SARGENT HOUSE SXSW SHOWCASE 2012
March 13th-19th were the six nights I traveled solo to the infamous South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, TX this year. Being that I am from Florida and have never been to Texas before I didn’t know what to expect. Initially I was hesitant to take on the adventure because of financials but I found out I had a cousin in Austin I could stay with. With a free place to stay there was nothing holding me back (besides my pet peeve of flying in crowded Southwest Airline airplanes because I am 6’4” tall and there always seems to be a snooty old lady or terrible young children ruining my flight). Anyway, I made it to Austin, TX and what a trip it was.
Being that I am a rather enthusiastic music lover and graduated college with a business management degree I have always had a passion for music management. I especially wanted to go out to SXSW to meet up with managers from the Sargent House record label who I had been in contact with and learned a great deal of information from. Among their powerful roster of bands, Sargent House had a handful of bands showcasing their talents throughout the festival. Friday March 16th they had quite the unforgettable showcase with a handful of their artists coming together in one night playing one after the other. I honestly can’t describe the authenticity of this show. It was just so original there were more people lined up outside than could even fit inside. Being that fan that I am, I of course showed up early enough to get a spot inside.
Thanks to Brad Conrad for sending us some great live Marriages photos from the Sargent House show at SXSW 2012. Speaking of Marriages they will be hitting the road with our very own Russian Circles and Chelsea Wolfe for some US tour dates in August to be announced soon!
(Source: marriagesband)
As many times as we’ve heard Morrissey exclaim through multiple songs and various PETA campaigns that meat is, in fact, a murderous act, it’s hard to ignore how cool of a stage prop it can actually be. I mean, who doesn’t like a severed, bloody pig’s head in conjunction with their favorite band? Since 17, Teresa Suarez, aka Teri Gender Bender, founder and guitarist of Mexican garage Punk band, Le Butcherettes, has been using blood and gore for her live performances for reasons that extend far beyond the grotesque, and into the ideals and ethics of the importance of the feminist movement.
With Sylvia Plath, Kathleen Hanna, and Chilean musician and artist, Violeta Parra as ongoing influences. Teri, now 23, has evolved from her days as a teen armed with a guitar and a bloody apron, into a woman who refuses to lose that fiery, teenage angst that continues to spread the word of feminism to whomever is willing to give a shit. Having already completed her sophomore album with fellow band members Lia Braswell (drums), and bassist/The Mars Volta , At The Drive-In guitarist, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Le Butcherettes’ newest record will be less blood on stage mixed with literary references musically than their debut, SIN SIN SIN, but more references and possible inspiration from living life in a new country on Cry Is For The Flies. We interviewed Teri to find out what’s what.
VICE: You recently played Coachella. How was it?
Teri Gender Bender: It was crazy. We played around 1:55 pm, so it was really hot. I think that the set went by swell. Lia [Braswell, drummer], and Omar [Rodriguez Lopez , who’s on bass now, were fine, the heat didn’t affect them, but the heat got to me. I had a migraine the whole festival and I couldn’t even watch any bands, I had to go lay down in the van and ended up throwing up the whole time, and it happened both weekends.The heat was just terrible. But it was great. I’m not complaining.
“The Brooklyn party-rock trio Fang Island are about to return with their new album Major, the follow-up to their self-titled 2010 breakout. And “Asunder,” the first track we’ve heard from the album, is a triumphant riff-rocker that sounds like a pure sugar-rush rendered in musical form.” - Stereogum
”..With an aim to create an effort of non-stop, mega-sized hooks, the band is certainly off to a proper start with the album’s first song, “Asunder”. It’s a majestic bit of prog rock, with grandiose guitars that dart up and down and anthemic vocals that swell with emotion without losing their Zen-like balance. - Consequence of Sound
“When Brooklyn-based party-starters Fang Island named their new album Major, we were fairly certain that it would offer hyper-caffeinated, unrepentantly sunny pump-up tracks. Those suspicions have now been confirmed by the arrival of the single “Asunder.” Much like the material from the band’s 2010 debut, “Asunder” is a surge of sugar-addled adrenaline that’s lead by climactic drums, overdriven guitar licks and repetitive, chant-like vocals.” - Exclaim!
