Yuksek

They wave the white flag and generally add nothing to the world. They are the French. You may ask, "What about French kissing? French tickling?" Yes, yes...these are both admirable additions to the world as we know it. But do you think they really started these things? Hells no, they just decided to name it after themselves. Stay classy, attention grabbers.

But today, with ACL right around the corner (get ready peoples), TWNS brings you something good from France. French DJ Yuksek tears the dancefloor up with beats sure to inspire the creation of some of your freshest moves. Peep his official website to sample some of his outstanding remixes of bands such as Phoenix, Van She, White Lies, and M83. His album dropped in February and is named Away From The Sea. Motel Face is so down...

Yuksek - So Down

Yuksek - Tonight

Yuksek

The Birth of The Running Man

"It was the freshest move I've ever seen...It's like he was floating on air."

"I don't know what came over us, we just got up and danced with him."

"I've never seen anything like it in my life."

The Birth of The Running Man

For all the furries out there...

"I Wish I Was A Polar Bear" by Ted & Francis

For all the furries out there...

Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man is not only a great band blowing big straight from the last great frontier Wasilla, Alaska (Zack Morris style timeout: You know one of the biggest red flags in women? The crazy eyes. See Sarah Palin) via Portland, but they also have one of TWNS' favorite band names. You'd be insane to not blow some of your hard-earned cash to see them tomorrow (Friday) at the Troubador in Hollyweird.

Check out this video (courtesy of aquarium drunkard) for the acoustic version of "Guns and Dogs." As one brilliant commenter said, "I want to take this song out back the middleschool and get it pregnant."

Portugal. The Man

Neon Indian

I'm welcoming myself back from an extended posting absence...my apologies. To celebrate a triumphant return, I've got the first of some very choice nuggets for you today.

First up is my personal theme song (don't ask why) from this summer, Neon Indian's "Deadbeat Summer." Just listen to the Texas-raised Alan Palomo's lo-fi poppy dream-beats and tell me you wish it wasn't still mid July and you're sitting by the pool perving on the scantily clad ladies that are running around in your dreams. Debut LP entitled Psychic Chasms comes out Oct. 13. Check it out.

"Deadbeat Summer"

Neon Indian

Rebirth Brass Band

Counting it down to ACL with the boyz from the Big Easy, the best brass band in the land - Rebirth Brass Band!!! If you're from the South or like jazz music, you should be familiar with RBB. For all you carpetbaggers, Rebirth is a Treme institution formed by tuba player Philip Frazier, his brother Keith, and trumpet player Kermit Ruffins. By combining traditional New Orleans brass band music with funk, soul, and rap, Rebirth has and continues to appeal to younger generations. If you have the chance to see them live, do not pass it up! It's only the second most fun you can have on a hot, humid, southern night.

Do yourself a favor and download "Rebirth Melody/Casanova" and listen from the 3:30 mark on.

Do Whatcha Wanna


Feel Like Funkin' It Up


Rebirth Melody/Casanova


Video of "Casanova" live

Rebirth Brass Band

Texas Two-Step

B-B-Baby Ass is a-a-about to make your pee-pee maker t-t-tingle. In a salute to Austin City Limits - just one month away! - I've decided to highlight two Texas bands at opposite ends of the musical spectrum. First, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses released their second major label album, Roadhouse Sun, June 2nd of this year. Bingham lends his raspy, Dylan-esque voice and melodic guitar picking to 12 songs that I'm proud to say were made in Texas. I'm not a huge fan of the genre, but artists like Bingham and Shooter Jennings are doing their best to put the "O" back in "Country." Here are three of my favorite songs from the album and the video to "Southside of Heaven" from Bingham's 2007 release Mescalito.

Day Is Done


Tell My Mother I Miss Her So


Snake Eyes


Southside of Heaven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg7H_KpispY

Second is Austin's The Octopus Project, an experimental/indie-pop group that likes to use synths and drum machines to get your toes tapping. Fans of The Go! Team will hear some similarities in the songs, especially in the drums, but that's what happens when everyone uses dem 808s. Kidding. Below are three songs off their 2007 album Hello, Avalanche and a video from 2005's One Ten Hundred Thousand Million. Check out Yvonne Lambert rock the theremin in the video for "Music is Happiness." I haven't heard such mastery of the spooky synth since Paul Tanner on The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations." Thank you History of Rock and Roll 101!

Truck


Bees Bein' Strugglin'


Exploding Snowhorse


Music Is Happiness

Texas Two-Step