve had a solid little career, with some pleasant peaks and even a good deal of critical acclaim for their 2004 release Bows + Arrows. And they’re taking a generous step towards general angelhood with the pre-release method for their new album, You & Me, which they are offering for a mere five dollars online, with 100% of proceeds going to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. But despite this undeniably excellent and heartfelt deed—not to mention the steady reputation the band has established—it’s always seemed like something’s holding back the New York quintet musically, and, unfortunately, You & Me isn’t about to dispel those notions.

This Saturday @ Red 7: RUSSIAN CIRCLES

Get Flash Player to see this clip.

Live performance of "Death Rides a Horse" by Chicago's Russian Circles. The song appears on their debut LP, Enter (Flameshovel, 2006). Courtesy of Hallway Films.

This Wednesday @ Red 7: GUTTERMOUTH

Get Flash Player to see this clip.

Video for "She's Got the Look" by Guttermouth, off their 2001 LP Covered With Ants (Epitaph). Directed by Charles Jensen.

Guttermouth are punk fucking rock. Srsly. The Guttermouth’s Myspace claims that the band has “respectively survived a myriad of the most heinous of messed up ailments that biology can inflict upon one group of Punk Rock Miscreants,” including but not limited to “a drunk driving incident where a telephone pole fell upon a member and crushed his spleen, lungs, chest, and broke both femurs (Mark); a bout with Necrotizing fasciitis (fleash eating Streptococcus) which almost claimed a member's lower leg and life (Mark and Kevin); Cytopenia, a condition where blood flow to the lower extremities is constricted to the point of Paresthesia (Scott) and Alcoholism, a condition where too many Newcastle Brown Ales cause you to hit on ugly fat girls and listen to The Cult on your iPod at 4:30 in the morning while your roommate is trying to sleep (Kevin).”

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#3)

It's Wednesday, time for another issue HOT OFF THE PRESS. This is the third installment of a weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for last week’s column, which reviewed White Denim and Black Kids, and click here for the first installment, which regarded the new Beck, Fiery Furnaces, and Ponytail. Read on...

Tomorrow night at The Mohawk (Austin): The DJ Melee (final round).

Ladies and gentlemen, start your Technics - it’s down to three DJs in the fourth and final round of The DJ Melee: student-of-the-world the Giant Hornets from Japan, designer of all things graphic and sonic DJ Starsign, and self-described “coolest Ape in space” BIGFACE.

HOT OFF THE PRESS (#2)

This is the second installment of a weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. Click here for the first installment, which regarded the new Beck, Fiery Furnaces, and Ponytail.

White Denim – Workout Holiday
Released June 23, 2008 (on their European label, Full Time Hobby).

So...forgive a guy for being skeptical. Yeah, yeah, White Denim were lauded in Rolling Stone, and influential music blog Gorilla vs. Bear touts them so regularly it’s almost embarrassing…when this much hype is brewing in the music world about a band who hasn’t even released a full album, the raising of eyebrows is nothing less than natural. After all, there was Vampire Weekend, and we’ve all seen the shitstorm of divisiveness they’ve caused, what with half the world thinking they are the Second Coming (in cardigans, no less), and the other half of the world thinking they're Afrobeat-appropriating snobs who should just lay back on their yachts and shut their mouths. But let’s give White Denim a chance. If only because they’re from Texas, and have honed their chops on the Austin scene.

Tonight at Red 7: Murphy’s Law

Without the influence of Murphy’s Law, hardcore - particularly New York-style hardcore - would be a different beast today. Alongside more agro peers Agnostic Front and Madball, Law was (and still is, apparently) a group of hard partying punks. At the height of the straight-edge movement, Murphy’s Law sang about beer, bongs, beer-bongs, and BBQ (as on “Crucial BarBQ,” which contains the brilliant line “Hare Krishnas stay away!”)

Vocalist Jimmy G(estapo) remains the only founding member of Murphy’s Law; a visit to Wikipedia reveals upwards of 25 past and present Lawyers, including future and former members of Hanoi Rocks, Cro-Mags, Dog Eat Dog, Bouncing Souls, Danzig, and New York Dolls. So who the fuck knows who’ll be onstage with Jimmy G come Thursday. But does it really matter? Expect a party, and a party Jimmy G will deliver.

