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La Vie en Rose

God Fearing Texans Stop Steven Hotze

Music rarely excuses itself from politics. Partisan beliefs make their way into every style from country to hip-hop, and all the weird, gray places in between. And yet, rarely do politicians actually cross over into creating palatable music for John & Jane Q. Public. Read More | Comment »

1:24PM Thu. May. 16, Abby Johnston

Phoenix Keeps Austin Weird

I first saw Phoenix on the Friday of ACL Fest 2009. The Parisian quartet’s late-afternoon slot drew a massive crowd despite the early festival drag. The swelling foretold the band’s runaway success with fourth album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, which dropped that May. Read More | Comment »

4:20PM Wed. May. 8, Abby Johnston

A Little TLC for NKOTB and BSB?

Boy band revivals have already reared their ugly head this decade. Does NKOTBSB ring any bells? In 2011, the halfhearted attempt to drag Boston’s New Kids on the Block into the 21st century relied on the assumption that a tour with Orlando counterpart the Backstreet Boys would bring some relevance back to the men-sans-instruments approach. Read More | Comment »

12:55PM Thu. May. 2, Abby Johnston

Austin Psych Fest Live (Sunday): Holy Wave

Holy Wave made its second appearance at Austin Psych Fest after a year of substantial growth and provocative live exhibitions, plus securing an opening slot behind Sweden’s new Afrodelic psych sensation Goat. Unfortunately, their abbreviated late-afternoon set Sunday in the Levitation tent seemed out of whack for the worthy up-and-comers. Read More | Comment »

10:57AM Mon. Apr. 29, Abby Johnston

Austin Psych Fest Live (Saturday): Quintron & Miss Pussycat

New Orleans husband and wife duo Quintron & Miss Pussycat managed to kill Mother Earth, use a marshmallow spaceship to travel the universe, and successfully locate the happiest place in the cosmos – Rainbow Land. All this was executed in the first 10 minutes of its Saturday night Psych Fest set, before either had picked up an instrument. Read More | Comment »

1:57PM Sun. Apr. 28, Abby Johnston

Austin Psych Fest Live: Warpaint

After 2010’s debut full-length, The Fool, Los Angeles fourpiece Warpaint toured buoyed by the kind of hype that only an all-female lineup can generate, but deservedly so. The album’s quiet elegance made Warpaint into aural specters, bewitching crowds with understatement. Read More | Comment »

12:30PM Sat. Apr. 27, Abby Johnston

Austin Psych Fest Live: Suuns

As Friday’s shy sun made its way downward, the icy tracks on March’s Images du Futur from Suuns defrosted themselves under the Levitation tent. Where the songs on this Montreal quartet’s sophomore album err dark and dreary, a face-to-face confrontation spoke to the benefit of expanse and ambiance. Read More | Comment »

10:45AM Sat. Apr. 27, Abby Johnston

Full of Fire

Perhaps it was the end of a seven-year itch without politically charged Swedish electro duo the Knife that prompted a string of action. Its fourth album, Shaking the Habitual, still has critics scratching their heads. Was its deep read of equity by many outlets a grand PR hoax or is it actually an important work of feminist art? Read More | Comment »

5:15PM Thu. Apr. 25, Abby Johnston

How I Learned to Love Paramore

There came a point early on in high school when I gave up listening to Warped Tour bands. I never had a ticket to the famed summer festival – a fact I later attributed to my precocious, superior music taste – but really, it was just because my dad realized how annoying it would be and refused to take me. As usual, I owe my dad a lot. Read More | Comment »

1:15PM Thu. Apr. 18, Abby Johnston

Born to Run

As I crossed the finish line for my first half-marathon, Bruce Springsteen blared in my headphones as I employed one last burst of energy to bring my jelly legs up to a sprint. You try running 13.1 miles without Brother Bruce blessing your journey. Read More | Comment »

