Burgess Meredith
SXSW Buzz + Album Release Show 4/14 at Hotel Vegas
By Jordan Roberts, 12:37PM, Fri. Mar. 23, 2012
Burgess Meredith is a name that usually denotes the late great actor who was that dastardly, villainous fowl waddling about Gotham City with umbrella in hand. But in this case, it’s not a penguin but a band in the City of the Violet Crown that’s stirring up great buzz in the wake of SXSW.
Formed by Josh King (The Lemurs), John Vishnesky (Bell Curve), and Jesse Hester (The Polyphonic Spree/Sweet Lee Morrow), Burgess Meredith is an Austin-based, 60s influenced rock and roll band rounded out by vocalist Deidre Gott, bassist Blue Mongeon (The Dalles), and Danny Reisch (Shearwater) on drums to complete this dynamic troupe.
During SXSW the band made numerous appearances across town spreading their contagious, rocking sound. Making its way through Austin venues, including The Parish for the Good Danny’s + Navigational Society Day Show, the Burgess Meredith fever is catching.
Within the first few seconds of their set, the rolling guitar riff, as it drives the drums along, is a time machine back to 1960s rock/pop. I'm suddenly cruising along in my Munster Mobile hot-rod coffin, with The Penguin riding shotgun and providing his approval of each note in quackish "wahh wahhs.” Enter the vocals, and I am reassured it will be an exceptional musical journey.
The juxtaposition between the fuzzy, distorted guitar and the rising, upbeat harmonies seamlessly weaves into the growing crescendo of each song. The beat drumming along in Batman/Munster's theme-esque rhythm is a great common denominator throughout the song “Loving Man,” as well as the gnarly guitar that comes in and out. The breakdown into the playful, drunken keys of the piano is a nice transition into this woozy-melodic bridge before the claps/drums/harmonious chorus pulls you back into that poppy, dance state.
Free download of “Loving Man” from their upcoming album Banana Moon available at burgessmeredith.bandcamp.com
Wanting more? Wish granted. On April 14th at Hotel Vegas, 101X Homegrown Live presents the Burgess Meredith EP Release with Oh No Oh My and BOY. Doors at 9PM. Put on your dancing shoes, come get your hands on their new album, and get ready for a great time!
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
