By: Michael Madavi

With more and more foreign folk bands popping up these days, it’s nice to see a positive American influence offshore for a change! One of the red, white, and blue’s greatest contributions to the global music scene has to be that classic bluegrass folk sound we love so much. Part gospel, part blues, folk music is about as old as recorded music itself. While Americans might have pioneered our own version of the genre, recent years have seen the rise of quality and successful folk bands from other countries. Here’s a few favorites from our catalog:

The Audreys
“Paradise City” (mp3)
from “When the Flood Comes”
(The Audreys)
UPC: 0602517778153
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These guys deserve some serious respect as they’re a two-time ARIA (the Australian Grammy Award) winner for the Best Blues and Roots Album. They began as a duo comprised of the lovely Taasha Coates (voice, piano, ukulele) and Tristan Goodall (guitars, banjo) who, after dropping out of university in Adelaide, moved to Melbourne where they played original pop songs and slowed-down versions of 1980s songs. The two soon found a love of bluegrass oriented folk music and formed the Audreys with three other members to round out their sound. The result was definitely successful as both their releases to date have received enormous critical praise and earned them their shiny, invaluable ARIAs. This feels a lot like the Cranberries!

Moriarty
“Jimmy” (mp3)
from “Gee whiz but this is a lonesome town”
(Naive)
UPC: 3298498121117
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Formed in Paris as the century turned, Moriarty saw five young musicians adopt each other and write songs like novels or short movies. The group has a sound all their own created by a voice drunk on honey, upright bass, suitcase drums, acoustic and electric guitars and a harmonica. Their sound floats between folk, country, blues and cabaret set somewhere around Dallas in the 1930′s, the Russian Taïga and Paris. An infectious melody is carried by the luminous Rosemary, supported by unsettling lyrics and oozing train-like beats. Very narrative in structure, her sweet and homegrown voice tells tales of strange occurrences and characters from a world that Moriarty creates as they see fit. Very unique and moving.

Sunparlour Players
“North” (mp3)
from “Wave North”
(Outside Music)
UPC: 623339904827 
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Ok, so Canada isn’t that far off, but the group’s name is a nod not to a sun room, but in fact to the Sunparlour district of Canada  - the southernmost mainland of their home country. Formed a little over three years ago, the band has two EPs and one previous full length release to their credit: 2005′s solely-independent EP release Mersea , 2006′s live EP Alive at the Tranzac and 2007′s critically acclaimed Hymns for the Happy. The now three-piece multi-instrumental band of front man Andrew Penner, and co-conspirators Dennis Van Dine and Michael “Rosie” Rosenthal  have recorded their new album Wave North to imminent success. METRO really nails the album’s sound on the head, calling it “…the Arcade Fire with more banjo.” Full of epic builds and destined for enthusiastic crowds singing along, this record is a great contribution from our friendly neighbors to the north, eh.

We took a survey of IODAns that made it down to see the madness and here is our list of stand-outs in no particular order (with as many free PromoTracks we could scramble up!):

The Flower Travellin’ Band-

Winding down their first ever US tour, the fore-bearers of stoner rock made their last stop on tour, Austin, a memorable one. They even made the cover of The Austin Chronicle’s Friday SXSW edition (check out that Sitorla)!

“In fact, tonight’s set confirms the band’s unique sound and vision remains intact. There are moments when they verge of Can funkoid territory, others where King Crimson spring to mind and where Cream’s ghost is evoked. The overall effect is both startling, uplifting and over all too quickly.” -Mojo Magazine

We couldn’t get a promotrack for you but check a song out by them in an episode of IODAcast here.

Earthless with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.-

Earthless + Mascis was something else. Took a while to get going but then WOW. The drumming was AMAZING and everything came together. What threw us off were the model-types handing out samples of CK One- do they not know their demographic? Doubt people like the dudes below from Black Tusk enjoy the scent of Calvin’s unisex perfume.

