michael favia

While the steady hand of democracy steers most end-of-year best of lists towards not only the very good but also the very well known, we here at Austinist feels it's important to give a little face time to the lesser knowns, especially now that 2009 has closed the door on that last year that happened, whatever it was called. So while we were plenty pleased with our own official list, we thought it important to take note of those albums that shook us this year, even if they didn't make it through the primaries--let's consider them the Dennis Kuciniches and Mike Gravels of the race, if only those guys were any good. As a result, this list is unnumbered, obscure, sometimes strange, and features those underexposed greats that shouldn't be forgotten even though the calendar's turned.

Juana Molina - Un Día (Domino)

In the United States, our ever-salivating media would be breathing pretty heavily if a one-time television star transformed her career over a number of years from actress-in-sketch-comedy to widely-respected-musical-dynamo. For example, imagine if ten years from now Tina Fey were releasing critically acclaimed records of innovative (and notably punchline-less) psych-pop--a pretty damn unlikely scenario, yes? Well, to find this type of startling career transformation do no more than steer your eyes southward, to Argentina, where toils the still largely slept-on (by Americans, that is) ball of intrigue that is Juana Molina. Molina, who, of course, made her name on the tube, has been making very serious albums that are serious in the way that the music is good, and not serious in the way that Scarlett Johanssen covers Tom Waits or William Shatner sings Christmas tunes while downing a glass of whiskey.

The songs on Un Día, Molina's fifth LP, mark some of her best work yet, as the looping vocals and guitar of the title track set the mood at an uncharacteristically frenzied pace. And when the horn drops in, ooh boy, it's like Panda Bear but with a welcome shot of the organic. While the album as a whole tends to be a bit more on the patient side, with swelling tides of guitar and sweeping atmospherics, it's "Los Hongos de Marosa" that pushes Un Día over the top with its stunning marriage of the gorgeous with the strange. So maybe it's a good thing Molina hasn't gotten more exposure in the U.S., because albums like this seem best listened to very, very late at night, on a beach, and alone. -Nick Courtright

Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night (Slumberland Records)

Impeccably retro and incredibly catchy, Crystal Stilts' Alight Of Night is a 21st century pop record that unrepentantly harvests the sounds of the sixties and beyond. Surf-guitar riffs, a ready supply of organ chirps and tambourine jingles, and plenty of reverb and distortion perfectly complement the unavoidable melodies, distant vocals, and insistent drone running amok on the record. Although there are quite a few standout tracks that could be earmarked as singles ("The Dazzled," "Prismatic Room," and "Shattered Shine" to name a few), Alight Of Night is largely a seamless haze of psychedelic smoke bound together by a distinct dark allure. Each song lazily drifts into the ensuing one before flowing into the tranquil closer, "The City In The Sea." Immerse yourself in the Brooklyn band's brand of psychedelia and let the garage-pop bliss encompass your very being, this is an album best enjoyed as a whole, from start to finish. -Adi Anand

Passion Pit - Chunk of Change EP (French Kiss)

One of this year's sleeper successes, the Massachusetts recording project (and now live band) Passion Pit is most notable for delightfully blurring genres. Is this rock music that reaches into the dance club, or vice versa? Either way, it's tough to deny that lead single "Sleepyhead" has both the ability to move bodies and inspire deeper listening, and better yet, "Smile Upon Me" showcases wicked, stereo-crossing beams of synth and inspired drum programming--even though the stage is ultimately stolen by founding member Michael Angelakos' bittersweet harmonics. The EP originally came to existence as a V-day present for Angelakos' girlfriend, and Chunk of Change does seem rooted in romance, from effusive, tinkling '80s synths to the confident strut of "Cuddle Fuddle." With a full-length due in 2009, we'll either learn more about life in love or what happens when things get, as they say, "real." Either way, it should be a trip worth taking. -Adam Schragin

Sleeping in the Aviary - Expensive Vomit in a Cheap Hotel (Science of Sound)

They're a chaotic art-folk band that manages to pack the right amount of punk and the right amount of pop in their bag of tricks to keep things forever interesting and engaging. The group - Phil, Elliott, Michael and Celeste - are excellent at making the transition between pop acoustic songs and rowdy electric ones feel natural. Although, they don't get as much into the high-octane stuff on this one as with their previous, Oh, This Old Thing.

But honestly, if for no other reason, the very first song of the album is so strong, that it guarantees this album a spot on this year's best overlooked albums. It's called "Write On," and it's catchy, rambunctious and totally inspiring. It's full of furiously strummed acoustic guitar, an electric buzz and a chorus begging to be sung along to as you bounce around with the poppy rhythm. Mix this one with others like the echoing, somber piano tune, "You're a Party," and the Western acoustic number "Gas Mask Blues" and you've got a strong recording full of emotion, harmony and high energy. They flood their live show with even more intensity than the recordings, making that the best way to discover their music. They're also not too bad at creating lyrics that stick, like "If you have my daughter I don't know what I will do, cause I'm gonna want to hit her if she looks like you" from "Gas Mask Blues." -William Mills

Sunset - The Glowing City (Autobus)

The first forays into Sunset's releases couldn't help but sting. Their ascendancy drove that last nail into Sound TEAM's coffin, which meant the end of the clenched-teeth anger and urgency of, for example, the flawed but darkly soothing 2006 full-length Monster Movie. With Bright Blue Dream, released earlier this year, Sunset stepped up into a promising if puzzling territory to mixed results. Perhaps because no one was expecting the double punch, The Glowing City was a knockout blow, and best expressed the group's dynamic range, vintage fetishes, and icy dedication to the LP form in a time of standalone singles and digital detritus. Always a little guarded, The Glowing City further explores a some of band leader Bill Baird's favorite themes--obsession and mortality, with a nuanced resignation toward both--as best encapsulated by the tiny symphony "When Perfect Flames Expire" and its layers upon layers of carefully crafted, moving musical language. -Adam Schragin

The Bug - London Zoo (Ninja Tune)

Built from a bevy of Kevin Martin's blistering beats, this album makes its dubstep influenced peers--such as Burial and DJ/rupture, great as they are--sound like preteen emo boys playing tiddly winks while drinking Shirley Temples at their mom's house. And it's not only the beats, which range from the simplistically bombastic to the glass-shatteringly intricate, that make London Zoo a stunning exercise in manically channeled rage, as a slew of rasta's most talented MCs (including Flowdan, Warrior Queen, and Ricky Ranking) bring their sometimes indecipherable politics to the disc in a way we would sing along to if only we could keep up.

