SXSW Preview: Hippo Campus, Cobalt Cranes, Liza Anne & More
Whatever you do, do not compare St. Paul’s quartet of recent High School graduates to Vampire Weekend. They hate that.
By Collin • • 1 min readWhatever you do, do not compare St. Paul’s quartet of recent High School graduates to Vampire Weekend. They hate that. Instead, pay attention to the breezy guitar parts and tight rhythms combining for a fun and effortless indie romp and realize that none of these guys could buy you a beer.
Fun Fact: The members of Hippo Campus use code names for each other on stage and strive for anonymity online, a strategy they learned from one of their influences WU LYF; “They put out one record, and basically they built their whole following and gained credibility for how little people know about them.”
Essentially the anti-SXSW. Cheeky.
Hippo Campus — Bashful CreaturesEP in full (Highlights: Suicide Saturday & Little Grace)
Bashful Creatures EP by Hippo Campus
COBALT CRANES SXSW SCHEDULE
Bringing a little “California Grunge” to Texas will be L.A’s Cobalt Cranes.
Kate Betuel and Tim Foley combine elements of 90’s shoegaze and 70’s psychedelia with fuzzy female lead vocals and tireless drumming.
It’s the kind of warm fuzzy sound you want in your ears as you ride a motorcycle through Joshua Tree.
Cobalt Cranes — “In A Daze”
LIZA ANNESXSW SCHEDULE
Besides having the names of two out standing KCRW DJs (Anne Litt and Liza Richardson for the uninitiated) Liza Anne has the talent, superbly haunting vocals and beautiful songwriting to leave Austin, TX with some major momentum.
The Nashville-based songwriter studied music at Belmont University but it’s definitely her hometown that seeps through her sound, adding just a dash of twang to keep songs like “Room” in the front of your mind.
Liza Anne — “Room”
Heloise Letissier’s live shows sound like a blast.
The 26-year-old has opened for act like Lykke Li & Woodkid and she incorporates elements of performance, art videos, dance and photography.
Not that she needs smoke and mirrors though, songs like “Christine” are the kind of deep-tempo grooves with her effortless vocals flitting over top that would make for a magical evening on it’s own.
BONUS TRACKS:
CIRCA WAVES— “Fossils” SXSW SCHEDULE
MADISEN WARD AND THE MAMA BEAR— “Silent Movies” SXSW SCHEDULE