Earthless
“Godspeed” (mp3)
from “Godspeed (Edit)”
(Tee Pee Records)

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The Phenomenal Handclap Band-

This supergroup doesn’t yet have an album out (expect it some time in 2009 via Friendly Fire) but the buzz was roaring leading up to their SXSW baptism. NPR to the most niche tastemaker blogs put them on their must see lists. We think they lived up to the hype and are gearing up to listen to their recently mastered debut.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band
“You’ll Disappear” (mp3)
from “IODA SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2009″
(ioda)

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The Wrens-

Via Pitchfork:

“After hours spent searching for the Next Big Thing at SXSW, checking out bands attempting to woo jaded industry insiders, it was refreshing to take in the Wrens’ set. These dudes have been there, done that, and done it again. Nobody is running to their laptop to blog about hot up and coming buzz band the Wrens. So their headlining set at the Absolutely Kosher showcase was packed with true believers, dudes who knew all the words and spent the whole time shouting along, not Twittering.

Frustratingly, the set was short on new songs, with only one and a half (the half serving as the intro to “She Sends Kisses”) played. Both were slow, pretty ballads that stood in sharp contrast to the fired-up Meadowlands tracks that made up the rest of the set. Kevin Whelan served as ringmaster/ringleader, jumping around and screaming with hardcore intensity, offering up his bass to the crowd to pass over their heads. At the end of the show, as Whelan took a seat behind a keyboard for “This Is Not What You Had Planned”, Charles Bissell knelt down and planted a kiss on his cheek. It was love all around.”

The Wrens
“Everyone Choose Sides” (mp3)
from “The Meadowlands”
(Absolutely Kosher)

Buy at appliedSB / Groupietunes
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Here We Go Magic-

Via You Ain’t No Picasso:

“Positively everyone at SXSW was at least hoping to see HWGM and it’s not without cause — they’re fantastic. I only knew the names of a few of the songs they played, but everything sounded great. It makes me a little bummed that I don’t live anywhere near the upcoming Grizzly Bear/Here We Go Magic tour. That’s lessened a little bit by the fact that I got to see them pull a young girl who wasn’t more than waist-high out of the crowd to play the maracas along with the band. She kept great time and we all had a great time. Funny how that works.”

Here We Go Magic
“Fangela” (mp3)
from “Here We Go Magic”
(Western Vinyl)

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My Jerusalem-

We totally loved My Jerusalem. The singer is Jeff Klein, who was in Twilight Singers. They are sort of a “supergroup” although no one in it is famous, but they do come from other bands. Notably, the bassist is Ashley Dzerigian, who was in Great Northern last year, and is now in My Jerusalem. She also happens to be the sexiest woman in rock ‘n’ roll (sorry Theresa Andersson, who was great at the IODA party). Drummer Cully Symington was in Bishop Allen and tracked The Gutter Twins album. Rick Nelson, who plays violin, viola, cello and keyboards in the band, is a longtime member of the Polyphonic Spree and St. Vincent. The show was pretty good, it was a big band and kinda reminded us of the Arcade Fire, only darker and more brooding. Once it got going, it rocked the house.

Absu-

We’ve never laughed that hard at a metal show. The drummer’s evil metal scowl in between tunes was mythical with introductions like: “This next track is called 181- one plus eight plus one equals 10 which is also one. The mysteries will be revealed in the f#@*ing song.” Extra points for track titles such as “In the Name of Auebothiabathabaithobeuee”.

Red Cortez-

Red Cortez (fresh off dates with Morrissey!) were raw and excellent at the reapandsow showcase.

Red Cortez
“Fell On The Floor” (mp3)
from “Hands To The Wall”
(reapandsow, Inc.)

