LISTEN: Die, My Child - "Your Turn To Burn"

While the band name and song title might suggest this would be a rather dark, abrasive listening experience, that couldn't be farther from the truth. It sits somewhere between new wave chill and pop infection, working a kudzu-like melody over a deep synth riff. Pain has never sounded so enjoyable. And with influences like Soulja Boy, Alan Jackson, Frederic Chopin, and Slayer*, it makes sense that their music would encompass more than one feeling.

Die, My Child, the Waco, TX duo of Cameron Everett Smith and Jake Taylor, recently released their new album, Little Bibles. You'll find "Your Turn To Burn" and plenty of other gems on it.  Hear the whole thing below.

LISTEN: The Midgetmen - Loud Enough LP

No, this isn't a small person tribute band to The Minutemen -- in case you happened to be wondering such a thing. No, this Austin-based band of self-proclaimed "slop-punk" is a six-pack of the good times. The same sort of rough, loud, and honest sounds that gushed out of '90s underground rock bands such as Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr., and Sebadoh is present here, like a time capsule of the best memories. The Midgetmen's latest LP, Loud Enough, is stuffed with crunchy, fuzzy, rattling, buzzing guitar riffs, shout-along verses and choruses, and even hits of jubilant horns that make this one enjoyable ride.

LISTEN: Raised By Tigers - Reunion Parts LP

If there’s one thing I remember best about high school, it’s that indie rock seeped into my life and slowly became what would be one of the greatest loves of my life. As a teen in those vital years of development, emotions are bound to run high and wild, and indie rock – in particular its inclusion of post-punk and post-hardcore – so perfectly captured this ever-moving ball of emotional frustration and confusion. With intertwining, spiraling, and, most importantly, adventurous guitar and bass riffs riding on powerful, dynamic drumming, the music conveyed every fiber of emotionality rather than one general theme. You’d be hard-pressed to find something so freeing and genuinely embracing.

Denton, TX’s Raised By Tigers perfectly capture this recipe on their latest album, Reunion Parts. This is the type of music that has the ability to express more in just a few measures than some bands can say in one complete song. It’s the focus on the relationship between riffs and rhythms – not to mention tones – that produces music characterized by passionate delivery and smart, earnest arrangements. Taking the sonic exploration and visceral punch of post-punk, the instrumental precision of math rock, and a pinch of post-hardcore’s musical tension, Reunion Parts is an album that requires attention from start to finish. The music on songs like the Engine Down-esque “Pictures of Books” or the shoegazey electric folk/jazz mix of “SB” displays the band’s ability to progress past a point of straightforward direction, something that illustrates the band's careful attention to detail as well as the power of movement and pace.

Check out the whole album after the hop.

LISTEN: Salesman

By Patrick Feller/accent on eclectic

On the bottom lip of the country, there are stretches of road that are seemingly endless. Some are broken up by buildings and other miscellaneous structures, but nothing can hold down the free spirit of that open space. I, of course, can't speak as a native of the area, or a regular visitor, but it's most certainly the type of area where a gaze in one direction or another yields a particular feeling. Sometimes you stare into the pearl of a sky above or the vacuum of the horizon, and, suddenly, your head is flooded with thoughts, questions, and memories. Stuck in the crossroads, you wonder about so many things.



Salesman is an Austin-based quartet with a bluesy soul, rock 'n' roll attitude, and a backbone of Americana. They are the wind in the twilight; the cloud of dust kicked up by an Eldorado; and the sweet sorrow of separation and distance. From sex to UFOs to skulls, Salesman never shy away from the grit of this American life. Singer/guitarist Devin James shouts, howls, and croons, all the while playing the guitar with the spirit of an old southern bluesman. What Made Milwaukee Famous' John Houston Farmer dances in and out of James' picked and plucked notes, laying down filling bass lines along the road. Salesman rock, roll, boogie, swing, and soothe thanks to James' wily yet thoughtful guitar lines. And with a song like "Three Legged Chair," colored by its pedal steel ambiance, Salesman can sound as big as Texas.

LISTEN: White Dress

"Magnificent Ruin"

"The Kill"


"Five Feet of Road"


"No Solid State"


At night, what is there? The sky has the moon, but what do we have here on the ground? At night, there's a certain mystery that permeates the air. There are always more questions in the dead of night than there are in the bright comfort of the daytime.

White Dress is the question and answer. Fuzzed out just a pinch, singer/guitarist Arum Rae seduces in a wash of '60s echo chamber-style reverb with songs that elucidate the emotions buried deep inside her heart. It feels like Rae's sharing something so personal, with the only thing sparing the listener from feeling the brunt of her emotional weight being that fitting veil of fuzz. It's nothing too complex, though. It's rather minimalist in a Black Keys-type of way with just raw electric guitar, drums, and a bucket of reverb to round out the sound. White Dress are a mix of blues, garage rock, and lo-fi; a band that can do a lot with just a little. Sparse instrumentation allows Rae's vocals and emotions to shine, and, sometimes, punch through that thin wall of fuzz. Can you feel it? Now you have your answer.

White Dress is a duo from Austin, TX featuring Arum Rae Valkonen (vocals, guitar) and Grant Van Amburgh (drums).

White Dress @ MySpace
White Dress @ Facebook