ACL 2014: Haerts

Sunday 11:30am.  I can't believe this band is slotted for the dreaded Sunday morning kickoff.  In 2012 Alt-J was accorded that "honor".  Why hide a great band at a time when nobody will be there?  I guess it's a reward for the die-hard festival people who show up early.  This is great Sunday morning wake-up music, too.

I saw these guys at SXSW in 2013 at Cedar Street and they were excellent.  A throwback 70s/80s sound, with a little ABBA, a little Berlin.  They're based in Brooklyn but members are from Germany, England, and the U.S.  I'm not sure why they haven't taken off yet.  There's certainly lots of buzz about them.

Definitely worth waking up early to see them.  I'm going to post three songs to convince you.

Call My Name

Wings

All the Days

ACL 2014: Beat Connection

Saturday 6:30pm.  Last band preview for Saturday.  This is a Seattle electro-pop band playing on the BMI stage.  This song reminds me a little of Prince but most of their music is more electro from what I've read.

Hesitation

ACL 2014: Bully

Saturday 4:30pm.  We're getting to the big acts now so not much more to cover for Saturday.  Playing in this timeslot is Interpol and Head and the Heart so we'll most likely choose one of them.  If we want to avoid the big crowds there's this trio from Nashville on the BMI stage.

I like this song.  Reminds me a little of Breeders, or a female-led Replacements.  They only have an EP out but have already played Bonnaroo and are now playing ACL.  Not a bad start.

Brainfreeze

ACL 2014: Rey Pila

Saturday at 2:30pm.  Another band from Mexico City but they reside in NYC now.  They are signed to Julian Casablanca's label and just toured with Albert Hammond, Jr.  They've also toured with TV on the Radio.  Here's a longer article on them.

This song is very glam 80s.  Reminds me of Roxy Music mixed with Bowie.  They're playing the small BMI stage at the same time as Trombone Shorty and Rebelution.

Alexander

ACL 2014: Falls

Saturday at 2:00pm.  This is probably my choice.  It's a duo from Sydney.  They've toured with Of Monsters and Men and Lumineers.  This is the only song I could find.  Very sweet.


Home

ACL 2014 Zoé

Saturday at 1:30 opposite Mac DeMarco is an alt-rock band from Mexico City.  Here's a song and a video.  53 Million views! I guess they're pretty popular in Latin America.

Labios Rotos

ACL 2014: Mac DeMarco

Saturday 1:30pm.  The next couple hours are a crapshoot.  I'll throw up some choices but none really stick out until Polica at 3:30.

One option is Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco.  His latest album has been nominated for the Polaris Prize.  Pitchfork likes him and apparently he's pretty well-regarded.  I think he's going for the John Lennon "Double Fantasy" era sound on this song.

Passing Out Pieces

ACL 2014: Empires

Saturday 12:30pm.  Post-punk band out of Chicago.  On the same stage as Interpol.  Probably a good opening act.  They're on opposite Spanish Gold and Benjamin Booker so I doubt we'll make it to see them.


How Good Does It Feel? 

ACL 2014: The Chain Gang of 1974

Saturday 11:30am. This is opposite The Rosebuds so for informational purposes only.  Playing the RetailMeNot stage, it's the moniker of Kamtin Mohager, a musician/DJ from San Jose/Hawaii/Denver who now resides in L.A.

This song is straight out of the '80s.  It's what got him booked for ACL.

Sleepwalking

ACL 2014: Benjamin Booker

Saturday 1:00pm.  I'm going a little out of order since his album is streaming on NPR and will be gone next week when the album goes on sale.  Listen now before it goes away.

The hype is huge for this release.  Benjamin Booker is a 22 year-old based in New Orleans that cites T. Rex among his influences.  The album was produced by Andrija Tokic who also produced Alabama Shakes and Hurray for the Riff Raff. He's already played SXSW, Letterman, Newpork Folk, and Lollapalooza.  Below is his performance on Conan from this week.  He's also toured with Jack White.

Comparisons are to early Black Keys but I hear Replacements as well, especially on "Have You Seen My Son" below.  His guitar playing reminds me of Gary Clark, Jr.  The album is really good.  He's playing opposite Spanish Gold but I think we need to see him now.

Violent Shiver

ACL 2014: The Rosebuds

Saturday 11:30am.  One of the bands I can't wait to see.  I saw them at SXSW in 2007 for the Merge Records showcase at Antone's and was really impressed.  It's a duo from North Carolina.  Their new album was produced by Justin Vernon.  Ivan Howard was also in Gayngs with Vernon.

I know it's early but all the good bands I want to see are early this year.  We can leave early on Saturday.

This is off their new album. From Soundcloud: "Featuring Vernon on guitar and synths—as well as Bon Iver drummer Matt McCaughan and Sylvan Esso's Nick Sanborn on bass, both longtime pals and cohorts of the Rosebuds".  I wonder if Vernon will be playing guitar at ACL.

