Nazi Gold

• Texas Platters Finale

  Last local music round-up of 2012

  BY RAOUL HERNANDEZ

• The Gorgeous Hands

  BY GREG BEETS

• Shortwave Party

  BY GREG BEETS

• The Well

  BY GREG BEETS

• Bitter Birds

  BY GREG BEETS

• Full Service

  BY GREG BEETS

• The League of Extraordinary G'z

  BY CHASE HOFFBERGER

• > Nazi Gold

• Beto & the Fairlanes

  BY JAY TRACHTENBERG

• The Couch

  BY CHASE HOFFBERGER

• Residual Kid

  BY DOUG FREEMAN

• Hello Caller

  BY ABBY JOHNSTON

• Madisons

  BY JIM CALIGIURI

• The South Austin Moonlighters

  BY JIM CALIGIURI

• Tump

  BY LUKE WINKIE

• deEP end 1

  EPs from Junior Brown, Mice & Rifles, Ben Livingston, and MaryAnn & the Revival Band

  BY DOUG FREEMAN

• Feral Future

  BY ABBY JOHNSTON

• The Sideshow Tragedy

  BY ABBY JOHNSTON

• The Sour Notes

  BY ABBY JOHNSTON

• Borrisokane

  BY GREG BEETS

• Opposite Day

  BY GREG BEETS

• Lower Class Brats

  BY GREG BEETS

• Texas Platters 2012

  Every single local record we reviewed this year

Nazi Gold

Nazi Gold hits paydirt on first strike. The Austin trio featuring prolific guitarist/bassist/singer Quin Galavis, Swans drummer Thor Harris, and Flesh Lights bassist and vocalist Jeremy Steen magnify post-punk's dark art with teeth-rattling rhythms and hurdling melodies. From the needle drop of opener "Breaker" to the looping repetition of the vinyl's front-side closer, "Tape," the rhythm section lays an absolutely pounding groundwork that's industrial in action and punk in fidelity. Galavis builds on the jams with countermelodies of synced guitar leads and vocals. While the first four tracks spin musical highlights, the flipside comes comparably song-focused, leading with memorable Steen-screamed battle call "Old Guns" followed by the best example of Galavis' plainspoken yet enigmatic prose, a distorted sea shanty called "Criminal" that implies love isn't something you give, it's something you steal. The short run time, defined sound, and strongly delivered performances make this a very solid debut.