Press Update: Sounds Like Austin

Oh how they love us. We dazzle them with whiskey and spandex and, really, it's not even fair. No chance to deny us the critical acclaim we are told we should desperately seek. No swirlies in the girls locker room. No wedgies. Just pure cool.

This one from Sounds Like Austin (really a great blog w/ excellent photography- check them out!):
note: I have taken the liberty of making all complimentary statements bold and all incendiary statements tiny. (so that I can ignore them)

An upbeat, very clean, piano based indie-pop sound, with a look that occasionally inspires doubletakes. I hope you like songs about love, because that’s what you’re getting.


When i first put this disc in, I was kind of confused. A piano-based indie rock band. I know they are out there, but i keep forgetting they are (is that bad?). The energy is super refreshing. The gravelly voice behind this group sounds really good, and they really keep it upbeat. I would definitely check these guys out live. I actually saw one of them last year at SXSW in his full body mansuit (i’ll get the photo up here eventually). Is the album a bit long(?); maybe, but who is going to complain about something dumb like that (not me). It’s has it’s poppier moments (Get Up Go), and it’s indier moments (How Do You…, Jump Blues). Most of the songs are about love and more stuff about love; having listened to them i think they might have written a lot of these songs after asking out their new robot girlfriends (but, hey… robots are pretty sweet, except all the ones in movies, and the red ones, pink ones, and the anything that becomes self-aware). Anyhow, this is an album I would listen to, so i don’t mind if i end up with a puff piece. It’s a little nerdier than your normal austin indie scene, and having seen one of of those mansuits they have worn, they might not be super easy on the eyes, but at least it’s a look. I would say pick it up, but who listens to me anyhow… (don’t tell the PR people though, or they will stop sending me free shit)


Go check out Sounds Like Austin and tell them I sent you.
- B

Early review for Space Punk Starlet.

It's not even released yet and the reviews have started to pour in. Check out this bit from Austin Daze Magazine and the ever fabulous reviews editor, Daisy Riprock.

THE FRONTIER BROTHERS – Space Punk Starlet!

The Frontier Brothers are one of my favorite new bands, and their first full length CD did not disappoint.

Recorded with Stuart Sullivan (Okkervill River, Sublime, the Meat Puppets), Space Punk Starlet! has the characteristics of a group releasing their third or fourth album, as they have already crafted their own recognizable sound and feel. Combining honest to goodness fun with Bowie like musicality, the record goes from sounding big and happy to raw to downright luscious and beautiful. The added texture from the “Intergalactic Orchestra” is done tastefully and just not to say, “Hey man, we put a French horn on our album because we’re that cool.”

Their obvious enthusiasm is prevalent on the album, and the energy of their live shows comes through. I attended a recent show, shortly after their photo session with SPIN magazine, and the floor was shaking from the madness of the dancers. Quite a few people are becoming hip to this Austin trio, and my humble guess is many more will be after this release.

9.5 Daisy Stars

Daisy’s Favorite Lyric “I wish I could solve all the popular problems our day, so that you and I could waste away someplace nice”