Le Diamant Brut: SXSW Edition w/ A Hawk and A Hacksaw, Beach House, Ringo Deathstarr, The Steps
Here's a look back at a few entries from the vaults of Le Diamant Brut. These are bands we've profiled in the past who are playing SXSW this year. Following a little about the artists is a list of shows they're playing during the fest, and we say it's a musical imperative that you make it out to at least one of them.
A HAWK AND A HACKSAW
What’s the Deal: The group, primarily Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost, make some celebratory and rich, moody sounds that have only improved from their time spent abroad playing in places Bucarest. “Kiraly Sirat s” and “Zozobra” off their album, And The Hun Hangar Ensemble, are invigorating instrumentals which are a breath of fresh air from the many indie bands who try to incorporate this Eastern European sound but ultimately fail. The accordion and violin sound authentic and unpretentious, and they sing vibrantly enough so you never miss the vocals. “In The River” from The Way The Wind Blows feels a little more like a folk tale with a slow, ambling pace with group chants and the sorrowful wine of the violin.
Performances during SXSW
Wednesday, 18th @ the French Legation Museum / Other Music and DigForFire.tv’s SXSW Lawn Party
Thursday, 19th @ Habana / Hometapes/Leaf Showcase
What’s the Deal: If you haven’t experienced the dreamy, spectral indie pop group Beach House yet, then be sure that you will. This Baltimore-based duo of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally’s keys and guitar has been winning over fans mainly by word of mouth and glowing reviews of their 2006 debut. The crowd at their Austin show about a year ago was strong but the show stayed intimate. Their music is often compared to Mazzy Star. “Apple Orchard” from the self-titled disc has that same slow, echoey guitar wail and pretty, haunting vocals over the top of a steady organ and a drum machine. Devotion’s “Gila” is fashioned much the same way, but with a shimmering melody of ‘Oh’s and ‘Ah’s.
Performances during SXSW
Wednesday, 18th @ Red 7 / Forcefield Showcase
Thursday, 19th @ Volume / Carpark/Pawtracks Showcase
Friday, 20th @ Cedar Street Courtyard w/ Grizzly Bear
Saturday, 21st @ Auditorium Shores w/Explosions in the Sky
What’s the Deal: They’re about a step from wide rock and roll popularity and leaving Austin behind. You may not know the band’s name because they’ve been relatively incognito in Austin, going almost unnoticed locally but drumming up a sizable following elsewhere in the country and abroad, far abroad, like Japan abroad. One of the more undeniable songs the local boys have constructed is “Dagger” off their self-titled album. It’s bloated with a catchy, stomping beat and a strong and jangly guitar riff that sounds very familiar and grabs you by the lapel to slap you around a little bit. It’s the same caliber of rock song that you’d hear pumping from a Strokes album or The Killers. A few more of these, and it becomes fairly obvious why these guys are building a buzz.
Performances during SXSW
Saturday, 14th @ Pure Volume House / Austinist’s Local Music Is Sexy 6
Wednesday, 18th @ CoLab
Thursday, 19th @ GSD&M / Traffic Records Launch Party
Friday, 20th @ Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room
Saturday, 21st @ Doc’s Day Show
What’s the Deal: Definitely one of the better pun band names, with an extra ‘r’ thrown on the end to avoid any messy copyright fisticuffs with Lucas and the Star Wars powers that be. This Austin foursome have very successfully emerged in time with a re-popularization of shoegaze in a way that doesn’t seem contrived or cleverly created to take advantage of this renewed interest. Instead, they make great strides to resurrect the feeling of Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine for Austin audiences on a regular basis. It’s fuzzy, super-loud, noise pop with a steady beat, wave after wave of ambient guitar noise and warm vocals that melt into the music. The entirety of their self-titled, debut 5-song is strong, so we’ll just pick two. “Sweet Girl” is full of ghostly whirring background noise, buzzing guitars, and fluent, dreamy vocals. “Down On You” is a moody tune with prominent bass hum and guitar effects.
Performances during SXSW
Friday, 20th @ Club Primos / Totally Badical!
