Best of SXSW (Part Tree)

I would like to thank the academy, my bandmates, my Mom (but not my Dad), my dog and Suzie the paper delivery girl who once one early morning showed me the... oh... sorry, I mean to say that all the bands are great especially the ones that I downloaded and kept. But there still have to be some that rise to the top. Some that we share our special Jesus Juice with. Bands that help us find our comfort zone and that promote Democracy and Freedom. Because, um, freedom... oh shut up and get on with it.

In no particular order except that it makes for a great but just a little bit too big Mix CD, here's the REST of Thursday night at SXSW and I'm still waiting for my free plane ticket to Austin from whatever record label wants to sponsor me.

"Celebrate" - Maxon Blewit - Maxon did not blow it - he made a slinky, sexy song.

"Asleep in the Back" - Brent Palmer - oh that rising and falling cello note just starts to make my tear ducts choke up. One of those sentimental road songs that's just a little too sentimental but I'm pretty soft these days on singers that sound like Iron and Wine.

"Maremaillette" - A Hawk and a Hacksaw - Neutral Milk Hotel follow-on that sounds like it was by some Italian-Bulgarian-Greek small-g gypsies that wander to and fro through Thrace playing for, I dunno, shekels or whatever passes for money in that part of the world and then ascend into heaven in Anotonev flying flatbed trucks ...Instead they're from Albuquerque, the town we hate to spell.

"I Predict a Riot" - Kaiser Chiefs - This track has been around the block several times as a freebie MP3 and supposedly a big hit in their UK but its still pretty gamma - kind of a reworked ska meets Clash thing that serves as a sequel to "Ghost Town" - suffers a bit from a muddy mix.

"Love is an Arrow" - Aberfeldy - A more robust Kings of Convenience - not sure why they classify themselves as alt.country, this is like more slick Beat Happening pop.

"Yeah Yeah Yeah" - Greyhounds - Shame on you rockists for liking booty-shaking sleazy funkshit like this and not, like, listening to Gwen Stefani or sumpin'!

"Tales of Ordinary Sadness" - Electrocute - Hmmmm... any band that names their song after a Bukowski book deserves a listen. And although this is nothing like a Bukowski book, I'll remain a sucker for flippant girl garage punk TO MY DYING DAY. "Delicious Berlin brats" says their adblurb.

"Rock This Town" - The Late Great Daniel Johnston - Of all the old-timers in the Thursday line-up like John Doe, Chris Stamey and Judah Bauer good ol' Danny boy won't let me down. And while we don't endorse the use of illegal substances, we will fight to the death for Daniel Johnston's right to use pot if he continues to churn out weird bar rock like this.

"Man Don't Walk" - Low Frequency In Stereo - Had my finger on the "clear" key in the first couple measures but let it wash over you. The singer has this weird affectation where when she breathes in she sounds a tiny little heavy metal growl.

"Losing a Year" - Jeff Hanson - This one brought me to a full stop. First of all, its incorrectly titled as Hiding Behind the Moon, a song from his previous album that's been available on his website for a year or so. This is actually from his NEW album (self-titled) so maybe he's pulling one over on his label or somebody just fucked up. The other reason it brought me to a full stop was because its one of the better songs here building from a quiet acoustic guitar haunter into an astonishingly powerful band piece.

"Wonderful Night" - Fatboy Slim - yeah, he's not cool anymore but anyone who's a friend of Spike Jonze is okay by me. And given that this was a big ol fargin' hit from his newish album and not previously available to my knowledge in MP3 format, better snatch it up.

"The Hidden Track" - Earlimart - Oh, this is like O.C. soundtrack bait, right?

"bombs" - Impossible Shapes - An already garage-psyche classic - it's been out for awhile as a freebie download but here's another chance to snag it.

"When The Earth's Last Picture Is Tainted" - Milton Mapes - Austin band that must worship Neil Young & Crazy Horse but hate his voice and add an additional wall-of-fuzz to the mix.

"Jayne Field" - Paik - One of the few instrumentals in this mix so you voxists will hopefully forgive me. One of those "I can't believe three people can make that much racket" bands. If you've got a doobie, smoke it before the show.

"Black HOney" - Mainline (IRE) - Part of the "Music From Ireland" set at the Soho lounge though I can't hear anything "Irish" in it and I don't just mean that in a U2 or Trad. or Pogues sense. I mean, they sound like a Brit post-Jesus and Mary Chain band. Fucking posers.

"My Delusions" - AMPOP - Antony (of & the Johnsons) with a weird accent fronting Sigur Ros with songs written by Jeff Lynne hopped up on prescription medication.

"Walk Away" - Experimental Aircraft - Sounds Brit but its really, wha? Austin?? You mean you can listen to this and eat rosemary taco carnitas?

"I'll be Yr Bird" - M. Ward - OK, so it's bit derivative of everything that's been happening in the past few years in the folk acid world, but who isn't? And its mercilessly short - I almost thought it was an edit but no.