This will probably be the final posting from the original Mongrel who started this blog, leaving, on my exit tomorrow morning, the cohort who has posted below to continue with bringing you the lowdown from Austin.
It's been a strange old time here in America. In the middle of the city (which could be any city in the world, really), surrounded by the usual faces at the British bbq, Mongrel started to get a little freaked out - a tad despondent. Having for so long had an obsession with 'the real America', Mongrel felt as though maybe those fantasies and dreams were unfounded....that this was it: high rises and people talking about nothing in particular. How could it be that the US music Mongrel has loved for so long has conveyed an untruth about the place it comes from? Then, there was the realisation: Mongrel loves the music made by the American outsiders...and surely if we could find that, then all would be OK again? The America of 6th St, Austin is not a place Mongrel ever wanted to see. A cab driver told us to head out to South Congress, on the south side of town, for the shops. "Girls like it there," he said. We walked a couple of miles out of town and realised that this was the place to be. South Congress is gorgeous. It has its own, genuine, American personality with interesting shops, and to top it all off, venues and shows which have nothing to do with Britain or Europe - it's the place where the outsiders congregate - suitably void of industry types talking nonsense and chasing the 'buzz bands'. Within seconds we had stumbled upon a car park with a makeshift stage and a few stalls selling weird US food, clothes, toys, memorabilia and so on, under the name SxSanJose. We were drawn to the place on account of a band playing - Frank Smith: a six-piece with male/female vocals. This might only mean something to Uncut readers, but think Mendoza Line (who have a great new album out, '30-Year Low') with the traditional musicianship of the Handsome Family. By the way, if you are an Uncut journalist - you need to check this lot out. It got better - we introduced ourself to the band and their manager, Jeff Goodman who, it turns out, also manages Juliana Hatfield. It is her label - Ye Olde Records - which has put out their latest album, 'Heavy Handed Peace and Love'. Then, it got even better. It turns out that this stage was organised by the agents who handle Wilco, with some funding from the band itself. Mongrel felt like she had come home and stuck around for more acts: AA Bondy (who is unsigned, but will appear on the Conan O'Brien show in the next couple of weeks) - solo act, voice to kill for, simplistic, beautiful acoustic melodies. Uncut - take note, please? Then, it was all completed by a great performance from Americana classics The Felice Brothers. It really couldn't have got much better.
Still, it had to end and Mongrel went off to meet some British cohorts - if anything to rant about what a wonderful day it had been. We ended up at the Elk Lodge out of town on the south side to see Gruff Rhys' latest project, Neon Neon - all pop, electro, hip hop with vocals on one track by Har Mar Superstar. The singer from Does It Offend You, Yeah? (who DJ'd afterwards) told us he thought it sounded like Duran Duran and Eurythmics. Take from that what you will. We all headed back into town for the Radio One party and MGMT, who were alright (one song stood out, on account of it sounding like Hall and Oates!!), but Mongrel had better things in mind: Mark Kozelek at the Central Presbyterian Church. It was midnight by this point and although he rattled through all the new songs from his latest Sun Kil Moon album - none of which we knew - it was OK. His voice is so captivating, so illuminating, so delicious, we could have stayed there all night. You see, in his voice you hear the sound of an outsider in this strange country. And Mongrel is so grateful to have found it.
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