Royal Scams take on ATG favorite Fort Lean with their rendition of the Neon Gold-released single, “Sunsick”. Royal Scams capture the energy of the original, ball it up into a high-density cluster of dance, and light the fuse until this monster of a remix explodes in your ear canal at three minutes in. Imagine a black hole ripping apart a star and you’ll have an idea of what you’re in for. Pretty sure Neil deGrasse Tyson is using this one to soundtrack his next TED talk.

MP3: Fort Lean – Sunsick (Royal Scams Remix)

Let’s be honest. You like Grimes. You like her music a lot. But to fully appreciate Claire Boucher’s work, you have to also acknowledge the visual and performance art that makes her act what it is. The Canadian songstress’ new video for “Nightmusic” embodies this total art experience.  Equal parts Game of Thrones, Tron and the Hunger Games, one run through this stunning video and you’ll be a step closer to knowing what Grimes is all about.

Over the last few years, the state of Wisconsin has been churning out new American folk acts at an unprecedented rate. Field Report is the latest concoction from the Badger state. The band is the project of Chris Porterfield, formerly of Justin Vernon/Megafaun’s band DeYarmond Edison. When the band broke up, Porterfield stayed in Wisconsin and began writing his own songs. He has created something similar to his former bandmates, yet starker, combining guitars and echoing vocals in uniquely haunting ways. The lyrics are introspective, with lines like “They were blocking out the clouded out son/while he was hoping against a daughter” and “I could have been a preacher/if I suffered fools.” Porterfield paints the scene and lets the harmonies carry the message through the rest of the song.

MP3: Field Report – “Fergus Falls”
MP3: Field Report – “I Am Not Waiting Anymore”

ATG has previously expressed their deep love and affection for Luke Temple and his cohorts in Here We Go Magic. The group is back with a brand new song, “How Do I Know,” just in time for the summer. “How Do I Know” is a clever exercise in crescendos, slowly building up an upbeat guitar riff until the track explodes into a indie pop masterpiece worthy of soundtracking the season’s turn. Here We Go Magic’s album, A Different Ship, comes out May 8th on Secretly Canadian.

STREAM:  Here We Go Magic – How Do I Know

As frontman Alex Schaaf noted at the beginning of their set, this was Yellow Ostrich’s third time playing at Black Cat but their first time headlining. The sold out crowd at Black Cat seemed to realize the subtle significance of this statement. The band’s popularity has changed quite a bit since recording Strange Land. The critically acclaimed album has put them on a clear path to indie stardom. Their inclusion in this year’s Lollapalooza line-up should be enough proof. Needless to say, last night, their fans were psyched.

The first thing you notice about Yellow Ostrich is that, for three members, they have a lot of gear. I counted at least 40 foot pedals, three different horns, and a steel pedal guitar to go along with the traditional set of instruments. Once the show kicked off, it was impressive to watch Schaaf and multi-instrumentalist Jon Natchez harmonize and play off each other in innumerable ways. The way they kept track of so many things at once, you would think in another life they were air traffic controllers.

The set started with “Whale”, a surprise from Schaaf’s first album, The Mistress.  Schaaf’s superb vocals were in full display from the get go, and drummer Michael Tapper’s minimalist kit somehow provided for some complex percussion. By the time “Marathon Runner” rolled around, the entire crowd joined the band in singing every, single, word. “Daughter” and “Elephant King” brought a good amount of energy into the show, and pretty much everyone was frothing at the end as they listened to “The Shakedown”. The encore started with a nice surprise version of The Talking Heads’ “Heaven” and closed out with a powerful rendition of “Mary”.

All in all, a great set from an up-and-comer on the indie circuit. They are a talented trio, destined for the main stage when they come back to the District. Check out some pictures from the show after the jump.

MP3: Yellow Ostrich – Marathon Runner

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Yesterday, we featured Hundred Visions’ versatile Last Cab from Tunis EP. Last night, I went to see the band live at Rock N Roll Hotel and they did not disappoint. They came out, guns blazing, with “Red Tide”, the second song from the EP. The crowd was instantly energized, sucked into the vortex of vocal reverb and smashing drums. It set the tone for the rest of the night. Frontman Ben Maddox shined on “Last Cab from Tunis”, which was split with an unreleased song, “Regina”.

I knew that their songs had a lot of force behind them, but I was still surprised at the intensity they brought to the stage. The crowd had filled out by the end of the set and heeded the band’s request to “make it hot and sweaty so that we feel like we are back in Austin”. By their last song, the entire place was dancing and jumping.

There was no sacrifice in quality in their live sound and it’s a testament to their musicianship that they were able to replicate their album cuts with such ease onstage. This is a band to keep your eye on in 2012. Check out some pictures from the show after the jump.

STREAM: Hundred Visions – Red Tide

Only a year and a half after the Arab Spring, you could be forgiven for thinking this post might be a short polemic on the state of freedom in the Middle East. To those of you looking for some foreign policy analysis: sorry, but we hope you’ll find some music by Austin’s Hundred Visions to be a suitable replacement.

I decided to give Hundred Visions’ EP, Last Cab From Tunis, a whirl per my editor’s suggestion. It was a recommendation worth heeding. The title track takes all but five seconds to grab you by the collar and suck you into its funky, experimental sound. It starts off with a bang, two power chords, and quickly gets into the nitty gritty with alternating staccato and holding notes before an abrupt end. ”Red Tide” immediately picks up where “Last Cab From Tunis” leaves off while “The Light That Starts The Day” brings the EP to a more traditional conclusion. Last Cab From Tunis is a great display of Hundred Visions’ musicianship, especially frontman Ben Maddox’s harmonies and vocal versatility.

Catch Hundred Visions tonight at Rock and Roll Hotel with White Denim. Doors at 8 p.m., show starts at 8:30 p.m.

STREAM: Hundred Visions – Last Cab From Tunis

Until recently, the Alabama Shakes were seen as up-and-comers, ready to take the music industry by storm with a mixture of fury and vigor. The band has since taken things to the next level, blowing the music industry away with their showmanship and uncanny technical proficiency. The blues ooze through the band’s much-lauded single “Hold On” and the video stays true to what makes them successful: a relentless release of honesty. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but it encapsulates everything you need to know about the band. Their new album, Boys & Girls, comes out April 10 on ATO Records.

STREAM: Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”

Have you ever gone to a museum and wondered what the paintings would be like if they came to life? Regina Spektor has and lays out her vision of such an event in the video for her single, “All The Rowboats.” The single comes off her upcoming sixth LP, What We Saw From The Cheap Seats. It has all the ingredients we have come to expect from the Russian-American musician: catchy lyrics, bright vocals, brooding piano and the occasional irreverent “la-da-da.” The video uses stop-motion, chiaroscuro lighting and light sticks to make some pretty sweet effects. Check it out if you are into art, piano or rope. What We Saw From the Cheap Seats drops May 29th via Sire/Warner Bros.

STREAM: Regina Spektor  - “All The Rowboats”

Sometimes the last place I want to be is in this urban metropolis. You feel me? With more than fifty percent of the world’s population living in cities, it was only a matter of time before indie rock got the blues.

The Seattle outfit Whalebones takes my thoughts and expresses them concretely in their video for “I Don’t Wanna Live in the City No More”. The blues-inspired guitar riff rolls along while the bass line adds subtle flourishes between psychedelic guitar solos. It’s an ode to the simple life. The bygone era when you lived for yourself, and by yourself.

STREAM: Whalebones – “I Don’t Wann Live In The City No More”