Vicious and offensive in all the best ways, London Zoo was quite possibly the most unexpected batch of kickassery 2008 provided, and the nearly hour-long smorgasbord is overflowing with potential singles, from "Angry" to "Jah War" to "Fuckaz" to "Warning." But despite the power of individual tracks, it's the unifying strength of Martin's vision that makes this feel like a complete album rather than a collection of one-offs. And, sure, while some of this "rage" and "vicious" talk may sound a bit too pissed off for all those Fleet Foxes lovers out there, let it be known that even music listeners with the most chill of music tastes will find Warrior Queen's "Poison Dart" very difficult to turn down, let alone turn off. -Nick Courtright

Gameboy/Gamegirl - The Golden Ghetto Sex EP (Central Station) Hipster haters could have a field day with the Melbourne quartet Gameboy/Gamegirl, who trade in cheesy 90s iconography and throw down with ironic hip-hop lingo and two-dimensional double ententes ("Fruit Salad" is not really about fruit). But before tossing out the baby with the bathwater, do not make the same mistakes as the appearance-driven culture you despise. Dig deeper into producer Miami Horror's busy cutups and synthetic layers of melody and dissonance, and you'll find a talented creator honing in on a very listenable style of his own. The strong instrumentation often out shadows the call and response of the male/female vocals, but on "I Get _In the Club" the nasty synthesizers and boozy lyrical flirtation find a perfect synthesis. -Adam Schragin

The Statesman is reporting that earlier rumors of the death of the Trans-Texas Corridor (Rick Perry's proposed 1,200 foot wide superhighway running parallel to I-35) have been confirmed. More accurately, the term "Trans-Texas Corridor" has been discarded as a politically disadvantageous, the portions of the plan that were not a toll highway have been indefinitely postponed and the segment that connected to Mexico has been scrapped.

As TXDOT explains in the Vision 2009 plan released today, "The Trans-Texas Corridor name has taken on unintended meaning that can obscure the facts.... Instead, we will implement a corridor program that will house the tools of innovative project development and delivery springing from TTC events, but will use the names generally associated with individual projects." See? Isn't that so much less obscure? We're not building a "NAFTA Superhighway." We're just building a few little toll roads to help the suburbs stretching from San Antonio to Dallas sprawl another few hundred miles eastward.

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group.

Sign at MLK & Leona
BY JUDY HOLDEN via JOOLEY ANN

Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)

One of 2009's most anticipated albums arrives early today, on double gatefold 180 gram vinyl with full album download card in WAV or MP3 format. Oh, and a poster. On the 20th, you'll be able to grab the CD version in stores. This album is already receiving high praise, and after listening a few times, we're hearing why. "In the Flowers" begins with sludgy samples and distant chanting, giving us a hint of what's to come on the album (read: challenging arrangements that push most of the songs right to the edge of melody). The psychedelic meandering tucked in with loops and samples pays off almost exactly in the middle of the tune with a thundering bass/tom tom combination and reliable chord steadying the composition together from the synths. Finally, the vocals become a partnered, melodic exchange and the piece returns to its original theme, which this time makes more sense and is almost a sigh of relief from the busty mid-section. This is the primary trick Animal Collective deploy across Merriweather: pitting pop melodies squarely against explosive moments of total experimentation. Listeners who have never been interested might not become converts, but solid fans will be more than pleased. Other standout tracks include "My Girls" and "Bluish."

Animal Collective: [MySpace] [Official]

The Gourds Haymaker! (Yep Roc)

Kevin ‘Shinyribs’ Russell, Jimmy Smith, Max Johnston, Keith Langford and Claude Bernard have been Austin's most reliable roots music envelope-pushers for over 15 years, and their latest album is a testament to another way in which experimentation combined with tradition can, when done well, really knock things right out of the park. They're still playing a sort of post-modern Americana, leaning on downright Menckian wordplay and compositional eccentricity to make an impression, but they're also finding a more predictable narrative on this album. Songs like "Promenade" and "Country Gal" shimmer in this new sort of combination nicely. Haymaker! was recorded in Austin with engineer Stuart Sullivan, who engineered the band's previous effort, Cow Fish.

The Gourds: [MySpace] [Official]

Alkaline Trio/Hot Water Music: Alkaline Trio/Hot Water Music EP (vinyl reissue)
Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (vinyl)
Brighton Port Authority: I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
Burial: DJ-Kicks
Charles Mingus: Live in Berlin 1972
Chatham County Line: Chatham County Line (reissue)
Denison Witmer: Carry the Weight (vinyl)
Dire Straits: Sultans of Swing (Live in Germany) (2-CD set)
The Ecclesia: Birdsong Over the Interior Castle (vinyl reissue)
Erin McCarley: Love, Save the Empty
Fireman: Electric Arguments (vinyl)
Glasvegas: Glasvegas
The Gourds: Haymaker!
Hacienda: Loud Is the Night (vinyl)
High on Fire: Live at the Contamination Fest
Joy Division: In the Studio with Martin Hannett (import vinyl)
King Khan & BBQ Show: Animal Party 7" (vinyl)
Lafee: Ring Frei (import)
Pole: Alles Gute (vinyl)
Starflyer 59: Dial M (vinyl)
Thee American Revolution: Buddha Electrostorm
Various Artists: John Peel's Dandelion Records (dvd)
Various Artists: Undone: A Musicfest Tribute to Robert Earl Keen
Wroom: North of Forty-Five (vinyl)

We celebrated New Year's Eve at the Mohawk with Car Stereo (Wars) and a celebratory one year anniversary edition of Indieroke. Fun was had by all, and contributing photographer Nash Cook was there to document.

