Patterson Hood is best-known for his work with the Drive-By Truckers, but the Alabama native, whose father was a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, has a musical career stretching nearly 20 years. He's been through near-hits and near-misses aplenty. In one particularly tumultuous season, he put together an album of solo material, Killers and Stars, which became an unofficial release passed out at shows and circulated amongst fans. Now, as he's wrapping......

Straight out of the suburbs of Atlanta, the young men of Manchester Orchestra have quickly found a spot in the Georgia indie-rock circuit. Guitarist and lead vocalist Andy Hull homeschooled himself his senior year of high school to allow himself more time to focus on his work with Manchester Orchestra. The result of that focus is the band's first full-length. Peppered with references to Woody Allen, the album is full up with moody music that......

Nearly a year after the release of Drive-By Truckers’ magnificent A Blessing And A Curse, Jason Isbell departed (in friendly fashion) from the band in April of this year. In July, he emerged with his first solo effort, Sirens Of The Ditch on New West Records. Recorded at the Fame Studios (graced in the past by the likes of Little Richard and Aretha Franklin) in Alabama, the album is chock-full of bluesy alt-country balanced......

WEDNESDAY [2] DJ • The Black (DJ Set), Gerald Cosloy at Scoot Inn (10pm, Free) books • Poetry on the Plaza: The Book of Poetry at The Harry Ransom Center (12noon) books • Jeffrey Greene presents Water From Stone at BookPeople (7:00pm) dance • Stomp at The Paramount Theatre exhibition • UT Department of Theatre & Dance's Annual Design and Technology Exhibition at Oscar G. Brockett Theatre, Winship Drama Building (9am) film • "Plagues and......

TUESDAY [1] music • The Mohawk Residency series with Peel and Joy Division Cover Band at The Mohawk music • Toots and the Maytals at La Zona Rosa music • Asleep at the Wheel at Waterloo Records (Free, 5pm) music • That Damned Band, Trouble Puppet Theatre, Lowrent the Clown, Luna Tart at Beerland music • Drive By Truckers at Antone's music • The Hudsons at Cactus Café books • Rick Riordan presents Book......

MONDAY [3] [film] Sergeant York at Paramount Theatre (7pm) (link) [film] Hands on a Hard Body at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Swingers at Austin Java (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill at Café Mundi (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Pride of the Yankees at Paramount Theatre (9:20pm) (link) [music] Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Pong, Harry Merry at Emo's (link) [music] Mendoza Line at Hole in the Wall (link) [music] Black Crowes......

Last week, we posted a major concert update for May and June. If you missed it, just click the Expand-O-Tron for the recap. You're welcome. This week has already brought a flurry of updates including two new shows at The Backyard. Here they are (Austinist looks out): 5/28 - Eagles Of Death Metal @ The Parish Room 6/03 - Film School + Margot & The Nuclear So-And-Sos @ Emo's 6/10 - Radio 4 +......

Summer is coming, and the post-SX lull appears to be ending for Austin gigs. Many SX bands are scheduling return appearances, and our outdoor venues are beginning to release May and June schedules. The following list offers some highlights (for comprehensive listings, check Pollstar or Showlist Austin): 4/15 - Calexico (free early show) @ Emo's 4/15 - Deathray Davies + The M's @ Emo's 4/24 - TV on the Radio + Celebration @ Emo's......

Videos [mov] Cat Power - "Living Proof" [wmv] Goldfrapp - “Ooh La La” [mov] Willie Nile - “Streets of New York” [mov] Willie Nile - “Police on my Back” [mov] The Little Willies - "Roly Poly" [mov] The Little Willies - "I Gotta Get Drunk" [mov] The Presets - "Are You The One?" [wmv] What 80s Artist is Staging a Comeback? MP3s [mp3] Belle and Sebastian - "Another Sunny Day" [mp3] Voxtrot - ">mothers,......

Come on, we've told you about these bands before. If you're still in town, we suggest you enjoy your final night at Emo's before having to field questions from distant relatives about why you're not married and don't have health insurance. 1986 plays their first Texas show in months, and we're excited to hear some new tracks. If they're anything like "Habits," the song they just recorded with superstar producer/engineer John Agnello (J. Mascis,......

The opening track to The Heartless Bastards' Stairs and Elevators hits you with the untamed ferocity of a tropical typhoon, lead singer Erika Wennerstrom's voice the shrieking gale winds set aloft amidst the torrential thunderclap supplied by her band's driving bass line and wild drumming. Stairs is the debut album from Fat Possum Records trio , a blues-tinged garage punk outfit from Ohio. They've the pomp and flourish of a 70s rock band, and......