Kitties Play Emo's

This is sort of short notice, but I completely forgot to mention that local up-and-comers, Snafu Kitties, will be playing at Emo's tonight. Doors open at 8p, the show starts at 10p I expect Snafu Kitties will be the first band, so you might want to get there by 9:30ish.

Snafu Kitties have been in the studio, as of late, working a new album. Word from Pascal (the kitties drummer) is that they are playing some of the best stuff they've ever played. So expect a well-rehearsed set of piano-pop, indie rock with lots of waltz time :-) Look for me I'll be the guy in the plaid shirt, and skinny jeans drinking PBR...that's only funny if you've actually been to Emo's I suppose.

Rounding out the rest of the bill will be, other feline-themed band, Stephanie and Her Melodic Cat followed by Mr. Lewis and the Funeral 5. I'm not exactly sure how much, if anything, tickets will set you back but let's say less than or equal to $8. Oh yeah and this is all happening at Emo's Inside don't get all confused and end up at Emo's Lounge...unless you want to catch Flametrick Subs and/or Highrollers.

Hear the Snafu Kitties in all of their indie-pop glory courtesy of their online press kit.

Snafu Kitties - Mail Anthem
Snafu Kitties - Ham Can Shine

Couple more tracks and a last minute update after the jump.


Last minute update via text message, Pascal will be playing an hour-long set of thrash-core/punk at Red 7 with Reagan Era from 9-10, then running around the corner all warmed up to play with the Snafu Kitties at 10. DON'T FEED PASCAL SHOTS!!

Snafu Kitties - Champagne Jam
Snafu Kitties - Nerve

Read more!

MMJ's Evil Urges

A week or two ago I was looking over someone's shoulder as they checked out the album reviews in the Austin Chronicle, when I pointed to the new My Morning Jacket album review and said, "That's a good one." To which they responded, "Is it really?". This sort of threw me, I felt like being here in Austin it is generally accepted that My Morning Jacket are a kick-ass band. But apparently people are hating on the new album. I talked to a few more people who mentioned they were disappointed in the latest offering from the Kentucky roots-rockers.

Well now, the LP has been out over a month and I'm hoping some minds have been changed, so I want to know what you think of Evil Urges. Is it more of My Morning Jacket at their best? Or have they gone of the deep-end and alienated all of their fans. Personally I wasn't feeling the record on the first few listens, but I woke up one morning with the title track in my head and decided to play the album through and realized I love it.

Sure it's not your typical country-fried MMJ album, but it's not like they veered off into musical parts unknown. We do hear more of that lovely Jim James falsetto, they do hit points of 80's balladry and there are definitely many R&B moments on the disc. But I recommend you head on over to one of the Internet's hidden treasures, archive.org and listen to some MMJ bootlegs. These guys have a reputation for transcendant concert experiences. Don't believe me? Check out their set from Bonaroo 2006.

I've embedded a concert after the jump...


Did you already know about archive.org? They are trying to catalog the whole freaking internet. How ridiculous is that? I recommend you browse their music database by band here. They have basically collected live shows from any artists that allow such things. So you can definitely find some buried treasures. Mainers, need I point you to the Rustic Overtones legendary show at the State Theater?

I want to hear your feedback on the new My Morning Jacket, so hit the
comments.

My Morning Jacket live @ Radio City Music Hall 06-08-2008


Rustic Overtones Live @ the State Theater May 11th, 2002




My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges + Interview live from Austin SXSW '08 via YouTube

By the way the guys are STILL out on tour, they'll be back here in Austin, in August. Check their MySpace for complete tour info.

Read more!

Tuesday = Record Shop Day

I love heading to the local record shops on Tuesdays. Why you ask? Well, because it's New Release day of course. This week wasn't spectacularly note-worthy, but you can pick up the new Beck album Modern Guilt, as previously mentioned.