If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.

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Many of you trying to link over to our recent posts ("P. Terry's Opening Second Store in Central Austin," "New Year's Eve Driving Home Fail") may encounter a Page Not Found error right now — we're looking into it and hope to get this fixed shortly. In the meantime, you can still view the posts on the homepage — to view all posts in their entirety, change the "View" option on the right side of the menu above from 'Summary' to 'Full'.

Anna HanksAfter Austinist staffer Anna Hanks came across some signage at a construction site in Central Texas hinting of a future P. Terry's location, we dashed off an email to proprietor Patrick Terry, who just confirmed that he's indeed opening up a second shop at the corner of 32nd Street and Lamar.

The second location of the popular South Austin burger stand will open "sometime in March," wrote Terry, with "a drive-thru, indoor and outdoor seating, and our signature sandbox." Local architect Michael Hsu (Uchi, Bess, Olivia) is overseeing the design.

Update: we've posted a photo that Anna took at the site.

Photo by Dean Fredrick

As though cops having carte blanche to perform blood tests on suspected drunk drivers wasn't enough, reader Andy Marcum shares this stunning example of what might go wrong after you've (allegedly) imbibed one too many:

The following picture was taken by my friend Dean Fredrick as he was walking around downtown at 5am on New Year's morning.

While looking for a taxi near the intersection of 3rd and San Antonio, he heard a loud noise that sounded like a car crash. He walks over to the the state garage where he thought the noise came from and sees two vehicles stuck on the stairs. Apparently they both mistook the stairs, surrounded by parking curbs, as an exit ramp...

The car on the left was the 2nd victim to enter the staircase and was the source of the noise. Both vehicles took on significant damage, with the car on the left losing its back bumper during its escape attempt just a few minutes later.

If you look closely enough, you can almost make out the driver of the car giving Dean the finger while he is taking the picture.

Neither team has played in more than a month, Phoenix-area hotels are bemoaning the lack of tourism, but that doesn't mean the Texas Longhorns or the Ohio State Buckeyes are lacking in motivation heading into tonight's Fiesta Bowl.

Tenth-ranked Ohio State (10-2) comes in after winning a share of the Big 10 title and is looking for the opportunity to showcase freshman quarterback Terelle Pryor and their offense of the future. Texas (11-1) enters the game ranked No. 3 in the country and a chance to show BCS voters that they should be considered among the top teams in the country.

Tonight's game could also be looked at as the deciding game in a three-game series that began in 2005. That season, the Longhorns went into Columbus and came away with a close victory on their way to the national championship. The following season, the Buckeyes came to Austin and handed Texas a 24-7 loss in Colt McCoy's second start.

McCoy has come a long way since then, setting school records for career passing yards and touchdowns, as well as compiling a record 31 wins as the starting quarterback. He'll face a sturdy Buckeye defense led by two of the top individual players in the country.

Senior linebacker James Laurinaitis is a three-time All-American who leads Ohio State in tackles (121), which includes four sacks and two interceptions. Senior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins has been a starter since his freshman year and is expected to be a top NFL draft pick.

Local businesses in the Phoenix area have reported lukewarm interest in travel packages, partially because of the weak economy and partially because of the date of the game (following the traditional end of the holiday season).

• Israel sends tanks, troops into Gaza.
• Harry Reid: Bush "worst president we've ever had."
• Richardson no longer Commerce nominee.
• Obama: $300 billion tax cut.
• Whatever happened to Lynndie England?
• Conde Nast mags lose nearly half their advertising.
• Autopsy planned for Jett Travolta.

As we move to the next square on the calendar you're still out there trying to make a connection. Sadly you let most of them slip by without saying a word. We understand, no one wants to be overzealous and get shot down. If only you had some place to find a second chance. Oh yes, Missed Connections. If only you had someone to sort through and find the best of the above. Oh, right, read below....

GSD&M Idea City Holiday Party

Dear GSD&M Idea City,

Can I come over? I've been watching you for a long time now, but it's your festive spirit that's stirring me to action. First I saw your decorated palm trees and adorable snowman and penguin display. Now I can hear your holiday party, and the DJ just went from "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" to "Sexyback" and "Womanizer." Sure, you're having fun, but we'd have even more fun together. When we're done with the party, you can come back to my place for dinner, maybe a little ice skating?

Yours,
Whole Foods

Sorry Whole Foods, even with a budget like ours you were still just a little out of our price range.

Pink shoelaces, tie me up. - w4m - 28 (Mercury Hall)

Saw you last night at Mercury Hall. Your pink shoelaces and your blue tuxedo made me feel like god was jamming his fingers in my vagina. Would've dragged you to the ladies', but last year's resolution was no more sex in bathrooms. This year's is more sex in bathrooms. Tell me what color dress I was wearing and which part of me you bit, so I know you're not just a sexy mirage.

* Location: Mercury Hall

We salute you for your enthusiasm, that's the sort of commitment that more of the ladies need to make.

Denziens of The Side Bar... - w4m (South)

My friends and I have spent the last year screwing with some of your heads, and we would like to apologize.

We have kissed on the first meeting and disappeared into the night.

We have set up dates and never shown.

We have stolen hats, scarves, and other accessories every time you, failing to realize you couldn't keep up with some skinny little girls, passed out drunk on the table.

We have given you fake numbers, fake names, fake smiles, and very bad advice.

We apologize, but we'll be back.

Uh oh, Chad best beware. All of his new friends turned out to be figments.

my ninja - w4w (austin)

yeah...its for you :)

your touch makes my heart pound. your kiss makes me weak.

are these some of your amazing ninja powers because i've never felt any of this before and i don't mind it at all!

