The Sour Notes

We caught “The Sour Notes” on the opening day of music / closing of interactive and film at The Mohawk. The crowd was buzzing as the music events kicked off and the sour notes represented well with their lush arrangements and vocals. Playing a mix of songs from their old album and their most recent, The Sour Notes had a wealth of music to perform. Their interesting pop rock sound was on display and as always was very catchy. Just like their albums travel very well, their live show did the same. Whether rocking out or tugging at the heart with interesting soundscapes and falsetto vocals, Jared Paul Boulanger and his band spear headed The Sour Notes to a memorable opening show for the patrons of the Mohawk and a great start to our SXSW festivities.

www.themusicplayground.com

Harper Blynn

We stumbled into a bar to meet some friends and heard Harper Blynn producing a sound that was infectious and tight. The pop friendly arrangements are well crafted and have the right dose of squelchy synths and dead on vocal harmonies. Their music is a perfect complement to musicians who hone their craft through practice. The live show was flawless. We ended up seeing them twice and these guys just sounded great both times.  Local to New York we plan on checking them @ maxwells coming soon. If you like hooky pop these are your guys.

http://www.myspace.com/harperblynn

Casio Kids

We had read an article on twitter about these guys and made it one of our must see shows down at SXSW. They did not disappoint and we found ourselves happy to have a twitter account as it paid off! Multi talented instrumentalists and synth wizards “The Casio Kids” took the stage and had the crowd dancing instantly! Reverb drenched vocals and grooves were a consistent treat as they even switched instruments on the fly during several songs taking turns at each “station”. A vintage sound, coupled with modern beats and catchy hooks made these guys just plain fun to watch. If you like to bop around and dance to sunny danceable electro based music then these guys are a gem you must get to know.

http://www.myspace.com/casiokids

The Morning Benders

Another band on the scene was “The Morning Benders” who just released an anticipated album called “Big Echo”. Their records are great and live they sounded very good despite some tech difficulties with the front of house system. Our only complaint was that their sound was a touch mellow for the 1 am time slot we caught them in, but that being said it was kind of the perfect band to end our night off with. They were lush and the music rang of their distinct vocals and interesting instrumentation and kept you interested the entire way. Recently highlighted in Pitchfork and on the heels of the new record, The “Benders” also just played three sold out shows in NY.

http://www.myspace.com/themorningbenders

MNDR

Our friends from Songs Music Publishing turned us on to MNDR (Formerly pronounced Man-Dar now you just pronounce the letters) and we are happy they did. Touted by Billboard as one of the top 5 buzz acts of SXSW MNDR was a high-energy one women show. Infectious pop dance dj style beats and synths erupted from the speakers as MNDR triggered her audio backdrop while singing flawlessly against it. We caught her twice once in the daytime and another time at midnight which had her accompanied by a light show which suited her style and vibe perfectly. If energetic dance tunes are your thing you can’t go wrong with MNDR. We wish she would open her live show to a full band, but even without other players on stage with her, her show was pretty impressive.

http://www.myspace.com/mndrtronica

Lucy Woodward

Lucy Woodward and her band came to SXSW with a new album due out in June on Verve. Oozing with talent and a style all her own, Lucy Woodward captivated audiences with her blend of Jazz, Pop, and RnB. Whether in NY, LA or Austin TX its impossible to see Lucy Woodward live and not see something special. Her talent is natural, her vocals effortless, and her shows mesmerizing. Performing an array of covers (Our favorite “The Monkey Song” by Louie Prima) and well-arranged originals, Lucy shined with the accompaniment of beautiful strings, horns, and even ukulele. Simply enough. Lucy Woodward and her band are undeniable! Go see em!

www.themusicplayground.com

Instrumenti

We heard about these guys from our twitter feed and considered them a “Can’t Miss” when we read they were from Latvia and dressed up as Pandas while delivering their eclectic brand of electro pop dance music. We traveled off the beaten path (really not that far) to The Karma Lounge after seeing Lucy Woodward and this show did not disappoint. Apparently the ever-talented singer songwriter Sondre LErche got the memo as we ran into him at the show where he stated, “I had to check this out”! They had us all at “Panda Suit”, but the music these 2 pandas dropped was infectious and fun! The 2 pandas did more switching of instruments then they did talking to the crowd and the result was a short, but highlight worthy performance. Not only was their music catchy and their show a spectacle. The city of Austin was buzzing as this duo was spotted all over town. In cabs, at the local coffee shop, and at The YCHT show, these Pandas are cute, friendly, outgoing, and most importantly they put on a great show!

