by Tom Osborne in Downloads, News, SXSW

March madness is upon us once again. Not the kind that involves a hoop and a ball, I’m talking about the Austin version of madness that is SXSW. Every year in the middle of March tens of thousands of musicians and fans settle upon the Longhorn town to celebrate the best of American music festivals. I’ll be missing it this year for the first time in three years but all hope is not lost. Twangville’s party squad will be represented via Mayer Danzig, Kelly Dearmore and John Anderson so that we all may live vicariously. I’ll be drowning in my own drool as I watch the fun from afar.

Thankfully, the organizers have once again made preview tracks available for many of the bands that will be in attendance. I compiled a list of artists that I’ve come to know over the years that I think others might enjoy. This list only includes artists who made tracks available. There are dozens of other artists that should be heard and seen than you will not find on this list like Bob Schneider, Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles, John Dee Graham to name a few. So join me in a world of imagination as I listen to these tunes in a Doug Henning-like world of aural illusion. As always, if you like what you hear be sure and support the artists by buying more music.

Tip: If you download just one song from this list, make it Or, the Whale‘s “Call and Response”. Damn I love that song!

Wednesday

• Or, the Whale – Call and Response

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• The Silos – Behind Me Now

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• Scott H. Biram – Been Down Too Long

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• Patricia Vonne – Texas Burning

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• Randy Weeks – I Couldn’t Make It

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• Joe Pug – Hymn #101

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• Gary Louris & Mark Olson – Turn Your Pretty Name Around

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Thursday

• Carrie Rodriguez – Absence

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• Justin Townes Earle – Midnight At The Movies

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• The Band of Heathens – Cornbread

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• Sam Roberts Band – Detroit ’67

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• Black Lips – O Katrina!

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• Langhorne Slim – Restless

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• Howe Gelb – World Stand Still

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• The Iguanas – If You Should Ever Fall On Hard Times

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• Lucero – What Else Would You Have Me Be

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• Magnolia Summer – To Better Days

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• Rocco Deluca & the Burden – Gift

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• Kim Taylor – Let Me Down

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• Val Emmich – Get On With It

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• Landon Pigg – Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop

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• Lisa Hannigan – Lille

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• Thao With The Get Down Stay Down – Bag Of Hammers

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• Jim Bianco – I Got a Thing For You

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• Cary Brothers – Ride

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• The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin

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• Amy LaVere – Killing Him

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• Nellie McKay – The Cavendish

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• The Greencards – Fascination

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• Gomez – Airstream Driver

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• Luke Doucet – Blood’s Too Rich

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• Melissa McClelland – Cry On My Shoulder

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Friday

• LZ Love – Loose

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• Nakia & His Southern Cousins – Choose Your Poison

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• Ben Jelen – Ex-sensitive

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• The Felice Brothers – Frankie’s Gun

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• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Seven-Mile Island

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• Tim Easton – Burgundy Red

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• John Wesley Harding and Eugene Mirman’s Cabinet of Wonders w/ special guests – Oh! Pandora

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• The Proclaimers – Life With You

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• Jon Langford And The Pine Valley Cosmonauts – GIRL AT THE END OF THE BAR

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• Willie Nile – Hard Times In America

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• San Saba County – Cowboy Song

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• Alberta Cross – The Thief & The Heartbreaker

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• Hamell On Trial – When You’re Young

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• Twilight Hotel – Viva La Vinyl

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Saturday

• Melissa Ferrick – Hypocrite

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• Keegan DeWitt – Telephone

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• Earlimart – Face Down In The Right Town

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• The Mother Truckers – Dynamite

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• Grupo Fantasma – El Sabio Soy Yo

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• The Handsome Family – Weightless Again

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• Cory Branan – Tall Green Grass

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• The Break And Repair Method – You Won’t Be Able To Be Sad

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• Bobby Bare Jr. – The Heart Bionic

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• The Lemurs – Blackspot

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• Deadstring Brothers – Tennessee Sure Enough

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• Ha Ha Tonka – St. Nick on the Fourth in a Fervor

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• Dexter Romweber Duo – Lookout

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• Waco Brothers – Waco Express

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That’s it for now. If you like these tunes there’s no shortage of other songs just like these at the SXSW web site. I hope you’ll come back to read recaps by the Twangville team. Don’t forget to keep Austin weird.

About the author:  Washington, D.C. area web designer by day. Certifiable music freak by night. Husband and father of two by the loving grace of God.