 
Last updated:
3/06/2010 03:09:00 PM
   Sat., March 6 - Strangers Family Band/Passengers @ The Pachinko Hut (3714 Main, in backyard; 9PM)
Sat., March 6 - Fired For Walking/The Jonx/The Bottom Four @ Rudyard's (free!)
Sat., March 6 - Chase Hamblin/The Sour Notes/Spain Colored Orange @ The Continental Club
Sat., March 6 - Needtobreathe/Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers/Graham Colton @ Warehouse Live
Sat., March 6 - John Mayer/Michael Franti @ Toyota Center
Sat., March 6 - Eyes Burn Electric (CD release)/Uprise of the Fallen/The Vettes/Mothers Anthem/The Canvas Waiting @ Fitzgerald's
Sat., March 6 - Keka's Benefit Show, featuring Always Guilty, Los Desconocidos, The Failed Attempt, Dun Bin Had, Skaretas, & Ska Bones @ Dan Electro's Guitar Bar (8PM; $5)
Sat., March 6 - Sisters Morales @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., March 6 - Sounds Under Radio/Flawless Escape/Foster @ Dean's Credit Clothing
Sat., March 6 - Dirty Honey, featuring Brett Koshkin & DJ La Zola @ Boondocks
Sat., March 6 - Dustin Welch @ The Big Top
Sat., March 6 - Failure To Notice/Equal People/Tin-Can Phone/Legion Of Air/Champagne With Friends @ Fitzdown
Sat., March 6 - Cory Chisel @ Cactus Music (1PM)
Sat., March 6 - Austin Collins & The Rainbirds @ West Alabama Ice House (4PM; show benefits The Avon Walk For Breast Cancer)
Sat., March 6 - Brandon Jenkins @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sat., March 6 - Pisces Party, featuring Clockpole & Darwin's Finches @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., March 6 - Stephen Kellogg @ Cactus Music (3PM)
Sat., March 6 - Cooper Wade/Blue Broussard @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., March 6 - Spoonfed Tribe @ Last Concert Cafe
Sat., March 6 - Skylab2000 @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian; Club Wired)
Sat., March 6 - Cheap SunglassesZZ (ZZ Top tribute) @ House of Blues
Sat., March 6 - Wendy Colonna @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Sat., March 6 - Mugrero @ The White Swan
Sat., March 6 - 2nd Annual Sex and the Space City, featuring DJ Youngstreetz @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian)
Sat., March 6 - THC/Southern Reign/Rainchild/Tommy Bones @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., March 6 - Ezra Charles @ Cypress Saloon (Cypress)
Sat., March 6 - Ray Wylie Hubbard/The Gourds @ Heritage Place Amphitheater (Conroe)
Sun., March 7 - Shock Treatment, featuring Brutally Normal, Penny Arcade, & Latch Key Kids @ Rocbar
Sun., March 7 - Elaine Greer/Clory Martin/Gretchen Schmaltz @ Khon's (rooftop; 3PM)
Sun., March 7 - Russian Spring Festival, featuring Flying Balalaika Brothers @ Under The Volcano (3PM)
Sun., March 7 - Great Big Sea @ House of Blues
Sun., March 7 - One Big Owl/Music for Young Adults/Sephra/Alex Gordon/Harbingers of Happiness @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sun., March 7 - Burns Sisters @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., March 7 - Twiztid/Potluck/Kung Fu Vampire @ Warehouse Live
Sun., March 7 - Rich O'Toole @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sun., March 7 - David Knopfler @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Sun., March 7 - The Texas Buzz, featuring Vallejo, Rockett Queen, & Days Drive @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Mon., March 8 - Tha Fucking Transmissions/Brandon West and The Black Hats @ Boondocks
Mon., March 8 - The Cor-Tet @ Avant Garden
Tues., March 9 - Endochuli @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues., March 9 - milkdrive @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Tues., March 9 - Joe Ely @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Wed., March 10 - Magrudergrind/PLF/Nibiru/Dissent/IPV @ Walter's ($6)
Wed., March 10 - Free Radicals @ Avant Garden
Wed., March 10 - Turnpike Troubadours @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Wed., March 10 - Days N Daze/Marissa Sendejas/Joe Ray/Andrew Hoskins/U Not I/Comatose and Half-Retarded/Josh Raught/Atom Assassin/The Dead Rabbits @ Super Happy Fun Land
Wed., March 10 - Patrice Pike @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Wed., March 10 - The Dreaming/Dev Electric/Adelaine/Sic Spero @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Thurs., March 11 - Sandy Ewen & Y.E.T./Girl Band @ Sound Exchange (8PM; free!)
Thurs., March 11 - George Thorogood & The Destroyers/Moreland & Arbuckle @ House of Blues
Thurs., March 11 - David Gray @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Thurs., March 11 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Jody Seabody and the Whirls, Jungle Noise, A Better Hope Foundation, XPPR5-9, & The Mint @ Super Happy Fun Land
Thurs., March 11 - Silent Civilian/Blind Witness/Years of Red Skies/All The Way To The Bank/Deep 6/Kill The Theory @ Walter's
Thurs., March 11 - EraseTheVirus/The Razorblade Dolls/Synthetic Fiend/Zero Giant/The Hectic @ Numbers
Thurs., March 11 - HAPA @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Thurs., March 11 - Haters Make Us Famous, featuring GRRRL Parts, Damon Allen, & Angie Audio @ Boondocks
Thurs., March 11 - Bobby Duncan @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Thurs., March 11 - Sleeperstar/Kids of Survival/The Status/Vega Under Fire @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Thurs., March 11 - Ryan Beaver @ Firehouse Saloon
Thurs., March 11 - Billie Joe Shaver @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Thurs., March 11 - Obsolete August @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Fri., March 12 - I-45/Automorrow/Vocal Polluter @ Rudyard's (free!)
Fri., March 12 - Hell City Kings (7" release)/White Rhino/Shit City High/The Wrong Ones @ Mango's ($7; incl. copy of 7")
Fri., March 12 - Megafauna @ Avant Garden
Fri., March 12 - L.A. Guns @ Rocbar
Fri., March 12 - Twisted Confessions/Backslash/Agony Within/Axion/Skeptical/Altriad/A.F.T.I./Let's Hang Jackson/Din Chaos/Witness To The Fallen @ The Mink
Fri., March 12 - Misery Index/Pacifist/Severance/Satanical Torment/Diminished/Injurious Physical Violence/Venomous Supremacy @ Walter's
Fri., March 12 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Blowfly, Bike P*rn 3: Cycle Bound, Beloved Binge, Midtown Dickens & Joe Firstman @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri., March 12 - HCK (record release) @ Mango's
Fri., March 12 - Todd Snider @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., March 12 - Reprogram Music Multimedia Spring Romp!, featuring Ceeplus Bad Knives, Fredster, & more @ Boondocks
Fri., March 12 - Two Tons of Steel/Scooter Brown Band @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., March 12 - El Guero @ The White Swan
Fri., March 12 - Tower of Power @ House of Blues
Fri., March 12 - Jeff Woolsey @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Fri., March 12 - Element Eighty/Metavenge/Lao Tzu @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., March 13 - Citizen Cope/Gin @ House of Blues
Sat., March 13 - Jesse Dayton @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sat., March 13 - Monster Music Showcase and Rock 'n Roll Fashion Show, featuring Otenki, Necrofaith, Blood Rooted, Clovis, Skeptikal, Inner Image, Metalloyd, Black Queen Speaks, & Failure To Notice @ Warehouse Live
Sat., March 13 - One Mic Concert Series, featuring Delo, Kane, Union, Hollywood Floss, & Thurogood @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
Sat., March 13 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Evolucid, My Milky Way Arms, Icarus Himself, Grey Market, Dinosaur Feathers, Bamboo Shoots, & Parallax @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., March 13 - Best Fwends/Fat Tony/Balls Deep/Zombie Sentinel/DJ Damon Allen/DJ Jacob Mthrfkn Calle @ Mango's
Sat., March 13 - Poor Dumb Bastards (CD release)/Donkey Punch/Shit City High @ Rudyard's
Sat., March 13 - Ian Moore @ The Continental Club
Sat., March 13 - Bat Castle/Torsectomy (CD release)/Sever The Silence/Sculpting Atrocity @ Cardi's
Sat., March 13 - Rebel Rave, featuring Damian Lazarus, Jamie Jones, Joe Dismal, Bjorn Larsen, Chris Calix, Pandai'a, Suraj K, Pejman, John The Third, & Upgreyed @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian)
Sat., March 13 - Hyperstatic, featuring DJ Genesis & DJ Sprocket @ Numbers
Sat., March 13 - Tea Leaf Green/Rob Drabkin @ House of Blues
Sat., March 13 - Ray Prim & Denitia Odigie @ Avant Garden
Sat., March 13 - Guitar Shorty @ Cactus Music (5PM)
Sat., March 13 - Bob Schneider @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., March 13 - Gary P. Nunn/Modern Day Drifters @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., March 13 - Carrie Rodriguez @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Sat., March 13 - 13 Black Coffins/The Dead Rabbits @ Trash Bar (Humble)
Sat., March 13 - Metal Shop @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., March 13 - Phil Pritchett @ Cypress Saloon (Cypress)
Sun., March 14 - Dick Dale @ House of Blues
Sun., March 14 - The WOW/H.I.S.D./Michele Thibeaux/D.Rose/Consice Kilgore/Radio Galaxy @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
Sun., March 14 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring New Familiars, Gift Horse, Spells, Wizzard Sleeve, Predator, Girls At Dawn, Floating Action, State and Madison, The Heyday, & Cavashawn @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sun., March 14 - Concrete Violin @ Notsuoh
Sun., March 14 - Kult ov Azazel/Teratism/Gates of Enoch/Golgotha @ The Jet Lounge
Sun., March 14 - The Bears of Blue River @ The Mink (9PM)
Sun., March 14 - Cockpit/The Last Vegas/Crank County Daredevils @ Rocbar
Sun., March 14 - Hatred Surge/The Endless Blockade/War Master/Concrete Violin/Richard Ramirez @ Walter's
Sun., March 14 - Goon Affiliated Spring Break Bash, featuring Plies, Go DJ Hi-C, & Go MC Qua Indmix @ Warehouse Live
Sun., March 14 - Gary P. Nunn @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sun., March 14 - The Texas Buzz, featuring Paper Tongues, The Better Death, & Radio Ark @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Mon., March 15 - Jookabox/Pomegranates @ The Mink (9PM)
Mon., March 15 - Rice University Spring Concert, featuring The Sour Notes & more @ Rice University
Mon., March 15 - Thee Oh Sees/Golden Triangle/The Baths/The Energy @ Mango's
Mon., March 15 - Chase Hamblin/Tyagaraja/The Cor-Tet @ Avant Garden
Mon., March 15 - French Horn Rebellion/Glasnost/GRRRL Parts @ Boondocks
Mon., March 15 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Guystorm, Abominable Futuro, Light Pollution, Shellshag, Street Eaters, Las Charades, & Bird by Bird (Jonathan from The Matches) @ Super Happy Fun Land
Mon., March 15 - Peelander-Z/Math the Band/Halo Stereo/Newmatic @ Fitzgerald's
Mon., March 15 - Hugo @ Cactus Music (5:30PM)
Mon., March 15 - Suicide Silence/All The Way To The Bank/Sever The Silence/The Nephilim Terror @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Tues., March 16 - Japanther/Legsweeper/Muhammadali @ Notsuoh
Tues., March 16 - Bobby Bare Jr./David Vandervelde @ Rudyard's
Tues., March 16 - Pre-SXSW Australian Showcase, featuring Cassette Kids, The Chevelles, City Riots, Grand Atlantic, Darren Hanlon, Sherlock's Daughter, & Travis Caudle @ The Mink
Tues., March 16 - Tally Hall/Jukebox the Ghost/Skybox @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Tues., March 16 - Maldita Vecindad/Huecco/Los Skarnales @ House of Blues
Tues., March 16 - Tombs/Graves of Valor/Injurious Physical Violence/The Nephilim Terror @ Walter's
Tues., March 16 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Shining Path, Goes Cube, Rezarekt, East Of The Wall, The Octagon, The Extraordinaires, Ryat, Robbie Hazen & The Riot, Alanna Fugate, Busman's Holiday, Christian Subira, Anamieke Quinn, & Venus Flytrap @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues., March 16 - Dark Castle/Nibiru/Bowel @ The White Swan
Tues., March 16 - Chicken Little/U Not I/Days N Daze @ Sedition Books (901 Richmond; 8PM)
Tues., March 16 - Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Wed., March 17 - Black Congress/This Moment In Black History/Sun God/Sexycrimes @ Mango's
Wed., March 17 - The Wild Moccasins/James Husband/Unwed Sailor/Common Loon @ Rudyard's
Wed., March 17 - Otep/Bury Your Dead/Destrophy/Through the Eyes of the Dead/Deep 6/All The Way To The Bank/Waverly Hills/Perfect Disease @ Rocbar
Wed., March 17 - Houston Press St. Patty's Day Ballyhoo Bash, featuring Sideshow Tramps, Come See My Dead Person, & DJ Dave Wrangler @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Wed., March 17 - St. Patrick's Day Party, featuring Blaggards @ The Continental Club
Wed., March 17 - Free Radicals @ Avant Garden
Wed., March 17 - Felix Cartal/Damon Allen/GRRRL Parts/Go Go Garcia @ The Mink
Wed., March 17 - Chuck Prophet @ Under The Volcano
Wed., March 17 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Maud in Cahoots, The Zut Alors, Born Empty, Blissed Out, At Versaris, Holy Liars, Vio/Miré, Liz Isenberg, Aa, & SCREENS @ Super Happy Fun Land
Wed., March 17 - Mayer Hawthorne & The County/Nikki Jean/Andrew Green @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
Wed., March 17 - BT/Glint @ House of Blues
Wed., March 17 - Toxic Noise, featuring DJ Bakka @ Boondocks
Wed., March 17 - Dead Confederate/Churchill @ Warehouse Live (Green Room)
Wed., March 17 - St. Patrick's Day Party, featuring EraseTheVirus, From Guts To Glory, & Faulter 42 @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Thurs., March 18 - Muse/Silversun Pickups @ Toyota Center
Thurs., March 18 - Will.i.am @ Rich's
Thurs., March 18 - Foxy Shazam @ House of Blues
Thurs., March 18 - Bo Peep/Shit City High/Room 101 @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian)
Thurs., March 18 - Off With Their Heads/Cobra Skulls @ Walter's
Thurs., March 18 - Smoke or Fire/Dead to Me @ 2606 Whitney
Thurs., March 18 - Vicente Gayo/The Hong Kong Blood Opera @ Aztecas
Thurs., March 18 - Caspian/Arms and Sleepers @ The Mink
Thurs., March 18 - The Shivering Denizens @ Rocbar
Thurs., March 18 - Stone River Boys @ Blanco's
Thurs., March 18 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Mehko & Ocean Birds, Candy Claws, Felix Culpa, The Constellation Branch, Dangerous Ponies, Jared Mees & The Grown Children, Finn Riggins, Boy Eats Drum Machine, Suns, & Revolt Revolt @ Super Happy Fun Land
Thurs., March 18 - Raise It Up, featuring Squincy Jones, Dayta, & King Elroy Boogie @ Boondocks
Thurs., March 18 - Mike Stinson @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Thurs., March 18 - Cody Kouba @ Firehouse Saloon
Thurs., March 18 - Obsolete August @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Fri., March 19 - Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders/Born Liars @ Rudyard's
Fri., March 19 - The Beach Boys @ Jones Hall
Fri., March 19 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Beach Party Slaughter, Damn Bullets, Pharmacy, Mouse Fire, The New Familiars, & True Womanhood @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri., March 19 - A Fistful of Soul @ The Mink
Fri., March 19 - Xarnax/PLF/H.R.A./Bucket Flush @ The White Swan
Fri., March 19 - Steve Aoki @ Rich's
Fri., March 19 - R. Sigma @ Bohemeo's
Fri., March 19 - Nelo/The Handshake/Without A Face @ Warehouse Live
Fri., March 19 - Jerry Rivera @ Arena Theater
Fri., March 19 - Max Stalling/Chad Hammock @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., March 19 - Chrisette Michele/Laura Izibor @ House of Blues
Fri., March 19 - I Am Empire @ The Core Venue (13115 Hargrave Rd.)
