"All those wasted miles/ All those aimless drives through green aisles/ Our careless lifestyle/ It was not so unwise.” On “Green Aisles”, the second track from Real Estate’s second album, lead singer Martin Courtney pretty much delivers the thesis statement of his band’s existence. more ›

Somehow I overlooked the first couple of years of Fx3 as a transplant to Austin still elated and overwhelmed by the plethora of accessible live music available on the regular. But in 2009, I scored a cozy introduction manning a booth at the fest for a few hours one day in exchange for a weekend wristband. Why not, right? I had no idea what to expect and found myself pleasantly surprised by the laid back scene - not too crowded, manageable lines for beer/food, and a good mix of fans. I have since happily resigned any interest I once had in attending ACL for a yearly fling with Fun Fun Fun. And while I adore the excitement and unparalleled buzz SXSW generates, the intimacy of Fx3 has made it my favorite of Austin’s fests. more ›

It's safe to say at this point that Girls leader Chris Owens is one of the most charismatic and relatable front men to come along in quite some time. Moreso than the group's lo-fi approach or his intriguing back story, Owens' ability to take universal sentiments and infuse them with a potent sense of earnestness through his delivery has defined the group's music. Owens and bandmate Chet "JR" White could have easily turned in a record similar to Album or last year's excellent Broken Dreams Club EP and come away with another feather in their caps. more ›

ACL can be a bit of a daunting feat for just one weekend. Three full days of music, aftershows and secret RSVP-only parties can be overwhelming to even the most dedicated music connoisseur. Looking for a low key Saturday night that still promises rocking garage-style music? more ›

The San Francisco-based band Girls was one of 2009's most captivating breakout bands, in no small part due to the fascination about guitarist and singer Christopher Owens's difficult upbringing in the Children of God cult and subsequent escape. The trauma-survivor-turned-emotive-artist narrative has been the genesis of many great rock bands, but nowadays it's a narrative you seem to encounter less often. Owens sounds like a guy who's seen some of the worst of what the world has to offer, and is now just trying to make sense of that world and his place in it. more ›

Last year, before they'd even released a record, the back story of Girls frontman Christopher Owens had become the subject of interminable blog palaver, pop-psychologizing and myth-making. It is a compelling narrative: Owens was a second-generation member in the Children of God cult, before running away at sixteen. His dad left, his brother died, and at times his mother was forced to prostitute herself to entice new members into the cult. After leaving, he lived as a Texas gutter-punk until landing with a West Texas millionaire; he then moved to San Francisco, played in some punk bands, met local musician and producer JR White, and recorded an album with him. more ›

Photos courtesy Chad Wadsworth. more ›

Girls at Waterloo Records, Times New Viking and Yo La Tengo at Antones, Friday January 29, 2010. Photos by Steve Hopson. more ›

It’s hard to resist the blend of grit and glitter that is Girls. Lord knows people tried; the suddenness with which they busted into the spotlight can be a real white elephant for young bands. But Girls’ appeal proved genuine, their debut album as beckoning as their adopted hometown of San Francisco. Hell, we spent a good deal of 2009 with that album--yes, Album--and it landed on our list of Top 15 Albums of the Year. In a blog post leading up to its release, Girls described Album as “honest, loose, ethereal, obnoxious and perfect.” And if that sounds a lot like a femme fatale from 60s cinema to you, you're not far off from the spirit of it. more ›

Akron/Family will be back in town Wed, Feb 24 at the Parish with Warpaint. more ›

Los Campesinos! and Girls rocked Emo's last Friday, and staff photographer Pooneh Ghana was there to capture it all for us. more ›