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Monday, February 8, 2010
SXSW2010: Twenty bands, ten questions #1
SXSW2010: The Minutes
In this first of a series of 20 interviews with bands coming to South by Southwest, we meet the Minutes, from Dublin, Ireland. The young trio, whose members go by their initials M.A., T.C. and S.K. are coming to Austin with a brand new album, “Marcata,” and hope to find U.S. distribution, among other goals. It’s a driving rock album that sounds a little more like Kings of Leon than Led Zeppelin, though the band probably wishes it was the other way around.
1. What steps did you have to go through to play South by Southwest? We applied thru’ sonicbids. Actually we almost missed the deadline because we were in the studio at the time with no laptop or Internet.
2. You recorded your most recent LP in upstate New York. Why did you choose that studio and what was the experience like?
We chose Marcata Recording based on a few different factors. Firstly we wanted to track the record live to tape. We had an idea of the sound we wanted in our head . ‘Brown’ was a word that had been bandied about. Referring to that sound of all those great records from the Beatles and the Stones to old blues stuff like Robert Johnson & Sonny Boy Williamson, right back to Dylan & the Band and ending in Zeppelin/The Who/Fleetwood Mac et a . That’s the sound we wanted. The studio is in a barn near New Paltz. Away from distraction and Dublin. America was calling. Its where we needed to be.
3. In recent years, Ireland’s participation at SXSW has grown tremendously. What have you heard about SXSW from other Irish bands?
Well two of us Minutes have first hand experience. We attended back in 2004 with an old band. It was a different story then . Not as much exposure for the Irish showcase as there is now. Also we were young and naive with only one show booked which was what it was. So this time at least we have an idea of what to expect. Plus the Irish crew have really gotten their (act) together. There’s definitely a lot more promo for us Irish than before. They’ve a dedicated website for all the Irish acts attending, a nice promo CD & two showcases for all the acts involved. Feedback from other bands had been pretty much to play as many shows as possible. Which we will.
4. How much is it going to cost the band to come to Austin?
A lot . All in all about $5,000. That’s flights , CD manufacturing and some PR, too. Although Music From Ireland, a government funded agency, gives us a grant towards flights of around $1600. Which is helpful.
5. There has been a great affinity for Texas music in Ireland, with such acts as Nanci Griffith and Townes Van Zandt enjoying great success on the Emerald Isle. Why do you think this is?
I think Ireland’s ballad and folk music history has a big connection with American country music. Maybe that’s why the bond has resonated thru with more modern artists. A lot of the same themes pop up. Lost loves, loneliness and some good old drinking songs. We all love a good cry when we’re drunk.
6. What do you hope to achieve by playing SXSW?
We’d love to secure a US release for the album and get In with some US bookers. The USA is where we wanna be. So hopefully we can make something happen. Tour Tour Tour Tour & get on the US festival scene. Its the only way. And we’re more than ready.
7. This year artist wristbands will allow you to attend panels, previously only available to badge-holders. But there are all these great day parties going on. Which do you think you’ll attend more?
We’d much rather play parties than attend the panels or attend parties.There are some panels we’ve penciled in, but if possible It would suit to let the music do the talking.
8. Are the Minutes playing any day parties?
HELL yes we are playing day parties. The wheres and such TBC. Keep an eye on the myspace. Soon as they’re confirmed they’ll be up. All i can say right now is watch out for Paddys Day . Its gonna be special!
9. Are there any sites in Austin you are looking forward to visiting? Apparently Barton Springs has the hottest chicks In town. We may have to pop down and try out some of the Oirish charm…
10. Bono’s not going to read this. How is he really considered in the Irish rock scene?
Personally I don’t really care about U2 or Bono. I’m not a fan. I appreciate what they have achieved and earned thru sheer hard work. I think that’s what a lot of bands in Ireland respect. And just in case Bono IS reading this, we are free to open for you ‘aul lads on your next tour.
