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SXSW 2007: Part II

(photo: Daryl P. Brothers)

Winehouse: The

New Brit Queen of Soul

Amy Winehouse has come to take over America! She’s got the stuff to do it. There’s the rapturous voice, comparable to so many of the greats, that can effect loneliness and pain or deliver a timbred punch like a whirring bowling ball knocking out every pin. Then there’s the striking offbeat beauty, cutting an unlikely style that’s part 1960s girl group jezebel and part tattooed, hip-hop-style thugette. Her songwriting has charm and clout, too. First we caught a three-song performance at an invite-only BBC2 party. Dueting with just an acoustic guitarist, Winehouse’s powerful, no-nonsense voice communicated remarkable vulnerability, laying bare the pain of love’s loss, particularly in a torchy version of “Love Is a Losing Game.” Her set the following night at the Sixth Street club Eternal was with a full band—and not just any band. As on her breakthrough sophomore album Back to Black, Winehouse’s crack backup outfit was Sharon Jones’ boys, the Dap Kings. The set proved an uproarious ode to old-time soul but with a thoroughly modern twist, via the post-modernist reinvention of the half boozy she-devil, half wounded bird that Winehouse plays so perfectly. And she’s got the troubled diva side down. Her love of the drink and recent breakup with her beau are being blamed for the cancellation of many of her off-schedule performances during the festival later in the week.

More Brit Bits

NME’s showcase at Stubb’s featured full-bloom songstress Lily Allen, and her effervescent pop and ska toasting style proved fun and funky. A short but bright set included a three-piece horn section and her current hit “Smile.” While her every song seemed breezy good times, Allen—who appeared with a Budweiser and cigarette in hand—talked cockney with a lot of angry swear words aimed her showcase’s host mag NME. Razorlight were next on the bill and they showed why they are one of the best in Brit rock at the moment, offering just enough art, pop and stadium readiness. Singer Jonny Borrell steals from Freddie Mercury and Jarvis Cocker, and that’s okay with us.

We caught Badly Drawn Boy, a.k.a. Damon Gough, playing a rather subdued set with a band at a Blender magazine afternoon party. His set was primarily culled from his excellent 2006 record Born in the UK and the often talkative Gough was particularly reserved and almost pensive that afternoon.

Wizards of Oz Indie

At the same Blender party—hosted by top-notch comedian/actor Zach Galifianakis, by the by—Australian combo Youth Group also featured. After a nearly perfect set, I was reminded how damn under the radar this band is. Seen them before but forgot how great they are. Records are not indicative of what they can really do, but it’s still worth checking out Skeleton Jar and 2006’s Casino Twilight Dogs.

King Buzzo of the Melvins
(photo: Daryl P. Brothers)

Pay No Attention to

the Man Behind the Corwood

They just don’t get any more legendary in underground, record geek circles than Jandek. We’re not sure if it was thee thoroughly reclusive Jandek but it was definitely that super creepy, super skinny, black fedora’d fellow who has been appearing at all of the Jandek performances “as a representative of Corwood Industries.” We only caught the last song but I’m glad we did. It was a beautifully bleak bit of improvised outsider folk-blues. The band with Jandek was a lot of improv players (including the bassist from Charlambides) who had never rehearsed together or with the man at all, and included a harmonium player.

The American Radiohead?

If there’s someone with that kind of potential, it’s gotta be the Denton, Texas’s Midlake. This band gets compared to mid-period Fleetwood Mac, Flaming Lips and Grandaddy, but during one spellbinding afternoon set with them we kept thinking more than that: They should be one of the biggest bands in the world. They are already selling out theaters in Europe. Midlake’s global domination is imminent.

Music Is Art

Inside Austin Convention Center, a temporary rest for the ears was an overwhelming feast for the eyes as Flatstock, SXSW’s gathering of the greatest gig poster artists, almost made our heads explode. Buffalo’s Hero Design Studio had a booth—staffed by owners Mark Brickey and Beth Manos—that proved a hot spot, with people from all over the planet snatching up their limited edition silk-screen designs for the likes of Rakim and the Tragically Hip. You can always check their stuff out at www.heroandsound.com or at their Allen Street shoppe-cum-studio.

Britt Daniel of Spoon
(photo: Daryl P. Brothers)

All Hail the Heavy

Iconic Northwestern combo the Melvins—now with two drummers for maximum strength—proved their power with a thoroughly loud show that included a Coop cover and solos that said, “King Buzzo = god.” One evening showcase at Emo’s Annex included post-metal/doomers Jesu, pronounced “yay-zoo” and led by ex-Godflesh mainman Justin Broadrick, who essentially made their US debut here with an overpowering show that was all dirgey and angry goodness. Following Jesu was Hydra Head Records’ preeminent instrumental combo Pelican. Their precision brand of doom didn’t need bettering but—judging by their set of new material—it seems like they’re flirting with krautrock and it sounds great.

The Two Sides

of Monsieur Daniel

Britt Daniel and his ever-spectacular, Austin-based band Spoon played two festival slots. The first was on the fest’s opening Wednesday night as the surprise guest on their label Merge’s showcase at Antone’s, and then they played again right before the Stooges’ near destruction of Stubb’s Backyard on Saturday night. Both sets included healthy doses of new material like “Don’t Make Me a Target,” “Don’t You Ever” and “Eddie’s Ragga.” These tracks will figure on the band’s yet untitled sixth album, due out July 11. On the flip, the Spoon were keen to deliver plenty of pleasing old faves between the two shows including “Fitted Shirt,” “The Way We Get By” and “Paper Tiger.”

Some of the Other Great Acts We Saw

Buzzcocks, Grand Champeen, Two Cow Garage, Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell (with special guest Booker T. Washington), Glossary, Apollo Sunshine, Catfish Haven, Deadstring Brothers, Brandi Carlisle, The Drams, dios (malos), Pink Nasty, Tokyo Police Club, Michelle Shocked and Jon Rauhouse.