Planning for Burial

Let's close out February (the hottest February in Austin ever recorded) with an appropriately dark and gloomy dirge from atmospheric post-metal band Planning for Burial.  "Somewhere in the Evening" sounds like heartbroken despair.  Listen below and get the "Below the House" LP from The Flenser.

Dude York

Oh, all those silly kids out there dusting off old compact discs from 20+ years ago and then making music of their own.  The 90's revival has been threatening to take off for a few years now, and while that's probably not going to happen in full, at least some elements of the styles and sounds will show up here and there, as evidenced by Seattle band Dude York.  The trio make alt-rock that would be right at home on "120 Minutes" back when i was in high school.  Anyway, new album "Sincerely" is out now on Hardly Art.  Listen to album opener "Black Jack" below.

RIP Bill Paxton

Man, this one hurts.  RIP Bill Paxton.  The actor died yesterday due to complications from surgery.  I think viewings of "Weird Science," "Aliens," and "Near Dark" are in order.

Max T

Here's some swirly, bouncy, loopy, summery music from Montreal's Max T.  Listen to "Terror, Bright" below and pre-order the "Palm Isle" EP cassette from Winspear.  And yes, the Animal Collective and Panda Bear comparisons are warranted.

Dead Horses

It's always a wonderful experience to stumble upon a record label that seems to be speaking your language with every single release, regardless of genre or mood.  And the folks over at Italian label Maple Death are just killing it.  The latest release is the debut album from Italian cowpunk trio Dead Horses, the side project of members of weirdo noise makers For Food.  Western themed art from Italy always seems to be right up my alley (read: Spaghetti Westerns), and "Ballad for Losers" is no different.  Listen to the hopping, honky tonk punk of "Morning Hell" below and grab the cassette here.

The Bob's Burgers Music Album

God bless the folks over at Sub Pop.  In May, the label is set to release a 3LP set of all the music from the wonderful animated TV show "Bob's Burgers."  Easily one of the funniest series out there, music has always been a very important part of the show, quirky and humorous songs woven into every episode.  The set will include 107 songs from the first 6 seasons, as well as a handful of cover versions performed by the likes of St. Vincent, The National, and Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields.  Listen to "Bad Stuff Happens in the Bathroom" below and pre-order here (check out the deluxe version).

The Bug Vs. Earth

UK grime producer The Bug and Olympia droney doom metal band Earth have paired together before, but now the two artists are collaborating on a full-length album, the upcoming "Concrete Desert," due in March on Ninja Tune.  The resulting output sounds like the heralding of the apocalypse.  Listen to "Snakes Vs. Rats" below.

All Them Witches

Nashville's All Them Witches (not to be confused with synth-wave band All of Them Witches) make a driving, thudding, blues rock infused kind of post grunge.  Post punk icy moodiness seeps in here and there with all of the layers of sound crafting a cacophonous psychedelic wonderland.  It's all kind of intoxicating.  The band's new album "Sleeping Through the War" is out now on New West Records.  Listen to album opener "Bulls" below.

Ghost Bath - Thrones

Hey!  New music from black metal band Ghost Bath!  I wasn't expecting that today.  Anyway, "Starmourner" is due in April on Nuclear Blast.  Listen to first single "Thrones" below.  My friend says that at about a minute in, it sounds like Joe Satriani fronting Dark Funeral...and that he's not yet convinced that that's a bad thing.  I'm inclined to agree.

The Mountain Goats - Andrew Eldritch Is Moving Back to Leeds

So, The Mountain Goats have a new album coming out in May on Merge called "Goths."  Fittingly enough, the record is going to be a concept album of sorts all about goths and will feature no guitars.  If the first single, "Andrew Eldritch Is Moving Back to Leeds" is any indication, this record is going to be amazing.  Listen below.

His Clancyness

Lately i've been combing through lists of bands that i've never heard of that are set to appear at SXSW next month to find some artists to try and check out.  From Bologna, Italy come His Clancyness and sophomore album "Isolation Culture," a collection of strange and quirky art-pop.  Now that these guys are on my radar, i'm definitely going to have to catch them while they're here.  Listen to "Uranium" below and grab the record from Maple Death or Hand Drawn Dracula.

Future Museums

Future Museums is the experimental ambient project of Arkansas native Neil Lord.  The now Austin-based musician's latest album "Visible Nest" is currently available in cassette form from Keeled Scales.  Listen to "Visible Nest Pt. 2" below.  It sounds like a beautiful accompanying score to time lapse footage of some desert landscape.

Ride - Charm Assault

After catching them on their reunion tour a couple of years ago, i suppose i should have expected some new music from old school shoegaze band Ride on the horizon.  And here it is.  Listen to "Charm Assault" below, a great rock tune in the vein of 90's Britpop, and be on the lookout for a new album sometime this year.

The Paperhead

Here's some sweet, kaleidoscopic, 70's country-tinged psych pop from Nashville's The Paperhead.  Listen to "Over and Over" below and grab the "Chew" LP from the always dependable Trouble In Mind.

