Awesome Cool Dudes

"Seriously one of the BEST hooks in anything I've heard in a while.
It's so good I have to wonder if it's stolen. It's the
flute/glockenspiel part and when you hear it you will understand.
Straight out of "Sesame Street" and pretty much hard rulin" --Dusted
Magazine reviewing the "Disco Trees in the Breeze 7" - Dusted Magazine 2007

Just in time for fall, the Awesome Cool Dudes harness their sub-platinum pop instincts to take us on a Casio-flavored beach party weekend. Opener "LOL" surfs an irresistible synth-pop hook designed to make people fall in love and/or buy clothes with oddly placed zippers. Then "Rainbow Cattle Company" pays homage to the gay disco cowboy aesthetic before giving a karaoke-style shout-out to the B-52's. The Dudes get their freak on convincingly with "Clap Clap," a house party starter exhorting us to "live big like it's 1980," while "Longhorn Cheese" mashes up antiquated techno-pop with spazz-punk vocals to grand get-up effect. Although the Awesome Cool Dudes are constantly picking up and then quickly disposing of disparate slivers of pop culture detritus, Maxin and Relaxin never hits the stall point. True to their name, ACD leave behind an awesome mess. - Austin Chronicle

They are like, say, if you took out only the good parts of an eighties new-wave band and melded it together with the Flaming Lips and the noisy fun aspects of Pavement. Something like that maybe, but not too much of the new-wave band thing."
(www.sctas.com)
- www.sctas.com

Awesome Cool Dudes are basically the John Hughes version of Austin. They've rocked, and they've yucked it up. They've donned basketball uniforms and goggles. They've shredded and loved; written ballads and odes. -Darcie Stevens - Austin Chronicle

I bet these guys get a lot of opening statements in reviews that read something to the effect of, "The Awesome Cool dudes... they're awesome!" Well, I guess that's not far from the truth as far as producing innovative music that lives somewhere in the dusty realm of Brian Wilson outtakes with later day saints Beck, Beulah and The Apples in Stereo. Just when these effervescent Austin, Texas musicians have got me believing they're living in an Elephant Six playground with a song like "2 Chair", they throw in a strange rappity rap number like "Tall Green Grass". I know nothing about rap, but this switchup was really weird in good way. And so goes pretty much the remainder of this head spinner of a disc, entitled Slam Dunk Contest.

"Poopy Finds Heartache" gets back to sounding mellow like Mark Linkous or F.M. Cornog but is immediately trounced upon by the 70s R&B experiment"Great Afternoon". Later, "Geniuses vs. 86 Mets" brings out the 80s guns sounding like Devo crossed with The Pulsars. Awesome Cool Dudes are like a rapper trapped inside a country folk musician trapped inside Elton John trapped inside a recording studio on Mars. They remind me of those nested wooden Russian Dolls. Man, there's a lot to digest here, probably more than I can do justice with a short review. Merits 3rd, 4th, and even 5th listens. Just trust me when I say your boredom will NOT be a factor here.

- Shmat Records

Between their playful late-night deconstruction of all things pop and a penchant for absurd lyrical tangents, the Awesome Cool Dudes have developed a uniquely slick-but-savage assault on convention that tastes different with every bite. 2005's Maxin and Relaxin (Furniture) found the Austin quartet channeling synth-pop, Eurodisco, punk, funk, and rap. – Greg Beets - Austin Chronicle

Awesome Cool Dudes impressed with high-pitched vocals, lap steel guitars, and an amazing Traveling Wilburys cover. The band was able to bring their novelty synth rock to the masses, playing to an audience of fans and many who, after regaining their senses, left with quite a new found story to tell friends who weren’t there: “it was this band. and they like… wore basketball warm up jerseys… it was pretty cool…� - Party Ends

While at SXSW, randomly wandering around campus town, I stumbled into The Hole In The Wall ONLY because I heard loud screaming coming from inside. This place definitely has a storied past. I just don't know what that story is. :)

Little did I know Awesome Cool Dudes were playing at that very moment and so I stayed for the show. The lead singer ended up jumping up on the wooden rafters and crawling around above the crowd. A local bar drunk was happily clapping along with the music and gleaming with delight at the act swinging above.

With a Lone Star in one hand and wishing a cigarette was in the other, I was fully impressed with the venue, the awesome cool Austin band and the local brew.- Justine - Yelp