Chock Full O'Angst - "The Blackest Shine" Photoshoot with The Pons

In August 2011, Austin TX guitar pop trio, The Pons , successfully met their Kickstarter fundraiser campaign goal. The money raised will go towards album production costs, tour expenses, and promotional support. Donors who pledged $100 or more had the opportunity to attend a make-up/photo shoot party. To honor the album title, "The Blackest Shine", photo shoot participants were given pain-free fake black eyes skillfully applied by makeup artist, Lisa Donahoe. The band will play a handful of tour dates in Texas and Oklahoma starting in early October and end the month with an album release party in Austin at The Highball on October 28th with 2 of my local favorites, The Sour Notes and STEREO IS A LIE. I took my own digital camera to the photo shoot which took place at the home of The Pons' lead singer and guitarist, Thomas Siragusa. There was a fun , casual atmosphere and there were plenty of laughs and amazement as everyone showed off their brand new shiner. Here are a handful of my photos from "The Blackest Shine" photo shoot.

Pete and the Pirates - Half Moon Street

In the Pete and the Pirates video for their new single, Half Moon Street, lead singer Tommy Sanders appears to be creating his own version of "The Bachelor" TV series. So many ladies to choose from, so little time, and not enough money (note the expression when he gets bill at the restaurant). Love the mischievous yet endearing sense of humor in their videos. Half Moon Street has an irresistible melody and a ridiculously catchy chorus in which you can't help singing along. Definitely worthy of repeat listens :). Speaking of money, Pete and the Pirates are one of many bands affected by the London riots. Their record label, Stolen Recordings, was one of numerous indie labels who lost a significant amount of their physical stock in the SonyDADC warehouse fire. CDs and albums can still be purchased from Stolen Recordings although orders may take a little longer than usual since the post office they used was also destroyed by fire during the riots. Digital downloads are available from their online shop. A full list of the labels affected can be found here : http://www.pias.com/uk/pias-distributed-labels-list/ If you couldn't already tell, I absolutely adore this band. They worked on their latest album, One Thousand Pictures, for 3 years. Show your support if you can for one of the nicest, hardest working bands I've had the pleasure of seeing and knowing.

How I l Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Sour Notes

I can't exactly remember when I first saw The Sour Notes. I vaguely recall not being an instant fan but thought that they had potential. Another way to explain it is I liked the songs enough to see and hear them again but I needed more convincing. It's easy to dismiss bands if their music doesn't instantly win you over. It's almost like a courtship. Sometimes you need to take the time for you and the music to get to know each other, be attentive, and listen closely. And it has developed into a serious music crush. With 4 albums plus 2 7 inch singles in 3 years, an active performing schedule, and always working on new material, they show no signs of stopping anytime soon. They check all the boxes for me : hook filled, ambitious pop songs, occasional dramatic flair with horns and strings, lyrics and melodies that range from sweet to sinister.

STEREO IS A LIE at Cactus Cafe 7/29/2011

This Friday, July 29th, features a rare style of performance from Austin indie rock quintet, STEREO IS A LIE. This time around, you can leave your earplugs at home because the amps will be turned down for an all acoustic set at the esteemed Austin venue, Cactus Cafe. Doors open at 8 pm. White Dress starts the show. $8 general admission ($5 if you have a UT Student ID). You can purchase tickets here. If you want the chance win a pair of tickets, yours truly is giving a pair away. Leave a comment on this blog and I will choose a winner. http://www.stereoisalie.com http://monolathe.com/