We just thought the idea of love ninjas were twice as cool as plain ninjas, and plain ninjas are pretty cool. They look forward to killing your love soon!!

Killing Industry Poster/Jason Harrison Killing Industry w/ Rook and Tin Can Phone
Friday, January 2
Trophys (2008 S Congress)
9pm, $5
[info] With hangovers subdued and normal routines back in place, it’s time to take on the New Year and explore the multitude of talented band’s you might have missed in 2008. One such under appreciated band is Killing Industry, a reggae themed indie rock outfit taking 2009 (and mediocre music) by storm with city-eating babies and soothing charm. Seasoned musicians Sam Berniard and Chad Gowan dabbled in several projects around the Houston area before creating Killing Industry in 2006. Mark Hammett and Jason Harrison joined shortly after, toting impressive resumes as well. Each member’s characteristic talent and desire to make beautiful music is supported by their alluring stage presence.

The already solid lineup will be sweetened a bit at Friday’s show with the first appearance from keyboardist Kyle Williams.

With influences from The Police to Of Montreal, the group layers complex syncopation and fleeting harmonies, fastened with a familiar ribbon. The guys have a 5-song EP entitled 1,000 Sides That Never See the Light, full of bluesy guitar licks and Berniard’s breathtaking vocals. Tonight’s performance promises kindred bohemian tunes distorted with segments of ska. Opening gigs include the bubbly soft local act Rook and Tin Can Phone, who packs staccato-braised acoustics. Even with a bounty of free music available in the Red River area this weekend for the kick off of Free Week, this act is worth the five bucks. If you find yourself south of the river, head to Trophy’s for some good old-fashioned pleasantries.

aaronisnotcool/flickrHaving seen their team successfully traverse one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation to close out 2008, Texas fans have much reason to be optimistic as the conference season approaches. But a number of slips and narrow victories along the way mandate that we regard this team with cautious optimism. For every impressive victory (UCLA, Villanova), there have been high profile losses (Notre Dame, Michigan State) and uncomfortable margins over inferior competition (Texas State, Texas Southern).

But as conference play begins, Texas remains on a collision course with their familiar foes from across the Red River for Big 12 superiority, as Blake Griffin has led Oklahoma to a 12-1 record and No. 4 ranking, although Baylor could be poised to play spoiler as Texas and OU look to extend their run of dominance over the rest of the Big 12. In the meantime, here are a few things to watch throughout the conference season.

Texas has not established a go-to scorer other than AJ Abrams
While Damion James is the statistical No. 2 scorer, in late-game situations the Longhorns strictly go as Abrams goes. This has largely been acceptable so far, as Abrams has produced several clutch plays already this season. But as was the case in the Longhorns' late collapse against Michigan State, if Abrams is well-defended or simply off his game, no other Longhorn has established himself as a secondary go-to scorer. As we wrote in our season preview, this edition of Texas basketball is built around balance, but as game margins get tighter, Texas needs to establish a more definite pecking order behind Abrams in late-game situations.

How will Blake Griffin's individual success correlate to Oklahoma's team success?
As the torch has been passed from Kevin Durant to Michael Beasley and now to Blake Griffin as the premier player in the Big 12, team success has not always followed individual success. Both Durant and Beasley averaged double-doubles and were at the top of much national Player of the Year conversation, but both also saw their teams eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The tournament's single-elimination format lends dubious odds to teams that tie their fate so strongly to a single player. In the past three seasons, balance has outlasted several superstars to claim college basketball's championship (Florida in 2006, Florida in 2007, and Kansas last year). Those teams each featured several high draft picks but remained very statistically balanced. Watch to see how Griffin's impressive individual stats correlate to team success throughout the season and into the tournament.

Baylor could be really good
I daresay few hate to give any credit to the Bears more than yours truly, but in terms of returning talent, Baylor deserves to be mentioned with Texas and OU as the class of the Big 12. After losing only the ever-unimpressive Aaron Bruce from the top of their rotation, Baylor could become the Team Nobody Wants to Play come March and April. The Bears' top three scorers (Curtis Jerrells, LaceDarius Dunn, Henry Dugat) are each liable to light it up on any given night, which the Longhorns hopefully learned after their scare in Waco a year ago. Consistency has been the Bears' undoing throughout Coach Scott Drew's rebuilding effort, but as experience continues to mount, the Bears could be very dangerous late in the season.

The enigmatic enigmas
That is, will any team in the Big 12's middle tier establish itself as a major player on the conference and national stage? Of the four possibilities (Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Missouri and Kansas), only Kansas has suffered a "bad" loss to date, but receives a pass here both because of their status as defending champs and their relative youth. The Jayhawks could and should improve dramatically as the season progresses, and still have two opportunities to prove themselves before conference play begins (Jan. 3 v. No. 18 Tennessee and Jan. 10 v. No. 15 Michigan State).

Among the others, Texas A&M has amassed an 11-1 record, collecting wins against Arizona and LSU in the process, and junior Donald Sloan has improved from year ago in filling the point guard position vacated by Acie Law in 2007. Similarly, neither Mizzou nor Oklahoma St. have suffered a bad loss, but neither has collected a marquee victory. Both will have to wait to test their mettle against quality Big 12 programs, as the remainder of their non-conference schedules is relatively weak.

Briefly

• Sophomore Jai Lucas of the Florida Gators has announced that he will transfer to Texas. Lucas will have to sit out this season, per NCAA regulations regarding transfers.


• The Longhorns will play twice more before conference play begins, tonight at 8 pm against Appalachian State and Tuesday at Arkansas.