Fri., March 19 - Jim Lauderdale @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., March 19 - Jennifer Knapp/Derek Webb @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Fri., March 19 - Josh Ward @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Fri., March 19 - Cold/Nonpoint/Day of Fire/Chrome 44 @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Fri., March 19 - Johnny Falstaff @ Cypress Saloon (Cypress)
Sat., March 20 - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club/Band of Skulls @ House of Blues
Sat., March 20 - Matthew Good @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., March 20 - Kamikazecon, featuring The Slants & more @ JW Marriott Hotel Houston (5150 Westheimer)
Sat., March 20 - A Hero A Fake/Farewell To Freeway/Before There Was Rosalyn @ Walter's on Washington
Sat., March 20 - Los Skarnales/Bo-Peep/Brent Amaker and the Rodeo/Noah Engh @ Fitzgerald's
Sat., March 20 - Ryan Scroggins @ Mango's
Sat., March 20 - We're All Doomed HTC Fest #1, featuring Black Hole Caravan, Orthodox Fuzz, All Dead Here, Project Armageddon, Soul Crusher, Sanctus Bellum, The Mourning Becomes, & HeavyStoned @ The White Swan (4:30PM; $8)
Sat., March 20 - Avita/The Funky Jahpunkys/Reason To Rebel/Irieside @ Fitzdown
Sat., March 20 - Dieselboy/Andrei Morant/Arger & Realtime/Brad Slack/Werm/Pejman/Dr. Remix/Nick Beatdown @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian; Club Wired)
Sat., March 20 - Monte Montgomery/Charlie Shafter @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., March 20 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Bucket Flush, Ayurveda, The Slants, & Crown Point @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., March 20 - Lvzbel/Distratica/Red Point/Conflikto/Marcha de Odio @ Euforia Disco (5829 S. Gessner)
Sat., March 20 - The Derailers @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sat., March 20 - 80's Reunion III, featuring Bruce Godwin, Robot, & Wes Wallace @ Numbers
Sat., March 20 - Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm @ Crabby Daddy (The Woodlands)
Sat., March 20 - Sevendust/Digital Summer/The Flood/Melovine @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., March 20 - Snit's Dog and Pony Show @ Cypress Saloon (Cypress)
Sun., March 21 - News on the March (tour kickoff)/Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned/Buxton/The Candeliers/Smoky Mountain @ Mango's
 Sun., March 21 - Brokenwater/Sickweapons/Hollywood/Muhammadali @ Rudyard's
Sun., March 21 - Hesta Prynn/Spero/DJ Joy De La O @ The Mink
Sun., March 21 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Bad Credit No Credit, Coleen Green, The Big Big Bucks, Hot Seats, Many Mansions, Quilt, Cameron Hull, Pablo Trucker, Idiot Glee, Yula Beeri, & I Am The Dot @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sun., March 21 - Kamikazecon, featuring The Slants & more @ JW Marriott Hotel Houston (5150 Westheimer)
Sun., March 21 - NeverShoutNever!/The Cab/Hey Monday/Every Avenue/The Summer Set @ Warehouse Live
Sun., March 21 - Sgt. Dunbar & The Hobo Band @ Cactus Music (2PM)
Sun., March 21 - Gianmarco @ Arena Theater
Sun., March 21 - Melissa Ferrick @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., March 21 - Todd Fritsch @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sun., March 21 - The Texas Buzz, featuring Dimitri's Rail, Distant Lights, & Caney Creek Heroes @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Mon., March 22 - Video Hippo/Adventure/Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez/LIMB @ Boondocks
Mon., March 22 - Vivian Girls/Wetdog/Happy Birthday/The Wiggins @ The Mink
Mon., March 22 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Yatagarasu, Giant Battle Monster, Junius, Battlefields, Bit Mummy, William Sides Atari Party, Laser Zeppelin, MC Router, & Funk Dose @ Super Happy Fun Land
Mon., March 22 - Bobby Long @ The Hideaway
Mon., March 22 - Class Actress/Savoir Adore/Mon Khmer @ Walter's
Mon., March 22 - PC Worship @ Notsuoh
Mon., March 22 - Steve Poltz @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Tues., March 23 - Followed By Static/Somosuno/Fiskadoro @ Avant Garden
Tues., March 23 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Mondo Drag, The Seedy Seeds, Peasant, & Kiernan McMullan @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues., March 23 - Fishtank Ensemble @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Wed., March 24 - Battlefield Band @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Wed., March 24 - SXSW Overflow Fest, featuring Sleep Over, R.Sigma, & Jennifer Kay @ Super Happy Fun Land
Wed., March 24 - Fair To Midland/Karnivool/Saturate/Raging Apathy @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Thurs., March 25 - Black Congress/Young Mammals/Weird Party @ Walter's ($5)
Thurs., March 25 - Chase Hamblin/The Gills @ Rudyard's
Thurs., March 25 - Twestival 2010, featuring Prairie Cadets, the last place you look, Wayside Drive, & Gretchen Schmaltz @ Caroline Collective
Thurs., March 25 - Megadeth/Testament/Exodus @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Thurs., March 25 - Haters Make Us Famous, featuring GRRRL Parts, Damon Allen, & Angie Audio @ Boondocks
Thurs., March 25 - Via Audio/The Spring Standards @ Mango's
Thurs., March 25 - Hunter McKithan & The Offenders @ Firehouse Saloon
Thurs., March 25 - Grayson Capps @ The Continental Club
Thurs., March 25 - Honor Society/Just Kait/Ashlyne Huff @ House of Blues
Thurs., March 25 - Notorious @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Thurs., March 25 - Joe Bonamassa @ Stafford Centre (Stafford)
Thurs., March 25 - Obsolete August @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Fri., March 26 - Chicken and Whiskey/Something Fierce/Giant Princess/Muhammadali @ 3605 Bremond (7PM; house show)
Fri., March 26 - Alkaline Trio/Cursive/The Dear & Departed @ Warehouse Live
Fri., March 26 - Ryan Scroggins & The Trenchtown Texans/Sean Reefer & The Resin Valley Boys/The Umbrella Man/DJ Moonstomp @ The Continental Club
Fri., March 26 - Gena Mason/Jody Seabody and the Whirls/Voluptuous Tusk/Nonsense Music Band/Cocker Spaniels @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri., March 26 - Gilberto Gil @ Jones Hall
Fri., March 26 - Jesse Williams and the BoozeHounds/Crop Circle @ Sedition Books (901 Richmond; 8PM)
Fri., March 26 - El Chapo de Sinaloa/Valentina @ House of Blues
Fri., March 26 - U.Y.U.S./Nibiru/H.R.A. @ The Hot Dog Shop
Fri., March 26 - Angie Stone/Joe @ Arena Theater
Fri., March 26 - Pimpadelics @ The White Swan
Fri., March 26 - Dollyrockers @ Rudyard's
Fri., March 26 - Golden Arrow Holy Face @ Brasil
Fri., March 26 - Sugar Bayou @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., March 26 - Cory Morrow/Brison Bursey Band @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., March 26 - Cody Gill @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Fri., March 26 - The Spazmatics @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Fri., March 26 - Ray Bonneville @ Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe (Galveston)
Sat., March 27 - The Sour Notes/Bright Men of Learning/Tody Castillo @ Rudyard's
Sat., March 27 - Latch Key Kids @ Walter's
Sat., March 27 - Soul Asylum @ Warehouse Live
Sat., March 27 - Bright Men of Learning/The Gary @ Rudyard's
Sat., March 27 - Cavernous (CD release) @ Mango's
Sat., March 27 - Samantha Ronson/GRRRL Parts/Touché @ Wired Live (formerly The Meridian; Club Wired)
Sat., March 27 - Kristine Mills @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., March 27 - The Lotus Effect (EP release) @ Fitzgerald's
Sat., March 27 - SHFL Day, featuring Electric Jellyfish, The Kaboxo Heads, Dr. Vodkula, & Crack in the Wall @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., March 27 - Malford Milligan's B-Day Bash, featuring Malford Milligan & John Gaar @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Sat., March 27 - Eleven Hundred Springs @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sat., March 27 - Underworld's 11th Annual Gothic Beauty Pageant, featuring Siouxsie Monroe & The Dead Bang @ Numbers
Sat., March 27 - Micky and the Motorcars/Shurman @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., March 27 - Top Notch, featuring Sober, Dayta, & King Elroy Boogie @ Boondocks
Sat., March 27 - 86 With In @ The White Swan
Sat., March 27 - Back in Black (AC/DC tribute)/Atomic Punks (Van Halen tribute) @ House of Blues
Sat., March 27 - Pretty Hate Machine (Nine Inch Nails tribute)/The Dope Show (Marilyn Manson tribute) @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sun., March 28 - Giant Battle Monster/Blinded by Bears/Words in Windows/Yppah/They Mean Us @ The Mink
Sun., March 28 - While You Were Gone @ Fitzgerald's
Sun., March 28 - Swingfield Playboys @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., March 28 - Darren Kozelsky @ Goode's Armadillo Palace
Sun., March 28 - The Texas Buzz, featuring Witness The Fall, Exit 380, & Good Job Underground @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Mon., March 29 - Gilbert Alfaro (Spain Colored Orange)/Pete Tijerina (Springfield Riots/Program) @ Boondocks
Mon., March 29 - High in One Eye @ Super Happy Fun Land
Mon., March 29 - The James Reese Band @ Warehouse Live
Tues., March 30 - Rose Funeral/Wretched/And Hell Followed With/All The Way To The Bank/The Nephilim Terror @ Walter's
Tues., March 30 - Seneca Ireland/The 71's/The Live Lights/The Streetcar Scandal @ Warehouse Live
Tues., March 30 - Songwriters Night, featuring Lisa Morales, Jonny Burke, & Sam Baker @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Tues., March 30 - Panda @ House of Blues
Tues., March 30 - El Ten Eleven @ Rudyard's
Wed., March 31 - Patrice Pike @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Thurs., April 1 - The Wild Moccasins/Something Fierce/Ghormeh Sabzi @ Walter's
Thurs., April 1 - Spazzathon @ Super Happy Fun Land
Thurs., April 1 - Screaming Females @ Mango's
Thurs., April 1 - Belleville Outfit @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Thurs., April 1 - The Rankin Twins (CD release) @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., April 2 - The Manichean (EP release)/Peekaboo Theory/B L A C K I E/Tax The Wolf @ Mango's
Fri., April 2 - Edwin McCain @ House of Blues
Fri., April 2 - Jack Saunders @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 2 - Timaya/Bracket/Michael Blackson/Jon B./Popasay @ Arena Theater
Fri., April 2 - Julia Nunes @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Fri., April 2 - PONG/One Man Machine & The Powers That Be! @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri.-Sat., April 2-3 - Southern Culture On The Skids @ The Continental Club
Sat., April 3 - Alicia Keys @ Toyota Center
Sat., April 3 - Red Sparowes/Doomriders @ Rudyard's
Sat., April 3 - Jon Dee Graham/John Egan @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Sat., April 3 - Sad Gorilla/Cory Derden/Possessed by Paul James/Ellis and Hart @ Mango's
Sat., April 3 - Destroying Texas Fest, featuring Order From Chaos, Ares Kingdom, Inquisition, Averse Sefira, & Toxodeth @ Walter's
Sat., April 3 - Uprise of the Fallen/Jerusalem/Scars of Eden/Destruction for Humanity @ The Junction
Sat., April 3 - Scott McCurry & The Mercenaries @ House of Blues
Sat., April 3 - Brandon Jenkins/Dean Seltzer @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., April 3 - Guy Forsyth @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., April 4 - Red Sparowes/Doomriders @ Rudyard's
Sun., April 4 - The Texas Buzz, featuring Dirty Wormz & more @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Tues., April 6 - Mad Happy/God's Favorite Animal/Tran Tran @ Super Happy Fun Land
Wed., April 7 - The White Mice/Useless Children/Wall With One Side/Golden Axe @ Super Happy Fun Land
Thurs., April 8 - Ani DiFranco/Buddy Wakefield @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., April 8 - The Waymores @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Thurs., April 8 - Hello Shark/Attic Abasement/The Former Machine/Foster @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri., April 9 - Soweto Gospel Choir @ Jones Hall
Fri., April 9 - Yeasayer/Javelin @ House of Blues
Fri., April 9 - Shake Russell @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 9 - Billy Joe Shaver @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., April 9 - Jagged Edge/Avant/Tank @ Arena Theater
Fri., April 9 - The Spazmatics @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., April 10 - KTRU Outdoor Show, featuring Ghost Mountain & more @ Rice University campus
Sat., April 10 - Old 97's/Telegraph Canyon @ House of Blues
Sat., April 10 - Anything Box/Provision/DJ Rob/DJ Marc Nicholson @ Numbers
Sat., April 10 - Idgy Vaughn @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Sat., April 10 - Stone Coyotes @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., April 10 - Bleu Edmondson/Brian Burke @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., April 10 - Emily Osment/Hot Chelle Rae @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Sat., April 10 - Toology (Tool tribute)/Freaks On A Leash (Korn tribute) @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., April 10 - While You Were Gone @ Carrie's Coffee Mill (Conroe)
Sun., April 11 - Los Lonely Boys @ House of Blues
Sun., April 11 - Wye Oak @ Mango's
Sun., April 11 - Kasey Anderson & Friends @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Sun., April 11 - Danny O'Flaherty @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., April 11 - The Texas Buzz, featuring The Southern Kill, American Mantra, & more @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Mon., April 12 - Julian Casablancas/Funeral Party @ House of Blues