http://www.myspace.com/instrumenti

Ozomatli

La based, Grammy award winning, Latin Funk Hip Hop Band Ozomatli knows just what they are doing and have crafted their art to perfection. These guys create a party atmosphere every time they play so if you aren’t ready to jump, dance, and sing along then this might not be the show for you. With horns, world percussion, clarinets, rappers, and a tight band all around Ozomatli puts on a non-stop performance that will leave you sweating. When the PA went down at the end of the show the band (as they always do) jumped onto the crowd and started marching through the crowd while laying down a heavy dose of percussion driven, horn heavy, New Orleans style funk tunes. A perfect ending to what was pretty much the perfect show. Ozomatli is like a party every time.

http://www.myspace.com/ozomatli

Morning Teleportation

This show took us by storm and teleported us into a multi-genre experience by this very talented band from Portland, Oregon. Mixing funk, rock, ska, disco, and many other styles into one seamless tapestry of music is no easy feet, but these guys did it well and did it live.  Morning Teleportation’s stage presence was incredibly infectious just like their music. We couldn’t take our eyes of the stage as MT got straight to the point with their 50-minute end of the night set. You knew these guys were musical multi-taskers when the bass player put a tambourine around his neck and on his head like a crown then shook to the rhythm in perfect time all while playing the bass. We will be checking these guys tour schedule frequently.

http://www.myspace.com/morningteleportation

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings.

My favorite quote from Sharon Jones “I can’t be James Brown, I can’t be Otis, I can’t be Aretha or Tina. But I can be all of them…” Well yes you can Sharon and we thank you for bringing the true funk soul revolution to the people. A lot of music has soul, but these guys define it. There is nothing fake about what Sharon Jones and her Brooklyn based band “The Dap Kings” are laying down. This is the real deal! From Sharon’s soul drenched vocals, to her stage presence to the dap kings tight arrangements of horn blasting funk soul. During one song at the Mohawk Patio Bar (Best Bar in Austin in our opinion) she pulled an unsuspecting guy on stage and made him do the boogaloo as well as a slow sexy dance with her in front of the entire crowd. We have often said Sharon is a firecracker and the dap kings are the tightest funk band on the planet. They proved us right once again. Their new album is out in Starbucks, yea, the coffee place… We never thought we’d see the day that a vintage funk soul album was in Starbucks, but then again we never anticipated the likes of Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings. See em and bring your dancing shoes!

http://www.myspace.com/sharonjonesandthedapkings

Murder by Death

This is the one band that we had seen in New York several times and thought we MUST see them in Texas. This rebel rousing, whiskey drinking, Johnny cash inspired, music just feels like something you should hear in Texas. A heavy country rock base is a perfect backdrop for Adam Turla’s lyrics like “I drink Whiskey instead of Water”. The x-factor which puts this band on another level is the cello playing of Sarah Balliet. The rocking music is complemented by her “Hard Rocking” cello (yes you heard it), which also often gives way to the most beautiful of cello lines. It is an eclectic element, but fits in so perfectly.

http://www.myspace.com/murderbydeath

Middle Distance Runner

We popped into a bar to escape the cold, but also to catch this wonderful band from DC. It was a perfect dive bar setting for their raw and upbeat sound. They guys in the band were visibly tired from the plethora of shows they played, but succeeded in rocking it out with every little ounce of fuel they had left in the system. They were feeling it and their effort was infectious as the small, but attentive crowd became immersed in what they were putting down. We really love the lead guitar player in this band as he adds a unique touch with his style of lead, slide and bowed guitar. Escaping the cold couldn’t have been any better!

http://www.myspace.com/murderbydeath

Marina and The Diamonds.

Walked into this one having never heard this band and walked out a fan. I am really excited to hear this album when it is released in MAY? Marina was captivating with her unique vocal approach, wonderful stage presence and with the tight foundation the Diamonds were laying down. Already a sensation in the UK we think she is a sure thing in the US. We are going to spread the word. Take a listen for yourself, you will be hard pressed not to do the same.

We loved this beautiful superstar Welsh singer-songwriter of Greek descent’s lyric:

I fight security-making plays for me As soon as I touch down in old LA, he said,

Oh my god, you look just like Shakira
No no, you’re Catherine Zeta
Actually, my name’s Marina

She will be huge.

http://www.myspace.com/marinaandthediamonds

Minus The Bear

It was late and we had been through a full day of music and BBQ. Very tough! So when we arrived to see “Minus the Bear” people were on their last leg, but the foot on that leg was tapping when these guys hit the stage. It was by far the most crowded show we went to over the 4 or 5-day festival and with good reason. These guys were great! A prog pop indie rock band from Seattle, WA that incorporates elements of ambience and sonic experimentation. Define them how you will, we just know they were jamming on all cylinders and had everyone in the crowded room right along with them. These guys are buzzing and already have a very dedicated fan base following them every step of the way.