Image from MySpacePALE YOUNG GENTLEMEN

What’s the Deal: Pale Young Gentlemen are exactly what the name suggests. They burst forth and beam with songs like “The Crook of My Good Arm” in all of its indie rock-meets-eerie symphony glory. Then, of course, there are songs like “Kettle Drum” during which the 10-piece plus Wisconsin group brings in the Xylophone and flute to flirt in the fields with the already existing cello and violin. They will all be met later by the viola, piano, bells, harp and French horn among the usual rock suspects. PYG has been described as indie gypsy rock, but a tag like that would be doing them a disservice. It’s more like somber acoustic sounds mixed with the music of an older Europe and sweeping symphonic gestures.

The squeaks and groans of the strings, the slumberland chimes of the bells, the dreary and astral vocals, and the acoustic strumming all steer the listener directly toward a fantastical world where all actions are dramatic, bizarre and recorded in black and white. The imagery-laden tracks off their recently released full-length, Black Forest (tra la la), are primed for the soundtrack of either a period piece or some kind of contemporary, quirky indie film gem. This is the sort of music that’s perfect for getting lost in your own imagination as you stare out of a window at rolling hills or a gloomy cityscape. 

Something Interesting: They trim down to a five-or-so unit for touring purposes, with each of them contributing several different instruments to the production. They do a version of M.I.A.’s Paper Planes that is no doubt stirring.

Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “Clap Your Hands” and “There is a Place”

Pale Young Gentlemen Official
Pale Young Gentlemen MySpace

Image by Sandy Carson courtesy of MySpaceSHAPES HAVE FANGS

What’s the Deal: If they were a shape, it definitely wouldn’t be a square, maybe a trapezoid or a parallelogram. But, those are probably too complicated. Austin’s Shapes Have Fangs have a 60’s guitar pop sound that’s a little dirty around the edges and complete with timeless hooks that might sound familiar to anyone who’s up on their vintage rock and roll. The slightly scratchy production on recordings of the group’s gritty guitar jangles and solos, harmonious background vocals, and occasional spry piano works because it’s not overblown and it sounds like a party you don’t want to be missing.

“I Better Be Leavin” is one of those great throwbacks where the title is the chorus and it’s shouted in the background between hands clapping, energetic fingers stamping on the keys and cymbals shaking. It’s a number created for putting the groove in your feet and the devil in your hips, the kind of tune the parents just didn’t get and probably did everything in their power to keep their children from being intoxicated by.  

Something Interesting: You can check them out during free week with Cavedweller at Club DeVille on January 10th.

Other Tracks Worth Checking Out: “This Mess I’m In” and “Dumb Luck”

Shapes Have Fangs MySpace

The original home of Free Week, Emo's isn't going to let this wonderful concept disappear from within its fabled walls. The venue, now sans Lounge but always a cornerstone of the blooming Red River music scene, has assembled quite the line-up to kick off its 2009 Free Week.

On Friday, The Lemurs headline the outside stage with synth-pop and dance-rock of the finest caliber. Million Little Pieces, their latest EP, dropped in September, and contained gems like "Nina," "Blackspot," and "Yours Mine Ours." Check out our review here and watch "Yours Mine Ours" live (from September's EP Release show at The Mohawk) via YouTube. Also on the bill, The Boxing Lesson rounded off a landmark year (that included the release of Wild Streaks & Windy Days) with two videos in the fall -- watch "Brighter" here and "Dark Side Of The Moog" here. Ringo Deathstarr support with scintillating blasts of shoegaze -- read our recent interview with Elliott Frazier here; Pataphysics (a.k.a. Patrick Healy) and JC and Co. (a.k.a. Jason Chronis) power the inside stage.

What Made Milwaukee Famous, Oh No Oh My, The Mercers, and The Georgian Company are just a few of the amazing pop acts scheduled to perform outside on Saturday. The inside stage is home to fast-emerging retro outfit Dans La Lune's oh-so-easy-on-the-ears melodies, along with The Ugly Beats' time-tested pop nuggets, Amplified Heat's thunderous psych-blues, and The Jungle Rockers' grooving garage-rockabilly. Watch our interview with The Ugly Beats from Fun Fest 2008 via Roxwel.

Beerland counters with a couple of free shows this weekend as well -- Blowhole, The Stuffies, The Dickins, and Get To Da Chopper!!! on Friday, and The Flametrick Subs, Mr. Lewis & The Funeral 5, and Izzy Cox on Saturday.

Wrap up the first weekend of Free Week on Sunday at Emo's with The Tunnels, Christian Bland of The Black Angels, and The Astronaut Suit (among others) outside, and The Always Already, Haunting Oboe Music., Prayer For Animals, and j.be inside.

Check out the Austinist Weekend Music Preview Slideshow below for details on a number of events in town this weekend.

Images from MySpace / provided by entity.

Amir Farshad Ebrahimi/Flickr
• 414 now dead from Israeli air strikes in Gaza.
• US preparing south Afghan surge against Taliban insurgency in the area.
• Thai authorities trying to figure out the cause of the nightclub fire that killed 59 people on New Years Eve in Bangkok.
• Muslim family gets kicked off an AirTran flight after their discussion over which is the "safest" area of the plane to sit in.
• Former Rhode Island Senator and creator of the Pell Grant Claiborne Pell died yesterday.
• Global decrease in demand for milk products in these uncertain economic times leads to a oversupply of milk.
• EW's first look at some of the big movies headed our way this new year.

Editor's note: Pastiche is a bi-weekly column exploring the diversity within the Austin music community. The views expressed in Pastiche are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the outlook or beliefs of anyone else in the IST network.

Between the house party and the club show lies the nebulous House Show, a tricky hybrid that attempts to straddle the world of booking, touring, sound checks and bartenders with your average party, the kind punctuated by loud talk, dark rooms, and limited toilets. At face value, a house show really just requires two things: a band or musician willing to play, and house to host him or her. Even electricity isn't a given, as many acoustic-based, un-miked shows have flourished in Austin living rooms, to be sure. But the reality of putting on a good house show requires more careful chemistry - the right bands; good company and a welcoming atmosphere; enough room for guests and acts to spread out; neighbors who can't hear/don't care/enjoy a rocking house show now and again. These are the concerns that make or break a good show, and logistics can be a bitch.

