Blackland Records

Amplifier Magazine Reviews Travel in Herds

Blackland Records — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:32:48 +0000

Appearances can be quite deceiving. Whether you’re judging books by covers or attractive young ladies by their attire, it can prove difficult to discern what really and truly lies beneath the heaping dollops of sheen, veneer, and makeup. Music often becomes an even tougher sell, what with programs like Pro Tools and functions like Autotune increasing the ease with which a producer can clean up a certain sound or vocal tick, while maintaining the glossiness of the record label’s chosen look. One is never too sure whether or not the band owes more to the producer’s knob-twiddling prowess and photographer’s airbrushing know-how than to their own talent.

So, upon first glance, it is rather dubious to claim that 4 skinny-jeans-wearing indie rock kids that make up the TX-based band Hymns can actually pull off the ambitious sonic palette that their PR material claims they wield. However, multiple listens through their sophomore project Travel In Herds ably demonstrates their prowess, in that, while the group brandishes their influences boldly, the swagger is all their own. The band confidently crisscrosses the musical map with the Being There-era Wilco-styled cut “I Can’t Be What U Want,” the Petty-esque track “Blame It On The Mountain,” and the Springsteen-ish song “Streets Alone.” Yet for the tendencies to simply sound like their forebears, it is the voice of Brian Harding that sets them apart, as he resists every possible temptation to belt the lyrics out with clichéd bravado, instead breathing the lyrics with an almost-too-restrained folky whisper. While Travel In Herds might not break any new musical ground, that doesn’t make the music any less appealing to fans of catchy country-tinged folk rock.

– Adam P. Newton [March 30, 2008]

We loves us some Spin!

Blackland Records — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:35:24 +0000

The folks @ Spin Magazine have been very nice to Hymns lately. The fantastic review in their magazine happened to come out in the issue that was given to all 12,000 SXSW badgeholders and the Spin staff spent a bunch of quality time with the boys in Austin (see some evidence on our Videos page). But what we are really excited about today is the list on Spin.Com of the “Best Discoveries” of SXSW 2008:

Joe Lean & The Jing, Jang, Jong
The Heavy
Anthony Green of Circa Survive solo
Hymns !!!
Flowers Forever

Now you know why we loves us some Spin - buy the mag and visit the site today!

Blackland Records SXSW 2008 Party @ Red Fez

Blackland Records — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:12:21 +0000

The line-up was stellar for our second annual party on 3/15/2008:

Pleasant Grove
The A-Sides
Joseph Arthur
Hymns
The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

For further evidence, check out the videos of Joseph Arthur’s set on his official youtube page, highlights include Echo Park, In The Sun and Redemption’s Son:

http://www.youtube.com/user/josepharthurofficial

Nine Shows In Six Days for Hymns

Blackland Records — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:05:10 +0000

If you are anywhere close to Dallas or will be in Austin for SXSW this year, you have no choice but to see a Hymns show. The guys will be playing 9 shows between next Tuesday 3/11 and Sunday 3/16: Tuesday 3/11 5pm In-Store appearance @ Good Records in Dallas - we will supply a keg of beer and Hymns will be followed by Cloud Cult… Same day: run over to Sons of Hermann Hall @ Elm & Exposition for a trifecta of Nashville’s Pico vs. Island Trees, Hymns and Justin Townes Earle - Steve Earle’s boy! At SXSW, Hymns will be playing 2 Thursday parties, a Friday party and 2 Saturday day-parties - including: Blackland’s 2nd Annual Red Fez Party 1-6pm on Sat 3/15: Starring - 1pm Pleasant Grove 2pm The A-Sides 3pm Joseph Arthur 4pm Hymns 5pm The Soundtrack Of Our Lives With that line-up, beer and tex-mex how can you NOT be there? Hymns official SXSW Showcase on Saturday Night @ Cedar Door …and Sunday night 3/16 Hymns will return to Dallas to play Lakewood Bar and Grill with Joseph Arthur and The Teeth! If you need further details, check the tour section, but my all means see Hymns as many times as you can!!!

