Tiny Table Talks

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Link to the video work I’ve done as well. All the footage captured was mine, the editing was outsourced.

https://vimeo.com/222446276

Also I run a few instagrams that you can also take a look at where I take most of the photos and do the editing as well. 

@waterstone_salon

@jeanbartonhair

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The Summer Slam Scene

Change. It happens constantly and we are always trying to find a way to deal and keep up with the bastard. Sometimes change is for the better and sometimes it’s rough. For someone like me, I have to always be on my toes ready for change. Being in the DIY scene, the people and the music and band members are always changing. A big reason I see change happening so constantly in the DIY scene is not always for the better. “Call-Out” culture is running rampant all over our scene recently and has been bringing everything down. Now I do believe that the majority of the people that participate in call-out culture do have good intentions, but for many others who are either new to the scene and don’t know the full run down of things or people who are genuinely curious are often attacked and verbally assaulted for asking questions and end up running away from the scene. People often try to take a sensitive situation and use it to create more negative energy and push someone out of the scene through the use of fear and verbal attacks. This is not okay and fighting hate and violence with more hate and violence does not help the problem. 

As much as I would love to write a 90 page essay on call out culture, this is not about that but, about all the different types of change I would like to see in the scene in the next 5 years. In addition to the above statement, I really want to see women be more accepted. Doesn’t this sound like a record on repeat by now? Still, we haven’t seen a good amount of change yet. People still have issues with me booking shows or being surprised that the person that helped them book a certain show is a female. So all i want to say is this: Yes I am a girl and yes I booked this show. No I do not do this to flirt with everyone in a band and yes I know the bands I booked. Finally, no my non existent boyfriend did not introduce these bands to me and yes I did come here by myself.

Now enough about me, lets hear from All Nighter, Lions and Tiger and Good Day Paradise and hear what kind of change they want to see in 5 years.

Lions and Tigers 

“I'm actually generally happy with the direction our scene has been going the last two years and I'd love to just see a continuation of that. We have a lot of great hard working bands most of whom are generally working to build relationships with each other and build up rather than tear down. My favorite thing right now is how often I'm able to find another great band I want to play with and spread the word about here in town. Bands working against each other rather than together is what usually cause the downfall of an established music scene, fans at shows and kids in younger, newer bands see and hear the way people treat each other and it takes a lot of the fun away, people stop going to shows and less people start new bands. As long as we keep working together I imagine we'll be able to continue to grow for years and that's something I'm looking forward to.”

All Nighter

"It's hard to knock the Austin scene. We moved out here a little less than a year ago, so were still kind of the new guys. But the scene took us in quick and has been super accommodating.There's the obvious critique that it's too saturated but other than that, more house shows wouldn't hurt, and people coming early for shows to catch the openers could help a lot. Overall there's not much that we would change about our scene. It's treated us very well!"

Good Day Paradise

“I would like to see the scene come together more. I'd like to see bands grow together as one rather then seeing it as a competition. Which I know is hard because to be the best you have to be better then everyone. BUT! Can you imagine if every single band supported each other in atx I mean we have so many bands in the live capital music of the world we could theoretically speaking help each other gain the publicity most bands crave.”

Checkout the event page on FB!! https://www.facebook.com/events/139618096605783/

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Ready Set SUMMER SLAM

The time is upon us where We’re trying Records and Tiny Table Talks get together and put on a celebration of Texas DIY for a month! Support your local scene is not only a catchy slogan that looks quite swell on the backs or fronts of t-shirts, but a reminder that everything is homegrown and we do not need to search far and wide for talent. Growing up in a HXC scene (shoutout VTHC) in the Rio Grande Valley, I had no choice but to go to local show. people did not tour through south Texas very often, so we found comfort in each other’s music. We were our friends biggest fan and we stayed late and showed up early because 1. we did not want to go home because we wanted to be with our friends and 2. we had multiple friends playing that night. We showed up on time and left late and that kind of attitude really made me fall in love with the idea of a DIY scene. Here in Austin its different. We have numerous touring acts coming through at all times of the year and we have some huge, rad venues here that house these shows, but it feels all too routine. The DIY scene in Austin is not too huge and is still growing, but I want to see it grow into a glorious inclusive space that encourages everyone to be passionate about what they want in life and to always feel wanted and welcomed. Also to realize “HOLY SHIT insert local band IS FUCKING SICCKKK.”

 That is our mission with this Summer Slam series. We want people to come out and enjoy local talent and discover good music that is accessible in Austin way more frequently than one band doing a summer tour. Let a local band’s song be your summer anthem!!

To not just have my opinion in on this, we asked our first rounds of bands, (KIdlat Punch, The Smile Bunch and Better Now) to give their opinion on what DIY means to them.

Logan Burrougs from The Smile Bunch

“The DIY community means everything to me. From going to shows with my best friends in high school, to meeting people I never could have met and understanding points of view I would not have ever considered, to listening to and enjoying some of the best and most unappreciated music in the world, I love it all. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. The music in this community is what brings everyone together to allow us to achieve things within ourselves that we did not know possible. For the most part, this music community is about the people, where that is not the case in most subcultures. Here, the people are allowed to express themselves freely and connect with others in a way that cannot be explained in words. I’m very thankful to be spending my life with this music and these people.”

Alex Villareal from Kidlat Punch

"Being in a DIY band can be one of the most challenging and frustrating ventures to take part in. But that's what makes it so special. You know it's your own hard work that you've put into it, and when people react positively, there's no better feeling. This scene is important because everyone has something to say, and we all have to work together to give ALL people the platform they need."

Alex Weymier of BETTER NOW

“DIY is a community of musicians and artists who come together to support each other and express themselves in the way that is most true to them.  DIY is important to me because it creates an environment of like-minded individuals who can create unique art that would otherwise not thrive in a traditional music scene.  If it was not for the DIY community, many artists would not have a chance for their music to be heard.”

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Sundressed/Secret Stuff/Daisyhead/Locket/Gospel and the Wolf SHOW REVIEW!!

By: Alex Villarreal 

Photos: Olivia DeBeck

This past Monday night, some of the Tiny Table Talks crew ventured forth to Grizzly Hall for a good ol’ night of rock AND roll tunes. And boy were we not disappointed. This was our first time at Grizzly Hall: pretty nice bar/venue off of Riverside, cheap drinks, and they even got a pool table! How wild!

For starters, I wanna point out the disappointment I felt that we were three of the nine people in attendance (minus the bands, of course). And this show definitely deserved a larger crowd. But it was a Monday, and we were flooding, so it's understandable.

First up was Gospel and the Wolf, a local Austin acoustic act. Reynaldo Renteria has a unique sound, with a mixture of Tigers Jaw and Balance and Composure, with a more folk touch to it. His melancholy tunes really struck a chord with me (no pun intended), and I enjoyed watching his performance, though only 20 minutes long. I'd love to hear what this dude’s songs sound like with a full band backing him.

Next on the bill was local Austin favorites, Locket. I got to see Locket open up for Weatherbox at Fine Southern Gentlemen a few months back. But sadly the power kept cutting off on them, and they had to end their set early. So it was an absolute pleasure to see them at their full potential. These guys are good. Really good. They have a post-hardcore sound with beautiful and soaring instrumentation, hella reminiscent of La Dispute (which I dug heavily). But what really drew me in were the vocals themselves. Their two vocalists compliment each other perfectly with a great blend of screams and soaring clean vocals. I would definitely recommend checking these guys out.

Next up was Daisyhead, a pop punk band from Nashville, Tennessee. And these boys brought the jams. Their set was energetic, bouncy, and with a proper crowd, there's no doubt that they could get the floor moving. If there's one thing I respect in a pop punk band, is when they're tight as musicians, and tight they were. I'd highly recommend checking them out when they roll through your town.

Next was my personal favorite band of the night, Secret Stuff. I had never heard of these guys before, and I'm incredibly disappointed that I've been missing out. This three piece from Nashville, Tennessee just plays beautiful emo music y'all. I haven't heard a band live that evoked emotion in a long time, but when they played that song about the lead singer’s dog passing, I can't lie and say I didn't have the watery eyeballs. Their songs would start slow and build into soaring, screaming, emotional highs that you just can't help but connect to. Listen to this band. Now.