Mon., April 12 - Kathy Boyd @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues., April 13 - Thunder From Down Under @ House of Blues
Thurs., April 15 - Shat/Rusted Shut/Thou Shalt Not Kill...Unless @ Super Happy Fun Land
Thurs., April 15 - Betty Soo/John Wort Hannam @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 16 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live @ House of Blues
Fri., April 16 - Owl City/Lights/Paper Route @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Fri., April 16 - Sepsism/Embryonic Devourment/Engaged In Mutilating/Scattered Remains/Acalvaria/Venomous Supremacy @ Walter's
Fri., April 16 - Solas @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 16 - Starkillers @ Rich's
Fri., April 16 - Sean McConell/Jason Eady @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., April 16 - Elizabeth Cook @ Dosey Doe Coffeehouse (The Woodlands)
Sat., April 17 - sIngs (CD release) @ Mango's
Sat., April 17 - Michael Franks @ House of Blues
Sat., April 17 - Mike McClure/The Turnpike Troubadours @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., April 17 - Metal Shop @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sun., April 18 - Igor & Red Elvises @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., April 18 - Puddle Of Mudd/Saliva @ House of Blues
Sun., April 18 - The Texas Buzz, featuring Local H & Kinch @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Tues., April 20 - Les Claypool @ House of Blues
Tues., April 20 - Baker Hotel @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Tues., April 20 - Stretch Dawson/The Westbound Band/Robin Kirby @ Super Happy Fun Land
Wed., April 21 - Porcupine Tree/Bigelf @ House of Blues
Thurs., April 22 - The 71's/The Canvas Waiting/The Gallery/While You Were Gone @ Fitzgerald's
Thurs., April 22 - Slightly Stoopid/Del The Funky Homosapien @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., April 22 - Kenny G @ Arena Theater
Fri., April 23 - Moullinex/Xenobi/Damon Allen @ The Mink
Fri., April 23 - Bee vs. Moth @ Super Happy Fun Land
Fri., April 23 - Serena Ryder @ House of Blues
Fri., April 23 - Steve Forbert @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 23 - Charlie Robison/Owen Temple @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., April 24 - Jeff Beck @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Sat., April 24 - Who's Bad @ House of Blues
Sat., April 24 - The Lotus Effect @ Rudyard's
Sat., April 24 - Gurf Morlix/Sam Baker @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Sat., April 24 - Adam Hood/Bo Cox @ Firehouse Saloon
Sat., April 24 - Scout Bar 6 Year Anniversary Party, featuring The Hunger @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sun., April 25 - Trout Fishing In America @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck (two shows; 2PM & 6PM)
Mon., April 26 - Lupe Fiasco/B.o.B. @ House of Blues
Mon., April 26 - The James Reese Band @ Warehouse Live
Mon., April 26 - Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers @ Stafford Centre (Stafford)
Tues., April 27 - Coheed and Cambria/Circa Survive/Torche @ Warehouse Live
Tues., April 27 - Seth Walker @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Tues., April 27 - Jerry Fels and the Jerry Fels @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues., April 27 - Overkill/Vader/God Dethroned/Warbringer/Evile/Metavenge @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Thurs., April 29 - Pretty Lights/Two Fresh @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., April 29 - Will Kimbrough @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 30 - Phoenix/Two Door Cinema Club @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Fri., April 30 - HIM/Dommin/Drive A/We Are The Fallen/Drive A @ House of Blues
Fri., April 30 - Honeybrowne/Dunville @ Firehouse Saloon
Fri., April 30 - Chaka Khan @ Arena Theater
Fri., April 30 - Jimmy LaFave @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., April 30 - Celtic Woman @ Toyota Center
Fri., April 30 - Asleep At The Wheel @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Fri., April 30 - Battery (Metallica tribute) @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., May 1 - The Dead Weather/The Ettes @ House of Blues
Sat., May 1 - Van Morrison @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sat., May 1 - Rosie Flores @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Sat., May 1 - Asylum Street Spankers @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., May 1 - Trans-Siberian Orchestra @ Toyota Center
Sat., May 1 - The Marshall Tucker Band @ The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park
Sun., May 2 - Rory Block @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Mon., May 3 - Alexisonfire/Trash Talk/Therefore I Am/La Dispute @ Warehouse Live
Wed., May 5 - Norah Jones @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Thurs., May 6 - C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Thurs., May 6 - Graham Parker @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Fri., May 7 - Gipsy Kings @ House of Blues
Fri., May 7 - Jesse Winchester @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., May 7 - Straight No Chaser @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Fri., May 7 - Smile Empty Soul/Black Sunshine @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., May 8 - Ben Folds @ House of Blues
Sat., May 8 - The Business/The HollowPoints @ Walter's
Sat., May 8 - The Blasters @ Fitzgerald's
Sat., May 8 - Pam Tillis @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Sat., May 8 - The Spazmatics @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sun., May 9 - My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult @ Last Concert Cafe
Sun., May 9 - Mocedades @ Arena Theater
Thurs., May 13 - A Day To Remember/August Burns Red/Silverstein/Enter Shikari/Go Radio @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., May 13 - Skyrocket! @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Fri., May 14 - Clandestine @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., May 14 - Vance Gilbert @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Fri., May 14 - Parabelle @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sat., May 15 - Blue October @ Sam Houston Race Park
Sat., May 15 - Toad The Wet Sprocket @ House of Blues
Sat., May 15 - Sisters Morales @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., May 15 - The Waymores @ Listening Room (NiaMoves; 9PM)
Sat., May 15 - Metal Shop @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sun., May 16 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers/Joe Cocker @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Tues., May 18 - Angels & Airwaves/Say Anything @ House of Blues
Tues., May 18 - Shelby Lynne @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., May 20 - Soulhat @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Thurs., May 20 - Jimmy Buffett @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Thurs., May 20 - Mick Taylor @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Fri., May 21 - Labretta Suede and The Motel 6 @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., May 22 - 40oz. To Freedom (Sublime tribute) @ Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
Sun., May 23 - +DOG+ @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues., May 25 - Lazy Ass Destroyer @ Super Happy Fun Land
Tues.-Wed., May 25-26 - Taylor Swift @ Toyota Center
Thurs., May 27 - Buxton/The Small Sounds @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Fri., May 28 - The Bamboozle Road Show, featuring All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, LMFAO, Third Eye Blind, Good Charlotte, Hanson, Forever The Sickest Kids, Hellogoodbye, Cartel, A Cursive Memory, Cady Groves, Great Big Planes, I Fight Dragons, Mercy Mercedes, Shwayze, Simple Plan, Stereo Skyline, The Downtown Fiction, The Ready Set, Vedera, & Vita Chambers @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Fri., May 28 - Alejandro Fernández/Marco Antonio Solis/Joan Sebastian @ Toyota Center
Sat., May 29 - Robert Cray Band/Shemekia Copeland @ House of Blues
Sun., May 30 - The Lettermen @ Arena Theater
Mon., May 31 - The James Reese Band @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., June 3 - Los Skarnales/Karina Nistal @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Fri., June 4 - Peter Mulvey @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Fri., June 4 - Greg Trooper @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sat., June 5 - Nelo @ House of Blues
Sat., June 5 - 3OH!3/Cobra Starship/Travis McCoy/I Fight Dragons @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Sat., June 5 - The Fab Four @ House of Blues
Sun., June 6 - Webb Wilder @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Mon., June 7 - The Melvins @ Warehouse Live
Wed., June 9 - Reverend Horton Heat/Cracker/Th' Legendary Shack Shakers @ Warehouse Live
Thurs., June 10 - Mike Stinson/Robert Ellis & The Boys @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Thurs., June 10 - The Twilight Sad @ Rudyard's
Fri., June 11 - Iron Maiden/Dream Theater @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Fri., June 11 - Randy Travis @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Sat., June 12 - Richard Ramirez/Ze'r0-sum/Respirator/Tärr/Cornelius F. Van Strafin III @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., June 12 - PJ Morton @ House of Blues
Thurs., June 17 - Sara Hickman/Leah White and the Magic Mirrors @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Fri., June 18 - Yanni @ Arena Theater
Fri., June 18 - Mingo Fishtrap @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Fri., June 18 - Skyrocket! @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Fri., June 18 - Ten (Pearl Jam tribute)/Badmotorfinger (Soundgarden tribute)/Bleed the Freak (Alice in Chains tribute) @ House of Blues
Sat., June 19 - Emory Quinn/Rich O'Toole/Mike Kelly @ House of Blues
Thurs., June 24 - Joe King Carrasco/David Beebe and The Conrads @ Discovery Green (6:30PM)
Mon., June 28 - The James Reese Band @ Warehouse Live
Fri., July 2 - Vans Warped Tour 2010, featuring Every Time I Die, Dillinger Escape Plan, Fake Problems, We The Kings, Andrew W.K., The All-American Rejects, & more @ Sam Houston Race Park
Fri., July 2 - Sullen Serenade/The Spiritual Bat/Dead Frail Honesty @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., July 10 - Kevin Fowler @ The Showgrounds (Sam Houston Race Park)
Sat., July 10 - Colin Hay @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Fri., July 16 - Michael Bublé @ Toyota Center
Sat., July 31 - Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra @ House of Blues
Fri.-Sat., August 13-14 - Eyes Behind The Wall Festival, featuring Richard Ramirez & more @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sat., August 14 - Moe Bandy @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Sat., August 21 - Darden Smith @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Sat., August 21 - Tony Arata/Mark Germino/Vincel Gill @ Crighton Theater (Conroe)
Fri., September 10 - Dave Matthews Band/Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Thurs., September 16 - Cheryl Wheeler @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., September 19 - Patty Larkin @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sun., September 19 - Susan Werner @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Fri., September 24 - Ray Bonneville @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Sat., October 9 - Terri Hendrix @ Listening Room (NiaMoves, 508 Pecore)
Thurs., October 21 - Paul Anka @ Jones Hall
Fri., October 22 - California Guitar Trio @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
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H-TOWN MIXTAPE:
FEATURED BANDS: Lisa's Sons [11/29/09]; American Fangs [9/19/09]; Tambersauro [7/14/09]; B L A C K I E [7/14/09]; the last place you look [5/27/09]
REVIEWS:
FEATURES:Akron/Family, Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free [02/20/10]
There's a strangely rural thread that winds its way through the entirety of Akron/Family's newest, Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, seemingly pointing backwards from the band's NYC-bred sound to their roots in the Midwest, and that rustic, Middle America upbringing does indeed shine through at quite a few points on the album, particularly on the Fleet Foxes-esque "Set 'Em Free"... (Akron/Family is playing 2/23/10 at Walter's, along with Warpaint & Buxton.)
Holy Fiction, Hours From It [02/20/10]
Wow. It's always a funny thing when you've heard a band before, liked the bits and pieces you've run across, and been curious to hear more, and then when you finally do get a glimpse of the full picture, as it were, you realize that you'd previously had no freaking idea what they were really about... (Holy Fiction is playing its CD release party 2/20/10 at Warehouse Live, along with The Wonderful Future, The 71's, & They Were Stars.)
The Gold Sounds, Seismic Love [02/12/10]
Deer Park boys The Gold Sounds know how to start off an album, that's for damn sure. Opener "She Got Me Singin So Low" comes crashing in, so rambunctious and wild you can practically hear singer/bassist Sean Donnelly's knowing smirk right through the speakers, and the track steadily gets more and more chaotic... (The Gold Sounds are playing their CD release party 2/12/10 at Walter's, along with Paris Falls, T.V. Torso, & The Small Sounds.)