Jen Has A Turntable Once Again

It wasn't until this spring that I finally stopped procrastinating and bought a turntable. The turntable I had as a kid probably was sold in a family garage sale a long time ago. It's been nice to have one again so I can take advantage of buying new vinyl releases from some of my favorite local and regional bands. I thought that I had missed my opportunity to get a copy of the 7 in single, Six Pack Back Stab/Party Tape by Houston TX trio, Young Girls. Take in the reverb soaked sound and dual harmonies of "Six Pack Back Stab". Flip it over for the jangly, surf rock inspired "Party Tape". This year, my long time Austin favorites, The Ugly Beats, released 2 7 in singles. I couldn't resist picking up a copy of "Beeline" just for the sunshine yellow colored vinyl. The song itself is irresistible for its spot-on sounds of bees that come from a guitar and organ. The final touch on the bee theme is the B-side instrumental of "Maximum Bumble". Since the 2010 release of their Motor! album, the band has continued to add new tunes to their live set. 2 of those nuggets found a place on their latest 7 in single, "Throw Me A Line/Sombras. You can buy this limited edition single (500 copies made) from the band or from Hey Girl Records. "Throw Me A Line" is a plea for help or it could be an underdog's anthem : "I'll get what's mine/just throw me a line". The B-side contribution is "Sombras" which is a cover of the Spanish 60s garage rock band, Los Nivrem. My vinyl library is small but these 3 singles are a welcome addition to my growing collection.

Leatherbag - "...make this feeling come alive with electric guitar wires..."

Album artwork by Chase Maclaskey Yellow Television by Leatherbag Patience by Leatherbag I don't possess an ounce of musical talent but that doesn't prevent me from being envious of people who can express their thoughts, observations, and emotions and put them into song. One of those people is Randy Reynolds, the songwriter behind the musical moniker of Leatherbag. When you listen to his songs, you can tell he cares about songwriting. In a music world full of hype, I find his honesty to be quite refreshing. In "Imitation Generation," when he sings on repeat with a sense of urgency, "Wanna make this feeling come alive with electric/electric guitar wires", you can sincerely believe him. But you can also appreciate the wry humor in songs like "Teenage Creeps" and "Yellow TV". Although I'm a fan of the louder, punk-infused energy of songs like "Waxing Nostalgic" and "No Future", I also love the raw, sparse side of his sound (with hints of folk and Americana) in tracks like "Patience","Sincerity" and "Sparrow Blues". Get yourself to a live Leatherbag show if you can. The latest live lineup is a trio and Randy is joined by Drew Emmons on bass guitar and Daniel Blanchard on drums. All killer and no filler. If you're in Austin, you have a chance to see Leatherbag 3 times this week as they celebrate the release of the Yellow TV album and Patience EP : Mon, July 25th at Waterloo Records at 5 pm, Thurs July 28th at End of an Ear Records at 6 pm, followed by the official release show at Skinny's Ballroom. Go see a gig or two, buy the records at your local record store, and tell your friends. Leatherbag simply kick ass and deserve to be heard.

Songs For Summer, Texas Style

Looking for tunes to add to your summer playlists ? Try these new tunes from some of my favorite up and coming Texas bands. Black Hearted Faction by Elevated Lines Elevated Lines is a musical project fronted by singer/guitarist Carrie Clark. "Black Hearted Faction" from their debut Evil Eye EP is a perfect song for summer. It's Debbie Harry meets The Ronettes combined with glam rock riffs and an infectious singalong chorus. This Time by young girls The self titled debut album from Houston TX trio is also perfect for this summer's soundtrack. Summery harmonies, shimmering guitars and a steady surf rock backbeat. I think I can almost hear the beach calling. The Shore by Wiretree If you're going to rely on YouTube video comments, this song is supposedly a rip off of Iggy Pop's "The Passenger" and/or Green Day's "Holiday". This song is from their upcoming album, Makeup, which is set for release on Aug 1st. Whether or not you agree with the song comparisons, it's a stomping, rollicking tune telling a tale of aquatic adventures. You can download the song and pre-order the album from their Bandcamp page. Yellow TV (Unmastered) by Leatherbag Leatherbag (featuring singer and songwriter, Randy Reynolds) has been previewing tunes on Soundcloud from upcoming album, Yellow TV, set for release on July 20th. The title track is a great example of the range of influences from post-punk to power pop and pub rock. The humor from the lyric "I woke up this morning with a yellow television/and a neon grin" certainly puts a grin on my face. 1994 - International Waters http://internationalwaters.bandcamp.com/track/1994 The title track from their upcoming album brings to mind the gentler, sweeter side of summer with its cool organ and acoustic guitar intro and soothing harmonies. A musical oasis during an extremely hot Texas summer.