Weekly Rundown: The Blow, Those Darlins, Grape St., Cut Copy, Arcade Fire, and Moonface
This week’s Weekly Rundown spans more than we could cover. Feel free to take some of the links to stories we almost wrote about in this edition. And good luck deciding between the three…
New Track: Kurt Vile – “Feel My Pain”
Following the release of his outstanding album Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze, Kurt Vile will release an EP, It’s A Big World Out There (And I Am Scared) out November 19th on Matador, with…
Weekly Rundown: Poliça, Crystal Stilts, The Couch, Kurt Vile, Besnard Lakes
We’re back with our second edition of Weekly Rundown. It always takes a few rounds to figure out if you like a new idea or not. We liked the final product last week,…
Weekly Rundown: Mirror Travel, Crystal Antlers, Tycho, Matthew Squires
In an effort to make your consumption of what’s happening in popular music and in Austin, TX easier, we’re rolling out a new post called “Weekly Rundown” that will run near the beginning…
New Track: Tycho – “Awake”
Electronic artist Tycho has released a pulsing new track that balances upbeat snares and dreamy synths. Perfect for that morning drive, the song is fittingly called “Awake,” and is the first single to…
Kurt Vile and the Violators with Sonny and the Sunsets at Mohawk Live Review
I had been looking forward to this show for months. I’m at shows several times a week usually and see a tremendous amount of live music. And I love it. But this show…
Watch The Julie Ruin’s First Video – “Oh Come On”
We already told you that we loved the first single to emerge from Kathleen Hanna’s new band The Julie Ruin, and now the group has a released a video for the track. All…
New Track: The Julie Ruin – “Oh Come On”
Yesterday, Fun Fun Fun Fest announced The Julie Ruin as one of the performing artists for the 2013 installment of the festival. While all five of the announced acts offer something interesting and…
FPSF Day One with Iggy and the Stooges, Passion Pit, and Postal Service
Free Press Summer Festival, known verbally as “Free Press” and digitally as FPSF, held its fifth annual music festival this past weekend in Houston’s Eleanor Tinsley Park. The young festival appears to share…
FPSF Preview: A Place To Bury Strangers Discusses Desire to Fornicate with Texas
If you’re booking a festival, hell, if you’re booking a show anytime or anywhere, you should consider A Place to Bury Strangers. Few bands making music today come with a more talked about…
SXSW Day 5 feat. Smashing Pumpkins, The Sword, Dog Bite, and Pageants
The final day of SXSW came extraordinarily early for me. While others might have gotten a late start, allowing themselves to sleep in to ease the exhaustion, Pop Press International’s first SXSW day…
Band Spotlight: Love Inks
Today, we’re calling attention to one of this city’s best bands–a band who has some amazing accomplishments under its belt. Love Inks has shared the stage with young, fresh acts such as YACHT…
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…
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: 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…
Dum Dum Girls “Lord Knows” Video + Tour
Dum Dum Girls premiered the video for “Lord Knows” over at Rookie this week. The End of Daze EP was largely inspired by the events following the passing of Dee Dee’s mother. The…
A Place To Bury Strangers Announce Tour Dates + Video
A Place To Bury Strangers have announced a string of Fall tour dates in North America, Russia, and Greece. The group has also just released a new video for “Leaving Tomorrow,” filmed by…
Album Review: Deerhoof – Breakup Song
Immediately, staccato blasts of stuttering distortion emanate from the speakers. Opener “Breakup Songs” (yes in the plural although it’s a single song, as opposed to the singular noun in the album title, Breakup Song, though an…
New Track: “Hall of Mirrors” – The Helio Sequence
We previously reported about The Helio Sequence’s 5th studio album, Negotiations, due out on September 11th on Sub Pop Records. We also brought you the stream of the album’s first single, “October.” Now,…
Deerhoof Announces New Album Breakup Song, Preview Now
Experimental rock outfit Deerhoof has announced a new album entitled Breakup Song. Yes, I will admit, when I received the press release I totally panicked. It’s just the name of the album, as…
Big Bill Crashes Punk Rock Prom at Swan Dive
Ain’t no party like a Big Bill party, cuz a Big Bill party gets weird AF. Frontman Eric “Bill” Braden wandering into the crowd and inciting slam dancing among a rowdy bunch of…
In Our Natural State at Marfa Myths 2016
In the desert, you can hear yourself think. Maybe this is true of being in nature in general, but the desert seems to provide an unparalleled clarity of thought. And in our infinitely complex, cluttered…
Pop Press International Sponsors Austin Sketch Smash Thursday Night
Music may be our first love, but we’ve been proud to run several satire posts via our contributor Karen Early’s recurring column Early to the Party, right here on Pop Press International. Dipping our…
Otis the Destroyer Tour Kickoff at Red 7
It would not be unusual to find me sardined against the stage of some crepuscular downtown club, assuming the photographer’s position and whittling away at a Moleskin with a (very particular) black pen,…
Five Tracks We’re Digging Right Now: Rose Windows, Joanna Gruesome, and more
It’s been a while since we’ve let you know what new tracks we’re digging as of late, so here’s five that range from rockin’ to soulful to downright delicate. Listen on, dear reader….
