Austin Sound

Like any well-greased democracy, the governing body of the Live Music Capital of the World is prone to violent shifts as new members flirt with stardom and old standards are cast to the wayside. So as we now find our creative enclave newly beset by the challenges of violent shootings, disruptive ordinances and socio-demographic shifts in the downtown area, so we also find bright new leaders of our cultural traditions. The Soldier Thread – the dark horse candidate of 2007 – now have legitimate claims on seeking that title. Hitting the #2 spot at Waterloo with this debut album and playing a number of high-profile shows in support of it, the band’s rise to prominence since the modest release of their debut EP Fevers and Fireworks has been undeniable. Debut full-length Shapes gives us both reassuring and troubling reasons as to why.

It would appear that The Soldier Thread, who caught our attention last year with their Fevers and Fireworks EP (link to review), have awakened from their winter hibernation with breaking news. They’ve signed to local indie label Sea Change Records and, not the idle types, are now currently hard at work laying down tracks for a new LP to be released sometime this year. They’ll be playing at Stubb’s (Indoors) this Saturday (Feb. 9th) along with Alpha Rev.

Fevers and Fireworks the first EP by The Soldier Thread, is a testament to just how fast the band has appeared (seemingly out of nowhere) in the past 6 months. Starting as the project of Justin McHugh (formerly “The Tourist”) and Todd Abels, the band in its present form includes Patricia Lynn and Drew Van Diver. Their sound is somewhat elusive, but try imagining a pretty modern punk-rock band sanded down into a more ambient form, topped with a good helping of electronic instrumentation. Got the picture in your head? Good, now make it twice as big - they’re from Texas after all.

In July, Soundcheck Magazine put together an exceptional show for their Summer Showcase, including local standouts Octopus Project and Clap! Clap! For their Winter Showcase, they’ve tapped two new up-and-coming acts in the form of Mothfight! and the Soldier Thread, as well as recent Austin transplant, singer-songwriter Micah P. Hinson.

Review by John Michael Cassetta/ Photos by Doug Freeman
(Click image to view full-sized picture)

As I was entering Emo’s, The Soldier Thread, relative newcomers to the Austin music scene, had just kicked off their set. I’ll admit, I hadn’t heard much about this band at all, aside from the few facts being thrown around on their Sound Off this past week. They’ve made it to the quarter finals of Spin Magazine’s Music Nation contest, and within the first few minutes of their set, it was obvious why. Their music translated well live, and the dynamic contrast of the male to female vocals played out beautifully (although my eyes fell into a swoon over their keyboardist’s Rhodes). The drone of the keyboard and spacious guitars filled the still sparsely populated club, and almost as soon as they really got going, their short set came to an end. Nonetheless, The Soldier Thread are a band to keep an eye on.

Micah P. Hinson is about the most interesting character you’ll ever see on stage. He is essentially the preposterous juxtaposition of more things than I can count: southern, hipster, European, rock n’ roll, folk, disgruntled, stiff, loud, bluegrass, charming, etc. Watching him on stage is like watching the realization of all my dreams when I first “discovered” music: I wanted to be a rock star, a folk singer, and an avant-garde experimentalist all at once. Hinson seemed to embody small parts of all of these at once, varying from an intimate croon over sparse guitar interjections that bring Will Johnson solo albums to mind (the last time I saw Hinson he was opening for Johnson, actually), to screaming mic-stand-toppling vocals hidden under a cackling, shrieking guitar. Hinson’s shows are always entertaining; he seems to always find a comfortable, relaxed way to fit between folk music and the sound of impending doom.

The Soldier Thread seem to have shot out of nowhere in recent months, forming only this year and having just released their stunning debut EP Fevers and Fireworks. The quartet crafts lush ambient tones that swell into beautifully rich and ringing scores, taking cues from bands like Sigur Ros or even Explosions in the Sky. With the twining male and female vocals and ethereal, hypnotic feel, the Soldier Thread seems at times to sound like Low backed by the Album Leaf. They have also garnered a fair bit of attention in Spin Magazine’s Music Nation contest, having made the quarterfinals based on the votes of fans and industry judges. You can catch them this Saturday at Soundcheck’s Winter Showcase in Emo’s Lounge – also featuring Micah P. Hinson and Mothfight! – which Austin Sound is proud to help sponsor.