popwreckoning

Top 3 Albums of 2011:

• Sainthood Reps – Monoculture
• Fullbloods – The Perpetual Machine
• Yuck – Yuck

Honorable Mentions

Into It. Over It. – Proper
Former Thieves - The Language That We Speak
Surfer Blood – Tarot Classics
Mixtapes – Maps and Comparisons

Best Show of 2011:

2011 has been a great year for music. My first year at SXSW which included amazing shows such as the Topshelf Records and Count Your Lucky Stars Showcase, seeing Aziz Ansari, and especially the MidCoast Takeover were all great. I saw Junius and Caspian for the first time and they were incredible. So, to sum it up, SXSW was my best show(s) of 2011.
Most Anticipated in 2012:

Touring more. Also, new albums from:

• Joie de Vivre
• Scouts
• SUNS
• we are voices

Most Overrated in 2011:

• Dubstep
• Google+

Favorite Musical Memory of the Year:

Joie de Vivre’s last show ever that wasn’t actually their last show ever. I was on tour and happened to have a day off before Chicago which landed on the same day as Joie de Vivre’s “last show” in Rockford. So, naturally, I convinced everyone that we should go. And it was definitely worth it.  All of my favorite people and bands in the same place at the same time, best bro-downs, best memories.

So, there’s this band whose CD has been playing in my car constantly since seeing them at Crosstown Station a while back. They’re called The Bright Light Social Hour and they’re from Austin, Texas.

It was one of those impulsive “I’m going to see this show, it could be really awesome or really terrifying” kind of nights. Well, it was definitely the former.

TBLSH has been on tour since September throughout the entire U.S. and Canada. They even made a PSA video about their tour.

If they played the whole tour like they did in KC, I’m sure they are making an impact in every single venue. They are just one of those bands. The kind you dance to the entire night, get their songs stuck in your head for weeks, and that you can’t seem to get enough of.

Sitting down with them before the show I could tell it would be an eventful night. Between the laid back personalities and the kindness of every member, they treated me like I had known them for months.

TBLSH is fronted by bassist and lead vocals, Jack O’Brien who’s stage presence pulls the audience in. Although, it could be his long hair and epic moustache that makes him so memorable.

These guys know how to rock, plain and simple. Their sound is a fusion of blues, funk and southern rock all mashed together making a beautiful blend that appeals to any loving rock n’ roll fan.

There’s this moment in their live show that sticks out the most. During a dynamic guitar solo from Curtis Roush, all four band members dancing around the stage stop to snap their fingers in the microphone.

After giving their self-titled a listen, the snapping has easily become my favorite part of their album. About halfway through the 10 minute track “Garden of the Gods,” I find myself snapping along with ease and usually rocking out the solo in my car.

Oh, and they have a keytar. Any band with a keytar is a win in my book.

These guys took home six awards at SXSW 2011, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Bassist, Best Keyboardist, and Best Producer. They have played Austin City Limits, appeared on the cover of The Austin Chronicle twice, were featured in Paste Magazine’s Best of What’s Next and have sold out multiple venues in Austin and across the U.S.

The Bright Light Social Hour is a band we all need to keep our eyes on. They’re going places.

Tickets go on sale to the public this Thursday, July 28 at 12pm, and fans can go to www.anhorse.com to take advantage of pre-sale opportunities. Below are a list of tour dates:

8/6/11 – Chicago, IL @ Lollaplooza
9/16/11 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
9/18/11 – St. Louis, MO @ The Old Rock House
9/20/11 – Akron, OH @ Musica
9/21/11 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
9/22/11 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
9/23/11 – Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
9/24/11 – Lawrence, KS @ The Jackpot
9/26/11 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
9/27/11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
9/28/11 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
9/30/11 – Seattle, WA @ El Corzon Lounge
10/1/11 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
10/3/11 – Oakland, CA @ The New Parish
10/4/11 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ S.L.O. Brewing Company
10/15/11 – Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly

www.anhorse.com

During the hectic time that is SXSW, Bethany and Casey met up with O’Brother. Bethany does all the talking, Casey watches and laughs occasionally. 

. “Interview with O’Brother”

O’Brother will be out with The Dear Hunter this summer. For tour dates and to listen to some tunes, check out their Facebook. You can also go to their label page on Favorite Gentlemen.

Casey and Bethany talked to Portugal. The Man at the Atlantic/Chop Shop Records Showcase during SXSW this year.

You can check the full interview out below:

. SXSW interview with Portugal. The Man.

Their new album In The Mountain In The Cloud will be available July 19 on Atlantic Records. Pre-order now at portugaltheman.com!

Philadelphia’s Good Old War will play ten shows with Alison Krauss in June, beginning with a stop at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre on June 23rd. The band will then join Gomez for four east coast dates.

Good Old War has built a considerable following over the past year as support for Joshua Radin, Brandi Carlile, Dr. Dog, Xavier Rudd and Guster. The band, already popular veterans of SXSW and CMJ, became a fan favorite on this year’s second stage at Coachella.

The trio’s self-titled album debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart, reaching #1 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart and #1 overall at Amazon. They’ve now sold over 40,000 albums on their independent label, Sargent House. Good Old War is currently recording their third album, expected to be released in late 2011.

