Austin Music Vol. 10 Release Party and GIVEAWAY!

It’s been said here before, and I can’t overemphasize it — Austin’s local music scene is rife with awesomeness. Hit any venue on any night of the week, and you’re bound to stumble upon your new favorite folk-country-pop-rock-metal-experimental-soul band. In fact, the overwhelming talent in this town can leave you wondering how to even begin breaking into it. Luckily, the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau is ready to direct you.

For the past nine years, ACVB has put together compilations of the best Austin talent they could find. Musicians as diverse as Reckless Kelly, White Denim, Okkervil River, Del Castillo and Kat Edmonson have graced the laser discs of years past, and in their tenth year, ACVB has outdone themselves. Austin Music Vol. 10 (cleverly laid out in album artwork as “AUS.10”) features a broad variety of musical acts breaking out in big ways. Some AWM favorites on this compilation include the funky guitar riff gods the Bright Light Social Hour, sultry folk singer Sahara Smith, performance artist-slash-singer/songwriter Danny Malone and local rock heroes TV Torso. There are also new favorites to be found, like the oh-so-Texas Marshall Ford Swing Band, the gentle folk-pop of Bill Callahan and the bluesy swagger of T-Bird and the Breaks.

This fabulous compilation is celebrating its official release tonight at the Parish. Everything kicks off at 7 p.m., and a staggering 10 bands will perform. Gina Chavez, Mother Falcon, TV Torso, Betty Soo, the Marshall Ford Wing Band, Danny Malone, the Trishas, Ocote Soul Sounds, Tee Double and the Bright Light Social Hour are all on deck — do I really need to explain how awesome this lineup is? Incredible live performers all. Plus, you can pick up your very own copy of the compilation. This year, for the first time ever, the compilation is also being released on beautiful, beautiful vinyl, which comes with an extended Austin music guide.

Low on cash? Been there, friend. Lucky for you, ACVB is giving us ONE vinyl copy of the compilation, and it could be yours. Just leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address (example: caitlin AT austinwritesmusic DOT com; type it out this way to avoid the spambots!) and we’ll randomly select a commenter to win. Contest ends Friday, 2/25/11. Good luck, and see you at the Parish!

SXSW 2011 is coming!

The South by Southwest Music Conference is fast approaching, and with it comes a whiplash-inducing amount of music industry visitors and fans from every corner of the world. The conference is actually broken up into three parts — first, there’s an interactive festival that features the brightest minds in social media, web journalism, widgets and buzz-creating. Then there’s a film festival, where some of the biggest critical darlings premiere and bring with them Hollywood’s finest. Finally, and most excitingly for me, there is a four-day music festival that has grown from a conference-oriented event to break bands, to a blurred line of parties and official panels for rep labels and passionate fans alike, and bands who formed just a few months ago to those who have been filling stadiums for years. It’s a hodge-podge, and it can be incredibly overwhelming if it’s your first time attending the conference. This is just a short preview to get your feet wet; we’ll run a follow-up with band recommendations and more extensive tips and tricks as the festival gets closer.

The SXSW Music Conference runs from March 16 to March 19 this year, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit how excited I was that the kickoff lands dead on my birthday. The conference has always landed on my birthday week, and I’ve attended every one since 2006. There are three ways you can attend the conference, and they all have benefits and drawbacks. First, there is the option to pony up for a badge. At this point, Music badges will run you $750. That’s a pretty penny, but if you can dish it out, the badge unquestionably gets you the most access during the conference. I’ve been lucky enough to get badges through press outlets or generous birthday gifts every year, and it’s been wonderful. The Music badge has allowed me to listen to Neil Young and Pete Townshend rap on life and music, got me into a packed Stubb’s to listen to the then-brand new Hazards of Love front-to-back by the Decemberists, and to talk to Teitur and almost get him to sing me a song on my birthday (he forgot, but I never will — you owe me “Amanda’s Dream,” good sir!) I got to network at panels with really cool music folks, and wander around to any party my wild heart directed me to (once I was of age, anyhow).

That said, if you can’t afford a Music badge, don’t despair! You can purchase a Music wristband for $165. There were still some available at press time, but they’ll likely go fast. When you’re in line at most events during SXSW, the badge holders are let into venues first, and then wristband holders head in behind them. There are some badge-only events, but in the past, wristbands could get you into most shows.

