Today's Quick Mention: There are so
many good shows this weekend that I can't recommend
anything. Sorry. On the bright side,
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World hit theaters today
and it's totally worth seeing at least five or six
times. Have fun!
Because I care, I came home after 10 hours of moving
and put together this awesome post.
Enjoy.
:Kelley
Stoltz - I Don't Get That:
I have a very weird relationship with Mr. Stoltz. His
music always impresses (this track is him once again doing
retro pop as good as anyone can), but as soon as he releases
an album I just straight up forget about him. It makes
no sense. I should be following along and anxiously
awaiting a show in Austin or something, but I never reach
that point. Sorry, Kelley. I promise to try
harder when Sub Pop releases To Dreamers on October
12.
:Like
Pioneers - Gift From A Holiday:
It isn't an EP unless one of the songs is at least somewhat
cheesy, so I present to you Like Pioneers and this little
number, which is fairly easy to imagine as the main
attraction in a montage for some teen-based TV show I'd
never watch. Expect it to get lodged in your head like
any good pop rock track would. My friends over at
Abandoned Love Records will release Piecemeal on
August 17.
:No
Age - Glitter:
I don't fall out of my chair with glee whenever these guys
put out something new, so for me to be excited about this
track is actually saying something. Perhaps it's the
lack of ear shattering noise? Maybe the perfect summer
vibe? I don't know. Whatever the reason, I do
love it. The band will release a full length called
Everything In Bloom later this year. This song
will also be available on a 7" on August 24.
:Roman
Ruins - The Comedown:
Graham Hill is a rather busy man. Not only does he
drum for high profile acts like Beach House and Papercuts,
but he also makes really cool-sounding electronic tracks
under the moniker of Roman Ruins. In your face, lazy
people! Gold Robot Records just put this number out as
a 7". You should run out and buy yourself a few
copies.
:Cee-Lo
- No One's Gonna Love You (Band Of Horses Cover):
The only thing you need to know about this song is that it
works solely because of that amazingly soulful voice that
Cee-Lo packs. A bouncy electro-beat? Swirly
effects that leave me only with an image of sparkles?
Yuck. However, throw in the sweet sound of Cee-Lo and
I'm in until the track ends. His new LP Lady Killer
is said to be out in the fall.
Today's Quick Mention: Just a heads up,
I'll be moving out of my apartment over the next couple
of days, so there may not be any content for you to
feast upon. If for some reason you feel like
you won't be able to get by then I advise re-reading
older posts until you pass out.
Finally! After months and months of hearing
about an impending full length from the Pomegranates
(who put out one of my favorite albums last year), a
single/taste/morsel has been released. Check
it out in all of its glory below. One Of Us,
which is the band's third LP, is due out
October 26
on Afternoon Records. Enjoy.
:Pomegranates
- Create Your Own Reality:
To be honest, this is better than what I was expecting.
They more than pulled off the step up on the technical level
that I figured would happen, but they also managed to keep
all of the charm and youthful energy that has always made
them standout (to me, anyway). I hope you're ready for
the Pomegranates to take over your world in October.
You have to
give it up to Austin’s own Monahans. After releasing
the majestic Dim The Aurora (one of my favorite
albums of 2009), the band has continued to churn out
evocative and beautifully atmospheric tunes.
Currently, they're in the middle of Monahans 2010 Recordings, which is a
project to release one free song a month for 10 straight
months (through the end of the year).
The inspiration for the project was a road trip in the Fall
of 2009. The band loaded up their instruments and recording
equipment and headed to an isolated hunting cabin in West
Texas (see video below for clips from the trip). Monohans' songs have always been mood music, evoking
picturesque country roads or rocky landscapes (not
surprising considering they’re named after a desolate area
of West Texas), so the trip out of the city and in to the
country was a good way for them to get their creative juices
stirring. I'd say it worked out well. Below
you'll find my three
favorite tracks from the project so far.
By the way, if you like these songs you should check out
Shady Valley - B-Sides and Demos (1999-2005) by Milton
Mapes, the band from which Monahans was formed. You
can also see them live on September 23 at The Parish with
Film School and TV Torso.
Monahans Recording Footage
Dan Corbin also writes for a blog called DC Rock
Club. If you would like to contact him in
regards to his writings here at Side One: Track One
then please do so
here.
Today's Quick Mention: Sufjan Stevens
is coming to town! More specifically, he'll be
at the Long Center on October 19. The show
isn't currently listed on the venue's
site,
so I'm lost on how pricey it might be. Any
ideas? What's too much for a show from this
guy?
So why did Built To Spill's
Doug Martsch and Brett Nelson take a bunch of the
band's songs and rework them into 80s-esque wonders
under the moniker of The Electronic Anthology
Project? I have absolutely no idea,
but you have to give it up to them for knowing how
to really take advantage of spare time. Grab
the project's self titled EP here.
Enjoy.
:The
Electronic Anthology Project - What If Your Dull (I Would
Hurt A Fly):
It could very well just be me, but I prefer this version.