Last up on the night was Sundressed from Tempe, Arizona. These guys ended the night with really catchy pop rock that you couldn't help but tap your feet to. Their sound reminded me of one of my most favorite bands, You, Me and Everyone We Know. So that's a huge plus for me. Catchy chord progressions, sing along choruses, and nice back and forth vocal performances from their singers. If more people were present, there's no doubt people would be dancing their butts off. Great way to end the night on the high note.

You can find the links to these bands below:

Gospel and the wolf

Locket

Daisyhead

Secret Stuff

Sundressed

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There's Just Too Many Dudes Y'all

I've been listening to punk rock all my life. Since the first time I listened to Cheshire Cat in my older brothers car, to buying my first Rancid shirt in the 6th grade, to getting thrown around to Polar Bear Club my freshman year of college, punk rock and the scene around it has been extremely crucial to the person I have grown up to be. Great. Fine. I'll take a number. As I've gotten older, the one startling trend that has been staring me in the face is: it's all dudes. Dudes. Everywhere. So many dudes. Punk dudes. Bro dudes. Pop punk dudes. Hardcore dudes. Rock and roll dudes. Metalcore dudes. Emo dudes. Indie dudes. I'm a fucking dude. You get my point. The representation for women in this scene sucks. The lyrical content about ex-girlfriends is atrocious. The amount sexual assault in our scene is fucking disgusting. And the way women are treated at shows tells them that they aren't welcome if they aren't willing to be singled out and pushed around. There's no question as to why our scene lacks a female presence. Because we haven't allowed them to coexist. “But punk rock is about not giving a fuck” “But punk rock is about kicking ass no matter who you are” No. Punk rock is about unity. It's about acceptance. It's about a bunch of people who are supposed to feel connected when they hear this music. Not just you, sad boi. When Front Porch Step uses his platform as a way to prey on underage girls, we push them away. When Parker Cannon drop kicks a girl off the stage after singing “think about who you let between your thighs”, we push them away. When we don't say shit and allow this to happen, we push them away. Now I'm not saying to stop listening to music with dudes involved. Because that's damn near impossible. Dudes are everywhere. But what you can do, is actively look for bands with women in them. Because they're there. They always have been. I'm not gonna tell you band names because I want you to give a fuck and actually look up bands with women in them. Stop supporting bands that treat women like shit. Don't listen to songs that speak of women like they're worth less than you are. Yes relationship issues are a real thing, and that's okay. But telling women how they “should” act in a relationship, isn't. And for pete’s sake, give a shit about women at shows. If you see some asshole purposefully targeting women, assaulting them, making them feel unsafe. Get them out of there. Confront them. Say something. Notify security. And if you're the type of person to read this and think, “this is so stupid, there's not a problem in this scene”. Take a look at this list of nominees and winners from this year's APMAs, and tell me there isn't a fuck ton of dudes up there. We can all do our part to help this scene be a more inclusive and safe place for women. All of us. Oh and one last thing, it's not a “Girl Punk Band”, it's a fucking Punk Band. Got it?

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Learn About the Bands Before You See the Bands

Capitalist Kids

Capitalist Kids are pretty spot on what you would associate with a band called Capitalist Kids. With lyrical content on topics such as capitalism, socialism, some love songs, and gender binary, and fast paced drum beats along with melodic vocal lines, this band draws influences from bands such as The Descendents and The Dopamines. This band is what is keeping the punk in pop punk, the way it was intended to be.

Best film before 1985.

Jeff: Barbarella

Are music videos relevant in 2016?

There's so much music out there that it's hard to break through. If you can make a video that gets shared a lot on the internet, you can potentially reach more listeners.

If you could meet any fictional character who would it be and what would you ask them?

I would meet Columbo and ask him why he doesn't demand a raise.

Favorite subject growing up in school and why

Maybe English. I used to like to write.

What originally sparked you to play music?

My brother got an acoustic guitar and I sort of took to it. I learned a couple chords from my dad's old Beatles songbooks. Then Nirvana broke and I started playing grunge and my musical growth was stunted forever.

What's next for your band?

We have a split 7" coming out in the next couple of months. In September we are doing a short West Coast tour out to play Awesomefest in San Diego. And any day now we are going into the studio to record our next full-length, which will undoubtedly be our masterpiece.

Give a recommendation

Columbo.

Kidlat Punch

Kidlat Punch is Austin’s favorite sad boys and sad girl. Deriving from greats such as Modern Baseball and Joyce Manor, KP is looking to take back the world of emo music back from MCR. The band released an EP last summer, and is looking to release more music in the very near future, so be on the look out!

Best film before 1985.

Chris: I really wanted to say BT in Lil C but I realized it was made in '86 so I'm def going with Enter the Dragon.

Josh: Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Alex: I guess The Godfather, but that makes me basic as fuck.

Olivia: Godspell. But the musical was better.

Are music videos relevant in 2016?

C: I think it's become more niche in who even cares about them anymore, unless it's like Bey doing another visual album or Kanye making a video with nude mannequins. So, kind of?

J: I'd like to think so. People take the time to break down a song in whichever way they choose and make a visual of it. I think music videos are still a very important art form.

A: Are YOU relevant in 2016? Answer that and get back to me.

O: Fuck yeah. Well, I love music videos and they'll be relevant in my life forever.

If you could meet any fictional character who would it be and what would you ask them?

C: I'd like to accost Bastian from The NeverEnding Story and say something along the lines of, "What the fuck dude?! Moon Child?????"

J: Michael Scott. "How do you do it?"

A: If I could, I'd drive to Stars Hollow right now and ask Luke to be a bus boy at his diner.

O: Daenerys. Who does your hair and how can I contact them? But mostly, how can I, too, be a badass bitch?

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

C: I grew up going to catholic school and it was v awful, but in HS I took 4 years of theatre and that was lit af tbh fam.

J: Theatre was probably my favorite subject, especially in high school and is still something that I love with a passion. In high school, being in theatre taught be how to be outgoing and how to love working with an ensemble. Theatre also taught me how to love in a different way and I'll always be thankful for that.

A: I took an English class my sophomore year of high school. And Mr. Sanchez is the reason why I'm so woke right now.

O: Math and Biology. Math just made sense and Biology is beautiful.

What originally sparked you to play music?

C: "Girls like guys with great skills" -Napoleon Dynamite

J: I was eight years old and one day my mom bought John Mayer's first album Room for Squares. After listening to it, that's when I knew I had to pick up a guitar.

A: In the 8th grade I asked for Guitar Hero for Christmas, and my parents got me a guitar instead. Though I was a lil disappointed at the time, I haven't put it down since. Thanks Mom and Dad!!

O: My dad was/is a musical theatre teacher and instead of getting sick of music and performing, I clung to it. Basically inevitable.

What's next for your band?

C: We got a sick split currently being mastered with our lovely unch pals The Smile Bunch. They're a bunch of cuties they are. We've also got a few videos in the works, singles, and I'm trying to get myself in a Scott Pilgrim v The World sitch so we can have a sex bob-omb in that world's battle of the bands sitch.

J: We'll probably make our first album or something like that.

A: We got some new tracks. And some cool new videos comin. And we just hit 300 hundred likes on Facebook. What more do you want from us?

O: Fucking music videos because I still fucking believe.

Give a recommendation

C: No matter how hard life gets, and how much you want to quit. There is nothing wrong with you. You can do it. Take it to the chin and fight on and we'll fight with you. Seek help if you need it and offer it when you can.

J: Watch movies. Play music. Watch shows. Love people. Love friends. Love family. Fall in love or something.

A: Go cook yourself a meal that takes 6 hours to make and 10 minutes to eat. Take your time y'all. Be proud of your labor, and enjoy the success. Be humble with what you're given.

O: get lit, stay woke.

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Get to know these badass bands!

Gold Steps

Gold Steps is bringing the easycore back to life. Hailing from Austin, TX, Gold Steps is ready to take the punk world by storm by ways of dank riffs, female fronted vocals, and fast punk beats with a touch of chugging when necessary. The band released its first recorded music on Bandcamp just earlier this month, and it looks as though it has really caught on.

Describe the first memory you can recall.

David: Jumping out on pre-k

Roger: Playing super Mario brothers 3 with my dad.

