Austin Sound

Photos by Ashley Cole (Click pics for full image)

The dog days of summer are upon us and it’s hot outside, it’s hot inside, it’s hot everywhere! Yet still, on Friday night myself and a multitude of other indie lovin’ Austinites packed tight into the sauna that is the inside stage of Mohawk for The Eastern Sea EP release party. Why this show did not take place on the outside stage I may never know. But I suppose the heat and sweat was just one more reason the night was pretty much amazing.

Diego Olano started the show with his brother Tomas, on drums, and Jess Graves on keys, the former two familiar from their work with the Interest Kills. It was the type of music that filled up the room, not because it was loud or complex, but because it was interesting in it‘s simplicity. One of the Olanos’ songs that sticks out in my mind was “Cartoneros,” which is about people making their living off picking up trash in Argentina.

What I liked most about this entire production was the variety of acts. Following Olanos was Cari Palazzolo, of Belaire (and many, many other projects) playing solo acoustic in what she calls, Cari Music. She was so much fun to watch! The audience at this point had significantly cleared out, and a handful of people sat on the floor, eyes glued to Cari. She played a few of her own songs, but also one from Belaire and one from The Cari and Jason Band titled “Gone for a While.’’ Her voice was a rising tide of soprano goodness accompanied by traditional acoustic melodies and whistles. During her song “Technicolor Beaches’’ she busted out a pair of 3D glasses and played the opening melody with a kazoo as opposed to the snyth you hear in the recorded version. All in all the set was incredibly intimate, as she sat on stage and attempted an Abba cover with the help of a friend, and sprinkled her unique wit and humor throughout.

Adding to aforementioned variety, The Eastern Sea got on stage and gave, what I assumed to be, the best show of their career so far! Celebrating the release of the self-titled debut EP with a full band backing, they offered a bit more instrumentation then the first two performances, and frosted it with thoughtfully written lyrics and a passion that formed as profusely as the thousands of beads of sweat that splashed onto the stage. They started off the show with a catchy song that utilized a trio of kick drums, which had a dramatic and attention consuming effect. Matthew Hines, on lead guitar and vocals, had an erratic type of energy that mirrored his wailing, emotionally exposed voice and, every now and then, the classic riffs he played off stage in the crowd. An older song “Your House” really showcased that ability. A barefoot Zach Duran, on percussion, played the drums in a more soft-around-the-edges kind of way, using a variety of tools from a xylophone to bells. His overall ability to shade the sound without an overbearing presence set a beautiful backdrop for every song, especially on “The Snow.” It was well thought out percussion, not quite conventional. That, plus Tomas Olano on bass and Jess Graves on keys adding a more modern layer to the music, gave The Eastern Sea an Iron and Wine kind of feel but with a unique twist that made them a step above other indie artists working to be heard in the folk rock type of genre. It’s not necessarily something you’ve heard all over town, and appealing in it’s individuality.

The Eastern Sea was a tough act to follow, but Old Coyote wasn’t to shabby either. They had a different sound. Much more rock n’ roll with visible southern roots, especially in Heston Barnes’ guitar style. The shirtless Charley Siess was a lot heavier on the drums, making their sound a good ending to the progression of the show overall. The vocals were a bit drowned out, but were more present in the songs “I Wanna Know” and “Arm the Alarm’,’ which fans sang along to in the crowd. “Bite Your Tounge” brought to stage vocalist Hope Irish, whose feminine touch softened up the sound in a very beneficial way and added a bit of a psychedelic flair.

The Eastern Sea’s next Austin show is at St.Edward’s University’s freshman orientation, so if you are so lucky as to not be at freshman orientation on August 20th , try checking out their freshly released and highly recommended self-titled EP.