Zookeeper
Austin TX
Zookeeper is the name Chris Simpson has chosen for whatever new musical endeavors he is undertaking. Chris Simpson used to be that guy in Mineral and The Gloria Record. Chris Simpson might hav…more»
Zookeeper is the perfect nom d’arte for Chris Simpson. Technically Zookeeper is a band, a group effort, but Simpson is the one constant.more at austinist.com
Man Man
Philadelphia PA
Based out of Philadelphia, PA, Man Man is an experimental indie band that incorporates Eastern European and circus-esque styles in their music, creating a unique sound. The band consists of Ho…more»
Man Man’s less sloppy but just as ramshackle, as if the snaps and crackles are the band’s diversion from actually writing the record. As a song and title, the breakneck “Young Einstein on the Beach” might be more self-referential than the band intended.more at pitchforkmedia.com
Willie Nelson
Austin, TX
Willie Nelson is an artist who needs no introduction, being an American musical icon and something of a god in his native Lone Star State. After a stint in Nashville during the '60s penni…more»
There are performing artists – musicians, songwriters, actors – who exist in history, and then there are artists whose careers are history itself…
more at ContactMusic
White Denim
Austin TX
White Denim is a bluesy, garage-rock trio, hailing from Austin, Texas. In March 2005, the two bands Parque Touch (Josh Block, James Petralli, Lucas Anderson) and Peach Train (Steve Terebeck…more»
Recommended By: AustinChronicle, Rollo & Grady, Chillville, Both Sides of the Mouth, Austinist, Covert Curiosity
311
311 (pronounced three eleven) is a band that formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska as a rapcore/punk rock/reggae group. 311's influences include Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Clash, Fishbone, Rev…more»
Grupo Fantasma
Austin TX
GRUPO FANTASMA – Sonidos Gold Out June 17th on Aire Sol Records Known as the funkiest, finest and hardest working latin orchestra to come of the United States in the last decade, Grupo Fan…more»
Austin-based Latin funk jam band Grupo Fantasma formed in 2000, and quickly established a reputation for their high-energy live shows. Comprised of musicians hailing from all over Latin America, Fantasma’s players were brought together by Austin’s bustling music scene, finding in each other a hunger and drive to create something truly unique. Drawing influences from genres and styles like cumbia, salsa, old-school funk, reggae, and more more at www.allmusic.com
Recommended By: AustinChronicle
Lions
Austin TX
"Huffed any paint lately? Spend an hour in the company of Lions, and you might answer different. Barely 2 years old, the Austin quartet is one of Red River's biggest draws, tweaking the best o…more»
Recommended By: Covert Curiosity
Times New Viking
Columbus OH
if you want to ask us to play shows through myspace, you must do so through our oracle, duluth the cat, our friend below. she is very moody and hates most modern music, so do so at your own r…more»
Belaire
Austin, TX
Belaire is a synth-prog-pop band from Austin, TX all about making some good music and colorful visuals. We come from previous & current projects including Fancy Feast, Voxtrot, and Arkay. …more»
Earlimart
Los Angeles CA
Earlimart is an indie rock band based out of Los Angeles, CA. The name comes from Earlimart, CA, a town located between Los Angeles and Fresno, CA. Their sound bears heavy resemblance to Ellio…more»
Beautiful writing, the harmonies are lush and mostly quiet, some symphonic overlays that add to the texture. more at mog.com
Recommended By: Rollo & Grady, Chillville
Ladytron
In pop folklore, bands were allowed three LPs to become themselves, yet the fabled third album is an increasing rarity in this low-attention-span epoch. So it comes as a bit of a rare treat to…more»
The Octopus Project
AUSTIN, TEXAS
Experimental / Pop
Party! Balloons, streamers, piñatas, and groove. Austin post-rock/electronic quartet the Octopus Project has claimed 2006 as its ownmore at austinchronicle.com
Maneja Beto
Austin TX
Who is Beto? / ¿Quien es Beto? Beto was born in a small town located smack in the middle of a large urban city, in a hospital connected to a cantina. It was the middle of the night when…more»
Austin “indie en español” fivepiece Maneja Beto serves up pan dulce, mixing traditional Latin percussion, Spanish, and indie pop cornerstones into a fetching Texas blend. 2006 LP Accidentes de Longitud y Latitud crossed cumbia with electronica, ignoring genre rules. With a new EP in the can and Alex Chavez’s voice in perfect form, prepare to dance. – Darcie Stevens
Recommended By: Ian Morales, Austin Sound Check, 'NITES atx, AustinSound, Covert Curiosity
Peel
Austin TX
There is more than one artist with this name. 1.) A US indie band from Austin, TX 2.) A Norwegian alternative/indie/rock band formed in 1999. 1.) Peel is an indie band from A…more»
With last year’s eponymous debut on Peek-a-Boo Records, Austin’s Peel laid down a set of slacker anthems worthy of Pavement. Allison Moore’s keys birthed pop slathered with the distortion fuzz of Josh Permenter’s guitar and shouted harmonies of Dakota Smith. The quintet’s exuberant nihilism balances a disaffected urban malaise and ambitious restlessness, an ethos continued with their upcoming follow-up EP. – Doug Freeman
The album’s an urban sprawl of restlessness that delights in a crashing din – horns, keys, big guitars, and bigger backbeats – all competing with fervently shouted vocals for a wonderfully pointless crescendo.more at austinchronicle.com
The Kills
London UK
Very well said, Mike. Now get the new LP. Most people don't take my advice seriously. For example, most of my alleged friends have yet to take in a viewing of Homeboy, or Last Night at the…more»
It’s a brutal record that changes you the same way prison changes a man.more at lostatsea.com
Dr. Dog
Philadelphia PA
Dr. Dog is a musical band from the greater West Philadelphia area. We are interested in three-part harmoies, the out-of-doors, hoagies, vegetables and diminished chords.
