Fatback Circus Bringing Some Funk & Spunk to Flamingo Cantina [Thursday]

We know, we know. It's been a rough week and Friday just can't come soon enough. And tonight, it's time to sip some drank and just "loosen up." Well, why not discover some tasty new music in the process? Too lazy to find something original on your own? Don't worry, we've managed to find a band you may not have heard of but should definitely lend your ears to. Fatback Circus is a four-piece menagerie of rock, jazz, funk and spunk birthed from the sleepy town of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Though their home is here in Austin, their songs are still lurking among the slew of fame yet to be discovered here. Their sound could be classified into many genres, but we like to call them avant-garde bluegrass. Their stage personality is even kookier than their sound (check out their videos for a sneak peak).

Fatback's earlier work is full of bouncy love songs that layer jazzy "mmm-tah" bass lines with Nathan Campbell's soaring vocals. The sunny, bellowing intro to "Jessica" shows the vocal range of each member -- a nice departure from those groups who mindlessly mutter along to their instruments. But the real brainchild of this group is the track, "Back in Love," which makes a delightful reappearance of the group's latest album, Dark World. The sultry tune brings out the band's jazzier side with a stair stepping recollection of the feelings one gets when rekindling a former love. We've all been there, right? Tonight celebrates the release of Dark World which is a shocking but beautiful departure from the past. The album has a much heavier tone (it's about a break up and working late nights, so dur) and shows their fresh approach and ever-evolving range of musicality. Coincidentally our favorite track holds the same name as the album and brings slamming guitar bits against Campbell's piquant vocals.

Opening up tonight will be Sour Bridges bringing a blue grass country mix. Killing Industry, a reggae-influenced group, will also be there with plenty of alluring bohemianess. Be sure to direct your relaxation efforts to Flamingo Cantina tonight to witness Fatback Circus as they fervently run toward becoming the next big thing.

Fatback Circus [Official] [MySpace] Killing Industry [Official] [MySpace] Sour Bridges [MySpace]