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Brief notes from the Austin underground
— There’s something uniquely satisfying about seeing bands you like bring their A-games to a packed house. Follow that Bird, Dikes of Holland and Kingdom of Suicide Lovers did just that Thursday night to a full Beerland during night one of the Casual Victim Pile record release shows at Beerland at Feb. 4, 5 and 6. (No slight on the bands that played earlier; I didn’t see you.) Sadly, everyone suddenly remembered it was a school night and Follow That Bird ended up playing to a smaller crowd, but they still smoked.
According to witnesses, Friday and Saturday night were utterly jammed, one in and one out for most of the night for the shows headlined by Woven Bones Friday and Harlem Saturday.
— It was a last minute show that didn’t get the promotion it deserved, but former(?) Lungfish frontman Daniel Higgs played an extraordinary set at the acoustically-excellent Bethell Hall Saturday afternoon. Texas minimalist synth composer J.D Emmanuel, playing his first live set in decades, opened the show, followed by a storm of drifty electronic clouds from Christelle Gualdi, a.k.a. Stellar Om Source.
Higgs, having car trouble, was outside of Austin for his opening acts, but rolled in and hit the stage like a hip-hop star. (All I could think of was a DJ screaming, “Daniel Higgs is 20 minutes away! Daniel Higgs is 10 minutes away! Daniel Higgs is in the building!”)
About ten minutes after Gualdi ended, Higgs rolled up with banjo and harmonium, wearing traditional Higgs wear of a dark suit and massive beard and a pair of mirrored sunglasses he might as well have stolen from Axl Rose in 1987.
Asked if he wanted amplification, he let out a yell to test the acoustics, which were terrific, and declined.
His solo work has focused on acoustic improvisations and loosely constructed patterns, the lyrics surreal juxtapositions chocked with natural, biological and religious images, much like his work with Lungfish.
The first song, “Holy Bible Time,” featured his voice and a harmonium droning one chord, yet he managed to give the chorus a sticky riff, something too many Austin rock bands have clean forgotten how to do. He also appended the song with a few verses from a song from a the Star Trek original series episode “The Way To Eden (“where I first learned the scriptures,” I think he said).
Another piece freatured a “free singing” section during which the audience was invited to collaborate. They declined, sadly.
So, yeah, in sum, as far as freak folk/acid folk/new weird America/etc., there is Daniel Higgs and then there is everyone else. The end.
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CD review: Yeasayer ‘Odd Blood’
Psychedelic pop band Yeasayer came out of nowhere in 2007 with “All Hour Cymbals,” a dystopic affair recalling the Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light” and other Brian Eno-infused work. Similar to Vampire Weekend, the debut was so strong that it wasn’t unreasonable to think the band would just fade away after exhausting their best material.Songs such as “2080” and “Sunrise” were both catchy and forward-thinking; to duplicate these would be a challenge.
It seems the band felt something similar to this as well, as the first thing that stands out about “Odd Blood” is its change in direction. The dark, haunting core that defined “Cymbals” is replaced with a distinctively brighter vision. “Ambling Alp,” while staying faithful to the band’s tendency toward layered synth effects and rhythmic experimentation, is notably different with its feel good chorus, “stick up for yourself son, never mind what anybody else does.” Similarly, the companion tracks “O.N.E.” and “ONE” seize upon a dance pop sound that locates them closer to contemporaries like Cut Copy than the Talking Heads. While “Odd Blood” might not win as many new fans as the debut, it represents a big leap forward in the band’s development.
Yeasayer have two shows scheduled — April 10 and 11 — at the Parish. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door. www.theparishaustin.com.
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West Campus to host massive SXSW side party benefiting Haiti relief
If there’s anything Austin reliably loves, it’s the convergence of music and charity — well, music, charity and beer, ideally — and Couch Professor Entertainment is teaming up with a quintet of Drag standbys to give the city just that with “Six Stages Over Texas,” a two-day, (obviously) six-stage benefit for Yele Haiti Saturday March 20 and Sunday 21.
