New Track: “Clear Lake Strangler” – TV Torso
“Clear Lake Strangler,” the new track from Austin’s TV Torso takes my breath away. How do they get that much sound into the mix? The acoustic strumming and distorted electric guitars are perfectly…
Hardly Sound Shares Preview and Clip of Third Episode with Royal Forest
If we were betting men, we’d say you’re already an avid, attentive fan of Hardly Sound. Why wouldn’t you be? The series is beautifully shot, artful and nuanced, created by two of Austin’s…
Video: Lost Animal – “Say No to Thugs”
Just in time for Halloween, in their debut video for upcoming album track “Say No to Thugs,” Lost Animal tells the story of a boy trying to dispose of a body, only to…
Jagjaguwar Releases Soundtrack for The Comedy
Jagjaguwar has released the official soundtrack for Rick Alverson’s new film The Comedy, which stars Tim Heidecker (Tim and Eric Awesome Show) through iTunes, and it will be available through other digital retailers…
The Ruby Suns Share Upcoming Release Details, Free Download
The Ruby Suns will release their fourth studio album, Christopher, on January 29 via Sub Pop. The album “marks a new chapter in The Ruby Suns musical career. It’s a rewarding album, chock…
Video: Dark Dark Dark – “Tell Me”
Isaac Gale, who has previously worked with Bon Iver, Colin Stetson, and Polica, directed the newest Dark Dark Dark video. In “Tell Me,” Nona Marie Invie wanders through empty buildings and along a…
Win Tickets to See Belaire Perform Horror Film Scores Halloween Night
There are, expectedly, a million shows booked for tomorrow night. However, none so unique and promising as this one. Belaire will perform horror film scores from the 1970s alongside live projections at the…
New Track: “Electric (DJ Japanster Remix)” – TEEN
Carpark recording artists TEEN have released a remix of their song “Electric,” reinvented by NYC’s DJ Japanster. Though the band’s album In Limbo, released August 28th, includes plenty of dark, synthy pop, the…
Christopher Owens Announces Upcoming Performances
Since leaving Girls, Christopher Owens has recorded his first full-length album entitled Lysandre. The album is due out January 15 in the U.S. via Fat Possum and January 14 in the UK via…
Final Day to win Tickets to Divine Fits Halloween Night
Today is the day! At the end of the evening, we will choose a winner for two tickets to see Divine Fits on Halloween night at Stubb’s. Some of you followed the directions…
Win Tickets to a Screening of Energy Documentary Switch
In case you missed our post on Friday, a documentary film about energy called Switch will be screening in Austin all this week thanks to the efforts of Arcos Films, which includes our…
Show Preview: Dana Falconberry w/ Sour Notes, JC & Co, and Bobby Jealousy
Saturday. November 3rd. Blackheart. FREE! Some complimentary beverages for the first 100 people courtesy of Dripping Springs Vodka. Go. We’ll be honest. We’re a sponsor for this show. However, you should know that it…
Arcos Films Screens Energy Doc Switch in Austin this Week
I’ve always been impressed by the guys behind the scenes. Joe Brashears made a documentary feature about Mount Everest. He climbed the world’s tallest peak with 40 lb. IMAX cameras, but he’s nowhere…
Video: Husky – “Tidal Wave”
This is the kind of video that wins awards. As a backdrop for Husky’s subtle, folk-tinged song “Tidal Wave,” Celeste Porter has created a beautiful and captivating world filled with creatures of stylized…
Tracks: “Borrowed Time” – Parquet Courts
The first lyrics on Parquet Courts’ track “Borrowed Time” from their recently released LP Light Up Gold ring incredibly true: “I was feelin’ nostalgic…” With their upbeat guitar hook and quick snare fills the band…
Sharon Van Etten Shares New Demo Track from Deluxe Edition of Tramp
Songstress Sharon Van Etten released her newest album Tramp in February to wide acclaim. Now, she has prepped a deluxe edition of the album that will include demo versions of each album track…