Cam: Falling off my bike when trying to ride without training wheels. I was 4.

Zach: I'd like to say christmas of 7th grade when my dad got me a first act bass guitar, which was my first, and I started learning blink 182 songs by ear. That was a good memory of mine.

Liz: Running around the yard singing while my childhood home was being built. There were just big piles of dirt, and my dad had his video camera out, and I was being silly and singing "Aiken Drum," that song about the man who lived in the moon and had spaghetti for hair and eyes made of meatballs.

What is your view of the state of music and the music business in its current state?

D: Diy is the way to go...

R: It's really pathetic to be honest. 90 percent of the chart topping hits over the last 10 years were written by the same 15 people. The industry itself is failing the artists financially and artistically.

C: I love that it has become a lot more diy. Anyone can record an album with relatively inexpensive equipment and spread it through digital means. Drive and ambition are still a big part of it, but I've heard some great music from bands that wouldn't have had a chance 10 years ago.

Z: myspace was the way to get ahold of music, and I felt like once we lost that, it was a huge loss for bands, nowadays bands can promote on Facebook and although it redirects you to other pages I think it would be beneficial for Facebook to actually have a media player on the band profiles just as MySpace had it. The music and merch is now easily accessible and having a credit card reader for merch is also necessary. I myself am mostly here to just have fun and experience new venues.

L: I love how music and the industry has progressed. It's easier than ever now for people to access bands from all over the world. We have friends here in Austin who have shipped merch to Europe! All because it's so easy to be discovered through online streaming services and social media. The ability to reach people through social media is another thing that makes being a musician easier. We can book shows, meet new promoters, create merch orders and promote our music and shows all from our phones. You can do it all yourself, and that's awesome! I also think it's amazing how music is so diverse now even within the same genre; two bands that are both under the same genre umbrella can be set apart in style and demographics. For example, pop-punk used to conjure a very specific image, and now encompasses bands as different from each other as State Champs and A Day to Remember. I love that, because it keeps things fresh and people aren't afraid to push their genre's boundaries.

What were you in a past life?

D: Idk

R: I took one of those Facebook quizzes one time, and it said I was a wolf,so I'm going to go with that.

C: A brontosaurus.

Z: Probably a hippie

L: I can't imagine myself as anything other than a singer or musician. I love Judy Garland and the glamour of old Hollywood, so maybe I was once a performer during that era.

Describe the purpose behind what your music is trying to get across and into the world.

D: To have fun

R: To be the voice and inspiration for kids and young adults that grew up like me to show them that theyre not alone and things will get better.

C: I just like to have fun with it. Personally, I've always had issues with depression and anxiety. I've found music to be a creative release that helps me to put that aside. If I can help another person with the way they feel, I'm satisfied.

Z: Having fun, creating a sound that is unique yet inviting to all types of genres. Pop punk is my favorite type of music because it has an easy core to it, and it's something I think everyone can enjoy. Also creating a female fronted pop punk band is unique in its own way as well

L: As a band, we're trying to keep up an inclusive and supportive community of friends and fans. We're very lucky to have that in Austin. We like to have fun, and aren't interested in being cutthroat or competitive. You're more likely to find us singing in the front row of any local show we aren't playing, because we support our friends in other bands. For myself, lyrically I write about past experiences, or try to create strong imagery or stories in my lyrics and hope that other people can relate to them. That's the kind of music that has always resonated with me, and I think my songs reflect that.

What originally sparked you to play music?

D: Iron maiden

R: The drum intro from the song aliens exist by blink 182.

C: My dad played guitar a lot. When blink 182 first got big I saved as much money as I could and bought my first squier strat. I decided it was something I'd like to do, entertaining people is what I love most.

Z: Blink 182 and their perverted jokes. It seems as though they messed around for most of their careers and made it work.

L: I've always wanted to be a singer, but I really took it seriously once artists like Michelle Branch and Avril Lavigne took off. I asked for a guitar for Christmas when I was 12, and started writing songs in my room. When I started listening to bands like Sugarcult and Fall Out Boy, I knew I wanted to sing in a band. Being part of a group is important to me, because they help me become a stronger and better musician. I have to think about how my vocals fit in with everything else going on, and that can be an exciting challenge. Plus, you have a built-in sounding board for ideas and constructive feedback. We elevate each other.

What's next for your band?

D: Ep release

R: To conquer the world,become a phenominon,and be the next motley crue.

C: We have an EP coming out at the beginning of fall which we're all excited for, and we'd like to book a small tour so we can see the south and introduce more people to our music.

Z: Releasing our EP and playing more shows throughout Texas and hopefully the country.

L: Planning our EP release for this fall, getting our first big merch order together, writing new material, and playing! We have 7 shows already booked, not including our EP release and another we are still confirming a lineup for. We keep busy, but we love every second of it.

Give a recommendation

D: Louder than words release on september!!!

R: Change comes to those who force it to appear,never give up never quit.

C: Eat at fishy joes.

Z: If you are looking to record, Blackroom studios is an amazing choice, and very happy we chose them for our EP

L: I can't say enough good things about Blackroom Studios in Georgetown. We recorded our EP there with Luke Garrigus, and it was the best experience from beginning to end. He gets exactly what we're trying to do, and he's as professional as you can get while being fun and dealing with our shenanigans. I can't wait for us to get back there to record our next set of songs!

Kamikaze Pilots Manual

KPM is fronted by long time friend Eric Turner. Where the band was called No On 15 originally, the band made the name switch in early 2013. KPM started in Abilene, TX but the band has since moved to Denton, playing more and more in the DFW area since. Drawing influences from bands such as Jawbreaker and Drive Like Jehu, KPM is a band that only 90’s kids can remember. On Friday, June 24th, the band put out their sophomore LP up on the internet. The record was recorded at Bad Wolf Recordings with Phillip Odom, and was produced by Andrew Rodriguez (ex-Close Your Eyes, Homestead). You can stream the new record on Bandcamp, or listen to their single on our SoundCloud page!

Describe the first memory you can recall.

Eric: Playing air drums to Rush songs in my car seat when I was 3-4

What is your view of the state of music and the music business in its current state?

Music is doing good, the music business is an evil clusterfuck.

What were you in a past life?

Energy floating through this vast universe

Describe the purpose behind what your music is trying to get across and into the world.

Showing people that this reality is not as important as we make it out to be. Shitty things happen to us all the time but we can't let certain situations or people control our existence. No one can define who you are, only you can, so live a life acknowledging the bad but strive to inspire positivity and love.

What originally sparked you to play music?

Not sure, I just always wanted to play music as far back as I can remember but seeing Kiss in 4th grade(all original members btw) certainly helped.

What's next for your band?

Play shows all over Texas then go on tour over the Christmas break when I'm out of school.

Give a recommendation

Get off your phone and read a book, create art, love everyone(even the douche bags) and go listen to our new record My Ship Will Sail on our bandcamp. You won't be disappointed!

Forever Starts Today

Forever Starts Today will be the second female fronted act of the night! Woo! FST is a pop rock act also from Austin. They are known for having energy filled live performance and having crowd pleasing “fist pumping anthems”. On March 23rd of this year, the band put out their Limitless EP, which was recorded and produced by Joseph Milligan of Anberlin. Their guitar player has also been granted a sponsorship by local guitar manufacturer Moniker Guitars so I’m sure we will see him sporting one of their selections on Wednesday.

Describe the first memory you can recall.

Christina: Probably my 6th birthday party, having it at Northcross Mall and Ice-Skating. I remember it very vividly.

What is your view of the state of music and the music business in its current state?

Now-A-Days you can't just be a singer to make it. You have a to be a triple threat, in almost anything. You need to know how to DIY for songwriting, social media, setting up your own shows, booking your own tours; record labels want to see that you can create a buzz about your band without their help. If YOU aren't putting in the effort yourself to market and further your career, why would they invest money in you? My view of the Music Business is that it's very difficult for the little guy to rise up, but with enough persistence, a good attitude and no bridges burned... you're destined for success!

What were you in a past life?

Jesus created me just as I am in this life!

Describe the purpose behind what your music is trying to get across and into the world.

The purpose of Forever Starts Today is to show our audience that they can be and do anything they put their mind to. Whatever future they want to create for themselves is achievable and it starts TODAY! Start making moves! Break the barrier of fear you might have towards rejection or other peoples opinions. We strive to be a positive influence in the music industry!

