Le Diamant Brut: A Weather & The Black & White Years
THE BLACK & WHITE YEARS
What’s the Deal: Austin’s own experimental electronic, post-whatever eclectica outfit The Black & White Years – Scott Butler, Landon Thompson, John Aldridge, Billy Potts – have an album arriving this month. They’re having an album release show at Stubb’s on February 22nd. They’ve brought on some comparisons to the Talking Heads, and their upcoming album was even produced by Talking Head Jerry Harrison. Even though it’s not exactly the most accurate comparison that could be made here, there’s still a little fingerprint present in the punchy, artful rock and funky, dance-heavy sounds.
It’s present in “Power to Change,” but so is a strong electronic current running right through the center of the beast, and a beast of a song it is. Beginning with a dancehall beat that rises along with jabbing guitars and rich, unique vocals with slight effects, it’s a tune your joints and muscles won’t be able to ignore.
Something Interesting: Apparently, along with being skilled musicians the guys are also “masters of jigsaw puzzles and quilting.”
Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Broken Hand” and “A Wetter Sea”
A WEATHER
What’s the Deal: One of the groups coming our way in March for South By that’s worth your time is Portland’s A Weather. Also, there’s a good chance checking them out will mean that you won’t have to wait in ridiculous lines because they’re still pretty new. They’re so new that their debut full-length, Cove, is coming out in March on Team Love, the label co-founded by Conor Oberst. The guy-and-gal sweet-and-smokey harmonies in the midst of some twinkly, minimalist indie folk musicianship hit ground somewhere between The Postal Service and Iron & Wine. It seems the weather following this fivesome around is full of grey, wispy clouds just out of reach.
Listening to “Spiders Snakes” is like eavesdropping on the most intimate of conversations between a man and woman cozy in bed face-to-face with the covers pulled up in the dead of winter. It’s a gentle, breathy and tragic tune with somber key tones and a dreary drum beat. “Screw Up Your Courage” is for those who enjoyed the previous, because it’s built around more of the same soft touches and teetering vocals that flutter around in the lesser-known chambers of your heart.
Something Interesting: Cove was recorded by Adam Selzer (writer, tour guide, ghostbuster and singer/songwriter in Norfolk and Western) at his Type Foundry Recording Studio.
Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Oh My Stars” and “The Feather Test”
