Last Week Around the -ISTs
Schieffer's Out of Gov Race
The University of Texas’ student-run radio frequency 91.7 KVRX dropped their latest compendium The Technicolor Yawn as part of a tradition of releases featuring both local and international artists who have stepped into their studios to perform live. More ambitious with each passing year, this, the twelfth volume in the series, combines both a CD and DVD to present an unmistakable impression of Austin as a city that continually pulls in upcoming and noteworthy talent from all over the world while also fostering an ever-evolving and impressive local scene.
The album features luminaries from outside of our city limits in the form of the trippy dance project YACHT, peaceable folk duo The Finches, and the phoenix rising from the extinction of the Unicorns, Islands, who here deliver an uncharacteristically muted number - “Waterloo Sunset,” a cover of the Kinks classic. Local acts are also suitably represented. The massively talented Yellow Fever do their whimsical “Cats and Rats,” Moth!Fight! counters a few production snafus to deliver a fine “Rev. Sharp’s Invention.” Other standouts include Sparrow House, Horse + Donkey, and surprisingly, Finally Punk, whose often iffy riot grrl antics finally come together with their performance of “Penguin.”
The DVD is also a lovable selection of public access T.V.-core performances from all over the spectrum, with, again, notable performances from both Yellow Fever and The Finches, the latter of which are almost too precociously adorable but hit all the heartstrings with their song “Human Like a House.” Faceless Werewolves bite down hard with an energetic, even sexy performance of their brightest moment, “My Weakness,” and the unsurprising chops of local boys White Denim (a performance with special, wig-wearing guests) and deft post-punk of Reverse X-Rays burn up the screen.
On the lower end of the spectrum, the always unpredictable Attack Formation stall out on “Racers” and Clap!Clap!’s awkward, passé dance number “Dr. Doctor!” isn’t the best eulogy for this now-defunct San Marcos gazillion-piece. Even so, the good easily outweighs the not-as-good by a very healthy margin, enough to make this a very worthy (and affordable!) purchase, not to mention an excellent way to educate your out-of-town pals as to why we really do have a live music claim to fame here in the capitol city.
KVRX: [website]
One surprise about live shows by the eight-piece group Canopy was the remarkable way each of the group’s many instruments - from French horn to glockenspiel to each vocal - stood out in the mix instead of becoming buried in some sort of vast Polyphonic Spree exercise in pointless excess. The same spirit carries over into the band’s first, perhaps only EP, Canopy/Anopy. And while the band looked as though they were going to fold with a “final” show on April 18th, once again Canopy, or at least lead man Praveen Ayyagari, have begun scheduling shows once again. Regardless, the full band’s efforts on their Canopy/Anopy EP stand tall as a testament to that former line-up's many strengths. This folk opera in miniature imparts some interesting ideas, builds dynamic arrangements, and then manages to cut out before the spell lifts.
The EP begins with the subtle and slow-build opener “Neon Line,” and moves in an even more sparse and chilled direction with “Everybody Trips a Little Now and Then,” a track replete with sighing slide guitar and the in-out hum of crickets in the background. Canopy/Anopy has its more upbeat perks as well, like the sing-along “Narrow Bones” and the bouncy “The Listener” which comes armed with attention-grabbing horn parts and the provocative reprieve “What are you listening for?” While it would be unfortunate (but apparently unlikely) that Canopy ceases to exist for good, at least this EP is as good a measure as any of what the band were able to accomplish in their short time together.
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Yellow Fever = charm bonanza!
Reverse X Rays: art rock, not post-punk!
Horse + Donkey: won't you reconsider not vanishing?