What originally sparked you to play music?

FST was originally sparked to play music by watching other musicians as we all grew up individually. With Christina, it was Avril Lavigne, with Kyle G & Troy it was Green Day, with Kyle S it was Blink 182 and with Nathan it was Dragonforce.

What's next for your band?

Many many shows for the rest of the year and then into the studio for recording our first full-length album in December 2016!

Give a recommendation

Torchys Tacos. Topo Chico. Always.

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Petal & PWR BTTM: The Sidewinder 6/22

Update: In the first version of this post, I used a male pronoun when writing about Liv from PWR BTTM, and several readers pointed out that they use gender neutral pronouns. I should have been more respectful and done more research. I, and Tiny Table Talks, are new to this gig. I’mma use this as an opportunity to grow and be more inclusive and respectful to every person ever.

By Calvin

Photos by Olivia

Olivia and I went to The Sidewinder on Wednesday for an evening of rockin’ and rollin’ with some of our favorite bands. Due to Summer Slam commitments (and me getting way too drunk during PWR BTTM), we could only stay for the first couple Pity Sex songs, but our time spent with Petal and PWR BTTM was well worth the price of admission.

Before I even start talking music, you should know that this show was safe. Safety’s important. For one thing, an audience member collapsed from the stupid Texas heat during Petal’s set, and the whole band had stopped playing and called for help within half a second. And then, PWR BTTM’s whole existence is predicated on being yourself, accepting everyone else’s self, and celebrating all the amazing selves out there. Ben opened their set by saying, “Just so you know, our shows are safer spaces shows, so you can sing and dance and do whatever you want; just don't fuck with anyone else’s personal space. Is that cool with everyone? Good. Let’s rock n’ roll” (they did; more on that later).

Petal took the stage while folks were still milling in, and it was obvious that not a whole lot of people knew them. They opened with “Nature”, which is the song I found myself listening to on repeat when their LP “Shame” came out, and by the end of that song everyone there was transfixed. Kiley Lotz’s  voice is so present and powerful that it was impossible to look away during the set. Petal doesn’t really play music that makes you wanna dance; but the crowd grew throughout the set as more and more people wanted to join in the raw, aching, beautiful tunes that Petal has perfected. The band was super tight and jamming out behind Kiley, the sound was super clean, and the drummer was playing on a transparent kit with a bouquet of roses dancing along inside the kick. It was almost cinematic. By the time they closed with “Heaven”, I was ready to go home and smile myself to sleep. Or to be bombarded by a couple of queer punk rockers in drag and glamorous make-up who are making some of the coolest and catchiest music in da world right now.

Speaking of PWR BTTM, I love PWR BTTM. Ben walked on stage in a leopard-print dress from an Alabama truck stop and immediately moved the fan on stage so he could be Marilyn-ing for the whole set. Every single song, even the depressing love songs that little emo Calvin would've cried to in high school, was so passionate and fun that you couldn’t help but dance. Every bit of banter, even the self-deprecating I-want-to-die odes to disapproving fathers and a country that hates you, was hilarious and inclusive and made the entire crowd feel like they were in on something real. To top it off, they are fucking talented musicians: Ben was casually shredding his guitar while telling a story about his dad, and Liv can effortlessly annihilate the drums while they sing angsty punk vocals to perfection. Ben and Liv write music about their specific identities and experiences, their shitty failures and glorious triumphs (and mostly every silly moment in between), and the result is nothing short of a miracle in a world that can feel so scary and bordered off. Listen to PWR BTTM. While you do, look at these beautiful pictures:

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Get to know the Summer Slam II bands!

SPIRALS

SPIRALS is Austin’s loudest alternative rock act to hit since ________. They released their debut record “Wayward Years” in June 2015 and has been gigging around the Austin area ever since. The band plans to record their second record in the near future.

Favorite Austin Restaurant?

(Will) Threadgills.

(Danny) Freedman's BBQ

(Sean)Kerby Lane

Favorite place you've been to?

(W) Grand Canyon.

(D) London

(S) Durango, Colorado

What the three artists do you feel influence you in your band the most?

(W) Oasis, My Bloody Valentine, Jesus & Mary Chain.

(D) My guitar playing style is influenced by Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age, and At The Drive-In

(S) Kevin Parker, Cory Murchy, Devin Ruben Perez

Tell a story.

(W) I met Jimmy Buffet at Austin Vintage Guitars a few years ago. He bought the Fender amplifier I had been playing on before the manager told me to scram.

(D) A few years ago, during SXSW, I was walking out of a bar and literally ran into Arcade Fire. They were nice enough to stop and shake our hands before running away to avoid being recognized by everyone else on the street.

(S) A couple of years ago, I went skydiving in Houston with a couple of friends. Having not ever been much for thrill seeking, I was understandably pretty nervous. As we were all lectured on the do's and don't's of skydiving, the nervousness subsided. We were watching the fellow skydivers jump from the plane and watching them all pull their parachutes, allowing them to peacefully glide down to ground. I noticed one jumper that hadn't pulled their parachute. He approached the ground at a dangerous speed. I asked our instructor if that we were supposed to wait that long and he reassured me by saying don't worry, he's an instructor here." The speeding instructor finally pulled the parachute and he hits the ground HARD. He then proceeded to get up, get back in line with a few newbies, and go again. The furious nervousness set in faster than it left.

What originally sparked you to play music?

(W) When I was 13, my father showed me a documentary on The Who. The opening scene is the band playing on a 60's era, family-friendly British comedy show. The performance ends with them smashing all of their instruments and blowing up the drum set with explosives. I didn't have much of a choice after that.

(D) 🍆

(S) Discovering BB King

What's next for your band?

(W) We're currently recording our second album, which will be released later this year. We'll have a few singles out towards the end of the summer.

(D) Finishing up our studio album and making some rad music videos

(S) We're currently in the process of recording our second album. Once we release it, I anticipate us promoting it by increasing our number of gigs in Austin and surrounding cities

Give a recommendation

(W) Live forever.

(D) Bathrobes are the most comfortable thing ever

(S) Adderall, a glass of whiskey and Diesel Jeans before shower time.

I See Land

The band never  heard in Austin before, I See Land is self-proclaimed emo sadcore and list bands such as Into It. Over It. and You Blew It!. The four piece put out their first EP in January 2016, and then released another single on May 9th, 2016.

Favorite Austin Restaurant?

Big Bite

Favorite place you've been to?

We went to Chicago recently. That place is unbelievably gorgeous.

What the three artists do you feel influence you in your band the most?

Prawn, Old Gray, You Blew It!

Tell a story.

We have the lamest of experiences: drunken all night crying sessions and nicotine infused song writing.

What originally sparked you to play music?

It’s hard to trace the chain of causality that originally led to us playing individually. I think the most important factor in us getting together is the fact that we all love the same type of music. It’s incredibly hard to find reliable, like-minded people—especially in a hellhole like San Antonio.

What's next for your band?

Right now, we’re just getting our shit together. We recorded our first EP a few months ago and are just now starting to play real shows. Our overarching hope is to get a full-length album recorded by the end of the year. We’ve been writing some music that we’re proud of and we’re all drawn to the process of writing and recording. After that, a tour would be ideal but sometimes it seems like an impossibility.

Give a recommendation

Suis La Lune. They’re a Swedish Emo/Emotive Hardcore band. Their music has really left an imprint on us over the past several months. They’re worth a listen if you haven’t yet.

The Smile Bunch

The Smile Bunch is comprised of four young gentlemen who are on a mission to display the realest hits since the era of Usher’s “Yeah!”. The style of the music is up to you to determine the genre of it, so be creative! It’s fun! The band released their debut EP on 3.20.16 and have plans to release more songs in the near future.

Favorite Austin Restaurant?

(Axel) Gourdough's

(Kyle) Hyde Park Bar and Grill

(Matt) Torchy's Tacos

(Logan) Juan in a Million

Favorite place you've been to?

(A) Manchester Tennessee for Bonnaroo

(K) Bayeux, France

(M) Barcelona, Spain

(L) Carbondale, Colorado

What the three artists do you feel influence you in your band the most?

