Chicago's own Piece of Cake releases new song "Rusted"
Everybody loves A Piece of Cake right? This indie act, featuring Brynn Bixby, Dave Nolden, Mark Alletag, Paul Karnatz, and Rob Lejman, is from Chicago and are gearing up to release their self-titled debut in May. But the band are giving you a taste of the new material with their latest single "Rusted." The track is an upbeat mix of pop, indie rock, and folk sure to put anyone in a good mood. "Rusted" is a sweet taste of what's to come from this band and if this single is anything to go by, the album should be a real treat to look forward to.
Check out "Rusted" for yourself here
[Review] Antarctigo Vespucci: "Leavin' La Vida Loca"
At first, Leavin’ La Vida Loca by the indie folk-inspired punk duo Antarctigo Vespucci seems less reminiscent of Chris Farren and Jeff Rosenstock’s main projects (Fake Problems, Jeff Rosenstock) and more of Antarctigo Vespucci’s first EP, Soulmate Stuff. Establishing Antarctigo Vespucci as their own, vibrantly disparate sound than their alter-egos, the duo have proved to be just as a part of one act as they are another. That’s especially true with their sophomore record, Leavin’ La Vida Loca via Really Records and Quote Unquote Records.
I'll admit, the record wasn’t much to bump a pulse as far as the two’s wide range of projects go at first; oh how wrong can a person be. After a few plays, I realized the record is beachy, warm, mature and melancholy. It’s like watching the finale of your favorite show - it’s bittersweet. While the two have always been keen on bad breakups and lost love, this record is set apart because of their acceptance of the bad. The songs, “Hooray for Me,” “Save Me From Myself” and “Losing My Mind” show the two are more comfortable fighting with their own inner struggles (or lack thereof) in a lighthearted way.
“Crashing Waves” strengthens the aforementioned beachy element of the record (this would be the soundtrack to a montage of two punks walking along the beach) with lines like, “I was ready to go as soon as I arrived,” accurately describing the duo’s social anxiety they address in their various musical endeavors, and Antarctigo Vespucci is no exception. “No Bad Memories” is the most upbeat song with brash electric guitars and a folky twist, while “I See Failure” holds the summary of the record as the closer. The lyrics describe a failing relationship and resonates through younger audiences by the line “When I pretend I’m not feeling well so I don’t have to hang out with your friends in a crowded bar of idiots” as the melancholy couple grow apart - or more so, one partner away from the other. Relatable and rough, Anarctigo Vespucci has definitely established their own sound with Leavin’ La Vida Loca.
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[SXSW Interview] Cheers Elephant, SXSW Veterans
Photography by Andrew Zeiter
Watch Cheers Elephant for even a fraction of a sogn and you can tell they've been doing this for awhile. The majority of the upbeat, indie rock from Los Angeles by way of Philadelphia has been playing together since grade school, plenty of time to get to know one another and smooth out the rough spots in any performance piece. Unlike most somewhat-traditional four piece bands I caught throughout the whirlwind that was SXSW, Cheers Elephant (which may have one of the best band name-backstories there are) had life, excitement and personality lost amongst many 'rock' bands today. Frontman Derek Krzywicki, who has a name only I can truly appreciate, is a breath of fresh air onstage, playfully moving his hips in a faux Elvis impression, gliding across the stage, managing to not interrupt a guitar solo while carefully executing yoga-like moves. If he is the hook then the music is the sinker as the rest of the band backs up his front-of-stage heroics with a general aesthetic that perfectly lent itself to a mid-afternoon day in Austin, Texas. Before they got onstage I was able to link up with the guys from Cheers Elephant and chop it up about their packed schedule of twelve shows in a week, how the world has treated them and everything in between just before they took the stage at the Big Picture Media showcase at the Thirsty Nickel on Wednesday March 12. Read the full conversation here.
[SXSW Interview] The Tontons, Well on Their Way
Photography by Andrew Zeiter
Back in November I was in Austin for a different festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest, where I first met Asli Omar and the guys from The Tontons. At the time, the four piece blues-y rock group from Houston was riding a wave of publicity en route to their breakthrough project, Make Out King and Other Love Stories, a harrowing 11-song project that puts forward the young band's strengths both vocally and in building complex, attention-grabbing tracks that have launched them from their native Houston and brought them back to the annual business card emporium that is South By Southwest. Back in November the squad of Omar, Tom Nguyen and Justin and Adam Martinez were hungry, eagerly anticipating the release of their project, Make Out King which dropped soon afterwards on February 18 of this year. Anticipating a big jump in notoriety, the world offered up some obstacles after their drummer, Justin, fell ill with a bad appendix that landed him in the hospital for two weeks, arriving in Austin straight from his stay there, a literal hole still in his side. Rock N' Roll. Anyway, it's obvious the music world has taken The Tontons in directions they would have never expected, and a bit of the frustration was evident in talking to them this time around. Through it all though, The Tontons have an innately upbeat spirit that makes even them jokingly talking about being jaded seem like being on the outside of an inside joke. They play great and make music that transcends radio trends or falsified public relations campaigns. The Tontons are the band you come to SXSW to see, and I was lucky enough to get a few minutes of their time before they played the Big Picture Media Showcase at The Thirsty Nickel to see how everyone was doing and where the ship is headed in 2014.
[Video] Kaiser Chiefs: "Coming Home"
British indie-rock band, Kaiser Chiefs, have been together for over a decade and are releasing their fifth studio album Education, Education, Education & War on March 31 via Universal Music. As a preview for the new album they dropped a music video for the debut single "Coming Home."
Lead vocalist Ricky Wilson is shown waltzing around the British countryside, passing various random characters, including his bandmates. Pre-order Education, Education, Education & War here and view the video below.
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[Video] Glass Animals: "Gooey"
British four-piece Glass Animals has released a new music video for the smooth and glossy single "Gooey." The track is off of their upcoming EP, Gooey, produced by Paul Epworth and due out in April via The Harvest Imprint.
Strange and intriguing, the video follows individuals who immediately transform into their most unrestricted, strongest, and best selves after they ingest some sort of slimy substance in one way or another. The whirling synth, lo-fi beats, and lurid vocals put you in a dream-like state. Catch a buzz from the new single "Gooey."
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[Video] St. Vincent Performs On 'The Colbert Report'
St. Vincent AKA Annie Clark just released her eccentric fourth full-length, self-titled record, St. Vincent. Clark is exploding out of herself, bringing her strange, yet dazzling sound to new levels.
St. Vincent performed some of her new material after a comical and informative interview with Stephen Colbert. Colbert asked about "getting" the new album, highlighted Clark's genius, and commented on her Einstein-style hair-do.
Check out St. Vincent performing "Birth In Reverse," below and download the track for free here.
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