There is an image gallery to this entry which you can view at Austinist

Image from Highcastle Photography The three homes we visited here all have had challenges to overcome, and in Rancho Relaxo's case, unsympathetic neighbors have purportedly but the kibosh on shows there, possibly forever. Regardless, challenges are part and parcel to putting on everything from garden parties to stadium shows, and for these three venues, at least, the benefits of putting on performances frequently outweigh the annoyances.

Our first stop on our tour was the Natrix Natrix house, which is settled in a largely unremarkable part of south Austin near the (we're guessing) vice-prone Sands Motel. First and foremost, Natrix Natrix is a record label started by non-natives Seth Whaland and Rhonda Turnbough several years ago. The duo started turning heads with their unique, mostly cassette-based releases, many of which fit into the fold of neo-folk in the vein of scene luminary (and house performer himself) Simon Joyner while simultaneously keeping things local by putting out albums and singles from rock or psych-pop Austin bands like Spirit of Space and Moth!Fight! The Natrix Natrix house has seen many performers over the past couple years, including a recent holiday visit from Julian Koster and his singing saw. The night of this particular show overbooking was a slight concern, but the line-up was whittled down to Mandarin Dynasty, Geoff Reacher, Golden Ghost and Viking Moses, in that order. As is often the case, Natrix Natrix regulars filtered in early to chat and drink Coors, while Super Mario Brothers 3 captured the attention of a few in the living room. The house is unusual in that it has a strange den-type alcove at the house's south end, which serves as the setting for many shows and as a bedroom and workspace on occasion.

This evening, about fifteen of us poured in to watch the music, which ranged from Reacher's folk-hop hybrid to what turned into a jammy Viking Moses set featuring a guest (and unrehearsed) rhythm section. Others have said it better, but it's still remarkable to reflect on how stages, ostensibly created to help us all better witness a performance, also serve as a weird sociological border (often self-inflicted on both sides) between the performer and audience. This show had no gap other than a few feet between Us and Them, and so jokes were easily shared, fake insults lobbed, requests frequently shouted out, and songs sung along to with the ease of a bullshitting session with some close friends. The world's unlikeliest dance party even broke out during one of Golden Ghost's haunted and throaty elegies, which no doubt wouldn't have gone down at Emo's.

The close camaraderie of the attendees, many of who are old friends, made it easy to enjoy being in this home and to vicariously feed off the good will and spontaneous, almost secretive vibe of the place. But while never purposefully exclusionary, it deserves mention that as the show reached its close, the focus slowly moved to the key players and inner circle. The more casual attendees began to fade further and further into the background, most leaving as the sets became looser, the participants drunker, and the hour later.

Image from Highcastle PhotographyRancho Relaxo is an east side residence that, alongside Natrix Natrix, fills the void of a now-nonexistent home venue known as Jesse's Bed and Breakfast. Perhaps most notable for hosting a smattering of Hush and K Records artists, the supremacy of Jesse's ended after a solid run at three different locations. But the evening we visited Rancho, it felt more than anything else like the resurrection of the loose Tonewheel Collective, a group of musicians who perform in bands including Peel, Peter and the Wolf and Brazos and who once had a residency of sorts at Beerland a few years ago. As in the past, Rancho gives these individuals (and many not affiliated with Tonewheel) a sympathetic venue to work through solo material, showcasing a different side of some of the songwriters and bands we already know and possibly already love.

Newly decorated with cutouts from coloring books, an eye-grabbing paint job and more, elbowroom in Rancho's garage (where the shows take place) became increasingly scarce as a healthy crowd - especially for a Tuesday night - shoved inside. As mentioned, this was allegedly Rancho's last hurrah, and attention was rapt if not particularly mournful for the space's final performance. We arrived just as Josh Permenter of Peel was finishing a set, which was then followed by a short performance by Christine Aprile of Belaire featuring lots of reverb and an incredible sounding (and incredibly huge) vintage organ of some kind. Martin Crane, often associated with his Brazos project, had a saxophonist accompany him but otherwise just stuck to guitar and kick drum to flesh out his sentimental folk songs. Last and easily the most energetic set of the night, Red Hunter's new incarnation Mellow Owl closed the venue's garage doors forever with a great mix of old and new songs, featuring Rancho Relaxo resident Ethan (he of the Hawaiian Ukulele) on bass and vocals, the frequently experimental Nick Hennies on drum set, and Hunter himself on vocals, thumb piano and guitar. The disparate styles of each fused so easily that evening it was easy to view the performance as a true if temporary homecoming for Hunter, though as usual the nomadic musician was headed for the west coast the next day.

Image from Highcastle Phogotraphy Also an east side residence, The Space Cave is easily this adventure's most perfectly suited house for show purposes. Not only do the inhabitants of the Cave have excellent interior and exterior design sensibilities, the house has a sprawling backyard with nothing short of two campfires and three tipis, and a lowered living room area (it looked like an addition) with wood floors and significant standing room for performances. Oh, and bonus: free boxes of granola cereal in the kitchen. Better still, the yard backed up to an apartment complex that was situated far enough away that noise probably wasn't a huge deal.

The relatively large performance space meant the bands could afford to spread out, something that worked out perfectly for our first act Najeeb Sabour and the spillover of auxiliary musicians (mandolin, ukulele, etc.) who accompanied his compositions. Other acts that night included the confrontationally electronic Fiction, a DJ set from Mos Jefecit, and more. The Space Cave was the most crowded residence of the three, and since the gathering was also a birthday celebration, socializing out by the tipis and mugging with one really drunk Santa took on a parallel role to watching the bands. Be that as it may, ample opportunity could be found to do both, and the carefree crowd interaction and relaxed air of the performances was a mirror image of the other two house shows, especially Natrix Natrix.

