Little Five Fest

Quite probably the most experimental act of the festival, Aku You delivers an ominous wall of sound with pounding drums, heavy rhythms, airy guitars, and a minimalist approach to chord structure. The band’s secret weapon is the fierceness with which vocalist Danette Haser, former frontperson for Atlanta’s Penial Ventana, delivers her lyrics. Though possibly the smallest person in the room, and sweet and tender in person, live, Haser’s stage presence is larger than life, and oftentimes straight up shocking.

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Anna Kramer has dominated Atlanta’s underground country folk-rock scene for the last decade via solo performances and band collaborations. With a vocal style reminiscent of country legends Patsy Cline and even early Dolly Parton, she plays the guitar with abandon, fingers picking in a way that that would make Doc Watson step back and take a listen. All the while, singing like an angel with a voice that could save your rotten soul. She’s Atlanta’s own homecoming queen of Little Five Points.

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Baby Baby hit the Atlanta scene hard this year. Out of nowhere, these guys have brought party music at it’s best with their infectious and innocent enthusiasm, fearless stage antics and revival style sing alongs mix all the while keeping an indie music backdrop. Though their music may seem familiar at times, their approach is wholly original and fresh.

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Originally formed as singer Emily Kempf’s makeshift theatre troupe of sorts, the Back Pockets continue to evolve at a very rapid pace. The revamped band is more scaled down and musically focused than ever before. This is clearly evidenced by the new release “Fast Cloud Slow Cloud,” a diverse soundtrack with unpredictable mood swings. Though cohesive in its approach, the music shifts and swerves. At times it is reminiscent of the Shangri-Las, while other moments feel much more homey. The band even manages to delve into Sonic Youth territory at times, with ethereal guitars and even Kim Gordon-like squealing, all the while maintaining the certain whimsy the Back Pockets seem to personify. Like Kempf once said, “I am always working because my life is a vacation and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Check out The Back Pockets’ music on MySpace.

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By day, while lounging in his basement off Boulevard Southeast, Daniel Scoggins may be wearing jorts and a black tee cut into a tank top. But by night, before heading to East Atlanta venues like Star Bar, 529 or the Earl, Scoggins slips on an earring, leopard skin leggings and a mirrored codpiece. This is Scoggins as Cousin Dan, a musical persona that’s emerged over the course of many open mic nights, inside his basement and with The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne as moral support. Purge talked to Scoggins about who inspires him musically, how he creates his own stage props and what to expect from his upcoming debut.
-Christina Lee, Purge ATL Read the full interview at PurgeATL.

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Fronted by David Drexler, (ex the Drexlers) Darling Norman is a seemingly brand new band whose sound could be described as a sharp kick to the face with bunny slippers, drawing inspiration from David Byrne, to Frank Black, to Lady Gaga. They’re sure to leave you somewhere other than where you came from. Maybe some place with warm bath water and Sriracha.

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The year is 1982. GG King is skateboard pizza punk from the maestro, Greg King and his loyal crew. Aggro, raw, concise and performed with the energy only a 5 piece can deliver. Esoteric Lore is the LP on Scavenger of Death/Rob’s House Records.
-Rick Moore – Skin Jobs, ex Lay Down Mains, ex Galanas Cerdd, ex Barrel

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Ghost Bikini gives what, at face value, seems what is a standard take on old school rock and twists it into a surf/garage/punk/blues creation that seems incredibly forward as it does familiar. As the lyrics of their single “House of Scars” so aptly say, “…we all live in the future, we’re stuck in the past.”

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Justin Hughes (ex Rock-a-Teens) and Chris Strawn (ex Brass Castle) are two of Atlanta’s favorite and flashiest guitarists and in this project join forces as both dual lead guitarists and frontmen. With punk-infused 70′s metal riffs and rapid fire vocals that are often spoken more than sung, Glen Iris should appeal to those who want to rock. With the addition of drummer Keefe Justice and bassist Brandi Turner, the band has tightened up their dirty rock sound and with music this big, the only thing missing is the arena.

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“A bit more Love Below than Speakerboxxx — blending rubbery rhymes with spazzy indie-funk that swivels and bounces. Think Andre 3000 fronting Blondie. Or a Prince-N.E.R.D. collaboration. Or Bruno Mars replacing Morris Day as the leader of The Time.
P. Wall, Free Times

“Think full-band Outkast: These fellow ATLiens blend Dre and Big Boi’s knack for nimble rhymes with weirdo spaced-out funk and rock making snarling songs that swivel and pounce.”
J. Edward Keyes, Rolling Stone Magazine

Check out Grand Prize Winners from Last Year’s music on MySpace or follow them on Facebook.

Gun Party has quickly figured out how to pack the house during their live show. Certain moments the vocals recall early pop metal, Alice Cooper and even Motley Crue, and they are playing up the stage antics in a way indie rock has traditionally avoided. However, the music itself is more industrial and dance goth, in a retro kind of way and there are no blistering guitar solos or anything like that. But these guys are all about having fun, getting dressed up and throwing some sort of carnival at their show. If you are still feeling cynical, go see it for yourself. You’ll like it, we promise.

