Accordions Aplenty at SXSW

This week, the music industry is focused on Austin, TX, home of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival. With over a thousand acts performing at more than fifty venues over the course of five days, it’s a music lover’s dream.

Just like last year, we’ve sifted through this year’s schedule and found a few accordion-toting artists worth checking out:

• Beirut
  I can’t believe I haven’t written about Beirut here before! 20-year-old Zach Condon’s Balkan-inspired album Gulag Orkestar made him one of the indie rock darlings of 2006. After listening to him croon over enchanting accordion lines, it’s easy to see why.
  Beirut: Elephant Gun
• KTU (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto)
  Avant garde Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen’s mission is to “expand the capabilities, sound, performance, scope and experience of the accordion to levels never before seen or heard.” Joined by guitarist Trey Gunn and percussionist Pat Mastelotto, he’s well on his way.
  KTU (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto): Absinth
• Pistolera
  Based in New York City, Pistolera fuses traditional Mexican music with electric rock rhythms. The band features vocalist and guitarist Sandra Lilia Velásquez along with the driving accordion melodies of Maria Elena.
  Pistolera: Cazador
• Asakusa Jinta
  This “hardcore marching brass band” from Asakusa (Tokyo’s old downtown), Japan, plays modern, rollicking rockabilly, armed with accordion, saxophones, trombones, tuba, and stand-up bass. They sound like they’d be one hell of a live band; luckily, they’ll be in San Francisco next week!
  Asakusa Jinta: Tokyo East End Rockers
• The Cassettes
  Cajun accordion, theremin, dobro, and tabla all find their way into the music of this Washington DC “rock n’ roll vaudeville western band.” Like so many bands at SXSW, their sound isn’t easily summed up in a sentence; just listen to the MP3:
  The Cassettes: Lady Faire