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| Loud Enough. Press | ||
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Mixtape Muse 10.20.2011 "The same sort of rough, loud, and honest sounds that gushed out of '90s underground rock bands such as Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr., and Sebadoh is present here, like a time capsule of the best memories. The Midgetmen's latest LP, Loud Enough, is stuffed with crunchy, fuzzy, rattling, buzzing guitar riffs, shout-along verses and choruses, and even hits of jubilant horns that make this one enjoyable ride....[read more]" - Quinn S. |
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The Onion AV Club 05.20.2011 "These days, The Midgetmen communicate with the outside world largely through design-geek type-treatments and healthy dosages of self-deprecation (plus a fairly entertaining Twitter feed). The new LP by Austin's premier purveyors of unaffected indie rock, Loud Enough, announces itself in much the same way...[read more]" - Erik Adams |
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| Side One: Track One 05.20.2011 These guys are fairly crazy, so it doesn't surprise me that this starts out in a very slick and accessible fashion before slyly shifting into something that will make each of you incessantly air-guitar and toss up rock fists...[read more]" - John Laird |
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| Austinist 05.20.2011 The Midgetmen don't have high hopes, and they don't have unrealistic dreams. They just like to play, and are mighty pleased to be rewarded in drink tickets - not that they don't like to be compensated monetarily as well - but these guys derive much of their musical mojo from a cheap-but-hearty frothy brew...[read more]" - William Mills |
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| Austin Chronicle: Off The Record 05.20.2011 Nine years later, the local fourpiece finally played Emo's outdoor stage last month opening for Titus Andronicus and released its fourth and best album, Loud Enough, an aptly titled collection of white-collar pub-rock...[read more]" - Austin Powell |
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| Republic Of Austin 05.20.2011 Even with all its "slop punk" posturing, you can tell a lot of time and energy was invested in this record. And although their usual sense of humor is on display throughout the record, the music is serious- and seriously good. To me, Loud Enough brings a Sonic Youth vibe, smashed together with a twisted version of Weezer with an overall echo that reverberates The Clash...[read more]" - Natchet Taylor |
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| KUT Radio 05.20.2011 Warning: The following story is not for the faint of heart Ð or really, anyone without a sense of humor. The Midgetmen have no time for that, so lighten up...[read more]" - Laurie Gallardo |
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| Party Ends: Pun Crock 05.18.2011 Not only is their new record designed awesomely, and the tunes contained within are the best the band has set to tape. Loud Enough is tight guitar licks get piled upon loose hi-hats resulting in boozy rock and roll tantrums the likes of which are rarely seen pulled off correctly. This isn't pop-punk. This isn't any annoying sub genre of punk. It is just fun and loud. Rock....[read more]" - John Gross |
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| Ovrld 04.21.2011 The Midgetmen have been rocking in the ATX for about 9 years and have quite a few Austin Music Awards and Statesmen A-List Awards to show for it. But I'm an Austin transplant, so these local heros were completely new to me. The Midgetmen just released their fourth album, Loud Enough, which is available on iTunes or on their website. This album sounds like a combination of moments off of Weezer's Blue Album mixed with a healthy dose of Dinosaur Jr. and Husker Du. Anthemic, riff-heavy, thundering and aggressive, this album grabbed me and didn't let me go until the last track...[read more]" - Dan |
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| Austin American Statesman/Austin360.com 04.19.2011 People say that the Midgetmen, the nine-year-old rock/punk quartet of Jon Loyens, Alex Victoria, Marc Perlman and Justin Petro, are Òloud enough,Ó so that's what they named their fourth album, available now. And they are loud enough. Choosing that name for the album also reflects the band's lighthearted approach...[read more]" - Pete Mongillo |
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| Beerandbands 04.18.2011 As I said at the beginning, it's a little sad to think that I've missed out on The Midgetmen until now, but at least I've finally heard them. Yes this record's title is accurate but beyond that the record is also big, fun, and very very good...[read more]" - Damian |
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| Awards, Interviews, Features, and Other Nonsense | ||
| Austin Chronicle Austin Music Awards: |
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| Austin-American Statesman A-List Awards 2009: #3 Best Punk Band 2008: #7 Best Punk Band |
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| The Deli Austin Austin Band of the (Half) Month - August 2009 |
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| City of Austin Band of the Week: 05.25.2008-05.31.2008 |
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| 2007 SoManyBands Awards: Most Entertaining Live Show |