Nowadays it's easy to go in endless virtual-circles, hunting around, listening to music clips and purchasing from online retailers. But don't forget your local music merchants, first of all if you are into vinyl these guys have got your back. My local favs End of an Ear and Waterloo Records both stock new and used vinyl. Personally I don't own a record player but it's still cool to see the new Wolf Parade LP in all of it's giant cover art glory. Also, many labels are offering packaging that you can only find at your local record merchant. For instance, I noticed that you can buy the latest EP from the National packaged with a behind-the-scenes DVD for less than $20...but more than $10.

The inside back page of every Rolling Stone offers a few different charts to compare. They always list the Billboard top 40 albums but my favorite chart is the one that samples a local record shop. After the jump I've borrowed that idea and offered up some local charts vs. the Billboard chart.

Here's an Mp3 offering from one of the albums I picked up today at End of an Ear which, incidentally, isn't a new release per se. It's from the newest {{{Sunset}}} LP The Glowing City.

{{{Sunset}}} - When Perfect Flames Expire

Charts after the jump...

So, what's funny to me about this chart thing is how the Billboard chart seems to represent the casual music listeners. People who buy radio hits at their local Wal-Mart...not that there's anything wrong with that. I think the charts from independent record retailers reflects the tastes of hardcore indie-nerds who probably also shop at Whole Foods...not that there's anything wrong with that either.

So here's the Billboard Top 10 albums from Issue Date 7/12/2008...that's weird that's four days from now...whatever that's what it says so that's what I'm going with.

1. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
2. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
3. Soundtrack - Camp Rock
4. Motley Crue(sic) - Saints of Los Angeles
5. Three 6 Mafia - Last 2 Walk
6. Various Artists - Now 28 (28?!?! Damn I'm old)
7. Usher - Here I Stand
8. Shinedown - The Sound of Madness
9. Disturbed - Indestructable
10. Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad

Now let's compare that to the top sellers at, local-favorite, Waterloo Records for the week ending June 21st, 2008.

1. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
2. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
3. Grupo Fantasma - Sonidos Gold
   
4. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
5. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
6. James McMurtry - Just Us Kids
   
7. Emmylou Harris - All I Intended to Be
   
8. Eliza Gilkyson - Beautiful World
   
9. Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
   
10. Robert Plant & Allison Krauss - Raising Sand

Compare that one to the legendary Amoeba Music out of San Franciso, reported on June 30th, 2008.

1. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid
2. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
3. Portishead - Third
4. Immortal Technique - 3rd World
5. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
6. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
7. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
8. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
9. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
10. Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair

Let's head North to a favorite of mine from my Boston days, Newbury Comics. I'm not sure of the date and they don't really have them numbered it's just a page of their top 25 so I will list what I assume to be their top 10...get with it Newbury Comics.

1. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
2. Night Ranger - Hole in the Sun (Night Ranger?!?! What is wrong with you people?)
3. Tech N9ne - Killer
4. Motley Crue(sic) - Saints of Los Angeles
5. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
6. Immortal Technique - The 3rd World
7. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
8. RZA - Digisnacks
9. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
10. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Let's head to NYC and see what's selling at Other Music as of June 29th, 2008.

1. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
2. Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair
3. Jay Reatard - Singles Collection
4. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
5. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
6. Gas - Nah Und Fern Box Set
7. The Feelies - Only Life
8. Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
9. Buddha Machine - Soundbox
10. Endless Boogie - Focus Level

How about the hipsters in Louisville? Kentucky gets a bad rap in the rest of the U.S. but I've been there and it's cooler than you might think. Check out what they're buying at ear X-tacy, who only offer up their top 5 whatev.

1. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
2. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death & All His Friends
3. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
4. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
5. Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal

The last record shop I want to stop by on our journey is in hipster/artist/musician-mecca Portland, OR. Representing Portlandia will be Music Millenium, who were more than happy to chat on the phone with a guy in Texas about their top 30 albums haha.

1. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
4. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
5. Ry Cooder - I, Flathead
   
6. Various Artists - PDX Pop Now Compilation 2008
7. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
8. Duffy - Rockferry
   
9. Emmylou Harris - All I Intended to Be
10. Dr. John - City That Care Forgot
    

Read more!