After badge and wristband holders are let into venues, the general public is allowed to buy tickets to specific shows until the venue capacity is reached. This is not a surefire way to get into a show, because there are usually a LOT of badge and wristband holders — especially for shows with bigger headliners. Still, if you’re in Austin during SXSW and don’t have a badge or wristband, you can still see tons of music for free. Many parties are free and open to the public with an RSVP; your best bet for tracking these down would be SXSW Baby! and Showlist Austin.

You can also volunteer to work SXSW and attend shows that way. I’ve never done this, but I’ve heard great things from friends; it’s an excellent way to get better access in exchange for your time, doing fun work at events. You can find more information about that here.

Once you decide how you’re going to do SXSW, the next big question is — who will you see out of the thousands of bands rushing to pay stages in Austin? We’ll have a more extensive breakdown of our recommendations later, but I’ve found in my previous years that if you know you love a particular artist on a lineup, you should invest a little time and check out the other bands playing that lineup, because they can be great new discoveries for you; that’s exactly how I first saw Janelle Monae. In terms of the big names hitting SXSW, the most exciting confirmed giants will be Bright Eyes, making their only currently listed Texas appearance on their The People’s Key tour. Not only are they performing, but they’re playing Auditorium Shores, which is a free outdoor performance that anyone can attend. The entire lineup for their Saturday performance is stellar — there’s the experimental-pop ensemble Man Man, indie collaboration Middle Brother (featuring players from Deer Tick, Dawes and Delta Spirit) and folky New Yorkers the Felice Brothers. In addition to this fantastic set, rumors abound for other big-named secret appearances by bands like the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and (be still, my heart) Radiohead. Queens were reported as being confirmed by the Austin Music Source, but the rest are still just rumors.

Another great free option for folks is the Fader Fort. A major selling point for this event, for those interested in this sort of thing, is an open bar. Musically, the Fader Fort is really impressive, too — I attended for my first time last year for a short 2-hour block, and got to see Neon Indian and Local Natives, some of the hottest up-and-comers at the festival. For all of you trend-chasers, the Fader Fort is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of the next big thing. Plus, it’s just a fun layout, and totally free with RSVP. Just make sure you plan ahead, ‘cause it can get super crowded by the time big secret headliners (like 2009’s appearance by Kanye West) hit the stage.

There you have it — a crash course in some of the most general bits and pieces to wrap your head around pre-festival. Look out for a more in-depth guide to the bands, and most importantly, as with any festival, remember your number one goal should be to enjoy yourself.

Robyn hangs with us at the Moody Theater, 2/17/11

Robyn is a unique artist — she’s had two big breakouts, each in its own decade. Back in 1997, she hit it big with “Show Me Love” and “Do You Know (What It Takes)” at the age of 18. For a lot of folks my age, Nickelodeon’s All That was our introduction to this Swedish pop princess — she performed “Show Me Love” on the Saturday Night Live-for-kids program, and blew up stateside.

Flash forward to 2010. Three albums and innumerable high-profile collaborations and major tours later, and Robyn was ready to remind us she’d “always be around.” She released 3 albums back to back, Body Talk Pt. 1, Body Talk Pt. 2 and Body Talk Pt. 3. The first in the series included “Dancing On My Own,” which took over the airwaves worldwide. Understandably so — the tune is irresistible, with heavy electronic beats that hit at all the right moments, and a universal heartsick anthem easy to get behind.

Bringing all of her sexy swagger and adorable cheekiness along with her, Robyn dominated the new Moody Theater stage in Austin. Her music is infectious on record, but it is transformed live in such a way that it demands your attention. All credit goes to Robyn for this; she’s an all-eyes-on-me performer, impossible to ignore for even a second. The stage setup was fun, with glow-in-the-dark pinwheels, two raised drum sets adorned with Robyn’s cartoon bird, and plenty of stage for the tiny chanteuse to get her dance on. Kudos belong to the Austin City Limits crew for the venue itself; with three levels and gorgeous sound engineering, it still felt like an intimate environment, despite fitting in myriad more bodies than Studio 6A.

