So sings the poetic voice of Dave Baxter, the man behind Avalanche City, a delightful indie rock group out of New Zealand. They are a group who’s music moved in and took up residence in my heart with the very first listen. As the fates would have it, a mere week after happening upon them accidentally, they came through Austin as part of their first and very brief US tour. They were magical. Their album, Up From Below is a beautiful arc of emotion...keep reading...
Dawes Makes The Days Of Utopia Fest Move EasyThere is a place called Utopia, TX and not too long ago it was descended upon by artists and music lovers to create an oasis as close to music perfection as one might find. It was away from the reaches of wireless and 3G (because apparently you can't have your Utopia and Google it too) and nestled among the hills where I often expected to glance up and see John Wayne riding by, waving his hat and proclaiming that he's not bad for a one-eyed fat man. It was quiet in the noises of life, rich in the soundtrack of musicians delighted to play beneath the Texas sky to a crowd so delighted to listen and dance. The clear musical highlight of the festival was Dawes, ...Keep Reading...
The Wheeler Brothers are a budding group out of Austin, TX, green in so many of the ways that a new band can be, feeling their way around the world of touring and working to grow their name. Yet, what they lack in establishment and a long list of LP’s, they make up for in an incredible sense of confidence and maturity in their debut album and performances that will get even the most skeptical dancing. I have spent a great deal of time sitting in front of my computer trying to decipher exactly what it is that has allowed The Wheeler Brothers to capture such a large part of my heart. Their album, Portraits, ...Keep Reading...
The Bright Light Social Hour: Building a Band, Bare Hands, Bare Feet Keyboard beaks the silence with its dancing melody. Steady rhythm beats out on bass and drums. Crisp wails on guitar join to round it out and the boys of The Bright Light Social Hour are bursting with energy. Notes fill the air. They are playing Shanty, the first song off their self-titled debut album and the start to every show, “Gotta keep moving, broke down and in ruin, now tell me what are we gonna do?”...Keep Reading...
They are the sound of nights under the stars, simple instrumentals and beautiful harmonies. Their melodies are catchy, often haunting, the kind of music that lingers in the air long after the instruments have been put away. Among the six members of Cowboy and Indian, influences as diverse as Townes Van Zandt, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone and Disney music are cited. Perhaps it’s this diversity that makes them so wonderful. ...Keep Reading...
Standing on the Utopia Fest stage, face buried behind his harmonica, Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper reminded me of the old Bob Dylan vinyl covers that used to litter my father's den. His sound isn't all that different either. It was easy to listen and imagine that I had stepped back in time. Perhaps this is what Dylan always wished his voice had sounded like. Hailing from Portland, OR, Blitzen Trapper rocked the Utopia Fest stage with hints of folk, southern rock and all kinds of awesome. With cigarettes dangling from their lips, Earley was backed by well worked vocal harmonies...Keep Reading...
Great post.thanks for sharing.regards and have a good one!
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