Austin Sound

CDs are a fickle mistress; in this age of digital everything, they can be a hallowed sanctum unreachable by hard-drive errors, or they can be those scratch magnets that disappear only to be found years later in the bowels of one’s dresser or car. With Benko’s debut album, Welcome to the Follow Through, this fear of loss has been assuaged. I always know where my copy is: in my stereo.

Following the Austin penchant for defying typical instrumentation, Benko also has a knack for actually sounding decent while doing it. The first time vibraphone player Sarah Norris taps a key on opener “Isle of Man,” the concept of the vibraphone lead-line just makes sense. Something about the sustain of each note lends a hopeful air to even this somewhat sad tale, in which bassist/vocalist Eric Grostic feebly croons “they’ll leave you all alone/ they don’t know what they got ‘til you’re gone.” Grostic has a water-thin voice that retains a nerdy, angsty charm without sounding contrived, and drummer Aaron Dugan keeps his drums reined in on a short but appropriate leash.

Among the many bands with connections to Austin’s New Music Co-op, Benko may be the most straightforwardly indie band, but the trio’s background in more experimental projects still shines through to enrich their songs with impressive, often subtle textures. Sarah Norris’ vibraphones compliment Erik Grostic’s mellow vocals with a delicate force, balancing the introverted, nasal croon with the lilt of late night melodies. The group recently brought aboard Aaron Dugan in replacement of Graham Reynolds on drums, and you have two chances to catch them this Saturday, June 23 in the new formation. Benko will be playing an acoustic set at 8:00 at Clementine Coffee Bar and later that night plugging in at the Carousel Lounge along with Parks & Wildlife and the Distant Seconds.