Jesse Woods - "Danger In The Dancehall"

Jesse Woods, the young gentleman discovered out of his Austin garage by a passing by Alan Palomo of Neon Indian, melted our loins back in 2010 with his sparse and stirring acoustic guitar-centered EP Moon Rocks. Woods' carefully chosen words hit like a fist to the gut on tracks like "Sparks," where he remarks simply and poignantly: "Wish I could take your eyes with me, show you all the things I see / My favorite Mexican bar, open air, and big bright stars." Woods, it now appears, is readying his debut LP, Get Your Burdens Lifted. The first track, "Danger In The Dancehall," appeared recently over on Rolling Stone, where Woods riffed on the meaning behind the track: "You're young and everything is in front of you, but you're getting older and the highs start getting higher making the lows feel lower, so everything seems kind of messed up. You've got this new found freedom and the whole world at your fingertips and no idea what to do with it."

Jesse Woods - "Danger In The Dancehall" (from Get Your Burdens Lifted)

Austin Leonard Jones, Sleep Good, and Web Wormholes

The internet is an infinitely interneconnected series of wormholes and gambits: while most of the time you find yourself lost in the time-killing nihilistic backcountry, sometimes you click your way to bonafide nuggets of gold. As I was checking in on Jesse Woods—a seriously jaw-dropping Austin-based folk talent that we've written about here time and again—I stumbled across one of Woods' links to a neighboring troubadour: the understated country-picked folk of Austin Leonard Jones. Jones' latest home-brewed output is the June-released Ponderosa—a six-song mix of swirling acoustic instrumentals and dreamy laid back vocals aptly self-described as "visions of Nashville beaches." "A river flows into my cup," he sings on "Wild Guide" as mandolin, shakers, and a banjo jangle, jump, build and recede into swaying ramshackle poetry. From a recommendation on Jones' homepage, I fell into the world of Sleep Good, and more specifically, their new shimmering single "Summer Explosion." Trebly Paul Maroon-recalling guitar work, a fat bass line, and breathy vocal blasts of those insatiable and distinctly summery "whoas" launch the song towards blissful sun-is-shining windows-down territory. That's when the clicking stopped—I'd found what I was looking for.

Sleep Good - "Summer Explosion" (from Monsanto 7")
Austin Leonard Jones - "Wild Guide" (from Ponderosa)

Invisible Children Presents The Silver Series at SXSW

Nada over at Friends With Both Arms has put together a four day street performance series at SXSW this year in honor of the 25th anniversary of the festival and the 25th year of the devastating war in East Africa. The Silver Series will feature 25 musicians and bands including Everybody Taste favorites Vandaveer, Jesse Woods, Lord Huron, Deer Tick and Middle Brother busking in the streets of Austin for the Invisible Children charity. The performances will take place in Republic Square Park, so please go and support a great cause. La Blogotheque will also be along for the ride capturing a few of the performances to video. It's entirely free, though any contribution you can make to the charity would be greatly appreciated. Check below for the entire schedule. If like me, you're unable to make it to SXSW this year, cover your eyes—you don't want to know how many great acts your missing.

Vandaveer - "Concerning Past & Future Conquests" (from Dig Down Deep)

Jesse Woods - "Sparks"

Wish I could take your lips with me on the road wherever I'd be.

I'd kiss you goodnight in a far off moonlight.

Wish I could take your lips with me, listen to your little voice sing

Along with the radio a song that someone else wrote.

But I don't care, I just need you here.

Wish I could take your eyes with me, show you all the things I see:

My favorite Mexican bar, open air, and big bright stars.

Wish I could take your eyes so blue, my second favorite part of you

Probably looking at some other man, southern gentleman steal your hand.

But I'll stand up, and I'll keep their mouths shut.

And I see your spark in the making

I hope the rain don't come too soon

You've got a hand for the taking

And I'm 'bout to take you to the moon.

I see your spark in the making

I hope the rain don't come too soon

You've got a hand for the taking

And I'm 'bout to take you to the moon.

And I'm 'bout to take you to the moon.

Jesse Woods - "Sparks" (from Moon Rocks)