Hymns Release Travel in Herds

Blackland Records — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:04:27 +0000

Blackland Records is proud to announce that Hymns will be releasing their sophomore CD - Travel in Herds - on March 11. You can hear the first single on our myspace page www.myspace.com/blacklandmusic. Stay tuned for news about the big Blackland showcase in Dallas on March 11th, upcoming hymns tour dates & all of our plans for the great SXSW music festival in Austin 3/12 - 3/16.

Hymns Do Texas (5 Times)

Blackland Records — Thu, 31 May 2007 07:03:39 +0000

Hymns kick off their Summer 2007 Tour with five (5!) shows in the great state of Texas including tomorrow nights show in Austin, Saturday in Houston, two shows Sunday in Dallas and Monday night in Denton before they head west. Please see the tour section for details. And if you can make the Dallas shows, you might want to wear your indie best as a video crew will be capturing a day in the life of hymns, including the performances at Good Records and at the Double-Wide Bar. Darryl Smyers preview appearing in this weeks Dallas Observer says it better than I could: “Brother/Sister, the debut effort from New York City’s Hymns, was one of the most underrated discs of 2006. Mixing the most stable elements of Wilco, Pavement and Spoon with refreshingly light and easy folk, songs such as “Magazines,” “Scenery Glow” and “Power in the Street” are tailor-made for folks who like their alt-country on the comprehensible side. Singer Brian Harding and guitarist Jason Roberts started the band in North Carolina back in 2003, but it took a fortuitous move to the Big Apple to complete the quartet and record (in Celeste, Texas, of all places) their listener-friendly debut-not that there’s anything wrong with being easy on the ears. The foursome creates music that is concise and dynamic, engaging songs that never have to strive to be more than they are, never attempting weird for weird’s sake. Like a good pair of shoes, the music of Hymns is comfortable without the need to be cool.”

Hymns Announce Summer Fun

Blackland Records — Wed, 23 May 2007 07:02:51 +0000

Hymns may be coming to a bar near you this summer. Matt Shaw has joined the band on bass, so get out there and see Brian, Jason, Tony and Matt throw down songs from Brother / Sister, new hymns tunes and ultra cool covers. For those of you who have been asleep at the wheel, new dates for June and July have recently been posted. You can get all the details in the tour section of this site, but some highlights include: Kicking off with (at least) 4 Texas shows / An all day party in Dallas on Sunday June 3rd, starting at Good Records with Bosque Brown and ending at Double Wide Bar with The Theater Fire / Hymns first show in Las Vegas at Divebar / Four shows in California, including a June 11th date at the legendary Viper Room in Los Angeles / Fourth of July at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ with The Redwalls / Hymns first ever show in Florida / Playing with bands such as: The Dead Trees * The Morning Pages * Melba Toast * The Redwalls * Mezzanine Owls * The Slant * Bosque Brown * The Shys * The Theater Fire * Crash the Satellite, AND MANY, MANY MORE!

Magical Shirts

Blackland Records — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 06:48:30 +0000

They say that there is no such thing as magic. They also say that a t-shirt is just a t-shirt. I say “to hell with them”. The new Hymns shirts are a thing of beauty, with American Apparel quality, both men’s and women’s styles and…something magical about them. We may even have your favorite color, you will have to go to the store page of this website to find out.

SXSW Announces Schedule

Blackland Records — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 07:02:09 +0000

We are finally free to announce that Hymns official SXSW Showcase will be on Friday 3/16 at Eternal (418 East Sixth Street) with amazing headliners The Faint. SESAC SHOWCASE 9:00pm Hymns 10.00pm Peter & The Wolf 11:15pm Pela 12:30am The Faint! You can find the complete “official” SXSW Schedule at www.sxsw.com

Hymns Plays Dallas - Finally!

Blackland Records — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:01:16 +0000

Blackland recording artists Hymns will play their first Dallas show on Thursday March 8th at the legendary Sons of Hermann Hall. Sons of Hermann has been located at the corner of Exposition and Elm since 1911. Headlining the show will be the Dallas Observer’s Musician of the Year (2005) Chris Holt with his fantastic band Olospo, one of Dallas best live acts for several years. Also playing will be Texas troubadour Matt Koger. Doors open at 8:30pm and tickets are a steal at $8 and will be available through Front Gate Tickets or at the door.