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| Neil Young's Living With War Songs Trickle Down |
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Austin Music Weekly When The Beer's Gone: The Midgetmen Throw a Party for the Old Folks "It's not that The Midgetmen are actually as old as advertised, it's just that they're too old to do it every night. ...[read more]" - Chase Hoffberger |
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KUT Texas Music Matters 05.01.2009 (7 Year Show Preview) "With The Midgetmen, you're guaranteed an adventure. It's never a dull moment - unless you're a dull person and you just don't get it. Then boo for you. But seriously, the punk-pop magic began seven years ago...[read more]" - Laurie Gallardo |
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The Onion/Decider 04.30.2009 (7 Lessons From 7 Years of The
Midgetmen) "The members of The Midgetmen are quick to point out that in their seven years of playing together, they've outlasted several Austin clubs (The Back Room, The Vibe, Emo's Lounge), and sunk at least one magazine (the women's monthly Jane, which profiled singer-bassist Marc Perlman, drummer Justin Petro, and singer-guitarist Alex Victoria for a "Where the hell are all the hot guys?" piece in its March 2007 issue). In anticipation of the band's seventh anniversary show at the Mohawk, Decider asked Perlman, Petro, Victoria, and singer-guitarist Jon Loyens to share seven lessons they've learned in their time as Austin's hardest working, hardest drinking slop-punks. [read more]" - Erik Adams |
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| Austinist 05.01.2008
(6 Year Show/Show Pony Release Preview) "It seems like just yesterday we were honoring The Midgetmen's five year anniversary. Well, turns out it has been a year already and this weekend at Emo's Lounge, the local pop-punk act is celebrating its sixth birthday which conveniently coincides with the release of their third full-length album. The band's new record Show Pony is as eco-friendly as it gets -- per bassist / vocalist Marc Perlman, '100% post-consumer cardboard with environmentally friendly inks with no plastic shrink wrap. And, we just signed an agreement with our friends at MoveNeutral.com to carbon offset the CD release show as well as the entire tour!' Nice! [read more]" - Adi Anand |
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Austinist 05.14.2007 (5 Year Show Snapshot) "The Midgetmen jam out at Emo's Lounge, covering David Bowie's 'Five Years' to help cap off a set spanning their 5 years as a band. Delivering one of their tightest sets in recent memory, drummer Justin Petro credited long hours spent rehearsing and the bands pledge of renewed sobriety professionalism...at least for the duration of the set. |
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| Austinist
05.11.2007 (The Laurie Show) "Congratulations are in order for a band celebrating its 5-year anniversary - and frankly, if your band is still together for even one year, I think you deserve accolades for not killing each other. The members of The Midgetmen are alive and well... [read more]" - Laurie Gallardo |
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Austinist 05.10.2007 (5 Year Show Preview) "Sandwiched between the two are the Midgetmen who specialize in beer infused punk n' roll fit to kick off any weekend, or week-day for that matter. This weekend's gig marks their 5 Year Anniversary. Actually they prefer '5 Year Birthday' -- probably get more beer that way. [read more]" - Adi Anand |
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| AustinSound
05.07.2007 "The end of a Midgetmen show is one of the best things to experience in Austin. That's worded badly, but they'll appreciate the jab. Exploding in a frenzy of sloppy, beer-fueled guitar excess, the Midgetmen's finale is a tough act to follow, and the energy of their live shows has consistently placed the group among the top punk acts in the Austin Music Awards. [read more]" |
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| JANE Magazine
March 2007 "Their band is called The Midgetmen for reasons unrelated to their penis size, and I promise I'll mention that right off the bat. [read more]" - Katy McColl (See the cover, See our bassist on p108) |
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Austinist 01.05.2007 (Show preview) "A strong believer in its DIY ethics, the Midgetmen occupy the middle spot in the line-up. The band prides itself in its independence from recording engineers, agents and management, and has won numerous Austin Chronicle Austin Music Awards for their self-designed concert artwork. [read more]" - Adi Anand |
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| So Many Bands
November 2006 "I can't think of anything to say about this band. Just read their interview. [read more]" - Sarah Vasquez |
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| SPIN Magazine
October 2006 "October 27 - The Midgetmen - Stubb's: Drunk rock meets slop punk for an all-around messy affair. Previously, the local faves fed fans free fried chicken. Considering the occasion, expect pumpkin pie." [see p.114 of SPIN] |
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| ATX
Magazine 03.13.2006 Issue 2 "I've never seen The Midgetmen live, but if they bring half as much energy to the stage that they brought to a Thursday evening interview, I'm pretty sure it's a balls-out performance. [read more]" - Brittany Wilson |