I Made Love To My Girlfriend While Listening To Father John Misty’s Baby-Makin’ Record I Love You, Honeybear: A Critique and One-sided Dialogue
Included in the packaging for the physical LP of Father John Misty’s sophomore follow up, I Love You, Honeybear, is a thin pamphlet titled, “Exercises for Listening.” It’s an extensive instruction manual for…
The New Movement Hosts Epic Night with Comedy Underground
The popularity of comedy seems to have risen in tandem with independent music. It’s odd to think about something so broad as music or comedy as “popular” or “unpopular,” but it does make…
Everyone’s Invited: Day Three of ACL 2014
ACL is not the coolest festival on the planet. It’s not even the coolest festival in Austin. And it doesn’t need to be. After all, coolness often requires a certain element of exclusion….
Ladies On Top: Day Two of ACL 2014
I believe in my heart that every human being possesses the same intrinsic value and should have the same rights, access, and visibility as any other member of the human race. It’s why I was…
Dear Someone: Sex : Art :: Dog : Lion
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Five Shows to See If You’re Skipping ACL
So you’re skipping ACL? We don’t blame you. Sure we’ll be out there, and we like supporting this hometown festival, even if it has grown to epic, almost repulsive proportions. There’s still something…
Eleven Bands You Shouldn’t Miss at Weekend One of ACL
Do you really need to be told to see Outkast? Do we have to explain that Scotland’s Belle and Sebastian don’t make the trip across the pond much? Have you heard of Eminem?…
Sylvan Esso with Dana Buoy at Emo’s: Live Review
In light of Sylvan Esso’s outstanding debut effort as well as the quality repertoire of Akron/Family and member Dana Buoy’s solid new solo recordings, Sunday night’s double-bill at Emo’s stood out as a…
Dear Someone: Tough Love, Gentrification, & Bathroom Etiquette
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Cut Copy with Classixx at Stubb’s: Live Review
Sometimes I think I don’t like fun enough. I’d rather watch a provocative, transfixing, and artistically challenging musical performance than hit up a dance party any day of the week. My tendencies often put…
FPSF Highlights from a Former Houstonian
Editor’s note: this year, Austin-based music blog Pop Press International is so lucky to showcase not one but two different articles from the perspective of native Houstonians. Read on for these highlights from…
Dear Someone: Elvis, Austin Tourism, and Folkaphobia
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
A Summer Staple: FPSF 2014 Photo Essay
As an Austin-based blog, we’ve always viewed FPSF with outstiders’ eyes. This year, we’re excited to publish this photo essay by our new contributor and Houston native Madeline Harvey. Here’s her take on…
FPSF Day 1 Recap Featuring Childish Gambino, Vampire Weekend, and Rain
Considering that all of Eleanor Tinsley Park was evacuated around 2:00 PM preceding some heavy rain in Houston’s downtown area, the first day of FPSF 2014 still proved enjoyable, boasting many outstanding performances….