In My Teeth

ACL 2014: Future Unlimited

Friday 6:15pm.  We're at the Friday time-slots where we know all the bands playing.  The only two left that I wasn't familiar with are Blackberry Smoke, a country-rock band in the Lynyrd Skynyrd style, and Future Unlimited, an electronic pop duo out of Nashville.

Here's a song from Future Unlimited.  Very 80s with a little Cut Copy style.  It's this or Ozomatli. Most likely Ozomatli.

Lightweight Eyes

ACL 2014: Ana Tijoux

Friday at 4:!5 has Chvrches on one big stage and Paolo Nutini on the other.  Nashville-based hip-hop/pop band The Lonely Biscuits plays the BMI stage.  They won the MTVu Woody Award as an up-and-coming band and their song "Chasing Echoes" isn't bad.  It's on my ACL2014 Soundcloud playlist (on the sidebar).  I'd still rather see the other bands in this timeslot, though.

I'm not sure I want to fight the chaos to see Chvrches and since we've seen them recently maybe it would be worth it to check out the act playing in the tent: Ana Tijoux.  She's a French-Chilean Latin Pop/hip-hop musician.  NPR and World Cafe seem to like her.  She has played SXSW a couple times, including this year, and has had success touring the states.

This song is played on Episode 5 of Season 4 of "Breaking Bad".  We just finished episode 2 of that season so only 3 more episodes.  We'll have to listen for it.

1977

ACL 2014: Hozier

Friday 3:15pm. Irish gospel/Americana musician.  This song is really fucking good.  Reminds me of old Elton John.  Lots expected from this guy.  He played Newport Folk and Billboard said it was the #7 best show, ahead of Lucius.  Damn.  We should check him out.

Bleachers is the other band playing.  This is a side project of the guitarist from fun. Sounds just like them.  They're on the stage near Lake Street Dive so the sound will bleed through.  All the tweens and teens will also be crossing from Capital Cities to Bleachers as well. What bad scheduling.

Update: need to add the video.  It provides visuals for the lyrics.  Over 6M views on Youtube. Good.


Take Me To Church

ACL 2014: Lake Street Dive

Friday 3:15.  Speaking of the Colbert bump.  This band played SXSW in 2013 (my preview and another song here.) but didn't take off until playing his show about 6 months ago.  Since then they've been on Ellen, played Bonnaroo, Telluride and were scooped up to play ACL.

Their music is mellow jazz/pop/lounge.  This is a cover of the Jackson 5 song that has gotten some airplay.

I Want You Back

ACL 2014: Jon Batiste and Stay Human

Friday 2:15pm.  The legend Jimmy Cliff is playing in this time slot with MGMT Capital Cities on the other big stage.  Playing in the tent is the New Orleans-raised member of the Batiste jazz family heritage, Julliard trained renaissance man Jon Batiste.  He and his band were on the Colbert Report last week so let's see if he gets the Colbert bump.  His performance on the show was pretty cool, with the band leaving the building and performing on the streets of NYC.  Worth watching (below.)

A mix of jazz, funk, soul.  Could be quite a party in the tent.


Express Yourself

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,The Colbert Report on Facebook,Video Archive

ACL 2014: Robert Ellis

Friday 2:00pm.  Lake Jackson/Houston and now Nashville-based singer-songwriter.  He just played Blues on the Green but we missed that one.  I like this song.  Reminds me a little of Ryan Adams mixed in with Jay Farrar.  He's on New West Records.

Only Lies

ACL 2014: Temples

Friday 1:15pm.  Another British band.  Labeled as psychedelic rock/glam rock.  KUTX has been playing their stuff lately.  This song reminds me of Tame Impala.  I'd like to check them out.  The other options at this time are two local Austin bands: The Jones Family Singers and Saints of Valory.

Mesmerize

ACL 2014: The Preatures

Friday 1:00 PM at Austin Ventures Stage.  This band from Sydney was here for SXSW.  In my preview I thought they sounded like old Prince.  This song is the same one I posted back then and it has been getting lots of radio airplay since.  I haven't listened to any of their other stuff but I really like this.

Is This How You Feel?

ACL 2014: James Bay

Friday at 12:15.  The next young singer-songwriter out of the UK after Ed Sheeran and Jake Bugg is James Bay. He's already opened for the Rolling Stones and he's only 22.  Apparently he's pretty good live so we should probably make an effort to check him out.

Let it Go

ACL 2014: Catfish and the Bottlemen

Playing at 12:15 on the BMI stage is a pretty rocking band out of Wales.  This song starts off like Phoenix but gets heavier as it goes.  They have another song called "Pacifier" that reminds me of Kings of Leon.  So I guess it's a kind of derivative indie rock sound.  May be worth checking out for a few songs.

Kathleen