Transforming any space into a den of performance requires some effort, from the established house/venue to the one-off house party with a high school thrash band. To make matters worse you've got the headache of making musicians happy, scheduling, and possibly sleeping arrangements to deal with in addition to the usual post-party pains in the ass like picking cigarette butts out of the yard. But still, when it goes well, it's hard to beat a house show for ambiance and intimacy. Why rent it when you can own it, you know?

Natrix Natrix: [website] [myspace]
Rancho Relaxo: [website] [myspace]
The Space Cave: [myspace

The author would once again like to thank Arian and Jesse for their photography.

Image by Paige MaguireAustinist presents a very special New Year’s Eve party tonight at The Mohawk.

Bring in 2009 by singing your favorite song (or three) on stage, dancing to Car Stereo (Wars)'; scintillating mash-ups, and enjoying a glass of champagne while watching The Mohawk ball drop at midnight - all for a measly $5!

One year in, Austinist Indieroke is still going strong, thanks to the many, many patrons that have turned up at our seven prior events and turned in some amazing performances. Will you be first in line to perform a classic by Spoon or The Arcade Fire, or will save your best for a late night Journey or Fleetwood Mac hit?

Come on down to The Mohawk and celebrate Indieroke's One Year Anniversary with us tonight! Indieroke's official photographer, Nash Cook will be on hand to document all the shenanigans.

[Austinist Indieroke MySpace]
[Download Austinist Indieroke Collection as an Excel Spreadsheet]
[Car Stereo (Wars) MySpace]
[“Mrs. Time Of Your Life” - Car Stereo (Wars)]
[The Mohawk Official]
[The Mohawk MySpace]

BREAKING: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 44TH PRESIDENT

As we close out 2008, we're taking a moment to briefly revisit some of the articles that we published on Austinist this year. Whether poignant, sad, hilarious, or downright ludicrous, many of these stories probably affected your lives to some extent. Certainly, at the very least, they provided their own commentary on Austin's ongoing transformation.

BREAKING: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 44TH PRESIDENT!!

The scenes that played out on TV stations around the country were not unlike the end sequence in Return of the Jedi.

Presidential Election Recap: McCain, Obama Both Shine

"Back in Austin, faint shouts of 'Obama!' and the sound of fireworks crackling could be heard echoing in the darkness into the wee hours of the night. The Driskill was a champagne-fueled madhouse, with a line outside of eager revelers snaking around the building. One fellow near the watch party in French Place that we attended took to his scooter once the election was called, and spent a good thirty minutes zipping up and down the small residential streets while pumping his horn, cheered on by curious witnesses in packed living rooms.

It was of little surprise that these scenes, which doubtlessly played out simultaneously in small towns and mammoth cities across the country, seemed altogether cinematic in nature—for many, it was the fitting denouement in an 8-year-long drama punctuated by occasional moments of absurdist comedy. "

Texas Election Results, By the Numbers

Austinist took a look at the various stats related to this year's historic election.

Buck, Rogered After Classy Obama Comment

Longhorns backup center Buck Burnette was kicked off the team by Mack Brown himself after Burnette, self-described as being "very conservative" in his beliefs and evidently a notable racist, was so confounded by Obama's victory on Tuesday night that he immediately logged on to Facebook and updated his status with the regrettable comment that hunters "should get their guns."

Ice Cube at the Mohawk: Opener "Trick Trick" Wants You To Know That He Hates the Gays

Austinist explained why getting riled up over Detroit rapper Christian "Trick Trick" Mathis' blatent homophobia simply wasn't worth the effort.

Snapshots: Local Music Is Sexy Photobooth, Video Recap & More

We kicked off Fun Fun Fun Fest weekend with our annual Local Music Is Sexy party at the Mohawk, featuring Brothers & Sisters, Foot Patrol, the Lovely Sparrows, Leatherbag, the Eastern Sea, and surprise guests Dengue Fever.

Our Year In Listening: Austinist’s Top 15 Albums in 2008 Our Year In Listening: Austinist's Top 15 Albums in 2008

"Our listening hours in 2008 were filled with a hundreds of records, some mediocre, some good, a few great. The distillation of our favorites is a tradition at Austinist, and we're happy with our list this year, despite talk of '08 being a shallow year album-wise. We've covered everything from Cut Copy to Bon Iver, the Dodos to Girl Talk. There are three local stand-outs on our list, and no Vampire Weekend to be found."

Gallery Lombardi to Close its Doors

It was announced that Gallery Lombardi would close on January 15th, 2009. The contemporary art gallery, currently located on West 7th Street, had existed in Austin since 1996. Proprietor Ron Prince and Director Rachel Koper cited not making "nearly enough money this year" as a reason for closing the gallery.

AISD Teacher Throws Fit Over Student's Linux CD

In an age where Windows and OS X reign supreme, it was no wonder that a local AISD middle school teacher became enraged upon discovering one of her students distributing what she believed to be bootleg copies of an operating system in class.

Fun Fun Fun Fest Snapshots. Photo by Patrick DentlerFun Fun Fun Fest Saturday Recap, Pt. 1 | Fun Fun Fun Fest Recap: Saturday, Pt 2 | Fun Fun Fun Fest Sunday Recap | Fun Fun Fun Fest Snapshots

For the third year, Transmission Entertainment's Fun Fun Fun Fest turned Waterloo Park into a veritable underground music melting pot. Successfully spanning hip-hop to comedy to hardcore in one weekend isn't an easy feat, and we can't remember the last time we saw so many punks, hipsters and club rats quite so elated.

Bankrollers of Bigotry, Financiers of Fairness Dwell Among Us [Prop 8]

Lest you go around crediting the collective denizens of Hollywood and Salt Lake City for the record $50 million donated by supporters and opponents of California's Prop 8, which overturned the state Supreme Court's ruling in May allowing gay marriages, several dozen Austinites played a role as well.