Robyn’s talented backing band entered the scene first, dressed in matching white jumpsuits, as robotic voices and sirens of varying tenors bounced around the room. Robyn finally appeared to adoring applause, and jumped straight into “Fembot.” This choice reminded me of Janelle Monae at South by Southwest 2009 busting onto the Stubb’s stage to a narrator describing a post-apocalyptic high-speed chase — perhaps this shared interest in the futuristic could lead to a collaboration? The follow-up, “Cobrastyle,” even sounds like it could fit comfortably on a Monae record. Dream-tour yearnings aside, these two tunes totally energized the crowd, and Robyn officially had us all wrapped around her little finger.

She brought out the big guns early on; as the strobes matched the manic electronic beat of “Dancing On My Own,” the crowd got nutty. Robyn’s dance moves to this song are basically a routine at this point, but she still makes it seem fresh and fluid. This was by far the biggest singalong of the night, and it made me realize how talented a pop performer Robyn really is. She’s managed to take the most exciting parts of 90s pop, and blend them seamlessly with something more wicked and sharply electronic. Robyn herself is a breath of fresh air; her music and attitude are full of hope, even when she’s singing about heartbreak and loss.

I was one of the fans in the audience attending on the strength of nostalgia and “Dancing On My Own,” so I was thrilled when the rest of the concert lived up to my wanna-dance expectations. Personal favorites included the biting witticism and sinister rhythms of “Don’t F*cking Tell Me What to Do,” the go-get-’em anthem “Indestructible,” the rocking Abba-esque “other woman” plea, “Call Your Girlfriend,” and “Stars 4-Eva,” for which Robyn utilized us as her backing chorus. The first encore included the bangin’ slow-burner “Dancehall Queen” and the precious “Hang With Me,” which included some arm-waving and possibly a cell-phone-in-the-air or two. Perhaps my favorite encore set, though, was the one-two punch of “U Should Know Better” and “Konichiwa Bitches” that came in the second grouping. Each one has some spit ‘n’ brawl in it, and it felt excitingly in-your-face live and back to back.

Robyn ended the night acoustically, and with the perfect kiss-off:  to a crowd as excited as those I’ve been in for Hanson concerts (don’t judge), she sang a stripped version of “Show Me Love.” When it ended, we fulfilled her wish, applauding and hollering for our Swedish queen of pop. Perhaps she’s not yet the stadium-filler that certain stateside pop performers are, but if anyone can safely be called an innovative force in the music world, it’s Robyn. She hasn’t become a human Barbie doll, or shaved her head, or worn a meat dress, but she’s pushing musical boundaries with a sincerity that makes her easy to root for. If she still feels she’s dancing on her own, it’s because she’s ahead of the pack.

Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

I’d always wondered if Conor Oberst considered his found sounds to be part of his songs. He and his Bright Eyes crew have been involving phone conversations, practice reading sessions, street noises and storytellers on their records since their sophomore breakthrough Fevers & Mirrors, and their newest record, The People’s Key, is no different. It opens up with an interview clip featuring El Pasoan Denny Brewer explaining his views on the origins of the universe, describing reptilian people and parallel visions of good versus evil. Oberst previewed the entire album on YouTube, posting an intimate (and very low-key) video of a listening party, where he, Bright Eyes bandmate Nate Walcott and other Saddle Creek friends sit around with the adorable and tail-wagging pup Shatzi and run the entire album from start to finish. Each song is bookmarked by its title, a graphic that slides into and out of view at its start. “Firewall,” the opening track, doesn’t get its label until after Brewer’s voice fades out a la Wayne’s World dream sequences, insinuating that Oberst views it as a prologue to the album — a mindset to place yourself in, or perhaps a narrator who guides us along this sonic journey, popping in to remind us about the overarching themes and the progress of a thought.

Sitting in the dark with no distractions, “Firewall” overwhelmed me immediately on first listen. The guitar creeps in, dark and menacing, and Oberst’s vocals match the mood. The song builds slowly, adding quiet percussion, then a bass line as the lyrics become a little more frustrated. It’s a song that sounds like it comes from the same place as 2005’s Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, but with Bright Eyes’ last release, Cassadaga’s sweeping vision. This is a song that bowls you over.

