Austinist Show Preview: the Octopus Project with Horse+Donkey and Cue at Emo's tonight

The Octopus Project have recently been galloping across the country, showing off the material from their new album, Hello, Avalance, out on Peek-a-Boo records. Tonight, however, the gang's back in Austin to wrap up the tour with a hometown show at Emo's.

The new album sounds a bit like the score to an industrial film of a factory that makes robots designed to re-enact Disney's Snow White at twice the normal speed. It's full of all the interesting electronic bits and frenetic energy that made One Ten Hundred Thousand Million and House of Apples and Eyeballs oh so intoxicating, creating a treasure hunt of audio sources that range from drum loops and electric guitars to unidentifiable samples. The show at Emo's should be a big happy homecoming, and a hell of a good time.

Austin-based Horse+Donkey and Cue will be rounding out the bill. Horse+Donkey shake up the best bits of 1960s garage, surf, and spy movie rock. Tonight is special for them, too, as this will be the first night their new album will be for sale. Stay tuned for an official release party in February, but don't miss the chance to check out the songs tonight. Feeling dedicated? The band's new video for "Magic Horse" was directed by none other than Wiley Wiggins, and is ... trippy, man. Cue lean more toward the chamber rock end of the spectrum -- think of something somewhere between Yo La Tengo and Explosions in the Sky with a detour toward a really loud lullaby. You should go!

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the Octopus Project [official] [MySpace]
Horse+Donkey [MySpace]
Cue [MySpace]