Austin, Texas, natives Black Books kicked off their musical career in 2010 and have been creating a heady, atmospheric mix of dreamy, visionary pop and epic Southern-rock jams ever since. The band members, who grew up as school friends and form a close-knit creative family, evoke a maturity beyond their years. Since the release of debut EP Aquarena in February, the quintet has been receiving praise for its shoegaze jams with an experimental edge. With their psychedelic and sun-soaked melodies paired with warm, throaty vocals, we’re sure you’ll love Black Books’ sound. Check out the mix tape the members of the band made for MAGNET below.
The Dig “Angeline”
Kevin Butler: These guys are one of my favorite bands right now. This song hits hard and explores a lot of melodic space. I also like how it sounds big and loud, but also very soft at the same time. Video
Eight And A Half “Scissors”
Kevin Butler: Caught these guys at SXSW a few years ago. They’re one of the ones that stuck, and I was happy to find that their recordings live up to their live sound. I love the futuristic and clean sound going on here, but it’s also very warm. Definitely some elements I try to capture on our recordings. Video
Kurt Vile “Waking On A Pretty Day”
Mike Parker: This song is hypnotic. A perfect “driving around aimlessly in my car” tune. There’s been a surge of great folk/rock musicians coming out lately that are really inspiring the band, and this is one of them. There’s a lot of new ground these musicians are covering, which is exactly what we are trying to do as a band. I think the first and last rule we ever made as Black Books was to create something we’ve never heard before. Video
Frank Black “Headache”
Mike Parker: I love this song. It’s a pretty straightforward melody that goes into this slowly escalating chorus. But what I love most about the song is when the chords change at the end. Black continues singing the same melody, which makes it fit the song. It gives this heightened feel, like you’ve reached a new plateau. The video happens to be awesome, too. A lot of times when we’re writing new music, I think, “What would Frank Black do?” Video
Roll The Dice “The Skull Is Built Into The Tool”
Clark Curtis: As a birthday gift, a friend of mine gave me a copy of In Dust. He likened it to John Carpenter’s The Fog score. Damn, he was right. Their layering, composition and aesthetic are right on. One of the members in the band worked on the Fever Ray record, another favorite of mine. Video
Mirroring “Silent From Above”
Clark Curtis: Being a big fan of Grouper and Tiny Vipers already, I couldn’t wait to hear this collaboration. Grouper’s atmosphere matched with Tiny Vipers’ intimacy, this album demands a thorough listen to. This was the first record I bought my girlfriend, and it’s a perfect soundtrack through the Northwest (in my dreams at least). Video
Jesse Woods “Elijah”
Meg Gilfillan: Ross, Kev and I went to see this guy a while back, and I really loved how understated-yet-evocative his songs were. He only had a drummer and cello player with him, so I didn’t get the full experience of this more rockin’ song … but I look forward to it. If Willis Alan Ramsey came out with his mythical second album today, it might sound something like this. Video
Marissa Nadler “Ordinary World”
Meg Gilfillan: So rich and dramatic while still managing to keep its cool. I remember being nine or 10 years old, waiting around for hours to record this song off the radio onto my “favorite songs” mix tape. I like to think this girl did the same thing, and that’s why she grew up to sing it so lovingly. A Duran Duran cover. Video
White Fence “Swagger Vets And Double Moon”
Ross Gilfillan: I like to listen to this song with a cold beer in the shower. This track has everything I love about rock ‘n’ roll music. Straight ahead, loud and amazingly catchy. Video
Merle Haggard “Sam Hill”
Ross Gilfillan: I have been on a Merle kick for a while. Haggard can seriously turn anything to pure gold when he gets on a track. When we have big family BBQs, we always put a stereo out in the yard and play old country music. Stuff like this is my favorite. Video