“Shell Games” was the first single released by the band, and it’s an anthem. It brings the energy of the album up, with tons of synth and even more classic Oberst lyrics: “Distorted sounds on oscilloscopes/Distorted facts, I could never cope/My private life is an inside joke/No one will explain it to me.” “Jejune Stars” swirls in frustration, as Oberst deconstructs the phenomenon of becoming immobilized by fears about the unknown. Punk-rock drums pound out like a machine gun, as if someone were trying to punch their way through a plastic cage.
The only song Oberst didn’t write by himself is “Approximate Sunlight,” which Walcott had a hand in. It’s one of the slowest tracks on the album, and it is arresting as Oberst laments, “It’s been said we’re post-everything.” One of the most bone-chilling features of a Bright Eyes song is the way Oberst will break the fourth wall, addressing listeners with a dead-ahead stare; you can feel it when he sings, “The crowd was small and mostly blind/But kind — you’re too kind,” with a sneer. Whining steel pedal and dark synth landscapes open up near the end of the song, offering just a little relief from an otherwise grim tune.

“Haile Selassie” was the second song released, and it ups the anthemic ante. The drums and gritty guitar push at the edges of the rhythm, driving it eagerly forward as Oberst insists, “You’ve got a soul/Use it.” This song delves deepest into Rastafarianism, but its themes are still universal enough to relate to. “A Machine Spiritual (In the People’s Key)” is practically jolly; there’s an upbeat clap-along, and the chords and melody are bright. The lyrical content is filled with odd imagery, from kid-Hitler to columns of purple light, which are literally visualized in the album artwork. The song breaks apart into eerie fragments at the end, and Brewer insists, “If you’re hearing it, it’s cosmic. You’re supposed to be hearing it.”

I was raised Catholic, so “Triple Spiral” especially hits a nostalgic nerve for me. Anyone who has ever studied, questioned or struggled with religion will find something to relate to. Musically, it’s a catchy pop-rock tune. Lyrically, it bemoans, “I loved you, triple spiral/Father, son, and ghost/But you left me in my darkest hour, when I needed you — when I needed you/Now that the dream is over, I want it to be known/I never saw it coming, from my little human prism/How sad it is to know I’m in control.” Oberst was also raised Catholic, but has said in interviews that he doesn’t subscribe to any religion anymore. Instead, he is fascinated by the true believers, and this is a powerful song deconstructing all of that.

“Triple Spiral” flows readily into “Beginner’s Mind;” in fact, the songs sound so similar, I almost thought it was one long two-parter when I first listened to the record. Of the two, “Beginner’s Mind” is the weaker; there’s less of a memorable melody or lyrical gut-punch. However, the content of the song is moving — it’s Oberst’s letter to his younger self, pleading with that inner child to hold on to optimism and innocence.

Perhaps the most striking song on The People’s Key is the devastating “Ladder Song.” It is the slowest and most simple track — for a majority of the song, it’s just Oberst and a piano, which allows the lyrics to echo out, haunting and full of melancholy. Bright Eyes lyrics seem to be the defining feature of the band, and “Ladder Song” plays into that, as one of the most straightforward and personal songs on the record. There are so many tear-jerking recognitions here, like, “You’re not alone in anything/You’re not unique in dying.”
Luckily, Oberst decided to spare us from ending on a completely downtrodden note — instead, we get a spoonful of hope taken with a glass of reality in “One for You, One for Me.” Like opener “Firewall,” “One for You, One for Me” also feels like it could have fit comfortably on Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. It’s sweet and beautiful, and couches the world in a universal one-ness, proclaiming, “You and me, you and me — that is an awful lie/It’s I and I.” Our trusty narrator, Brewer, returns to finish what he started. Instead of feeling menacing, though, the mood has lifted and become peaceful as Brewer explains that understanding universal one-ness will lead to bliss. The album ends on the word “mercy,” a perfect takeaway message and a brilliant way to end an album.

Though Bright Eyes have traveled far from the ueber-personal storytelling of their first few albums, the themes on The People’s Key are as relatable as ever. In fact, because Oberst and crew are painting in broader brushstrokes, it ends up being even more universal. There is hope and peace in this album that didn’t exist as deeply on any other Bright Eyes record, and it is heartening to hear that kind of growth. There are huge themes tackled on this record — origin, religion, purpose and humanity are all examined in striking images and fittingly complex musical landscapes. Dig in.