(A) The Districts, Say Anything, Grouplove

(K) Stevie Ray Vaughn - He might be a blues guy, but he was such a remarkable and tenacious player. I try to play with as much intensity as he had!

Say Anything- I love the raw power this band has. And of course, the bands versatility. They can play any style.

Motion City Soundtrack- They are such a positive, fun band and that's what I aspire to bring yo the

(M) Blink-182, Weezer, Muse

(L) Hostage Calm, Say Anything, The Story So Far, if we’re being completely honest

Tell a story.

(K) A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says a "heeeyyy."

(M) Last night I went out two-stepping with some college friends. We were the only young people there. Every hour the club would take a break from playing country music and switch over to some "contemporary" 2000s dance tunes. Twerk tunes, if you will. These two drunk cougar moms saw us dancing from afar, and like wild animals, picked a young gazelle to prey upon. I was fortunate enough to be the chosen one for the twerk debauchery that was to follow. The cougars scooted on over, and sandwiched me, tearing me away from my friends. Then they proceeded to place me in a twerk sandwich, with one of the moms pushing me over into the other. I couldn't escape. The cougars had trapped me. When they had finally had their fill, I walked away in shame, a lifeless carcass. I will never look at moms the same way again.

(L) One time The Smile Bunch punched you in the face musically and you enjoyed it.

What originally sparked you to play music?

(A) My dad told me that I'm named after Axl Rose from Guns N Roses. I looked into them, and that was all I needed to begin dreaming of being on stage.

(K) My father having a guitar lying around when I was a kid. And my mother signed up for piano lessons.

(M) My older brother bought a guitar when he was in high school. I'm 6 years younger than him and have always tried to copy him. That's the only reason I started playing music.

(L) The rule in my house always was that if you were going to be involved in sports, you had to play an instrument, and you know how I love to throw around a good sports ball, so I was enrolled in piano lessons.

What's next for your band?

(A) Playing a festival.

(K) Hopefully, writing new material and playing as many shows as possible. Or world domination. Whichever comes first.

(M) We are writing some new tunes, performing this summer.

(L) I’m gonna go with Axel here, and please book us for a festival. That sounds super dope.

Give a recommendation

(A) Wes Anderson movies.

(K) Listen to Driver Friendly. Great band.  

(M) Listen to new music when you're feeling down. It will feel uncomfortable at first, but eventually that will become music that is very special to you.

(L) Please listen to Arrows in Her. They will be at the Pearl Street Co-op on 7/10 and they are so good. So listen to them and then come to the show k thnx.

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Denton's local 90's inspired band, Kamikaze Pilots Manual is streaming their first single from their upcoming album My Ship Will Sail. Listen to "Dressed For A Funeral" only available on TTT's soundcloud until their new album drops on Friday, June 24th! GO CHECK IT OUT (Tiny Table Talks)

[tinytabletalks-blog]

PUP, Rozwell Kid, Pkew Pkew PKew 6/14

By Graham and Alex

Photos by Olivia

I absolutely detest being alone at a show before the opener goes on, yet my social anxiety places me in that position often. With my deep seeded fear of missing out crossed with my inability to make eye contact with strangers, I frequently spend those 20-30 minutes before the first opener looking down at my phone and wondering why the hell I am there. The PUP/Rozwell Kid/Pkew Pkew Pkew show was different. As I entered the Sidewinder, I felt an immediate aroma of connectivity. This excursion had been a last minute decision on my part, due to the fact that I had recently gotten head over heels invested in Pup’s sophomore album The Dream is Over within the past two weeks. The last time I had seen Pup was back in November when they toured the best traveling roadshow: Tiny Moving Parts, Jeff Rosenstock and Modern Baseball tagging along; and I was jonesin’ to release the screaming, emo kid inside of me. I had heard a lot about Rozwell Kid but had never gotten around to devoting a listen, and Pkew x3 was a mystery to me (but dammit do they have a cool name). As I meandered around the open venue overlooking Waller Creek, I noticed the camaraderie in the crowd. Only three days after the US’s worst mass shooting, it felt as if everyone at the show was aware and uneasy but determined to make this show as fun and safe as possible, despite screaming along to lyrics about killing your band mates. The stage was set, the crowd yearning, and me, slightly intoxicated, hyped with little to no expectations. Let’s rage

Pkew Pkew Pkew: The atx show was the first that Pkew x3 had joined in Pup’s national tour, and audience members could tell. They came out looking pretty nervous crossed with exhaustion, commenting on how long the drive from Canada to Texas actually is. But once the four-piece started hammering out simple power chords, they were in their element. Thanks to a combination of crowd participation and the familiarity of their own songs, Pkew displayed themselves wholeheartedly: raw, uncensored and not too deep. With songs like “Asshole Pandemic” and “Let’s Order a Pizza”, Pkew shows that while they may not provide songs to reflect on and find meaning in, they are exquisite and transforming the mundane into relatability.  Their set was laden with vulgarity and minute long songs and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Pkew, to me, is a band that is bringing fun back to a people and genre that need it.

Rozwell Kid: Like I said earlier, I had heard of Rozwell on multiple occasions before, but all recommendations came from credible sources (i.e. the only people I talk to in real life).  And while I had no expectations for their set, I was thoroughly impressed. The guys presented an air of professionalism; a veteraned approach to a genre that often lacks that quality. Rozwell had clearly played many shows and knew exactly what to say and what to do to appear as the perfect combination of harsh rock and nerdy appreciation. This crowd had offered these guys something unexpected, a responsiveness that I bet they hadn’t seen in quite some time.

(Side note: I had to leave PUP’s set halfway through and I don’t feel qualified to give an opinion on half of something so this part was written by Alex, the raddest something of something)

PUP: Pup took to the stage at The Sidewinder, and the energy was palpable. The place was sold the fuck out. It was hot and muggy. I had just chugged a lone star. I was ready to scream my lungs out after a long day of work. They opened with “If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will” followed immediately by “DVP”, and scream I did. We all did. If there's one thing PUP can always do right, it's get a crowd going.

They stopped to address the tragedy in Orlando, and remind us all that spaces like this are meant for harmony and good times. And to treat everyone with kindness. And it was a wonderful to see a crowd do exactly that. Throughout the show, people were polite in their rowdiness. And there was a strong sense of community in the room. It felt like a safe space for all people attending. And that's the best feeling you can have at a show. Everyone danced and sang along to their set list. Which included a good variety of tracks from both their first and new album. They even played “Sleep In the Heat” for the first time ever (my personal favorite song off the new record).

There are many reasons why Pup is one of the best bands around right now. Whether it's their catchy as hell songs. Their raw energy. Their talent as musicians. Or just the fact that they're nice fuckin dudes. Pup is gonna be around for a while. And I'll be there for every gang vocal.

Below are some other sick photos from the show:

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Get to know the first round of bands playing our Summer Slam Series 6/15

Born Again Virgins

Born Again Virgins, or BAV, has been a band since 2014. Quote/unquote “southern hospitality without the racist bits”, BAV is just what the city of Austin needs. Their blend of rock, grunge, and folk all in one, along with those elements including a lead front woman hints to a sound never heard before. Born Again Virgins is planning to record their debut record later this summer so be sure to be on the lookout for what they have in store!

What's the songwriting process for you? Do you have one?

Usually I start by writing in a stream of consciousness fashion. Sometimes i'll think of a line and write it down for later. What usually ends up happening is I will continue to write the same lyric over and over in my notebook, and at that point I decide that I probably like that line. So I suppose a lot of the time it is just me dissecting my journal and taking out bits that capture a certain "mood" (or ya know something that doesn't sound like total shit).  (Anna)

What's your favorite bar/venue/club in ATX?

Our favorite bar is obviously Hole in the Wall ;) (Anna)

What's the punkest snack?

tacos. (anna, but im p sure everyone in the band would agree)

What's the ultimate goal for your band?

Create solid songs that carry some sort of ability to emotionally resonate with the good people of this world..oh and tour and record and just play all the damn time. It would be nice if we could pay the bills by doing this. (anna)

Share a story about a day in the life.

Wake up in tha morning feeling like "adsnfaasdf." Eat some tacos. Drink some coffee. Go to work. Cut my finger on the knife while slinging sandwiches. Existential dread. Go home. Lay my weary head down to rest. Cry a little. Repeat.

jk life is ok. (anna)

What's next step for BAV?