The Eastern Sea, EP II [02/12/10]
When I first heard The Eastern Sea, it was in a live setting, with all guns blazing, and the band turned the club into a grinning, sweaty hoedown/tent revival, ending by inviting everybody in the crowd up on the stage to dance and sing. And it was pretty amazing. The recorded experience, however, is a little different... (The Eastern Sea is playing 2/12/10 at Mango's, along with listenlisten, Peter and the Wolf, & Limb.)
Retribution Gospel Choir, 2 [02/10/10]
It took me until a full minute into "Workin' Hard" to get it. I'd been enjoying 2, the aptly-titled second album from Retribution Gospel Choir, definitely, right from the first ringing chords of "Hide It Away," but I didn't really get it. When the choppy, almost Van Halen-esque guitars came in, though... (Retribution Gospel Choir is playing 2/10/10 at Wired Live (formerly The Meridian), along with The Bloody Mushrooms.)
The Fiery Furnaces, I'm Going Away [01/29/10]
The Fiery Furnaces's eighth album, I'm Going Away, is their rock album -- it's much more linear and stripped down than their previous records, with much less of the crazily proggy stuff. The record is for those people who wish they'd cut out that wanky prog stuff and just rock. It also has some of their indelible melodies they've written... (The Fiery Furnaces are playing 1/29/10 at Walter's, along with Drug Rug.)
Drug Rug, Paint the Fence Invisible [01/29/10]
Psychedelia-infused '60s-retro rock-pop is still in full force. It seems that a new artist in this very creative genre comes out every other week with a good-to-great album. Drug Rug's latest album, Paint the Fence Invisible, is a beam of sunlight splashing down upon your magic carpet ride, ensuring a bright and enlightening trip to your favorite happy place... (Drug Rug is playing 1/29/10 at Walter's, along with The Fiery Furnaces.)
Female Demand, Female Demand [01/29/10]
Of the four tracks on Female Demand's self-titled EP, the one that hits the hardest is the opener, "Sweet Nothing" -- it starts off with almost wah-wah-sounding bass and stuttering, barely-restrained drums, then stomps its way into two minutes and change of driving, thundering, bass-and-drums instrumental rawk... (Female Demand is playing 1/30/10 at Mango's, along with Caddywhompus & Smiley With A Knife.)
Chase Hamblin, A Fine Time [01/21/10]
When I first encountered Chase Hamblin, my instinct was to shrug and dismiss him as yet another Fab Four fan trying to keep the music he loves alive. While the characterization's not wrong, though, the dismissal's a big, big mistake. Rather than just rehash the Beatles for the umpteenth time, on A Fine Time Hamblin takes that music he loves... (Chase Hamblin is playing 1/21/10 at Avant Garden, along with Mark Growden, and 1/22/10 at Mango's, along with The Nightmare River Band & Maryanna Sokol.)
Okay, I give: I'm not entirely sure what to make of Giant Battle Monster's seven-track EP, Giant Battle Monster vs. The Man With a Gun for a Head. It's a bewildering, chaotic listen, wedged halfway between mind-melting prog-metal, weird-ass pseudo-screamo, Dadaism, and...hell, I have no idea what. The whole thing starts off with the oddball video-game bleeps and bloops of "Bill Spiller"... (Giant Battle Monster is playing 1/15/10 at Mango's, along with Clockpole, Darwin's Finches, & Cop Warmth.)
In my later years, I have to confess that I've taken to cringing whenever a split release comes through my door. Which is sad, because I used to like that sort of thing, honestly; it was the DIY way to go, back in the day, pooling your money with your compatriots in another band so you could both get something, anything, out there for people to buy, hear, and (hopefully) adore... (Muhammad Ali is playing 1/25/10 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with 10th Grade Cutie & FG and The Gunz.)
Blakroc, Blakroc [01/05/10]
Let's get straight to the point: Blakroc is genius. It's rap-rock as it should be. It fills a void that neither rock or rap can adequately address while simultaneously erasing the damage done by the Fred Dursts and Mike Shinodas of the rap-rock world. I've always felt that hip-hop could use actual instruments...
While You Were Gone, Winter/Summer [01/05/10]
One of the absolute best things about music, good music, is the connected-ness of it. If a band's doing its job right, you're able to grasp onto the feelings, the emotions behind the yelled/sung lyrics and roaring guitars; if there's no connection going on, the guitars and yelling are just that, but if the song sucks you in...
Skeletonwitch, Breathing The Fire [01/05/10]
They're coming out of the woodwork. Like any genre, when something gets remotely popular, they come crawling out of the dark like roaches. Even the relatively minute movement known as neo-thrash has experienced the same phenomenon -- a style that's supposed to invoke the legendary sound...
Animals As Leaders, Animals As Leaders [01/05/10]
Animals As Leaders is the solo project of seven- and eight-string guitarist Tosin Abasi, who has played with such bands as the now-defunct Washington, DC band Reflux and Born of Osiris; I was quite honestly very excited to be reviewing the guy's debut album as Animals As Leaders. Besides being blown away by the absolute insane talent and musicianship of Tosin...
Grand Archives, Keep in Mind Frankenstein [01/05/10]
I've listened to the album several times, but it still all kind of blends together -- nothing really stands out to me. Don't get me wrong; it's a beautiful album worth listening to, and for the genre of music they play, I think they do it well. It's just that nothing about it says "wow"...
Orioles, Let Me Be Your Partner [01/05/10]
Okay, to be fair, I can see what this guy is going for. Entirely a cappella, echo-ey vocals, and nature sounds, Let Me Be Your Partner is like a very young Panda Bear with a more downbeat, minimalist sound...
Sounds Like BS, 3 [01/05/10]
I write music critiques. I listen to music, digest it, analyze it, and give my opinion in an abstract-yet-demonstrative manner that will hopefully steer you into the arms of sweet musical eargasms and save your ears from the irritablity of listening to the crappy stuff...
Been trying to figure out a way to dance around this, but the more I try, the worse it sounds, so I'll just come out with it: I've been sitting for a little while on The Factory Party's latest, After Death There Is Nothing, I'll admit it, partly because, frankly, I really wish I liked it more than I do... (The Factory Party is playing 12/18/09 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with Barefoot The Indian, Room 101, Deux Frupis, The Paperwaits, Nosaprise, The Cadences, Oncoming Traffic, Dairy Party, Chase Hamblin, Ivan Espinosa's Band, & The Coalition Band.)
The Pons, In the Belly of a Giant [12/04/09]
On In the Belly of a Giant, the appeal -- for me, anyway -- lies less in the music than in the overall feel of the thing. The music is good, don't worry, but it's the downbeat, serious moodiness that really gets me. Frontman (and principal songwriter) Thomas Mazzi is the culprit, I think... (The Pons are playing 12/5/09 at The Mink, along with listenlisten, The Tontons, & Gretchen Schmaltz.)
mr. Gnome, Heave Yer Skeleton [12/04/09]
I'm betting the folks in mr. Gnome don't really care too much for boundaries, which goes some way towards explaining the patchwork quilt that is their overall "sound," grafting together heavy, skullcrushing metal to delicate folkiness to freakout-inducing psych-rock to bent hillbilly rock. I was a little taken aback at first with Heave Yer Skeleton... (mr. Gnome is playing 12/4/09 at Rudyard's, along with Fired For Walking & Bright Men of Learning.)
A dream Asleep, We Are The Juggernauts [11/28/09]
To not know of A dream Asleep means that you are either not completely tapped into Houston's music scene or you've been living in a sulphur glacier on one of Jupiter's farthest moons eating vegan Taco Bell. They've been tearing up the underground circuit and crushing venue after venue with their insane live shows and their brand of progressive hardcore... (A dream Asleep is playing their EP release party 11/28/09 at Fitzgerald's, along with American Fangs, Peekaboo Theory, the last place you look, & Cavernous.)
Arthur Yoria, (281) [11/28/09]
Whoa. What the hell? I knew quirky/cool singer-songwriter guy Arthur Yoria was mixing things up a bit on his latest release, (281), but honestly, when lead-in track "No Messin' With My Rectum If You Like My Erection" hit the chorus, I nearly drove into the concrete barricade on the side of the freeway.... (Arthur Yoria is playing 12/4/09 at Mango's, along with Jesse Podunk & Chase Hamblin.)
To get it out of the way first, the long title to all-male Danish trio Mew's fifth album comes from their song "Hawaii Dream." The CD contains two short "intermission" songs between several electronic, optimistic-sounding wonders. They utilize swelling effects with synthesizers, quick yet echoing piano, and drawn-out guitars...
The Life and Times, Tragic Boogie [11/28/09]
The Life and Times continues in a similar direction as Shiner, frontman Allen Epley's previous band, combining the tautness of Slint with strangely Beatlesesque anthems. For Tragic Boogie, though, The Life and Times' second album, the band decided to expand its palette...
Grief of War, Worship [11/28/09]
When you hear that a band is from Japan, you usually think of an indie-pop girl act getting way too much press. What you don't expect is Grief of War and their full-on metal assault. While they may be another in a growing list of neo-thrash acts, don't dismiss these guys, as they're legit...
Foreign Born, Foreign Born 7" [11/28/09]
All those who labeled L.A.'s fresh, ambient pop group Foreign Born a toss-off anthem band (think: U2, Arcade Fire) are surely biting their presumptive tongues right now. Released as a 7" add-on to the band's latest LP, Person to Person, this Black Iris release shows how much emotional and musical depth can be pressed into two songs...
The Literary Greats, Ocean, Meet The Valley [11/11/09]
As soon as the first rough-edged, blues-rock guitar lick of "That Mountain Yonder" comes in, after a sneakily low-key verse, it's pretty clear that for their second album, Ocean, Meet The Valley, The Literary Greats weren't content to keep meandering along the same path they were on back on their self-titled debut. Not that the band's changed things up that much from the last outing... (The Literary Greats are playing their CD release party 11/14/09 at The Continental Club, along with Elkhart.)
2012 [11/13/09]
We've been waiting for the end of the world for a long time. Frequently polls will suggest that a large percentage of people believe we are living at the end times at any given moment. Books and magazine articles will appear explaining why the Apocalypse is nigh. It's not new. There seems to be few things people like better than curl up and dream about how it's all going to go wrong... (2012 opens Friday, November 13th.)
Tortoise, Beacons of Ancestorship [11/11/09]
Tortoise wasn't the first band to receive the "post-rock" tag, but over time they've become its most lauded and recognized practitioner. As the term becomes increasingly associated with the crest-and-valley dynamics and soporific emotional outpourings of guitar-based bands like Explosions In The Sky, though, these 5-to-7 men have continued to enliven the formal trappings of rock music...
Lyle Lovett, Natural Forces [11/11/09]
Natural Forces is Lyle Lovett's great western road record, the theme of which might be "The Grand Ole Opry on Texas Swing Night." The song progression suggests a concept album about the life of a traveling musician. Lovett's songs are sung by strong, if sad, cowboy characters who love their families and their homes but make their living on the road -- the only way they know how...
The Box [11/11/09]
The big problem with all adaptations into film is "why do them at all?" Oh, it makes perfect sense from a business standpoint -- it's a known quantity that can ameliorate some of the gigantic risk that is studio feature filmmaking. But just in and of itself, it's a finished piece that's already been authored. What can film do but simply visualize it, taking it out of the realm of the imagination and cementing it into place?...
The DVD begins with a short film, The Start to This May Be the End to Another, which acts as a documentary of Moneen, showing the band traveling in their tour bus, enduring the typical trials of losing the signal during business calls, excessive gas pumping, and unloading all the heavy gear. Filmmaker Alex Liu filmed it over a period of three years, starting with a considerably unknown pop-punk band from Canada... (Moneen is playing 11/16/09 at Warehouse Live, along with Say Anything, Eisley, & Miniature Tigers.)
Springfield Riots, Say When [10/30/09]
Springfield Riots' debut EP, Say When, is a bit of an odd duck of an album, in that it rides a line between sweet, Pet Sounds-esque melodies and murky, downcast melancholy; you'll get a track like opener "Hope and Envy," which is sweet and languid, with an awesomely shy romanticism to it, and you'll be bobbing your head along and singing with the repeated verses until about halfway through the song... (Springfield Riots is playing 10/30/09 at The Mink, along with Ringo Deathstarr & The Factory Party.)
Art Brut, Art Brut vs. Satan [10/24/09]
At the end of the day, Art Brut just wouldn't work without Eddie Argos. I mean no disrespect to the other members of the band, because they're all fine musicians, and Art Brut vs. Satan is musically a finely-crafted pastiche of everything I love about Britpop from the past three decades or so... (Art Brut is playing 10/24/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Princeton & Ghormeh Sabzi.)
Unholy, New Life Behind Closed Doors [10/17/09]
When you name your band "Unholy," you have something to live up to. People are going to expect the most demonic, violent, wretched, and evil sound ever. Or, at least, a really good metal band. This quintet from Syracuse, though, is sadly neither. They play is now referred to as "groove metal"... (Unholy is playing 10/20/09 at The Meridian, along with Evergreen Terrace, For The Fallen Dreams, Asking Alexandria, & Acora.)
Teenage Kicks, Uptight [10/17/09]
In a way, I should've seen it coming. I mean, looking backwards now, with the dubious benefit of hindsight, it's like the Teenage Kicks guys wrote it all out in the songs, telegraphing their own demise. And with Uptight, they've assembled it all together in one place, effectively writing their own elegy...
Sage Francis, Sick of Wasting [10/17/09]
It's hard to know at first if Sage Francis wants to be taken seriously on his latest mixtape, Sick of Wasting, with song titles like "Masterbate Your Brain" and "Who Farted_pt 1." Then he comes at you, though, with a purist, traditionalist interpretation of hip-hop, lyric-oriented with battle-rap cleverness...
Arbouretum, Song of the Pearl [10/17/09]
I can't entirely put my finger on why, but it always seems to take me quite a while to fully wrap my head around an Arbouretum album. With 2007's Rites of Uncovering, I found myself compelled to listen and re-listen and re-listen to the disc before I felt like I could even talk about it...
