Unfortunately, timing with work won't allow me to take my annual trip to Austin for SXSW this year. I'll miss posting up at the ABP parking lot, hanging out at Friends & Allies and Lazarus, grabbing eats at Hi Hat, and catching some amazing shows.

I know there are more than enough recommendations to go by, but here are some from me >

My introduction to Restorations is LP5000. I expect you're eyes rolling and saying "That's horse shit." (cuz LP3 may be better). I understand, so I quickly ordered LP1, 3, and 5000 off Tiny Engines. I should probably buy 2, too. Anyway, Restorations is fucking good. 5000 is fucking good. I associate the sound and mood of 5000 as a cross between NJ anthem and New England emo (they're actually Philly). I pulled up the lyrics and digested a bit more. I uttered a "woh. oh." to myself out loud. The pictures painted through words tell a story more similar to a stage being set than the act about to be played.

Punknews.org 4/5 | Pitchfork 7.3 | New Noise 4/5 | Dying Scene 4.5/5

Listen on Spotify.

It’s fucked. It’s weird. It’s fucking weird. Put two groups in the same room together, but let them keep their styles without compromise. Teatime Dub Encounters sounds like an after the after-party, late night rager session between friends that picked up some new electronic equipment. Your parents are yelling down in the basement, “It’s fucking 4 in the morning! Shut that shit off before I come down there and smash everything over your fucking heads!” And that’s why it’s good. They let go. Fully. Shouldn’t you? It’s time to get wasted, grab a mic (that’s not connected to anything) in one hand, a bottle of Jack in the other, and jump all over your couches like the wild unleashed animal you are!

Pitchfork 4.7 | Metacritic 65 | CoS C- | Drowned In Sound 8/10 | Guardian 3/5

Listen on Spotify.

Real. Loud. Raw. Real Loud, Real Raw, and Really Real. Bully's "Losing" is out on Sub Pop records. Its driving, wall-of-sound feel will keep your memory fresh of how good things can be when you finally pull off something big. When it takes so many times failing before finding success, you know it's worth it. Losing feels like something that should be the soundtrack to an entire skate video, played very loud. And you can pick it up while waiting for your flight out of SEA back to BNA and Two Rivers park.

Pitchfork 7.2 | Metacritic 74 | CoS B- | NME 4/5 | Rolling Stone 3.5/5 | DIY 4/5

Listen on Spotify.

I'm late to the game. Wolf Alice has been playing and touring for quite some time. I've passed them by thinking it's that band that came up on my radar now and again that I can't remember the name of - something "wolf" in it?... Wolf Parade? Wolfmother? Fucking idiot. I'm sure all these bands would be equally ready to make me bite the curb in order to remember their names printed on the disc spines. Wolf Alice is the shark waiting in the murky pool of indie of music. Just enough pop to lure you close to the edge. You can't see what's in the water, so you get down on your chest for a closer look. And while smiling at your own reflection, the shark comes up and bites your fucking head off.

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