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Hawkeye Pierce blends a satisfying mix of blues and americana with lyrics that paint pictures of heartache and relationship woes. Nonetheless the band has a certain casual feel to it that makes it fit as porch music and yet with Lefty Parson’s punk rock background always bubbling under the surface, there are often unexpected twists and turns that make it hard to define what style of music these guys really are.

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Hip to Death dole out a thick, disorienting splatter of room-spinning post-punk psych-rock that threatens to suck your eyeballs inside-out and eat ‘em on a cracker. Mogwai may’ve beaten ‘em to the funny flag for their album title; aside from that, Punk Will Never Die But You Will packs so much intense, skin-pulling, acid-gobbling goodness into its 26 minutes, I’m at a loss to know why the N.E.C., Abby Gogo, All the Saints and other local psych-heavy noisemongers haven’t been beating down their hatch to book some gigs with them. -Jeff Clark, Stomp and Stammer

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Whisky truly is what they want, and throughout their three years together, this revolving cast of players fiddle on the banjo, violin, mandolin and many other roots instruments that find themselves comfortable being played on a porch on any given afternoon out in the country. Georgia Slim leads this gang of hooligans and they aim to have a foot-stompin good time.

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Jack of Hearts is a project consisting of Sarah Wilson, aka Snare-uh Wilson, often said to be one of the best drummers in town, as evidenced by her live performances in her rhythmically complex other band Odist. In this project, however, Wilson simplifies her beats, lightens the mood and joins her bandmates singing. Fronted by Will Day, driven by crisp guitar lines with textured piano and keyboard accents and occasional soft backing vocals, the Jack of Hearts has a fresh moody pop sound that listeners should find easy to take in and fun to play at parties.

Remember this name: Jack Preston. His performance was one of the best I witnessed at the recent A3C Hip Hop Fest. And dude is prolific: The Atlanta-based producer/musician/MC’s new EP, Trouble, is the fifth project he has released this year.

On top of that, he’s been collaborating and performing live with a host of local artists, from noise-folk experimentalists Back Pockets to jazzy afro-punkster Bosco. Yeah, the cat has range.
-Rodney Carmichael -Crib Notes

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Jade Lemons And The Crimson Lust formed in July 2011. Comprised of it’s namesake – songwriter/singer/guitarist Jade Lemons (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Kenna, Injected). Mario Colangelo on drums and Shane Pringle on saxophone (Tiger! Tiger!). Alaina Terry and Racquel Simone on vocals. Brian Roberts on bass. Spencer Garn on keys. When he’s not helping bands from his record label Underrated Records (with a stellar roster including The Biters, The Booze and Dropsonic), Jade is right at home taking you to the scene from moments in his life. Ass shaking good time songs about his band mates, loose women, lost weekends and the seedier side of life tell the tale.

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With a solid following continuing to build in Europe, Asia and the US, Jeffrey Butzer is easily one of Atlanta’s new prized musicians with music that is reminiscent of Gainsbourg’s darker days in France, of the thematic explorations of Galt McDermont, and of songs that create the setting of late nights that are experienced but experimentative, the sort of nights we all wished we had more often. -Holly Lang, Pine Magazine

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Led by Ben Lawless, one of Atlanta’s most unique musicians, King Congregation is always experimental, never easy to pin down and often so far under the radar that you sometimes wonder if they are still around. With effortless guitar picking and keyboards recalling some of the finer moments of Brazil’s Tropicalia’s movement, the personality of the band may most closely resemble the wit and bizzareness of Frank Zappa, but this will be the band’s first appearance in quite some time, so there is no telling what to expect.

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Lille is the brainchild of 19-year-old pop songstress, Grace Bellury, created with the help of brother Daniel Bellury, the founder of Lille’s home label Whale Heart Records. Largely inspired by 60s pop, girl groups, ye-ye singers, and melded with dream pop and modern influences, Lille has morphed out of their ukulele-based folk roots into darker, louder, and more unkempt territory than before. After a promising first year debuting with their first EP “Tall Shoulders” released in May of 2010, and opening for nationally recognized acts such as The Dresden Dolls, Lille is fresh out of the studio finishing their follow up album, “Kind Spirit Welcome Here” with producer Daniel Whitt at MetalTern Studios.

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Lucy Dreams turned heads when they played their first show opening for Abby Go Go at 529 back in December. The unassuming four-piece made-up of Decatur High students Lloyd Wingard (guitar, vocals), Jacob Armando (drums), Graham Tavel (bass) and Dani Lyman (keyboard/vocals) took the stage and unleashed a wall of slurred pop hooks, warped melodies and distortion. They left such an impression that they were later asked to play the opening slot for Deerhunter and Black Lips’ show the night that Eyedrum closed down its 290 MLK location.
-Chad Radford -Crib Notes

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In this project, only a year old, Matt McCalvin was the first in a slew of songwriters to bring the ultra beach surf-pop doo-wop more lighthearted, but still punk sound to Atlanta. Harmonies and rhythms that recall The Beach Boys and vintage futurism are still gritty enough to fit right in with The Black Lips Atlanta Garage Rock subculture. Mermaids are one of Atlanta’s most imitated acts and this is their first show in quite some time! Don’t miss it.

