Welsh shoop-pop darlings, The School, are in the studio this week to begin work on their debut LP. It is already in the running for album of the year in my book and it doesn’t even exist yet. I have posted several links to their MySpace because not enough of you followed the one I posted in this entry. Seriously, since I posted that entry, their music has been running through my head nonstop. I have a Belle & Sebastian / Tilly & the Wall type love for this band. They had better release this LP soon, because I’m getting antsy.
Speaking of which, I still can’t find the new St. Vincent record and it’s starting to get annoying. One more indie store left to check, otherwise I just have to wait and browse incessantly.
So, no St. Vincent post (again), but I’ve got something equally fabulous for you. I went to my first Manchester Orchestra show last night, and not just because, apparently Andy’s father (at least I think it’s him) serves on some board with my uncle and my dad, but because I was promised it would be the best show of my life. So maybe Jeremy was wrong and it wasn’t the best, but was a great show. The most impressive thing being that, for the first time in years, I saw three amazing opening acts who, in my mind, were on par with the headliner. You ought to check them all out:
We will get to all of them eventually, but for now I want to focus on Winston Audio because they took the stage first and, due to a scheduling mix-up on my part, I missed half of their set. If you are planning to attend any of the remaining dates on this tour, do not, make that mistake. (And if you are not planning to be there, change your plans and get there on time.) We are talking solid rock here, like a blues infused southern grunge, cleaned up but still sufficiently scruffy. Think of something on the heavier side of Consolers of the Lonely era Raconteurs, minus the electric presence of Jack White. (This is no fault of Winston Audio, of course, there are maybe three people in the world who can begin to approach that Jack White aura.) I am posting a video below. The sound is kind of tenuous, but listen closely and you might hear a tinge of “Carolina Drama”. Of course, you could visit their MySpace to here a higher quality recording from their new album, The Red Rhythm.
Seriously, catch this tour if it comes anywhere near you, it is a power-packed lineup. Winston Audio will also be heading out on the road again in late summer, in August, I believe.
The Indie Handbook 