Sometimes I wonder about other people’s SXSW planning habits . I usually sort the showcases by venue. It gives me an idea of how far I’ll need to walk if I’m bouncing around or if there’s something really solid going on all in one spot. Each year, as I’m browsing along I’ll come across something at an early time slot, 8PM say, and I’m immediately interested. Seeing the 9PM band at that same venue, I’m even more excited, and by the 10PM slot, it’s clear that I’m looking at the Secretly Canadian label group showcase. It has been this way for several years now. Other than my lifelong love of K Records, these three labels, Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, and Dead Oceans, are my favorite labels putting out music right now. Their showcase this year did not disappoint.
I missed the first couple of acts due to the need for food, but I’m confident they were excellent, as I’ve seen Small Black a number of times in the past two years, and they always deliver. As I arrived, Mark McGuire was line checking to begin his set. McGuire is a Secretly Canadian artist I’ve been meaning to devote more attention to but haven’t been able to explore past a few streams and YouTube videos. McGuire’s one-man set consists of layers of loops and beats and some excellent guitar work. After playing about 20 minutes, McGuire quipped about playing “this last one really quick,” before launching into the 20 minute plus “Organ Meditation.”
Woman’s Hour took the stage next, but got bogged down in technical difficulties, which led to the set running almost half an hour late. After finally getting all the lines and levels working and checked, the band delivered a set of delicate, ethereal pop. “Her Ghost,” the already-released single stood out amongst the performance’s other songs, and the band’s eventual full-length will have to serve as definitive proof as to the overall quality of the group’s early efforts. Although I can’t get a good read on how those efforts will fare, what’s certain is the high caliber track record of the label and the band’s ability to work with a consistent sonic palette.
At the end of February, Angel Olsen played in Austin, but I had to miss it. I had been looking forward to seeing her since I fell in love with her most recent effort. Around midnight, that hope finally came to fruition as Olsen kicked off her set with a balance of nonchalance and powerful vocal immediacy. Olsen’s set eschewed some of her quieter songs and focused on her full-band oriented indie rock numbers such as “Forgiven/Forgotten.” Olsen was every bit as amazing as we could have hoped. As always during SXSW, the festival dictated that her set be an abbreviated one. As such, we’re hoping that her recent album brings her back out on tour sooner rather than later.
Complete fatigue on the second to last night of the festival coaxed me away from the venue and towards sleep, although at least some part of me regrets not staying for what I’m sure was an excellent set from Gardens and Villa. Regardless, the three acts I saw Friday serve as ample proof that the Secretly Canadian label group remains at the top of their game with an incredibly solid roster of artists.
All photos © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
