What's Shakin' on the Hill

John Grant performs with Midlake at the Central Presbyterian Church in Austin. Mojo loves it!

(c) Roberta Bayley

Great interview posted, with some fantastic youtube clips.

“YOU’LL INSTANTLY FALL IN LOVE” – DROWNED IN SOUND

A rust-covered King Kong and life-sized dinosaurs populate the dreamlike setting of Heidi Spencer & The Rare Birds’ new video, “While It’s Shining.” The song is from the group’s Bella Union Debut, ‘Under Streetlight Glow’ (out 3/29). Sean Kafer directed the video.

Filmed along the highways of Wisconsin, Spencer’s home state, the video exhibits the eccentric collections of M. Schettl Sales in Oshkosh, a purveyor of oddball lawn ornaments and oversized novelty statues. The video also features footage at Forevertron, the world’s largest scrap metal sculpture.

“While It’s Shining” captures the astonishing and often haunting qualities of roadside monuments familiar to those who travel through the Midwest. Spencer herself spent years on the road, living in a total of 12 states (often in her car), before settling down to record ‘Under Streetlight Glow’ in Milwaukee.

Heidi Spencer & the Rare Birds will announce their SXSW shows shortly.

Photo (c) Roberta Bayley

Rollingstone.com has posted “Endless Grey Ribbon” from the forthcoming reissue of Labour of Lust here.

When Los Straitjackets go on the road, its usually just 4 guys in a van. But once in a while the band brings someone to sell merch.  The current favorite person to have along is Ian Carlton– architect of the world famous Cropseyville sound.  You probably haven’t heard of this ‘sound’ as of yet– but don’t worry someday you will.  The only known practioners are Ian and the Aztecs.

It’s a mysterious place where the ghost of Huey Piano Smith and the spirit of The Sonics mingle freely and recording technology remains hopelessly murky.

On Halloween a masked, caped marauder lept onstage with Los Straitjackets (while the merch table apparently remained un-manned). Here are the results thanks to the quick-thinking camera work of one Unsteady Freddie.