Cruising through Los Santos, listening to some Shark?

So I was speeding in my Shitzu bike that I had just lifted from this asshole douche that cut me off on Portola Drive. I was on my way to repo an SUV from a rich kid that had fallen behind on his payments, when all of a sudden a familiar song comes on the radio. It was fucking Shark?! The same Shark? that played our awesome SXSW party last year!

So congratulations to Shark? for being part of the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto V, which by the way is filled with gems.

Here's the video for "California Grrls," which almost made me crash my fucking brand new (stolen) Shitzu.

Besides the Kritters and Klap Traps, King K. Rool's henchmen are Klump and Krusha

Quoting Wikipedia,"King K. Rool is a green anthropomorphic Saltwater crocodile who is the main villain of many Donkey Kong games. King K. Rool is the psychopathic King of the Kremlings who constantly antagonizes the Kongs..."

It's also the nom de musique of 19 year old Archy Marshall.  El Rey spells it King Krule.  His debut album, "6 feet beneath the moon" dropped last month.  Since then, the metaphor mongers have had plenty to say about this kid's voice and his wardrobe (note to MTV, wearing a suit is not "80's Dance Chic).  I'm not so sure that he does sounds like, "Tom Waits was thrown down a well," but what he does do is put a dark spin on blues and there's no doubt that for a 19 year old it's damn impressive.  Below is the album's single and first video, Easy Easy.  Check out the rest here.

Breathe in the silence

I'll admit I was skeptical.  The once rich landscape of night parties had been reduced to wasteland, Fader Fort RSVP closed in minutes, bands canceled our show, and the Doritos stage loomed large.   Then Tuesday happened.  830am radio show with Last Choice, 10am my first line of Sx to rent DJ gear, 12pm my truck full of instruments, 1230 a london bus, 7pm 4 awesome bands at Nastys, 1130pm The Very Best using my WC and then at 12am playing our party.  Let that sink in... The Very Best played the Last Choice Party at Nastys.  If you weren't there, you missed one hell of a time.  Thanks to Sleepies, Squarehead, Shark?, EULA, and TVB last Tuesday landed squarely in my top three moments of Sx.  In order of apperance: Carniville, Paying for a tattoo, The Very Best at Nastys.  Skepticism cured.  Now the main event.  My favorite new band from last week was Jetta.  I saw her at the Mohawk on Thursday.  Jetta cut her teeth singing backup for Paloma Faith and Cee-Lo and now fronts for her self-titled band.  Soaring, Bluesy, Raucous all great adjectives for their music.   Enjoy her debut single, Start a Riot and find more here.

Last Choice at Nasty's: EULA, SHARK?, SQUAREHEAD, SLEEPiES

Last Choice is back at Nastys this year.  Cheap beer, Great music, cats and dogs living together, Jedi Mind Melds...  Mass Hysteria!    RSVP here to get in free.
11PM :: EULA ::::::www.eulamusic.com
10PM :: SHARK? ::::::www.sharkquestionmark.com
9PM :: SQUAREHEAD ::::::www.squarehead.bandcamp.com
8PM :: SLEEPiES ::::::www.facebook.com/sleepiesbk

SXSW Excito-Meter #1: HAIM

For the next few days I'll be posting bands that I'm excited to see this SXSW.

I'll start with the hipster's version of Destiny's Child (and the already ubiquitous band), HAIM. They're fun, talented, and totally deserving of the hype. With praise from people like Julian Casablancas, Jenny Lewis and Florence Welch, this sister trio is poised to take SXSW by storm again, after their break-out during last year's southby.

They'll probably be playing a ton, but you can see them for free on Friday the 15th at the Showdown at Cedar Street party. RSVP here. (I'll be tagging all posts with links to RSVP's with the very handy RSVP label for easy access.)

I'll leave you with their new single "Falling." (Does it remind anybody else of a indie version of "I'm a Survivor"?)

Makin' me crazy

I'm in such a good mood today. To make it even better Jamie Lidell released the video for the first single of his upcoming album, very originally titled "Jamie Lidell."

Even though I'm a big fan of Jamie's more pure R&B offerings, I'm kind of digging the over produced 80s vibe here. Very Prince-like and totally danceable. Plus the video is pretty, love the play on the electric mime box thing.

Here's "You Naked," dance a little... or a lot.

Not another Rosebuds

Just when I was getting tired of the North Carolina folky-country-gospelly-poppiness that Merge Records loves to sign, I stumbled upon Mount Moriah. Heather McEntire (previously of Bellafea) has a voice that fills up whatever space she's in. Total swoon.


Here is "Bright Light" off their upcoming album and a video for "Plane."

Legendary Amaranthine Proscenium

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a rock group from New Zealand and the NorAm.  Their debut, self-titled album was released two summers ago to much acclaim.  You'll probably recognize the track Ffuny Ffrends and can you name that intro drumline? "answer" They've got a new album coming on Feb 5th and they're playing Mohawk in Austin on 20th Feb.  Below is Ffuny Ffrends and the newly minted first single from the forthcoming album So Good at Being in Trouble.  I think Last Choice considered that for a blog name too.  Hope we see you there.

Lo-Fi Sadness

Pretty Heart is Morgan Holliger, a 20 year old from Ohio. Beautiful voice with a dark streak, takes me back to the late nineties listening to Portishead on my Sony Discman. She's got a few songs on her Soundcloud and Bandcamp and just released her first video for "Toy."

Don't know if she's planning to make the trip for SXSW, but I hope she does.

Not much joy to be found

Day Joy is a band from sunny Orlando, Florida. But their music is certainly not sunny or joyful in any way. I'm totally ok with that. As a happy person that prefers his music depressing, Day Joy has released the perfect single for me: sad as all shit, with themes ranging from addiction to family disfunction. Yay!

Also, I welcome myself back to posting. Sorry for the lack of love, Internet.


Day Joy "Go To Sleep, Mess" from Michael Lawrence on Vimeo.