Spoon
Austin TX
Sure, they’ve got grown-up-indie scrawled on them like the name of your sixth grade crush: They’re girlfriend-ly; write oblique, literate lyrics; possess an expansive knowledge of pop history; obsess over production; and there’s no moshing at their shows.more at filtermagazine.com
Gimme Fiction is actually a wildly diverse album, almost schizophrenic in its composition…more at pitchforkmedia.com
Ghostland Observatory
Austin TX
Ghostland Observatory is not a band, but an agreement between two friends to create something that not only heals their beat-driven hearts, but pleases their rock ‘n roll souls. Taking t…more»
Any lingering hopes of a midafternoon nap harbored by the kiddos were obliterated almost as soon as Ghostland Observatory took the stage.more at austinchronicle.com
Austin’s most beloved electronica/dance band, Ghostland Observatory, is lit to pop, and its (ACL) performance was like a sonic countdown on its liftoff to stardom…more
at Austin360.com
Golden Bear
Austin
"Galactic-Forest Rock" is the term used by Golden Bear to describe their sound. The band ties together themes of triumph, hope and excitement, along with rocking anthemic riffs and b…more»
“Guitar-swinging, trumpet-blasting orgy of anthemic pop… A blur of frenzied dancing and fistpumping excitement.” more at mog.com
Austin’s Golden Bear update good old-fashioned Brit Power-Pop, but of the hard, literate sort that places them in sonic company with The Who, Kinks, and early Bowie. It is always welcome to be reminded of how great this sound is when done well and given a fresh update. more at www.musicemissions.com
Recommended By: Austin Chronicle's SXSW 2009 Sleepers, AustinSound, Austin Town Hall
Health
Los Angeles CA
HEALTH is an experimental band consisting of four members including Benjamin Jared Miller, Jake Duzsik, John Famiglietti, and Jupiter Keyes. All are from different cities including Seattle, Sa…more»
HEALTH’s self-titled debut earned them sniggering sobriquets like “Boredoms Jr” and “Diet Liars,” yet among what kept the admittedly derivative album interesting was the tension produced by its attempts to artfully reconcile dance/digital elements with rock/noise textures (not to mention its ambient fringes and the occasional blotch of straight-up pop). more at www.pitchforkmedia.com
Recommended By: Austinist, pitchfork, Chillville, AustinSound, PrefixMagazine, Covert Curiosity
Merle Haggard
Palo Cedro, California
RESOURCES: Main Web Site: http://www.MerleHaggard.Com Merchandise: Merle Haggard Products Fan Forum: http://www.MerleHaggard.Com/fanforum Tour Dates: http://www.MerleHaggard.Com/tour-co…more»
My Morning Jacket
Louisville KY
In a perfect world, bios would be unnecessary. Instead of those often peculiar, occasionally vaguely helpful written pieces purporting to tell a band's story, a clear sense of the way thin…more»
From the wistful recollection of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” to Honky Chateau’s melodic and genre explorations, John’s ability to mesh styles and take detours within his sturdy pop songwriting applies to James here, particularly in the expansive opener, “Wordless Chorus,” or the initial happy-go-lucky lilt of “Off the Record.”more at allmusic.com
Oliver Future
Los Angeles CA
Oliver Future is an indie rock band from Los Angeles. They originally hail from Austin, Texas. Their new CD, Pax Futura, Produced by Adam Lasus (who produced the debut record by clap your han…more»
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Chris Simpson honed chops with Mineral and later the Gloria Record, but with solo venture Zookeeper, the Austinite has found his calling, and it ain’t emo. Simpson waxes philosophic all over 2007’s Becoming All Things (Belle City Pop!), but where structure and melody once stood strong, country-fried daydreams and a family atmosphere now reside. – Darcie Stevens