Hi there music
fans. I’m very excited to be part of the Side One:
Track One staff. Not a whole lot to know about me
other than I moved here from DC a few years back, and I'm a
huge music dork. Actually, a more accurate description
is probably just "dork" but that’s beside the point.
Be sure to look for ramblings about my favorite Austin bands
and events every couple of weeks!
But, before I start sharing my opinions on today's best
music (and because you know you want one more 2009 list),
let’s start with a look back to what Austin churned out last
year.
Thanks for reading!
Dan's Top 5 Austin Releases Of 2009
5) Willie And
The Wheel by Willie Nelson and Asleep At The Wheel
What? I can’t show a little love for Willie? I’m
no country music fan but watching him
perform at Waterloo Records was
easily one of my highlights of 2009. And I’m not
talking about my musical highlights. I'm saying it was
one of the best things that happened to me all year.
Granted 2009 was kind of a shitty year for me (and just
about everyone else who enjoys getting a paycheck) but
anytime you watch an American treasure play in front of 100
people, well that’s something you remember. Oh, and
the album is actually quite good. Give it listen next
time you’re hankering for some Western Swing music (i.e.
probably never).
:Willie
Nelson And Asleep At The Wheel - Hesitation Blues:
4) Dim
The Aurora by Monahans
A beautiful, subtle, and understated album that strikes just
the right tone. The band might be described as
alt-country, but they display excellent pop-sensibilities
and strong songwriting on tunes such as It’s Enough to
Leave You and I Run To You. The early REM
vibe on the latter is top notch. Add in the fact they
have one of the best drummers around and it’s no wonder I
love this album.
:Monahans
- I Run To You:
3) The
Strange Boys by The Strange Boys
As you will learn from my posts in the coming weeks and
months, I love me some garage rock. I can’t get
enough, which is why I took an instant shining to The
Strange Boys. Their style of garage rock is sometimes
rowdy, sometimes bluesy, but always raw and a bit messy.
All plusses in my book. I also dig Ryan Sambol’s
wavering and almost drunken vocal delivery. I have yet
to see these guys perform live but it ranks very high on my
2010 To Do List.
:The
Strange Boys - This Girl Taught Me A Dance:
2) Phosphorescent
Blues by Brazos
I first saw Brazos' lead singer, Martin Crane, perform solo
late one night at the Mohawk’s inside stage. I
remember listening for two minutes and dismissing it as
standard wuss rock. Then I saw the full band open for
Wye Oak and I was blown away. Instead of being wimpy,
I discovered the songs were restrained, refined, and even a
little hypnotic. The sparse arrangements and minimal
instrumentation convey a peaceful feeling and allow Crane’s
effortlessly beautiful vocals to take center stage.
Couple all this with impressive lyrics and catchy melodies
and you can see why it’s one of my favorite albums of the
year. If you haven’t done so, pick up a copy. It
appeals to music lovers of all ilks.
1) Fits by
White Denim
For those that know me this come as no shock. My man
crush on this entire band is well documented (and properly
mocked). The main appeal of the band is their frenetic
and breathless live shows. However, their talent in
the recording studio is equally striking and Fits is
their best work yet. It’s noisy, jittery, blistering,
weird, and unpredictable. Everything about this band
excites me and I can’t wait to see what they do in 2010.
:White
Denim - Radio Milk, How Can You Stand It:
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.
- Dan Corbin -
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.
