A regular fixture on Austin's stages, Jeff Tweedy and Wilco certainly appeal to a broad cross-section of our city's music fans due to their sonic juxtapositions of alt.country, folk, and noisy Neil Young/Sonic Youth guitar rock. The group turned down their amps on last year's Sky Blue Sky, which found a pensive Tweedy retreating into gentle folk tunes after a series of critically lauded experimental albums like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born. The new record was more of a polarizer: in a "year in music" wrap-up on KUT last year, KUT DJ David Brown named it one of his Top 5 of the year, while Austin American-Statesman music writer Joe Gross called it one of the year's biggest disappointments. ...

In Austin, we’ve got so much weird that it needs in-depth classification. For example, you’ve got the guy-inexplicably-dressed-as-a-panda type of weird, and the guy-inexplicably-vomiting-blue-stuff-all-over-the-bus weird. We’ve got happy weird and sick/sad weird, epic weirdness and little sprigs of weird popping up all over the place. And musically, we have everything from the honestly odd Daniel Johnston to the bad-strange of Blue October – from the massive drum circle-cum-circle jerk held during Eeyore’s birthday to the more underground but even more visceral strangeness held each week by The Church of the Friendly Ghost at The Salvage Vanguard Theater. ...

Beerland, known for music, old school video games, and, um, beer, will host a kind and compact cluster of five bands this Friday night, with all five bands making names for themselves within the confines of our fine city. Headlining will be The Diagonals, a subtle and scratchy outfit that, despite their somewhat workmanlike stylings while on stage, carries an innate danceability. Beyond that, Diagonals vocalist Steve Garcia, in some of his more speed-speak moments, has been compared to a young Michael Stipe...you know, before Michael Stipe had that whole fifteen years of boredom thing. ...

Tonight, Austin's Victory Grill will be metaphorically moving to Beale Street. KOOP's "Excavation Nation" show is sponsoring a STAX Nite, which will be packed with live and DJ-spun tunes celebrating the likes of Booker T, Issac Hayes, Carla Thomas, Albert King, Sam & Dave, and the incomparable Otis Redding. ...

Mason Jennings’ poignant folk-rock can be enjoyed at La Zona Rosa this Friday. In February of this year, Jennings signed with Brushfire Records and his first full-length for the label, In The Ever will be released on May 20th. Pre-order it here -- we especially enjoyed “I Love You and Buddha Too”, a reasonably cheerful track despite its weighty subject matter. Prior to teaming with up Jack Johnson's label, Jennings had joined forces with Glacial Pace Recordings, headed by Jennings fan Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), who persuaded the Minnesota based artist to release his 2006 album Boneclouds on the Epic Records subsidiary....

Local outfit What Made Milwaukee Famous have already had a seasoned career since forming in 2002 in the state capital. They captured the city's attention early on with a number of captivating live shows, charming audiences with their catchy pop songs. Their debut full-length Trying to Never Catch Up initially dropped in 2004 and was greeted by Austinites as gem of a record with the act touching on a number of genres and garnishing their melodies with appropriate instrumentation and impeccable production to conjure up a wide variety of delightful ditties -- many gratifying immediately, others already timeless. The record was re-released by Barsuk Records in 2006; the label is also home to the band’s sophomore album What Doesn’t Kill Us released earlier this year. Keeping with the times, What Made Milwaukee Famous launched a YouTube channel called WMMF TV this March where fans can enjoy the band's videos as well as live clips from their concerts....

Ballet Austin will be the venue of choice for a presentation of avant garde visuals, performance and music its organizers are calling Oko Jumu, “the name that the Andamanese call a person that has either come near death, spent time alone in the jungle to talk with spirits, or talked to spirits in a dream," according to a tome by the symbolism-obsessed Joseph Campbell. ...

