Via Audio‘s new CD Animalore – released in early March – gives us a fresh new sound, inspired to the glorious Motown years, but also reminiscent of some of the more elegant pop of the early 90s’ – for example, we hear some Prefab Sprout influences in the bands’ sophisticated jazzy melodies and arrangements. Jazz as a matter of fact seems to be the main new ingredient, bringing the band’s sound closer to orchestral pop artists like Claire and The Reason and My Brightest Diamond, with whom they also share high production values on record. Unlike these artists though, the upbeat pop element is still Via Audio’s trademark – check out the dancey track "Babies" (streaming under this review) and other tunes on their Myspace page. Currently on tour, the Brooklyn quartet will be back live in NYC at Le Poisson Rouge on 04.17 – a venue particularly appropriate for their new sound.

The Gay Blades and J.A.C.K. are two of the indie bands with the most fun show in town – and as the town we are talking about is indie band capital NYC, this might even be one of the most fun shows you’ll ever see! Uhm, yeah, maybe we are parital to these guys because they played our Deli Parties several times and rocked da house. Jack is a weird beast of a band flirting with indie, blues, noise rock and metal, tied together by an insanely intense frontman. The Gay Blades play another weird mix of rock’n’roll, indie and pop that sometimes purposedly (and gayfully) enters cheesy territory – this is one of those bands that you MUST see live, as their recordings really don’t give the right idea of what the live experience is going to be. On the bill also slightly mellower indie pop group My Other Friends. Bowery Electric on March 26 – Do not miss!

The final day of SXSW 2010 moved in slow motion. Indescribably exhausted, I meandered through a more suburban part of town to Domy Books for the “What by Whatever Day Party.” In the backyard, the sunshine beamed down on a wooden stage that bounced with ever band, beginning with The Eastern Sea (bottom picture), a folksy seven-piece from Austin. Following them were fellow Austinites, The Frontier Brothers, whose vibrant energy radiated and awakened me from my zombie state. Last but not least, The Bright Light Social Hour (top picture) substantiated their recent award from the Austin Chronicle for the “Best Indie Band” (They should also win “Funniest Band.”), closing my SXSW on a high note. Final thought about SXSW 2010: fantastic event, great experience, I only wish venues in Austin were bigger: I had a great schedule planned out but I was unable to get into a lot of shows even with a wristband because they were too crowded… I guess everyone had the same bands in mind! – Meijin Bruttomesso

The penultimate day of SXSW took a turn for the frigid, making the festival challenging to endure. Bright and early, I froze in a two-block long line for “Mr. and Mrs. T and Rachael Ray’s Feedback Festival” at Stubb’s BBQ where Steve Conte and the Crazy Truth (NYC, bottom picture), School of Seven Bells (NYC), Andrew W.K (NYC), Street Sweeper Social Club (LA), Jakob Dylan and Three Legs, She and Him (Portland, top picture), and many more hit backyard and indoor stages. Miniature pulled-pork “sammies” and chicken quesadillas were almost unattainable, but a lucky taste test of the hearty h’ordeuvres satiated me for a short shopping spree at the American Apparel Flea Market and evening events. I caught a glimpse of The Cringe at The Texas Rockfest outdoor stage, and later, a full list of trios including New Madrid (NYC), at Mugshots Bar. The day’s highlight was an unforeseen recording session on the Lifestream AOL bus with Black Taxi, who astonished all aboard with their infectious songs and instrumental resourcefulness. – Meijin Bruttomesso

Day three of SXSW left me speechless. A mid-day slot at Rusty Spurs with Deadbeat Darling lifted my spirits before a two hour wait for LA’s leather-and-sunglasses-clad Black Rebel Motor Cylce Club the Filter Magazine Party. I stepped foot in Hyde Park Bar and Grill ONE more time for the “NYC Mixer,” another show I had co-arranged. The gig united bands from across the country, serving Texas a sample of Miss Derringer (LA, top picture), Pearl and the Beard (Brooklyn), Middle Distance Runner (DC), Outernational (NYC, bottom picture), Milo and the Fuzz (NYC), and The Frontier Brothers (Austin). Jetting back downtown to an over-packed Ghost Room, an all-star line-up, including Middle Class Rut, Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls, Michael Stipe (REM), Chris Shifflet (The Foo Fighters), Billy Bragg, Tom Morello and Boots Riley’s project, Street Sweeper Social Club, and more played mini-sets and jammed for Jail Guitar Doors, a program that rehabilitates inmates with music. To top off the night, a photo-op with Tom Morello preceded an after party at The Belmont. – Meijin Bruttomesso

