Austin Sound

The inaugural album of Austin’s Silent Land Time Machine has finally arrived after at least a year of waiting, & Hope Still… - co-produced under Time-Lag Records (in Maine) and SLTM’s own Indian Queen Records - does not disappoint. At all. Fueled by a cadre of instruments and energy, a unique and fulfilling sound permeates the entire album and allows for a range of emotions across its 7 largely instrumental tracks. It’s an aural document as fascinating as the sepia dripping artwork in which the cd is enclosed.

The album launches with a high-energy, polyphonic locomotive in “Everything Goes to Shit.” With a somber and pensive melody, it is difficult to imagine the song - which is filled with a beautiful and at times cacophonous assortment of accordion, slide guitar, and viola - come from only one man.

An Austin Sound favorite, Leatherbag unveils his fourth album, Love and Harm, on Thursday, April 17, at the Cactus Cafe. The Houston expatriate has been combining his vision of integrity and American folk with whatever he finds in other musical realms. With a slight, Texan drawl that just embodies the good old Americanism that’s so tough to easily find in music, Leatherbag (aka Randy Reynolds) met with Abhinav Kumar, whose radio show, Tons of Fun, you can tune in every Thursday evening from 8:00-8:30pm on KVRX 91.7FM. Leatherbag will be live and in-studio on Tons of Fun on this Thursday, April 10. You can also download “Stand Close,” an exclusive outtake from the new album here.

When Silent Land Time Machine first began creating music in his room, he had no idea how receptive Austin would be to his style. After a long journey of teaching himself to play a variety of instruments and recording full-length tracks, SLTM has recently joined the live music scene. He employs found sound, violin, guitar, drums, accordion – and anything else he can get his hands on – to create a musically layered sound. A little bit of sad mixed with some upbeat, SLTM brings a tasteful, electronic personality into the shoegaze genre. His first album, & Hope Still, is scheduled for release in spring 2008. The often-bearded man was gracious enough to discuss his beginnings and philosophy with Abhinav Kumar, whose radio show, Tons of Fun, you can tune in every Thursday evening from 8:00-8:30pm on KVRX 91.7FM. Silent Land Time Machine headlines at Emo’s this Tuesday, January 29 with The Tiny Tin Hearts and Hey La La.

Armed with a computer and a drum kit, Dan Snaith, Ph.D., unveiled his latest album, Andorra, in late August of this year for Merge Records. The stellar follow up to The Milk of Human Kindness, his debut as Caribou after having to give up the moniker Manitoba, is his most coherent and compelling album yet. Dr. Snaith recently spoke with Abhinav Kumar, whose radio show, Tons of Fun, you can tune in every Tuesday evening from 8:00-9:00pm on KVRX 91.7FM. Caribou plays Club DeVille this Friday, October 19 with Born Ruffians.