Rolling Blackouts Costal Fever - French Press

I'm alright if you ask me
but you never do
is this thing on?
I'm coming at you
from the side of delicate now

"French Press", off Melbourne-based Rolling Blackouts Costal Fever's latest EP, is the kind of song that would have hooked me hard and fast when I was in High School. Back then I walked a line between hard punk rock, wave and the softer, more polished work of bands like The Style Council and Crowded House. Their bio describes them as "tough pop/soft punk" and I think that works well. Regardless, I'm glad I found them and would like to thank them for the throwback to the good old days.

RIYL: The Jam, The Style Council, Middle Kids, Gene

Upcoming Shows

Snow Patrol - Called Out In The Dark

It's like we just can't help ourselves
'Cause we don't know how to back down
We were called out to the streets
We were called in to the towns

And how the heavens, they opened up
Like arms of dazzling gold
With our rain washed histories
Well they do not need to be told

Show me now, show me the arms aloft
Every eye trained on a different star
This magic
This drunken semaphore
And I

(Many hours later than a usual post, it's bedtime already and thus I was called out in the dark to write up a song. Heh) It's been four years since we've heard from this lovely band out of Northern Ireland - and that last outing was a "Greatest Hits" compilation. I'm forever hopeful that Gary and the gang are going to keep on creating (and touring) together but for now, this cleverly written and belated entry to TMIS.

RIYL: The Boxer Rebellion, The Killers, Editors, The Fray

Upcoming Shows

Bad Cop, Bad Cop - Cheer

Early afternoon...or maybe lunchtime?
All I know is daylight is creeping through
The covered windows behind me, neon signs fluorescent flicker:
"this Bud´s for you!"

By light of day it´s hard not to notice
Just how filthy this place can be.
The smell of bleach and cheap shots
Drowning out my ugly company.

So line ´em up, my lonely friends.
raise your glass and knock ´em down.
A little salt to sap the sting
from the last words that we spoke

So CHEERS! Here´s to hoping
I never see your face again.
This one´s to chase
The awful taste of your name from my tongue
And one more in hopes that I´ll hit the floor
And knock the thought of you from my brain.
And last, hopelessly wishing
I never met you.

It's a fine Saturday afternoon, how about some good old-fashioned pop-punk? I stumbled across Bad Cop, Bad Cop the other day while searching for some live videos of Meat Wave. You know, as you do. So, yeah, Meat Wave to hard rocking girl band? Sure. Makes sense. Anyway, it's fun stuff, just check out this video, and after that you might try some more from Live From The Rock Room. They've got some good stuff there.

RIYL: Bad Religion, Teenage Bottlerocket, Against Me, Amazombies, Tsunami Bomb

Upcoming Shows

The Bright Light Social Hour - Infinite Cities

Standing without places
Rotation into phases
Neon constellations
Echoing the nameless
Cities without limit
Carpeted and endless
Quilted emigrations
Moonrise in our faces

Stay until we call it home
Stay until we call it home

Distant western gazes
Swollen hearts in vases
Fugitive embraces
Packed away in cases
Comfort is a siren
Radiant and instant
Scattered by the movement
Moonrise in our faces

Another Austin band I definitely should have known about sooner, I only started earnestly listening to BLSH recently, after missing them perform at SXSW again, and then reading up on them for TMIS! I'm sure they're practically heroes in the local music scene, having won several awards at SXSW starting in 2011, and creating a viral song/video supporting Texan pro-choice Senator, Wendy Davis (who should have become governor but I digress), and last year doing the theme song for Amazon show Sneaky Pete. Their sound is kind of hard to pin down, a little psychedelic, and progressive-to-slightly-punk, yet still sounding folksy at times. (I bet Keith is super familiar with them and cringing at my description but my ears + my experience = my words, heh.)

RIYL: The Dear Hunter, Emarosa, Run River North, Minus the Bear

Upcoming Shows

The Wind and The Wave - Grand Canyon

My heart burns, yeah, I'm tired of the same old stuff
Running like a river from God knows what
It's the damndest thing
Oh, it's the damndest thing
Don't die, you're just a baby, yeah you're way too young
You haven't lived till you've been to the Grand Canyon
It's the damndest thing
Oh, it's the damndest thing
Travel maker where're you off to now
I can tell you this ain't workin' out for anyone
Travel maker where're you off to now
I can tell you this ain't workin' out for anyone

Local Austin duo The Wind and The Wave were brought to my attention recently by a Seattle friend (ironically) who had just seen them live and had her socks knocked off. I can absolutely hear why! Patricia Lynn has an amazing voice that they write to great use in their original songs, but the fact is underlined by their covers album which runs the gamut from Stevie Nicks to Regina Spektor to Cyndi Lauper. TMIS bonus track: moving cover of Sia's "Chandelier"

RIYL: Fleetwood Mac, The Oh Hellos, Neko Case, Ha Ha Tonka

Upcoming Shows