Bitter Birds

• 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

• Full Service

  BY GREG BEETS

• The League of Extraordinary G'z

  BY CHASE HOFFBERGER

• Nazi Gold

  BY KEVIN CURTIN

• 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

Bitter Birds

When not running Gallery Black Lagoon, guitarist/vocalist Singer Mayberry and her drummer/vocalist husband David Lujan crank out black-hewn indie-pop alongside the latter's bassist brother, Marcos. Foreboding basslines serve as the fulcrum for both tracks here, providing an effective emotive counterweight to Mayberry's resolute high-end vocals. Sparsely deployed guitar and drums finish out the trio's tasteful arrangements. Paired with exquisite silk-screened cover art, Bitter Birds deliver a complete package.