What's In a Name: ThaBombShelter's Look at SXSW Part 2

Let's continue where we left off yesterday. Just to recap, we're checking out bands from SXSW based solely on their name. I think a name says a lot about a band's aesthetic, and I like to think I've got a refined enough idea of what my aesthetic is, that I can guess if I'll like a band with just their name.

The Choir Practice (Vancouver, BC)
Girls and boys singing, nice. "Indie/Acapella/Pop", yes yes and yes. The guitars are pretty well buried in the mix, but the harmonies and handclaps make up for it. See, this is the kind of "twee" that I can handle, you know? It's not too frou-frou, and yet it's got that vintage, pop vibe that I love. With another song, it's got a hint of depth in the more somber, less eyes-glazed-over, tripping balls style stuff that Polyphonic Spree got famous with. Nice.

"Red Fox" The Choir Practice

Collections of Colonies of Bees (Milwaukee, WI)
These guys are claiming "Experimental/Rock", but unlike the ridiculousness of An Albatross, they seem to be more on the cerebral side, more like the instrumental guitar jams of Explosions in the Sky or even some of the lighter moments from Godspeed! It's one of those bands that I can really enjoy when I'm in the right mood. Maybe the sky is darkening past overcast, maybe the wind is blowing but I'm inside, or maybe I just need to put my nose to the grindstone and bust out some shit, you know, crank up the volume so the quiet parts still thrum into my ears and the loud sections wrap my head in a blanket of sound.

"Flocks III (edit)" Collections of Colonies of Bees

The Constellations (Atlanta, GA)
They've only got the one song up on MySpace, so they better be awesome. Unfortunately, it sounds kind of like the lead singer of Smashmouth fronting a techno-pop band from the late-nineties. Who's the band that did "Tangerine Speedo"? Oh, that's right, Caviar. It's like Steve Harwell fronting Caviar, which sucks because I think "Tangerine Speedo" is fucking awesome. This, however, is not, even with the Cee-Lo cameo and the Nancy Sinatra sample.

Joanna Cotten (Nashville, TN)
Damn, I was hoping this was gonna be some down-home traditional countrified stuff, but rather, it's generic, cookie-cutter pop country, complete with unnecessary vibrato, runs and overly-affected drawl. No thanks.

The Dodos (San Francisco, CA)
I will admit that I'm pretty sure I've read about these guys on MOKB or maybe YANP, but I've never bothered to listen. So far the picked guitar and insistent drums are quite nice after the two misses above. "Jodi" has one of those intros that make me worried about the vocals. I'm like, "Yeah man, this is good", but I'm just waiting for a terrible singer to come in. Luckily, the guy is pretty great, nice indie-pop sound, I like it v much.

"Jodi" The Dodos

Donny Hue and the Colors (Brooklyn, NY)
I'm not gonna lie, I totally picked these guys because they're color related. You see, Emily is kind of a color nerd, so I figured I'd at least have to check them out, just on GP. I personally think they're going to be weird and terrible, so lets see if they can prove me wrong. Hmm, "experimental/Country", with harmonicas and sleigh bells, so far so good, I'd say. Thanks for that Donny. The fourties style vocals date this almost as much as the name. I think they're a countrified Brian Setzer Orchestra, but without an endorsement deal. And it's strange, as the song goes on, when they drop the harmonica, it's pretty straight forward Jangle-pop. Nice and nicely done.

"Mr. Red Blues" Donny Hue and the Colors

Ecstatic Sunshine (Baltimore, MD)
Like Golden Retrievers, Tom Hanks and Pizza, you'd have to be an asshole to not be interested in a band called "Ecstatic Sunshine". I mean, come on, it's ecstatic and sunshine, what's not to love?! Although, they describe themselves as "Minimalist/Punk/Minimalist", which is odd. I wonder if it's one of those fake descriptors. Although, a minute or so into the first song, "Perrier" and I'd have to almost agree with the first and last descriptor. It's been just melodically clanging bells and some picked guitar strings. Very open-windows with church bells ringing through the hills, which is bizarre, but I guess fitting to the name. I'm waiting for the punk to come in, but I'm not entirely sure if it ever will.

I think that will do it for tonight. I'll continue through tomorrow starting with Emmy the Great and Esser, both from the UK. Check back!

Thanks to Club Kingsnake for the bare minimum list I'm working from. The SXSW list now has genre info that I didn't want to interfere with my choices.

SXSW Listings, alphabetically, of course