“If you were worried that the gap between their debut album and their new album would lead to change in direction, fear not; this is the Fang Island we love. Listen to ‘Asunder’ and prepare to kick the living crap out of the air around you.’ - 405
(Source: sargenthouse)
What happens when Lar the guitar player from Adebisi Shank decides he’d really like to try out drumming? Well he gangs up with his two mates Matt Hedigan and Ruadhan O’Meara and out comes No Spill Blood. I saw a video from their second show ever and immediately called him and said, “so when are you going to let us release this band?” I’m overjoyed to say the time is now…. Sargent House is happy to announce that we will be releasing their debut EP on Vinyl and digital this year in late Summer. Below check out the video for No Retreat below and another one from their first show in Cork on May 5, 2012. Then Get Ready.
Go make friends with our bloods. Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr
Dave Davidson, frontman of one of the most eccentrically addictive musical acts of the decade, released his creative juices full-bore on the first EP of his solo project Bright Works and Baton. At the time, Maps and Atlases had only released a couple of EPs, likely on their way to recording the impeccable Perch Patchwork. I had initially missed this release, discovering its quirky loveability only a few weeks ago.
By no means should Cast Spells be construed as a diet version of M&A. Davidson’s characteristic warble is alive and well, adding a timbre that is virtually impossible to replicate. In fact, Cast Spells doesn’t deviate too far from the quirk of M&A, but highlights Davidson’s folk subtleties over the complex instrumentation and composition found in previous and subsequent M&A records.
On July 24, manic Brooklyn rockers Fang Island will release Major, the follow-up to their self-titled 2010 album. “Asunder” is the first taste from the album, and it features jingle bells and anthemic guitar solos.
So you know us over at Sargent House, we like to discover what’s up out there across this great land and we also believe that there are so many deserved bands out there that could do with a cool show to play and a real chance to be heard. So, we are going to try something new for the first time and ask for submissions from local bands to play with And So I Watch You From Afar & Zechs Marquise on their upcoming US/Canada Tour dates.
So do you think your band fits the bill? Well before you submit make sure by checking out the two bands you would be playing with first. Here are the details on how to submit. Please read through all of these and follow them precisely for a chance to get your band heard and potentially put on the show for the night in your city. This is not a “contest” or some “pay to play” bullshit (I HATE VENUES that do that) heck if your band is chosen your going to get money to play our show!
To Submit send the following things below to ourband@sargenthouse.com making sure to put in Subject line the name of the City and Show you are asking to be considered for.
Include the following things: your Band Name, Links to Facebook and other social and your websites or blogs. Important send links to AUDIO that streams - DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS we will only check out stuff online!! If you have videos send us up to 3 links to Videos of your band live or official and any press or accolade links about your band that you might have gotten so far saying how kick ass you are.
DO NOT submit your band for more than ONE city and you have to live in or really close to the city you have submitted for. NO submissions from other countries, must be located in the USA / Canada.
DO NOT send us long winded information we don’t care about. Just get to the point tell us your city and let us hear the goods.
DO NOT submit if you have one shitty demo and have never played any shows. We don’t have time for that, this is a serious thing not a hobby. Your band is not ready.
DO NOT send us stuff to that email that has nothing to do with this! it will just get deleted.
Good luck, who knows maybe we will find our next shining star…. if you win the night we’ll let our bands send us a report on how you did.
CLICK READ MORE TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF CITIES AND DATES
Brooklyn post-punk group Fang Island will release Major, the follow-up to their self-titled 2010 record, July 24 on Sargent House.
In a press release, the band said they chose the name Majorin honor of “Valley girl colloquialism,” “major key,” and “Steely Dan’s ‘Any Major Dude’,” among many other reasons. - Check out the track listing and two promo videos below.