Day 2 was the day of honing navigation skills. The Baeblemusic.com Party at the Scoot Inn lined up promising acts that alternated between indoor and outdoor stages. A park-style area was decorated with paper lanterns and framed by two bars and a food cart, and listeners relaxed on tree stumps and patches of grass. Seabear, a sextet from Iceland, melded strings and acoustic guitars into a pleasant and exotic folk rock. Inside, Washington DC’s These United States upped the energy with a Southern rock lilt and grimy Gospel flavor, and back in the sunshine, Australia’s Dappled Cities played avant guarde electro-pop. Off the main drag at the 21st Street Co-Op, a “clothing optional” shindig hosted Austin natives, MoTeL Aviv (pic below), in an abstractly painted dorm common room. I found the city’s friendliest taxi-driver en route to Hyde Park Bar and Grill (South) for The Deli’s second sponsored show, and completed my night with some 6th Street sight-seeing.

The Deli Magazine and CitizenMusic joined forces to educate Austin on some of the best artists from New York at Hyde Park Bar and Grill (South). A spacious restaurant and bar, home to the best French fries around, opened into a patio where a tent housed the live music for the evening. A SXSW suppertime party, the “NYC in ATX Showcase” entertained a group of all-aged diners, families, and rock ‘n rollers with five Big Apple acts, including Blackbells (picture below), New Madrid, The Shake, Deadbeat Darling, and Black Taxi. Blackbells offered guests free EP’s and a superb set after traveling thirty hours straight to Texas. The fiery New Madrid pushed forward with outstanding vivacity, and The Shake’s second evening at Hyde Park resulted in enthusiastic feedback and a new population of fans. The wind picked up and carried Deadbeat Darling’s blissful and stirring reggae-rock throughout venue, and Black Taxi almost blew a fuse with their high-powered instrumentation and charisma. Mission “Rock Austin” accomplished. – Meijin Bruttomesso

As you may know, bands biz is a very strange biz… we got this message from The King Left (who reached #8 in our Best of NYC 2008 list)… excited for the debut album / sorry to hear they are breaking up… the day the album is released!!!

"After nearly six years of making music together, we’ve decided to retire The King Left. The band has always been about the goals and vision of four great friends, and after Mark decided to pursue new opportunities, we found it fitting to conclude this amazing chapter of our lives. Nothing less than the four of us would truly be "The King Left."
Over the course of the past year, we’ve been tirelessly recording our debut LP, and we’re extremely excited for you to hear it. So, we’d like to announce a simultaneous final show and record release party.
The show will be Friday, May 14th at Mercury Lounge in New York City. It’s an early show (doors at 7pm, TKL at 8:30pm), and tickets are on sale now via the Mercury Lounge Box Office and Ticketmaster. Make sure to get tickets early, as we expect it to sell out in advance.
The album, titled Perfect Without People, will be released the same week in May via digital download and as a limited-edition vinyl (sold at the show and on our website if there are any remaining). You can check out the album cover and tracklisting by visiting TheKingLeft.com and you can download an mp3 of "The Way To Canaan" by clicking here.
And in the meantime, Corey, Ian, and I have begun collaborating with Kat Lee (formerly of Heads Up Display) and hope to have new sounds for you soon. We’re pretty excited if we do say so ourselves.
Thank you all for going on this amazing journey with us. It’s been a truly life-changing experience, and none of it would have been possible without all of you. We hope to see you on May 14th."

Brooklyn trio ARMS (Todd Goldstein of Harlem Shakes & co.) have announced a free download of their brand new self-titled EP – the follow up to their US debut, Kids Aflame (Gigantic Music). The band played 5 shows in Austin – the last one will be today at Kung Fu Salon at 4 pm. The EP can be downloaded here.

