Reviews

Top 10 Moments of Austin City Limits Weekend Two

10. The Calvin Harris set in its entirety. It was as if the audience almost shook the ground during the set. Mixing a variety of songs, such as “I Don’t Care” by Icona Pop, Harris seemed virtually unstoppable and looked as though he was on top of the world. Many fans had been at the festival since 9, or even earlier, in the morning waiting for Harris, thus making the experience all the worthwhile.

9. When Davy Havoc from AFI crowdsurfed. He went into the crowd various occasions while singing. However, this time, he climbed over the front few rows and balanced himself amongst audience members  to finish off one of the songs. Many fans were glad he had stepped over, and on, them, receiving bragging rights for the rest of their lives.

8. The absolute raw energy during Spoon’s set. The Austin natives seem to have an unwavering attitude to them that keeps crowds coming performance after performance. Their set during this festival was no exception. There is absolutely no beating watching Spoon play as the sun begins to set in the background.

7. Temples’ style and performance. The way the band dresses and sound makes their listeners and audience time travel back to the 1970’s. With that sort of early Led Zeppelin influenced style and psychedelic rock sound, there is nothing that could make Temples’ set more enjoyable.

6. Mø’s general vibe towards the audiences. It seemed as though she treated everyone as if they were on stage with her as she spent a few songs actually in the crowd.

5. How happy Fitz and the Tantrums seemed to be performing at the festival. Performing both weekends and a show in between in Austin, it seemed as though they were still genuinely ecstatic that they were able to perform three times in a row in the Austin.

4. Jack Antonoff’s energy. Playing during what felt like the hottest part of the day, Bleachers seemed unstoppable when it comes down to their energy, and maybe a part of that were a part of that.

3. When St. Vincent pulled an Eddie Vedder and climbed up on the side of the stage and began acting as though she was falling off. Her set overall was the typical wildness that she is so closely related to. At the end of her set, she stole a hat, glasses, and a crutch from various audience members in the front row and wore them until she left the stage.

2. Outkast. Currently on a reunion festival tour, Outkast seems to be just as exciting as they were when they were just starting out.

1. Finally, Young and Sick never seem to disappoint in a live setting. The feeling from listening to their music is so unmatched.

 

Kings of Leon Live at Austin360 Amphitheater (9/13)

The cold front going through Austin did not stop Kings of Leon, Kongos and Young the Giant performing at their best. If anything, the gloomy weather added a memorable touch to the show. And nothing beats a free general admission ticket from Nacho Followill, Kings of Leon’s cousin and guitar technician.

Opening the night, Kongos, played song after song, stopping only to introduce themselves and their songs and their friend, MO Gordon for a cover of “Come Together” by the Beatles with their own twist. An alternative rock band consisting of four South African brothers with their last name as their pseudonym, Johnny (accordion), Jesse (percussion, vocals), Daniel (guitar, vocals), and Dylan (bass guitar, lap guitar, vocals) are based in Phoenix Arizona but originally born in South Africa. The young band recently released their latest album, Lunatics, off of their label, Epic Records. The energy that came out of Kongos is phenomenal and goes to show how invested they are in what they do. Their set included their recent hit single, “I’m Only Joking.”

Following Kongos was the popular Young the Giant. Opening with Anagram, the band continued playing songs from their new album until there was a technical mishap during the opening piano slide on “Mind Over Matter.” Waiting for the piano to be fixed, Sameer Gadhia (vocals) beckoned bassist, Payam Doostzadeh to do a hair flip with his sensationally long hair. Immediately after, the piano began to work again and the band continued on. Recently coming off their own tour, Young the Giant, consisting of Sameer Gadhia (vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass guitar), and Francois Comtois (drums), have been supporting Kings of Leon alongside Kongos since the beginning of the Mechanical Bull Tour in support of their recent album, Mind Over Matter.

The main act, Kings of Leon came in with a bang with their song, Supersoaker, and continued through their setlist virtually nonstop, playing hits such as “Family Tree,” and Temple.” Watching Kings of Leon perform in such a large and beautiful venue mind-boggling with their lights and background imagery throughout the gig. It came as no surprise that the had show sold out with such an impressive band. Kings of Leon, Caleb Followill (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Matthew Followill (lead guitar, keyboards), Jared Followill (bass, keyboards), and Nathan Followill (percussion, drums), have been a band since 1999 and have recently released their sixth LP, Mechanical Bull. Still touring in support of the album, the band had recently had to cancel tour dates following a bus accident in which a pedestrian “jumped in front” of their tour bus and causing Nathan Followill to break a few of his ribs. However, the band powered through their setlist and ended with fantastic pyrotechnics while playing their smash hit, “Sex On Fire.”