10 Must See Bands at FPSF 2014
I love FPSF. Every year, I get a little flack from my friends who insist it’s just gotta be too hot for a Houston festival in June. With the air-conditioned tents, I always…
Live Review: …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead at Red 7
A singer-songwriter, a noisecore trio, and an alt-rock quartet walk into a bar. There they meet a punk-prog-psych outfit about twenty years their elder. Shots are ordered. Equipment is trashed. The stage crew…
The Golden Dawn Arkestra Arrives at Cheer Up Charlies
You were warned. Or at least, the patrons of Cheer Up Charlies were warned. Before taking the stage on Friday night, The Golden Dawn Arkestra paraded the perimeter of Cheer Up Charlies blaring…
Mirror Travel Might Do A Record with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe
At Austin Psych Fest last weekend, at least one other person became as smitten by Mirror Travel’s talent as we’ve been for the past couple of years. That person was Brian Jonestown Massacre’s…
Beck ACL Taping: Live Review
Since an Austin City Limits Taping becomes a permanent document as a television episode that eventually will be released on a DVD, I assumed that Beck’s set last night would be a greatest…
Tele Novella at Cheer Up Charlies: Live Review
Saturday night, Tele Novella celebrated the release of their new single, “Trouble in Paradise.” Over the last two weeks, we already brought you coverage of the A-side and the B-side, so you already…
The 5 Best Moments at Buku 2014
If our two articles recapping Buku 2014 were simply too much to sort through, we’re bringing you an abbreviated list of our five favorite moments from the young New Orleans festival. 1) The…
Buku Music + Art Project Day 2 Recap
After an excellent first day of music that proved Buku has transcended a one-dimensional identity as an EDM festival, I was even more excited about the second day, especially the impending performance by…
You’re Here! Recapitulation OR Why Lady Gaga is Wrong
We liked Punctum Records label owner Dan Rudmann’s comments about our joint event in early March, You’re Here!, so much that we asked if we could feature his article on our own site….
Buku Music + Art Project Day 1 Recap
When Buku announced their initial lineup featuring The Flaming Lips, Nas, Sleigh Bells, Generationals, Chance the Rapper, and Dan Deacon, I was immediately on board. The festival has taken further steps to fuse…
Pop Press International’s Most Played Tracks & Albums of 2013
Welcome to my year-end reflection on the past twelve months’ best songs and albums. This post is long. I dare you to read it all. If you’re just here for the list, scroll…
Show Preview: Cumulus Plays with Lonely Forest Tonight at Holy Mountain
I can’t put into words all of the personal reasons I have to be excited about this show. Cumulus is from Seattle and recorded their new album in The Unknown–the same venue that…
Album Review: Arcade Fire – Reflektor (Pop Press Pick)
Arcade Fire’s fourth full-length album Reflektor is a marvelous achievement. Working for the first time with former LCD Soundsystem front man James Murphy, the band has created a complex album, stylistically diverse yet…
ACL 2013 Highlights Day One
Spread out over two weekends for its 2013 installment, ACL arrived more massive and imposing than ever before. Since you’ve likely already seen coverage and heard wide ranging opinions about the festival and…
Social Studies Live at Brick and Mortar Music Hall
We’re big fans of San Francisco based band Social Studies, and were even privileged enough to host them at one of our SXSW day parties last year. While on vacation in San Francisco,…
Shivery Shakes Hold Kickstarter Ahead of Full-length
Austin indie-pop band Shivery Shakes is currently holding a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the recording and release of their first full-length album. The band, fronted by Will Glosup, is one of Austin’s…
FPSF Day Two with The Men, Cat Power, and TV on the Radio
