SXSW: Hunx & His Punx go wild; Real Estate plays nice

More highlights from Austin: Surf City at Homeslice Pizza. (Photo by David Malitz)

By David Malitz

It's mid-day Thursday and I've only seen one band on my "must" list and that was the inimitable Hunx & His Punx last night in a tiny spot called Headhunter's. Here's a very brief summary: leopard-print bulge. More with Hunx later, I hope.

Thursday was supposed to start with a show and interview with China's Carsick Cars. But some miscommunication about backline support left the band unable to play. Still got to talk to the band and it was very interesting -- more later, again. Some brief highlights: Baltimore was the band's favorite city on their brief U.S. tour last fall and touring the provinces of China felt more foreign than playing New York.

(Surf City, the Love Language, and the soothing sounds of Real Estate, after the jump.)

A few blocks down was the free Music By the Slice day show at Homeslice Pizza. It was impossible to pass up since New Zealand's Surf City -- a CMJ fave -- and new Merge Records signees the Love Language were back to back. Surf City seem like salty fellows -- always a bit grumpy about something -- but their vintage Flying Nun sound was perfect in the mid-day sun. The Love Language, whose upcoming album comes with a good deal of buzz, play jovial tunes that make you want to hop and twirl.

Right now Real Estate is gently rocking the Other Music lawn party. Band of (reverb) bros in effect. I've made many (bad) jokes at the band's expense because the New Jersey dudes are everywhere this week ("I was waiting in line for the bathroom, wondering what was taking so long -- turns out Real Estate was playing a show in there!") but their gently gliding jams always sound nothing less than extremely pleasant.