In January, Mohammed Al-Farra traveled from Gaza to Park City, Utah, to help promote Slingshot Hip-Hop, a film about him and a number of other artists in the young but strong Palestinian rap scene. The other members of his group, called the Palestinian Rapperz or PR for short, were unable to leave Gaza to join him, and after Sundance, Al-Farra was - and still is - unable to return to Gaza because of the closed borders. Instead, he currently resides in the Dallas area. If Al-Farra’s story is any indication, his show tonight with fellow Palestinian group DAM has the sort of context, history, and implications that you won’t see for quite some time, rap show or otherwise. But you shouldn’t go to Scoot Inn tonight just because of the world these artists live in or Israel’s fast-approaching 60-year anniversary or Al-Farra’s forced status as an ex-pat. You should go because DAM and PR choose to respond to all of this through rap. ...

While walking down Sixth Street during the Pecan Street Festival it’s easy to get bummed out, what with the multitudes of mediocre arts vendors and everyone stuffing their faces with fried meats. But thankfully, the grand sound of The Noise Revival Orchestra Experience broke the smatter of children’s chatter and pan flute solos. This orchestra of thirteen or so adding vocals and instruments like trumpet, bells and synth crafts sounds that are classically epic, poppy and experimental....

It’s a weird weird weird weird weird weird world, and The Weird Weeds are emblematic of our times. Our favorite avant-garde local pop band gets quite a few mentions on this site, and here’s why: the band are simultaneously challenging and odd while remaining irrepressibly goofy and even a little cute and cuddle-able. The same can be said for very few experimental rock bands out there, save for Weird Weeds stage-sharers Xiu Xiu – and even they traipse on the “creepy” side a little too often for many of us. ...

Two years ago, Matmos astounded and amused listeners with a tenacious concept album with the mouthful of a title - The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast. Taking eleven gay pop culture celebrities, the duo, M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel, made an record using complex and interweaving field recordings and electronics to reflect upon subjects like writer/former junky William S. Burroughs, Valerie Solanas of SCUM Manifesto fame, and figures ranging from the heavyweight philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein to grimy Germs frontman Darby Crash. The Rose… was utterly listenable but was perhaps more interesting in approach than anything else – how many albums in 2006 could boast samples of snails crawling on a Theremin, typewriters, and a cow’s vagina? Few, no doubt. ...

If you're a fan of Flatstock and, like us, consider gigposters to be an artform, today's your chance to score some awesome locally-made prints on the cheap....

Costello has already released Momofuku on vinyl (2xLP), but the CD release arrives today. Those who purchased the vinyl two weeks ago had codes to download digital versions then, but not much has "leaked" to the web yet in terms of reception. Costello's 24th official release features collaboration with new friend Jenny Lewis, who enlisted EC to help with her upcoming solo release. ...

The Raconteurs (Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence,Patrick Keeler, and Jack White) played a two-night stand of sold out shows at Stubb's this weekend. Like a car at the very edge of control their messy, wobbly guitars delivered the kind of nervous energy you can't turn away fearing (or hoping) it might crash at any moment. ...

Founded in 2000, Kentucky post-rock outfit Foxhole specialize in (largely) instrumental epics that utilize the tried and tested routine of building songs layer by layer until the desired crescendo and ensuing coda can take full effect. The band’s early compositions employed a number of instruments, some generic, others self-created, while the trumpet is heavily featured on most of their work. Previous recordings in Church settings have accentuated their sound with a distinct, spacious element and Foxhole’s intricate arrangements include exhilarating moments of clarity perfect for pacifying far reaching emotions. The act falls within the Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky family tree (relatively speaking) and their grand soundscapes should definitely appease fans of the genre. Their newest EP, Push/Pull is available off their official website as is their 2004 debut full-length We the Wintering Tree....

There has been a good amount of buzz swirling around these guys for the past year or two in anticipation of this, their debut full length. Their self-titled EP had many people in a frenzy and left them with very high expectations, expectations that were probably a little unrealistic. Because next to those six very passionate and strong tracks from the EP, the music from Plunder, Beg, And Curse just doesn’t deliver. Sure the songs herein are good, solid indie rock songs, but they’re missing much of the fire from the earlier music. ...