Good Old War with Alison Krauss

06/23  Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theater
06/24  Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
06/28  Jacksonville, OR @ Britt Pavilion
06/29  Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield
07/01  Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Gardens
07/04  Calgary, AB @ Jack Singer Concert Hall
07/05  Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
07/07  Vancouver, BC @ Vancouver Island Music
07/08  Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Amphitheater
07/09  Bend, OR @ Les Schwab Amphitheater
07/10  Stateline, NV @ Lake Tahoe’s Harvey’s Outdoor Arena

Good Old War with Gomez

07/12  Boston, MA @ The Paradise
07/14  New York, NY @ Terminal 5
07/15  Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of Living Arts
07/18  Washington D.C. @ 9:30 Club

For more information check out www.goodoldwar.com

Indie-pop quartet Funeral Party will be opening for Panic! At the Disco along with fun. at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City this Sunday,  June 12^th. Their debut album, The Golden Age of Knowhere (released March 29^th), was produced by Lars Stalfors (Matt & Kim, The Mars Volta) and mixed by Dave Sardy (Band of Horses, LCD Soundsystem, Oasis). They’ve already performed on David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel, and have supported the likes of The Faint, Cut Copy, The Mars Volta, and Crystal Castles.

Amongst the insane amount of momentum they are gaining globally, Funeral Party is an Alternative Press Band to Watch for 2011 and they performed several sets at SXSW last March in Austin. With all of this press, they are definitely a band to see sooner, rather than later!

So how would you like two tickets to go see Funeral Party and fun. supporting Panic! At the Disco at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City on June 12^th? Leave a comment below by 12pm on Friday, June 10^th telling us the name of your favorite Funeral Party song and why. The comment that stands out to the Editors the most, wins.

Please remember to include a working email address so we might contact you about picking up your tickets.

A mixtape for you to enjoy! For FREE.

PopWreckoning teamed up with Element Recording Studios to put together a Kansas City compilation CD to take to South by Southwest. Now that everyone is back to their normal lives here in KC – the mixtape is available for your listening pleasure!

For a physical copy please email your name, mailing address and phone number to casey@popwreckoning.com. No shipping fees are necessary, it’s 100% completely free. There are limited numbers available and once they’re gone – they’re gone!

Artwork was done courtesy of Studio N8 – make sure to check out his website !

Tracklisting:
1. Root & Stem – Desert Roses
2. The Sour Babies – Vagaries & Cemeteries
3. Soft Reeds – Brave New World
4. The Caves – Weekend Blues
5. The Republic Tigers – Merry Make it With Me
6. The Architects – Heartbreaker
7. Spirit is the Spirit – Seafarer
8. Lucky Graves – Torch
9. Bryant Carter Band – One Lane Bridge
10. Jenny Carr – Places I’d Like to Go
11. Kirsten Paludan – Under My Skin
12. Full Bloods – Candy
13. Everyday/Everynight – You’ve Died in a Dream
14. Hipshot Killer – Straight Line
15. Various Blonde – Ringtone Junky
16. Jessica’s Box – 10 Chinese Buffet
17. Beautiful Bodies – You & I

Austin, Texas based singer-songwriter Brandon Kinder has made quite a name for himself. Not only is he the front man for the indie folk rock band The Rocketboys, but he’s ventured out into the solo world as well, under the moniker The Wealthy West. He used SXSW to his advantage to debut some new tunes of his own and though I wasn’t even in attendance, I can tell you they were well-received.

I was lucky enough to experience The Rocketboys firsthand in a live setting, and let me tell you, it was fantastic. I have always held the belief that when a band is better live than they are on the album, that’s when you’ve found a true gem. When a recording can’t express everything that a band is, that’s how you know. That’s the real music; those are the passionate ones. And though I only briefly met them on a college town stop in the middle of Missouri over a year ago, I bought two albums on the spot and don’t regret a dime of it.

Brandon Kinder’s solo material released under the name The Wealthy West definitely sounds like the material I’m so familiar with, but it has a more intimate and acoustic feel to it. Kinder’s songs are accessible and he has a knack for heartfelt storytelling. His music has a touch of an Americana feel that I’m sure is thanks to his Austin roots. It’s simple and that’s why I think I’m so drawn to it. The first song “Love Is Not Enough” is simply an acoustic guitar, a keyboard and Kinder’s soulful voice singing earnestly and honestly. “Another Bad Idea” features touches of banjo and tinkling percussion; the steady tempo and bright percussion balances nicely with the melancholy lyrics. “Give Me Resurrection” is quiet and intimate with whispered vocals. “You cannot take my love away” is repeated over and over throughout the song with subtle backing vocals to create a truly beautiful piece. “Home” picks up in tempo slightly and features a more hopeful sound with plucked guitars, harmonica, accordion, and banjo as well as female vocals which really add character and warmth. The short and sweet EP wraps up nicely with the now-familiar melancholy musical and lyrical sounds in “Not A Pretty Pair”. It’s a small sample of what’s to come in future volumes, clocking in at a mere fifteen minutes. But I assure you it’s a fifteen minutes well spent.

Be sure and give Brandon Kinder’s music a listen. It’s passionate and simple, and you can’t go wrong with a sweet voice and an acoustic guitar.

Casey kidnapped the Republic Tigers and got a quick interview between sets at the Atlantic Records/Chop-Shop Showcase. Listen!

. “Interview with: The Republic Tigers

Their EP, No Land’s Man, was released on April 18. Pick up a copy at your local record store or hit up iTunes.