New Deerhoof : Offend Maggie

There's been a lot of talk about how this new Deerhoof sounds a lot different and is somewhat unexpected, but why should we expect something of the same from the band? We shouldn't, and Offend Maggie is a great example of how versatile the band is, and will continue to be. The track is a softer take on things, and is both beautiful and fun to listen to. The track lends its name to their upcoming album, which is split into two parts (maybe that means a gatefold, 2 lp version...?) of fourteen tracks total, and is guaranteed to be one of the best albums of the year.

The first 500 pre-orders of the album will come with the sheet music to the entire album and will come saddle-stitched. How awesome is that? Get it over at Kill Rock Stars now!

Bonus: Deerhoof : The Tears and Music of Love from Offend Maggie (live)

Tonight: Mogwai and Fuck Buttons @ Stubb's and Evangelicals @ Beauty Bar

Austinistes have an couple of choices to make this Friday night worth talking about next week, and if you aren't hunkering down for hurricane Ike (which you probably shouldn't be...) then you might want out and enjoy the wonderful music that Austin attracts.

First up: Stubb's will be hosting two instrumental UK bands (what a coincidence) that go by the names of Mogwai and Fuck Buttons. Fuck Buttons will go ahead and satisfy your noise-tooth (right next to the sweet one), and Mogwai will lull you into unconsciousness when they have finished.

Secondly: Despite the change in venue (from Mohawk inside to Beauty Bar), Oklahoma natives Evangelicals will still be in Austin tonight, in case you were looking for a more intimate show.

The choices are yours.

Mount Eerie @ Mohawk

Not everyone that plays Mohawk's outside stage is necessarily fit to play there, out in the elements, surrounded by the city (which may be contradictory to what I'm about to say), but Phil Elverum, aka Mount Eerie, is. With songs dealing largely with natural elements like wind, grass, and the moon among others, Elverum should be placed out in the elements. A drawback to the setting is that it sits squarely in the city, surrounded by the "hustle and bustle", of modern life, something that Mount Eerie doesn't seem to be about. Despite all that, Elverum put on a captivating performance. The lyrics to his songs instantly draw in the listener and despite the large crowd, it felt like an intimate performance. The ultimate contrast between the natural feel of Mount Eerie and the impending cityscape came when a helicopter flew over from near by Brackenridge Hospital, to which Elverum stated "You guys must be used to that huh?", and continued on with his song. He dipped and pirouetted between strums, playing in his sandals, rolled up jeans, and what I can only assume was a home-made shirt, and nothing seemed put on. He is intensely genuine. The crowd shouted out the names of his songs from his extensive catalogue throughout the performance and he politely played one, claiming that he might not remember the lyrics, and upon further requests, told the crowd that he had a set list written down and implied that he didn't really want to delineate from it. A good number of people left after Mount Eerie (while an equal number of people came in) including myself (although I wanted to stay for Why?), and left feeling very satisfied.

Mount Eerie