Molly Nilsson - Not Today Satan

Here's another new track from Molly Nilsson's upcoming "IMAGINATIONS" LP, due in May on Dark Skies Association.  Watch the video for "Not Today Satan" below.

Dntel with Benoit Pioulard

On days when i'm lazy, i just seem to post whatever song is newest from Our First 100 Days.  It's just that good.  Listen to "Fringes of Focus" by Dntel featuring Benoit Pioulard below.

Paul White featuring Danny Brown

Last year, Danny Brown's "Atrocity Exhibition" was one of my favorite records, an absolutely bonkers hip-hop album that featured a ton of production from Paul White.  Said producer now has an EP out featuring the rapper on vocals.  Listen to the fuzzed out, psych madness of "Accelerator" below and order the album here.

Parquet Courts featuring Bun B

First off, let me say what a delight it is to type the phrase "Parquet Courts featuring Bun B." Secondly, let me say how awesome the collaboration between the post punk band and the Texas rap legend is.  Reworking the track "Captive to the Sun," originally from the band's "Human Performance" LP, but with Bun B offering up his own verse, it all works amazingly well together. Listen below and get the 12" from Rough Trade, out today.

Julia Lucille

Dripping Springs is killing it lately, the central Texas town giving us the likes of Cross Record and Molly Burch in the last year.  And now we've got some beautiful dream-folk from Julia Lucille from her upcoming album "Chthonic."  Listen to "Eternally" below and grab the record in April on Keeled Scales.

And if you're in Austin on Saturday, go see all three artists mentioned above perform at Mohawk.

Cindy Lee - Malenkost reissue

Rumors circulating that we are soon to get new music from Pat Flegel's (formerly of Women) gender-bending project Cindy Lee sometime this year, which is wonderful news.  Also good news is that the band's out of print 2015 album "Malenkost" is getting a vinyl reissue on Superior Viaduct in April.  Sign me up, pre-order here, and listen to bonus track "A Message from the Aching Sky" below.

UPDATE: The record can also be ordered from Maple Death Records.

PWR BTTM - Big Beautiful Day

Good news everyone!  We've got a new album on the way from queer punk band PWR BTTM, easily my favorite act from SXSW last year.  "Pageant" is due in May on Polyvinyl, but in the meantime, check out the video for the theatrical and anthemic "Beg Beautiful Day" below.

Cross Record - Sharpness

I've been out of town the last few days (somehow bringing Texas heat with me up to Colorado), and i'm a few days behind on new music that's circulating out there, most notably the latest music from Our First Days.  Day 23 brought us an excellent and jarring new track from local band Cross Record, a haunting piece of droning dark folk.  Listen to "Sharpness" below and buy the album already.

Mark Lanegan Band

April is bringing us "Gargoyle," a new album of tunes by the Mark Lanegan Band.  New Mark Lanegan is always welcome news around here, and listening to "Nocturne," the first single from the new record, this emerging blend of dark synth sound paired with the artist's gravelly, smokey grunge rock has me stoked for all the imminent romantic gloom.  Listen below and grab the record April 28th on Heavenly Recordings.

Shadow Band

Shadow Band is the psych-rock project of Philly musician Mike Bruno.  Debut album "Wilderness of Love" is due later this month on Mexican Summer.  Listen to wistful album closer "Daylight" below.

Homeshake

Homeshake is the project of former Mac DeMarco guitarist Peter Sagar, a quirky, lo-fi take on silky R&B jams.  Listen to "TV Volume" below and get the "Fresh Air" LP here.

Bleached

Bleached have a new EP out in March after last year's excellent "Welcome the Worms" LP.  Punky, feminine alt-rock for the masses, listen to the title track from the "Can You Deal?" EP below, grab the record in March on Dead Oceans, and pre-order a zine the band put together with proceeds benefiting Planned Parenthood.

Operator Music Band

New York's Operator Music Band craft groove-laden krautrock jams with flashes of post-punk and new wave.  Listen to "Creative Tube Bending" below, a dancing ditty about having a benign brain tumor (as vocalist Jared Hiller does) and pre-order the band's debut album, "Puzzlephonics I & II" here via New Professor.

Caddywhompus

Way, way back in 2010, i was in Houston for the Free Press Summer Fest, then a burgeoning music festival, and on a whim caught a blistering performance by a band i had never heard of from Baton Rouge.  And Caddywhompus absolutely slayed it for their small crowd.  I caught them again the next year at the same festival on the same stage as they powered through their mix of punk, indie rock, and angular guitar riffs in tepid 100 degree heat.  Since then, i make it a point to try and catch them whenever they come to central Texas...which hopefully won't be too long from now as the duo have a new album out in April on Inflated Records.  Listen to "Decent" below and get the "Odd Hours" LP here.

Holy Motors

Here's a haunting little psych jam from Holy Motors' upcoming new 7" on Wharf Cat.  "Sleeprydr" sounds trippy but a little menacing, like some shadowy figure stalking the streets at night.  Listen below and snag the record later this month.

Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

May is bringing us a new album from Mac DeMarco.  Title track "This Old Dog" sounds a little less quirky and whimsical than previous output from the artist, carrying a weary vibe.  Listen below and get the record from Captured Tracks.