Islands = Mania. That's a good way to start, as facepainted lead singer Nick Thorburn waxes eloquent or arrogant on stage, and the Montreal six-piece come together in a clattering display of Graceland-influenced indie, not to mention the occasional rap, and pretty much anything else you can throw in there. Their latest record, Arm's Way, which some love, and some don't so much love, is a collection of twenty-first century rock songs bordering on the brooding, though the light-hearted catastrophizing that marked their debut album still pops up in places; it will be more than interesting to see these elaborate arrangements manifested on stage. ...

Some of us out there long for the days of lo-fi, before everything was digital and silky-smooth, when tape hiss roared in the background and the vocals were scratchier than anything a real human voicebox could create, and guitars were crunchy and ugly—you know, the time when the technology of recording music was so unrefined it lent the music a spontaneous kind of character, roughing up the sounds rather than prettying them. For years, those of us who missed the days before Danger Mouse flocked to deliberately lo-fi acts like The Mountain Goats, The Moldy Peaches' Kimya Dawson, and M. Ward, before all of them decided the lure of 21st century recording was too much to ignore. But the good news is, there's a new hero on the lo-fi block: Columbus, Ohio's Times New Viking write catchy rock music that just so happens to be covered in a delightful veil of recording ugliness. They have garnered praise throughout the music community for their tunes, and their loud, unpolished studio work brings to mind DIY punk and the days of audio cassettes melting in the front seat of your car. And you can witness their refusal to go pretty tonight at Emo's....

Minneapolis' intriguing and mostly-instrumental outfit, Dosh, headlines a deep and fascinating set Thursday night at Emo's. Dosh, aptly named after lead soundmaker Martin Dosh (sometimes drummer and co-songwriter for Andrew Bird), blends the electronic with folk and jazz and postrock and whatever else you can think of to form an energetic brand of ambiance—his new album, Wolves and Wishes, has received enthusiastic reviews, and the Martin Medeski & Wood comparisons lie not too far beneath the surface. Surely, this will be a show where the focus is multi-formed and looping is plentiful, as the absence of regular vocals will keep the eyes moving from instrument to instrument, allowing the musicianship and electronic handiwork of those on stage (often just Dosh himself) to shine through....

Happy fun-time Mates of State deliver their carousing popstar status to Emo's Outside this Friday night, in what is sure to be a rollicking good time of dancing and cheering and drinking fruit-flavored beverages. Using cooing dual vocalists, Mates of State have carved themselves a nice little pocket next to the likes of Los Campesinos!, New Pornographers, and Architecture in Helsinki, and they may be the best of the genre. Burgeoning breakthrough hit "My Only Offer," from their just-released album Re-Arrange Us, is sure to be a crowd-pleaser....

Firewater, the innovative world-punk group led by Tod A, will satiate fans with tunes from their new album, The Golden Hour, Thursday night at Emo’s. Firewater released the album in April, just a few weeks after their last Austin gig at SXSW. Translation: even if you just saw the band in March, Thursday’s show should offer your eyes and ears something delectably new. ...

On this day in music history, David Bowie released the "Space Oddity" single to coincide with humankind's first lunar landing. And now, onward! Here's your Midweek Show Jumpstart:...

“I Can’t Go To Sleep,” off Wu-Tang Clan’s The W, is one of RZA’s least-produced songs, technically speaking. He simply loops the intro to Issac Hayes’s “Walk On By” a few times, making no attempt to mask the sample with a snare or keyboard stab of his own. Yet it is one of his best, the sort of production that they’ll play at his Kennedy Center Honors someday. The song works because of the success of the whole formula – the yearning sample, Ghostface’s extended opening verse, Hayes’s own guest-spot on the bridge, and then RZA’s closing remarks. The bare sample plays perfectly against Ghost and RZA’s choked-up pleas – another layer would be too heavy, and RZA no doubt knew this. Always more of a collagist than a pure creator of sound (like Dr. Dre or Timbaland), RZA’s understanding that A + the snare from B + Inspectah Deck = classic is what carried the Wu to prominence in the 90’s. His grasp of tone and sequence and balance is also why he is slowly and successfully transitioning out of beats 24/7 and into movie scores and acting and directing....

The swooning and string-laden Pompeii will be performing this evening at the Emo's Lounge to the tune of their swooning, string-laden emo epics (how apropos). They're promising "a new record soon" to follow-up Assembly (Eyeball), and this is the only show they have planned as of right now. The buzz is building – Toyota used their song "Ten Hundred Lights" for a commercial recently, and they've been teasing fans with shots and updates from the studio....

Tonight at Emo's, local indie wunderkinds Corto Maltese will perform alongside Death is not a Joyride, Frank Smith, Southern Drama and Kevin A. from Mothfight for a free show celebrating the launch of Soundcheck Magazine's new Web site. We've long been discussing our excitement for Corto Maltese and their potential here in Austin, and 2008 will finally help us satiate some of our desire: they're in the studio, working on a full-length, and it looks like we'll finally get to hear a larger body of work than the demo. ...

