The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
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New Music Notes by Mark Boshnack Bands about to make it big, with the help of SXSW music fest Free is good when it comes to the cost of finding new music to listen to _ as long as it’s legal. And one of the biggest music festivals of the year _ South by Southwest (SXSW) _ running through March 20 in Austin, Texas, provides a reason for a number of websites to provide many legal opportunites. One day I am going to have to go down to Texas and see what it’s like when 2,000 bands play at a variety of venues, but for now, I am having a great time looking for new groups online. I had to narrow down my list for this column with so many songs from bands that have yet to make it big available on sites like npr.org, spin.com and sxsw.com. Some of the more promising songs led to a purchase of the albums. Bands like the Smith Westerns and Lower Dens have been reviewed in previous columns, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the festival provides each another opportunity to reach a wider audience. The Joy Formidable Another band, The Joy Formidable, had its new album, “The Big Roar,” available for listen- ing on NPR’s First Listen while I was writing this. It is the Welsh rock band’s first full-length album, and it is aptly titled. It is a big sound that builds on the promise of an earlier smaller release. A standout includes the opening track “The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie,” a haunting tale of love. “Cradle” is another song about the end of love, but with a beat so propulsive, you’ll be excused if you join in. “Austere” is the first video, and has a great jam and some interesting lyrics. Chikita Violenta Chikita Violenta, a Mexican rock band, released its third album earlier this year. Assisted by a producer who has worked with Cana- dian group Broken Social Scene, many of the songs have a familiar sound _ but it all works well. There’s not a weak track on the effort. From the opening bass and drums of “Roni,” the album rocks. One of my favorite tracks is “Laydown,” which starts with some familiar drumming, but just keeps build- ing into a really catchy song. Check out “Tired” to hear the band sounding loose and pumped. Wye Oak Another group that could break out thanks Contributed Chikita Violenta to SXSW is Wye Oak. The new album from the Baltimore-based band is called “Civilian.” The group has a little more nuance than the other two bands discussed. To get an idea of what they can do, listen to “The Alter,” a hauntingly sung, introspective tale based upon a story about multiple personalities. The next song, “Holy, Holy,” starts with some raucous guitars before breaking into the lyr- ics “holy, holy, holy, there is no other story.” While the words are a little murky at times, the song mixes talk of secular and religious love, rocking all the way through. Try to look up some of the music that is out there from these series of concerts. You just might catch someone about to make it big. Mark Boshnack is a reporter for The Daily Star and a new-music aficionado. Have music tips? E-mail him at mboshnack@thedailystar.com. 14 O-Town Scene March 17, 2011