http://www.myspace.com/minusthebear

Street Sweeper Social Club

On a very cold Saturday Morning where people were starting to drag after 3 full days of music former “Rage Against The Machine” guitarist Tom Morello’s new band “Street Sweeper Social Club” rocked the “Rachel Ray” party (yes THAT Rachel Ray, I thought the same thing). After a few bloody marys it was hard for the crowd to resist the heavy rock that SSSC was laying down. Fist pumping and crowd surfing erupted as the crowd became bigger and bigger intrigued by what was being laid down by Tom and the band. The highlight for me was an inspiring rendition of the classic “Momma said knock you out” by LL Cool J. If you like heavy riffs, loud beats, and a can of audio whoop ass then Street Sweeper Social Club is worth checking out.

http://www.myspace.com/streetsweepersocialclub

She and Him

Zoey Deschanel has hit the road on a tour with M Ward and they were kicking it in Austin with their ever-infectious throwback sound. M Ward is endlessly talented and she is full of charisma and a unique vocal tone (sometimes pitchy, but in a world full of auto tune it was kind of nice to hear). The sunny tunes performed had an oldies throwback quality that made them hard to deny. Their music just has a feel good quality that came across in the performance. People of all ages were very excited to see “She and Him” and the shows were often very crowded with a lot of buzz surrounding them. The way we see it, if all ages have their ears perked and are willing to listen then you are doing something right!

http://www.myspace.com/sheandhim

YCHT

We caught YCHT under a tent at the Billboard party and these guys and gal plain out killed it. If you like electro, cool, slick, sometimes quirky dance grooves, tuxedos, and leather dresses then this band is for you. Everyone at the tent was dancing and transfixed on the eclectic stage performance of the band. With a very modern club edge this band has a little bit of an interesting “Talking Heads” pop vibe intertwined into their infectious dance music. Full of energy and enthusiasm YCHT was one of the bigger named bands we were really happy to catch and will be looking forward to more of their shows in the future. YCHT is well worth the price of admission!

http://www.myspace.com/yacht

Solilllaquists of Sound

A private party in a foos ball lounge led us to this band that was absolutely out of control. With an eclectic sound rooted in danceable hip hop these guys and girls got the crowd going and they never let up… Highlights included “Road Runner style” thought bubbles held up with funny sayings, crowd participated chants, and a breakdown where the “DJ” played 3 mpcs with his feet and with his nose while making musical synth sounds with a microphone in his mouth. This band was non-stop entertainment and was quite possibly the highlight underground performance of the festival. I am going to keep an eye on their touring schedule to see when and where I can get some of this next! I am all for hard working musicians and I wish these guys all the best. They deserve to be big!

http://www.myspace.com/solilla

Black Red Black

No better way to conclude a wonderful SXSW then at Lamberts famous BBQ joint with the great jazz stylings of Black Red Black. A trio with Trumpet, Hammond and Drums, Black Red Black filled the room with tasty jazz for several hours. Each member, proficient on their instruments, did everything from cool jazz, to bop, to funky and never missed a beat. If you need a break and some good food, check out Lambert’s and hopefully you will get a dose of Black Red Black while enjoying a Frito Pie.

http://do512.com/event/weekly/sun/jazz-night-w-ephraim-owens-brannen-temple-red-young-2

VIDEO:

SXSW.mov

Locksley – The Whip

Update:  Just released, new video!

Featured artists include Kites, Locksley, Maiysha, and Lucy Woodward.  Keep an eye out for the film – and if you happen to be in Austin next month, check it out as an official selection at the 2010 South By Southwest Film Festival, where it will be simulcast in a virtual screening within Second Life, followed by an interactive question and answer session in both the real and virtual theaters with the director and other key members of the production team.

The project was also a great example of the potential for collaboration between The Music Playground and its sister companies, The Lodge and The Diner.  Lodge engineer and creative director Colin Thibadeau mixed the film in 5.1 surround sound, Lodge composer Demian Sims worked with composer Justin Melland to help round out some of the cues, and the Diner also contributed music to the film’s diverse soundtrack.

For more info about the film, check out its website:  http://life2movie.com/

Watch the first 2 minutes of the film here:

“Director Jason Spingarn-Koff digs deeply into the core of basic human interaction by assuming his own avatar and immersing himself in the worlds of Second Life residents, whose real lives have been drastically transformed by the new lives they lead in cyberspace. In doing so, he manages to create an intimate, character-based drama that forces us to question not only who we are, but who we long to be.”

