Austin Sound

Here in Austin we’ve had well over a month of temps over 90 degrees. And we just bought a car with no air conditioning. It’s a 1966 Mustang and we decided the suffering is worth it…because it’s just so damn cool. We also try to do only “cool” things with the car: we drive to free night swims at Barton Springs, get custard from Sandy’s drive-thru…get the picture? We’re pretty much a band of greasers rumbling down the streets of Austin. It’s a car that matches half of our CD collection (Jim’s half is Decemberists-ish and Jillian’s half is Byrds-y), and in the unbearable heat of the Texas summer, its heavy frame and vinyl interior are our relief from that oppressive feeling that everything is dull or uninteresting.

Funny, then, that the same summer we find ourselves immersed in a vintage paradise coincides with the Bellfuries’ new release, Palmyra. The Bellfuries’ new 60’s sound is not news (Austin Sound has previously compared the band to The Zombies), but the band - comprised of Joey Simeone (guitar/vocals), Shecky Seaver (bass), and Bobby Trimble (drums/vocals) - continues to work this sound in a way that is both nostalgic and innovative.