Joining Murphy’s Law will be fellow beermeisters Brewtality Inc., Condemned Unit, Reagan Era, and Laughin Dogs – four bands that all play a mix of thrash, hardcore and punk in the late 80s vein of Murphy’s Law and friends.

Murphy’s Law play Red 7 tonight. Doors are at 8:00. More info here.

Watch: Austin’s own Raw Time interviewing Jimmy G here.
Watch: Murphy’s Law video for “What Will The Neighbors Think?”

By blog contributor James Taylor.

Thu Jul 10 2008 · Posted in Daily

Tonight at Club De Ville: Gifts From Enola

We’ve seen that instrumental post-rock can be uplifting (Explosions in the Sky), ennui-inducing (Mogwai), disconcerting (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) or downright roaring (Pelican). But can it be fun? At least as much fun as the drummer’s picture on Gifts From Enola’s MySpace page?

Gifts From Enola seem to be on a mission to prove it. Their self-released album Loyal Eyes Betrayed the Mind (self-released 2006) was recorded in a dorm room at James Madison University in Virginia, and that youthful optimism shines through, while the recent split album with You.May.Die.In.the.Desert, Harmonic Motion: Volume 1 (Differential 2008), furthers the cause. Their sound is injected with metallic peaks that descend into jazzy textures, making you want to get up and move. Meanwhile, the atmospheric numbers exhale with an attention-getting sigh that signals intrigue in the air. Skilled technical musicians who are clearly versed in rock history, they kick that “post” out from the ground and let the songs run free, the usual leashes flailing in the wind behind them.

Any band that plays instrumental music yet blatantly lists their influences as Pabst Blue Ribbon obviously has a certain tongue in cheek joie de vivre. No fuckin’ Heineken for them. We’ll see how the post-rock party translates live.

They'll be playing tonight under those big flashing lights at Club De Ville.

Further show information here.

By blog contributor Sarah Hagerman.

Thu Jul 10 2008 · Posted in Daily

New weekly column: HOT OFF THE PRESS (#1)

Our blog contributors are awesome. And here's more proof:

Behold...the the first installment of a weekly first glance at music discovered in the last seven days, whether it be just-released, just-leaked, or some long-lost gem that has remained under the radar. And we shall call it HOT OFF THE PRESS...

Beck – Modern Guilt
Released July 8, 2008.

Looks like Beck. Sounds like Beck. Must be Beck. And so it is, with our favorite midnight vulture’s latest release – it seems like he’s coming out with them a bit too fast for his own good, doesn’t it? I have to admit it seems a bit soon after his last album, the somewhat under-inspired The Information (you hardly remembered that happened, right?), and the thought of a new collection caused more than a few eye-rolls. But, in the end, Beck has been a brilliant bastard more often than not, and this album – produced by the ever-present Danger Mouse – is his calmer self, harkening back to the Sea Change days with its cool nostalgia and reverence of 60s sounds. Despite the skepticism – fueled by his diminishing live performance as he nears forty – sure enough, like most all Beck releases, Modern Guilt gets its claws into you, and after a tepid first few listens, it starts to hold together quite well as a collection. Guest turns from the likes of Cat Power’s Chan Marshall certainly help the cause.

Tonight at Red 7: Burning Brides

It must have been last October sometime when a reunited Helmet made a stop at Austin’s Red 7. To say Page Hamilton and Co. blew me away would be an understatement. To say supporting act Burning Brides was every bit as impressive would be a stretch but, for the most part, still accurate.

The band’s sound is somewhere between the hazy grooves of Queens of the Stone Age, feedback-laden, Mastodon-esque metal, and Foo Fighters at their most agro – a sonic diversity that has offered the band the opportunity to support bands ranging from The White Stripes, A Perfect Circle, and My Morning Jacket on recent tours.

The Brides - consisting of Dimitri Coats (vocals/guitars), wife Melanie Coats (bass), and Pete Beeman (drums) - are currently touring in support of their self-released fourth album, Anhedonia (buy it here) (the band was at one point signed to Richard Branson’s Virgin Records follow-up, V2 Records, putting out two albums before the label, essentially, folded in 2007). Visit the band’s Myspace profile to check out 6 songs from Anhedonia (that’s like, half the album). The record was recorded live, allowing for a no frills, no bullshit sound.

