UK trio Band Of Skulls formed while in college and worked for about a year and a half to craft their debut record Baby Darling Doll Face Honey.

Since its release earlier this year, the album has quietly sold almost 20,000 copies in the U.S. alone and the band has completed three North American tours.

Our Lounge Act session was recorded right as the band were finishing up a tour with Metric. After a sold-out Austin show, Russell, Matt and Emma woke up early to come record this stripped down set for us.

All four tracks in this performance can be found in their studio versions on Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, available now from Shangri-La.

Track Listing:
- interview -
Fires
Patterns
Impossible
Honest

Band Of Skulls – Honest (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Band Of Skulls – Impossible (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Band Of Skulls – Fires (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Band Of Skulls – Patterns (WOXY.com Lounge Act)

Band Of Skulls – WOXY.com Lounge Act (full session download)

As we approach the end of the decade, we thought it would be fun to dig into our Lounge Act archives and unearth a few sessions for you that you may not have heard for awhile. Or in alot of cases, you may not know we even recorded.

Today, we jump back to the summer of 2005 for this session with The National. Below is a brief synopsis written at the time along with a tracklist and stream of the entire session and interview. Enjoy!

The guys in The National got their start here in Cincinnati, then relocated to NYC to seek fame & fortune. They made a huge step forward with their third full-length, Alligator, in 2005 and feature several tracks from it during a session played in front of friends and family in the Lounge.

Track Listing:
Secret Meeting
90-Mile Water Wall
-Interview-
Looking For Astronauts
Abel

As we approach the end of the decade, we thought it would be fun to dig into our Lounge Act archives and unearth a few sessions for you that you may not have heard for awhile. Or in alot of cases, you may not know we even recorded.

Today, we jump back to the summer of 2005 for this session with Neko Case. Below is a brief synopsis written at the time along with a tracklist and stream of the entire session and interview. Enjoy!

—–

Our station hound, Buster, saved the day for this session with the beautiful Neko Case. Arriving tired from a day’s long drive, her spirits shot up when given a chance to play with everyone’s favorite rock & roll radio dog!

Neko talks to Mike about her musical influences growing up, and future plans not only for herself but also of her other band, The New Pornographers.

Track Listing:
-Interview-
Favorite
Outro With Bees
-Interview-

Vinyl sales continued to rise in 2009 as the format enjoys a renaissance of sorts in the latter half of the decade. There are always loads of great vinyl ideas floating around, and now that big retailers are in the vinyl game, the choices and prices are more and more interesting and competitive. If you have a vinyl enthusiast on your list this year, here are some special vinyl packages they might like, along with some must have accessories.

Tom Waits – Orphans Vinyl Box Set – With seven LPs of 180 gram vinyl, six previously unreleased songs, a 32-page book featuring lyrics and insight, and a beautiful hardbound box, the collection captures the full scope of Tom Waits’ shamanic powers as a vocalist, literary lyricist, romantic melodist, innovative arranger and pioneer of sonic worlds. The set, which took over three years to compile and record, is grouped by genre with songs guaranteed to move and shake the heart, the body, the mind and most unquestionably the soul. Each of the albums separately arranged and subtitled – “Brawlers,” “Bawlers” and “Bastards” to encapsulate the full range of Waits’ nomadic scope of musical styles.

Beck – The Information Vinyl Box Set – This release contains all 24 tracks from the deluxe CD version of the information on 4 – 12″ 180 gram virgin vinyl records, and 1 – 10″ 140 gram virgin vinyl record (5 LP’s total).

RJD2 Vinyl Box Set 2002-2010 – Vinyl versions of ”Dead Ringer” LP, ”The Horror EP” (first time on vinyl!) ”Since We Last Spoke” LP, and the exclusive ”Tin Foil Hat” EP. (7 unreleased RJD2 songs spanning the eras of the first 3 RJD2 releases!) Hand silk screen RJD2 poster, signed and numbered by the dude himself.

Pavement – Brighten The Corners 4 LP Deluxe Box – This four-LP vinyl box set includes eight extra tracks not on the CD, five of which are previously unreleased, plus one great unreleased song. Also includes material from the CD version: the remastered original twelve song album, ten non-album B-sides, ten outtakes, and fourteen live radio session tracks. Super deluxe M-Pak accordion style box set, 16-page, 12″ x 12″ full color booklet, MP3 coupon, and huge essay by New Yorker critic Alex Ross.