Besides big shows like The Raconteurs at Stubb’s and Atmosphere at Emo’s outside stage (both concerts are on Friday as well as Saturday) and tonight’s Tapes 'N Tapes and White Denim at Antone’s, there are a number of other stellar events of interest in our city this weekend. Soundcheck Magazine’s Spring Showcase takes place at Buffalo Billiards on Friday with two expert songwriters in the spotlight -- Brother Will (Brothers and Sisters) shall be accompanied by a variant set of musicians for this gig while Micah P. Hinson (Le Diamant Brut) also puts in a shift, fresh off his recent European jaunt. Swing on by to catch their performances and enjoy a game of darts or shuffleboard to boot. Toppie Haynes and Chris Brecht round off the bill....

Friday night will be quite the night at Antone's, as indie-pop wonderboys Tapes 'n Tapes take the stage with their pleasantly simple hooks and choruses. On the backs of their debut release, The Loon, the Minnesota quartet forged themselves a river of hype that extended all the way from Blogland to Spin to Rolling Stone, as the album borrowed liberally from stalwarts like the Pixies and Pavement and made something brand-new from the parts. And now, with the release of their somewhat tentative sophomore album, Walk It Off, they are establishing themselves as a band with a solid and immediately recognizable sound, not to mention a live show that has garnered no shortage of raves....

There are a variety of reasons why last month’s release of My Bloody Underground, the thirteenth album by the Brian Jonestown Massacre, wasn’t met with the reams of bated-breath publicity reserved for Portishead, another culty 90s rock band that’s been MIA for awhile. Most of them have to do with the kind of publicity the band has attracted elsewhere in its career: Anton Newcombe, the creative force behind the Massacre, is at least as notorious for his legendary onstage meltdowns, including a gig at the Viper Room in LA that was supposed to have resulted in a six-figure major label deal, as he is for his warped, postmodern take on '60s pop and psychedelia....

The question of what Jack White would sound liked backed by an entire band and not just the no-frills beats of his supposed sibling/actual ex-wife Meg White was answered when Mr. White, solo artist Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler formed The Raconteurs in 2005 and released their hooky debut Broken Boy Soldiers in 2006. Since then, the band has toured everywhere, released their sophomore album Consoler of the Lonely at the tail end of March, and are on the docket to play the Austin City Limits Festival again this September. ...

Bonde Do Role is a hot, sweaty mess. Setting the stage with the opening bars of the Indiana Jones theme, the band went on an adventure through the land of synthfunksamplehop while being chased by sweaty, sweaty headband wearing hipsters who were all too willing to worship at the temple of booty shakin' bass. What do you do with a song called “Bondallica”? You slay your adoring crowd with it, of course. With a set full of covers and songs off their singles and album “With Lasers” the band lit the floor on fire with low-fi drum machine samples and booty bass beats. ...

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

It seems like just yesterday we were honoring The Midgetmen’s five year anniversary. Well, turns out it has been a year already and this weekend at Emo’s Lounge, the local pop-punk act is celebrating its sixth birthday which conveniently coincides with the release of their third full-length album. The band’s new record Show Pony (Buy it here) is as eco-friendly as it gets -- per bassist / vocalist Marc Perlman, “100% post-consumer cardboard with environmentally friendly inks with no plastic shrink wrap. And, we just signed an agreement with our friends at MoveNeutral.com to carbon offset the CD release show as well as the entire tour!” Nice!...