Three stages will be found in the Hole in the Wall, with one stage each behind Cream Vintage and Terra Burger, and a further two stages set up outdoors on San Antonio St. Highlights include the Crystal Method, Alejandro Escovedo, Lions, the Black and White Years, L.A.X. and Ben Kweller.
Tickets go on sale from Ticketfly tomorrow. Current confirmed artists are after the jump, and keep your eyes peeled to our SXSW side parties list to keep tabs on party announcements both official and unofficial.
Saturday, March 20
The Crystal Method (Los Angeles, Ca)
Admiral Radley (Jason Lytle & members of Earlimart) (Bozeman, Mt)
The Hounds Below (Von Bondies new project) (Cumberland, Mi)
The Lions (Austin, Tx)
Buick Mackane (Alejandro Escovedo) (Austin, Tx)
Findlay Brown (London, UK)
The World’s Greatest Ghosts (Portland, Or)
Holiday Shores (Tallahassee, Fl)
That Ghost (Sonoma County, Ca)
The Points North (Boston, Ma)
Candy Claws (Fort Collins, Co)
King of Conspiracy (Paris, France)
The Glorious Veins (NY, NY)
Dinosaur Bones (Toronto, Ontario)
Jeremy Messersmith (Minneapolis, Mn)
Mata Leon (San Francisco, Ca)
Mon Khmer (Brooklyn, NY)
Miss Dust (Los Vegas, Nv)
Nazcar Nation (Los Angeles, Ca)
DJ Jason Soundstorm (Los Angeles, Ca)
Kids At The Bar (Oklahoma City, Ok)
Boy Eats Drum Machine Boy (Portland, Or)
DJ Czech One (Austin, TX)
DJ Laissez Faire Club (London, UK)
Halves (Dublin, Ireland)
TIGER! (Expletive)! TIGER! (Expletive)! (Virgin Islands)
Killola (Los Angeles, Ca)
Red Leaves (Austin, Tx)
The Vitamins (Denver, Co)
Sunday, March 21
The Black & White Years
LAX
Violetness (Chicago, IL)
Savoir Adore (Brooklyn, NY)
Ben Kweller and Triple Cobra (San Francisco, CA)
Built By Snow
Ok Sweetheart (members of Norah Jones and Midlake) (Denton, TX)
The Bright Light Social Hour
The White White Lights
The Pons
Whitman
The Georgian Company
Quiet Company
Broken Folk
Ideal Soul Mart
Many Brithdays
We Aim To Try
Hollywood Gossip
The Watermarks (Houston, TX)
Soulution
Telegraph Canyon
White Rhino
Nervous Curtain
The Boom Boom Box
Ripe
Dey One (Austin, TX)
Christian Barbuto (Austin, TX)
DJ Matteo (Austin, TX)
DJ Digg ( Austin, TX)
DJ Boogie (Austin, TX)
DJ Scorpio (Austin,TX)
DJ Czech One (Austin, TX)
Prepmode (Austin, TX)
DJ Adam Warped (Austin, TX)
Grrl Parts (Houston, TX)
Wave Hands Like Clouds (Austin, TX)
MarkusWithaK (Austin, TX)
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Shearwater’s ‘The Golden Archipelago’ now streaming on NPR
Just last month NPR Music offered up a slice of brand-new Spoon early, streaming their entire album “Transference” a full week before its release, and now they’ve got another full-length album for your listening pleasure from another critically acclaimed batch of Austinites.
This time around, it’s the new album from from Shearwater, the earnest and aspiring outfit fronted by thoughtful, examining bird and nature enthusiast Jonathan Meiburg. NPR is streaming “The Golden Archipelago” in its entirety for a limited time ahead of the album’s digital release Tuesday, Feb. 16 and physical release Feb. 23.
NPR recommends giving the album a listen “without interruption and on headphones, if possible,” and that’s fair advice — the third of a triptych of thematically linked albums, it’s a grand, intricate work deserving of a special level of attention.