It's more dramatic and where the original felt sort of like
a simplistic grunge track, the darker and electronic-centric
arrangement here makes for one great headphone-worthy
listen. Now, if we're lucky we'll see if it works live
when Built To Spill plays Stubb's on October 22.
Today's Quick Mention: 4 years!
As of today, that's how long this site has been up
on the interwebs. I've had a lot of fun.
Hopefully you have too. Now, let's get back to
the music.
I'm actually packing up and moving this week (update
your address database, PR people!), so I didn't
really have any time to assemble anything other than
a normal posting of five tracks. Enjoy.
:Makeup
Monsters - Rude Romantique:
This song is kind of all over the place in its presentation
(I hear a little ska/reggae, The Strokes and more), but I
think that's what I like most about it. After all,
most bands do good to just pull off one particular sound.
I have no idea if this duo have an album out now/soon, so
you're on your own when it comes to getting your hands on
something official.
:Eyes
Lips Eyes - Tickle:
I like it when an artist tries a different approach for
releasing their music, so Eyes Lips Eyes' free monthly
single series was an immediate attention grabber for me.
Although, their gloriously upbeat sound and cheesy lyrics
didn't exactly hurt their chances of getting a mention
around here. Do yourself a favor and keep an
eye out for the next release.
:Lissie
- Bad Romance (Lady Gaga Cover):
I didn't have time to dig through the huge amount of content
that the net churned out in response to Lady Gaga's
supposedly awesome set at Lollapalooza, but I did happen
across this simplistic take on one of her monster singles.
I really dig it. Lissie has a new album (this song
isn't on it) titled Catching A Tiger that's due
August 17 on Fat Possum.
:Ducktails
- Hamilton Road:
With just the right amount of haze, a breezy pace and a
somewhat ridiculous amount of charm, I think it's safe to
say that this song is absolutely perfect for the summer.
Also, I believe I'm finally ready to start digging Matthew
Mondanile's work as Ducktails. Woodsist Records will
release Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics at some point
later this year.
:Clean
Equations - Buried Translations:
If you're feeling impatient today then I would recommend
waiting until tomorrow or something to check out this slow
burning piece of melodic pop. Otherwise, grab a good
pair of headphones and get on with trying out this well
crafted beast! Peoples/Variables will be fully
available for your listening pleasure on August 31 via State
Capital Records.
Today's Quick Mention: Get out this
weekend! You can get a little music with Ume
at Emo's tonight and then some comedy with Brian
Posehn and Matt Bearden at Red 7 tomorrow.
Both shows are free if you can make it past the door
guy without paying.
Sorry this is going up at such a wacky hour, I had
to work an event last night and I just didn't have
enough time assemble it. But it's here now!
Don't judge me.
Enjoy.
:The
Black Angels - No Satisfaction (Black Mountain Cover):
I know I just mentioned these locals on Monday, but since
then they've released this cover and announced a full
co-headlining tour with Black Mountain. The original
version of this has a sort of campfire feel to it, so this
bombastic take is pretty interesting. As I mentioned
earlier in the week, both bands play La Zona Rosa on
November 19.
:The
Drums - Down By The Water:
This is an awesome song. Before it came along I "got"
why seemingly everyone was on The Drums bandwagon, I
just didn't really feel as though it was my thing. But now?
Well, I'm open to more and I'm definitely anxious to hear this gem
live when the band plays ND on September 25. Anyone
feeling friendly enough to send over their currently
available self titled debut?
:Swimsuit
- Evaporation:
This little pop number was found while I was doing some
browsing over at the always reliable
Skatterbrain. According to the site
the band only just formed this year, but I doubt I ever
would have guessed that since they seem to have a fairly
tight sound. Damn talented bastards! Anyhow, as
of now there's only an EP of demos, so you'll have to join
me in waiting for something more official.
:Lauryn
Hill - Repercussions:
And just like that, Lauryn Hill has returned. Or has
she? No one really seems to know. And, oddly
enough, I'm not sure they care either. It's as though
the world instantly forgot about her ten-year absence as
soon as they heard that beautiful and entrancing voice of
hers. Can't say I blame them, really, but a solid
answer or two would make this an even better song. On
another note, will someone let me know if this is for sure
the whole thing? It sounds clipped at the end.
:Super
Wild Horses - Golden Town:
First of all, I would just like to thank this band for going
with something snazzy like Super Wild Horses and not
anything lame like Horrses. The recent process of
adding an extra letter to something is stupid (I'm looking
at you Wavves, Suuns and Busses). Secondly, this is an
awesomely noisy track, and I want more. Fifteen
is due out August 24 on HoZac.
Today's Quick Mention: Pitchfork has
reported that Casiotone For The Painfully Alone has
decided to call it quits. Bummer! The
guy (Owen Ashworth) has put out some great stuff, so
he'll certainly be missed. Luckily his final
tour has a stop in Austin. Emo's on September
27. Be there.
I knew Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor were planning to
set aside their solo projects and get back together
to tour as Azure Ray, but it wasn't until today that
I found out the duo had also readied a new album.
Awesome. Drawing Down The Moon is what
the LP is titled, and it will be released by Saddle
Creek on September 14. Enjoy.