And nothing beats a free general admission ticket from Nacho Followill, Kings of Leon’s cousin and guitar technician.

Coyote – VELAZQUEZ

Velazquez, the solo project from the guitarist and one of the vocalists from Liquits, Ro Velazquez, has released his first album, Coyote, on July 8. Produced by Y La Orkesta’s Sergio Mendoza in Tucson, Arizona, there are hints of nostalgia, love, and sadness scattered across the album. Born in Arizona, Combining traditional folk with modern rock, Coyote combines traditional folk with modern rock, this album shows how much Velazquez’s roots mean to him.

Bringing in trumpets, violins, tubas, guitars, accordions and drums into this album, Velazquez brings a mariachi sound while keeping the rock sound he is known for. With fiddle solos and fast tuba rhythms, there is a unique twist on this album that makes it as fun and interesting as it is. There was clearly a lot of heart that was put on this album, which shows especially in tracks such as “El Amor Es De Pendejos” and “Hasta Que Salga El Sol.”

There is the nostalgic tone throughout the thirty-four minute album that will take listeners to another land with the combination of old-school mariachi sound with modern rock sound that Velazquez as been associated with in the Liquits. Bringing love together with happiness makes this album an amazing debut for Velazquez.

Strange Desire – Bleachers

Whether it is being the frontman of Steel Train or a member of the immensely popular band, fun., it seems that Jack Antonoff  has made a name for himself in the pop scene. Following the success of fun.’s sophomore album, Some Nights, Antonoff has written for various names in pop such as Tegan and Sara, and most recently, with his new project, Bleachers, Antonoff has drifted from the typical sound of fun. and moved on towards a very 80’s-inspired vibe to it, even when he was born in the middle of the decade. There seems to be quite of bit of compassion hiding behind the synthesizer and upbeat rhythms on Strange Desire. The buoyant sound on this album is brought with catchy guitar riffs, energetic synthesizer melodies, and moody vocals.

Even if he doesn’t have the vocal chops of Nate Ruess of fun., there is still something to Antonoff’s voice that draws listeners in. However, he seems to change his tone and even the depth of his voice throughout Strange Desire, which gives off a feeling that the album has multiple lead vocalists even though it is just Antonoff. Even with these abrupt changes in his voice, Antonoff still shows that he is a respectable frontman. Also, the one-off collaborations with seemingly random musicians on this album, like Yoko Ono, seems to collide with the other songs on this album.

Strange Desire is filled with synth-heavy melodies, reminiscent of bands such as the Buggles. With the lighthearted tracks throughout such as “I Wanna Get Better,” there seems to be much darker themes to them, dealing with loss, and the coping that comes after. There are many elements of 80’s pop throughout this record and could fit well into the soundtrack of a coming-of-age movie, with its jangly guitar riffs and upbeat rhythms and synthesizers.

This album will capture the hearts of anyone who is nostalgic for anything John Hughes and draw in a younger audience at the same time. With cheerful melodies, Antonoff seems to pass off his innermost troubles as something that is light and happy and does so in a catchy way.

Winter – Vancouver Sleep Clinic

18-year-old Tim Bettinson, better known by his adopted moniker as Vancouver Sleep Clinic, is an ambient artist who’s new EP, Winter resembles a cold, reclusive, winter day. Created over months of writing and recording, Winter is a chilly EP and has soaring falsettos that are greeted with synthy instrumentation, there is obvious Justin Vernon/Bon Iver influences scattered across Vancouver Sleep Clinic’s sound. However, this similarity does not takeaway from this EP’s individuality and these six beautiful tracks shows that Winter is only the beginning of this young musician’s sound.

With soaring falsettos, the vocals on this EP are stunning and throughout Winter, the vocals keep its distance while maintaining the focus of the EP on them. The lyrics on this EP evokes a feeling of winter, much like its namesake, and with his pop influences, Bettinson sings about love. Even as the EP grows in shape, with growing instrumentation and differentiating rhythms, Winter maintains sincere and vulnerable lyrics. The airiness in Bettinson’s voice gives a frosty and solemn mood to the EP. With vague narratives, allowing the listener to interpret the songs in their own way, the themes throughout Winter are clear and yet, never overpowering.