Old 97’s – Wreck Your Life…And Then Some – The Complete Bloodshot Recordings – Limited Edition Double LP in a snazzy gate fold jacket.Wreck Your Life, originally released in 1995, documented a band hitting its stride, the confidence growing as quickly as the crowds. Roots-Rock-Scares come and go, but the kind of energy, lyrical talent and inventive alchemical acumen that Wreck Your Life has in spades never falls from favor.Includes the full length Wreck Your Life (never before available on vinyl), 7′ singles and compilation tracks.Comes with a complete mp3 download card.A special release in conjunction with our 15th anniversary celebrations.

Arctic Monkeys – Live At Apollo Box LP & DVD – Exclusive live album recorded in Texas in 2006 is pressed on deluxe 180 gram vinyl. Also included is the Arctic Monkeys at The Apollo DVD, original theatrical film poster and a set of 4 band portrait postcard prints by acclaimed artist Pete McKee.

The Rolling Stones – Get Your Ya Yas Out – 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set – Features three 180 gram audiophile quality vinyl LPs (one side of which features an etched replica of the album’s key art, with signatures from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor), 3 CDs that mirror the exact content on the LPs, 1 DVD, a 12 X 12/56-page Collector’s Book and a 12 X 12 replica of the original 1969 poster by Grammy Award winning artist David Edward Byrd, whose works include the commemorative poster from the original Woodstock Festival and the historic Fillmore East posters from 1968 to 1971.

John Vanderslice Reissues – Pixel Revolt, Cellar Door, Time Travel Is Lonely, & Life and Death Of An American Fourtracker have all been reissued on high quality 180 gram vinyl. These items have been out of print for years. Fourtracker and Pixel Revolt have bonus tracks, Pixel is a double 45rpm gatefold. Afternoon has a reissue package that includes all four records for $70. Includes original artwork and comes with mp3 download code.

Austin Psych Fest 2, a film documenting 2009’s Psych Festival, is being released on DVD. Join us for a screening at Christmas Cacophony, happening Dec. 19 at the Mohawk. The movie will screen at 8 p.m. and will be on sale at the event. The music starts after the movie.

Produced by Alta Real Pictures and directed by Oswald James the DVD features performances by A Place to Bury Strangers, Dead Meadow, The Black Angels, and more. Extra Features include additional festival performances and a documentary on Sky Sunlight Saxon, of the legendary 60s rock group the Seeds, and his last band The World Spirits.

Live music and mind-expanding visuals courtesy of Shapes Have Fangs, Viet Minh, Horse + Donkey and The Ghost Songs. We’ve had our eyes on Shapes Have Fangs for a while, watching their sound evolve into what it is today: a brightly lit homage to the Kinks and all that’s good about psych pop, topped off by a riveting live show. The rest of the lineup is equally strong — we’re particularly pleased to see Horse + Donkey on the bill, considering we thought we saw their last show sometime in 2008.

WOXY, Sailor Jerry’s and Laced with Romance are proud to sponsor this incredible event. Cost is just a mere $5, and the event includes a Holiday Photo Booth and Vintage Fashion Boutique. For a chance to win a pair of free tickets, email us at woxycontests @ gmail dot com and use the subject line “Christmas”.

As we approach the end of the decade, we thought it would be fun to dig into our Lounge Act archives and unearth a few sessions for you that you may not have heard for awhile. Or in alot of cases, you may not know we even recorded.

Today, we jump back to the summer of 2005 for this session with The Fiery Furnaces. Below is a brief synopsis written at the time along with a tracklist and stream of the entire session and interview. Enjoy!

The Fiery Furnaces (siblings Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger) stopped in for a loose and entertainingly unstructured session in the Lounge. They play a few unreleased tunes and also talk about their ambitious Rehearsing My Chorus CD.

As we approach the end of the decade, we thought it would be fun to dig into our Lounge Act archives and unearth a few sessions for you that you may not have heard for awhile. Or in alot of cases, you may not know we even recorded.