Follow-up to to the Brooklyn band’s self-titled 2010 debut is due out on July 24 via Sargent House
Fang Island will reemerge from the indie-rock sea this summer. The exuberant Brooklyn guitar-mongers have announced that their sophomore album, Major, is set to arrive on July 24 via Sargent House. The follow-up to 2010’s self-titled debut, which the band once described as “everyone high-fiving everyone,” only expands on that cheerful eagerness, according to the announcement.
The band is billing its return as an exercise in untrammeled positivity, so fans of the Polyphonic Spree or the Go! Team might want to take note. “One of our core ideas has always been that our songs would be all of your favorite parts of the song that other bands make you wait eight minutes to get to,” guitarist-singer Jason Bartell says in a statement. “We wanted to be the band that’s nothing but your favorite hooks back to back.”
Bartell, fellow guitarist-singer Chris Georges, and drummer Marc St. Sauveur open their album with a track called “Kindergarten,” but their announcement promises musical growth. Writing optimistic songs is ultimately no different in a way than writing melancholy ones, according to Bartell, who explains, “Positive songs often run the risk of sounding shallow, but we feel there are a lot of shades and depths to positivity that can be explored.”
We are so excited for July 24th when Fang Island’s new album Major comes out. So to celebrate we invite you to get to know them, we are offering their amazing debut Self Titled album all this week for only $1.99 . Summer Anthems for everyone while waiting for July. So enjoy and spread the word! - Fang Island will be touring all Summer in support of their new album, lot’s of news to come - We are all so pumped over here, stay tuned….
Good Old War’s “Come Back As Rain” is featured as AmazonMP3’s “Daily Deal” today only for just $4.99 so if you don’t have it yet, now is a great time to grab it or turn your friends on to it so they can come dance and sing with you at a show!
Link - http://amzn.com/B0071YHV6Y
Sargent House is overjoyed to announce the upcoming release of Fang Island’s new album, Major. Click HERE To read the full Press Release and details and Check out the first teaser below.
Artist: Fang Island
Album: Major
Label: Sargent House
Release date: July 24th, 2012
Track list:
01. Kindergarten
02. Sisterly
03. Seek it Out
04. Make Me
05. Never Understand
06. Asunder
07. Dooney Rock
08. Regalia
09. Chompers
10. Chime Out
11. Victorinian
Make sure to stay tuned to Fang Island on the web..
@fangisland
Facebook
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Fang Island Site
Listening to Marriages debut album Kitsune is an almost spiritual experience. I don’t mean that listening to the album is going to cause you to find God or anything like that but it will take you to another place with its ghostly musings. The songs here are beautifully epic and will haunt your soul. The credit there goes to singer/guitarist Emma Ruth Rundle whose voice and guitar textures are the soul of Marriages.
The songs released up until now don’t do Kitsune justice. It’s not that the songs aren’t good, because they’re beyond that, but within the realm of Kitsune and the flow they create with the rest of the album they’re perfection. “Ten Tiny Fingers” was incredible on its own but hearing the synth intro at the end of “Body of Shade” which goes directly into “Ten…” will give you goosebumps.
Marriages: Kitsuné (Sargent House)
Though their union is new, the members of Marriages are veterans of post-rock experimentation, and their self-titled debut challenges the very notion of the sub-genre.
Guitarist/vocalist Emma Ruth Rundle, bassist Greg Burns, and drummer Dave Clifford all spend time in Red Sparowes, a band that has pushed the boundaries of the loud-soft dynamic with an innovative use of pedal-steel guitar and subtle vocal textures. But Marriages is markedly different, built around Rundle’s intoxicating vocals and unconventional guitar style.
Rundle’s vocals — breathy and, at times, ghostly — benefit from a bit of traditional post-rock atmospherics. But they’re also joined by a subtle, deep effect, allowing her to harmonize with a nearly inaudible lower octave. One might compare the sound to PJ Harvey teaming up with Tool in 1995 to cover Mazzy Star — butyou should skip comparison entirely, as Marriages isn’t quite like anything else.
