When Arthur Russell died of AIDS in 1992, he left he partner, Tom Lee, with over 1,000 tapes of unfinished songs. For those that knew him, this isn't a surprise at all. more ›

Every fall, Austin looks forward to ACL Fest, and each year, there's always a point where two of your favorite bands are playing on different sides of the park at the exact same time. ACL Band Clash is a weekly series in which Austinist scribes Paige Maguire and Tom Thornton examine the worst ACL scheduling clashes, and try to provide good advice on finding a resolution. Well, good advice might be a stretch, but... more ›

We talked about Ryan Adams' latest full-length, Easy Tiger , just recently: The album is truly an Adams Tex-Mex combo meal: an entrée of Heartbreaker, Gold, and Cold Roses with a side of Rock’N’Roll ... Fans will really like this record, while newcomers might ask someone to recommend the five best tracks to download (we’d start with “These Girls,” “Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.,” and “Everybody Knows.”) If you're an old school fan or... more ›

Fionn Regan The End of History (Lost Highway)The End of History signals the auspicious beginnings of this Irish singer/songwriter who strikes up comparisons to Ryan Adams, Neil Young and at times, Conor Oberst. The occasional female backing vocal, banjo and violin are spun around herculean, plucked acoustic numbers and personal tales beaming with imagery and intelligent melody. “Be Good Or Be Gone” and especially “Put a Penny in the Slot” showcase the authenticity of... more ›

Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger (Lost Highway): We like Ryan Adams: he’s witty, annoying, moody, talented, and 100% rock star. It’s unfortunate, then, that his output is so often uneven. Like a poster child for iPod album editing, Adams throws a handful of gems on each album, then adds lots of C+ songs with gratuitous swearing and purposefully off-key vocals. Easy Tiger isn’t the complete return to glory that early press suggested, but it... more ›

Jesse Malin might not be a household name, but he's certainly made the rounds as one of the more prolific songwriters out there in recent years. A former member of Heart Attack and D Generation, Malin progressed to a solo career after a stint with Ryan Adams in The Finger. His latest release, Glitter in the Gutter, features a Replacements cover and a duet with Bruce Springsteen. Malin plays Thursday at Stubb's and is... more ›

After a month of guesswork, the ACL Fest lineup is here. And it's quite a good one. While the wild speculation of headliners like Neil Young and Stevie Wonder once again proved false, the key items one sees this year are depth and balance. Having spent yesterday looking over the roster, we have the following observations on the 2007 edition of ACL. The Good: A Great Top 10. Had you told us that we'd... more ›

Glös - Harmonium Modern technology is moving at a rate faster than some can handle, while others utilize new possibilities to its potential as best they can. Glös started when Keeley Davis and Cornbread Compton of Engine Down traded music files via laptops with each other, experimenting with a new style of independent songwriting leading to eventual co-ordination through the file transfers. Davis’ sister, Maura (formerly of Denali), was also included in the process,... more ›

Brr! Good thing you're not at work today, there are some marginally interesting new releases this week for you purchase via the heavenly lady herself, The Internet. She won't freeze over on you, she won't keep you from your girlfriend's house tonight, and she won't cause you to wake up from a strange and unexpected four day weekend in an un-showered and groggy haze. Wait a second, yes she will! Crowded House Farewell to... more ›

Have you caught up on sleep from last year yet? Because SXSW is only 90 days away. The 2007 edition looks to be as big as ever, as all hotels within three miles of downtown are already sold out. more ›

The more things change, the more they stay the same. And in some senses, that's a good thing. Louisiana state troopers, notorious for being overzealous in their pursuit of people travelling with drugs, busted Texas legend Willie Nelson and four others with mushrooms and weed. Law enforcement officials issued citations for the men after an early morning commercial vehicle inspection on I-10. "When the door was opened and the trooper began to speak to the... more ›

It's only June, but there is already some lineup shuffling happening over at ACL Fest. Let's start with the bad news: Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice has departed from the bill, and no official reason has been given. All is not lost, though: Rice is still playing The Backyard in early July with Fiona Apple and David Garza. In better news, UK Britrockers Muse have joined the lineup, meaning that those who pined for Radiohead... more ›

The whole world is at your fingertips. Check it out... Shanghaiist probably knows a little more about China than the Chicago Sun-Times. Giving them the benefit of the doubt on that one. The city does too have a music scene. Don't even front like they don't. They also have Dorito bananas and white guys shopping for wives. What they don't have is any more tolerance for jaywalkers. Bostonist sees Boston and Somerville each whip out... more ›

It’s rare to find a musician that has performed for thousands at the Austin City Limits Festival, is a classically trained cellist, and still gets on stage at open mic night with his best friends for a touching rendition of “Man Beers,” the holiday classic they composed moments early during a MGD shortage. Austin Hartley-Leonard, front man for local rockers St. James, is one such artist. It should be obvious that their upcoming Momo’s... more ›

The annual Shortlist Music Prize was envisioned by creators Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig to "create opportunities for left-of-center culture to cross over to the mainstream." And to accomplish this, they enlisted a slew of "respected members of the creative community" to serve as arbiters of indie taste. Pitchfork announced today that this year's Shortlist awards have been cancelled, owing to infighting between Spotts and Sarig: Speaking about the duo's rift to AP, Spotts... more ›

So A Flock of Seagulls won't be playing Elysium tonight, but there are a few great shows happening around town that are bound to tickle your fancy...pants. IF YOU LIKE ... The Rapture, The Faint, or tight pink jeans: Rock out with electroclash wizards Ghostland Observatory at Karma Lounge @ 10pm. They're fresh off a hugely successful East Coast tour, so come and give 'em a warm Austin welcome back! Jack Johnson: Nashville singer-songwriter... more ›

You may want to sleep in today, because the rest of the week is packed with plenty of sights and sounds to keep you exhausted and bleary-eyed! MONDAY [music/swing-dancing] Paris 49 weekly set at the Continental Club, 6:30-8:30. No Cover! [music?] Karaoke! at Beerland, 9pm TUESDAY [music] British singer-songwriter Matt Hales, AKA Aqualung, at The Parish [in-store] Aqualung at Waterloo Records, 5pm [film] Austin Film Society screens Andrei Tarkovsky's "Solyaris" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown, 7pm... more ›

The Ponys – Celebration Castle Second release from this Chicago band that has more of their garage rock sound with some post-punk guitar thrown into the mix. (The Ponys play Emo’s this Friday along with Faceless Werewolves and Camp X-Ray) Ryan Adams & the Cardinals – Cold Roses Double disc that should have probably been edited down to one, it shows Adams moving back to his country-rock roots. Caribou – The Milk of Human Kindness... more ›