Video Montage from All Tamara’s Parties 2.0 w/ The Sour Notes, Deep Time, and The Bad Lovers
Jared Boulanger, lead singer for the Sour Notes is easy to spot at a show. He’s the guy down with the flip video camera, making sure that he has some shots of each…
All Tamara’s Parties 2.0 Lights the Way for Indpendent Shows
Most people who know me can tell you that K Records and Calvin Johnson act as pillars of my philosophy of how the music industry should work. The first time I interviewed Johnson,…
New Tracks and Video: Cayucas – “Cayucos” and “Swimsuit”
The sounds of the beach have longstanding traditions in pop music, most famously created by the Beach Boys. Since then, and increasingly in recent trends, bands have sought to establish fun-loving, beach party…
Norah Jones Austin City Limits Taping
Warm wooden floors, an upright piano, paper doves hanging from the ceiling, and of course the Austin skyline created the homey, intimate environment for Norah Jones’ third performance on the Austin City Limits…
Local Natives Announce New Album + Tour, Release Single
Guys, I am so excited. We finally (finally!) have some news regarding the follow up to 2010’s excellent Gorilla Manor. The L.A. group will release their second full-length, Hummingbird, on January 29 via…
Errors Announce New Relics, Tour With Twilight Sad
Error’s have a new album out November 6 via Mogwai’s label Rock Action. New Relics is the group’s second release and sticks to the distinct brand of synth-pop they’re known for. In support…
Sufjan Stevens Releases New Christmas Album, Plays Emo’s December 1st
Having already released a five EP set of Christmas songs several years ago, Sufjan Stevens is up to it again, this time releasing volumes 6-10 of the Songs for Christmas series. It seems this…
Video: U.S. Girls – “North on 45”
U.S. Girls are set to release their album GEM next Tuesday on Fatcat. This week, in anticipation of the release, the group has given us a video for album track “North on 45.” Directed and…
Video: La Sera – “Break My Heart”
What’s more essential to pop than a breakup song? After attempting to destroy photos of a former love interest, the scissors rebel against La Sera’s Katy Goodman before the maps, posters, notebooks, and…
Video: Wild Belle – “Backslider”
Families collaborating has a long tradition in the music industry. So, it’s awesome to see that on top of sibling duo Wild Belle making a great pop song together, they recruited younger brother…
Video: Matmos – “Large Green Triangles”
If you listened to “Large Green Triangles,” the newest song released by avant-garde, orchestral pop artists Matmos, you might not know that the sharp swells and trancelike vocal samples tell the story of…
Jack White Austin City Limits Taping
As Jack White’s career has steadily transitioned from unknown to indie hero to cultural superstar, he’s had the opportunity to collaborate with Loretta Lynn, share the stage with Lou Reed, and has seen…
Indians Release “Cakelakers,” play CMJ
Since we last posted about Indians’ 4AD Session, they’ve finished up their debut album Somewhere Else , due out January 29. The group will also be playing CMJ this weekend in New York…
Stream Black Moth Super Rainbow’s Cobra Juicy
Back in July, we mentioned that Black Moth Super Rainbow launched a Kickstarter to fund their latest album, Cobra Juicy. Now, the full album is streaming over at Paste Magazine! Cobra Juicy will…
Video: Bon Iver – “Beth/Rest”
Bon Iver has just released the Vernon and Dan Huiting-directed video for “Beth/Rest.” Justin Vernon wrote in a press release, “It’s kind of about two people who are truly meant for each other…
Tamaryn Album Stream
Tamaryn’s Tender New Signs comes out tomorrow, October 16, but there’s a preview today over at Gorilla vs. Bear. Make sure to check out the group on their Fall tour, starting October 28….