Exploring atmospheric pop, the melodies in Winter are beautiful and emotional, with expressive guitars and gentle piano. Rhythms consist of simple drum beats and glitch pads. A constant percussion section throughout Winter keeps the EP from falling into As the EP progresses tracks such as “Vapour” explodes as the song moves forward into its climax with broader instrumentation. Bettinson’s music is far from minimalistic, there is always room for evolving in his sound, especially on this EP. It is a tough move to insert an interlude, “(Aftermath),” for an up-and-coming artist, especially on a six-track album, but, on this EP, Bettinson seems to know that it will fit and hence, inserts it with beauty.

No matter if you love Bon Iver or not, there is something in Vancouver Sleep Clinic’s sound that is worth listening to.

Turn Blue – The Black Keys

There’s something about the Black Keys that keeps people coming back to their music, whether it is their bluesy vocals or their raw garage rock instrumentation. On their eighth-studio and newest album, Turn Blue, the Black Keys show more psychedelic and soul influence. The Black Keys consist of the duo, Dan Auerbach, guitar and vocals, and Patrick Carney, drums. Even with different sounds and influences in Turn Blue, there is still elements of the classic blues-rock sound of the Black Keys. Much of the song-writing revolved around Auerbach’s messy and highly publicized divorce, giving the album a much more moodier tone to it.

Lyrically, Turn Blue varies between simplistic story telling, such as in the track, “Fever,” and a narrative about heartbreak, especially in the nearly seven minute long opener, “Weight of Love.” However, this variety and sort of accessibility gives these tracks a fresh feel to them. The lyrical shift from record to record for the Black Keys is dramatic undoubtedly because of the emotional impact on Auerbach after his divorce in 2013. The lyrics are straightforward and Auerbach delivers these with the same vocals he has in virtually all of the Black Keys’ previous albums.

With a take on a more soulful sound while sticking to their typical blues rock tone. The coexistence of the Auerbach’s guitar and Carney’s drumming blends together fluidly as much as the Black Keys’ previous releases. The guitar riffs are  smart and fluid and Auerbach has developed a style that unique to him. Carney’s understanding drumming meets the guitar with shifting tempos and beats that hard to beat. The bass lines on Turn Blue is one of the strongest elements to this album, giving it a much funkier sound than if it stood back behind the drums and guitar.

“Gotta Get Away” is a bold finish to this slow album but with this upbeat song, it seems to remind listeners that although Turn Blue is a drastic step away from the old Black Keys, they still have what drew them in in the first place.

Singles – Future Islands

It is hard to resist the emotional synthpop sound of Baltimore-based trio, Future Islands. Even on their fourth and newest album, Singles, Future Islands can still pull the heartstrings of anyone who listens to their potent music. Meeting while studying in Greenville, North Carolina, the trio consists of Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), and Samuel T. Herring (vocals). Future Islands, especially on Singles, have a sound similar to early Killers albums.

Future Islands’ performance on “Late Show with David Letterman” was a landmark for their career as it was the most viewed musical guest in the show’s history. This performance is undoubtedly a showing of the band’s powerful music, especially Herring’s singing and dancing, which seems to have had the most influence in getting the band as much attention as they have been getting recently.

Herring has a vocal delivery that is unparalleled among other singers as he has a sort of growl in his voice and conveys a certain emotional depth that is hard to find elsewhere. With songs about devastating heartbreak, Herring plays with the lyrics in a melodramatic way. He grinds his voice throughout the album and during Future Islands’ live performances, and gives off an emotion that is hard to find elsewhere. Herring’s impulsive singing seems to bring the album together as he pulls in listeners with his attitude.

With seemingly blissful melodies that leave listeners in awe, there is something about the instrumentation on Singles that sets Future Islands into something that is unique. Cashion’s bass lines have a voice of their own in this album and seems to give the band  a much bigger sound. “Fall From Grace,” one of the last songs on the album, has a spotlight on Cashion’s guitar and with the slow tempo of this song, there seems to be a much more sorrowful tone on this track compared to the other songs, which is a considerable feat considering all of the songs deal with such melodramatic themes.

Leaving the listener in a cross between joy and sorrow, Future Islands is one of the few bands that can bring on so many emotions at once in one album. Whether it is the powerful vocals of Herring or the vast instrumentation by Welmers and Cashion, this album is sentimental and yet, restrained at the same time, therefore giving it an ecstatic sound to it.

The Colourist – The Colourist

After the release of their first EP, Lido, and garnering attention for their single, “Little Games,” the Colourist’s new self-titled album, The Colourist combines everything that the band has worked towards. This Orange County quartet consists of Adam Castilla on vocals and guitar, Maya Tuttle on drums and vocals, Kollin Johannsen on guitar, and Justin Wagner on bass and keyboard. Originally collaborating together in the band, Paper Thin Walls, Castilla and Tuttle eventually branched off together to front the Colourist together. The band most certainly have their own sound, however, on The Colourist, it seems as though they are still trying to form it.