:Azure
Ray - Don't Leave My Mind:
Warmth. It's what Orenda and Maria had going for them
all those years ago, and it's what makes this song shine.
Although, this having such an old school Azure Ray sound
makes me wonder if all of the new full length is the usual
stuff we hear from them when they're together, or if it has
some of the large variety of sounds that their respective
solo projects churned out. Guess we'll see.
Despite the
name, this artist isn’t a dwarfish denizen of denim ...
happily. All things considered, this mister isn’t even
a mister. So what then are you left with? When
you consider all the things you have to dig through to
answer that question - oh so catchy hooks, bassline beats,
and the prettiest voice you’ll hear today - you kinda wish
you could do a little more digging. At the end of it
all though, Mr. Little Jeans is just as much of a mystery to
me as she is to you. Even my greatest efforts of
Googling research have offered only trifle amounts of
information. This I can share: It’s a woman.
She’s Norwegian. She’s fantastic.
The simple fact is I’m a sucker for lady singers, and this
Scandinavian songstress is no exception. With a vocal
resonation and clean styling that sounds like the effortless
amalgamation of other female powerhouses like Lykke Li and
Karen O., Mr. Little Jeans is yet another addition to acts
with female-led stylings. With a swirling richness of
sound that’s lighthearted, fresh and buoyant, here’s to
hoping Mr. Little Jeans has the makings of a sound that’ll
help to keep your summer well alive as we press into the
month of August.
:Mr.
Little Jeans - Rescue Song:
(REMOVED BY REQUEST)
When he’s not sleeping or being lazy, Brad writes
and creates for Both Sides of the Mouth. If
you’d like to reach him regarding his writings here
on Side One: Track One, feel free to contact him
here.
Today's Quick Mention: Because I
complained (probably), Black Mountain have announced
a tour that includes a stop here in Austin. Buy
tickets early! The show will be at La Zona
Rosa on November 19 and will feature The Black
Angels as the co-headliner.
Oh man. I saw "Corin Tucker" stamped next to a
downloadable track last night and I couldn't think
about anything else. Why? Because no one
wails like the former Sleater-Kinney frontwoman does
and anything new from her is like a gift from Zeus.
1,000 Drops is the name of the solo debut and
Kill Rock Stars will put it out October 5.
Enjoy.
:The
Corin Tucker Band - Doubt:
With one super quick pace and a runtime that clocks in at
just over three minutes, you can definitely say there isn't
a whole lot to this little rollicking number.
Fortunately though, that doesn't necessarily matter since
Corin, as I alluded to above, has the kind of voice of that
takes what should be an average tune and turns it into an
absolute gem. I can't wait to hear more.
Today's Quick Mention: If you're
feeling extra nerdy and happen to have some spare
time you should check out the "behind the scenes"
pictures
that Ain't It Cool has been posting up over the last
few weeks. Most of them are really stellar and
will probably blow your mind.
Here's five songs to get your week started right.
Enjoy.
:The
Rosebuds - Secret Life Of The Rosebuds:
I don't think I've ever even heard of the Hopscotch Music
Festival, but it's coming up in mid-September and to help
generate some buzz The Rosebuds have put out a couple of
unreleased tracks (the other is a weird cover of Stayin'
Alive). Be warned, this bouncy pop gem may just
convince you to head out to Raleigh, North Carolina for the
chance to ask the duo when they'll ready a new LP.
:Sean
Bones - Let's Do Something Else:
I really like Sean Bones. Maybe not in a "talk about
him all the time" kind of way, but whenever I see his name
on something I feel as though I'm in for, as this gem
showcases, at least three minutes of interesting material.
If you'd like to own this track you can find it as the
b-side on the currently available Rhumba Beat single.
Also, I believe a full length is expected on Frenchkiss
later this year.
:The
Black Angels - Telephone:
To be honest, I don't exactly know what to think about this
song. I mean, I like it and I'm still appreciative of
the fact that the band has clearly aimed for a more
accessible sound, but them doing two minutes of garage pop
rock is a bit bizarre. Your guess is as good as mine
in regards to what can be expected from the upcoming
Phosphene Dream. It's out September 14 on Blue
Horizon Records.
:Suuns
- Arena:
Want to get signed to Secretly Canadian? Then it would
seem you need two things. An expansive take on indie
rock and a note from The Besnard Lake's Jace Lasek that
describes said sound as "pretty cool." The band's
Zeroes EP is currently available for you to download for
the whopping price of nothing. Do it
now. On a side note, did they really
have to go with Suuns? There has to be a better way to
pull a name off than by throwing in an extra letter.
:Paper
Tiger - The Bully Prank:
Where have I been on this artist? This is a great,
more than headphone-worthy track and he's done a variety of
brilliant things for the Doomtree collective. I really
should have mentioned him at least twice by now.
Bummer. Help me make up for it by running out and
picking up Made Like Us, which is currently available
on Doomtree Records.
- John Laird -
Unless
otherwise expressly stated, all text in this blog and any
related pages, including the blog's archives, is licensed by
John Laird under a
Creative Commons License.