One last note: Burning Brides tour in a biodiesel-fueled van. Having once been the proud owner of a waste-vegetable oil-powered van, I can attest to the hard work that goes into making this possible. Kudos Brides, kudos.

Show info & tickets here.

By blog contributor James Taylor.

Tue Jul 8 2008 · Posted in Daily

July 4th at Austin’s Red 7: Set Your Goals

The really great thing about the Van’s Warped Tour skipping over Austin en route to larger markets like San Antonio and Houston is the prospect of the “off-date” – when festival acts band together to play a non-festival show in another town, rather than spend their day off doing nothing. Because really – when you’re on tour, nothing sucks more than a day off.

Tomorrow, July 4th, Red 7 plays host to Warped Tour road warriors Set Your Goals, along with locals Krum Bums, Bad Motivators and ex-Riddlin' Kids Say Hello to Angels. Coincidentally, Hellcat Records’ Time Again and The Casualties will be in town as well, making for an all around great punk rock show.

While punk clichés The Casualties and Time Again are likely the biggest draw on this bill, I simply can’t get into bands like these. The spikes, the ‘hawks, the ‘tude… seems like a punk rock boy band to me. Uniforms are for soldiers, guys. So who am I excited to see? Set Your fucking Goals, of course. Described as “New Found Glory after 8 cans of Red Bull” by Alternative Press, Set Your Goals write sing-a-long pop-punk songs full of youthful optimism and hardcore idealism – anthems of hope, with lyrics every kid who’s ever dreamed of being in a band and touring the world can relate to.

Doors are at 7pm, with free food “while supplies last.” Free food? I’m so there.

Listen: Set Your Goals’ cover of The Police’s “Message in a Bottle”
Watch: Set Your Goals’ video for “Mutiny," off their Eulogy Records album of the same name.

By blog contributor James Taylor.

Thu Jul 3 2008 · Posted in Daily

Austin’s Shearwater Touring With Coldplay…?

So I don’t know how carefully you all read the papers, but did you happen to notice the news about Austin-based Shearwater? Apparently they've been tapped to open up for Coldplay on the first four dates of their U.S. tour. I’m not sure, but I think this makes Shearwater more famous than their sister-band Okkervil River. Don’t worry Will Sheff...we still love you anyway.

Shearwater have been touring hard behind their latest release, Rook (read Transmission's record review here, buy it here). As part of their relentless performance schedule, the band has already spent time on the road with the mysterious masked-men of Clinic; according to their messageboard, Shearwater even got to put Clinic in the back of a pickup truck and escort them to a BBQ joint. Maybe this time they can ride scooters to Mr. Natural with Coldplay (it's good).

In any case, if you want to catch Shearwater with Coldplay, you'd better start saving now. First of all, the closest they will be to Austin is Las Vegas, and generally Coldplay tickets cost a billion dollars (approximately). Well, I'm exaggerating, but I did see Coldplay on their X&Y tour and a single ticket a LONG way from the stage was roughly $90.

Coldplay do put on a fantastic show, though, especially considering they're an arena band. Lead singer/pianist Chris Martin spends a solid 2 hours sprinting across the stage and running from the stage to the back of the audience. The English 4-piece also employs the "big balloon" a la the Flaming Lips. And if you don’t like Coldplay, well, my advice is to try and pretend, as their tunes are adept at getting dudes laid. So there's that.

At any rate, this is great news for Shearwater, an Austin band that's representing our scene well.

By blog contributor Ben Wintle.

Wed Jul 2 2008 · Posted in Daily

Fleet Foxes @ the Mohawk (Austin, TX), July 2.

Don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited that the Fleet Foxes are returning to Austin tomorrow. You may've had a chance to catch one of their showcases during SXSW this past March...but I didn't. You know how it goes with SXSW...you have all these plans, then you have all this liquor, then you lose your schedule, next thing you know you're drinking free Bass Ales with Cadence Weapon in some parking lot that has a stage...but I digress.

This Wednesday, on the Mohawk's Outside stage, you can hear the harmonic, mountaintop acoustic-majesty that is the Fleet Foxes’ live show. If you’ve somehow missed all the buzz about these guys, they have a reputation for putting on a superb live performance. Might I add that I'm loving this new trend in really big-sounding, quiet music. I'm talking about artists like Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, and Fleet Foxes, artists whose records sound incredibly intimate with moments of huge wall-of-sound mass that just sweep you away.

