Rocky Votolato The Brag and Cuss (Barsuk) Since his auspicious beginnings as frontman for the indie/post-punk group Waxwing, Rocky Votolato has become quite the everlasting song writer. He’s a pro at crafting emotion-evoking indie rock tunes that carefully toe the line between matured folk rock and angst-inspired acoustic balladry. It’s important to note, however, that Votolato generally steers clear of cliched, woe-is-me, hear-on-sleeve lyrics. He keeps his out of plain view, in bits and phrases......

Over the past six weeks, Austinist's music writers have spoken with dozens of bands playing this year's SXSW festival. In case you're just now joining us, here's a link-filled list of all Austinist SX07 band interviews: Albert Hammond, Jr. Alexi Murdoch Annuals Aqueduct Architecture in Helsinki Car Stereo (Wars) Evangelicals Girl In A Coma Girl Talk I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter Ladyhawk Lions in the Street......

Seattle's Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter drew raves in alt.country circles for their 2004 album Oh, My Girl. They opened gigs for similar artists like Neko Case and Richard Buckner and seemed to have found a niche. That made listening to Sykes' newest Barsuk album Life, Love, Lust & The Open Halls Of The Soul awfully surprising. The twang is mostly gone, replaced by grittier singing, a dark but loose vibe reminiscent of......

Seattle troubadour Rocky Votolato specializes in the kind of wispy, unadorned folk music that earns most singer-songwriters unwelcome Dylan comparisons. Luckily, Votolato has forged a path all his own, one that's led him from his native Texas to the gray skies of Seattle and a place on indie powerhouse Barsuk's roster. We got a look at his plans for this year: Is SXSW fun or business? It's all about the Barsuk party!!!......

I'm not sure if today would be the day to go shopping at Waterloo or not, but if you do go, check out today's new releases: Bloc Party A Weekend In the City (Vice) The story of bands like Bloc Party is familiar, but still depends upon a sort of mystery to come to fruition. Whereas the huge fame and irrepressible buzz seemed to propel them into official stardom, the stress and anguish that......

After taking last week off because we were sure SXSW would release their master plan, we now return as there seems to be no end in sight to the band list embargo. Many indie labels and some marquee acts have simply announced their appearances, as bands attempt to book routing shows in Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, or elsewhere to make their long drives worthwhile. The lack of info has started to get the press......

FRIDAY [2] music • A Fist Full of Duckets, featuring The Interest Kills, Finally Punk, and The Fucking Transmissions at The Mohawk (10pm, 18+, $6) ® music • Dave Barnes at Stubb's music • Black Before Red at End of an Ear (6pm, Free) ® music • Sparklehorse, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Bill Baird (member of Sound Team) at Antone's ® music • For Her & The Snow, The Unfortunate Heads at......

If you're a fan of dreamy indie-pop and you haven't spent time with a Sparklehorse album, watch out. The North Carolina-based Mark Linkous and his band play hazy, epic music that is worth getting to know. All of the proper credits are here: production from Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev mainstay Dave Fridmann, a guest spot from Danger Mouse, and even some added credibility via a collaboration with Tom Waits. Add this to prior work......

FIRST THURSDAY [1] music • Tre Orsi (members of Shearwater, South San Gabriel, Little Grizzly), The Paper Chase, Red X Red M, at Emo's music/benefit • ME! Live presents the Emerging Artist Series Debut with Meagan Tubb band, Tacks, the Boy Disaster and the Channel at Antone’s (7pm, $5) music • Yonder Mountain String Band at La Zona Rosa music • Onion Creek Crawdaddies at Waterloo Records (5pm, Free) music • Horse + Donkey,......

MONDAY [29] opera • Philip Glass' Waiting for the Barbarians at Bass Concert Hall music • Unwed Sailor, Bayta Darell, The Twilight Lieutenants at Emo's Lounge music • Hidden Hand, Kylesa, The Roller, Ironclad at Emo's music • The Fray, Mute Math at Frank Erwin Center music • Hill Country Outdoors' New Member Meeting at Opal Divine's Penn Field film • Darkon: The Movie at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Melody at Alamo Drafthouse......

Another week has passed, and somehow there's a full Coachella lineup available but still no official word from SXSW. The Austin Chronicle did report that the powers that be intend to issue an official list sometime next week, so in the interim, we bring you round three of our unofficial but quite accurate SXSW 2007 band list. Interesting additions this week include Sloan, The Pipettes, Apples In Stereo, The Rosebuds, Beach House, Robyn Hitchcock,......

As you sit in the snow, bored to tears with your second snow day, you may again wonder if the folks at SXSW have released their huge band list so that all good indie-yuppies have something to do later this week at work besides listening to that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah leak. Well, not so much. But thanks to the good people at Done Waiting and BrooklynVegan, some MySpace confirmations, a big stack......

Last week, the Austin Chronicle reported that officials at SXSW are delaying the release of their huge band list. The rationale is that a late release will cut down on the rampant day party scene from last year since party planners won't know who is playing until late in the game. Given the unbridled love we have for day parties, we have our doubts about the effectiveness of these tactics, but that still doesn't......