Thursday, April 28, 2011

Hollerado - Got To Lose

From the mad genius of director, Greg Jardin, and the gents from Hollerado, comes the winning frenzy of Hollywood style musical chorus girls, umbrellas, confetti cannons, and a headbanging, hair shaking drummer, all contained in a music video. Depending on the day, this could be my favorite Hollerado song. If it doesn't make you smile and bounce around, and sing along to...."you've got to loooooossseee, you've got to loooooossseee....", then I feel just a bit sad for you. I'm also rather partial to a live version where their friend Dave Foley (yes, the guy from Kids In The Hall and News Radio), gets onstage to join them.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Moonlight Towers CD Release Party with Grand Champeen and Leatherbag

If you're looking for an all-around, solid local lineup to see this weekend, look no further than Moonlight Towers CD release show on Sat, April 30th at Antones. Moonlight Towers will be celebrating the release of their 3rd full length record, Day Is The New Night (released on the Chicken Ranch Records label). This Austin quartet delivers with honest rock n' roll songs bursting with catchy pop hooks and plenty of loud and melodic guitars. 3 minute pop songs with a rock n' roll heart - definitely my kind of band. On Day Is The New Night, the band adds some flair and punch on a few tracks with female backing vocals and a horn section. Hopefully those ladies and horn section will be present for the CD release show. If you like what you hear tell your friends in other parts of the country as Moonlight Towers are heading out on a US tour in mid-May. Go to Moonlight Towers website for a list of tour dates. Grand Champeen is one of those local bands I just failed to keep up with over the years but they're definitely a compliment to Moonlight Towers and share many of the same influences. I still remember one Grand Champeen show when they paid tribute to Cheap Trick's Live at Budokan down to the last detail including the between song banter. Classic. I think I can credit ME TV in Austin for turning me on to Leatherbag (musical moniker from songwriter, Randy Reynolds). The video for a tune called On Down The Line was played on regular rotation and I was hooked with its musical stew of influences : roots rock, punk, powerpop, and even hints of blues and folk. Then I see Leatherbag open for some of my favorites such as Robyn Hitchcock and Brendan Benson. It wasn't long until I realized I was head over heels for Leatherbag's sound. The 2 most recent releases, Hey Day and Tomorrow/Everything I Once Knew have certainly been in regular rotation from my listening library. It's honest, heartfelt songwriting - at times, reflective and somber but at other times, raucous and a hell of a lot of fun. How can you resist a song called "Tom Petty Summer" ?!? You simply cannot. But there's more including a new record called Yellow TV about to be released. If you're going to make me compile a 2011 "best of/favorites" list, I'm quite sure that Yellow TV will be on it. I recently turned on a friend to Leatherbag and he liked the songs so much, he told me he wanted to play in Leatherbag's band. Now that's a pretty high compliment, don't you think ? Tip : Save yourself a few dollars on the cover charge and RSVP on Do512 for this show.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Leatherbag and The Pons at Beerland April 13, 2011

Returning from a brief, self imposed exile of seeing gigs, I'm looking forward to next Wednesday's event at Beerland which is part of Future Sounds The Rumble tour. This event includes 2 of my current Austin favorites, Leatherbag (Randy Reynolds performing solo) and The Pons. I've seen each of these bands numerous times but I keep going back again and again because I just cannot resist their intelligent and well written catchy pop songs. The songs have definitely gotten their hooks into me. Take a listen to the songs below to find out why I'm mentioning both bands on a frequent basis. The Pons have recently finished recording their 2nd album, The Blackest Shine, and Leatherbag has recently completed their latest, Yellow TV, which is being released in mid-May. Stay tuned to this blog for updates when these albums are released. This show is FREE if you RSVP using this link : http://therumbleaustin.eventbrite.com/