With El Payaso, it should come as no surprise that Texas' legendary Johnny Goudie (of Johnny Goudie & The Little Champions) is still rock'n along and just as prolific as ever, albeit this time with a twangy country tinge, happier, pop-rocky explosion, more introspective tunes about love and rejection...
Z [10/17/09]
From August 14-16, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston screened a beautifully restored 35mm print of Z in the Brown Auditorium to sell-out crowds as part of their ongoing Revival Series. Constantin Costa-Gavras' 40-year-old procedural about an investigating judge who exposes the cover-up...
And The Moneynotes, On The Town, On The Vine [10/17/09]
Depending on who's singing, And The Moneynotes sounds like two different bands. Their EP On The Town, On The Vine consists of four songs, half of which were written by each of their two singer-songwriters. Half of the album, therefore, sounds like an acoustic Gogol Bordello...
The Dodos, Time To Die [10/03/09]
I hope that when it's my time to die, the new Dodos album will be playing in the background for my last 45 minutes. The indie group released its fourth album, Time To Die, on September 15, and I like it a lot. The first track of the album, "Small Death," opens with the tranquil, calm strumming of a guitar and soft vocals, reminding me of earlier folk-rock performers... (The Dodos are playing 10/3/09 at Mango's, along with The Ruby Suns.)
The Black Crowes have just released Before the Frost/Until the Freeze, a double album -- sort of. This innovative release is the hard copy of Before the Frost..., with an online code for ...Until the Freeze. The band did this as a thank-you to their fans for a 20 year career (so far)... (The Black Crowes are playing 10/14/09 at the House of Blues, along with Truth & Salvage Co.)
The Whore Moans' Hello From the Radio Wasteland is an energetic little piece of music from Seattle that sounds ready to take on the world. It consists of passionate singing that leads to screaming by the end of the line, lots of backup vocals to carry on the intensity, and that fast-moving bass that is so common in punk music...
The Snake Charmers, Been Gone Too Long [10/03/09]
If music is aural communication with the spiritual, then the blues would be its sacred book of hymns. That's just what the Snake Charmers' sultry release Been Gone Too Long personifies in spades. As lead singer and songwriter Marie Angell seductively sings on Too Long's opening track, it "ain't nothin' but the blues"... (The Snake Charmers are playing 10/10/09 at Clifton's Seaside Diner's 2nd Annual Fall Music Festival in Bacliff, along with a bunch of other bands.)
Class of 1984, Class of 1984 [10/03/09]
For all of you beginner students: Class of 1984 will be on the exam, so now's the time to become learned in class-speak. Jon and James, (fine Irish brothers) have been jammin' "backwoods filthy rock" in and around Eire since early 2006. These boys are every good little girl's guilty pleasure and her mother's worst nightmare....
Buddahead, Ashes [10/03/09]
I'm going to be honest and lay the facts on the table. This review has been over due for about two months. Okay six, but who's counting? Well, okay, maybe my editor is, but that's beside the point. This review is late partly because I became overwhelmed and put too much on my plate, getting greedy and wearing myself thin, but part of the blame can also be handed out to Buddahead...
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner [09/19/09]
They don't make them like this anymore. One of the most surprising things I found about Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was that I hadn't seen it yet. A friend of mine (who knows I've see everything) just naturally assumed I had, in the lead-up to its screening at the MFAH on Monday, September 21, because it's one of those movies everyone has seen, like Casablanca... (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is showing Monday, September 21 at the MFAH at 7PM, as part of their Films Houstonians Love Series.)
Ghost Mountain, Summer Tapes [09/18/09]
So you say your band's releasing its new album only on cassette? That's so, er, early 2009, y'all. Want to really take a totally noncommercial, ultra-indie stab in the dark with your band's next release? Follow the example of strange, candy-like electro-hip-hopsters Ghost Mountain and release your new album strictly on VHS tape, each copy hand-made using a circuit-bent VCR... (Ghost Mountain is playing 9/19/09 at Warehouse Live, along with Devin The Dude, Coughee Broz, Fat Tony, Guerilla Foco Clan, & DJ Meshak.)
The Informant! [09/18/09]
The Informant! is the story of Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon), a scientist, VP, and whistleblower at the giant agri-business food additive company Archer Daniels Midland, which specializes in using corn to take over the world. This is the funniest suspense movie I've ever seen. It's also the most suspenseful comedy I've ever seen... (The Informant! opens wide on Friday, September 18.)
Searching for Signal, It's So Bright [09/18/09]
More than anything else, Searching for Signal's new EP, It's So Bright, feels, well, deliberate. Each note feels carefully selected and placed right where guitarists Matthew Salois and Michael Aziari want them to be, anchored from floating off on its own by Benny Edaburn's drums and John Wilhelm's bass... (Searching for Signal is playing 9/26/09 at Bohemeo's.)
Placebo, Battle for the Sun [09/18/09]
Battle for the Sun is a much-anticipated CD for those die-hard Placebo fans who were disappointed by the band's last album, Meds. This CD, number six, reverts back to band's old style, with somewhat squealing guitars over Brian Molko's nasal but forever reassuring voice...
Joshua Tillman, Vacilando Territory Blues [09/18/09]
It feels like an eternity ago that Joshua Tillman found me, on that infamous, international, online "social" networking site. I suppose if there's any redeeming quality to Myspace beside the huge impact it's had on the music world, it's because that's where I was introduced to Tillman. This chance meeting has made my little world more majestic, magical, and holy... (Joshua Tillman plays 11/26/09 at Walter's.)
The Guns of Detroit, Monsterattake's [09/18/09]
The Guns of Detroit. The name alone got me. I hadn't heard one lick of their music, and yet I already knew that I wanted to review their album, Monsterattake's. It was a gamble I knew I had to take. The Guns of Detroit, I thought, could've been death metal from the dark corners of Sweden or anarchist punk from the underbelly of America...
Fake Believe, Talk Speak EP [09/11/09]
While there's nothing strictly wrong with the first two tracks of Fake Believe's five-song EP, Talk Speak, I'll admit they had me a little worried. The too-slick, hipster-ish dance-funk grooves on the verses of both "Pornography" and "Another Dead Romantic" didn't get more than a shrug out of me -- with "Card Homes," though, things really start to look up... (Fake Believe is playing 9/12/09 at Cactus Music and again at The Festival at Mink, along with a bunch of other cool bands.)
Behemoth, Evangelion [09/11/09]
There's just something strangely cool about seeing the new Behemoth CD/DVD, Evangelion, advertised in the Sunday ad for Best Buy. Right next to upcoming indie-rockers and pop-start wannabes is this trio of corpsepaint-wearing Polish Satanists. Fucking awesome. For the uninformed, Evangelion is the 9th release from Behemoth...
Electric Attitude, Laser Laser Laser Beams [09/11/09]
I've been dancing around it a while in my head, and I just can't think of a friendly, nice way to talk around it, so I'm just going to say it: I don't like the guitars on Electric Attitude's latest EP, Laser Laser Laser Beams. And that sucks, because I do like a lot of the rest of it... (Electric Attitude is playing 9/12/09 at The Festival at Mink, along with a bunch of other cool bands.)
Dillinger è morto (Dillinger is Dead) [09/11/09]
Dillinger is Dead is called writer/director Marco Ferreri's masterpiece. It recently screened at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston as part of their Revival Series (http://www.mfah.org/films), a restored 35mm print that looks and sounds brilliant. This Saturday the theater was more than half full...
Chad VanGaalen, Soft Airplane [09/11/09]
Just when you think that the album's going to be an intimate experience between just you and Chad VanGaalen, slowly he starts cranking up the volume, changing your opinion of the path the album will take little by little. Then track five, "Bare Feet On Wet Griptape," comes on, and you think, "Okay -- this guy knows how to rock..."
Sylvie, Trees And Shade Are Our Only Fences [09/11/09]
For the past few years, Canada's indie-rock scene has been dominated by one label that encompasses one genre and even one city. It's the kind of warm and calm folk-infused indie-rock that's completely unobjectionable and well-received by all, like maple syrup or the concept of universal health care...
Fruit Bats, The Ruminant Band [09/03/09]
It hit me in the car, on my way back to the house yesterday, and suddenly, it all seemed plain as day: it's Paul McCartney. That's who Fruit Bats' Eric D. Johnson reminds me of, more than anyone else, at least on the band's latest, The Ruminant Band. It was a bit of a surprisingly realization to come to, really... (Fruit Bats are playing 9/3/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Death Vessel & News On The March.)
Sleepy Sun, Embrace [09/02/09]
I'm honestly not sure what I was expecting, but I know this wasn't it. I think I could be forgiven, though, for being blindsided by Sleepy Sun's Embrace, especially considering the way the band shifts gears partway in. The album starts off with the thumping, dark, nearly funky murk-croon of "New Age," with its nice, almost tribal percussion, woozy acoustic/electric guitars, creepy organ... (Sleepy Sun is playing 9/2/09 at The Orange Show, along with My Education.)
Nebula, Heavy Psych [08/28/09]
"Retro" has become a bad word in the musical world. First we had the '70s stoner bands, the neo-thrash bands, and the revival of glam. So what's a band like Nebula supposed to do, when they were retro before retro was a cool, and subsequently uncool, thing to be? Their newest release, Heavy Psych, attempts to get one foot outside of their psychedelic/stoner box... (Nebula is playing 8/31/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with The Entrance Band, Trian Woodburns, & Ghost Town Electric.)
Iron Age, The Sleeping Eye [08/28/09]
Hailing from the hipster central town of Austin, Iron Age offers their latest, The Sleeping Eye, for all to enjoy. Hopefully. When you see any album from Tee Pee Records, there's a good chance that it should come equipped with rolling papers. While there are snippets of traditional stoner rock on here... (Iron Age is playing 8/30/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Weedeater, Dixie Witch, & Bowel.)
The Warlocks, The Mirror Explodes [08/21/09]
Psychedelic music often gets a bad rap for its close kinship to '60s hippie culture. Despite modern psychedelic rock's distance from its groovier brethren, its dedication to mind-altering substances often does the music more harm than good. Early psychedelic music was the result of a time, mostly... (The Warlocks are playing 8/22/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with The Morning After Girls & The Vandelles.)
La Snacks, Newfangled [08/21/09]
There's a lot to like on La Snacks' Newfangled EP, with all its throwback-ness to my own personal indie-rock heyday, when Pavement was great, The Pixies and Sebadoh were gods, and Spoon weren't famous yet. It's got a great, fuck-it-all looseness to it, oozing so much Malkmusian laidback ease that the sound at times threatens to knock you unconscious...
Such Hawks Such Hounds [08/21/09]
In the overflowing racks of DVDs at your local record store, the subject of stoner rock has long been neglected. The void has now been filled, however, with the release of Such Hawks Such Hounds. The film is the culmination of three years work by John Srebalus, a first-time director who seeks to expose one hard rock's many subgenres...
Vetiver, Tight Knit [08/21/09]
Reviewing Vetiver's latest release, Tight Knit, has been a most pleasant experience. Self-classified as "Thrash/Black Metal/Christian Rap"on their MySpace page -- proof positive the band does have a sense of humor -- the band tends to get tagged as "Freak Folk" or "crippled pigeon music" by reviewers...
Atlum Schema, Atlum Schema [08/21/09]
I'll admit I didn't have high hopes for this album, a CD-R with a laser-printed CD sleeve and an unwieldy, pretentious-sounding name; I figured it was headed for a quick listen and then a toss on the ever-growing pile on the desk. Atlum Schema frontman/one-man show Andy Mort turns out to have some impressive surprises up his sleeve, however...
Blackwood Company, Forbidden Fruit [08/21/09]
I once had to make the agonizing drive from Houston to Los Angeles in one sitting. From the grueling scorch of land between San Antonio and El Paso through the mind-hell that is Arizona, I really wish that I'd had Blackwood Company's debut album, Forbidden Fruit, with me...
Mos Def, The Ecstatic [08/15/09]
Back in 1998, Rawkus Records released Black Star, featuring the iconic debut of Mos Def and Talib Kweli as the hip-hop duo Black Star. One year later, Mos Def released his critically acclaimed solo album, Black on Both Sides, solidifying himself as a socially aware and truly gifted MC. Things then took a sharp turn south. His second album, The New Danger, missed the creativity and freshness of Black on Both Sides... (Mos Def is playing 8/19/09 at House of Blues, along with Jay Electronica.)
Guitars, White Night White Night [08/15/09]
I've always thought of The Velvet Underground as a band that was less about songs and more about a general feeling, a kind of sleepy-yet-restless nervousness that's raw and wide-open and pretty much uniquely urban. To this kid from partly-rural central Texas, the VU was like the sound of Noo Yawk, the dirty, unpretty side of Manhattan... (Guitars is playing its CD release 8/15/09 at Cactus Music, 3PM.)
The Lonely H, Concrete Class [08/13/09]
If you miss the classic rock of the '70s before it got caught up in the hit-making machinery of AOR radio, or you recently discovered the musical gems hidden in your parent's album collection, then Concrete Class, by The Lonely H, is an album you'll want to hear. Released in June of this year, the band's relentless tour schedule over the past three years shows through... (The Lonely H is playing 8/14/09 at Rudyard's, along with Fake Believe.)
Franz Ferdinand, Tonight [08/07/09]
Franz Ferdinand's Tonight is the Scottish rockers' third release since their inception in 2002. Released in January of this year, the album is at best hit-and-miss. I have to admit that musically, it's worse than I expected. While at times there are some solid jams on display and somewhat creative rhythms at work... (Franz Ferdinand is playing 8/8/09 at Toyota Center, along with Green Day.)
