Sunday, November 24, 2024

Greg Ackerman

Greg AckermanReview

Album Review: Trinidad from Sweet Spirit signals new approach

Like many bands, Austin’s Sweet Spirit has seen a number of iterations. The band has swelled and contracted in size over the years. The current (smaller) formation lends itself to a different direction with Trinidad that is still glam rock we know and love, but a more spare sound emerges. It’s darker in tone than the previous two full-length albums the band has released.

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Greg AckermanPremiere

Video Premiere: The Sour Notes take it DIY with Peak

What we love about Austin’s The Sour Notes is how quirky the band is. Their off-kilter approach is in reality a reflection of the band’s founder, Jared Boulanger who writes and composes all of the group’s material. In a larger sense, the band’s DIY approach is reflected in this clip for their song “Peak”.

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Greg AckermanReview

Album review: Denver noise rockers Pink Fuzz deliver on latest record Vitals

Denver noise rockers Pink Fuzz released their latest record, Vitals November last year. The five-song EP delivers a sonic punch listeners won’t soon forget. The trio reflects the influence of UK fuzz rock pioneers like My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain with the aggressive approach of Toronto’s Metz.

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Greg AckermanReview

Album review: Brownout released lush new Berlin Sessions LP

Austin Latin funksters Brownout have returned with a full-length album of lush, original songs entitled Berlin Sessions. The record is the first collection of original tunes since Oozy (2012). The album’s moniker comes from capable producer, Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) who has also produced Brownout’s better known sister act, Grupo Fantasma. Released on March 6 on Fat Beats Records, the record is the first of the band’s to feature their Black Sabbath cover project, Brown Sabbath’s vocalist Alex Marrero.

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Greg AckermanOpinion

Essay: Country Music Doesn’t Suck, You Just Aren’t Listening to the Right Stuff

First things first, I loathe pop-country. Even trying to explain how much I want to be thrown into a cornfield Goodfellas-style whenever Sam Hunt or Jason Aldean comes on feels like it doesn’t do justice to my description. When it comes to real country music? Inject that shit directly into my veins, because you put on some classic George Jones or Hank Williams, I’m there all day for it.

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Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: My Cruddy Valentine at Far Out Lounge Feb 14

Valentine’s Day can be a drag. If you’re in a relationship, you feel obligated to get your partner candy, cards, flowers, dinner, the whole ball of wax. If you’re not hanging out with anyone during the holiday then it can be a source of stress or at least mildly annoying. The Cosmic Clash along with Dad Presents and Covert Curiosity are taking care of all those details for you this year by booking and planning a great night of live music, performance art and vendors February 14 at Far Out Lounge and Stage.

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Greg AckermanPremiere

Song premiere: The Blowies new single There May Never Be Another X-Mas

Austin pop-punks The Blowies have released a timely single, “There May Never Be Another X-Mas (All I Want for X-Mas is Impeachment) as the U.S. House of Representatives have voted to send two articles of impeachment of President Trump to the Senate for trial. The fact that it’s done in classic garage punk style fits the raw, unrefined approach of President Trump. It’s the right genre for a radical political crisis.

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Greg AckermanReview

Best Austin Albums of 2019

Two years ago, over 400 albums were released by Austin artists according to Kevin Curtin at
The Austin Chronicle. Curtin then released a list of Austin’s top 200 records. His point? The musical bar is set so high in Austin that half of that momentous number of releases were deserving of some kind of mention in a year-end list. While we applaud him for the effort in producing a massive list of worthy albums, we’re keeping it simple with a more manageable collection of best Austin albums we loved listening to in the past year.

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Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: Hard Luck Lounge to Say Farewell November 23

Beloved East Austin dive bar and live music venue, Hard Luck Lounge is holding a final show Saturday, November 23 before shutting down after five years on E. Seventh near Springdale. The much loved venue with a big back patio, tiny bar and a stage that looks cut out of a film set will close this Saturday with a celebration of local artists who frequently performed at there.

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Greg AckermanReview

Live music review (photos): Ghostland Observatory’s Halloween party in Austin

Thursday music fans celebrated Halloween with Austin’s Ghostland Observatory at Carson Creek Ranch. The celebrated electronic dance duo performed with Fort Never and DJ Chicken George in front of approximately 1000 people. A good portion of those attendees wore outlandish costumes for the occasion. We’ve included images taken by The Cosmic Clash photographer, David Castaneda of the spectacle, fans and fun things to do at the ranch which sits across the highway from Austin Bergstrom Airport.

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Greg AckermanPreview

Live music preview: Ghostland Observatory to kick off huge Halloween weekend at Carson Creek Ranch

One of Austin’s most successful independent bands, Ghostland Observatory has announced a Halloween performance at Carson Creek Ranch next week on October 31. The electronic music duo haven’t played their hometown often in the last year, notching their most recent shows during South by Southwest last March.

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