Friday, March 25, 2011

Introducing Garfunkel & Oates

How cute are these chicks? This song is either called "Booty Call" or "Self Esteem" depending which version you find online.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

More picks from SXSW

Wild Flag
This female group, half of whom are former members of Sleater-Kinney (you might recognize Carrie Brownstein from "Portlandia") played the NPR day showcase at The Parish.  They killed it!  Only souvenir I got myself at SXSW was a Wild Flag tee-shirt.


Joy Formidable
None of us had heard of them when we saw them play just after Wild Flag at the NPR showcase.  I was impressed.  While they were playing, our friends kept turning around and asking "What was their name again?"  Not exactly a catchy band name but they have a great sound.  I would definitely play them on my radio show.



The Naked and Famous
They played a free daytime showcase at Emo's, on a really warm day.  I was ready to leave the venue to get some fresh air and food but my cousin talked me into staying to see this band from New Zealand.  I'm glad I did!  They were fun and upbeat.  They sounded a lot like MGMT at times, but that's okay.  Sometimes pop music doesn't have to be reinventing anything as long as it sounds good and makes you want to move a little.



Sondre Lerche
I wrote about him before.  He's great.  I described him to my cousin as a "a straight, Norwegian version of Rufus Wainwright."  Great singer and guitar player, and totally adorable.  He played the Central Presbyterian church with a full band and played all new songs.  Everything sounded GREAT.  I'm looking forward to his new album coming out!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Top pick of SXSW: Davila 666

I finally got to attend SXSW in Austin for the first time this year. It was an exhausting whirlwind but still a total blast!  I definitely want to go again.  I'll post more about my experience, but I wanted to start with the band I enjoyed seeing the most: Dávila 666.  They're a garage punk group from Puerto Rico who I first heard of only a few weeks ago on one of my music blogs (Stereogum? KEXP?).  I could tell from listening to only one song that they would be fun to see live, and boy was I right!  They played the Vice showcase at Club Deville on Thursday night and totally blew everyone away.  So much fun!

"La Pingorocha Y La Diva Rockera"


Cover of Blondie's "Hanging on the Telephone" (originally The Nerves)
[en espanol, song starts at 0:38]


- Download their song Esa Nena Nunca Regreso here.
- Download their song Obisidon here.
- Read Pitchfork review of their album Tan Bajo.