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Order of the Owl’s an Atlanta superband of sorts, with some of the more formidable players in the underground scene banding to form what is arguably one of the heavier offerings of the festival. Fronted by Zoroaster’s Brent Anderson and featuring guitarist Casey Yarbrough (Charges) and drummer Corey Pallon (What Happened to Your Fire Tiger, ex-Pistolero), the band’s driving force lies within its complex – but easy to digest – sludgy metal sound.

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Ralph rekindles the vintage hardcore sound of DC in the early 80′s, and while they may not be Minor Threat, in their wake lies the promise of a potential Atlanta hardcore scene they threaten to take over, although here in the ATL it is doubtful it will be quite so fucking god damn straight edge. So fuck you. Go barf.

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Shepherds are a modern twist on vintage progressive music from the 80′s, If Elvis Costello had met up with Joy Division at an after hours P.I.L. post-party and they jammed out with guitars cranked to 10, the recording might resemble what we are hearing from this young trio. Fronted by Jonathan Merenivitch, also of the band Tendaberry, this project explores a more garage-rock side to the local multi-instrumentalist’s writing style.

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High powered angular guitar riffs blend effortlessly with pounding bass and a straight up rock beat, as Skin Jobs thunderously plow through composer David Lane’s untapped catalog in the aftermath of a post Lay Down Mains apocalypse. Politically and socially cynical, Rick Moore’s lyrics are fired off in unison by him and bassist Brandon Arnold, former frontperson for Atlanta’s well loved pop group The Preakness. Skin Jobs are part man and part machine, human emotion and robot responses, and they will be the first to remind you the name comes from Blade Runner, not Battlestar Galactica.

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High energy mixture of reverberated low fi rock. Throw back? Yes… But at the same time, SO relevant and in the now.
- OMFG Atlanta

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“To say I was instantly charmed by young Georgia threesome The Head is a bit of an understatement. Jacob Morrell and twins Jack and Mike Shaw have produced an endearing sound that shows great artistic potential, a talent that perhaps belies their young ages. Jack Shaw sits comfortably at the kit, impressively delivering lead vocals on a good portion of the band’s repertoire, with Mike Shaw punching the keys and bass (along with vocals) and Jacob Morrell picking up the lead guitar and backup vocals. With a little more refinement and some added life experience, The Head stands poised to take on the Atlanta and national indie rock scene by storm, one track and live show at a time.”
-Heidi Drockelman, Indie-Music.Com

This Piano is deft at creating shorter, almost miniature epics. That’s not to say that their songs go on too long. Instead, the band is capable of making every second count, squeezing a plethora of interesting changes and shifts into their music. The four new songs are still without titles, but sound is what counts. …This Piano stands at a crossroads. It’s hard to tell exactly where the right path will lead, but that’s the beauty of it all.
- Sean Zearfoss, Performer Magazine

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Late nights and drunken aftermoons at Elmyr are never as much fun as when Tornado Town is in the house. Named after what was left of Cabbagetown and parts of Old 4th Ward after the 2008 monumental storm, these guys effortlessly wreak havoc and destruction wherever they play, and they have a real good time doing it.

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All-star hobosexuals featuring some of Atlanta’s most colorful and popular musicians. Tom Cheshire met Brent Hinds on a corner under a bridge in 1993. They were panhandling and drinking cough syrup and songs started spewing out of them. Throw Mike Shina, Stiff Penalty and Ben Thrower into the mix and you got a good time. The cast of musicians is always changing. I have seen them play with a 16 piece orchestra and I have seen them play with just Tom Cheshire tap dancing and a Chinese girl playing the tuba. Either way, it’s always a good night out. Songs of loss and laughter and maybe even a new lease on life. I can’t think of a better way to spend a fall evening. Wear something nice.

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What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger’s textured silky sound is fueled by singer Hilary Yarbrough’s Fender Rhodes, and Bryan Slusher’s lush guitar lines. A thunderous current of drums by Corey Pallon (formerly of Pistolero) roils under the surface and singer Carrie Hodge provides the stabilizing rhythmic foundation on bass. Dark lyrics and haunting female harmonies make for a moody listen. Four lead singers from four other bands makes “the little band with a big name” a supergroup of sorts.

Check out What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger?’s music on MySpace.

When its album “Fucked Up in Public” was named as staff pick for Best Soundtrack for Two-Fisting it in L5P by Creative Loafing, staffers wrote: “Atlanta’s consummate power-pop songwriter Blake Rainey takes a drunken stroll through the bars of Little Five Points on the 7-inch “Fucked Up in Public” from the Young Antiques. A rapid-fire jangle and searing lead follows our hero through his mini odyssey in this night in the life of a working man.”
-Creative Loafing Best of 2010

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Kyle Gordon fronts this highly energetic live four-piece whose fanbase, particularly that of rowdy ladies, rapidly grows with each show. On their recordings, their style, though always polished, shifts from song to song with high end studio production and slick Brit-rock guitar lines. Young Orchids are speedily building their name around the south and, chances are, they won’t be slowing down any time soon.

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