Mumford & Sons were pretty tour-weary when they arrived at Offshore Music Recording Studios, Cardiff, Wales, to record their debut Lounge Act session for WOXY & The Waiting Room. Two of the band were battling colds & Marcus’ throat was about to pack it in following, what the others described as, partying out of their comfort zone with indie-rock outfit The Maccabees whom they had been on the road with for the better part of April & May.

With the finalisation of their debut album on the cards, & only 2 more gigs left of the tour, their dander was certainly up & they unleashed a barely muted fury as they launched into a damn near perfect session. Recorded with no fuss or posture, the band’s professionalism & energy impressed the studio engineer to exclaim it the best session he’d ever had the pleasure of.

What resulted from those two electric hours is a remarkably tight set from a band who, impressively, are unassuming & unaffected in the face of the mounting attention that their brilliant songs & live shows bring. They are a band humbly taken aback by the spotlight and, to some degree, steadfastly ignoring it in order to concentrate on what it is they’re here to do: play music.

Two syllables. Enjoy.

Track Listing:
Sigh No More (new/unreleased)
Little Lion Man
White Blank Page
I Gave You All (new/unreleased)
The Cave

Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More (WOXY.com Lounge Act / New-Unreleased)
Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Mumford & Sons – White Blank Page (WOXY.com Lounge Act)
Mumford & Sons – I Gave You All (WOXY.com Lounge Act /New- Unreleased)
Mumford & Sons – The Cave (WOXY.com Lounge Act)

Mumford & Sons – Live On WOXY.com (full session download)

Big Star was in born Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 to Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens and Andy Hummel. This month, Rhino released Keep an Eye on the Sky, a collection that spans 1968 to 1975 and shows the progression of Big Star through selections from such studio precursors as Rock City and Icewater; music from Big Star’s acclaimed recordings (#1 Record, Radio City, and Third/Sister Lovers); and relevant solo work by group principals Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, who formed Big Star in 1971 with bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens. The collection also uncovers a trove of unreleased demos, unused mixes, alternate versions of songs, and a 1973 concert recorded in Memphis. (Buy it at Rhino.)

All told there’s 98 tracks here, revealing the quiet brilliance and subtle influence the band has become known for over the years. Their unique blend of Brit-pop flavored American rock didn’t sell as well as some records of the ’70s, but as time goes by they garner more and more praise as catalysts for an entire wave of pop music. For fans, Keep an Eye on the Sky represents Big Star’s comeuppance, a well-deserved ode that’s been a long time coming. Gorgeous packaging includes never before seen photos, essays about the music, extensive liner notes and thoughts from the band. One in particular that caught our eye was from drummer Jody Stephens, who says, “Sure, it would’ve been nice to have been huge at the time. But, here we are, 30 years later, and Big Star is still playing, our music is turning up in movie soundtracks, and young people are still excited to discover the records. I mean, if that isn’t success, I don’t know what is.”

We agree. We took a moment to catch up with Stephen and talk about Ardent, the future of Big Star, and the success they’re enjoying now, never too late.

How has Ardent changed over the years?

With regard to the labels and our publishing company, the general focus is still on producing music we all like and connect with. With regard to the studios, technology has changed things quite a bit. Most clients use Pro Tools now, but we still have analog projects like The Raconteurs and The White Stripes. Jack White brought those projects to our engineer, John Hampton, on 8 track one inch analog tape. they mixed to 1/2 inch tape.

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(photo from Wilco @ Bonnaroo 2007, taken by Joe Long)

There is a brand new venue just north of Austin in Cedar Park that recently opened up for business. And next week, one of our favorite bands (and one of our favorite up and coming acts as well) will be taking the stage there to help open the new place.

Liam Finn and Eliza Jane will be opening up the evening, fresh off the release of their latest EP, Champagne Seashells. And your headliner for the night is Wilco, returning to the Austin area for the first time since their appearance at ACL in 2007.

And we want to send you and a friend to the show! To qualify for the tickets, send an email to woxy contests at gmail dot come with the subject line reading “Wilco.” Within the email, tell us what your favorite Wilco album is and why. We will select a winner in the middle of next week, so keep checking back here and listening to WOXY for details!

*****CONTEST CLOSED, THANKS FOR ENTERING!******

Future Sounds and WOXY.COM have teamed up on 4 nights of showcases at EXIT/INN and THE END at the 2009 Next Big Nashville conference beginning on October 7th – 11th.

Keeping true to our reputations, FS and WOXY have hand-picked artists that we’ve either supported previously or look forward to discovering for the first time over the course of the week at two great venues. Phosphorescent promises to drop Willie Nelson on you in an all new angle, while The Black Angels deliver Velvet Underground circa 1968 darkness, and the talented David Vandervelde makes you want to break out your T. Rex albums all over again. Up and comers like Other Girls, Bear IN Heaven and The Young Republic provide a glimpse of the future.

For more information on Next Big Nashville, the panels, the showcases and more information on these regional artists, visit the NBN web site.

Check out the lineups after the jump.

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In early 2008, Thao Nguyen released one of the pleasant surprises of the year with here debut album We Brave Bee Stings And All. For me, it was the album Cat Power should have made, complete with boot stomping attitude and witty lyrics. In the time since album number one, Thao and her band, The Get Down Stay Down, have toured the country a couple of times, played several festivals and now return for the follow up performance.

Thao shows off some of her intelligence and gives us insight into the album title when she says…

“The album is named Know Better Learn Faster because you can’t,” explains Thao. “By the time you realize you should, it’s too late. And I enjoy the predicament and the totally devastating, unfunny humor of that.”

