Sunday, March 1, 2009

South by South West is almost upon us once again, so next-next week I’ll be mentioning a few local bands worth checking out if you happen to be around Austin for the festivities.  As for me, I’ll be out of the country for the whole week, so you all will have to see enough music for the both of us.  I will be in Tokyo though, so I’ll see what I can do about the Tokyo music scene, although I’m not sure how you say "Can you please point me in the direction of good local music" in Japanese.  Anyone?

Anyway, here we go:

Diagonals - Valley Of The Cyclops

Diagonals are what I wish came to mind when I think "Rock Music."  Lately, rock music seems to mean completely over-the-top distorted power chords dominating the mix and a guy who sounds like a donkey singing unintelligible lyrics about who-could-care-less (okay, maybe I haven’t listened to mainstream rock since Creed was popular). Diagonals are everything that description is not: single-coil donned guitars (i.e. sounds like early REM), technically proficient drumming and Steve Garcia’s deep, full vocals put the rock in Diagonals’ music, bringing elements of blues back to a genre that, at least in very generic terms, seems to have forgotten its roots.  This song, Suitcase Packed, is just one of the gems you’ll find on their new album Valley of the Cyclops, which was just released this month.  This one comes highly recommended.

:Diagonals - Suitcase Packed:

Rook

The last time I heard "Rook" was of course in reference to the excellent Shearwater album that I’ve heard almost as many times live as I have in my car now.  But while that album was sweet and melancholy, "Rook" means something else entirely to these relative newcomers playing under the same name (not that they stole it or anything).  No, Rook the band sounds entirely different, and to be quite honest I wasn’t entirely convinced I liked it at first.  Caustic noises and sharp pangs drive this track, a clip from their new EP, and those aren’t noises I particularly look for in my music.  But I was immediately reminded of the first time I heard Modest Mouse, when I was still up-n-coming in the world of good music tastes.  Like old Modest Mouse (and especially like certain tracks on Good News), Rook compound already melancholy sounds (like slow strings, for example) with those sharp pangs I mentioned to create a sound that is once inviting and seemingly haunted.  Their press pictures (see below) seem ironically fitting then, as I believe they’re taken in the infamous Cathedral of Junk. They’ll be playing a host of shows during the next month, including a release show on the 5th, so be sure to drop by.

:Rook - Kickin On:

Honorable Mentions:

(I’m trying out a new section this week called Honorable Mentions.  It’s videos, shows, bands I like, and any non-CD release that doesn’t warrant a full write-up.  Also, it costs less to bribe your way into Honorable Mentions than it does for full write-ups - even I’m not immune to the financial crisis.)

Shapes Have Fangs are Exceptionally Good

I did an interview with Shapes Have Fangs this past week, and got a hold of their new 7” split with Cavedweller. Let’s just say, it’s the best thing I’ve thrown down on the turntable in a while. Instead of trying to emulate bands like The Kinks or The Zombies (as so many "revivalists" do), they took the themes of those bands to heart, set up a all-analog house studio, and recorded songs that feel like good, 60’s music that you never quite heard, instead of just making you feel like going and listening to the real thing.  Mark my word, the full-length coming from these guys later in the year is going to be solid gold.  They’re also playing with Sky Saxon of the Seeds at Psych Fest II come SXSW week, check them out.

Black and White Years Make A Video

Black and White Years made a cool new video with director Carlos La Rotta for their new song Zeroes And Ones.  The band have been on hiatus for some time, but they’ll be back in action this SXSW season.  Celebrate their return by clicking play below.

Do512 Makes SXSW Fun Again

Normally I don’t do any kind of non-music mentions here, but I wanted to quickly turn everyone’s attention to Do512, a local Austin website you may have heard of that help you get your event schedule in order here in the 512.  They’ve set up a special SXSW section of their website that helps you figure out where all the shows (and free music and free beer) are going to be all week long.  The best part, it’s accessible from your mobile phone. SXSW usually means endless maps and huge lists of bands I want to see, but no longer. It’s just one more thing making me wish I stuck around for SXSW this year.  Check it out here.

- John Michael Cassetta -



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