Scattered overnight showers weren’t about to stop the second day of FPSF. Unfortunately, the ominous radar images had me moving sluggishly, foolishly procrastinating what I thought would be an early afternoon in the…
Interview: Radiation City Talks Musical Influences, Rattlesnakes, and Flat Tires
As soon as Radiation City’s Cameron Spies answers my call, the relaxed Pacific Northwest ethos is immediately apparent. The band is currently travelling across my home state, a good stretch from their own…
FPSF Preview: Interview with The Sour Notes
Before The Sour Notes were one of Austin’s most steadfast acts, some of its members called Houston home. This weekend they’ll return to the HTX for an appearance at FPSF alongside huge acts…
Eternal Summers at Mohawk Live Review
Saturday had to be one of the busiest show-packed weekends in a long time for an always busy live music city. Outstanding local bills took place at Beerland and Holy Mountain while touring…
Borrisokane EP Release Party at Scottish Rite Theater Live Review
Borrisokane weaves mutli-textured pop music, employing an unexpected blend of guitars electric and acoustic and sounds synthetic and organic. Though many of the bands with which Pop Press International has fallen in love…
Austin Offers Inarguable Reasons to See Live Music This Weekend
At the tail end of a Friday, when all statistics and web-traffic research say there’s almost no point in blogging, we’re throwing caution to the wind. Why, you ask? Because as is often…
Tele Novella Launch Tour; Share Two Songs
Following the dissolution of long-time band Agent Ribbons, one half of that band, Natalie Ribbons formed Tele Novella with some of Austin’s most notable musicians–Cari Palazzolo of Belaire and Jason Chronis and Matt…
Album Review: The Shivas – Whiteout
Shimmering guitar feedback splashes as an announcement of the onset of the Shivas’ Whiteout, released at the end of April on K Records. A piercing scream, a clear play on the song’s title…
Phoenix ACL Taping Live Review
I’ve never seen an ACL taping crowd more amped during a performance. While this resulted in more noise than usual and one woman having to be removed from the studio, it also made…
Album Review: Born Ruffians – Birthmarks
Birthmarks, the third full-length album from Canadian indie group Born Ruffians, takes its title from the matching birthmarks that frontman Luke Lalonde and his girlfriend share. But before you think it’s purely a…
Album Review: Dutch Uncles – Out of Touch in the Wild
The first thing necessitating mention about five-piece Manchester indie band Dutch Uncles is that they compose their music using multiple time signatures. I am always wary of bands whose publicity seems to revolve…
Full Coverage: SXSW Day 3 with Flaming Lips, Alt-J, and Solange
We already brought you outstanding coverage of SXSW 2013 days one and two as well as photos from SXSW day three. We’re back with full coverage of the third day and will follow…
SXSW Day 1 Field Report from the Mohawk by Chris Witte
Heralding the start of an animated week of world-class musical festivities, Mohawk began its South by Southwest run last night with an enticing line-up of exciting bands that included a special guest appearance…
Album Review: Amor de Días – The House at Sea
As the first gauzy strums of songwriting-duo Amor de Días’s new album began to wash over my ears I instantly regretted my choice of location in an urban coffee-shop, wishing instead I were…
Album Review: What Made Milwaukee Famous – You Can’t Fall Off the Floor
They are not from Wisconsin, but the indie rock band What Made Milwaukee Famous (the name references a country song which references the slogan of a beer bran—yeah they’re that awesome) has been…
Album Review: Camper Van Beethoven – La Costa Perdida
In the time before ‘indie-rock’ there was Camper Van Beethoven, an irreverent, experimental group formed by singer-guitarist David Lowery, whose eclectic escapades across the genres of folk, psych, and punk rock helped give…
Album Review: Shugo Tokumaru – In Focus?