Sometimes you stumble upon a song that literally freezes time, stops your day – I guess that’s why they say "arresting". Lia Ices‘ voice and songs commend attention like only great singer songwriters do. If her live show delivers what this video promises, the lady is going to blow up within a year. (Lia Ices will play live at The Knit in NYC with JJ – the show is sold out).

The first day of SXSW is like the first day of school; you’re excited, nervous, and seemingly prepared. Unlike school, however, SXSW is never boring. After my first ever flight through Detroit and an early morning dash to registration at the Austin Convention Center, I scampered off to Rusty Spurs for Deli sponsored Music Tech Mash Up party, where line-up improvements kept me corralled. The event spanned two days and squeezed in fifty bands at Rusty Spurs, a tri-room gay saloon (how cool is that?) decorated with cowboy boots and Texas trinkets. The Mash Up party celebrated the collaboration of various industries, music, merchandise, and new media technology. Upon arrival, sound spewed from every corner of the venue as bands performed on the main indoor stage, in the lounge, and on the outdoor patio. Mid-day, the barbeque was fired up to feed South by South West goers with free burgers and chicken while they enjoyed the second day of the extravaganza’s hefty line-up. Some of the early-morning performers included LA-based, disco-influenced pop-rockers, Foster the People, dancey R’n’B from Toronto, Curtis Santiago, and Las Vegas’s new-wave, electro-pop, Imagine Dragons. Pleasant surprises added at the last minute, such as Brooklyn’s Black Taxi, and Washington D.C.’s alternarockers, Hotspur, caught the ears of those passing by and reaffirmed excitement for SXSW.

Following a quick Tex-Mex bite and nearly sun-burning in a line for the Paste Magazine Party at The Galaxy Room, I witnessed the last of the Suckers’ (top pic) set and the first part of rock-meets-singer/songwriter Austinites, Roky Erickson with Okkervil river (bottom pic). The day pushed on as I went off the beaten path to Hyde Park Bar and Grill(South) where The Whiskey Rebellion’s evening of music and literature featured NYC’s The Shake who enlivened the venue’s calm St. Patrick’s Day. Due to overcapacity venues back on 6th Street, my night was curtailed. Tomorrow would be a new day with much music to hear. – Meijin Bruttomesso

The way we see it, productive artists have more chances to be successful than the ones that let the temptations of over analyzing (or simple lack of inspiration) stretch the time in between releases. Brooklyn psych folk group Woods is about to release their 5th full length in 3 years. Each release it’s an opportunity for growing and explorting, and the distance between 2007’s At Rear House and 2010’s At Echo Lake represents a move from a kind of informal back porch jam ethos to a fully-committed vision of the infinite possibilities of group playing. Over the past few years Woods have established themselves as an anomaly in a world of freaks. They were an odd proposition even in the outré company of vocalist/guitarist/label owner Jeremy Earl’s Woodsist roster, perpetually out of time, committed to songsmanship in an age of noise, drone and improvisation, to extended soloing, oblique instrumentals and the usurping use of tapes and F/X in an age of dead-end singer-songwriters. Recent live shows have seen them best confuse the two, playing beautifully-constructed songs torn apart by fuzztone jams and odd electronics. The band will play 3 shows at SXSW on March 19 and 20 – more details about the dates here. The new album is scheduled for release in May.

Nicole Schneit wears the folk tag very liberally on her sleeve, dabbling in country, pop, punk and rock in Air Waves. The familiar, basic folk structure underlies Schneit’s songs, but the music isn’t fragile; it’s raw in a good way that feels comforting at the same time. She draws listeners in with her deceptively simple songs with memorable melodies and swinging vocal lines. Building upon 2009’s popular surf rock trend, a rolling, coastal sound seeps through Air Waves’ music. There’s also a bit of The Moldy Peaches in Schneit’s songwriting, especially in the Dan Deacon-approved “Shine On,” a tune perfect for a spring bike ride. This entrancing EP warrants repeat listens to get completely caught up in the beautiful soundscapes. Air Waves have 5 dates in Austin during SXSW – for more details go here.