Wonderlick, Topless at the ARCO Arena [08/07/09]
Topless at the ARCO Arena is the first album from Wonderlick since their eponymous release in 2002. With two former members of Too Much Joy in the band, it's tempting to skip breezily over the pretty surface of this album and chalk it up as another tongue-in-cheek record full of the acerbic wit that was TMJ's stock-in-trade. Certainly the album is replete with ironic humor and sarcasm...
It's hard to resist the temptation to compare Floridians (er, Floridian, at this point) One Small Step For Landmines and the significantly better-known Dashboard Confessional. Beyond the geographic kinship, both are shifting band/solo acts focused around punk-rock-bred guys playing hearts-on-sleeves, sweet, jangly, emo-boy acoustic pop songs...
WE ARE HEX, Gloom Bloom [08/07/09]
I usually come across four types of bands: the bands that impress you with their musical technicality; the bands you feel sorry for, knowing that this is their passion but that it's probably time for them to hang it up; the bands that get you fired up and make you want to put your fist through something; and the bands that make you want to dance...
Oppressed by the Line, Kiku [08/07/09]
There's something fascinating to me about the ties between music and place -- how a certain sound, song, or voice can immediately evoke somewhere you've been, something you've seen, and immediately pull you inexorably back to the exact moment when you first experienced it...
If you're a fan of The Faint, you're either going to really love this album or really hate it. The sound is actually so similar it kind of freaks me out at times; however, I'd say I fall into the category of Faint fans that really love this album. It's one the best albums I've discovered recently and is definitely worth a listen...
Judas Priest, A Touch of Evil: Live [07/22/09]
Judas Priest's new live CD, A Touch of Evil:Live, is a nice little payoff for diehard fans. The 11 tracks that make up the release are all songs that have not been previously recorded live, and this is saying something considering that the band has something like 30 live albums in their career. Okay, not really -- they only have five, but three of those have come out in the last decade... (Judas Priest is playing 7/24/09 at Verizon Wireless Theater with Whitesnake.)
So Many Dynamos, The Loud Wars [07/22/09]
The Loud Wars is one of those albums that makes me want to go dig out an album I used to play 'til it felt like the CD player laser would burn out; in this case, the album they make me want to go grab is The Dismemberment Plan's 2001 classic, Change. It's a disc I'd be willing to bet the guys in So Many Dynamos know intimately, and I can't help but think of D-Plan when I hear the Dynamos' take... (So Many Dynamos is playing 7/22/09 at Mango's with Baby Showers & Cast Spells.)
Reel Big Fish, Fame, Fortune and Fornication [07/22/09]
Reel Big Fish's Fame, Fortune and Fornication is no Born to Run or Pet Sounds, it's true, but so what? There's nothing wrong with having a little fun, and I enjoy a good ska cover song as much as anybody, so I was kind of looking forward to an album full of what I was guessing (going by the cover, anyway) was '80s cheese-metal done ska-punk-style... (Reel Big Fish is playing 7/27/09 at Warehouse Live, along with The English Beat & The Supervillains.)
Patrick Wolf, The Bachelor [07/22/09]
Patrick Wolf is back, with his quirky music and colorful image (he's currently a bleached blonde), and his new album is sure to impress his loyal fans. The Bachelor is filled with Patrick Wolf's characteristic violas and voice with vibrato. What new aspects he brings: a variety of back up singers, including children and even gospel-style women, and a more mature sound that pushes beyond just electronics...
Oh No Forest Fires, The War on Geometry [07/22/09]
Have you ever had someone tell you they saw a great live band, and you're like, "what the hell does that even mean?" Well, I've been watching YouTube videos of Oh No Forest Fires after receiving their The War On Geometry EP, and I think I've found the definitive answer on that. Yet another band with "Oh No" in their name, yeah, but that's for another debate...
My Education, Bad Vibrations [07/22/09]
My Education is an instrumental rock band from Austin. On their fourth album, Bad Vibrations, they seamlessly blend pastoral-sounding violin in with epic rock anthems. Their songs blend pastoral Dirty Three ideas with a more lyrical Mono into a sound of their own. They have a great head for melodies, which range from epic rock numbers to more subdued ballads, and they pull everything off well...
The Able Sea, The Able Sea [07/22/09]
With a voyeuristic fixation on meandering, psychedelic soundscapes, Austin band The Able Sea has released a debut album to satisfy that taste. From start to finish, let there be no confusion: this self-titled work is well-primed to make you feel windswept, to hypnotize you. Listener, beware...
RX Bandits, Mandala [07/17/09]
I think I've cracked it. It took me a while to get my head around it, but I think the best way to look at RX Bandits isn't as a reggae+X band -- like I'd always instinctively wanted to see them 'til now -- but as a damn talented prog-rock band that just happens to pull in reggae, dub, punk, metal, and (yes, definitely) salsa/Latin-tinged rock so it can put together the kind of fiery, many-faceted songs... (RX Bandits are playing 7/17/09 at The Meridian, along with Zechs Marquise & Dredg.)
Pete Yorn, Back and Fourth [07/14/09]
On Back and Fourth, soft-voiced singer/songwriter Pete Yorn comes off almost like a musical chameleon, to the point where I'm at first not entirely sure what to make of the guy. He starts off with gently determined, heavily folk-influenced country on "Don't Wanna Cry," which sounds like an Uncle Tupelo song as played by the Elephant 6 crew (complete with trombones), but immediately switches gear... (Pete Yorn is playing 7/14/09 at The Meridian, along with Zee Avi.)
Buxton, "Feathers"/"Flint" [07/10/09]
It's lead guitarist Jason Willis's awesomely meandering -- yet still relentlessly driving -- and somehow downhome riff that does it, honestly. This review almost feels like a cheat, on my part, because Buxton's been playing A-side "Feathers" live for a little while now, and from almost the first second I heard it, it's been locked away in my brain, popping up at random times... (Buxton is playing its 7" release show 7/11/09 at Mango's, along with The Wild Moccasins & Ghost Mountain.)
Diagonals, Valley of the Cyclops [07/10/09]
The Austin quintet Diagonals are Steve Garcia, Ryan Camarillo, Wiley Wiggins, Ben Prentice, and Todd Larson, and plenty has been said about the 13th Floor Elevators influence on the their latest album, Valley of the Cyclops. But I think it's unfair to categorize them as a one-dimensional surf/stoner/psychedelic band... (Diagonals is playing the Monofonus Summer Slammer 7/11/09 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with Pillow Queens, The Caprolites, Over the Hill, Muhammadali, Slow Motion Rider, Follow that Rider, & School Police.)
Ghost Mountain, Siamese Sailboats [07/10/09]
And now, dropping by from another planet...Ghost Mountain's Siamese Sailboats. Okay, maybe not, but that's sure what it feels like to listen to the trio's seemingly acid-fueled mashup of Spiritualized psychedelia, nerdcore-style rapping, and downright joyful-sounding, Atom and His Package-esque candy-pop melodies... (Ghost Mountain is playing 7/11/09 at Mango's, along with Buxton & The Wild Moccasins.)
Tiny Masters of Today, Skeletons [07/10/09]
When I was in middle school, my musical abilities could be summed up by a few stagnant years of piano lessons and proud ownership of first chair in the band's trumpet section. When the Tiny Masters of Today were in middle school, on the other hand, David Bowie was calling their music "genius." Brooklyn-based siblings Ada and Ivan -- now 13 and 15, respectively -- are truly something unique...
The Antlers, Hospice [07/10/09]
The Antlers' ambient and elegiac debut, Hospice, has generated a veritable buzz from indie sites and bloggers alike since its online release in late June. For the most part, it's been received well -- some even going as far to say that Hospice is the best album released in 2009 so far. Here's the gist of it: Hospice focuses on a terminal patient restricted to a hospital bed, and the narrative comes from the point of view of her bedside significant other...
Handsome Furs, Face Control [07/10/09]
It's not my favorite album, but it's good. That's what I would say if I had to sum up in one sentence what I thought of Handsome Furs' newest release, Face Control. This indie-rock band from Montreal, Canada is comprised of husband/wife duo Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade and Atlas Strategic) and his wife Alexei Perry. I personally am a huge fan of any husband and wife band, like Mates of State, Matt and Kim, etc...
Paris Falls, Volume III [06/20/09]
I think Volume III works best when viewed as part of a bigger whole, right alongside Paris Falls' previous efforts, Vol. 1 and Vol. II. Going by the band's choice of titles for the three albums so far, it sure seems like they intended there to be some kind of progression, and even if they didn't, well, the theme definitely fits when Volume III rolls into view... (Paris Falls is playing their CD release party 6/20/09 at Mango's, along with Airon Paul Dugas & georgia's Horse.)
The Small Sounds, The Small Sounds [06/20/09]
Honestly, the greatest thing about the Small Sounds' self-titled debut has nothing to do with the guitars, the melodies, or even the words. It's just that the album possesses this amazing, gentle warmth -- listening to those jangly guitars swing and sway over vocalist/guitarist Holden Rushing's gravely melancholy voice... (The Small Sounds are playing 6/20/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Elkart & The Literary Greats.)
Double Dagger, More [06/20/09]
Want some punk for the masses? Blasphemy! Go buy some Green Day if your stomach can't handle real punk. If you get tired of all the hate and madness, however, Double Dagger's More is much easily digestible. What you get, instead of the routine "I hate George Bush," "government oppression," is a rather comical commentary... (Double Dagger is playing 6/23/09 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with Black Congress & Muhammid Ali.)
Heartless Bastards, The Mountain [06/20/09]
The Heartless Bastards' third album, The Mountain, is a return of sorts for Erika Wennerstrom, the leader of the band. After breaking up with the bass player, the previous lineup dissolved, and she replaced them with the people that performed on the Bastards' original demo... (Heartless Bastards are playing 6/24/09 at Warehouse Live, along with Jenny Lewis.)
Eleni Mandell, Artificial Fire [06/20/09]
What's most exciting, and most maddening, about Eleni Mandell is that just when you think you've got her figured out, she spins off in a new direction. And yet, whether cranking out a roots-pop tour de force like 2004's Afternoon or offering up 2007's duskily noir Miracle Of Five, she's never lost her own identity...
Riverboat Gamblers, Underneath the Owl [06/20/09]
The Riverboat Gamblers' latest release for the Volcom label, Underneath the Owl, does well at providing die-hard fans with torrential vocals over quick, slappy guitars, but feels like a shallow push towards marketability -- although I doubt that was the Gamblers' intention...
Deleted Scenes, Birdseed Shirt [06/12/09]
You can't force yourself to like somebody; anybody who's been through middle school knows that sad little truth. Even if you're talking with somebody who's got all the same interests as you, somebody who's got the same background, somebody who likes the same things, there's no magic button you can press to instantly make the two of you friends. And that pretty much sums up how I feel about Deleted Scenes' Birdseed Shirt... (Deleted Scenes are playing 6/12/09 at Mango's, along with Young Mammals, News on the March, and Flowers to Hide.)
The Traditionist, Season to Season [06/12/09]
I love a good lyricist. Poets impress, but much of the time I find myself working at it to get a feeling or image from the words. Call me a simpleton, but that's why when I first read of The Traditionist, which advertises influences the likes of Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel, I was expecting nothing more than gangly vocals over melodramatic lyrics...
Kylesa, Static Tensions [06/12/09]
Okay, so I do like Kylesa's Static Tensions, but I have to ask: what the hell does it add to your sound, really, to have two drummers? Especially if they're playing the same damn thing (or minute variations thereof)? I get the whole percussionist thing, believe me, and everybody knows dueling guitarists rule...
The Ax, Our Queen of Dirt [06/12/09]
The Ax make a lot more noise than you'd expect a two-piece band to make. On their first album, Our Queen of Dirt, they use a lot of overdubs to flesh out the sound. Their sound is different -- it's a combination of Unwound or Shellac, crossed with a Sonic Youth vibe. You wouldn't ordinarily put Sonic Youth in with that sort of band...
The Vaselines, Enter the Vaselines [06/12/09]
There are only a handful of bands (if that) that have more deluxe, post-career reissue albums than they do actual LPs -- and the Vaselines are one of them. The fact acts, if nothing else, as a testament to the true awesomeness and brevity of this kinky Scottish duo. Perhaps all of this is due to heavy endorsement by Cobain, who often touted the Vaselines as his "favorite band"...
Star Fucking Hipsters, Until We're Dead [06/12/09]
Star Fucking Hipsters are a classic punk band. Their songs rarely clock in over two minutes. Their live shows often involve a couple bottles of Jameson's and a ton of aggression. Their lyrics are politically charged, awakening calls for nonconformity and awareness to the pitfalls of greed and the fruitlessness of war...
Pontiak, Maker [06/07/09]
As the first raw, lava-lamp guitar chords of "Laywayed" rolled forth from my headphones, my first thought was that if this CD was about twice as long, it would be great to listen to it on acid. It wasn't long, however, before I was forced to reconsider. WARNING: Do not listen to Maker on LSD, magic mushrooms, or any other hallucinogenic substance. At least, not unless you can afford a new stereo... (Pontiak is playing 6/7/09 at The Mink, along with Ghost Town Electric & Cavernous.)
Joshua English, Kill For Sport [05/31/09]
When "Promised Land State Park," the first track on Kill For Sport, kicks in, with its fey keys, understated guitars, and brisk drumming, the album seems to be headed straight for Teenage Fanclub/Belle and Sebastian-esque pastoral pop. It's a feint, though, made apparent when Joshua English's vocals come in... (Joshua English is playing 5/31/09 at the i.am.we House (819 Land Grant Dr., Richmond), along with Justin Blumenstock, and 6/1/09 at Mango's.)
Framework, The Intellect of Apes [05/31/09]
I'm conflicted on The Intellect of Apes, the four-song debut EP from Hollywood Black bassist/vocalist Ben Ellis's Framework solo deal. And yeah, what it boils down to, at least for me, is the religion thing -- my heathen self just has a hard time getting past it... (Framework is playing 6/2/09 at The Mink, along with Western Giants, This Old House, sIngs, & Cedar Boy Bailey.)
