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SXSW Announces a Couple Hundred More Showcasing Bands for 2010 [Lots of Austin Bands in the Mix]
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Preview: Legs Against Arms EP Release [Club de Ville / Saturday]
Why We Don't Like You: Texas A&M Aggies
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Weekend Music Preview: Woven Bones Tour Kick-Off [Beerland / Friday]
Pecan Street Project Gets $10.4 Million Stimulus Grant
What’s the Deal: Smack dab in the middle of the triangle of Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton is Grapevine, Texas, and in this suburban town you’ll find this poppy, happy marching band/choir sort of group of 19 to 25-year-olds. They have a curious sound that could work in a venue, at a house party or even at a street festival. It’s got to be the choral aspect of the band, but they do remind a little of early Polyphonic Spree. With a roster of 11 or so people playing everything from percussion to sousaphone to melodica to accordion it becomes easy to see why the Spree all where matching uniforms – so you can pick them out from fans. Looking through Mount Righteous’ live photos it can get hard to tell where the crowd stops and the band begins.
“Seaman” starts out with some accordion that’s way too happy to be a sea chanty, and then moves to a clamoring of instruments. Marching drums, bells, the bass of the sousaphone and a chorus of guys and girls back and forth all burst forth next.
Something Interesting: They are not a religious band.
Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “When The Child Awakes”
What’s the Deal: On the opposite side of the spectrum, you have Austin’s The Midgetmen. But, even with only four members and equipped with only the bare-bones rock and roll instruments, they create quite a meaty sound reminiscent of 90s indie rock and punk. Their music can be rough and dirty at times with distorted guitar noise and scratchy, strained vocals or strong and thick with indie guitar rock goodness.
One of the tracks off their latest and third album, Show Pony, called “Strap It On” is as good as an example as any to illustrate their sound. There’s a hooky chorus, but it’s murked up a bit with the clashing rhythm section and fuzzy guitars. Whether purposefully or due to financial restraints the production is a little gritty and organic, and it was a wise choice.
Something Interesting: Big fans of the DIY ethic, The Midgetmen do pretty much everything themselves, such as creating their own logos and artwork. Someone in the band must be a designer because that artwork is pretty impressive.
Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Lights Out” and “Trickle Down”
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Mount Righteous played a crawfish boil at ColdTowne earlier this year and they were good fun. Entertaining musicians with nice harmonies and good kids all around. A little bit of Sufjan and Polyphonic Spree going on, tis true.
Mount Righteous are really fun. I've seen them so far in two different parking lots (Monkey Wrench Books and ColdTowne) and both were really really good shows.
oh, and obviously the midgetmen kick in teeth. in a good way.