Culture Greyhound

Diplo’s Express Yourself EP (above) drops June 12th, and this excellent new track is the first track available for your dancing pleasure. Crank it.

New leaked track from the San Fran/Brooklyn electronic indie pop group. Diver drops May 29.

As far as the Big Four fests go, Coachella is the crazy raving cousin, Lolla is your favorite big city hipster friend, Bonnaroo is that jamming stoner uncle who lives in the woods, and ACL? Well, it continues to be your baby boomin’ dad, grasping for relevancy but always missing the mark. After a stellar lineup in Indio, which expanded to two weekends this year, and acceptable rosters from ‘roo and C3’s Chicago party, we hoped the hometown fest would resemble what has come before, especially considering C3 is in charge of it as well. We do this every year, knowing in the back of our minds it won’t be so, but still we hope. And year after year, we are predictably disappointed.

Let’s be clear: this lineup does NOT SUCK. In truth, ACL never is a clear-cut bomb. But is any diverse major festival? There are some gems in here; the headliners are all good, for a change. There’s some great bands playing throughout all three days. Are they worth the Texas heat, the packed crowds, the overpriced everything, the $200 price tag? This lineup is not the worst. But overall, it’s not good either. It’s bland. Middle of the road. Phoned in. Leftover. Uninspired. Underwhelming. In a word: meh.

I suppose the biggest problem I have with ACL is its desperate need to satisfy everyone more than any other festival. This is a geographical, demographic factor; Lolla is in the heart of the third biggest city in the country. People travel to spacious areas in the California desert and Tennessee country to see their favorites. ACL is in Austin, a diverse, cultured, unique Democratic town in the heart of big red Texas. So we get more bluegrass, more classic rock, more local mediocrity, more twee, and more Triple A indie. And then you see a random dance or hip-hop act just to maintain this obligatory sense of credibility (this year it’s A-Trak and Childish Gambino….I saw both last November in a smaller park down the road. Fun Fun Fun wins again). I don’t know how many times last year I heard complaints the lineup had too much rap. Too much? It didn’t have enough. Never does. Just once I’d like to see ACL take more risks and maybe let Asleep At the Wheel sit a year out so a progressive sound could blow some gray hair back.

I get it, though, why try? ACL is programmed with an “if it ain’t broke” mentality, and it continues to sell tickets. No business like show business. Then again, when over half of said tickets are sold out before the lineup is even announced, you know people aren’t coming for the music anyway. And the people that actually care, that bought their tickets today? That will endure sunscreen and empty wallets and hoards of idiocy of all ages? More power to you. That’s dedication. Stay hydrated, and maybe I’ll see you at the afterparties.

Click here for the full lineup, currently organized by date.

Enjoy this post, gamers, because unless we’re talking about DOOM, Goldeneye, or Grand Theft Auto (or at least the soundtracks), this will likely be the first and last time you see me posting about video games. And really the only reason it’s happening it today is because it involves the continuing, inevitable, in-progress rise to domination of Compton MC Kendrick Lamar. He’s dropped another excellent track, available on the soundtrack to the game Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, which will be released tomorrow, May 22. Download below and enjoy.

Kendrick Lamar – War Is My Love

Tonight I embark downtown to get the headliner treatment from one of my favorite groups ever, M83. I finally saw them live for the first time at FunFunFun Fest this year, along with the biggest crowd of that weekend. It will be awesome to hear a full, proper concert set from the group, and with an awesome up-and-coming opener like I Break Horses (who released one of my favorite albums of 2011), the entire evening is sure to be one to remember. And did I mention I love Stubb’s?

With a lineup as good as this year’s there was bound to be some conflicts, and I suppose it could be worse. Yesterday Free Press Summerfest announced the official schedule for their two-day outing in downtown Houston, and my tickets have been bought! You should grab yours soon before they’re gone. But after that, you have decisions to make.

There’s some good overlap and the park is small enough to walk easily, similar to Fun Fun Fun Fest, which I appreciate. However, if you wanna catch full sets, you’re gonna have to make sacrifices. Will you watch Snoop Dogg or the Flaming Lips? Major Lazer or Erykah Badu? Diplo, Morris Day, or Phantogram? Best Coast or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? Maybe you wanna skip all the big Saturday evening stuff and catch Jeff the Brotherhood? And then there’s Sunday, which includes time overlaps with Willie Nelson, The Descendants, Primus, The Avett Brothers, Big Freedia, Danny Brown, Shabazz Palaces, and Austin’s own Ume. Another great festival proves to the masses: it’s hard work having so much fun. Whatever you decide come the first weekend in June, make sure you stay hydrated. Houston is a hot, muggy mess.

One of my favorite albums of 2010 was the self-titled debut from Fang Island, a grandiose epic-sounding math-rock trio from Rhode Island. They return on July 24th with their sophomore effort Major (that’s the album art above). Take a listen to the first leaked track “Asunder” over at Consequence of Sound and take a peak at the tracklist below.

01. Kindergarten
02. Sisterly
03. Seek it Out
04. Make Me
05. Never Understand
06. Asunder
07. Dooney Rock
08. Regalia
09. Chompers
10. Chime Out
11. Victorinian

Like the rest of the Internet, I’ve become somewhat obsessed all over again with the Beastie Boys after the sudden passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch. As a tribute, director James Winters enlisted the help from a few young relatives to recreate the revolutionary Spike Jones video for “Sabotage,” offering a heartfelt, hilarious, and incredibly adorable spin on the 70’s cop show sendup. It’s without a doubt the coolest thing you will see all week.

Compare it to the original, still awesome after all these years.

Today I embark to Arlington for a couple of days to catch the American Idiot musical and watch my mighty Rangers, who just clinched another series handily, this time against the Baltimore Orioles. In case you missed it, Josh Hamilton made history a few games ago, knocking out four home runs, a double, and 8 RBIs. I look forward to seeing him destroy the red hot Angels, as former Ranger CJ Wilson makes his first trip back to Texas to combat our star rookie pitcher Yu Darvish. It’s gonna be a wonderful evening.

Watch Hamilton’s amazing night here.