Follow That Bird at the Mohawk [Show Preview]

Follow That Bird at the Mohawk
Sunday, October 16
Mohawk (912 Red River Street)
Doors at 9pm, $5-7
[info]

It’s easy to understand why local faves Follow That Bird might be a little tired. This past summer saw a long jaunt opening for fellow Austinites …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead. Those hot months also marked the release of a fantastic new 7” ahead of their much-anticipated debut album, out sometime this fall. And the critical adoration—with even Matador Records main man Gerard Cosloy calling them “one of the best bands in the country”—can weigh heavy on a band’s shoulders. Thus, you get only one opportunity to see Follow That Bird in October—Sunday night at the Mohawk—as they get ready for that imminent album release and take a much needed breather.

Follow That Bird have recently dropped the exclamation point from their name, but that doesn’t dampen the exclamation point that is their music. Power trios are inherently built on power, and this group is electrifying in every sense of the word. Their songs are controlled blasts of punk brilliance, anchored by the melodic singing and guitar slinging of Lauren Green, Paul Brinkley’s fuzzed-out bass, and Tiffanie Lanmon’s explosive drumming. This past summer’s 7” dialed up the band’s melodic sensibilities on songs like “Wooden Bones” and “Antlers,” sparkling gems that bode well for Follow That Bird’s full-length.

Also on the bill, Dutch duo Death Letters, who have a real penchant for Americanized rock and roll. Named after a Son House blues standard, the teenaged group made a pilgrimage to Texas to record their second album with famed Trail of Dead producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith. Austin’s Planets are relative newcomers, but their debut self-titled EP is already making waves. Don’t let song titles like “It’s Not 1977” fool you: these ladies make primal, riot grrrl-inspired punk rock that certainly sounds like it’s blasted in from another decade. The Nouns open up the evening with surf-punk that’s equal parts Cramps and ‘60s pop.

Follow That Bird: [facebook] [bandcamp]
Death Letters: [official] [myspace]
Planets: [facebook] [bandcamp]
The Nouns: [facebook] [bandcamp]