SXSW

SXSW Review: The Moonlandingz, Cheer Up Charlies, March 16

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Ricky in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

moonlandingz

The Moonlandingz are a weird and delightful psych rock band. Much have been made about the band’s “supergroup” feel – they feature members of Fat White Group, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and Eccentronic Research Council. Led by Lias Saoudi on vocals, the groups live show is a rowdy party that always seems to be teetering on the edge of destruction. Saoudi is a mesmerizing front man, and his squinty Sam Rockwell delivery while carrying a cigarette and drink in one hand is unique. Much like the band, you wonder if he’s really like that or if it’s just an act. Whatever it is, it works well with the music, which incorporates psych rock-punk elements with almost 8bit electronic sounds at times. A fascinating show, catch them during sxsw.

SXSW Song of the Day Archive: Soul Asylum – Runaway Train (1992)

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Ricky in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Hey duuuudddes!

How’s it hanging? whoomp there it is. I was at Tower Records yesterday just chilling and I bought this cassette tape by this band from ‘Sota and it’s freakin dope. Cha Ching! The band is called Soul Asylum and they are all serious and concerned about issues and stuff. Gnarly right?

This song is called Runaway Train and it is really dark but also has a nice melody to it. I think it would be trippin if they played it on my fav show 90210 where Kelly runs away from Brandon to be with Dylan. I heard the lead singer is dating Winona Ryder who is a total babe and will be a very big movie star soon. She was a total betty in Reality Bites.

So go to your music store, buy this cassette, put it in your walkman, pump up your reeboks and check it out!

I think in like 20 years they might play some festival called SXSW but that was only what a psychic told me. NOT!

SXSW Preview: The Wet Secrets – I Can Swing a Hammer

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Gary in Everything, Song of the Day, South By Southwest | Leave a comment

When people ask where I’m from, the typical answer is Toronto. This is partly because most Americans have little to no hope of placing Edmonton geographically, in effect defeating their hope to relate and segue into the next piece of conversation. And while I CAN go into detail about how great the Oilers were 30 years ago (albeit after a bit of Wikipedia research), or how Edmonton is the more liberal capital of the Texas of Canada, somehow none of that helps diminish the inferiority complex even a little. This is why I listened to “I Can Swing A Hammer” with much glee. The Wet Secrets hail from Edmonton. Yes, that bitterly cold place 6 hrs drive above the 49th parallel north where the shop composition of a big indoor mall defined much of my teenage life. And “Hammer” sounds every bit the teensy, rebellious pop-rock anthem it needs to be when your hometown has been twice (unjustly) crowned the “Murder capital of Canada” (we’ll be right with you after 14 more photo-finishes, Winnipeg!)

While the lyrics won’t win any poetry awards, it encapsulates the complex tug-of-war between potential and reality so well that you need only take 1 capsule a day (CBC’s prescription of 1 pill every morning is right on the money). As long as they don’t plan to twirl those hammers like batons while they play in their marching band costumes, I’ll definitely drop by at Southby in support.

The Wet Secrets play at Friends on March 18 at 1AM, and the Swan Dive at 12AM on March 19.

SXSW Preview: Lucy Dacus

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Gary in Song of the Day, South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Many a song plays host to personal and universally-relatable lyrics. Yet some remain unapproachable or inaccessible to those who would otherwise empathize, merely due to a less than memorable supporting melody. “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” is just the opposite. Here, Richmond, Virginia’s Lucy Dacus and her band have crafted a perfect skeleton on which to hang a simple premise. It plays like the confession and resolution of an old friend with a sudden change of heart. Compacted to less than 3 minutes, the attention capture is immediate and refreshing.

Dacus’ first album, No Burden, was just released two weeks ago, and has already garnered some positive reviews. While I found other songs collected in the same such as “Strange Torpedo” to be slightly less impactful, her shows would certainly be worthwhile to visit at SXSW.

They will be playing at the Parish on March 17 at 8PM, as well as Clive Bar on March 18 at 8PM.

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