We are recording an album in July with Brian Beattie! Super stoked!

Boy’s Club

Boys Club are Austin’s newest sad guys to hit the scene. They’re so hip and underground, you can’t even hear their music, you just have to imagine it. With starting out their run as a band earlier this year at Orange Magazine’s 5-1-Tunes fest, Boys Club has consisted mostly of jokes about them having no recorded music, and them being a meme more than a band, but we here at Tiny Table Talks know that this is all jokes, and they most certainly are a rock band because we booked them to do so. So, if we get to Hole in the Wall on Wednesday and they really are just memes, I probably won’t even be disappointed, just shocked.

What's the songwriting process for _________? Do you have one?

Jim: When I first joined the band, the guys had a bunch of fully-formed songs without vocals or lyrics, so I just sang gibberish into a mic for a couple weeks until we figured out a melody. The fact that nobody could understand what I was singing, even once I started writing down actual lyrics, became the theme of the first song we all wrote as a group. I promise the lyrics are good, even if you can't hear them.Musically, we all bring bits and pieces to the table and just try putting things together to see what sticks. Occasionally, Brian or I will come up with a fully-formed song, but even that gets filtered through

Bryan: It depends who brings the idea. Most of my songs start off as riffs, since I used to play in a metal band and riffing is all I know. Sam wrote the lead to "Back in Time" and we quickly added the chorus while we were jamming on it together. Jim wrote "True Love" a while ago and we just rocked it up a little bit. We definitely come up with a lot of ideas organically in practice, but we've also finished half our songs individually and brought the finished products to practice to show everybody else. Honestly it just depends on how much time we get to spend together, and for me, how much free time I have outside of practice to actually write.

Danny: In Boys Club our usual song writing process involves a member bringing in an idea with which the whole band collectively works with to create a song.

What's your favorite bar/venue/club in ATX?

Jim: Mohawk, bar none. Whatever answer Bryan is giving is a worse venue than Mohawk. Don't listen to him. Unless it's Mohawk.

Bryan: I've loved Sidewinder and Barracuda since they were Red Eyed Fly and Red 7, respectively. I've gone to some of my favorite shows there, and my old band, The Last Remark, played at Red Eyed Fly on our first tour two summers ago. As far as bigger venues go, I think the Moody Theater is perfect in terms of sound, lighting and overall cool vibe.

Danny: Stubbs. Place where I saw first concert in Austin.

What's the punkest snack?

Jim: The Insane Youth/Disassociate split 7" from way back, I forget when. You've gotta crush it up with a hammer and then eat the pieces with salsa like tortilla chips. It's great; you can really taste the authenticity. Plus, they never break when you're scooping, even if the guac is hella thick.

Bryan: Peeps, but put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds so they swell up and nearly explode and you can't even recognize their faces.

Danny: Carrots

What's the ultimate goal for your band?

Jim: We're gonna sell, like, SO many t-shirts. Merchandising is our #1 priority, which is why we still haven't recorded a demo. We're looking to sign a deal with the Urban Outfitters on Guad to sell Boys Club merch at a 250% markup next to all the Misfits stuff. From there, the sky's the limit: Hoodies, hats, socks, knockoff Chucks, a fragrance line, cell phone covers, hammocks, Christmas ornaments, antidepressants and maybe even a few records. Who knows? We're a young band.

Bryan: To blow up and then act like we don't know nobody!!!!!

Danny: To make people happy with sad songs.

Share a story about a day in the life.

Jim: This has nothing to do with Boys Club, but one time I got kidnapped at a co-op party. It went okay. Ask me about it in person sometime.

Bryan: Currently? I get up around 8 to go to my internship at Texas Monthly at 10, where I transcribe interviews and try to sound clever when I talk to all the super talented writers there. I get home around 3:30 and work out, or nap too long, or watch Bojack Horseman and pretend I have so much in common with a washed-up, alcoholic horse that used to star on a family sitcom. Which I do. If it sounds boring, just know that I live a hard, fast, rock n' roll lifestyle that you wouldn't understand.

Danny: Wake up. Eat. Go to bed. Repeat

What's next step for _________?

Jim: World domination. All must either join the Club or perish in the shrieking, pregnant, incongruous death knell of our Live Show. We, the four Harbingers, theHorsemen, the Sad Boys who weep tears of Blue Moon at the herald of a Dark New Precipice of Pop Punk, to the encroaching, ominous Void, scream not of the scourged end of days, but rather intend to record a wretched, disordered, thrashing Demo Tape about Girls and Shirking Responsibility. We'd also really like to open for PUP next time they're in town.

Bryan: We'll try to play a few more shows and write some new tunes this summer. A lot of people are gone for the summer, which is actually nice because we can play shows and suck with little consequence. Of course, we'd rather be good, but it's always helpful to prepare for the worst. That way, we'll be well-rehearsed and super tight by the time everybody comes back to start school in the fall. Beyond playing shows, we're still looking around for a good place to record a five-song EP and hopefully get it out by early fall.

Danny: Making a sandwich; put pb on one piece of bread

Altamesa

Altamesa is the full band version of an Americana-folk project fronted by Austinite, Evan Charles. Evan currently hosts the weekly Wednesday evening Altamesa residency at Hole In The Wall, and we want to thank him for allowing us to intrude on his weekly series. Altamesa’s music is comprised from songs written over the time span of eight years, that after a little push in the right direction, were reworked and produced into the lovely folk fashion that they originally had planned not to be. Altamesa has been performing around Austin and surrounding Texas areas for a couple of years now and looks to branch out for the future. 

What's the songwriting process for you? Do you have one?

I write em and everyone arranges

What's your favorite bar/venue/club in ATX?

Continental Club

What's the punkest snack?

Bananarchy

What's the ultimate goal for your band?

Put out great records.

Share a story about a day in the life.

So "Austin"...work retail in a coffee roasting warehouse...people are eccentric, I'll let you take it from there

What's next step for Altamesa?

Hole In The Wall, 6/15

Diagonal Lions

Diagonal Lions is self proclaimed “dark surf punk”, which are three words I’ve personally never heard strung together. Using elements normally found in punk as well as surf song structure, the Lion boys produce material that is familiar yet new. The band has been playing together since 2009 and their most recent release was an 8-track release titled Sneak Sips, which came out in January of this year. 

What's the songwriting process for you? Do you have one?

Impromptu. We kinda write our songs as we go. We record it then re learn it.

What's your favorite bar/venue/club in ATX?

Bob: Mohawk. Valde: Beer land 

What's the punkest snack?

Scabs

What's the ultimate goal for your band?

To have fun and meet some cool people doing it. 

Share a story about a day in the life.

Put in your 8hrs to practice for 2hrs.

What's next step for Diagonal Lions?

We're recording and self releasing a cassette/ digital release.

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Angel Du$t - Rock the Fuck On Forever ALBUM REVIEW

Hardcore has been stale genre for years. I still love it, but at the end of the day, the hard truth of the matter is that a large percentage of modern hardcore bands lack creativity, vision, and originality. The good news is that Angel Du$t are not apart of that percentage. Hailing from Baltimore, Angel Du$t are a 4-piece hardcore band featuring members of notable Baltimore hardcore acts Trapped Under Ice, Turnstile, Praise, and Mindset. The band just self-released their sophomore LP, Rock the Fuck On Forever, on May 20th via Pop Wig Records, the labels first release. Pop Wig is owned and operated by the band's vocalist, Justice Tripp, drummer Daniel Fang and fellow bandmate to both via Trapped Under Ice and Turnstile, Brendan Yates. If you would like more info about the label, I highly recommend reading this article.

If you’ve never listened to Angel Du$t, the first thing you should know is that, above all things, they are weird. They aren’t trying to adhere to any standard set of musical rules that dictate what hardcore is or is not and, to many, that’s what good hardcore has always been about. Rock the Fuck On Forever clocks in at 21 minutes, which is incredibly short for a 13 track LP. The longest song on the entire record, Twist N Shout, is 2 minutes and 8 seconds in length, while the shortest, Cool Inside You, is a 42 second dreamy interlude track. That’s just how Angel Du$t roll, no bullshit, no filler, just 13 quick little jams and then they’re out of your hair whether you want them to be or not.