Audrye Sessions, Audrye Sessions [05/28/09]
Do a little research into this band, and you'll find that they're quite popular with high school crowd, particularly girls. Will features in CosmoGirl and MTV2.com lead to the inevitable appearance on The Hills or the new Twilight soundtrack? Probably not, but all this buzz bodes well for the Oakland quartet, even if I'm a 26-year-old Asian male... (Audrye Sessions is playing 5/28/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Manchester Orchestra, fun., & Winston Audio.)
Benjamin Wesley, Geschichte [05/22/09]
Where the hell do I start? Just to get 'em out of the way, let's hit the negatives (such as they are) with Benjamin Wesley's debut EP, Geschichte, first. For one, the disc sadly can't compare to seeing the guy live -- there's just no topping watching, open-mouthed, as Wesley nonchalantly plays bass, guitar, keys, and harmonica (and sings, obviously) all at the same freaking time... (Benjamin Wesley is playing 5/22/09 at Mango's, along with Spain Colored Orange.)
Queensryche, American Soldier [05/22/09]
The prospect of another concept album from Queensryche will most assuredly cause many a headbanger to roll their eyes. American Soldier, however, is a truly unique album in its subject matter and execution. For this album, lead singer/lyricist Geoff Tate conducted several interviews with veterans to get their perspective and stories... (Queensryche is playing 5/22/09 at House of Blues.)
City Light, Down The Pacific [05/14/09]
With Down The Pacific, City Light have something of a surprise-attack thing going on. When I first put it in the car stereo, nothing really clicked for me in a major way, and I yanked it back out after only a few songs. I instantly pegged the band's sound as a fuzzy, electronified variety of indie-pop, with half-sleepy vocals, snapping, sometimes-electronic drums... (City Light is playing 5/14/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Her Space Holiday & Benjamin Wesley.)
listenlisten, Hymns From Rhodesia [05/14/09]
It'd be beyond easy to keep referring to listenlisten as "old-timey" in terms of their sound, but the more I hear, the more of a disservice that too-easy tag seems to me to be to this band. "Old-timey" feels like it connotes a fakeness, a sort of play-acting going on, like SCA dorks at RenFest bashing at one another with padded swords. There's none of that here... (listenlisten is playing 5/15/09 at Mango's, along with Robert Ellis & Buxton, and 5/16/09 at ArtStorm compilation release party at The Mink, along with a ton of other cool bands.)
O Pioneers!!!, Neon Creeps [05/14/09]
I can't think of a decent way to skirt around it, so I'm just going to say it: on their new full-length, Neon Creeps, art-punks O Pioneers!!! truly, seriously remind me of Braid. It's the distorted-yet-jangly guitars that (thankfully) never veer off into hardcore territory, the odd melodic structures within the songs... (O Pioneers!!! is playing 5/15/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with Ninja Gun, Mike Hale, This Year's Tiger, & Hobo Mouth.)
The Christmas Lights, Walk Like a Human [05/14/09]
Treading heavily on the previous footprints of late turn-of-the-century groups such as The Postal Service and contemporary Passion Pit, The Christmas Lights have released their debut record, Walk Like a Human. The record is a remnant of what was once a burgeoning electro-pop scene but which has since become so saturated with artists borrowing and lending that dividing lines are no longer clear...
Dead Man, Euphoria [05/14/09]
Euphoria is an apt title for the sophomore release from Swedish group Dead Man, and proof positive that the resourceful Swedes don't exist in camps of polar opposites -- the poptastic indie rock bubblegum kids versus the hairy, hoary death metal set. The two meet in the middle with Dead Man...
[CD/7" REVIEWS-NOV. || CD/7" REVIEWS-OCT. || CD/7" REVIEWS-SEPT. || CD/7" REVIEWS-AUG. || REVIEWS ARCHIVE] 
When I first heard I'd be talking to Kyle Turley about his debut album, I thought to myself, "Remember what Billy Bob Thornton did to that Canadian DJ." But Kyle Turley isn't like that. People who remember him from his (in)famous football career will be happy to have him back and, if they listen to this record... (Kyle Turley plays Saturday, March 13th, at Wired Live (formerly The Meridian), along with Hank III & Assjack and Lynda K.) [more] || [Creg Lovett] || [03/09/10]
A dream Asleep was throwing their video release party Sunday night at Rocbar. I had been feening to see this thing since singer Mike Seals texted me saying that they were shooting a video for their first single, "Horus -vs- The Juggernauts," that there would be a few kegs, and that everyone should be at his place at 4:20... [more] || [Dremaceo Giles] || [03/09/10]
I have seen all of this year's Academy Award Nominees. The Academy did not even nominate the best films, actors, writers or animators. The Oscar award was created to promote the studios, so that is how the Academy voters make their choices. They are rich social liberals from the 1950s... [more] || [three valiant film critics] || [03/07/10]
First a brief note to explain the existence of this interview. In summer 2008, I was assigned by another publication to do an interview with Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric in advance of their show in Houston to promote their first album together. The interview was supposed to run in two parts on a blog the Friday before their show, but unfortunately, my editor was preoccupied with battening down the hatches for Hurricane Ike... [more] || [Daniel Joseph Mee] || [03/08/10]
The last time I saw The Lonely H, they were playing Rudyard's on a weeknight, capping an entertaining-yet-oddball bill of local bands that sounded nothing like 'em and pretty much playing to a quarter-packed house at best. And while I'd heard and been pretty impressed by the Washington State band's 2009 release, Concrete Class... (The Lonely H plays Wednesday, February 17th, at Rudyard's.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [02/17/10]
As the single "Mountain Man" moves up the Alternative chart, and "It's Only Wednesday" takes a ride on an apocalyptic road trip in Zombieland, the Crash Kings return to Houston. Opening for Rooney this time around, Tony and Mike Beliveau, along with native Houstonian Jason Morris, have created a sound not easy to put your finger on... [more] || [Dwayne Cathey] || [02/05/10]
For any national act, playing a hometown gig is a special thing. For their special moment, Scale The Summit got to play to a packed Meridian full of fellow Houstonians. STS was the opener on The Great Misdirect Tour, that also featured Between the Buried and Me, Cynic, and the Devin Townsend Project, but while all of the acts have a certain progressive slant to them... [more] || [Scott Whitt] || [02/05/10]
Things have been a bit rough in these parts in the nearly two years since I wrote the intro to the last one of these "top ten-ish" things we did. For those who somehow manage to ignore the news, the Houston/Galveston area got a ferocious smackdown from the asshole hurricane named Ike (who managed to pretty much ruin the name among folks down here; apologies, all you "Ikes" out there), and while we were still reeling from that, folks like yours truly still without power, the world economy -- and the US economy, by extension -- had the audacity to upstage us... [more] || [seven daring writers] || [01/28/10]
First a brief note to explain the existence of this interview. In summer 2008, I was assigned by another publication to do an interview with Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric in advance of their show in Houston to promote their first album together. The interview was supposed to run in two parts on a blog the Friday before their show, but unfortunately, my editor was preoccupied with battening down the hatches for Hurricane Ike... [more] || [Daniel Joseph Mee] || [01/14/10]
Modern day visionaries, like the Rupert Murdochs and the Warren Buffetts, have exceptional antennas for business. However, few can boast that they've clothed a generation and, through music, forged a sociopolitical movement that has encapsulated the attention of young America. Russell Simmons is perched at the core of an expansive conglomerate that has changed the face of the mogul into a suit and Addidas impresario... [more] || [Rafael Rivas] || [01/11/10]
After hearing She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke, last year's debut album by Seattle-dwellers Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison, aka The Dutchess & the Duke, I'll admit I was a bit worried. Not for me, no, but for singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lortz. The songs he crafted for She's the Dutchess were so unrepentantly bleak, bitter, and nihilistic... (The Dutchess & the Duke play Sunday, December 13th, at Walter's on Washington, along with Greg Ashley & Passengers.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [12/12/09]
Every once in a long while, I run across a band -- generally, it seems, by accident -- that totally and completely blows me away. They come seemingly out of nowhere, play like they've never done anything else in their lives, and create songs that are smart, poignant, and intriguing, all at the same time. They're a band that makes me want to force their music on everybody I know... (The Eastern Sea is playing the Free Press Houston Westheimer Block Party/CD release show on Saturday, November 14th, at Numbers, along with about a billion other bands.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [11/12/09]
Houston, I underestimate you! Since I usually go to local and lesser-known national bands' shows, I've become used to thinking, "This band is amazing! Where is everyone?" Finally, Houston, you and I share an affinity for a great pop band: Mute Math. Now, if only you would come around and find out about all of the bands from Houston that are worth your time... [more] || [Rock Houston] || [11/12/09]
Around this time last year, I walked into the wrong yoga studio and intruded on a New Age music event. In my tardiness, I brashly opened the door to a contrasting space of people laying on colorful yoga mats and blankets, listening to Tibetan singing bowls. I left quickly, but the image of people intentionally relaxing to live music left a lasting impression on me... [more] || [Michelle Yom] || [11/12/09]
Renowned for his interactions with his audience, which are filled with Q and A sessions, David Bazan made Pedro The Lion one of the most underrated and underexposed bands in the indie circuit. The band's fans, though, knew what they owned: a band that didn't work like most did, they were "in on it." A band that you could relate to and talk to, as well... [more] || [Tom Koenig] || [10/26/09]
Long after the days of the punk schism known as "emo" and well before the days of bad haircuts and self-mutilation, there was a period in which bands like Mineral and Indian Summer redefined "emo" music. While the term "emo" now lends itself to stereotypes rather than to a musical genre... [more] || [Daniel Yuan] || [10/26/09]
There are two New York Cities. There's the pompous, money-out-the-ass New York City. And then there's concrete jungle New York. Past the vigilant, underpaid nannies connected to strollers, past the inherently coquette models hailing cabs and beyond, way beyond the Wall Street suits... [more] || [Rafael Rivas] || [10/26/09]
The other Friday night, while the ears of Texas were tuned into Austin for ACL, downtown Houston rocked a Hennessy Artistry event at The Corinthian. Granted, I've only been to a handful of hip-hop concerts, but co-curators Common and The Roots helped craft one of the best concerts I've ever heard... [more] || [Daniel Yuan] || [10/14/09]
You have to give Nebula credit. A long Sunday night and a typical Monday night in Houston didn't slow the band down. While the crowd at Walter's was "intimate" at best, the stoner trio tore through their 60-minute set as if they were hanging from the rafters... [more] || [Scott Whitt] || [10/14/09]
In their 12-year existence, Boston-turned-L.A. band Isis have done as much as any to continue blurring the edges between brutally heavy and emotionally murky avant-garde approaches to music. I spoke with guitarist/vocalist Aaron Turner and guitarist/keyboardist Cliff Meyer during their Houston tour stop in support of their most recent LP, Wavering Radiant... [more] || [Thomas McLuhan] || [09/24/09]
I'm not particularly a fan of punk music. Actually, I'm not a fan of punk music at all, but somehow I keep ending up at punk shows by accident. There was the time that Dude Jams! played The Backroom at The Mink. I had never heard of them before, I just knew they were coming through Houston on tour and decided to check them out... [more] || [Dremaceo Giles] || [09/24/09]
Each year at South By Southwest, one band always sticks out in my mind. 2008's festival was another excellent year -- shows by British Sea Power, Sleepercar, and many more blew me away, but The Duke Spirit is a band I had never seen (and barely heard of) that still has me listening to its music on a regular basis even now... (The Duke Spirit plays Friday, August 21st, at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, along with Incubus.) [more] || [David A. Cobb] || [08/20/09]
The parent company and I went together to Warehouse Live to see each of our top three favorite rappers. Mine, Eyedea and Abilities, and his, Atmosphere. This was my fourth time to see Eyedea and Abilities, although I'm not a rap or hip-hop connoisseur. In fact, most hip-hop is boring to me. I just happened to catch Eyedea and Abilities at SXSW five years ago and was blown away... [more] || [Rock Houston] || [08/21/09]
At first glance, paying $60 to see two bands whose glory days were close to two decades go would seem foolish. To the packed house that stood on their feet and soaked up the musical ambrosia being doled out by Judas Priest and Whitesnake, however, it was well worth the price. The prospect of seeing groups that have been around this long can be a sketchy endeavor... [more] || [Scott Whitt] || [08/21/09]
On the face of it, the name The Literary Greats seems pretty much spot-on -- the music the band makes is subtle and gorgeous, with perfectly-balanced, country-tinged guitars swinging along beneath lyrics that are honest and clever at the same time, all without trying too hard. Best of all, it all sounds perfectly Texan somehow... (The Literary Greats play Thursday, August 13th, at The Continental Club (3700 Main St.), along with Beetle.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [08/03/09]
It was a long week, but I finally got back out to see bands. I arrived at The Meridian to a long line that stretched around the corner. This is the first time I've been on the guest list (told you I wanted some free passes!) at The Meridian, so I didn't know if I should stand in line or walk up to the front. A guy soon came out and told hard ticket holders to skip the line... [more] || [Rock Houston] || [08/03/09]
One of the happiest effects of punk rock on the past three decades has been the rejuvenation of indigenous musics for mainstream audiences. The retooling of Delta blues, Ghanian highlife, and even Bohemian polka by the likes of David Byrne and the Old Crow Medicine Show has shed light on an interesting trade-off between two traditions... (Grandfather Child plays Sunday, August 9th at the Free Press Summerfest in Eleanor Tinsley Park, along with about a million other bands.) [more] || [Thomas McLuhan] || [08/03/09]
It's uncanny what one 19-year old Ohioan can do with a deep, sexy drawl and a damp, twangy acoustic guitar -- it's captivating, really. And that's exactly what an Austin audience was at Tuesday night's Jessica Lea Mayfield show at Stubb's: captive to a siren calling from the Nashville city limits. Ever since her first studio album, With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, was released in 2008... (Jessica Lea Mayfield is playing Thursday, July 23rd, at Walter's on Washington, along with Castanets & M.A. Turner.) [more] || [Chris Galis] || [07/23/09]