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| Wichita
F5 10.20.2005 Issue 42, Volume 3 "The current members of the Midgetmen - bassist/vocalist Marc Perlman, guitarist/vocalists Jon Loyens and Alex Victoria, plus drummer Justin Petro - first met in mid-2000 while working at a software company in Austin. Petro and Perlman found themselves laid off toward the end of 2001 and eager to find a way to while away the time. Loyens and Petro would jam and before long Perlman decided that he would join in. [read more]" - Jedd Beaudoin |
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| Show Pony Reviews | ||
| Dryve Tyme
Onlyne 09.04.2008 "It's always nice to hear a bit of earnest sweat and grit blare out of the speakers. It might be considered trendy for a band to put songs to tape live and natural in the studio, eschewing fancy recording and editing software, but this is one reviewer who appreciates such devotion to DIY ethics. Everything might not come out sounding clean and pretty on these self-recorded projects, with the fuzzy detritus wiped away and the sloppy notes auto-tuned out of existence, but at least the listener knows that he/she is hearing the band at their most fundamental. [read more]" - Adam Newtown |
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| Harder Beat
Magazine 08.2008 "***** - With 16 tracks taking just over a half-hour, Austin DIYers, The Midgetmen, run the gamut from three-chord hipster punk to '60s psychedelic rock. 'And the Rodeo Came to Town' sounds as if the Kings of Leon were jamming on a Dead Kennedys' song and 'Jimmy & Skippy' would make the 13th Floor Elevators proud. Jon Loyens and Alex Victoria's two-guitar attack is impeccable with tasteful solos and just the right amount of slop. The band, as a whole, wallows in lo-fi sonic bliss in every short instrumental break, especially on the guitar solo in 'Club Sandwich.' Vocal melodies reveal themselves with repeated listening, making the album better with each new spin. Show Pony does not allow for any polish, only a little spit-shine right down to the environmentally friendly packaging." - D.J. Ivie |
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| Delusions of Adequacy
08.05.2008 "While it's true The Midgetmen play its songs with a reckless abandon and a certain disregard for elegance, it's also true that the fiery drumming, churning rhythm guitars and sludgy bass lines are short, sharp, and often very catchy. The quick-tempo indie-punk is energetic, rowdy and fun and hits like a quick thunderstorm as electrifying and thrashy, sing-a-long, beer drinking songs. Not breaking any new ground but somehow managing to sound fresh and rewarding is not an easy task, but The Midgetmen seems to have pulled it off, thanks to the deceptively clever hooks and jagged guitar riffs, played with rock n' roll heart and soul and splashed with just the right amount of humorously undaunted attitude. Show Pony is an accomplished mix of concise, energetic power-punk-rock with jerky melodies, whose songs are short, disorderly, raucous and playful, and have that intangible ingredient which can't be quantified or qualified but somehow turns every song into a party. [read more]" - Matt The Raven |
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| Soundcheck
Magazine 06.11.2008 "If you feel nostalgia for the bad old days- the days before SUVs, non-ironic neon fabrics and skinny jeans, flannel shirts and Doc Martens, or are tired of the more-esoteric-than-thou-more-ironic-for-now personas of the kids these days, there just may be a remedy in the form of the quirky Austin quartet The Midgetmen. The militantly DIY foursome gallantly appropriate the sounds of 80s and 90s indie rock (think dirty guitars, strained vocals and short, very short, songs) and mix it with the kind of humor you're allowed when you've taken three chords, Epicurean humor, sworn never to tell the truth, and rocked crowds across the country. Their latest 'slop rock' release, Show Pony, was engineered to catch a piece of their legendary live mojo in all its rawness and delicious noise and, indeed, it delivers. In all of its catchy hooks and decadent humor, it's nothing but a damn good time, and that's just the point." - Justin Patch |
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| AustinSound
06.10.2008 "The Midgetmen excel at pop-punk mayhem, beer-soaked bursts ripe with unapologetic arrested development: as they declare in 'Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust': 'Growing up is overrated!' The group's third album follows through on the sentiment, raucous and uninhibited. But Showpony also proves their most melodically controlled and, dare we say, mature offering yet. [read more]" - Doug Freeman |
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| Things I Think
About Music 05.29.2008 "Show Pony is a lot of fun! So many bands have the technical skill but no heart. You can tell that The Midgetmen, who you can hear have the tech skills in spades, bring their love of the music to the fore in Show Pony's collection of 16 short but sweet rock tracks. Each song has its own charmingly grubby, distinct personality, but nothing sounds too individual for its own good - everything works together to make a really enjoyable album. [read more]" - Scarlett H |
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| High Life Reviews | ||
| Austin Chronicle