One of the first things I noticed when I put on Rock the Fuck On Forever was that the band were not trying to make a record that was as aggressive as their debut full length, A.D. This is by no means a bad thing. I feel like there was an effort made for Justice Tripp to sing more on Rock the Fuck On Forever than he did on A.D. which primarily contained his shouting voice and was just an all around more aggressive record. On tracks like Stay and Upside down, we really see a softer side to the band but  that doesn’t mean there aren’t also aggressive tracks on this record though. Songs like Rectify and Toxic Boombox are the perfect shout-along bangers any A.D. era Angel Du$t fan would be longing for on a new record.

Photo by Melissa Kearns

Like many fans of modern alternative music, everytime I hear that Will Yip had something to do with a record, I’ll give it a listen regardless of whether or not I’ve heard of the band. If you’re not familiar with who Will is, you probably actually are and just don't know it yet because, chances are, if you’re reading this he probably produced one of your favorite records. His skills with production and songwriting are unparalleled and that’s apparent with just a quick glance at the work that has come out of Studio 4. Needless to say, when I heard that Angel Du$t would be recording their sophomore LP at Studio 4, I was beyond stoked to hear the final product and now that I have heard it, I can wholeheartedly say that Rock the Fuck On Forever lives up to the Studio 4/Will Yip standard that many of us have come to know and love.

One of my favorite aspects of Rock the Fuck On Forever is littered with these things that unquestionably set Angel Du$t apart from the herd. First off, the album title. Best album title of the past decade, enough said. Secondly, the saxophone solo that comes in during the closer to the album “Stranger Things” is an absolute ripper. It kind of reminded me of that unmistakable trumpet intro at the beginning of New Direction by Gorilla Biscuits. Overall, this record was just as solid as I expected it to be and I’m genuinely happy that bands are starting to become more comfortable with experimenting with what can be considered Hardcore punk. To me, the appeal of this record is more so the statement it makes to the people who still have their finger on the pulse of the genre, even though the record is still awesome. Rock the Fuck On Forever.

8.5/10

About the author(?): Tim Cornwell is a bored 19 year old who is too interested in music and not interested enough with anything else. He writes things for websites now. He studies marketing (aka the art of selling out) at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and plays drums in a thrash metal band you would hate called Iconoclasm. Feel free to slide into his DM’s @dad_champ.

[tinytabletalks-blog]

PUP “The Dream Is Over” Review 

Pup is an enigma of a band. Before April of 2014, the vast majority of human beings on this terrible planet had no idea of their existence. We were basking in our loathsomeness. Settling for sub par riffs. Lackluster gang vocals. And basic ass chord progressions and time signatures. But their debut self titled LP changed every bit of that, you know, minus the whole loathsomeness part.

Their new record, “The Dream Is Over”, is as equally anticipated as it was over due. After immediately getting signed to the legendary Side One Dummy records, the world couldn't bear to exist with only one album. And Pup, in all their Pup-ness, delivered.

This band takes risks. It's a risk takin’ kinda band. They refuse to settle for a predictable song. Their ability to compose these blisteringly complex, yet catchy tunes, is something we just don't see in just about any band around right now. This album is further proof of this. The song Doubts open with this complete rock and roll riff but immediately transitions into a Weezer style garage pop verse, which then transitions into a chorus that is both equally janky yet perfect for a sing along. The Coast sound reminiscent of Yukon Valley, yet with a darker tone. It reminds me of those old church hymns that rattle you to your core. Pup likes to reference the brutal Canadian winters a lot. And I can only imagine the effect of that specific climate on someone's life, both mentally and physically. It amplifies the themes of self doubt, depression, and apathy towards the world around you.

The lyrical content of this record focuses on the harsh realities of life. It's ebbs and flows. And how you just can't stop fucking up the good things around you. It paints a picture of a dreary and cold terrain and compares it to the world around being shredded apart. The stand out track DVP, is about wondering why someone is ignoring you, and drinking yourself silly trying to get over it, only to realize that that's the problem. The song Can't Win, laments about the hopelessness in trying to succeed over arguably the catchiest chorus on the whole record. And don't even get me started on Sleep In the Heat, which is my personal favorite track off the record. A destructively sad song about watching someone you care about a deteriorate. But played over such a triumphant beat, gives the song a much more somber outlook, as if he called it from the beginning.

This album does have it’s low points though. As for the opener If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will, the melody doesn't grab me hard enough, and the initial impact doesn't hit me in a way that really conveys the difficulties of touring with your friends. Old Wounds, is fast and in your face, but the lyrics have an almost childish feel to them, which I think downplays the intensity of the song. My Life Is Over, and I Couldn't Be Happier is poppy and catchy as hell, and it has a sassy flair that makes me nod in agreeance, but I definitely need a few more listens before I fall in love with it.

That aside, this band is proving that it can take the unique sound that it has created and push it another step forward. Pup only sounds like Pup. Their composition and structure are unrivaled amongst all other punk bands around right now. And I gotta hand it to their drummer, because that mother fucker can switch tempos so fast it'll make your head spin. The vocal melodies are soaring, and the ever present gang vocals are built for live performances. This is a record that doesn't automatically floor me to the ground, but I know that over time, each song will blossom and grow in my ears to it’s own monstrosity of an anthem. I would rate this album a 7 outta 10. That number will probably fluctuate upwards the drunker I am when I listen to it.

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Greetings fellow humans. If you have been keeping up with Tiny Table Talks in the past few months, you may have noticed some fun and interesting changes/additions to the Tiny Table Talks agenda. This continues further than ever thought possible. We here at TTT are proud to be teaming up with local record label, We're Trying Records to bring the first ever "Summer Slam" series. Austin's newest underground weekly show series showcases Texas' finest that you've never heard. We will be unveiling the weekly shows throughout the week so keep an eye out! The goal of the series is to get the word out on awesome music a lot of people probably have not before. We will be shooting live videos of each of the bands to document their performance and add one more piece of content to the cloud. We'll also be doing blurbs about each of the bands to get to know them a little bit before they perform! We think this is going to be a lot of fun and we'd hope you begin to think the same way. Shouts out to Olivia Ashlan DeBeck of Kidlat Punch for the totally slammin poster. See you this summer!

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book Review

         After a long awaited three year gap between releases, Chance the Rapper has once again surprised the world with the blessing of an original work of art, Coloring Book. What was long thought to be called Chance 3, the internet was eager to take on Chance’s newest mixtape, when it was early released the night before it was supposed to drop. With all the hype and drawn out expectations of the record that would be Chance’s follow up work from the ever legendary Acid Rap, it is certainly easy to want to compare the two. With Acid Rap being the solid entity that it is all the way through, we would only hope for the same in the next release. Where Coloring Book does contain a wide range of bangers across the 14 track mixtape, it does lack in parts of the record where Acid Rap didn’t. Another reason that it is so easy to want to compare the two most recent releases from Chance the Rapper is how often he is paying homage to the 2013 Datpiff exclusive, with repeating lines occasionally, signature na-na-na, song titles, and keeping the same style of cover art to match his brand from the start. The album art in itself accurately displays the differences between the feel of the two records. In the cover of Acid Rap, Chance looks slightly confused and even a little strung out, but on the cover of Coloring Book, he has a bit of a smirk on his face, he’s looking like he’s feeling cool and has figured some stuff out. This comes out further in the music. This record is a lot more uplifting and positive, including a very gospel-esque feel, where Acid Rap was a lot of wondering where all this “life stuff” was going. Where yes, it is easy to want to look at both of them from the same scope of releases and compare the two records, but Coloring Book is its own release and needs to be analyzed  as such.