-from the Sundance Film Festival Film Guide

The Happy Bullets – Good Day

The Happy Bullets – Good Day

You have time to put together simply amazing music. The Music Playground is proud to announce our exclusive signing of “The Sour Notes” a band out of Austin Texas whose dreamy, melodic hooks and beautifully crafted sound are on display on their records “Received in Bitterness” and “The Meat of the Fruit”.

>>>> The Sour Notes are an Austin, TX pop band formed by Jared Boulanger (vox/gtr), Chris Page (piano/gtr), Travis Hackett (drums) and Brandi Dipietro (bass). “Their allure is an easy one–dreary yet rich pop ballads that ease you through the gloom with melodic charm and earnest sweetness.” – Baltimore City Paper.

Since their formation in 2008, The Sour Notes have recorded 2 albums (The Meat of the Fruit, Received in Bitterness), 7″ record (Never Mix, Never Worry) and have toured the United States to much critical acclaim.

“Principle Note–Jared Boulanger crafts beautiful and questioning melodies that are rife with a direct pop angst, unexpected samples and keyboard bursts that manage to keep the songs fascinating through repeat listens.” – Austin Sound.

Chrysalis Music Group USA, the industry’s leading independent music publisher, has partnered with the award-winning, bicoastal music production house The Lodge in a first-of-a-kind deal to create and market new arrangements, cover versions and newly recorded master versions of Chrysalis’ top and back catalog hits for the advertising, film and TV industries. In doing so, the companies will tap Chrysalis’ deep catalog, which is home to such legendary artists as David Bowie, Billy Idol, Blondie and Richard Marx, as well as cutting-edge contemporary acts like Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket, OutKast, TV on the Radio and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

In making this agreement, Chrysalis and The Lodge are looking to further the trend of remaking classic hit songs from well-known artists with different arrangements from the original versions, while also deepening the creative relationships between this Classic-filled catalog and advertising agencies, as well as film and TV music supervisors. The recording of new arrangements of classic hits has become increasingly popular as ad agencies and filmmakers alike have shifted away from the all but exclusive use of master recordings, for reasons both creative and budgetary in nature. Chrysalis and The Lodge are hoping to break new ground in this burgeoning area by providing a more streamlined process, as well as offering, through their partnership, the in-house creative services to deliver new masters.

“Pushing the boundaries of music publishing and furthering the relationships between our artists’ catalog and advertisers, filmmakers and TV producers is a major priority for us,” said Kenny MacPherson, President, Chrysalis Music Group USA. “This partnership shows our commitment to increasing the Chrysalis catalog’s accessibility in an effort to better coordinate our creative undertakings with the agencies. With Don Ienner on board, The Lodge’s reputation and integrity are unparalleled in this area, and we’re confident in their composers’ ability to interpret our songs with intriguing new wrinkles.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Kenny and the entire Chrysalis team,” said Drew Stein, Chief Creative Officer of The Lodge. “Often times our clients want the instant recognition of a classic hit song but also want a new look and a modern take on the arrangement scored to their picture. This partnership represents those creative desires and is something truly exciting for the future of music publishing. It expands the limits beyond the master recording and creates so many new possibilities for an incredible, world-class catalog.”

An autonomous force alongside the UK operation, Chrysalis Music Group USA is widely known as one of the most innovative independent music publishers in the business. Under MacPherson’s veteran leadership, Chrysalis has broadened the scope of its operations and the depth of its catalog, which boasts a diverse array of artists including (along with those listed above) Velvet Revolver, Bon Iver, Mastodon, Thom Yorke, Dinosaur Jr., Andrew Bird, the Low Anthem, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Secret Machines, Dan Wilson, Underworld, Joe Henry, Page Hamilton, as well as renowned producers No ID and Ethan Johns. Chrysalis is also renowned for a storied catalog encompassing the hits of Jethro Tull, Cy Coleman, Paul Anka, Roy Ayers and Andrew Gold. At the same time, the company continues to push the envelope by nurturing a vital roster of up-and-coming writer/artists and songwriter/producers.

With studios in New York and Los Angeles, The Lodge is a leading original music production company for advertising, film and television with composers in London, New York, L.A. and Asia. The Lodge works on over 500 music projects every year, and its client list is a who’s who of the entertainment and commercial worlds, including companies such as HewlettPackard, Coca-Cola, Mercedes Benz, Pepsi, McDonalds, AT&T, Pfizer, Ford, Wal-Mart, MTV and many other prominent global brands.

To hear some of the great new Chrysalis arrangements please visit:
http://www.thelodge.com/chrysalis

To learn more about Chrysalis or The Lodge, please go to their respective websites:

http://www.chrysalismusicusa.com

http://www.thelodge.com/musicproduction

For Press Inquiries:

Bettie Levy
The Lodge
bettie@thelodge.com

Ken Weinstein
Big Hassle Publicity
weinstein@bighassle.com