Upbeat vocals are met with lyrics about love and heartbreak on The Colourist and the majority of the lyrics never seem to want to stray from living in the moment. But, this theme about young love and living in the now seems to be a bit too r Tuttle’s bright vocals contrasts Castilla’s timid but strong singing. The harmonies between the two vocalists are what makes the album standout as they are both catchy and lively. Tuttle’s bright vocals contrast Castilla’s timid but strong singing. The harmonies between the two vocalists are what makes the album standout because of how catchy and lively they are.

The Colourist’s usage of full-band instrumentation gives them somewhat of a more natural sound to their powerpop music. Throughout The Colourist, the guitar is animated and energetic. The entire album has a sort of 80’s feel to it with their polished guitar riffs and piano. The drums on this record are simple, with straightforward rhythms and an upbeat flow. Tuttle makes danceable dance beats even without the use of a drum machine. This easiness adds to the tone of the album, bright and carefree. The Colourist adds their own organic twist to powerpop in this debut.

The Colourist shows that on this debut, they can make light and memorable indie pop, but it seems as though in today’s music world, this is nothing out of the ordinary. Even with that in mind, there is no doubt that this debut by the Colourist is fun and, with pun intended, colorful.

Before the Waves – Magic Man

Magic Man’s debut album, Before the Waves, provides the seemingly perfect addition to any summer soundtrack. Released on July 8 on Columbia Records, this debut has solid electric beats combined with breezy vocals and fun synthesizer melodies and it seems to give the sound of the season. The Boston native Magic Man consists of Alex Caplow on vocals, Sam Vanderhoop Lee on guitars and keyboards, Justine Bowe on keyboard and Joey Sulkowski on drums. Produced by Alex Aldi, who has also worked with bands such as Passion Pit, there is no doubt that influences from these bands drifted onto Before the Waves.

The vocals on this album are memorable as Caplow sings about not wanting to give up on something quite yet and of course, love. With upbeat backing vocals, Before the Waves has a cheerful mood to it progresses through its twelve tracks. In the song, “Every Day,” Caplow seems to share a similar vocal aesthetic with Danielle Haim from Haim in the sense that in this track, both have a similar staccato way of singing.

The synth-driven melodies throughout Before the Waves sets the mood and tone of every song on the album, whether or not it is obvious. Although this type of melodies can tend to become generic over time, Magic Man has a unique twist in their sound that sets them apart from other synthpop bands such as MGMT and Passion Pit. Blending interesting guitar riffs (often times more subtle than the synthesizer) and energetic synthesizer melodies and rhythms.

Before the Waves shows that Magic Man is an essential on any playlist this summer. Before going on tour this summer with Walk the Moon and Panic! at the Disco, Magic Man are on their own west coast tour this week. Magic Man, with their catchy synth-driven music, are definitely not a new band to miss this year.

Basic Vacation – Basic Vacation

Basic Vacation exploded into the music scene with their new self-titled EP, Basic Vacation. With heavy classic rock influences growing up, vocalist and guitarist Chris Greatti, bassist Jon Paul, and drummer Mike Montalbano have played in almost 12 different bands between themselves before joining forces into making Basic Vacation. The chemistry in Basic Vacation makes their music all the more interesting. Coming from humble beginnings as musicians, it seems as though with this release Basic Vacation will make it huge.

The vocals on Basic Vacation are typical to pop rock, in the sense that they are as uplifting as they are catchy. This uplifting mood to their music seems to be a key element in Basic Vacation’s sound, especially in their hit single, “I Believe.” With soaring vocals and playful choruses, Basic Vacation seems to have a sound similar to Imagine Dragons and the Killers. Their emotionally charged lyrics about love, heartbreak and making it big in the music industry will instantly draw the listener into the EP.

Whether it is their simple yet interesting melodies or their kick drum-driven rhythms, there is something about the instrumentation that are instantly memorable. With a surge of cheery guitar riffs, Basic Vacation sound seems to be perfect for  tv commercials as it is breezy and sounding almost effortless. The synthesizer is smooth throughout the EP and Basic Vacation seems to know how to balance the modern electronic sound with their classic instrumentation.

This EP displays that Basic Vacation have a bright career ahead of them as they continue to tour and perform at festivals. Basic Vacation has come a long way from where they were over a year ago as struggling musicians. There is no doubt that this young band will blow up in the pop rock scene as they release their new album.