Today, we jump back to the summer of 2005 for this session with The Hold Steady. Before the band released Boys And Girls In America and became of one of the best bar bands in the country they stopped in for a session in our Cincinnati studios. Below is a brief synopsis written at the time along with a tracklist and stream of the entire session and interview. Enjoy!

Possessing one of the most distinct voices in any genre of music, here’s a chance to hear Craig Finn lead The Hold Steady through a stripped down set in the Lounge. Craig also talks about the break-up of his old band Lifter Puller, and his subsequent relocation from Minnesota to New York City.

Track Listing:
Your Little Hoodrat Friend
Don’t Let Me Explode
-Interview-
Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
Certain Songs

You might have been with us during ACL weekend when we presented Broken Social Scene at the Seaholm on a grand outdoor stage, but if you missed it, you’ve got another chance to check out this truly impressive space for New Year’s Eve. We’re partnering with Rare Events to bring you Flosstradamus, Car Stereo (Wars) and our own Matt Shiv doing DJ sets inside the gorgeous art deco Seaholm power plant.

Ticket price includes bountiful hors d’oeuvres & treats from Austin’s best restaurants throughout the night, as well as complimentary champagne and a cash bar for cocktails & beer. Comfortable lounges, brilliant light shows with a LED video board countdown, the best view of the downtown fireworks, and the best dance party in the southwest are just a few of the amenities at Seaholm.

Flosstradamus, the oft-mentioned Chicago DJ duo comprised of J2K (Josh Young) and Autobot (Curt Cameruci) have been dominating the party scene nationwide with their tag-team DJ sets (3 turntables, 2 mixers) for just over a year and show no signs of slowing down. Both established DJs in Chicago prior to their alliance as Flosstradamus, J2K and Autobot initially linked up while DJing a house party together in 2005, decided to start performing as a duo, and the rest is history. Gathering vast influences from their respective backgrounds in punk and hip-hop, Flosstradamus brought normally divided crowds together with their unique mixes of Baltimore club, hip-hop, house, obscure remixes, and juke. A monthly party soon followed (“Get Outta The Hood”) at Chicago’s Town Hall Pub, and within a year Flosstradamus turned a stagnant bar into the proverbial place-to-be, lines stretching down the block while sweaty kids crowd surf and get down inside. National press soon began to take notice, with features in URB (“Next 100 for 2006”), MTV (featured in “My Block”), and The Fader. Other recent accolades of note include 2006 appearances at SXSW, CMJ, Pitchfork Festival, Pop Montreal, parties for VICE, The Fader, Jane Magazine, DKNY, URB, and Puma, not to mention performances with Clipse, Common, and Rick Ross.

In the coming year, Flosstradamus plan to show off the rest of their multifaceted talent. Coming soon will be a full length Flosstradamus LP with J2K and Autobot on production duties, a mixtape with up and coming rappers The Cool Kids, and a European tour with A-Trak and Kid Sister.

Mash-up DJ Chris Rose performs as Car Stereo (Wars) throughout the trendiest dance spots, where he delivers a pop culture buffet by pulling together interesting, high-energy song combinations that keep sweaty dancers on their feet. As the Statesman described him, Car Stereo (Wars) is a one man Big Bang, mash-up maestros like Girl Talk and Diplo, his full length, The Bandit, is the perfect party-starter better than anything your iPod Shuffle can dish out on its own.

Live at Seaholm: 2010 Uncorked
December 31, 3009 – 9:00 – 3:00 a.m.
With: Flosstradamus // Car Stereo (Wars) // SHIV
Buy your tickets here.
Email us at woxycontests @ gmail dot com for your chance to win a pair of tickets!

Read the rest of this entry »

Tis’ the season for holiday shopping and if you have a music enthusiast on your list, or if you just need somewhere to direct your friends and family who have no idea what you might want this year, you have come to the right place. Here is another stab at some Christmas gift ideas as the shopping days quickly disappear.

Today, we take a dive headfirst into some of the best of the best re-issues & box sets hitting store shelves right now. Some of these items are obviously expensive, and others are more affordable, have a look below at some of our recommendations.

