"I'm just trying to take it in. Being here in Austin is just wild," drummer Pearson Constantino grinned while his bandmates prepped for their SXSW showcase in their room at a Hotel 6, where they slept two-to-a-bed. "We've definitely bonded," singer and Plushgun brainchild Dan Ingala said from outside their cramped quarters. "Through many means -- Goldbond, sleeping with my friend Sam, who isn't my romantic partner, though I could see how that could come across."

They're a quirky bunch -- as evidenced by their frontman, who has a penchant for pre-show pacing and says that the band's moniker reflects "something soft, something killer." And they're often compared to the Postal Service for their synth-heavy songs, which they would later play for their industry-saturated, discerning crowd at Maggie Mae's.

The four piece has come a long way since its origins in Ingala's tiny NYC bedroom. With the release of their self-titled EP in October 2007, Plushgun garnered attention for 'Just Impolite' -- a dance-y, accessible track about dying romances -- which was featured on artist-friendly outlets like MySpace, where you can hear their entire EP for free, and OurStage, the Web site responsible for their slot at SXSW.

Plushgun have been OurStage favorites for some time now, winning top honors in the site's monthly contests. They were January's No. 1 artist in Alt Rock and have held residencies in the top ten of several other genres, including Indie/Alternative and Pop -- a testament to Plushgun's unpretentious, genre-blurring accessibility.

"We're here because we made it," Ingala said. "There's a long, rocky road ahead. But after this experience, we know we're ready for it. I think."

Check out a day in the life of Plushgun, and download free Mp3s after the jump.

SXSW Rule #147: When in doubt, stay away from the road-weary indie bands (you can always catch them two weeks from now at that cool club up the street) and seek out the weird stuff.

This strategy paid dividends for me three times this year:

1) Goat the Head (left): I wandered down a broken-bottle-strewn back alley to catch these Norwegian black-metal men. Amid the bowling-ball-like round dudes in black smashing into one another, I (in my flowered shirt) got walloped by ferocious sounds that can only come from men dressed in animal pelts and smeared with mud. I followed this show with She and Him, the cutesy indie-pop band featuring M. Ward and 'Elf' actress Zooey Deschanel. Goat the Head could snort them.

As this year's South by Southwest mayhem comes to a close in Austin, we've prepared another photo roundup of our experiences in the Texas sun. From the frat-laced chaos on 6th Street, to death metal in an alleyway and some local shopping flavor down on South Congress, the Spinner staff saw everything from M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel's She and Him to Norwegian death-metal kings Goat the Head.

Have a look at SXSW through the Spinner prism with action-packed photos of N.E.R.D., Jay Reatard, White Shoes, Chuck Prophet, the Night Marchers, Does it Offend You, Yeah? and countless others.

Our decidedly New York Spinner staff has descended on Austin, Texas, and we aren't looking back. Wednesday night we warmed things up a bit with some blissful familiarity, catching up with both R.E.M. and the Lemonheads. Yesterday morning we started things off right with gingerbread pancakes, then promptly ventured off to see some young blood.

Settling in at NPR's handpicked showcases, we caught up with Jens Lekman, Shout Out Louds, Yeasayer, Bon Iver and Vampire Weekend at the Parish Room venue on 6th Street. Ra Ra Riot also provided us with some hometown flavor with their show at Emo's. Get the visuals from these shows and more of our outings after the jump.

If you're going to pick a fight with a man, you might as well do it in his hometown, and -- what the hell -- you might as well call out his mom. So went the thinking of Michael Stipe, as he and his R.E.M. mates took the stage of Stubb's Bar-B-Que in Austin to cap off the opening night of South by Southwest.

Stipe blamed President Bush for turning this decade into an "overreaction to 9/11" and introduced the new song 'Houston' as a reaction to Barbara Bush infamously suggesting that many of the Katrina refugees actually benefited from the disaster. Lyric summary: R.E.M. disagree.

Artist No. 25

The Deal: This Bay Area duo gives traditional folk an atmospheric flavor. Their experimental vocals riding over their precision finger-picking maintains an original feel that is designed to hook the ear.

Sounds Like: Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear

Free Song: 'Fools' (MP3)

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Artist No. 24

The Deal: Rising from the ashes of post-rockers Q and Not U, this D.C. power-pop duo is on to something: solid hook-laden rock and harmonies that could make any jaded hardcore fan smile.

Sounds Like: Rilo Kiley, The Kinks

Free Song: 'Need Your Needs' (MP3)

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Artist No. 23

The Deal: His adorable tune 'Eanie Meanie' soundtracked an Adidas commercial that aired during the last World Cup soccer tournament. Since then, the breezy Brit has been wooing music fans with his sunny psychedelic ditties.

Sounds Like: Badly Drawn Boy, The Beach Boys

Free Song: 'Don't You Worry' (MP3)

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Artist No. 22

The Deal: The bespectacled Staten Island, N.Y., girl next door went from unknown singer to having her music splattered all over television in a matter of months. Several of her sweet, melodic tunes were featured in monster shows like 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'One Tree Hill' -- not to mention a ubiquitous winter '07 Old Navy sweater commercial.

Sounds Like: Lisa Loeb, Joni Mitchell

Free Song: 'Unbreakable' (MP3)

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Artist No. 21

The Deal: San Diego's rock 'n' roll czar John 'Speedo' Reis has laid Rocket From the Crypt to rest, but he hasn't wasted any time getting back on the stage. Incorporating all the musical elements that have marked Reis' inimitable style, this new venture features unapologetic, blistering rock 'n' roll at the core.

Sounds Like: Social Distortion, Johnny Cash

Free Song: 'Who's Lady R U?' (MP3)

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Artist No. 20

The Deal: Twangy and calculated are fitting adjectives to describe this young Toronto trio. Their 2006 self-title EP garnered some early buzz, but armed with a new album for 2008, this band is to earn you small club bragging rights in years to come.

Sounds Like: Talking Heads, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Free Song: 'Foxes Mate for Life' (MP3)

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Artist No. 19

The Deal: This English seven-piece outfit represents all that we love about indie pop: Yelping male singing gives way to honey-voiced girls, and they're heavy on the happy stuff like xylophones, giddy guitars and, yes, hand clapping. You'll want to dance around in the sunlight with the band whose name is emphatic Spanish for "the farmers."

Sounds Like: Of Montreal, Polyphonic Spree

Free Song: 'We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives' (MP3)

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Artist No. 18

The Deal: The Canadian producer and MC is resurrecting hip-house with his own singular style. He melds the grit of Baltimore club and tweaked-out house with electro sounds a la Switch, armed with an endless supply of witty and culturally relevant lyrics.

Sounds Like: Diplo, Spank Rock

Free Song: 'House Music' (MP3)

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Artist No. 17

The Deal: One look at the band's album cover, and you'll begin to understand this quirky indie duo. Their penchant for playing dress-up aside, they create a shimmering brand of '60s-influenced psych pop that radiates color and harmony.

Sounds Like: The Flaming Lips, Prince

Free Song: 'Time to Pretend' (MP3)

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Artist No. 16

The Deal: The artist formerly known as Say Hi to Your Mom delivers honest lo-fi indie rock. Although founder and one-man-show Eric Elbogen's music relies mostly on synthesizers and drum machines, his driving rock music still maintains an organic flavor.

Sounds Like: The Strokes, Pixies

Free Song: 'Northwestern Girls' (MP3)

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