Live Review: Smith Westerns, Yuck and Moodrings
February 1, 2011, Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta
by Emily Hogan
I can probably count on one hand the number of bands I’d see more than once in a 48-hour period. Chicago-based Smith Westerns and British rockers Yuck fit into that category. And I’d do it all over again in a heart beat. I saw them in Athens, GA at the 40 Watt on Monday, January 31. It was just the warm up for the Atlanta show the following day.
There was a nice crowd of people ready to go when I got to the Drunken Unicorn around 9PM. It was raining and that always makes me nervous. I had to get there early because Atlanta-based Mood Rings was opening. They recently released an EP, Sweater Weather Forever, and at first listen I knew I needed to see them live. They were excellent, a great way to start the evening.
Yuck took the stage next and they completely blew me away. What can I say? I have thing for bands that tend to sound like they belong in the early ’90s. They played tracks from their debut album that will be released on February 15 on Fat Possum. This was their first trip to Georgia and of course, they couldn’t leave without playing their song that shares the same name. Besides “Georgia,” they played some of my favorite jams, “Get Away,” “The Wall,” and “Suicide Policemen.” They are a talented group of guys and gal, you do not want to miss them when they come to your neighborhood.
I don’t think I can quite describe how I felt when Smith Westerns took the stage. I’ve been a fan since their self-titled debut was released in 2009. They were everything I expected dream pop rockers to be. Since they recently released Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum) in mid-January, it only made sense for them to play tracks from that album. “Imagine Pt. 3,” “End of the Night,” and “Dye It Blonde” really stood out to me. And of course they had to play favorites from their debut like “Dreams,” “Be My Girl,” and ” Girl In Love.” Guitarist Max Kakacek won me over completely. He is ridiculously good at making it look so effortless. Smith Westerns just got up on stage, did their thing and it was over in about an hour.
I know it’s only February, but this show was my favorite of the year so far. I was completely blown away by all three bands. The bill was perfect, the atmosphere was fun, and we were all having a good time.
Reposted from Dead Journalist
Monday, March 7, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
On Saturday March 19th is Red Lion
In the diverse musical landscape, Red Lion forges a rift in Atlanta's rock scene. They’re creating a fresh, energizing sound that combines toothsome rhythms and provocative lyrics with influences ranging from electric blues to dirty rock & roll. Grinding out sharp and skillful hooks, Red Lion harpoons it's melodies then shows them to you alive and writhing. Their dynamic live performances lure in audiences with duality: part sight, part sound... part good, part evil, but all feeling… and it feels good.
Red Lion on Facebook
Much has been written in recent years proclaiming the 'death of Rock and Roll'. A quick look at the charts -- where flavor-of-the-week pop stars, the newest hip hop fads or hot new country singers all outnumber Rock acts by 5 to 1 -- seems to confirm the declaration. The cause, however, is far from lost. Rock and Roll is alive and well-armed, claiming new terrain in clubs, bars and civic halls. It is in these trenches that Nashville, Tennessee's Sound&Shape, are leading the charge.
A hard-touring outfit from the get-go, Sound&Shape formed in July 2005 and by the end of that year had logged more miles on the road than some bands do in entire careers. January 2006 saw the release of their debut album, Where Machines End Their Lives, and it was a year that would take them coast to coast many times, racking up an impressive 230+ shows.
More heavy touring followed in 2007 (180+ shows) and 2008 (150+), as well as the recording of a new album, The Love Electric. After paring down the 14 song opus to a more focused 5 song EP, Sound&Shape were signed to the US/UK independent label Engineer Records, and The Love Electric was released internationally on January 27th, 2009. Garnering rave reviews in the US as well as the UK, Italy, Romania and Germany, The Love Electric has served to introduce the name Sound&Shape to new fans across the globe.
In early 2010 the band returned to the studio, this time under the guidance of seasoned producer Matthew McCauley and Grammy award winning producer/engineer Casey Wood to tackle their most accessible and mature compositions to date. Armed with a wealth of new material, Sound&Shape have defined their mission: the best way to predict the future is to create it.
Sound & Shape on Facebook
On Richard Sapeta's first day of school in Atlanta, after moving from New Jersey, Richard asked a kid in the lunch line if he could sit with them. That student was Spencer Thompson. Within a matter of that lunch period, they made plans to play music together. After playing consistently together for two years, Circles Still Repeating was created.
Together with Spencer's complex tapping and notation and Richard's creative and driving drum beats, Circles Still Repeating fills out their sound and creates a unique listening experience that must be seen live to be fully appreciated.
Circles Still Repeating on Facebook
$5, 21+
Doors @ 9 pm
Friday, March 4, 2011
Stereotalk are having a Reunion show on Friday, March 18th
We formed in 2008 and conquered Atlanta's hip hop and rock scenes. Broke up in early 2010 to fix some things, now we're back for 2011 to reclaim the throne.
