Animal Collective Tour

Animal Collective - My Girls video via YouTube

Review and such after the jump.

Animal Collective is one of those bands that you're, kind of, supposed to like if you want to call yourself an indie-rock aficionado. Lucky for us no one really wants that title. In any case, I find myself listening to their latest record Merriweather Post Pavillion more and more every day. Thanks, in no small part, to that song above the break.

I have never seen AC live but they have a reputation for putting on great shows. Be forewarned musician snobs their live show is more like keyboards, sequencers and other studio equipment, than guitars, bass and the like. Come on though, it would be like a band trying to cover themselves if they did that. These guys are studio wiz kids. They're all about constructing and deconstructing pocket symphonies a la Brian Wilson.

However, I must say that My Girls does remind me of Peacebone from their last LP, Strawberry Jam


Animal Collective - Peacebone video via YouTube

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that if you'd like to see Animal Collective in your town, check here. If you want to see them here in Austin you better get on top of the ticket situation 'cause this show is gonna sell out fo' sho' and the tickets went on sale today!

SXSW Hype

MGMT - Kids Live in a parking lot behind Urban Outfitters @ SXSW '08

So, maybe January is a bit early to get my panties in a wad over South by Southwest (SXSW). But you know what? The official band list has been out for a few weeks. So, that means it's the perfect time to let the hype rain down.

Just like the last two years, Austin Bloggy Limits will not be purchasing any sort of badge or wristband to enjoy official showcases. No, loyal reader, for us SXSW is all about the free day party...and after party. So I shall spend the next month or two scouring the internet for the coveted RSVP lists. For now, let's focus on the music shall we?


It's a bit daunting to choose bands to highlight from the enormous list of artists. Party because there are so many to comb through but partly because chances are the highlights are bands I don't know yet. Keeping that in mind, I'm probably just going to highlight some of the names, which are easier to recognize.

Akron/Family
Anti-Pop Consortium
Au Revoir Simone
Balmorhea
The Band of Heathens
Beach House
Andrew Bird
The Black Angels
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Black Lips
BLK JKS(!!)
Buck 65
Cadence Weapon
Margaret Cho (?)
Colour Revolt
Crystal Antlers
The Crystal Method
Cursive
Danny and The Champions of the World
Delta Spirit
Easy Star All-Stars
Explosions in the Sky
Ferraby Lionheart
Tim Finn
Robert Francis
Sage Francis
Gang Gang Dance
The Girls
The Grates
Grizzly Bear (!!!)
Handsome Furs
Ed Harcourt
Ben Harper and Relentless 7
Head Automatica
HEALTH
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness
Japanther
La Snacks
Monotonix
Monte Negro
Motel Motel
Mr. Lif
Moth!Fight!
Peelander - Z
Peter, Bjorn, and John
The Pink Spiders
+/-
Port O'Brien
Primal Scream
Ra Ra Riot
The Raveonettes
The Republic Tigers
Rival Schools
Russian Futurists
Rye Rye (!)
Langehorn Slim
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Starsailor
Stars of Track and Field
St. Vincent
Superdrag
Throw Me the Statue
J. Tillman
Tiny Masters of Today
Viva Voce
Wale
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth
White Ghost Shivers
Year Long Disaster

Like I said, this is certainly not the comprehensive list. And I'm not putting all the damn links because the official list is all linked out. Basically the above list is me combing through the master list and writing names I recognize :-). I'm sure after SXSW I'll have a list of artists I had never heard of that kicked ass! See you in March :-)

Harlem AND {{{Sunset}}}

It looks like two of Austin Bloggy Limits' favorite "local" groups will be sharing a bill Saturday night. You can catch Harlem and {{{Sunset}}} at Club DeVille's inside stage, the show is alleged to start at 9pm. But something tells me it's actually going to start closer to 11pm.

That same night there is a CD release party for Built By Snow. Oh yeah and some guy name KRS One will be next door at the Mohawk the same night. SO I guess it depends, would you rather see a legend in his own time, or future legends ahead of their time?

You can sample 5 versions of the same song by {{{Sunset}}} to experience its evolution or whatever here:

{{{Sunset}}} - Dear Friend (Versions) [62MB zip package]

Harlem - South of France
Harlem - Beautiful and Very Smart

I, along with many others, are calling Harlem out as Austin's next big thing. Even though they are actually from Tucson via Nashville and just moved here this year. But still, I would say 3/4's of all "Austin" bands just moved here...like me :-) Not that I'm a band but you get my point. That song South of France I put above the break is totally indicative of the 2009 sound. Which, I shall refer to as garage-surf.

Garage-Surf is the new 80's as far as indie-rock trends go. Dress accordingly.


Harlem - Think I'm Thinking 'bout video via YouTube


Harlem - Witch Greens video via YouTube

I posted this video awhile back. But it's still worth a view if only so you can here the glorious majesty, that is, Zombies.


{{{Sunset}}} - Zombies video via YouTube

By the way {{{Sunset}}} is sort of the spin-off step-child of, now defunct, band Sound Team.


Sound Team - Your Eyes are Liars video via YouTube