         As I stated prior, this record most certainly does have its bangers. The opening track, All We Got (feat. Kanye West & Chicago Children’s Choir) is probably the most memorable, in my opinion. The track seems very heavily Kanye influenced, which is great for that Chicago sound that these guys are going for. Another track that sticks out in my mind is Same Drugs. The song is neat because it starts off with Chance imitating the na-na-na sounds he makes but employs it more scat-like with the addition of clicking noises and other sounds. It starts off ambiguously with the lines “we don’t do the same drugs no more,” repeated several times, leaving it up in the air who “we” is. Later we find out that the song is about how now that Chance and the lady the song is the subject of are no longer doing the same drugs and it is getting harder for them to relate, which is a reoccurring theme throughout. The twelfth track, Smoke Break, is once again how they used to have the time to sit down and smoke papers and it was a good time, but now they have had to switch to smoking bowls because there just isn’t enough time in the day to smoke papers. This song is heavily dictated by Future who is the featured artist, and a lot of the lines just go back to rhyming with “bowl” or “roll”, which can be done well with a good flow, but here it just provides sloppy lyrically content to a song that we want to compare to the ever great “Smoke Again” on Acid Rap, which I know was a favorite amongst the youth of the day. This point is a large downfall in Chance’s music a lot of the time, because where you would hope for a little more depth lyrically, a lot of the time it gets shaded by the feeling of the drugs that are taking a lead role in the diction.

      One of my biggest complaints of this release is that I feel as though the features on it dictate too heavily what the song is going to sound like. In my mind, most all of these songs would have been amazing songs if they were given credit to the feature, and Chance was the feature on their song. “No Problem (feat. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz)”, honestly might be some of the best work I’ve heard from either of those artists in years, but it’s just not a Chance song. Lil Wayne sounds better than ever, but it’s just not really what you’re looking for and hoping for while listening to Chance. The seventh track, “Mixtape (feat. Young Thug & Lil Yachty)” represents this in every facet. “Am I the only n****a still cares about mixtape?” is the hook and recurring line throughout the song, and is the epitome of Young Thug’s hype style of rap but is disappointing to hear on a Chance record, especially with how much of a gospel influence this record has within it. Just like No Problem, this song should have just been a Young Thug song and it probably would’ve gone over a lot better. Songs like this sprinkled in within songs like Blessings, Blessings, D.R.A.M. Sings Special, and How Great just provides a lack of consistency that I think a lot of people were hoping for but did not receive. While I have mostly pointed out the things I did not like about the album, there were several redeeming factors that came across positively within me. The gospel style that Chance has taken several steps forward in this record is going to move hip-hop into a really neat and iteresting path. How Great starts off with an amazing rendition of the gospel hymn “How Great is Our God” that is very moving and emotional through the use of passing notes and intriguing chord changes. Where the whole religious aspect of the record may be a turn-off for some, he basically says throughout that he doesn’t give a fuck if you don’t like it, it’s gonna be some gospel. This style change I don’t think was really expected by a lot who were anticipating the release, but from the people I have talked to, they don’t seem to really mind. Regardless of what I think of this record, I believe Coloring Book is going to have a positive lasting impact on the hip-hop community due to the influence Chance has on others even at such a young age, and the originality that Chance has always displayed through his art.        

      Where the killer tracks don’t just come through like we had hoped, and even the inclusion of some seemingly filler tracks, this record is still going to be one of the better ones of the year, I feel like. A lot of the time, you can’t expect a 14 track rap album to come all the way through track by track, but there are definitely some select ones that will be resonating in my head for a good while longer. Coloring Book reaches a level of positivity that a lot of hip-hop does not even try to attain, and I really appreciate the agenda that Chance the Rapper is pushing. As a record as a whole, I’m going to have to give Coloring Book a 6.8/10. I probably would’ve felt to give it higher if it felt more like a genuine Chance album, but I think the big guys got to him and let them control what the songs were going to sound like more than a lot of us would have wanted.

[tinytabletalks-blog]

Modern Baseball “Holy Ghost” Review

It’ll Take Time, That’s Fact. Modern Baseball Is Still The Reason For The Season.

The first song I ever heard from Modern Baseball was “@chl03k”, and to be totally honest, it didn’t really sit well with me. But after the 4th time listening to “And I couldn’t give a fuck, whether you give a fuck or not”, the cringe in my face left me, and it was replaced with a common understanding. I knew exactly what this kid was going through. I cringed because it reminded me of myself. My love for MoBo began.

Last fall, they released an EP titled “The Perfect Cast”. And we got to see a darker, more serious side of the giddy kids we had become so enamored by. Brendan Lukens became very open about his struggles with depression and anxiety taking over his life, and that he was seeking help and treatment to help get through it. And after watching the bands documentary Tripping In The Dark, you got a better look into what the Ewald and Lukens have been dealing with in their lives recently, and how that has shaped how their latest release “Holy Ghost”.

As you can tell, I love the fuck outta this band. I respect the fuck outta this band. And though I’ve got a lot of positive things to say about this record, I am not gonna shy away from my critiques on it. Because I don’t play no games like that. Ya dig? Let’s get into this.

Holy Ghost

This is a great track to start this album off with. It sounds like Jake and his guitar playing in a large, open room. A very live sound. When put into the context that this song is about the passing of his grandfather, it really prefaces that this album will be a somber and reflective listen. “My third wish, has always been three more.”

Wedding Singer

The transition into this song is a lot of fun. But this song as a whole is a bit of let down for me. I will say that usually the songs I don’t like on my first listen throughs on an album, will become my favorite tracks in about two months. But for now, I find this song to be a bit lackluster and repetitive. The lyrics are strong, and hold a lot of meaning. But personally, I feel the composition holds them back a lot.

Note To Self

This is quickly becoming my favorite song on this record. That slow pace coupled with the twangy guitar in the beginning set a strong foundation. The hopelessness in his voice when he says “What’s the point of staying awake?” I feel that Sean Huber really helps drive this song. And his stylistic choices on the bridge really helps build it to this fucking huge, soaring scream from Jake. Wonderfully composed. Wonderfully performed.

Mass

My favorite thing about this song is that it’s short. That’s not an insult. I appreciate when songwriters get to the point, and get out. This is a love song. It’s a song about missin that special someone ya know? We can all feel that. He also mentions Austin. So like, shouts out to us.

Everyday

This song didn’t really stand out super hard to me when it was first released. But it truly compliments this album. It’s dark, and brooding. It holds a lot of anger inside of it. The outro is so haunting. “Every day is all about doing things you don’t want to do. But you’re reward is, you get to wake up.”

Hiding

I love this song a lot. I feel like most people will want to pass over it whenever they listen to this album, but please don’t. Appreciate this song. It has the absolute best build on the whole album. That first snare build is jarring, and then it drops you right back down to the quiet guitar, but paired with the electronic drums hidden in the background. *sigh* Bellisimo.

Coding Things To Lukens

This is the beginning of Brendan’s half of the album. The vocals start with Jake, and it builds to this thrashing and jumpy progression. And when Brendan’s vocals come in they’re desperate and frantic. He sounds invigorated. And his phrasing on this song is just so refreshing. It stays jumping throughout the lyrics about denial and anger, all the way to its abrupt ending. I hear a lotta Third Eye Blind in this song, which I think is dope as fuck.

Breathing In Stereo

The first half of this track doesn’t really do a lot for me. It’s driving and energetic, but I got lost in it. But the second half of it is just lovely. The chord progression slays. And I hear a lot of Killers inspiration in his melody line. Overall a really good song.

Apple Cider I Don’t Mind

This is a single baby. This is a banger. I love this fucking song. A sad song about losing someone you care about, a failing relationship.  The desperation in the repeating of “You say that this is forever? Tell me this is forever” is just so gut wrenchingly beautiful. It’s just a great song from start to finish.

What If…

It’s a trend on this album currently, that I don’t really like the first half of a song, but the latter half kills it. And that’s how I feel about this song. The jumpy chorus is wonderful. But I find the first half to be very frantic and jolting. Which, though it’s jarring to me, is an insight to the panic that Brendan is portraying in this song.

Just Another Face

NOW THIS IS A CLOSER BABYYYYY. This song is a message. A call for help. A song in solidarity with it’s audience. Mental Health is important. It’s a song we can all relate to. The chorus is just built for a crowd of people screaming it back to him. I think it’s a lovely way to send this album off. It ends on a very hopeful note.

This album rocks from start to finish. I can’t decide whether the first half or the second is better. And I don’t think anyone should try to. These are two separate chapters of people's lives. And they deserved to be listened to and appreciated for what they are. We are witnessing a band grow up personally and musically. And I’m really happy that I get to be along for this ride.

I give this album an 8/10.

It’ll be a 9 in like 2 months tho.

-Alex Villarreal