SXSW 2015: Alvvays

The third list of bands has come out which means it's time for me to get going on band discovery.  This always starts as a trickle since we don't know the showcase or day party schedules yet.  I'll start with some of the bands I've already come across that could have a big SXSW this year.  Might as well go alphabetically to start.  First up:  Alvvays.

This is a band out of Toronto that has toured with Peter Bjorn and John and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.  Poppy indie-rock.  Their album came out in August and went to #1 on the college radio charts and is on a few top-10 of 2015 lists.  Her voice is really nice.  Reminds me of Kathleen Edwards if she fronted Real Estate.

This is a great song.  The whole album is good.  It's on the server if you want to listen.

Archie, Marry Me

Top Albums of 2014

Might as well join the rest of the blog world and post my favorite listens from the last year.  I'm sure there are albums that were released that I didn't even hear so obviously this isn't exhaustive.

No order except for my #1, which also goes onto my list of best albums of all-time:

War on Drugs-Lost in the Dream

The rest:

Beck-Morning Phase
Jungle-Jungle
Sturgill Simpson-Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Jenny Lewis-The Vogager
Broken Bells-After the Disco
Real Estate-Atlas

The new ones from Spoon, Ryan Adams, First Aid Kit, and TV on the Radio are honorable mentions as I haven't listened to them as much as the list above.  They'll probably grow on me with further listens.

ACL 2014: Links

For a quick rundown of the artists along with a song (if you want to listen), here is a list of the Friday highlights.  Start from the bottom and scroll up:

http://goo.gl/kzZzqc

When you're done with that page click on this for the rest of Saturday and Sunday.  Again, go from bottom to top:

http://goo.gl/6b4gPG

I also created a playlist in Soundcloud of those and many others playing if you want to sample a few:

http://goo.gl/pi06RZ

ACL 2014: Suggested schedule

Here are my first choices for each day.  I'll focus on the 11am-6pm bands since everyone should know Beck and Outkast, etc.   This just means I want to check out the band but doesn't mean I won't wander over to check out another band.  

My plan is to arrive early and leave early.  The early bands are really good and the crowds are thin.  Plus, it hasn't warmed up yet.  Arriving late is for amateurs.

Friday:

11:30 Young and Sick

12:15 Broods

1pm Preatures

1:15 Temples

2pm Robert Ellis

2:15 Jimmy Cliff

3:15 Lake Street Dive

4:15 Chvrches or Paulo Nutini

5:15  St, Vincent probably

Saturday

11:30 Chain Gang of 1974

12:30 Spanish Gold

1:00 Benjamin Booker

1:30 Rosebuds (but Mac DeMarco is supposed to be good)

2:30 ? (wish they moved Mac DeMarco to this slot)

3:30 Polica

4:30 Bully

5:30 Lucius 

Sunday

11:30 Haerts 

12:15 Mo

1pm Reuben and the Dark

2pm Nikki Lane, then some of Parker Millsap.  Both really solid choices.

3pm  Real Estate, but Cults is good, too.

4pm  Imelda May I guess. Again, wish Cults was here.

5pm  Phantogram (since we just saw Jenny Lewis)

ACL 2014: Broods

Friday at 12:15pm.  Hozier cancelled which has caused some schedule changes as well as the addition of a new band.  This is a brother-sister duo from New Zealand that apparently is blowing up everywhere but here.  So far.  Kind of dream/Euro pop.  This song reminds me a little of Chvrches.  They have another one called "Coattails" that is nice, too.  I think this would be my choice for that time slot.

My picks for the weekend coming soon.


Bridges