SXSW Recap

So here's how it all shook out...

Best:

• New Violators @ Emo's Jr. [Like Moz fronting an early 80's new-wave band.]
• Teitur @ Hilton 18th Floor ["Louis Louis" is one of the best songs of '06.]
• The Sunshine Underground @ Stubb's [Rough vocals, but good tunes.]
• Headlights @ Flamingo Cantina (dayshow) [So good, and I almost never like female lead vox.]
• The Rosebuds @ Club Deville (dayshow) [The new album sounds so good live.]
• Voxtrot @ Emo's Jr [Bring on the full-length album!]
• The Hourly Radio @ The Blind Pig [Sounded as great as ever, complete with new track.]
• Midlake @ Buffallo Billiards [I'm so proud of what these guys are achieving.]

Average:

• Calla @ Emo's Jr. [I guess "It Dawned On Me" is their only great song.]
• Office @ The Blind Pig [A bit too B-52's for me.]
• The Isles @ Habana Calle 6 Annex [Good but too derivative of The Smiths.]
• The Envy Corps @ Club Deville [Just competent.]
• The Honorary Title @ Latitude 30 [New songs don't sound that great.]
• Sondre Lerche (acoustic) @ The Belmont (dayshow) [Not very engaging set.]
• Snowden @ 7th & Trinity (dayshow) [Much better than expected.]
• Eisley @ 7th & Trinity (dayshow) [New songs don't sound that great.]
• Lovedrug @ 7th & Trinity (dayshow) [New songs don't sound that great.]
• Youth Group @ Cedar St. Courtyard (dayshow) [Why do they warp the songs live?]
• Loney Dear @ Flamingo Cantina (dayshow) [Needs stronger vocals.]
• The Broken West @ Urban Outfitters (dayshow) [Good but never great.]
• Margot... @ Club Deville (dayshow) [New songs don't sound that great.]
• James Walsh @ The Belmont (dayshow) [Too many novelty-covers]

Not very good:

• Zach Galifianakis @ Cedar St. Courtyard (dayshow) [Jokes about ironic t-shirts and skinny jeans? Jesus man, it ain't 2001 any more.]
• The Comas @ Beauty Bar Patio [New songs don't sound that great.]
• Moi Caprice @ Uncle Flirty's Loft [I guess "Drama Queen" is their only great song.]
• Kenna @ Cedar St. Courtyard (dayshow) [Poor man's Dave Gahan.]
  
• Say Hi To Your Mom @ Buffallo Billiards [Poor man's DCFC.]
• Land Of Talk @ Club Deville (dayshow) [Poor man's Metric.]
• The Young Knives @ Club Deville (dayshow) [Too geek-rock for me.]
• Stars Of Track And Field @ 7th & Trinity (dayshow) [As mediocre as they look.]
  
• The Early Years @ Emo's Jr. [Too many drug-jams for me.]
• The Kissaway Trail @ Buffallo Billiards [Far too emo how they all sing every line.]
• The Crash @ Friends [Far too cheesy, sounds like bad Tahiti 80]
  
• Ane Brun @ Hilton 18th Floor [Just bad bad bad GvB-type blogger fav.]
• Young Galaxy @ Habana Calle 6 Annex [The height of Arts & Crafts mediocrity.]
• The New Frontiers @ The Belmont (dayshow) [A bad Radiohead impression.]
• Bone Box @ Habban Calle 6 [Awful in a Tom Waits like manner.]
• My Latest Novel @ Buffalo Billiards [Just miserable stuff.]
• Fionn Regan @ Buffalo Billiards [He didn't even play "Be Good Or Be Gone."]
• The Pipettes @ Flamingo Cantina (dayshow) [They didn't help setup the equip, the guys then put on yellow sweater vests, then the girls dressed and danced so cheesy it was embarrassing. And most importantly, their voices didn't sound that great. For the same mood only better check out Lucky Soul.]

Didn't get to see:

• The KBC (Preston UK)
• Mumm-Ra (Bexhill UK)
• The Needles (Aberdeen UK)
• iLiKETRAiNS (Leeds UK)
• Joan as Police Woman (Brooklyn NY)
• The Rumble Strips (Devon UK)
• Rubik (Helsinki FINLAND)

Comments

[julie]

i think you need an above-average category!

[snickerdoodle]

I liked the Moi Caprice set. It wasn't overly enthralling, but maybe I'm just biased because I love the album so much.

My favorites this year, were The Rosebuds (Wednesday night) and the New Violators at Emo's Jr.

Voxtrot (Emo's big room) didn't seem to have as much enthusiasm as I have seen them in other shows before. Maybe due to them playing the final of their 6th shows, but they seemed tired out there, and Srivastava was losing his voice.

The only band I discovered by chance was Datarock out of Bergen, Norway. I really liked their set on Saturday.

[Pete]

Heheh, too bad you didn't like The Crash! Funny "review", though. And I can see your point. :-D

[kj]

sorry to report, but the Voxtrot full length is fairly disappointing.

maybe 2-3 songs on the level of any of the songs from tje Mothers or Wolves EP.

[mike]

I'm going to disagree with you on Land of Talk and My Latest Novel...both, IMO, are great. I haven't seen LOT live but recently My Latest Novel live and they put on a decent live set.

[Roca]

A whole town is chock full of desperate total loser bands and drunken industry scum. How could Hell be any worse?