The crowd waited eagerly even if impatiently, a mother requested us to move so her child could get a better look at the royalty, and finally after having made the audience wait for nearly half hour past the scheduled time, Prince took the stage at Coachella on Saturday evening. Backed up by an extensive band featuring the horns section of Austin’s own Grupo Fantasma as well as long time associates such as Sheila E. and Morris Day, Prince readied the masses with a touch of caution -- “I will come to party..but I get to choose the music. Is that alright?” We didn’t care, even if it meant that our optimistic dreams of hearing something off the Batman soundtrack were quashed instantly. Early set highlights included “Jungle Love” (with Day taking over lead vocals) and Sheila E.’s Prince penned, Grammy nominated (in 1985 that is) “Glamorous Life.” Prince, meanwhile was clearly up for it, prancing around stage all evening long and his genius on guitar was evident throughout. Drummer CC Dunham was impeccable and caught our eye very early on, and the ensemble’s exhilarating combination of funk and soul invigorated the hordes for a good hour and a half....

Austin's SIMS Foundation has been providing low cost counseling and mental health services to Austin musicians and their families since 1995. The foundation was formed after local musician Sims Ellison took his own life after a profound battle with depression. Sadly, there are many musicians in the live music capitol of the world in need of help battling depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol dependency and other mental / neurological disorders, sometimes present before the big jump into the world of music, sometimes exacerbated by the pressure of living in a town saturated with hundreds of other people trying to make it as well. Financial pressure, relationship woes and general stress can all contribute to an artist's mental stability (or lack thereof), and oftentimes extends to the rest of the family as well. SIMS understands, and SIMS exists to help. ...

This Austin group of gritty and dance-inducing rock and rollers with one foot in the past have a fun and uncluttered sound that gets folks all gooey in the hips. They’re a five-man team who play energetic 60s rock with the occasional dance step and guitarists leaning in to the same mic for a chorus. You can expect their debut sometime later in the year, but you might have to wait until mid-July to see them live. However, if you need a fix, you can check out their recent performance on Fox’s Good Day Live Music. For a band that’s relatively green, they do really well. ...

Attending the launch events for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.’s SingStar (for PlayStation 3) was our primary focus this past weekend but the added bonus of a wristband to that little festival going on in Indio, California was a welcome perk we could not pass up. Our two day experience at Coachella 2008 kicked off with SebastiAn’s remix of the Justice anthem “D.A.N.C.E.” Non-stop beats invigorated an extremely hot Sahara tent as flashing lasers and lights made the 3 p.m. set seem more like a 3 a.m. one! Battles were next for us. The band’s shifting rhythms and changing tempos were well received by the swaying crowd, bottled up in the Gobi tent which was bursting at the seams. Another quality set during the afternoon was over at the Mojave tent where Black Kids furnished the festival with dance-pop accentuated by a variety of synth output. Tracks like “Hurricane Jane” and “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You” were instant hits with the crowd, some just getting to know this talented Florida outfit, others apparently already big fans....

Kid Koala, or Eric San started experimenting with record players at a young age and has been a vanguard in the turntablism field for over a decade now. He brings his jazz flavored, hip-hop influenced concoctions to The Mohawk this Wednesday. Kid Koala compositions range from downtempo electro beats to movie and T.V. soundtrack-esque backdrops, and his use of a diverse array of samples always keeps things interesting. His impressive resume includes collaborations with the likes of Gorillaz and remixes of acts such as Coldcut. And since both the opening acts, DJ Jester the Filipino Fist and Rae Davis are Kid Koala fans, we decided to check in with them regarding Eric San’s influence on the genre and also recent developments with their own projects. Check out some of their insightful (and hilarious) responses starting below and enter for a chance to win free tickets to the show after the jump....

Photos courtesy Nash Cook...

At Coachella this past weekend, Roger Waters released the giant Pink Floyd "Animals" tour pig into the air above the crowd during his set, the underside of which read "Obama." McCain is calling Obama names and stuff. Your brain has a need for social status, says a recent study. An increasing American life expectancy gap is revealing itself to researchers. Between 2005 and 2006, Travis County per capita income rose 3.8 percent to $39,781.......