SXSW 2009 is coming up fast. I haven’t ever been able to go, but the sheer number of new bands that come out of the festival fascinates me. Maybe next year my blog buddies and I can realize my blog-heaven fantasy of a trip to Austin. Meanwhile, back in reality, here are three bands I would seriously be interested in seeing.

Cincinnati’s Pomegranates will appear at the Art Disaster Party at the Beauty Bar on March 17, introducing their new CD Everybody, Come Outside, to be released officially in April. High-energy guitarwork lifted by keys and high-register vocals.
Pomegranates: Corriander from Everybody, Come Outside (2009)
MySpace | Band Blog | Label: Lujo Records
Buy at Amazon.com, iTunes, and eMusic

Matt Gangi wrote, recorded and produced the debut album A but has now been joined by Lyle Nesse to perform the compositions, which seem equally inspired by psychedelia and garage rock but fascinatingly different from both. Each song I’ve heard has its own character. Gangi will also be at the Beauty Bar on March 17, and they’ll be setting up residency at Spaceland in L.A. in May. I have to plan on catching one of those shows just to find out which one is which.
Gangi from A (2008):
Animals
Commonplace Feathers
MySpace | Label: Office of Analogue and Digital
Buy at Gangi’s MySpace page, iTunes, and eMusic

ARMS is the project of Brooklyn-based Todd Goldstein, who also plays guitar in the Harlem Shakes. “Kids Aflame” from his debut album of the same name was first released as a single, and its lilting ukelele in combination with Goldstein’s warm vocals made it a hit. But “The Frozen Lake” hits a little harder, and I also like “Shitty Little Disco” a lot. Todd will have a full band for the his 2 PM performance at the I Guess I’m Floating Party on Thursday, March 19.
Arms from Kids Aflame (2008):
Kids Aflame
The Frozen Lake
MySpace | Website | Label: Melodic Records
Buy at Amazon, eMusic

Filed under: SXSW 2009, Arms, Gangi, Pomegranates

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