The Beatles Stereo or Mono Box Sets –
Recently, the entire Beatles back catalouge was re-issued and re-mastered. This collection is not only huge and epic in nature, but it is also a really excellent re-master that Beatles fans will appreciate.
Includes – DVD of all 13 mini-documentaries – All 13 Studio remasters plus Past Masters – CDs packaged in three panel digi-pak with digital mini documentaries – CDs packaged as mini LP replicas (Mono Box)

Best Price – 175$ for the Stereo version n Amazon, Compare Prices Here. – 229$ for the Mono version on Amazon. Compare Prices Here.

Def Jam Recordings 25th Anniversary – It’s a historical landmark year for a historical label that helped launch the careers of LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, EPMD & Public Enemy among others. This anniversary box set throws them all into one nice package.

Includes – 5 CD’s featuring all of your Def Jam favorites – A Def Jam Addidas T-Shirt – A Def Jam 25 Mini Record Crate holding the CD’s.

Best Price – 42$ on Buy.com. Compare Prices Here.

Pixies – Minotaur Deluxe Edition – You may remember us giving a nice Pixies gift away earlier this year here, well for the hundreds that entered and did not win, it might be time to pony up for this box. A must have for the Pixies completist.

Includes – 5-CD + 6-Blu-ray + 6-DVD + 54 Page Book set – All artwork curated by legendary graphic designer Vaughan Oliver with photographer Simon Larbalestier.

Best Price – AINR Website. Compare Prices Here.

Of course, if you have 650 clams, you can up the anti and get the Limited Signed Edition.

Kraftwerk – The Catalouge – While you can win some of these items right now from us, if you don’t happen to be the lucky one, and you are a Kraftwerk fan, you gotta snag this. After all, it is the first ever re-mastering of all of Kraftwerks albums.

Includes - All 8 Kraftwerk albums exclusively created just for this box set in mini-LP style album packaging – Newly expanded artwork in the form of 8 large format 12 to 20 page booklets.

Best Price – 112$ on Juno Records Website – Compare Prices Here

Big Star – Keep An Eye On The Sky Box Set – This set contains 98 songs from the quintessential American power pop band. The collection uncovers a trove of unreleased demos, unused mixes, alternate versions of songs, and a 1973 concert recorded in Memphis.

Includes – 4 discs and 98 songs – A hardcover book with lots of photographs of the band through the years.

Best Price – 49$ At The Rhino Store
– Compare Prices Here

Nirvana – Live At Reading & Bleach Re-Issue – Nirvana’s historic 1992 Reading Festival appearance returns on a special CD & DVD companion set. The concert is one of the most bootlegged concerts in the annals of rock n’ roll and now an official copy is available.

Pair it with the recently re-issued version of the bands debut album Bleach (a deluxe edition with loads of goodies) and you have quite a gift for yourself or someone else.

Includes – Bleach is totally re-mastered and includes a live performance at Pine Street Theatre as well – Live At Reading is not only official audio of the performance, but a DVD with video as well.

Best Price – 25$ & 11$ on Amazon

Just when you thought that good ol’ straight ahead rock ‘n’ roll may have gone out of style, along comes Electric Tickle Machine to dismiss any such notion. The band’s comprised of four New Yorkers, who stopped by the Lounge during their first ever tour through Texas. Their self-released debut, Blew It Again, is a no frills, melodic, garage pop-rock record recorded in just 14 days by Matt Boynton, who has worked with Bat For Lashes, Gang Gang Dance, and Joseph Arthur.

In addition to good reviews for the album, ETM have also been earning notices for their energetic live show, which wasn’t quelled by performing in our Lounge. They offered up over half of Blew It Again in session and describe, in rather vivid detail, a shocking experience following a gig in Idaho during their conversation with Mike.

Track Listing:
-interview-
Gimme Money
Somethin Else
Blew It Again
Part Of Me
Honest Injun
Tongues Of Fire (Outro)

Electric Tickle Machine – Gimme Money (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Electric Tickle Machine – Somethin Else (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Electric Tickle Machine – Blew It Again (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Electric Tickle Machine – Part Of Me (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Electric Tickle Machine – Honest Injun / Tongues Of Fire(WOXY.com Lounge Act)

Electric Tickle Machine – WOXY.com Lounge Act (full session download)