If the Red Elvises …

• were from Portugal
• were more political
• rocked harder
• dropped the M F bomb constantly …

they’d be Kalashnikov.

If you’re going to play at SXSW, you need to do some hoof work. Or if you have People, have your People do your hoof work for you.

Showcase listings on the SXSW web site:

• get a picture on there
• get some text on there
• put an audio file up there

And get a website that’s not myspace. I usually avoid Austin bands, but especially ones who ignore more than one of the above “show a little work” rules. This means you, Evangelicals!

Ditto, Scott Biram, Stanton Meadowdale, Houston’s own Studemont Project, High Class Elite (who had one of last year’s best sounding songs, and worst shows).

Oddly, whilst listing to the SXSW bittorrent I’ve decided that I like bands that self-identify as Electronic, but actually use a liberal amount of guitar.

On exhibit: Capitol K from London – Drum St Song[mp3]

As a foil, here’s a self-identifying Rock band with electronic elements. Excellent as well. Cassettes Won’t Listen – Paper Float [mp3]

I love how California Punk means Teen Pop.

Exhibit A: Army of Freshman, Ventura, CA.

Co-founders of the “Get Happy Tour”. Why are they listed at SXSW as Punk?

I don’t know why, but UK’s Bearsuit [mp3], with it’s orchestral poppiness is reminding me of Houston’s Black Math Experiment, which is neither orchestral or poppy.

I think perhaps because they both wear their geek on their sleeves.

“OMG, he broke up with me…”

“… who’s that girl on his myspace?”

Emo Phillips (it’s the name of the song)

Carl and Arrah signed up for open mic night back in December of 2005 without having any songs written. They quickly gathered to prepare (while a certain vegan friend of theirs was being dumped in the other room). To their surprise, they made a little “evan on earth,” thus wanting to share the experience with their best friend in the whole wide world, David Segedy. With much cajoling, Arrah and Carl got Dave to join the open mic adventure. One would think it ended there but no, it was just the beginning. Shortly after, the bandname was prescribed–making it official. It was a band. It was love.

And then they added a forth member, a swanky bass player, in the summer of 2007. His name is Joey Patrick. He’s orange and everyone loves him. He makes a great fern (the tallest fern of them all), and hopefully you will agree.