Clash were back at SXSW, the annual new band showcase in Austin… and we ready for the noise.
After registering for our passes we quickly nipped into a particularly interesting looking seminar called: ‘Producing Killer Video with an MTV budget’ – editor Simon Harper clearly had his ears pinned back in this den of knowledge since later his video of Mona beating The Vaccines at pool will get even Spike Jonze flailing around his cutting room floor in a panic.
But primarily we were here for bands and as fast as you could say: ‘Ones to Watch’ we were buried under the distorted thrash of 6th Street in March with 100s of bands vying for our sonic attention.
Emo’s threw up the first joy: Surfer Blood, Clash hot picks of 2010 and they didn’t disappoint. With so many ‘5-piece-leather-jacket-my-drummer-is-a-nutter’ style bands in attendance its easy to get numb to the sound of generic rock. Which is why when the subtle inflections that made Surfer Blood’s ‘Astro Coast’ such a strong debut came hammering through the air the name of Surfer Blood went straight into the notes. There’s something extra acerbic about their melodies and we can’t wait to hear what they do next.
Two disappointments followed, EMA, whose new album of intricate vocal musings had arrested the Clash stereo in recent weeks. But live she came across flat and one dimensional, really fitting into the pack. One for the iPod then. Next up in the pile of poo was Porcelain Raft. Truly wading in crap. This name was bandied around in the rushed wank that is January’s Ones to Watch developing market, increasingly one that feels like a particularly unpleasant arms fair for shit sonics and one where all self respecting publications ends up with the same 20 names. Blake, Woon, Katy B etc….
Regardless of what was said in January in hype, March is here and Porcelain Raft’s name really is fitting, he’s delicately at sea without an oar. So apathetic was Mr Porcelain that after 13 minutes he waved goodbye with his ill-fitting guitar tremblings, halted his over elaborate backing track and fucked off. Sadly he returned five minutes later saying: “OK sorry, I was a bit thirsty there. I may as well carry on whilst we’re all here.” Fuck me backwards you have FAILED.
Thank the stars then for Brandt, Brauer and Frick, three German’s that look like Kraftwerk is they were styled by Top Shop but nailing down fractured, fragmental live techno. If you’re familiar with the micro compositions of Brinkmann and Akufen then you’ll appreciate this. Tantalising rhythms, live electronic drums and sneaky keys. After all the rock today decent electronic grooves were like a quince after a runny blue cheese. Cleansing.
With this Teutonic bounce in our step we went to seek more basslines. We found the ubiquitous hero of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs riling a crowd in the Numbers sponsored Beauty Bar. In battle head-dress Orlando was wasting no time in slicing up old rave bass grids, jungle loops, pop melodies and an over arching spirit of UK garage that packed the tent. ‘Garden’, a summer hit was as well received as all his retro-futuristic rave. Recently signed to Polydor this little dinosaur has a big, bright future in making us move.
Over on the other side of town, and after a hectic day of press and media interviews, Nashville quartet Mona finally took to the stages of SXSW on Wednesday night, primed and ready to go. They’d prepped themselves with an afternoon in Buffalo Billiards, shooting pool with The Vaccines (and winning) and narrowly beating Clash at shuffleboard. Now it was really time for business. The band were on at 10pm in Antone’s, a renowned club on 5th Street, and proceeded to blow its roof off. Playing a short set of around half a dozen songs, Mona displayed their impassioned anthemic rock to a visibly impressed bunch of new music lovers. Their arc is ascending…
You can watch a video of Mona perform ‘Teenager’ live at Antone’s here…
Words by Matthew Bennett
Photo by Nick Simonite