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The Love Language-

Via Pitchfork-

“Make way for Stu McLamb, a genuine new talent with a name straight out of the annals of McDonald’s villainy. Imagined dalliances with the Hamburglar aside, McLamb really can sing– improbably, his voice veered from Roy Orbison croon to Walkmen-style bleat last night while his band swelled and cracked alt country a Whiskeytown fan could love. There’s an attractive symmetry to North Carolina’s the Love Language on stage; two female keyboardists far right and far left, a bass and a rhythm on either side of McLamb, and a drummer in back. Also, the Love Language is just attractive– at least four members could be models. Can’t hurt.

Especially when they’re offering songs that peak on their own, like if Arcade Fire’s big moments came out of back porch jam sessions. And then there’s “Lalita”, a garage-pop break with a tremulous grip on love, life, faith, all of it. McLamb dropped “We are the Love Language” three times during the set. Soon, he won’t have to do that stuff at all. Sooner the better.”

The Love Language
“Lalita” (mp3)
from “The Love Language”
(Bladen County Records)

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Ty Segall-

Ty Segall killed it at the Goner showcase!!  We were shocked how much we wanted to go see local Bay Area bands even though we’re all located in SF and can see them at any time.  The music scene here is so strong and seeing what a presence they had down in Austin made us feel like proud mommas and poppas.

Ty Segall
“The Drag” (mp3)
from “Ty Segall”
(Castle Face)

Buy at Napster
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Moriarty-

Parties at the French Legation Museum are always so calming and you feel like you’ve been magically transformed out of Texas.  Moriarty playing at that venue only added to the far from Texas feeling with their twangy Franco-Americana.  Bonus points for their cover of Tom Waits’ “Chocolate Jesus”.

Moriarty
“Jimmy” (mp3)
from “Gee whiz but this is a lonesome town”
(Naive)

Buy at Puretracks
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Obits-

The Village Voice listed them in their top 5 bands they enjoyed at SXSW:

“4. Obits. This particular blog’s crush/obsession with these surly-garage titans continues.”

Now signed to Sub Pop, they played songs from their IODA-distributed 7″ on Comedy Minus One:

The Chap-

We kept hearing over and over that to completely understand and love The Chap you need to see them live…  We agree, they were amazing at the Ghostly International/ anticon showcase Wednesday night.
The Chap
“Proper Rock” (mp3)
from “Builder’s Brew”
(Ghostly International)

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Tuesday, March 17th 2009

End Sounds Second Annual Pre-SXSW Music Party/Show
7pm@Red Seven (611 E 7th St)

Filler (one time only Minor Threat cover band)
Madball
Death in the Park
Reign Supreme
Mike Herrera’s Tumbledown
Call to Preserve
True Widow
Bitter End
The Ramonahs
The Escape Frame

Wednesday, March 18th 2009

Anticon/Ghostly International Present
7:30pm@ Mohawk (912 Red River St) (All Ages)

Christopher Willits- 7:30pm
Restiform Bodies- 8:10pm
Michna- 9pm
Anathallo- 9:40pm
Dosh- 10:30pm
Yoni Wolf (of WHY?)- 11:10pm
The Chap- 11:40pm
Themselves- 1am

Burnside Distribution
8pm@Submerged (333 E 2nd st) (21+)

Jackie Bristow- 8pm
The Summer Wardrobe- 9pm
The Service Industry- 10pm
Sweet Water- 11pm
Blind Pilot- 12am
The Slants- 1am

PASTE SXSW Showcase
Ace’s Lounge – 222 E. 6th St., Austin, TX Rotary Downs @ 9pm (21+)

Thursday, March 19th 2009

Tricycle Records/The Bay Bridged
12pm@Beauty Bar (617 E 7th St)

Mike Relm
Vetiver
The Morning Benders
Sholi
Thee Oh Sees
The Heavenly States
Wallpaper
Lilofee
The Frail
Two Sheds
The Union Trade
French Miami
The Red Verse

The End Records
8pm@The Ale House (310 E 6th St- Alley Entrance) (21+)

Junius- 8pm
Hull- 9pm
These are They- 10pm
Goes Cube- 11pm
Tub Ring- 12am
Early Man- 1am

