BETTER THAN THEIR MYSPACE: Antarctica Starts Here

So – what is with this new wave of Houston music lately? It’s not emo, though clearly there is an earnest amount of heart-sleeving. There are atmospherics, and perhaps the occasion Pelican Exploding in their Skies, but it doesn’t come across as raw appage of any post- anything genre. And it’s not really shoegaze either, if only because its prognosticators are clearly looking at the stars rather than their feet. So whatever – we’ll call it spacegaze - because genre labels are a lazy journalistic conveniences and we are all about conveniences (and also ‘spacegaze’is such a terrible name that there is little to no chance of it catching on).

Antarctica Starts Here is one of those bands. We checked them out for the first time Saturday night at the Proletariat (with Program and The Watermarks), and even though their new drummer and keyboardist have been with them for only a few weeks, they’re already a markedly different band from the tracks on their self-distributed Bella Mas EP. Their sound is large and fills your pores, but this is an aloe wash, not a sandstorm. The guitars are gigantic, the drums are running you even harder, and it all makes so much more sense with the vocals. We caught up with ASH vocalist Jenna after the show and she gave us all the dirt about what’s in store for the quintet next. Ok, so actually we just MySpaced her the next day.

For the Record:
“We are planning on going to record with Jon Crosby (VAST) at his new studio sometime in May. Initially when he took an interest in working with us, we had planned on going the second weekend of March and were going to try and record 3-4 songs. With the new members, and the way the writing style is growing, and progressing to an unstoppable monster, we decided to wait and write more before we go back in the studio."

And what of new members?
[New keyboardist] "Justin’s style, the way he writes/influences have always been a huge influence to me as well. I love the Rhodes, and [former keyboard player] Chase wrote amazing parts, but Justin is going to incorporate both into our music from now on. I am super excited about the potential and noise we will as a new collaborate create."

So - want to check out this stargaze baloney in person? Your best bet is March 11th at Walters, where ASH will share a bill with the like-rocking Co-Pilot, Margot and Corpus Christi's i am trees.