Sure, there’s a dance party almost every weekend at Beauty Bar, but this Saturday’s line-up is something special. A trio of Texas based turntablists -- DJ Jester The Filipino Fist, Ernest Gonzales, and Bad Knives Dead Art (formerly known as Ceeplus Bad Knives and a.k.a Eric Castillo) should keep you on the dance floor all night long. We witnessed DJ Jester in all his glory a couple of months ago at The Mohawk and we can attest that a wide variety of genres and grooves can be expected. (Read our recent interview with DJ Jester here -- the Boca Burger Mobile story never gets old!) Gonzales has been lighting up San Antonio’s night life with his invigorating remixes and has also put out various releases, some under the Theory of Everything moniker although 2007’s While on Saturn’s Rings record was released under his given name, and demonstrated his versatility as a musician and producer. As for Castillo, he has been putting on cutting edge dance events in Houston, and has supplied the beats at past Austinist events to boot. Per the Bad Knives MySpace page, “Currently Cee's sought after, open minded dj sets involve creatively mixing, live editing, re-mixing, scratching and blending the diverse sounds of underground disco not disco, electro, indie rock, pop, fun hiphop, punk-post punk, no wave, rare groove funk/soul, and more.” Phew! Time to Get Busy then....

In the case of The Black Angels, aside from trading their guitars for brass instruments, the tags of “psych-rock” and the comparisons to heavy pop bands like The Velvet Underground and the decades-later brew proffered by The Jesus and Mary Chain will forever chase them. But as this band grows, their sound is no less steeped in dark traditions even as it becomes more and more their own. Their debut Passover was solid enough, but the band’s sophomore disc Directions to See a Ghost is a sizable, ambitious step forward. While the band may never outgrow Velvet Underground references (their own fault, really, considering their name), their new record rediscovers a sound that never was. Many songs on the records begin minimally with either just bass or drums, and reach a sterling crescendo under waves of delayed guitar and lead singer Alex Maas’ welcome high register vox – greatly preferable to the rumbling bass voice that usually always seems to accompany heavy music. ...

Is it us, or does it seem like this is going to be a really hot summer in Austin? It's hot outside, dude. Really hot. We advise staying out of the sun as much as possible for the sake of your health as well as for the sake of your overall comfort. As for the evenings, well, by all means, go outdoors, it's nice and cool. Here are this weekend's recommended activities once you get there: ...

Clinic, wrapped in their customary cloak of anonymity, play to the crowd at Emo's on Friday night. Their set was prefaced by an a capella rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone," performed by recent tourmate, Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater. As for the proper set, it was a doozy, starting with Do It! (their latest), and then a short break before a mind-blowing "Archive Set" including popular favorites from Winchester Cathedral, Visitations and more. ...

Vancouver, BC’s Ladyhawk are on the road in support of their haunting sophomore LP Shots (released in March on Secretly Canadian), and they’re having a rough time of it — according to frontman Duffy Driedger, not many people are turning up to hear the band’s boozy jams. You can help make the tour a little brighter by heading to Emo’s tonight, where Ladyhawk are sharing the inside stage with Saddle Creek barflies Neva Dinova....

Liverpool, England, how we love thee so. You have served the world well for many a century, being an essential port for trade and also during war, providing native delicacies, and being home to one of fútbol’s most successful clubs. And we naturally love the fact that you changed the course of pop music by birthing The Beatles but did not rest on your laurels and continued to enrich our culture by supplying endless incredible acts like Gerry & the Pacemakers, The Merseybeats, The La’s (and Cast), Echo & The Bunnymen, The Zutons, Ladytron, Wah! (Pete Wylie), and The Coral to name a few, a very few that is. And yes, the innovative, noisy, organ fueled concoctions of Clinic also originated on the banks of your River Mersey. Clinic was formed in 1997 by Hartley and Ade Blackburn upon the demise of their previous band Pure Morning. Brian Campbell and Carl Turney joined the ranks shortly afterwards and that line-up remains intact to this day....

Foxboro Hot Tubs, the nom de plume of the latest not-so-super-secret Green Day side project, headline Emo's inside stage tonight. Conjuring up the frantic protopunk energy of The Kinks, MC5 and The Stooges, Green Day members Billie Joe, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool will be joined by friends Jason Freese, Kevin Preston and Jason White as Foxboro Hot Tubs. But the jangly 60's garage-pop group's sound is still unmistakably Green Day; Billie Joe's signature voice and song writing style gives it away. ...

I tried my best to avoid the leaks of II Trill, mostly because I knew I would buy it. If there's one rapper that deserves my 18 bucks at Cheap-O, it's Bun-B; and not just because he's been through hard times no man should have to know or because I feel like my cash in his pocket doesn't just = weed. No, I say that because I feel compelled to not steal his shit. I like and respect all sorts of rappers, but would I care if Jeezy came over to watch some Gossip Girl and a burned copy of The Inspiration was on my dresser? No. But if Bun came over for some C-Span and found "3_damn_im_cold_ft_lilweezy.mp3", I would be WAY embarrassed....