Darque Tan’s Hide Is (Likely) Fried

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott sued Darque Tan owner Robbie Segler and his affiliates for false marketing claims stating that searing your flesh with carcinogenic light bulbs is actually good for you and can reduce your risks of some cancers.

Happy Birthday, Home Slice

The dough throwers over at Home Slice Pizza have been serving up New York style slices from its South Congress location for three years now.

Bike Rack Design Contest Winners Announced

The Downtown Austin Alliance announced three winners in its bike rack design contest.

Guest Editorialist: Owen Egerton!

In celebration of his newest release, and in anticipation of various readings about town, Austinist asked Austin author Owen Egerton to write something special to be published here, just for you. From his heart. Something sacred. Something of wow and character. And that is precisely what he did.

Harry Ransom Center Scores Ezra Pound Materials

The Harry Ransom Center at UT Austin acquired a substantial collection of materials related to Ezra Pound, the famous American expat poet and pillar of the Modernist movement who dallied with the Dadas during his tenure in pre-war Paris and later gained infamy after being accused of treason against the United States.

The Blanton: Edgar A. Smith Building Opening

The Blanton Museum of Art celebrated the completion of the Blanton complex by unveiling the Edgar A. Smith Building, which now houses the museum's cafe, a gift shop, an auditorium, and classrooms for art and education events. The opening of the new structure made the Blanton the largest university museum in the United States.

Photos from Austin’s Prop 8 Rally at City Hall Plaza Photos from Austin's Prop 8 Rally at City Hall Plaza

The dozen or so speakers at the rally, including representatives from Equality Texas and "straights for gays" alliance Atticus Circle, supplanted vitriol with grace and tact. Instead of an angry backlash against those who supported California's Prop 8, the focus was on family, respect, and the need for our entire community, regardless of sexual orientation, to demonstrate to others that the only "gay agenda" at hand is, simply and genuinely, to be granted the right to love.

Plan to Prolong Paid Parking Periods Produces Protests

Austin debated cutting a policy that gave away a scarce resource to the lucky few: downtown street parking, which is free to those lucky enough to find a spot after 5:30 pm and on the weekends.

Censorship Fears Resurrected After Round Rock Superintendant Pulls Spicy Teen Novel

Parents in Round Rock were in a huff after area Superintendent Jesus Chavez decided to pull a steamy young-adult novel from all district middle school libraries.

Texas A&M Laredo Axes Prof for Publishing Names of Students Who Plagiarized

Former adjunct professor Loye Young was fired from Texas A&M International University in Laredo after posting the names of six students on his blog whom he caught plagiarizing.

Snapshots: StrataTX "Second on Sixth" Anniversary Party

Hundreds of Austinites came out to celebrate the second birthday of local arts nonprofit strataTX at este.

Austin Musician Amy Cook Among Out Magazine's Top 100 of 2008

Austin singer Amy Cook was honored as one of Out magazine's "Top 100" GLBT men and women who made a difference in the community in 2008. Cook was listed alongside such esteemed individuals as designer Todd Oldham, Weeds star Guillermo Díaz, and beloved actor George Takei.

Want to go Home with a 'Dillo?

Six 1998 Chance Trolley AH-28's (former 'Dillos) were put up for auction.

UT Student Has Passed Away

We at Austinist were deeply saddened about the passing of Josh Talbot, a 21-year-old RTF major at UT.
Snapshots: South Austin Carnival on HWY-71/290 Snapshots: South Austin Carnival on HWY-71/290

The carnival on HWY-71/290 between South Congress Ave and I-35 opened for business over the holiday weekend.

Robbery a Family Affair for Round Rock Mother and Son

Diedre Blackburn of Round Rock pleaded guilty to going with her 16-year-old son on a short bank robbing spree in December 2007 and January 2008. In all, they robbed four banks in Round Rock.

More Toll Roads Coming to Austin

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board voted to use funds from the 183-A toll road in Cedar Park to guarantee payments for the conversion of U.S. 290 East between 183 and Manor from an untolled four-lane highway to a tolled twelve-lane highway (three tolled lanes each direction, plus three free frontage roads each direction).

That's a Lot of Pot

A Temple cop pulled over an 18-wheeler on IH35 for a traffic violation. After noting the driver's suspicious behavior, the cop asked to search the truck, where he came to find 872 pounds of pot (about $872,000 worth) in the trailer.

Weasel Out of That Red Light Camera Ticket

News 8 Austin reported that companies wishing to use photographic evidence in court must possess a certain "private investigator's license"—neither the camera company used by the City of Austin nor the largest firm in Texas has this license.

Texans As Sickly As Ever, If Not Worse

Texas continued its downward descent in the "Annual Health Rankings" published by the United Health Foundation, dropping from 37th to 46th in the United States.

Mayor, City Council to Honor Jennifer Gale. Photo by Patrick DentlerRest in Peace, Jennifer Gale | Mayor, City Council to Honor Jennifer Gale; House the Homeless Seeks Donations for Thermal Underwear Drive

Longtime Austinite and frequent political candidate Jennifer Gale passed away.

Yes, Dubya's Moving Back to Texas [At Least It's Not Austin]

It turned out that New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams was spot on about the Bushes: after leaving office next January, the President and First Lady will be settling down in the modest neighborhood of Preston Hollow in north Dallas.

Austin Runner Dies During Dallas Marathon

Austinite Erin Lahr, 29, collapsed and died during the Dallas White Rock Marathon.

Four-Year-Old Breaks Into Beaumont Store

Police were alerted to a break-in at a Beaumont Family Dollar after a four-year-old got into the store at 3 a.m. Monday morning. It seems he unlocked a door at home, walked to the store a block away, crossing a multi-lane road, and found his way in through an unlocked door

Endeavor to Delay Domain Projects

Austin’s Endeavor Real Estate Group LLC announced that the next phase of the Domian project would be delayed.