In addition to shooting a ton of performances in Austin last week, we subjected many of our favorite acts to Texas music trivia. You saw part one. In this follow-up, we test the smarts of Islands, My Brightest Diamond, Peter Morén, The Cribs, YACHT, and others. Shea Hess lends a hand as our quizmaster, and everyone learns a lot thanks to her. Thanks again to our SXSW video team of Jon McMillan, Raphael Rodriguez, and Matt Neatock. Also, good job Rogue Wave!

Read More...

The people of Austin are nice enough to welcome thousands (and thousands) of vagabond music fans into their city for a few days each year, so we decided to pay their stomping ground homage with a friendly game of Texas Music Triva. Keeping the music theme airtight, we had our friend Shea Hess ask a number of indie luminaries including Simian Mobile Disco, Wye Oak, YACHT, My Brightest Diamond, and the Ringers questions about the Lone Star state’s music history. Grab a Shiner and play along at home.

Best response: “True in the sense that it’s false.” Thank you, the Ringers.

So, we’re pretty excited.

Three days, great bands, free drinks all day, new club on 6th St. (right next door to Emo’s). There go all your excuses not to be there. More info? This way…

Read More...

For about five seconds here, Colour Revolt’s new single made us think they’d go back to exploring the dreamy weightlessness conjured by standout “Mattresses Underwater,” from that self-titled 2006 EP that left us watching. But that cushy trill breaks — or is at least, overridden — by drums and axes that scorch and cut more than they soothe and coo, shifting and building with each section-change of this god-and-the-devil (“naked” in Eden, red in “hell”) rocker ’til there’s nothing left to do but shred some larynx.

Colour Revolt – “Naked And Red” (MP3)

The band’s teamed up once more with producer Clay Jones (Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello) for the forthcoming full-length Plunder, Beg, And Curse, out 4/1 on Fat Possum. “Naked And Red” pops up on the LP, as do tunes making their live set these days like “Ageless Everytime” and “A Siren.”

With a recent re-release (on Interscope’s indie arm, Tiny Evil), Oxford, Mississippi’s Colour Revolt should expect a bit of a hullabaloo (is that what they say in the South?) over their promising, self-titled debut EP. The six-song effort catches the band exploring Broken Social Scene-tinged dream pop, post-rock meltdowns, Isaac Brock’s vocal assaults, and dirty, post-grunge dynamics. There’s even a bass line that nods to Surfer Rosa. But after you’ve finished playing RIYL, you’re left with a buzz-worthy debut from a group of hungry, young Southerners. Here are a few tracks, and download another at MySpace.

Colour Revolt – “A New Family” (MP3)

To satisfy requests for something “heavier”:

Colour Revolt – “Our Homes And Graves” (MP3)

The EP was mixed by Clay Jones, who also did some work with Elvis Costello and Modest Mouse (to help explain Modest similarities). The band’s on the road now (we hear it’s a kick-ass live show) and, New Yorkers, your chance is at their 11/4 CMJ showcase at Knitting Factory. Don’t miss!