Twangville

A music blog featuring Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk & Blues. Est. 2005.

SXSW 2007: The Sounds, Part 2

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  • Low Stars – Some of the best SXSW moments occur when you randomly stumble across a surprise performance, such as finding the Low Stars playing a low-key club show late Saturday afternoon. The band is made up of four singer-songwriters, each with a distinct voice, mining the glories of southern California roots music in the vein of the Eagles. For more on the Low Stars, read Tom’s review of their debut album.

  • Leeroy Stagger – One of my SXSW discoveries was Canada’s Leeroy Stagger. Mining the fertile ground of a young Steve Earle, Stagger delivered a solid set of roots-based rock. Bonus points to Stagger for getting a drunken fool tossed out of the club mid-song without losing a beat.

  • You Am I – It’s hard to imagine why these guys aren’t a huge success in the US. They’ve got monster guitars, great songs and an entertaining front-man, all the right ingredients for arena rock success.

  • Charlie Sexton – Despite an extended set-up time, Sexton’s set was plagued by sounds problems. It didn’t matter. The spectacular set melded Sexton’s sparse songs with magnificent musicianship. Simply captivating. For more on Sexton, check out Twangville’s Best of 2005.

  • Joe Purdy – A regular at the Hotel Café, a prominent Los Angeles club for singer-songwriters, Purdy comes across as a pleasant mix of Tom Waits and an acoustic Bruce Springsteen.

  • Mooney Suzuki – In a word, these guys rock. I called a late-night audible and caught the tail end of their set at the Blender Bar. The band spent about as much time jumping on speakers or into the crowd as they spent on stage. This is retro 1960’s garage rock at its finest.

    Audio Download: 99% [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/The_Mooney_Suzuki-99%25.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • Holmes Brothers – This soulful trio of elder statesmen from New York played an engaging set that ran the gamut from rhythm-and-blues to gospel. Their take on the classic “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding” had a great blues-rock fervor, made all the better because it segued into a powerful “Amazing Grace” that was steeped in blues guitar.

  • Band of Heathens – The perfect companion to a lazy Sunday afternoon, the Heathens have a casual acoustic feel, reminiscent of the Subdudes but with more a Texas than New Orleans flavor. Their songs feature some great four-part harmonies.

    Audio Download: Bumbleebee [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/The_Band_of_Heathens-Bumblebee.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • Grand Champeen – These guys are legendary for their live shows, which careen through their own catalog and covers ranging from Springsteen to the Replacements, to whom they are often compared. Their latest album demonstrates a growing maturity and richness to their songwriting.

  • Frank Smith – The guys who make up Frank Smith, none of whom are actually named Frank or Smith, recently relocated from Boston to Austin. With a sound that recalls vintage Uncle Tupelo or Whiskeytown, the band will be releasing a new album later in the spring.

    Audio Download: Apocalypse Circa Now [audio:http://www.franksmithmusic.com/mp3/redonwhite_apocalypsecircanow.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • Stars of Track and Field – This trio was another random discovery who caught my attention purely on the basis of their name. Although the set was acoustic, the performance and a subsequent listen to their debut release recalled the dense songwriting and guitar-heavy sound of the Catherine Wheel.

  • Red Walls – I first saw the Red Walls at an earlier SXSW and they continue to impress with a retro Kinks and Beatles sound. The new songs incorporated into the set were their richest to date.

    Audio Download: Memories [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/The_Redwalls-Memories.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

    • About the author:  Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.