"Bonus Tracks" 09.16.2005 Volume 25, Number 3 "**... The second album from these Austin slop-punk mavens can't replicate the beery charms of 2002's Pool Party Emergency. Without departed vocalist Keith Shepherd around to keep the band's Twin/Tone-inspired roar on track, High Life disintegrates into a spiraling muddle of unevenness. You can hear closing time conviction trying to bust through on songs like 'Casino and Beer' and 'Fanfare (for the Common Man),' but it never quite falls together."- Greg Beets |
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| MaximumRocknroll #257 October
2004 "The second LP from this Texas band. More of their tuneful punky indi-ish stuff with a heavy dose of Pixies and replacements vibe. A good release." -Ray Lujan |
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| Punk Planet
#63 September/October 2004 "The Midgetmen play a mix of guitar-driven indie rock with poppy leanings. A couple of songs made me think of a cross between Sonic Youth and The Cars, and I know that sounds crazy, but there you go. The record is rough around the edges and I like it that way" - Jay Castaldi |
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| The Austin
Chronicle "Bonus Tracks" 06.11.2004 Volume 23, Number 41 "Small in stature, big on hooks, the Midgetmen aim for the heart-on-sleeve melodipunk of Alkaline Trio or New Found Glory, but the expansive choruses and winking lyrics of High Life suggest they're having too fun much to feel all that bad.." -Chris Gray |
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| Pool Party Emergency Reviews | ||
| The Gazette
01.14.2002 Volume 96, Issue 58 "****... The Midgetmen proudly proclaim their love for punk rock throughout this album. Sharp, fast guitars are coupled with driving bass lines and I-don't-give-a-fuck vocals. The lyrics on songs such as 'True Friend' are surprisingly sunny in comparison to the darker music. Tracks such as 'Optimistic' are, well, optimistic -- but without being schmaltzy or overly sentimental..." -Maggie Wrobel |
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| The Austin
Chronicle 02.07.2002 Volume 22, Number 23 "Breathe deeply and you'll get a whiff of the stale PBR and overheated tube amps in the Midgetmen's practice space. Plenty of toil, sweat, and beer has gone into this band, it's obvious. Songs like 'Someday,' 'True Friend,' and 'Sick Day' bounce off the walls with abundant indie rock energy. Unlike many of their latter-day punk contemporaries, the Midgetmen change things up from time to time, with plenty of dynamics and tempo changes, plus guitar tones that contrast enough to lend some texture to their songs..." -Jerry Renshaw |
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| MaximumRocknroll #239 April
2003 "A punky release with a good mix of art influences such as Mission of Burma and Pavement. Some out-of-key vocals and some primal playing make this a nice change of pace. These guys do crank them out when they wanna. Do I hear some New York Dolls? A strange mix that somehow works." -Ray Lujan (PPE was also one of Mr. Lujan's "Top 10 Album Picks" for April 2003) |
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| Punk Planet
#55 May/June 2003 "A little bit old school rock 'n' roll, a little bit saucy Ramones. The Midgetmen manage to create a record that skips all over the sidewalk-- sometimes at a triumphant, happy gait and other times in a sort of pathetic, drunken stupor. The vocals are probably this band's strong suit." - Jason Gitzlaff |
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| Live Reviews | ||
| Austin Chronicle
"99 Bands" 07.08.2005 Volume 24, Number 45 "Back at 710, the Midgetmen create a cranky din. Although not punk rock by a length, the fourpiece won't hesitate to remind you that they were voted second-best punk rock band in the Austin Music Awards."- Darcie Stevens |
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| Rank and Revue "The Midgetmen Live @ Flamingo Cantina
04.03.2003" Volume 1, Issue 6: "The next band, the Midgetmen could be described as tongue in cheek. Current.Singer, Moyste Towelette (guitar), Pabst Smear (bass), White Cotton Panties (drums), and Jonny Lightning (guitar) purvay a mix of rock genres. The Midgetmen's opening song 'Sick Day' blasted from the stage fast and furious, an ode to staying home from work. This being the night of their one year anniversary gig, the Midgetmen meant business. Coupled with 'Railslide High' the first two songs made for a good one-two punk double roundhouse. Midgetmen's fifth song 'Past Has Gone Away' was a standout with Jonny Lightning's wah drenched guitar solo. The song 'Cock Rock', brought a smile to my face, poking fun at 'bands with big hair.' The band finished out their set by bringing two friends from the crowd up on stage to play guitar with them for a mega one year celebration jam. The crowd cheered appreciatively as the band and friends launched into The Cars 'My Best Friends Girl.' Halfway through the raucous rendering, a third friend joined on stage, adding more chaos to an already hectic stage. The cover of the Cars classic brought home the fact that the Midgetmen are five guys having fun on stage, that's what rock is all about. If you can't wait for their next show May 1st at The Red Eyed Fly, check out their website at www.themidgetmen.com and order a copy of their self produced album 'Pool Party Emergency'." - James E. Marquadt |
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