Good Hustle!

There was a time when bands were bands, and if a given one was extremely popular, maybe the singer put out a solo record here and there. These days, if you don't have a band, two side projects and a solo career, you're slacking. This is especially true among Canadians for some reason. Witness the myriad offshoots of The New Pornographers, Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene.

True, Broken Social Scene is such a loosely strung together collective that it begs the question "Can the group of artists brought together to sing 'We Are the World' be considered a band?" In any case, core BSS member Andrew Whiteman does have a band of his own, called Apostle of Hustle, that ostensibly allows him to explore his Latin roots within the indie rock aesthetic.

I've only heard a handful of Apostle of Hustle songs, but it seems to me that the inspiration is drawn from several far-flung genres with a consistent focus on rhythm, and a reliance on a variety of percussive sounds, which lends a Cuban flavor to the music. Judging from the well-baited hook, driving rhythm and dynamic harmonizing of My Sword Hand's Anger (on the new album, National Anthem of Nowhere) and the off-kilter bass-and-percussion-infused electronica of 24 Robbers, as well as the globe-trotting, seven-minute island opera that is Folkloric Feel, Apostle of Hustle is as versatile as its singer.

Why am I writing about them you ask? They will be playing the Mohawk day show at SxSW with Annuals, Imperial Teen and Shearwater on Thursday March 15th. And I'm still knee-deep in my extensive South-by-Southwest preparation.

Another Interesting SxSW Find

Every red-blooded patriot should be able to get behind the thrust of this song by an oddball Texas punk band (it's the first song listed in the media player) rather curiously dubbed Hug. You may not agree with the singer's assertion that 'George Bush, he a gooood man', but for the love of God, (don't) take the words of the chorus to heart and (don't) go and take matters into your own hands*.

*The Bossman neither agrees nor disagrees with the lyrics in question. But he is entertained nonetheless.

This Moment in SxSW Preparation

Those familiar with me are well aware that I have a problem -- nay a compulsion -- when it comes to live music appreciation and the scheduling thereof. So in preparation for my upcoming trip to Austin for SxSW, I have undertaken the immense task of listening to all the bands on the preliminary (and unofficial) list of festival performers that I haven't already heard.

As I am spending my days checking out dozens and dozens of bands (500 or so confirmed so far), I thought it might be worthwhile to share a few that I liked along the way.

Today, while trying to get the skinny on the happenin' day-party scene at SxSW, I ran across a band from Cleveland rather provocatively dubbed This Moment In Black History that will be playing the No Idea Records/The Political Party day show on March 15. Perhaps it was their album titles (It Takes a Nation of Assholes to Hold Us Back, Midwesterncuttalistick), which are as entertaining as their name; or maybe it was because they remind me a little of fellow Clevelanders (Clevelandites? Clevelandians?) Pere Ubu, but I found myself listening to their myspace offerings over and over again.

Check them out for yourselves.

I'll be back soon with more bands that caught my ear.

Update! SxSW has released its preliminary list of performers.