by rudyards | May 31st, 2014
The Ex-Optimists (College Station, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/theexoptimists
“I’m honestly kicking myself now for not listening to this sooner. College Station band The Ex-Optimists have been on repeat in my headphones for a while now, drowning me in a turbulent squall of Sonic Youth guitars, driving ’90s indie-drone-rock melodies, and hazy, softspoken vocals, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it.
On “Nitemare City,” the guitars are watery and sharp-edged in equal measure, drifting around you like psychically-controlled knives that periodically dart in to gouge out a chunk of your flesh. In the meantime, frontman Kelly Minnis serenely murmurs and croons like he’s already lost in the swirling murk; that is, until the whole damn thing explodes in a ball of fury partway through before coalescing back into its more stable previous state. The closest thing I can come up with is Houston’s own Muhammad Ali, except that this quartet sounds like they’re fueled less by beer and more by green, leafy substances.
Then there’s B-side “February,” which dives sideways into nearly Dinosaur Jr., quick-stepping along through an insanely-catchy melody while the overfuzzed guitars set fire to the scenery. Occasionally feels like I’m listening to a rougher-edged Silversun Pickups — there’s definitely a hazy, shoegaze quality to it, beneath the out-and-out noise. “- Space City Rock
Wonderbitch (Austin, TX)
https://wonderbitch.com/
In the winter of 2012, Wonderbitch sprouted from a fertile galaxy of childhood friends and numerous stagnant projects in Bloomington, Indiana. Those in the cluster ready to break the heavy orbit of their liberal college town brought together their sounds- psychedelic, spiritual and progressive- and began to groove their way south (like a dancing starburst of sass) to Austin Texas, home of infinite gigs and the love of love.
From a weighty foundation of Pink Floyd, Genesis and Muse, Wonderbitch wraps up cool Steely Dan musicality with the danciness of Franz Ferdinand and the nostalgic sheen of smooth mid 80s pop.
Wonderbitch currently writes, records and performs in Austin as they continue to cultivate their show into a lovingly explosive and enveloping experience to bring to stages large and medium.
Playing for No One (Houston, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/playingfornoone
Christopher James: vocals, guitar
John Doe: drums
Arizona Williams: bass
The Wiggins (Houston, TX)
https://thewiggins.bandcamp.com/
Jon Read called himself the Wiggins before you graduated beauty school.
He only showboats onstage; he never rings his own bell. He stays ahead of the game for one simple reason, he works harder than everyone else.
This record took a long time coming. Each song here is a model of deformed rock and roll. Fucked-up white noise surf-rock and rusty nail salt-in-the-wound folk ballads. All delivered with the pill-drunk unsteadiness of Gene Vincent after the crash. Imagine the Monks gone electro, or a Jesus and Mary Chain rap album recorded on a fisher-price boombox.- TEX KERSCHEN, Indian Jewelry
Young Dumb Sluts (Houston, TX)
https://www.reverbnation.com/youngdumbsluts
Young Dumb Sluts, band members include: Albert Sosa the little hispanic boy that loved the drums and played the guitar.