Video: Sharon Van Etten – “Magic Chords” + Tour
Sharon Van Etten, who is set to play Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest in November, has just released her second video in support of Tramp. “Magic Chords” was directed by Rick Alverson outside…
Father John Misty at the Parish
Father John Misty has played Austin quite a bit since Josh Tillman formed the recording alias and began working on songs. After a show last SXSW, he was back shortly after at the…
Dana Falconberry Album Release Show
If angels exist they sound like Dana Falconberry. Angelic is an adjective probably too often ascribed to musicians, particularly those of the female persuasion. However, I make the comparison pointedly, because Falconberry sings…
Show Preview: All Tamara’s Parties 2.0 Saturday at Cheer Up Charlie’s
I’ve had some awesome experiences at ACL. Bob Dylan said “the answer is blowin’ in the wind.” Well, at ACL, so is the music sometimes. If you’re looking to avoid the sound difficulties,…
Video: The Mountain Goats – “Cry for Judas”
John Darnielle weaves emotionally complex, vivid scenes in short, rapid fragments of beautiful lyricism. So, it makes sense that the same discriptors could be applied to the Mountain Goats’ new Carlo Mirabella-Davis directed video…
Night Moves Live at Stubbs, Stream Their Entire Album Now
This past week, Domino Recordings artist Night Moves played the Mohawk in support of Lord Huron. Night Moves is a quartet that blends 70s glam and psych rock production with country instrumentation. It’s…
Dinosaur Jr. and Shearwater at Mohawk
This is legendary. I mean, this trio of indie-rock royalty has defied all the odds and are out touring behind an outstanding record that marks a period more productive than the time that…
Grimes at Emo’s
Saturday night, Canadian electronic pop chanteuse Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, filled Emo’s East with her dark, synthy, pop. To be honest, Grimes is an artist that I’ve greatly enjoyed on record, but…
Video: Taken By Trees – “Large”
Fresh on the heels of her outstanding new album, Other Worlds, Victoria Bergsman, aka Taken By Trees, has released a video for album track “Large.” The synthy, reggae-leaning track plays over images that…
David Byrne and St. Vincent at Bass Concert Hall (Photos and Story)
The better a performance, the more difficult it becomes to encapsulate with words, or even images. So, when I heard beforehand that the David Byrne and St. Vincent show was great, I believed…
Album Review: Taken By Trees – Other Worlds
Before its release, Taken by Trees’ new album Other Worlds was dubbed an “impressionist poem for the Hawaiian Islands.” Rarely does an album so aptly live up to its descriptors, but that is…
Win Tickets to Divine Fits at Stubb’s in Austin
Pop Press International is teaming up with C3 Concerts to bring one lucky winner two tickets to see Divine Fits—featuring Britt Daniel of Spoon, Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade, and Sam Brown of…
Album Review: Sun Airway – “Soft Fall”
Sun Airway made waves in 2010 with their critically acclaimed debut album, Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier. The group has been one of the bands foremostly responsible for the emergence of the popular…
Show Preview: All Tamara’s Parties w/ Deep Time & Sour Notes
If you’re looking for a FREE and incredibly FUN thing to do ACL weekend that’s not ACL, this is the place to be. Some great bands are playing ACL this year, but let’s…
Mount Eerie Live at the Parish
A week ago, DIY-hero Phil Elverum, who has produced some of independent music’s most iconic records, brought Mount Eerie to the Parish, touring behind a pair of thematically linked 2012 releases, Clear Moon and…
New Track – “Sheila” – Memory Tapes
Memory Tapes is all set to release Grace/Confusion on December 4 via Carpark Records. To give us a little taste of what’s to come, the label is streaming new single “Sheila.” At 8…
Video: Jens Lekman – “Become Someone Else’s”
In his new video, Swedish songwriter Jens Lekman takes a monochromatic stroll through the desert as he intones lines of his usual wry wit to smooth, loungey keys. Jens Lekman’s new album dropped last month…
New Track: “Weight” – Lazyeyes
Brooklyn surfgaze? Yes, please. The music of Lazyeyes perfectly fuses the gritty, distorted buzz of the city and the sparkling shimmer of the sea. The trio has two songs available for free download…
Album Review: The Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
It’s only fair to tell you right from the start that I consider the Mountain Goats my favorite band. Often my claiming this results in bewildered, blank stares that signal obliviousness. Sometimes, it…
The Vaccines To Tour North America
In early 2013 The Vaccines will hit the roads of North America in support of their newest effort, Come Of Age. The album was written during the group’s last tour, following the success…
UTOPiAfest Coverage Day 2 with Ben Kweller, The Wheeler Brothers, and White Denim
I looked at the forecast before leaving for UTOPiAfest, and knew that it was supposed to rain all weekend. I have to admit it. After the first day of relentless rain, I sat…
Album Review: Generationals – Lucky Numbers EP
Generationals consider their latest EP a “New Orleans” record- not because it sounds New Orleans but simply because it just is. Recorded everywhere from City Park to the French Quarter, from friend’s apartments…
Win Tickets to Dana Falconberry’s Album Release Show!
We wrote previously about just how marvelous we believe Dana Falconberry’s release show for her new album Leelanau will be. Now, you have a chance to win tickets. Many who came by our table…
UTOPiAfest Coverage Day 1 with Dana Falconberry, Houndmouth, and Dr. Dog
As wet, wild, and wonderful as UTOPiAfest 2012 was this past weekend, one article simply cannot contain all of the adventurous escapades of the weekend. We will split our coverage into two days,…