While the title could be a commentary about love lost or missed opportunities, the new record is anything but a downer, mixing in the now signature stomps and handclaps with the sometimes sobering lyrics throughout. It’s this coexisting of heartbreak and celebration that drives the album as a whole too (see songs like “Body” for example.) Even down to the album cover art featuring a half blindfolded Nguyen in the midst of a huge party peeking out at a pinata that turns out to be a broken heart.

So don’t let this album fall below your radar like the first Thao album did for many, don’t let Know Better Learn Faster be here and gone before you realize how excellent it is. The album is out October 13 from Kill Rock Stars and Thao and company will be touring the country in support of it this fall.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – Know Better, Learn Faster

WOXY.com is presenting Broken Social Scene, Generationals and Corto Maltese tomorrow night here in Austin at the Seaholm Power Plant and we know lots of you RSVP’d for the event to get passes. Well, just in case you did not RSVP, here is how you can get in on the action!

This is a free event, so we encourage you to show up early. Doors are at 8.
Be advised, because the wristbands are for both nights, we distributed more than capacity.
Wristbands give you priority access over those without wristbands, however they do NOT guarantee access if we are at capacity!

Thank you for your overwhelming interest. We look forward to having you be a part of this historic event!

It’s almost that time of the year again, time for the annual CMJ Music Marathon in New York. And what comes along with the festival every year are the CMJ Awards. We are humbled and excited to once again be mentioned alongside so many other great radio stations and websites this year. From the CMJ website….

You picked ‘em, now here they are: The 2009 CMJ College Radio Award Nominees! Voting for the winners will take place during CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival at the CMJ booth and during College Day. Anyone with a CMJ badge can vote.

WOXY is up for two CMJ Awards this year…

Best Online Only Station & Best Website

A big thank you to all of our friends and colleagues that nominated us again this year!

It’s been a busy year for Cymbals Eat Guitars. The band self released their debut album, and have toured across the country playing loads of great shows to support it. The record got picked up by Sister’s Den Records and just got an official release this month. While out on the road with The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, the guys stopped in to our new studios for a guest DJ session recently, which you can listen to below.

Playlist

“Lasso” Phoenix
“I Go Crazy” Flesh For Lulu
“In The New Year” The Walkmen
“The Walls Are Coming Down” Fanfarlo
“Very First Lie” Material Issue
“Come Saturday” Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
“What’s Mine Is Yours” Sleater-Kinney
“Wooly Muffler” Harvey Danger
“I’ve Been Waiting” Matthew Sweet
“Distortions” Clinic
“Running Up That Hill” Kate Bush
“Prison On Route 41″ Calexico & Iron and Wine
“Postcards From Italy” Beirut
“Type Slowly” Pavement

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Plainclothes (Live On WOXY.com / new-unreleased)

A mere seven months after the release of his sophomore album Elvis Perkins In Dearland, Perkins returns this fall with a brand new EP. The EP, titled The Doomsday EP, begins with a familiar song to Perkins fans, the title track, which was also a song on the full length from earlier this year. Another version of Doomsday finishes the EP, but within the disc fans are treated to four brand new songs.

Perkins continues to churn out tunes that have a throwback feel to them on this EP, and shows his versatility as he touches on gospel folk with the song “Weeping Mary.” He also shares a song that would fit nicely alongside a rockabilly number from another Elvis with the track “Stop Drop Rock And Roll.” But the familiar sounds are far from sounding dated, and even on an EP like this, Perkins manages to charm the listener with his creativity and attention to detail.

The Doomsday EP is due out October 20th on XL Recordings, and Elvis and his band are hitting the road this fall as well. One of their stops is a WOXY Presents show on November 13th at The Parish here in Austin along with A.A. Bondy. The full listing of the fall tour is posted after the jump….

Elvis Perkins In Dearland – Slow Doomsday
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This event will be Free! To RSVP, for band updates, and to learn more details, keep checking: Live at Seaholm

WOXY is proud to announce Broken Social Scene, performing live at the Seaholm Power Plant on Cesar Chavez Friday, October 2nd. The show is completely free, and will start at 10 pm on Friday after ACL has closed for the evening and continue until 4 am. 4,000 people will be granted access to the event.

The decommissioned Seaholm Power Plant has been virtually out of reach for all Austinites since its construction in the 1950’s. For years, the Art Deco building has held a great deal of mystery to passersby due to its looming presence and restricted access. But things will change in October as Rare Magazine has been given the keys to the Seaholm and will host the first large scale public event to take place at the power plant on the nights of October 2nd and 3rd. WOXY is proud to present the first night with one of our favorite bands. VIP guests and attending artists will encounter an unrivaled experience, as the industrial mammoth is turned into a lounge and green room, complete with DJ’s, dance floor, and bar.

Broken Social Scene hail from Canada and their 19 person ensemble (including Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Sam Goldberg, Jason Collett, David Newfeld, Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, James Shaw, Evan Cranley, Amy Millan and more) will undoubtedly put on a show to remember at this unique space. Headed by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, the group’s atmospheric pop has wooed fans and critics alike since 1999. Their 2002 release You Forgot It In People and 2005’s self-titled work are both benchmarks in the indie music scene.

Details: The Seaholm Power Plant is at 214 West Avenue Austin, TX 78701. This show is produced by Voodoo Cowboy Entertainment and Rare Magazine | Events.

CONTEST CLOSED THANKS FOR ENTERING!******
UPDATE*** WOXY wants to hook you up with a VIP pass to this show! To qualify for the contest, send an email to woxy contests at gmail dot come with the subject line reading “BSS” and you will be entered to win. Keep listening to WOXY and checking here for updates!