A lot of bands lose what made them good in the first place when moving from a lo-fi, raw sound into the production of a studio. The Zoltars debut Should I Try Once More? on Sundae Records is a rare example of a move into polished clarity serving to highlight already great songwriting. The massive effects and rough arrangements were a big part of the charm on their self-titled seven-inch. Through reverb soaked, loose guitar, Jared sang about voodoo, and Partying at Bat Cave. Delivered at times in an offhand, barely sung melody, it was a great combination of not taking themselves too seriously while getting at the joke in their own sincere way. They’ve taken the basic elements of their trio, two guitars and drums, and forced the minimal arrangement to shine clearer, cooler, and a little darker across ten tracks. The songwriting itself has remained deliberate and clear cut, with a precision and warmth to the lonesome guitars over their particular brand of primitive rhythm. They combine the repetition and bleakness of The Velvet Underground with a jagged minimalism of Gang of Four. They’ve taken a post punk march and laid Jared’s ’50s era Bobby Darin vocal over it. It’s a little nasal, counteracted with doses of backup harmony, but never quite escapes seeming alone. The melody is delivered in lockstep time and Jared’s singing is so close you can hear him breathing. This ghostly surf sound walks the line between calculated and dehumanizing, like a robot that’s wondering why there’s water coming out of his eyes.

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Holy Wave: Rolling from El Paso to Austin, Holy Wave has grounded well within the Austin psychedelic scene, but they take many interesting side steps into other trains of thought. Mixed in with cool surf licks, the band has incorporated a crescendo style into their act. Any time the boys seem to be cruising along in one groove, it isn’t long before one of the members shoots the rest of the band into a jaw-dropping climax. Holy Wave’s intelligent take on psychedelic surf rock is engaging and will make you feel like you’re at a 1950’s beach party.

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Post-punk Garage Surf Pop. Stylistically, Growl sounded like early Kinks, but structured with the mind of an older Ray Davies. While the chords are poppy, the tone and manner in which they were played gives way to a more intelligent agent at work. Speaking with guitarist Sam Houdek after a show, he said that the band is immensely democratic, with each member bringing his or her ideas to the table. The comparison to The Kinks took him by surprise, as none of the members “really listens to them.” Each member comes from a completely different way of music, stated Houdek. With such a diverse mixture of ideas, it may come as no surprise that Growl is one of the more wholly enjoyable indie groups in Austin today.

Flamencura Music & Dance share flamenco dance and music with the Austin community through classes and events. All dance classes are taught by founder Olivia Chacon, while flamenco music instruction is given by Isai Chacon. Join us at the inside stage on Saturday for a dance performance by students from Flamencura!