A prolific multi-instrumentalist and commercially successful Japanese singer-songwriter, Shugo Tokumaru claims to draw the inspiration for his imaginative music from his daily dream diary. If this is the case for his newest album,…
Album Review: Toro y Moi – Anything in Return
The sounds on chill-wave pioneers Toro y Moi’s new album, Anything in Return, glide through elements of pop, indie, hip-pop, house, and funk that are ceaselessly stimulated by itching, festering, fun textures that…
Show Preview: No Play Music New Year’s Eve at Cheer Up Charlie’s
Every time a big event day comes around (Fun Fun Fun and ACL weekends) or there’s an epic mini-festival of a tour kickoff or record release, it seems that the Sour Notes always…
SXSW Announces Initial Wave of Performing Artists
It seems like it’s earlier every year that bands are announced for SXSW. But we’re only a few weeks from the massive volunteer calls that follow the holiday season and from there it’s…
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…
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…
Wild Belle Signs to Columbia + Tour
New York’s sibling-duo Wild Belle have signed to Columbia Records. The funk-jazz-reggae-pop group will be joining husband-and-wife, pop-duo Tennis on a North American tour next month. Check out their video for “It’s Too…
New Track: “Misshaping Introduction” – Buke and Gase
In May, duo Buke and Gase released a forceful single in the form of “Hiccup,” with its steady, plodding rhythm and singer Arone Dyer’s strong vocals. Before the band gears up for a…
Fader and Vitamin Water Uncapped in Austin Features Little Dragon and Big Boi
The Fader has built a reputation in Austin like no other culture magazine as the creative force behind the Fader Fort, which takes place every year during SXSW. The event is everything you…
Anacortes Unknown Music Series
Home is the unspoken but clear center that holds together the Anacortes Unknown Music Series. Formerly What the Heck Fest, the newest incarnation of the same event is a festival only in the…
Dr. Dog Austin City Limits Taping
Dr. Dog’s epic performance for their Austin City Limits taping last week marks a crowning achievement for the band, who have recently released their 7th full-length album, and 2nd for Anti-, Be the…
Psychedelic Light and Sound at Cheer Up Charlie’s
Calling it a success would be an understatement for exactly how well Psychedelic Light and Sound went down at Cheer Up Charlie’s last weekend. Psychedelic Light and Sound, already in planning for their…
It’s Like Sculpting: An Interview with Mount Eerie’s Phil Elverum
With his newest effort Clear Moon out now and its counterpart Ocean Roar on the way later this year, prolific and luminary songwriter Phil Elverum corresponded with us via email about the acquisition of his…
Album Review: Mount Eerie – Clear Moon
Prolific songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Phil Elverum has donned both the monikers Mount Eerie and The Microphones as recording aliases over the years, also tampering with the spelling of his own given name…
The Donkeys Live at ND
Twang emerged as the operative theme of the evening Wednesday at East Austin’s ND, where a well assembled bill of complimentary artists delivered successive solid sets to a room of devoted fans. Paul…
Album Review: Maps & Atlases – Beware and Be Grateful
Maps & Atlases have been a slowly productive quartet throughout the past half-decade, releasing a handful of EPs and only one full-length, Perch Patchwork (2010). Now, the group brings us their sophomore LP…
Youth Lagoon Announce Tour with Father John Misty
After finishing a string of dates opening for Death Cab For Cutie, followed by a brief rest, Trevor Powers will take his recording project Youth Lagoon out for a headline tour in July, supported…
Marmalakes EP Release Party
From the moment I walked through the heavy wooden doors of the Scottish Rite Theater, it was obvious that Marmalakes’ EP release party for In Arnica would not be a standard affair. I…
Film Review: The Avengers
The Avengers could have been a colossal mess. Marvel’s latest offering has a huge, ensemble cast and follows a string of questionable ventures that haven’t quite managed to capture the sparkle of the…
Film Reivew: The Five-Year Engagement
Jason Segel is an ambitiousguy—continuing his duties starring in a television series (How I Met Your Mother), while finding time to write and produce films. First we were given the much adored Forgetting…
Down River Swimmers: An Interview with Tennis
Like many of the buzzworthy bands at SXSW, Tennis’s name is almost everywhere you look. With almost a dozen performances, including two official showcases, Tennis is one of the busiest and most popular…
SXSW 2012 Highlights Day 1
With each passing year, SXSW has increased the number of bands, shows, parties, and even days the festival utilizes. Once only Wednesday through Saturday, in 2012, the music festival portion of SXSW stretched…
