Sunday, June 7, 2009

This week we have the second offerings from two excellent Austin bands, one an up-and-coming master of pop and jazz, the other a group of diligent songwriters who make the meaninglessness of the moniker "indie rock" all the more apparent.  Check it out!

Kat Edmonson - Take To The Sky

Kat Edmonson made waves last year with her socially-rousing single Be The Change, which overnight grew into a YouTube sensation (I’ll never get used to that word) and a local best seller.  The song, like the Ghandi quote from which its name is derived, encouraged the same kind of grassroots activism that has become such an integral part of modern society.  But while standing in the middle of Lamar holding a cardboard sign may have given Edmonson a quick push into the online limelight, her new album Take To The Sky has been scoring successes on different terms: as a musically rousing jazz album. 

Beginning with a cover of Summertime that’s so seductive even dead old George likely has chills running up his spine, Take To The Sky chalks up song after song of masterful reworking of old classics, and unlikely additions, such as a cover of the Cardigan’s Lovefool that dodges what could have easily been an awkward novelty sound and instead settles into a soft bed of brassy long-tones and a lounge groove to top off the choruses.  The originals are enjoyable, but don’t quite harness the power of Edmonson arranging abilities.  Nonetheless the potential is quite visible, and a barrage of live dates hopefully signal a busy career in its beginnings.  A final confirmation of that potential comes from the New York Times, which described her as "a promising young jazz singer with a kittenish voice and an amiably relaxed style."  Do yourself a favor and head down to the Elephant Room next Saturday and see for yourself.

:Kat Edmondson - Summertime:

The Southern Sea - Theoretically Yes. Honestly No.

In a veritable sea of indie-rock bands vying for a table scraps from online press with gimmicky nonsense that’s as short-lived as a blog post, it can be difficult to produce material that takes advantage of modern music but remains true to the craft of songwriting.  And to gain attention for that hard work can be near impossible. Nonetheless, bands like Southern Sea, whose debut album (the follow-up to an EP) is the work of years of intense writing, recording and producing, push forward with smart genuine tunes that buck the trend of pop music towards fleeting bullshit. 

Much like Austin’s Lovely Sparrows, The Southern Sea use a breathtaking variety of instruments and styles to create dense crafty songs that truly deserve the label of "Fine Art," both for its immediate likeability and the obvious commitment to practiced songwriting that conceived these songs in the first place.  Like a good novel, each song allows its roots to naturally sprawl into lifelike backdrops but recoils into tight climactic melodies before things begin to fall apart.  Lyrical themes capture both natural and domestic (and on-stage) anxiety, at times as expertly as the musical arrangements but sometimes appear too prosy than the band’s artistic style warrants. Ultimately, it’s difficult to definitively describe what the band have managed to create without either analyzing the parts, or grouping it into the tiresome "indie" genre, so I would implore you to click play below and draw your own conclusions.

:The Southern Sea - Quarks Passing Through A Hypochondriac:
 

- John Michael Cassetta -



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