Stereotalk on Facebook
Planet Rock is the side-project of ex-StereoTALK!!! front-man, Charlie Ahanotu. He has incorporated the use of electronics and dance beats to create a distinctive blend of rock and hip hop. What started as a project in his basement, has become a full fledged band with different musician friends filling in. He has since recorded a small EP, entitled "Planet Rock", releasing it in summer 2010, and has more of an electronic influence. Following, was the release of his first mixtape, "Charlie Who?", in December 2010. His latest release is his second mixtape, "Welcome 2 Planet Rock", which has received rave reviews from music entertainment as a whole. It's scheduled to hit Hot Topic stores on February 11, 2011! You can download the single "Back 2 Atlanta" on our official website
Stay tuned... We're just gettin' started!!
Planet Rock on Bandcamp
" Its not just about what I have done in Life its also about what im doing. Just listen to the music, you will find out what you need to know about me. Big Chad Famous was created to tell the stores of my life." -Chad L.Welch
Big Chad Famous on Facebook
$8, 21+
Doors @ 9 pm
Live photo's from Toy Devils performance on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
Hey everyone,
here a few photos of the Toy Devils performance at the Drunken Unicorn on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011.
Thanks to Raymond Chang Photography and Design for the photographs
Toy Devils:
here a few photos of the Toy Devils performance at the Drunken Unicorn on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011.
Thanks to Raymond Chang Photography and Design for the photographs
Toy Devils:
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Celebrate St. Patricks Day with Vegan Coke!
Vegan Coke is an instrumental now wave punk band from Atlanta, GA that likes to write, record and tour.
Vegan Coke on Facebook
During the last decade, Aimée Argote has had more bands called Des Ark than she has albums under that name. She's howled and jerked in sweaty houses and rock clubs, backed by a drummer, another drummer, yet another drummer and a second guitarist, and a small symphony. She's brought big crowds to a whisper with nothing but her voice and a banjo or a tiny guitar that kept slipping out of tune. But, a stack of radio sessions aside, Des Ark only has one LP, 2005's Loose Lips Sink Ships, and a collaborative split, 2007's Battle of the Beards, to call its own.
Don't Rock the Boat, Sink the Fucker—the band's brilliant second LP, due this summer on Lovitt Records—makes up for the time lag and the lost members.
"On the record, I wanted to put on tape whatever it was that I heard in my head, which I can never do live. And that doesn't matter," says Argote, walking to her job making crepes in Philadelphia, where she's lived for the past several months. "It's my project, and I wanted it to be what comes out of me when I do it how I imagine. It was a fun experiment."
The experiment took its time. Sink is a record of extremes—heavy and roiling during "Ashley's Song," twinkling and tender during "Howard's Hour." As such, Argote couldn't do everything in one place or one room. She began recording the quiet tunes in Richmond, Va., in 2007, finishing just last year. The more aggressive numbers were recorded last May in trio form with guitarist Noah Howard and drummer Ashley Arnwine in Salem, Mass., by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou. The multiple sessions afforded Argote the chance to think through the material more than ever before.
"Usually, you get stuck on a part, and you just have to keep going," she says. "Here, I had a lot of time to sit with it and wait to see how it would be fixed. So a year later when I'd go back to finish this song, I knew how it was supposed to sound." —Grayson Currin
Des Ark on Facebook
In 2007, longtime musical acquaintances Thomas Barnwell, Max McDonough, Chris Ware and Ian Deaton met to start something new. They had only a couple of ground rules: #1, it was to be significantly less poppy than Barnwell and McDonough’s other project, the Orphins, and #2, it was to be substantially more poppy than Ware and Deaton’s previous band, Blame Game.
The quartet wrote a few songs while searching for the perfect voice to handle both pop melodies and blazing speed picking. They found that voice in ex-I Would Set Myself On Fire For You member Lindsey Harbour.
The band quickly had enough material for a full length, but shortly thereafter, Deaton abruptly left the band. Determined to march on, the group continued writing and started searching for a replacement that could bring fresh ideas while maintaining their signature sound. Erin Carmichael, formerly of the group SIDS, fit the bill wonderfully. Once again a five piece, the band took no time to gel and has been feverishly writing new material and playing live.
Their self-titled debut is equal parts art rock, pop, metal and punk. Angular guitars dart in and out of danceable rhythms. Soaring vocals turn on a dime into shouts. Dark melodies shift to a blur of triumphant guitars. And through it all the sound is uniquely Thy Mighty Contract.
Thy Mighty Contract on Facebook
"Because we're in the spirit world asshole. They can't see us."
Pygmy Lush on Facebook
$5, 21+
Doors @ 9 pm
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