4:20PM Thu. Apr. 4, Abby Johnston

Piece of My Heart

March remains set aside as a celebration of Women’s History, as if we need a 31-day window to pontificate on the achievements of women. Regardless, these last few weeks let me reflect on my favorite characters in this ever-swelling chronicle. Read More | Comment »

2:20PM Thu. Mar. 28, Abby Johnston

Alt-J’s Awesome SXSW Wave

Leeds’ best kept secret, who headlined Stubb’s last night and plays the Belmont tonight as well as a Waterloo in-store tomorrow, is out of the bag. 2012 introduced Alt-J to the masses on a whirlwind tour for the quartet’s Mercury Prize-winning debut, An Awesome Wave. We reached keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton across the world. Read More | Comment »

3:07PM Thu. Mar. 14, Abby Johnston

@SXSWPartyzzzzz Has Your Free Day Party Hook-Up

Every year, thousands of people pour into downtown Austin without a South by Southwest badge or wristband, ready to endure lines and enjoy a free festival. For this fan bloc, official SXSW music showcases at night barely exist given the day-drunk debauchery of free parties. Read More | Comment »

3:33PM Thu. Mar. 7, Abby Johnston

Natalie Maines Fires Up SXSW

On the eve of the Iraq invasion March 19, 2003, Dixie Chicks frontwoman Natalie Maines told London concertgoers she was ashamed President George Bush was from Texas, her home. As a result, country radio stations across the country pulled the Chicks from rotation. Almost 10 years to the day, Maines has confirmed a SXSW showcase. Read More | Comment »

1:10PM Thu. Mar. 7, Abby Johnston

SXSW Interview: Depeche Mode

Preceding the March 26 release of its 13th album, Delta Machine, UK electro pioneers Depeche Mode have confirmed three seats at the Austin Convention Center on Wednesday, March 13, for a South by Southwest music festival interview. Read More | Comment »

2:30PM Tue. Mar. 5, Abby Johnston

Tame Impala: Half Glass Full of Wine

Australia’s Tame Impala has had a hell of a year. The psychedelic sludge-rock of October’s Lonerism bounded over the sophomore slump onto year-end Top 10 lists like an Olympic hurdler. No surprise, then, that the quintet’s U.S. tour has maxed venues across the country, including last night’s Stubb’s sell-out. Read More | Comment »

1:07PM Wed. Feb. 27, Abby Johnston

Kashmere HS Marching Band Saves Texas Schools?

With legislative discourse choking public education, activists, parents, and students descend on the capitol tomorrow for Save Texas Schools. The rally runs noon-1:30pm, but the march on state government begins at the Congress Ave. Bridge, 10:45am, led by the Kashmere HS Marching Band, descended from the famous Houston funkestra. Read More | Comment »

4:20PM Fri. Feb. 22, Abby Johnston

Tweethearts

Not having a Twitter presence edges on inexcusable for anyone working in the music world. The 140-character micro updates are the easiest way to spread news and reach new audiences in a user-friendly format. The concept remains simple, but some people still “get” Twitter better than others. Read More | Comment »

10:07AM Fri. Feb. 15, Abby Johnston

Bye Bye Bobby Bones

Bobby Bones’ show on KHFI 96.7 “KISS” FM represents everything I hate in radio personalities. For starters, it’s hard to justify four hosts struggling to name the Rolling Stones’ frontman during “Name That Tune.” Add in an ultra-conservative and a male chauvinist, and it just gets worse. That said, I listen to it every weekday morning, 6-10am. Read More | Comment »

1:50PM Thu. Feb. 7, Abby Johnston

Time to Get Ill

The 83rd Texas legislative session convened Jan. 8 for its biennial spectacle. Squabbling over a budget surplus will prove its own sport. Both have jeering crowds, egotistical stars, and take place under a dome. The key difference remains a soundtrack. Just as “We Will Rock You” amplifies gaming, politicos need some tunes to fire up their legislatin’! Read More | Comment »

5:15PM Thu. Jan. 31, Abby Johnston

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