It’s been just shy of half a decade since Austinites What Made Milwaukee Famous released an LP. But, as they say, absence does make the heart grow fonder. This month the band releases a brand new record called You Can’t Fall Off The Floor. We here at the Song of the Day team have a special treat for you, a new track from What Made Milwaukee Famous, but more on that in a bit.
The band formed in 2003, and came right out of the gate with a very strong record in 2004’s Trying to Never Catch Up. The following year, What Made Milwaukee Famous did an Austin City Limits taping alongside Franz Ferdinand. The band’s also shared stages with groups like Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, The National, and more. They’ve also done the festival circuit, performing at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and our own SXSW and ACL Fest. Seattle’s Barsuk Records (home to Death Cab For Cutie, Ra Ra Riot, Rilo Kiley and Mates of State–to name a few) took notice of the rising Texan power pop outfit and the band inked a deal with the imprint shortly after the release of their debut. The band re-released Trying to Never Catch Up in 2006 and issued their sophomore record What Doesn’t Kill Us in 2008 via Barsuk.
But it’s been pretty quiet on the album front in the almost half-decade since. But as I mentioned up top, that’s about to change with the release of You Can’t Fall Off the Floor. The album was co-produced by Danny Reisch and features a bevy of guests spots from local and national talent like Kathleen Edwards, Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit, and Austin’s own Dana Falconberry, Warren Hood, Mike Harmeier of Mike and the Moonpies, and Aaron Sinclair of Frank Smith (and this is just a short list). The record itself is a return to form for the band. It’s got just the right mix of the punchy, power-pop that made them famous and more delicate, mature songwriting that comes with being a band almost a decade into their career. The prior is on full-display with today’s song of the day “Gone and Done It Now” The song is snare-tight, and singer Michael Kingcaid’s vocals are as expressive as ever. It’s a fine welcome back to What Made Milwaukee Famous.