Seattle's The Dutchess & The Duke, as well as the tragically named Balmorhea, will be opening for the Fleet Foxes. Tickets are only $8, (sold out) so please don't stand on the sidewalk and listen for free…that just makes me sad. I saw people doing that at the Matt & Kim show...which was free. What's the deal?

The Fleet Foxes’ label, Sub Pop, offers us bloggers - and you mortals - a free (and legal) mp3, below. On a side note, Sub Pop is probably the most blogger-friendly of all labels, so perhaps you other turkeys should follow suit.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

By TE blog contributor Ben Wintle.

Tue Jul 1 2008 · Posted in Daily

Deadbird @ Red 7 (Austin, TX), July 3.

Starting today, we'll be regularly posting the musings and commentary of a handful of music writers from the Transmission community at large. These contributors are die-hard music fans with something to say, and we want their voices to be heard. They've got skills. Respect.

Transmit Socially,

TRANSMISSION ENTERTAINMENT

Arkansas’ Deadbird have a PhD in Sabbathology. Thursday, the four-piece will be at Red 7 in support of their At a Loss Records debut Twilight Ritual. With metal wunderkind Billy Anderson (Eyehategod, Melvins, Brutal Truth, and so much more) manning the knobs, Twilight Ritual brings to mind modern marvels like Mastadon and locals The Sword, as well as old favorites like Neurosis, Maiden and the aforementioned Sabbath, bloody Sabbath. Be prepared to bang your head at a slow and steady pace to the band’s sludgy metal riffage and resin-ated grooves. Fellow Anderson-alum (and one of Austin’s most underrated metal acts) Lions of Tsavo support, along with Faithealer, Mala Suerte.

Visit Deadbird online and check out “Death of the Self” for a glimpse of what’s in store Thursday, July 3 at Red 7.

Show starts @ 9pm.

Transmission Entertainment » Everything tagged with 'blog contributor'

Calendar

Features

The Signal

Reverse Reviews

Contests

Fun Fun Fun Fest

White Denim

Gorilla of the Month

Sights

Live Sessions

Music Videos

Interviews

Photos

Sounds

Songs

Live Sessions

Words

Daily

Interviews

Reviews

Select Date

Entries

Mon Dec 1 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Nov 27 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Nov 20 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Nov 19 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Nov 12 2008 · Posted in Music Videos

Wed Nov 5 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Nov 5 2008 · Posted in Daily

Tue Nov 4 2008 · Posted in Daily

Mon Nov 3 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Oct 30 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Oct 29 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Oct 23 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Oct 22 2008 · Posted in Daily

Mon Oct 20 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Oct 16 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Oct 15 2008 · Posted in

Mon Oct 13 2008 · Posted in Daily

Fri Sep 12 2008 · Posted in Reviews

Mon Sep 8 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Sep 3 2008 · Posted in Reviews

Mon Sep 1 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Aug 28 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Aug 27 2008 · Posted in Daily, Reviews

Thu Aug 21 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Aug 20 2008 · Posted in Daily, Reviews

Mon Aug 18 2008 · Posted in Daily

Fri Aug 15 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Aug 14 2008 · Posted in Music Videos, Daily

Wed Aug 13 2008 · Posted in Daily, Reviews

Mon Aug 11 2008 · Posted in Daily

Fri Aug 8 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Aug 7 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Aug 6 2008 · Posted in Daily

Mon Aug 4 2008 · Posted in Daily

Sat Aug 2 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Jul 31 2008 · Posted in Daily, Reviews

Wed Jul 30 2008 · Posted in Daily

Tue Jul 29 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Jul 23 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Jul 17 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Jul 16 2008 · Posted in Reviews

Thu Jul 10 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Jul 10 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Jul 9 2008 · Posted in Daily

Tue Jul 8 2008 · Posted in Daily

Thu Jul 3 2008 · Posted in Daily

Wed Jul 2 2008 · Posted in Daily

Tue Jul 1 2008 · Posted in Daily

Tue Jul 1 2008 · Posted in Daily

Photos

Loading Photostream... requires Javascript

Everything Else