Ten discoveries from SXSW 2012 by Broken Biscuit Records – with links to official free listening

Alabama Shakes 

After this blinding rock, country, blues and roll set, we are now excited about the prospect of seeing Alabama Shakes again, No doubt that'll be in a much bigger venue or on a huge festival stage, so  a real treat to see them as the buzz around them built at SXSW. Review Myspace alabamashakes.com

Band of Skulls 

Their thundering blues rock provided a much needed wake-up to our jet-lagged bodies. They were part of a set of   trong female-fronted acts at SXSW this year, across a great variety of musical genres – go girls! They played a quality and loud rock set without the pomposity, silliness or machismo that often comes with hard rock shows. Though they were new to us, we probably didn't need to travel 5,000 miles to see them in Austin when they live 50 miles away. Review Soundcloud

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah 

SXSW isn't all about rock and roll and it was about time to get some dancing in when we saw Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's.lively, up-tempo, Hot-Chip-ish pop, punk and roll. They had everyone up and dancing like ravers. The band were new to us, an over sight we well now rectify. Review Soundcloud

Crooked Fingers 

A great opportunity to put some sort of persceptive on a band we knew bits and pieces by. They stood out in a strong line-up at Frank's and Sleep All Summer was a stunning highlight Review Soundcloud

Kimya Dawson 

What a treat! The Daniel Johnston night was truly special and was a highlight. We were already fond of Kimya's songs and she is an engaging live performer. Her songs are witty, clever , honest, and unprententious. She ended the set with 'Same Shit/Complivated' which really captivated the audience in its long, winding stream of thought. Review  Soundcloud kimyadawson.com

The Dunwells 

A really enjoyable set - well-constructed and well-rounded, particularly for a new band (and for one of the British bands, who don't always have as polished sets as their US peers). Everyone in Latitude pricked their ears up and was won round by the band's on-stage charm - one to keep an eye on. Review Myspace  Soundcloud1 Soundcloud2

Howler 

The secret of many great bands is that they make you want to be part of thier gang. The infectious spirit of Howler's tunes was exciting and energetic, rather like seeing the View for the first time. Review Myspace Soundcloud

Michael Kiwanuka 

Michael had a tricky task playing to an audience mostly waiting to see the Alabama Shakes. He held the packed room to rapt attention with his beautiful soulful singing and easy charm. All around, people were asking who he was as the set unrolled. He definitely won a room of new fans that afternoon. Review
Soundcloud Myspace

Lost Lander

Our expectations, largely driven by the band's SXSW biography, were blown from the moment Lost Lander walked onto the stage. Whatever we were expecting, we got some beautiful and serene electro-pop. Review Soundcloud

 

We Were Promised Jetpacks 

They were so good that the girl in front of us fainted at the climax of their set. The band gave us their all - The singer and guitarist were bright red in the face by the end from all the exertion. It was well worth their efforts, though, as this was a cracking set. Review Soundcloud Myspace

Seemingly effortless talent

Frank Turner shares something a particular characteristic with a few really good acts, particularly Gaslight Anthem, the band that first led us to him when we saw him supporting them back in 2009. What he does seems to be so simple that you'd expect there would be hundreds of people doing it. After seeing Mr Turner play, you immediately think there should be hundreds of young-ish men knocking out catching punk-style songs on acoustic guitars. And then you realise that it really isn't that simple, and that he's simply making something rather tricky it look very easy.

That then brings to mind a long list of artists who seem to have missed out on their due widespread, and lasting, public recognition because the skill and beauty of their talent has gone under-appreciated as a result of the apparent ease with which they generate beautifully crafted pop songs (in huge contrast from artists who make the very most of their talents, such as Jon Bon Jovi). And this pool of artists who have gone under-appreciated because they made it look to easy contains some wonderful luminaries, Buffalo Tom and Teenage Fanclub to Smudge and Ryan Adams, and maybe even Glen Hansard. . 

The seeming effortless with which Mr Turner produces songs that really grab people's hearts certainly seems to be working for him at the moment, and I hope it stays that way. Hard craft at songwriting should not need to be showy and on-display to be appreciated.

SXSW 2012: six stunning sets from artists who'd already won our hearts

1. Glen Hansard, hungover from over-indulgence in his excitement at seeing Bruce Springsteen the night before, spun a web of wonderment to close the Paste party on Friday afternoon. His natural charm drew the whole room into rapt attention. His top-notch originals and long, winding covers, including both Springsteen's 'Drive All Night' and Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks' with superb support from Jake Clemons were spine-tingling. A truly magical set. Read the immediate Broken Biscuit Records reaction here.

2. Jesse Malin played a great acoustic set at Cedar Street Courtyard, blasting through his hits, either fired up or slightly rattled by the idea of playing a 'posh' show to badge-holders, rather than the festival-goers at large. Some of the acoustic arrangements worked better than others. A few songs felt as we were missing the electric guitars (in a similar way to Pearl Jam's Unplugged session feels a lot like the electric arrangements are being played out on acoustic instruments with little of the forethought shown at Pearl Jam's later Bridge School benefit shows). But others were really effective and it was great to see the closing 'Cigarettes and Violets' in such an intimate setting. Here is what we thought straight after the show.

