I don’t know if you realized it but these are not your typical, obvious SXSW reccommendations. You could go to a hundred other sites for safe, easy choices of who to see at SXSW. These however are a bit out of the way.

Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir is an Austin based band that doesn’t sound anything like this Texas city. His hyper, catchy, hook laden pop is sugary on the surface but as you’ll hear in “Bank Ain’t Got The Loan” it’s got substance in its center. This is a new song that may show up on one of two records planned for 2010. Check him out late night at Momo’s on Saturday, March 20 at 1:00 AM.

Bank Ain’t Got The Loan

The Pantones are a Lansing, Michigan based band that ably mixes americana with power pop. I’m up for checking out any band that styles its music after both the Byrds and REM. On the new record Inside The Sun’s Wild Flame they combine pedal steel and violin with trumpet and keyboard.

On the song “Circus Freaks” the first line “Paul used to call us circus freaks in our army jackets and vintage shoes, just part-time thesbians and quizbo geeks, positive we had something to prove” certainly brings me back to my own awkward teenage years.

If any of the above rings true to you than buy the new record at Elderly Instruments here.

Circus Freaks

I looked near and far for today’s entry. My search took me all the way to Scotland. And what did I find you ask? Jangly power pop from the band Dropkick and their new record Abelay Hotel. The band has received plenty of accolades and some of them are quite funny. For instance the BBC called them “Scotland’s finest alt-country power pop band” (like there are dozens of them roaming the countryside!!) and the Scotsman said they were “Scotland’s 3rd best band for 2009 … fabulous melodies a-plenty and more hooks than Bob Nudd’s fishing bag” (I just find that bit about “3rd best” kinda funny). Astonishingly enough I wrote about the band here first.

If you’re going to write a power pop song with the word “California” in the title you had better give it a little bit of those wonderful sunny Beach Boy harmonies. The band accomplished that and even added a little Smithereens-like ruggedness. Buy the new record here in the states here at CD Baby.

Don’t Dream Of California

Dan Bryk is a tinkerer. His Facebook page describes various technical endeavors including this recent one: “rewiring the TV/DVD/itunes-through-airport extreme/old-mac-running-boxee/stereo”. At the moment he’s working on reinventing the wheel. His version of the wheel anyway. Which for him is the standard age-old pop song. Like the wheel, there’s little one can do to reinvent pop. But for Dan each clever turn of phrase, jangly guitar, layer of odd instrumentation, and overdubbed vocal is a revelation. And with every release he continues to upgrade, update, and redefine what is possible from the simple pop song.

Dan’s new record is called Pop Psychology. He’s done a soft release himself, but is still looking for the right label to release it (Bar/None, Parasol, and Ernest Jenning are you listening?). Fortunately for you it’s available from Bandcamp in any number of different formats (mp3, Flac, Lossless, etc) here. I’ve written often of Dan Bryk and this release is a great addition to his already stellar catalog of cult classics (here, here, here, here).

I’ve chosen the song “Alleged Career” since its themes of failure, false dreams, jealousy, and the ever elusive goal of indie rock superstardom are something I think we’ve all pondered. Dan was recently looking for help on the RIYL section of his latest press release and if I can be so bold I’d suggest Ben Folds, Chris Stamey, a little bit of Sloan and a dash of The Posies during the heavier moments. Show Dan I’ve at least got a little juice left and buy the new record here as a download.

My Alleged Career

Bonus:

BBW (Chunky Girl)
Summer Heroine (via Triangle Rock)
She Doesn’t Mean A thing To Me Tonight
Mark Turmell V2.0

I may not be the most rabid dB’s fan on the internet. Nor the most knowledgable. But goddamn it I’m first to the party and that should count for something. Man I loved their power pop meets punk meets jangly southern rock sound.

Here’s the title track plus an unreleased b-side from the upcoming Bar/None project from Stamey and Holsapple. The new record is called Here and Now and comes out on Bar/None June 9.

Here and Now

Bonus:

From A Window To A Scream

—Tour Dates

Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey

June 8, 2009 Arlington, VA Iota
June 9, 2009 New York, NY City Winery
June 27, 2009 Carrboro, NC Cat’S Cradle
July 4, 2009 Durham, NC Enofest
July 10, 2009 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
July 11, 2009 Nashville, TN The Basement
July 29, 2009 Durham, NC Duke Gardens