IHEARTCOMIX
7pm@Beauty Bar (617 E 7th st) (21+)

Cerebral Ballzy- 7:30pm
Ninjasonik- 8pm
Team Robespierre- 8:30pm
Totally Michael- 9pm
The Death Set- 9:30pm
Juiceboxxxx- 10:15pm
Thunderheist- 11:45pm
Designer Drugs- 12:15am
Futurecop!- 1:15am
Beauty Bar Backyard:
Paparazzi- 7pm
Radioclit-8pm
The Golden Filter- 9:45pm
HEARTSREVOLUTION- 10:30pm
Ocelot- 11pm
The Toxic Avenger & Franki Chan- 12am
Drop The Lime- 1am

Western Vinyl
9pm@ Club 115 (115 San Jacinto St) (21+)

Mom- 9pm
Callers- 10pm
Balmorhea- 11pm
J. Tillman- 12am
Here We Go Magic feat. Luke Temple- 1am

Hometapes/Leaf
7pm@Habana Bar (708 E 6th St) (21+)

All Tiny Creatures- 7pm
A Hawk And A Hacksaw- 8pm
Stars Like Fleas- 9pm
CYNE- 10pm
Efterklang- 11pm
Megafaun- 12am
Slaraffenland- 1am

Standard Recording Co. / Undertow
11pm@Habana Calle 6 (709 E 6th St) (21+)

Christian Kiefer, Jefferson Pitcher, J. Matthew Gerken, These United States- 11:15pm

Absolutely Kosher
10pm@Prague (422 B Congress Ave) (21+)

Azeda Booth- 10pm
Sybris- 11pm
+/- {Plus/Minus}- 12am
The Wrens- 1am

Tee Pee Records
8pm@Room 710 (710 Red River St) (21+)

Kreisor- 8pm
Black Math Horseman- 9pm
Night Horse- 10pm
Ancestors- 11pm
Annihilation Time- 12am
Earthless- 1am

Siltbreeze
8pm@Soho Lounge (217 E 6th St) (21+)

Ratas del Vaticano- 8pm
Eat Skull- 8:45pm
Hank IV- 9:30pm
Psychedelic Horseshit- 10:15pm
Naked on the Vague- 11pm
U.S. Girls- 11:45pm
Los Llamarada- 12:30am
FNU Ronnies- 1:15am

Electronic Musician/reapandsow music SXSW Day party
Calle Habana 6 – 709 E. 6th St., Austin, TX Rotary Downs @ 3pm – INSIDE STAGE

NOLA Soul Presents
Historic Victory Grill – 1104 E. 11th St, Austin, TX Rotary Downs @ 5:45

Friday, March 20th 2009

End Sounds
8pm@The Independent (501 N IH 35)

The Escape Frame- 8pm
Death in the Park- 0pm
True Widow- 10pm

Burnside Distribution
12pm@Threadgill’s World Headquarters (301 W. Riverside Dr.)

Hillstomp- 12pm Main stage
Linda McLean- 12:30pm Folk Alliance Stage
Or, The Whale- 12:50pm Main stage
Jackie Bristow- 1:20pm Folk Alliance Stage
Blind Pilot- 1:40pm Main stage
Audrey Auld- 2:15pm Folk Alliance Stage
The Refugees- 2:35pm Main stage
Glenna Bell- 3:05pm Folk Alliance Stage
Terry Anderson & The Olympic Ass-Kickin’ Team- 3:35pm Main stage
Song Island Review- 4:05pm Folk Alliance Stage
Redd Volkaert & Friends- 4:25pm Main stage
Linda McRae- 5:10pm Folk Alliance Stage
Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers- 5:30pm Main stage

Slumberland
8pm@Emo’s Jr (603 Red River St) (All Ages)

YellowFever- 8pm
Woods- 9pm
Air Waves- 10pm
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- 11pm
Cause Co-Motion!- 12am
Crystal Stilts- 1am