3. Frank Turner really won over the audience with his show at Latitude. Although many of those nearer the front were clearly already fans, the crowd spilling into the street clearly contained many who were simply curious to see what the fuss was about. Either the set or Frank's newer material feels much more American than the songs he was playing back in 2009 when we first saw him. Either way it went down well with the US members of the audience. At the moment, he's certainly reaping the rewards, though. At the beginning of the show, and he may have been half joking, he said he'd planned to play a whole slab of new material in the set, but that after seeing Future of the Left, he'd decided to hammer through the hits, and it certainly worked very well. Read the immediate Broken Biscuit Records reaction here.

4. Bob Mould played a great set at Frank's. Knowing some of his Sugar tunes and a smattering of Husker Du material, it was great to hear him rattle off song after song from his back catalogue, as well as bits from his new album. The show was a great way to connect with a classic artist who we'd hadn't yet got to know properly. The Broken Biscuit Records post-show reaction is here.

5. The Wedding Present performance at the Paste party was another great way to learn about a classic band that had previously escaped our notice. The wry, romantic tales in their songs and great band interplay were a real revelation. Here is what we thought straight after the show

6. Last and very much not least, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band warrant the most prominent mention for a blistering performance at the ACL Moody Theatre. The new material from Wrecking Ball thundered with the addition of the augmented E Street Band. The horn section added huge brushes of colour and the rumble beneath Max Weinberg's drums gave a real depth to the sound, while the theatre's intimacy and acoustics allowed us to pick out each musician's contribution.

And then there were the guests... The mini Jimmy Cliff set (The Harder They Come, Time Will Tell and Many Rivers to Cross) was marvellous and a real celebration. Tom Morello hauled out impressive performances of his solos on the Wrecking Ball album (and may well leave fans wondering who will set into his shoes on later dates in the tour) and seeing his solo on the electrified The Ghost of Tom Joad in the flesh was truly magical.

For those who had been enthralled by Bruce's keynote speech in the morning in which he admitted his lifelong debt to the Animals, it was a special pleasure to see Bruce's genuine delight in telling how he'd been told Eric Burdon was in town and had hooked up to play with him. And then the huge finale with Arcade Fire, the Low Anthem, Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely really capped things off perfectly. Here is our immediate post-show reaction to the close-up Bruce experience

Jukebox the Ghost, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

Great piano pop-rock in the mould of Ben Folds, Elton John, Keane, ELO or Scouting for Girls. They did a really fun set, including a cover of 'I wanna dance with somebody' as the penultimate track.

Typhoon, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

An impressive nine-piece band: two violins, two guitars, bass, two trumpets, ukelele and drums. A fun live band, with the trumpets and drums and vocals that were a bit Counting Crows.

Other SXSW 2012 reviews:

Rhett Miller, Paste party, Stage at Sixth, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
D/R/U/G/S, Latitude, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Joe 'King' Carrasco, Skinny's Ballroom
Howler, Bar 96, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
The Love Language, Frank, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Kimya Dawson, Belmont

Lost Lander, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

A lovely set. Icy keyboard parts and plucked guitar lines, with big thunderous, pounding, spacious drums created some great dynamics and some powerful driving rhythms. The male and female voices melded together well and they had solid songs.Some rocking guitar solos too. And a haunting cover of 'State Trooper', followed by two great, rocking songs. All quite a surprise having read the strange biog on the app.

Other SXSW 2012 reviews:

Rhett Miller, Paste party, Stage at Sixth, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
D/R/U/G/S, Latitude, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Joe 'King' Carrasco, Skinny's Ballroom
Howler, Bar 96, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
The Love Language, Frank, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Kimya Dawson, Belmont

Great Lake Swimmers, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

Plucked arpeggios, soft harmonies, violin, acoustic guitar and double bass. They played songs off the new album and a lovely Gram Parsons cover.

Other SXSW 2012 reviews:

Alberta Cross, Bar 96, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Savoire Adore, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Dutch Uncles, Latitude, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Band of Skulls, 14 March 2012, Haven, Austin, SXSW 2012
Imperial Teen, Frank, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Jeffrey Lewis, Belmont

Savoire Adore, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

Moved from Gary Numan-style synth pop to Smashing Pumpkins-style rock. Closed with a great cover of 'I would die 4 U'.

Other SXSW 2012 reviews:

Motion City Soundtrack, Latitude 30, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Glen Hansard, Paste party, Stage at Sixth, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Maps and Atlases, Paste party, Stage at Sixth, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Will Sheff (from Okkervil River), Belmont
Alejandro Escovedo, ACL Moody Theatre, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Jesse Malin, Cedar Street Courtyard, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012

Dutch Uncles, Latitude, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

Other SXSW 2012 reviews:

Rhett Miller, Paste party, Stage at Sixth, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
D/R/U/G/S, Latitude, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Joe 'King' Carrasco, Skinny's Ballroom
Howler, Bar 96, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012
The Love Language, Frank, 16 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Kimya Dawson, Belmont

The Dunwells, Latitude, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012

Campfire acoustic rock, with five-part harmonies, like a more folky Gomez. They had some good upbeat tunes, with sing-along and footstomping bits. There were a few songs that sounded like singles, and they managed to play a lovely quiet number as they had some time after the last planned number. A good set with strong songs and the band were very personable.

Other SXSW 2012 reviews:

Blondfire, 1100 Warehouse
Lost Lander, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Jukebox the Ghost, Swan Dive, Austin, 17 March 2012, SXSW 2012
Frank Turner, Latitude
Caveman, Belmont
Planes, Speakeasy, Austin, 15 March 2012, SXSW 2012