Chaos In Tejas 2008 kicks off this evening at Emo’s with Roky Erickson & The Explosives headlining the outside stage. Erickson has had a storied if troublesome life -- he was an instrumental force in the psychedelic music revolution in Texas in the 60’s with the 13th Floor Elevators, he then battled mental illness and had some run-ins with the law, and in the 80’s, he apparently claimed to have been possessed by a Martian. Erickson’s career returned to some sense of normalcy in the 90’s and by 2005, he was back in the limelight, performing at the 2005 Austin City Limits Music Festival with The Explosives....

Tonight, Leatherbag will celebrate the debut of Love & Harm at Emo's, along with the Black and Lomita on the inside stage. ...

Not long after I hooked up with Warren, my young hot boyfriend, he introduced me to the lovely, talented Audrey Maker. Audrey puts together burlesque shows around town. Which is how I wound up, last fall, as a volunteer at the Texas Burlesque Fest, a sold-out, over the topless, two-night celebration of boobs. I got to work the Undressing Room, hanging out with beautiful women (and some men) in various states of undress, asking them if they needed anything. Warren had the more exciting job of Panty Catcher. Outfitted in a Super Hero costume enhanced with a big, bright pink, crocheted cock, he served a function similar to that of the ball boys and girls at Wimbledon. Each time an act finished, Warren dashed onstage to retrieve thongs, gloves, corsets, fishnets, etc. to clear the way for the next act....

This Sunday night holds one the most dazzling shows of the year, as the ultra-critically-acclaimed Caribou and Fuck Buttons take the stage in a whir of electronic and live action wonderfulness. Opening up will be Fuck Buttons, who, for their part, are one of the most fascinating new musical outfits to make a splash in 2008. Their noise-driven electronic music is almost jarringly abrasive on its scratchy surface, yet rewards the patient listener with a hint of melody—truth be told, their new album Street Horrrsing is one of our recent faves. So, unquestionably, their presence on the bill should keep too many people from straggling in late through Emo's doors....

If you thought that bands during SXSW played short sets, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Tonight at the Emo’s Lounge, eighteen bands will be playing fifteen minute sets, giving you the most bands per buck (that’s five) that you’re likely to see anytime soon. ...

Voxtrot, Austin's own local-gone-national pop princes, is a name that seems like it's been wandering around the scene forever. So long, even, that it's pretty damn surprising that their debut album was released less than a year ago. But over these last few years, they've been through a lot: widespread hype, critical anticipation, stylistic maturation, and maybe even a little bit of disappointment. But that's not to say that the sky isn't still the ceiling for our boys, and, just as a reminder of how far they've come since their incredibly well-liked early EPs, two days after this show at Emo's Outside (Outside!), they'll be throwing down some powerful post-emo way out in some crazy place called Barcelona. Wherever that is....

“America’s Funnyman” Neil Hamburger brings his offbeat comedic ramblings to Emo’s (Inside) this Friday. Drag City will release the cult figure’s latest album Neil Hamburger Sings Country Winners on April 21st; you can preview new material here. Dave Gleason, Rachel Haden, and Joe Goldmark are just a few of the musicians that aid Hamburger’s country cause on the record....

Here's a litmus test for whether you'll be into The Hold Steady: allegedly the band was conceived during a late-night viewing of the classic concert film about The Band, The Last Waltz, during which singer Craig Finn turned to guitarist Tad Kubler and said, "Dude, why aren't there any bands like this anymore?" Just picture his misty eyes and tell me you have no room in your heart for this man. The Steady's third album, Boys And Girls In America, earned them comparisons to both Pulp and Bruce Springsteen, and oddly enough both make sense: this unlikely-looking group of post-delinquent Brooklynites (via Minnesota) are able to summon chugging golden-age-of-rock riffs, mega-anthemic choruses, and kitchen-sink-epic lyrics about hard-luck characters and the dreams they've run into the ground, seemingly at the drop of a hat. ...

Initiated in 1996 by guitarist Makoto Kawabata, the Japanese psych-rock collective Acid Mothers Temple is a loose collective composed of four core members and a revolving door of like-minded musicians and vocalists. Both remarkably prolific (they have released over a dozen records/singles/live recordings since 2007 alone) and esoteric (they have occasionally been mistaken for a religious cult), A.M.T. traffic in a brand of hard psychedelia as indebted to their acid-fried countrymen Boredoms as to Cream or Pink Floyd and are widely considered to be the international psych-rock group. Swirling outer-space noises and oceanic reverb will factor heavily, so plan on having your third eye squeegee-ed. ...

SXSW Music kicks off on Wednesday the 12th, as always with the Annual Austin Music Awards at Austin Music Hall, but it has become clear over the last few years that the music really starts the night before. Just thinking back to last year, we remember walking up and down Red River, watching bands like Golden Bear, White Denim and Broken Teeth at venues such as Beauty Bar, Emo’s and Red 7, and congratulating ourselves for getting started early....

What Made Milwaukee Famous played at Emo's on Friday night to celebrate their CD release. Black Before Red, Loxsly and Lemurs opened the show. ...