austin may

Austin May’s mesmerizing music contains whispering voice, yearning melodies, darkly poetic lyrics that pick the right tones, and moods. He is a balladeer whose words and melodies resonate in your soul. Decidedly downbeat, it features primarily acoustic instruments with an ear toward simplicity and limitation. What results is an airy, intimate collection of songs dealing primarily with the human condition, our relationships with ourselves, and with each other...and our greater struggle. Words straight from the heart and strong melodies make it a memorable listen. Some of highlights include “Home To Me,” “Too Much To Ask,” and “S.Bouquet” from the self titled album, “In Theory,” and “Pacific Tide” from “In Theory” EP. - ken dubois

Acoustic rock with personality

Oct 5, 2006 — Artist: Austin May, 24

Describe your sound/style: It's pretty independent acoustic rock kind of stuff. I really don't like to think my music is too similar to other music. I like to think it's a reflection of my own personality. It's really honest and artistic. Or at least I think so.

Who are your influences? I would say Elliot Smith was a really big influence for me. His music was very uncompromising and real. Some other artists I like are Bright Eyes, Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire.

Last three albums you listened to? I guess realistically the last three I listened to were The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," Elliot Smith, "From a Basement on the Hill" and Aimee Mann "The Forgotten Arm."

Worst band on the radio right now? I really don't like Nickelback.

Who is your biggest musical guilty pleasure? I don't know. There's really nothing that I'm so embarrassed that I don't tell people. I guess I don't think Kelly Clarkson is that bad.

If you could share the stage with any band or artist, who would it be and why? One of my favorite bands growing up was the Smashing Pumpkins. Now that they're working on a new album, that would be nice to open for them, just because you'd be playing for a huge audience and just the whole nostalgia thing.

What songs do you like to cover? I play the Beatles' "Blackbird" (and) "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young. Once in a while, I do an Elliot Smith song. There's also a Bright Eyes song.

Plug one other local band: There's this band called Monroe from Shrewsbury. It's just one guy, and he gets other people to play other instruments and sing. I think he's got a real unique style. I like his music a lot.

Who would win in a fight: Sufjan Stevens or Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes? Hopefully neither of them would have to fight, but Conor would probably be drunk so he would probably win.

What do you need to work on as an artist? I'm trying to get a band together. I've got a bass player I've been working with ... I'd really like to find a drummer.

Shoutouts: There are two bands from Chapel Hill , N.C. that are coming up. They're on tour right now. They're playing on Oct. 7 with me at Sparky & Clark's ? The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers and David Karsten Daniels who just signed to Fat Cat Records.

FLIPSIDE STAFF

Catch Austin May about 7 p.m. Saturday at Sparky & Clark's, 284 W. Market St., York.

To hear May's track, "Home to Me," make sure to subscribe to the FlipSide podcast at http://www.flipsidepa.com/goingout.

For more info on May, visit him on the Web at www.austinmay.com. - jason cox

Our Rating: 7/10
If Lou Barlow of Sebadoh had formed the Velvet Underground as a one-man band, he probably would've recorded a record similar to Austin May's self-titled CD (http://www.austinmay.com). With its spare arrangements and low-fi production, "Austin May" epitomizes the indie aesthetic.
The Velvets comparison isn't hype. Strip away Lou Reed's poetic, shockingly vulgar, and streetwise storytelling and you basically have a group that sounds as underground as their name. Like Reed, May has a monotone voice that's as far removed from commercial pop as it gets. But it's his style and a prettier vocal would lighten the punch.
On "Dog Ears," May opens the track by singing slowly, and you wonder where the song is going until, yes, it does pick up and clangs along in prime Velvets fashion. Even better is "Home to Me" with its brittle riffing and sensitive vocals a la Barlow.
Most of today's acoustic rock is too polished, mainly because those artists are trying to break into mass consciousness. May isn't even attempting that. He's following his own muse. There's a downbeat quality to these tunes, especially "Make Up Your Mind" with its tribal drumming, which makes it perfect for rainy, miserable nights. - adam harrington

I remember hearing Olympia's indie iconoclasts Beat Happening for the first time in college. A classmate of mine blasted one of their tapes in the cafeteria, and gradually you can see the looks of bewilderment and annoyance on the people's faces when they noticed how out of tune the vocals and guitar playing were. It was a true punk rock moment, but there was nothing particularly punk in Beat Happening's state of mind. They weren't ranting at the world, just banging on their instruments in a simple, charming (at least to my ears) way.
Austin May will most likely get that kind of reaction from folks who've absorbed too much Top-40 radio. This is "love it or hate it" material; rarely will you find somebody in the middle. May's voice is dry and often drones, such as on the intro to "Dog Ears." It's an acquired taste. While his singing is not as bizarre as Calvin Johnson's, it's bound to polarize listeners. And there's nothing wrong with that; the most challenging artists are usually not the most widely understood.
The dead branches and storm clouds on the album cover fit the mood. It's a little dreary at times, but it can rock, too -- check out the acoustic shred in "S. Bouquet." May plays all of the instruments himself, and the production doesn't get anymore intimate than this. It feels as if you are in the room with him, listening to these compelling private conversations. - kyrby raine

The surprise success of Bright Eyes will most likely open the doors for other uncompromisingly independent male singer/songwriters, but I doubt you will see Austin May on MTV any time soon. That’s certainly not a knock against May, who is simply doing his own thing. The material here is fairly stripped-down, yet there are sharper edges in May’s acoustic rock than what you’d normally expect. “S. Bouquet” is my pick overall for its spellbinding riffs. May takes music back to its basics, handling all of the instrumentation by himself, never burdening his songs with overly complicated arrangements. In fact, they sound as simple as it gets. It may take a while to digest, but it’s a rewarding experience if you give it time to sink in. - karla ash