Music

Local dream-pop outfit Little Black Dress has finally followed up on the promise that was displayed with their full-length debut, Snow in June, of a couple of years ago. They’re doing so by offering up a pretty sweet-sounding, limited-edition vinyl single, no less. The new, self-produced seven-inch single, “Don’t Worry…

Make no mistake; there is a big difference between a run-of-the-mill lead singer and a bona fide frontman. Huge, really. Not just anybody has the magnetism required to convince 20,000 people at the American Airlines Center to raise their hands above their heads and clap, or the charm to make…

Gainesville, Florida’s Chuck Ragan is one of those dudes who just can’t go wrong. His more-than-a-decade’s work with the still-revered punk act Hot Water Music is often cited by younger punk bands as a key motivator for their own punk-ish endeavors. In the more recent past, as well as the…

There’s a good reason this two-sided poster, designed by Tractorbeam’s Daniel Führer, has topped the list of this week’s poster submissions. It’s for a good cause, and it offers a glimpse into man’s circulatory system that no other concert poster has yet…

Earlier this week we came across the website, Drinkify, which claims to “generate the perfect cocktail recipe to accompany any music.” Naturally, as fans of both music and all types of alcohol, the site proved to be the perfect happy hour time kill. Our findings? The site is not only…

Let’s get right to the point: This year’s edition of Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest was a dust-covered, freaked-out combo plate of the buzzed-about, the stupid, the surprising and the legendary. When the lineup for this year’s edition was revealed, more than a few folks used the word “eclectic” to…

Had he come of age in the ’70s during the golden age of the singer/songwriter, Sondre Lerche (pronounced “Sonder Lerkay”) would likely be an international star rather than a Norwegian phenom/cult favorite. Lerche took to music early and recorded his acclaimed debut Faces Down at 18. It displayed versatility and…

Willie Nelson called him “the best songwriter alive today,” and Kris Kristofferson compared him to Hemingway. For the last four decades, the 72-year-old Shaver has burnished his reputation and overcome personal tragedy while creating timeless country music befitting his humble roots. With but an eighth-grade education and missing two fingers…

Twin cellos and drum trio Rasputina formed two decades ago, uniting Gothic sensibilities with Victorian style and biting social commentary. Garbed in corsets and flowing turn-of-the-century gowns, history buff/leader Melora Creager draws on forgotten events and faded eras for songs whose subjects still resonate today. There are several concept albums…

It’s no secret Hailey’s Club is not what it once was. Five years ago it was booking big-ticket shows on a consistent basis and was seen as a desirable stop for bigger touring indie acts. Whatever the reason may be for the decline, whether it be the eventual exit of…

A.A. Bondy is well into his second act as a musician after the dissolution of his band, Verbena. That Alabama outfit released one of the best unsung albums of the ’90s, 1997’s Dave Fridmann-produced Souls For Sale (Merge), full of delicious boy/girl harmonies and Sticky Fingers-era Stonesy country-rock swagger. They…

The Jayhawks have been through many lineups over the years since their beginnings in the mid-’80s. But if longtime fans were to get their wish for which one they would love to see again, it would have to include vocalist/guitarist Mark Olson. With his brittle harmonies sewn together with fellow…

Maybe you were one of the fortunate few who saw a bold, jaw-dropping performance staged by Austin-based Octopus Project in one of a handful of their concerts last year. The quartet of long-time friends conceived of a multimedia performance for which the 2010 album Hexadecagon was written as the soundtrack…