End Sounds
8pm@The Independent (501 N IH 35) (21+)

The Escape Frame- 8pm
Death in the Park- 9pm
True Widow- 10pm

Ghostly International/Full Time Hobby/ Mojo Magazine
8pm@Radio Room Patio (508 E 6th St) (All Ages)

Choir of Young Believers- 8pm
Micah P. Hinson- 9pm
School of Seven Bells- 10pm
Deastro- 11pm
White Denim- 12am
Rolo Tomassi- 1am

Misra
8pm@The Tap Room at Six (311 Colorado St) (21+)

The Gala Band- 8pm
Emily Rodgers- 9pm
Monahans- 10pm
The Low Lows-11pm
Southeast Engine- 12am
Palomar- 1am

Insound’s 10th Anniversary SXSW Party
Noon-6pm@Club de Ville (900 Red River St)

Handsome Furs
Obits
The American Analog Set
The Thermals
The Hold Steady

Saturday March 21st 2009

Load/Dull Knife
8pm@The Independent (501 N IH 35) (21+)

Future Blondes- 8pm
Balaclavas- 9pm
White Mice- 10pm
Rusted Shut- 11pm
Indian Jewelry- 12am
Six Finger Satellite- 1am

Park the Van/ Paper Thin Records
8pm@Room 710 (710 Red River St) (21+)

Eagle Winged Palace- 8pm
The Peekers- 9pm
Golden Boots- 10pm
Floating Action- 11pm
The High Strung- 12am
The Spinto Band- 1am

New Granada Records “No-fficial” Showcase
3pm@Gingerman Pub (304 W 4th St)

New Roman Times
Zillionaire
Hankshaw
King of Spain
Rec Center

Panache Booking/ Lovepump United
8pm@Mohawk (Both Stages)

Daniel Francis Doyle- 8pm
Pictureplane- 8:15pm
Deradoorian- 8:50pm
AIDS Wolf- 9pm
Past Lives- 9:40pm
Clipd Beaks- 10pm
FIASCO- 10:40pm
The Mae Shi- 11pm
PRE- 11:40pm
HEALTH- 12am
Mika Miko- 12:30am
Monotonix- 1am

Victorian Room at the Driskill
(604 Brazos St) (21+) Moriarty- 10pm

Formed in Paris as the century turned, Moriarty saw five young musicians adopt each other and write songs like novels or short movies. A voice drunk on honey, a double bass, suitcase drums, acoustic and electric guitars and a harmonica. The music of Moriarty floats between folk, country, blues and cabaret set somewhere around Dallas in the 1930′s, the Russian Taïga and Paris. An infectious melody is carried by the luminous Rosemary, supported by unsettling lyrics and oozing train-like beats.  Moriarty share their record label, Naive, with the first lady of France, Carla Bruni, and have played shows at mental institutions, ruined castles in Italy, Transatlantic ships and even stranger set-ups.

Be sure to check them out as they come across the Atlantic for performances at more conventional venues during Canadian Music Week and South by Southwest:

Mar 14 2009- 7:00PM- Reverb- Canadian Music Week- Toronto, CA

Mar 21 2009- 12:00PM- Press Here Party- SXSW Music Festival- Austin, Texas

Mar 21 2009- 8:00PM- Victorian room at the Driskill- SXSW Music Festival- Austin, Texas

Here’s how The Sunday Telegraph sums them up:

“Think early Neil Young meets lo-fi Americana fronted by a girl named Rosemary with a sweet and strange, trilingly birdlike folk/blues voice, which has been described plausibly as ‘like Billie Holiday fronting Calexico’.”

Check out the video for “Jimmy”, the lead single off of Gee whiz but this is a lonesome town, which was recently certified Gold in France and grab the PromoTrack below:

Moriarty
“Jimmy” (mp3)
from “Gee whiz but this is a lonesome town”
(Naive)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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