I had been hearing about Mechanical Boy for awhile now, and it had always been my intention to check them out. So while I'm on their Myspace one day, I figured, "I really dig these guys," and I send them a friend request. That was the first mistake in a downward spiral of circumstance and innuendo that would culminate in a face-to-face confrontation at their July 10th Warehouse Live show... [more] || [Dremaceo Giles] || [07/21/09]
It's time to jump into your Wayback Machine and direct it towards the Verizon Wireless Theater this coming Friday, July 24th, as both Judas Priest and Whitesnake are playing. Together. Judas Priest is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their classic album British Steel by playing the album in its entirety... (Judas Priest is playing Friday, July 24th, at Verizon Wireless Theater, along with Whitesnake.) [more] || [Scott Whitt] || [07/21/09]
Some bands -- one in a thousand, maybe -- are really, truly, absolutely impossible to resist. There's no real formula for it, no, but they hit this magical sweet spot where it's damned near required that you wear this goofy, wide-open, childlike grin on your face every time you hear that band play. The Wild Moccasins, well, they're that band... (The Wild Moccasins are playing their tour kickoff show Thursday, June 11th, at Mango's, along with Caddywhompus, B L A C K I E, & Urbane Guerrilla Sound System.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [06/11/09]
What a difference a year makes. Just last summer, The All-American Rejects were performing in malls and taking up wee parts in films. Now they're headlining a tour that is to take them to 26 cities across the U.S and Europe. "We've been lucky enough to play every kind of room imaginable," say Mike Kennerty, the band's guitarist and backup vocalist... [more] || [Rafael Rivas] || [06/11/09]
We didn't make it to the show in time to see much of Black Joe Lewis. First, it was hard for us to get out the door that night. While waiting for the babysitter, our daughter began to get sick (ah, the joys of parenting). After putting her to sleep, we were finally able to get on the road... [more] || [Teri Sue Bailey] || [05/28/09]
I got the chance to hear some of Nico Vega's first full-length album they released earlier this year and was very impressed. Their heavy, melodic sound and in-your-face vocals had me pondering what kind of live performance they would give. With that kind of genre, it was going to be either sloppy or brilliant... [more] || [Quinn Alexander] || [05/28/09]
georgia's Horse. has always been somewhat of an enigma to me -- the "band," such as it is, has always seemed amorphous and unclear, maybe a collection of people and maybe the sole artistic vision of one. Whether it's one person or six, though, the music made in the band's name is awesomely dark and murky, "country" in the same way that The Cowboy Junkies are "country"... (georgia's Horse. is playing 5/24/09 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with Apple Miner Colony, Maco Terr, & Everyone Only, and also 6/20/09 at Mango's, along with Paris Falls & Airon Paul Dugas and the Religion.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [05/24/09]
So it was Friday night and two of my favorite bands were playing at Fitzgerald's. The Vettes, a pop rock group out of New Orleans with a really great retro-synth-'80s feel, and the bad boys of Houston's underground, American Fangs. Now don't get me wrong, there were other notables there as well, but The Vettes and American Fangs were who I was there to see... [more] || [Dremaceo Giles] || [05/24/09]
Jandek surfaced at DiverseWorks last Sunday for an hour and five minutes of improv chamber music. This was as unlike any of his other music as his other music is to everyone else's music. There were no vocals. Jandek remained seated throughout, and may never have looked in the direction of the audience. He sparsely played an electric five-string bass guitar with a pick and slide... [more] || [Creg Lovett] || [05/11/09]
"It sure does smell in here." That was my prevailing thought while standing in a packed Verizon Wireless Theater, waiting for Lamb of God to take the stage. The legions of metalheads had packed the venue for the No Fear Energy Tour. The odor of two thousand metallic fans sweating out a sugar coma-inducing energy drink was way too prevalent... [more] || [Scott Whitt] || [05/11/09]
For a musician that's been making music since the mid-'70s, that fact that Paul Weller has never fully caught on in America is a shame. The singer's distinguished and varied career is full of political punk anthems and soulful pop gems that continue to influence new crops of British musicians. This night's concert shows why the nearly 51-year-old is still able to maintain a dedicated following... [more] || [David A. Cobb] || [04/27/09]
Whether it's mainstream rock/pop designed to appeal to consumers or folk songs and traditions that have lasted for hundreds of years, static rhythm and tonality are always present in popular music. That leads to the question, though: how are common denominators such as static rhythm or tonality relatable to the majority of people in a culture?... (Ikue Mori & Zeena Parkins perform as Phantom Orchard Sunday, April 26th at Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex (2201 Preston). $13 general admission, $10 students, under 18 free; 8PM.) [more] || [Michelle Yom] || [04/25/09]
It was the one song that got me hooked; I'll admit it. I accidentally heard "Le Kick," arguably the crowning moment off H-town quintet American Fangs' self-titled debut EP, while meandering around online, and once it slammed in, as full-force and in-your-face as the song's title suggests, I couldn't pull away... (American Fangs is playing 4/24/09 at Mango's, with The Manichean & Heptic Skeptic, and 5/8/09 at Fitzgerald's, with Dremnt The End, The 71's, Female Demand, & A Dream Asleep.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [04/24/09]
The inclement weather has passed, and people are outside congregating in the front of the venue, indistinctly chattering with hands in their pockets. Angst-ridden and stoked, they wait in line for the main feature: Silverstein at the House of Blues. The Canadian band was a hit at The Meridian last year, and today they come bearing a gift, their fourth album, A Shipwreck in the Sand, hot off the presses... [more] || [Rafael Rivas] || [04/19/09]
Most experienced audiences of improvised music in Houston have witnessed performers trying out new sounds on stage, treating their sonic tools with curiosity or even playing without any real intention. Incidences like this seem to happen a lot in Houston, where improvising musicians have no pressure to conform to a movement, as there is really none. With that said, it's always nice when master musicians from out of town come and play... (The Ab Baars Trio and Ken Vandermark play Saturday, April 11th at Talento Bilingue de Houston (333 South Jensen Dr.); $13 general, $10 students, under 18 free, 8PM.) [more] || [Michelle Yom] || [04/10/09]
Nature invents no taxonomies. Rather, it is one of the primal impulses of man to transform seemingly chaotic masses of data into systems delineated by logic and easily maneuvered by reasonable associations of habitat and habit. It is no different in the biology of music, especially in the micro-minutiae classifications that obsess one of Providence's most peculiar specimens -- the Record Nerd... (Mi Ami plays at The Backroom at The Mink on Wednesday, March 4th, along with Thank You & Tambersauro; 9PM, $7.) [more] || [Thomas McLuhan] || [03/03/09]
Gifted song writers don't quit writing songs just because some people say that most of their hits are far behind them. Two of the founding members of classic rock group America, Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, demonstrated that they are the epitome of that saying, bringing material both old and new to their sold-out performance last Saturday night at the Stafford Centre... [more] || [Bill Reed] || [2/26/09]
Maggie Nicols is a self-described musician, performer, community catalyst, teacher, dancer, singer of songs and sounds, improviser, composer, actor, and activist. With a background in theater and dance, she has incorporated coughing, multiphonics, ad-lib speech, tap dancing, and humorously laying across the stage wearing a t-shirt that says "Who's going to dip me in chocolate and throw me to the lesbians?"... (Maggie Nicols is playing 2/15/09 at DiverseWorks, with Fred Frith & Susan Alcorn.) [more] || [Michelle Yom] || [02/09/09]
Looks like it's once again time for my annual Fishbone Show ReviewTM. Well, at least I thought it was an annual thing, but a quick SCR search reveals my last live show review for the 'Bone was back in 2000. I know I've seen them at least four times since then, so I must be slacking off as I creep toward my tenth year of Space City Rock-itude... [more] || [Mel House] || [02/09/09]
I think the last time I caught The Supersuckers live, they were playing with Jesse Dayton (of course) at Fitzgerald's. That was back in my "I'm in a silly punk band" period...which was a while ago (although I was still old enough to know better). At any rate, that was the last time I saw the "Greatest Rock n' Roll Band In the World" on stage, although I've kept up somewhat with their recorded output since... [more] || [Mel House] || [01/05/09]
It was Sunday evening and it was getting late. Another weekend was about to give way to a work week. But wasn't giving in yet. I decided to venture out anyway, into the cool, dark night to Houston's Washington Avenue while the rest of the city headed to bed. As I pulled up to Walter's on Washington, I couldn't believe how few cars were there. I was shocked... [more] || [Pedro] || [01/05/09]
Something Fierce fairly exploded onto the punk scene 'round these parts a year or three ago, stunning audiences and critics alike with the fiery, poppy, Britpunk-throwback brand of punk rock showcased on debut full-length Come For The Bastards. It's roaring, blazing stuff, yell-along catchy and melodic but still sharp as a switchblade; the songs these three kids come up with may be punk, but they're also surprisingly subtle, complex, and focused... [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [12/11/08]
Mike Kinsella is a Chicago cult classic who has wooed indie audiences since 1989, providing lead guitar, drums, and vocals for bands including Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, and American Football. His uniquely acerbic, intelligent, and often self-deprecating social commentary in his latest project, Owen, has a fresh quality above other emo/indie one-guy-and-a-guitar acts... [more] || [Jessica Golden] || [11/24/08]
If it were a dog, the dog would live in a pink leather purse carried around by some actress or another being filmed by TMZ. If it were a color, the color would be in blinking neon on a sign outside a strip club that prides itself as classy. If it were a cereal, it would be warm Grape Nuts eaten by a man late for his tee-time at a country club in River Oaks... [more] || [Brandon Hernsberger] || [11/24/08]
Seattle. Heavy. Brutal. Think early Soundgarden. Think Tad. This is Akimbo. Three that sound like ten. All with sledgehammers. Sledgehammers pounding on large, jagged chunks of steel. Smashing this steel. Smashing it into something brutally beautiful. They can stretch this metal. They can make it move like taffy. Taffy made of rebar. Rebar that is bent and folded back on itself... [more] || [Andrew Perkins] || [10/30/08]
Blimey, mate! Last Saturday night at the Houston-area Stafford Centre was an incredible, retrofitted return to the musical influences that once resonated from the original British Invasion era in American rock music. Frontman Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits brought with him an entourage of fellow musicians to recapture moments from this previous mid-'60s style of pop-rock fare. The set list from the show reads like a veritable radio city menu of Anglophonic music from this pivotal period... [more] || [Bill Reed] || [10/27/08]
I had the distinct pleasure of visiting a Joe Bonamassa concert at the Stafford Centre in the Houston area last Saturday night. It was a fantastic exhibition of musicianship and high-spirited entertainment. They used to call him "Smokin' Joe," even though he has repeatedly expressed his dislike for that particular tag. Well, he may have successfully divorced himself from the nickname, but he sure hasn't quit smokin'. For those who haven't been keeping up with current events, Joe Bonamassa is still one of the most talented guitar virtuosos out there today... [more] || [Bill Reed] || [09/29/08]
Often I find myself bemoaning the number of bands skipping Houston on tours, and with a recent history of poor show turn-outs and the Two Gallants incident weighted against the city, I know this unfortunate trend isn't likely to change overnight. Even bands from our neighboring Austin seem to be giving us the cold shoulder from time to time, making me all the more grateful for a band like The Octopus Project, who in the last three years I have now seen four times right here in Houston... [more] || [Wes Buhler] || [09/26/08]
The Old 97's are easily one of my favorite bands. They sit safely within the cadre of acts in my music catalog whose albums I will buy no matter what and who I will pay to see live whenever they come even remotely close to where I live. In the past, I've been somewhat disappointed by this completist habit of mine (Pearl Jam's No Code and the Misfits' 25th Anniversary Tour come immediately to mind), but the 97's have never, ever, ever failed to rock my ass... [more] || [Mel House] || [08/26/08]
It's hard to write about a Tilly and the Wall show. Very hard. Because people will inevitably expect you to write about the tapping. Or about the balloons. Or about the exploding confetti. Or about the adoring (read: a wee bit crazy) fans who make cupcakes for the band and bring Silly String to shoot square in the face of unsuspecting music writers trying to sip a beverage. It's also hard to write about a Tilly and the Wall show because there's really nothing else like one, at least nothing I've ever seen... [more] || [Brandon Hernsberger] || [08/14/08]
Try saying this out loud: "Michale Graves, former lead singer of the Misfits, is playing an acoustic show at a church in Conroe." Shit, you got my attention. Of course I had some trepidation about checking this show out, but most of my fears were assuaged by the fact that Graves is a talented motherfucker. I pretty much knew going in that Mike would transcend the incongruity of the whole thing and put on a show worth driving through Thursday night white-flight traffic... [more] || [Mel House] || [08/14/08]
Frightened Rabbit is nothing if not sincere. The band members make music (written almost exclusively by lead singer Scott Hutchison) that rips on emotion, with lyrics like a helmet-less motorcycle ride headed straight for a brick wall covered with dying ivy (that used to smell like daisies). "I might not want you back but I want to kill him," "I am armed with the past and a will and a brick," and "Twist and whisper the wrong name / I don't care and nor do my ears / I need human heat," are but a small representation... [more] || [Brandon Hernsberger] || [07/30/08]
Houston is abuzz with talk about Chris Gray's recent article in the Houston Press on the city's diehard goth scene. Though some might say that the glory days are past, Saturday's Underworld show at Numbers should be a sufficient argument against our spooky kids' premature burial. The night was slated to be one of decadence and debauchery, in celebration of local corset-maker Kenny Arocha's birthday... [more] || [Jef With One F] || [07/19/08]
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PAST STUFF: The Soldier Thread, Shapes [05/01/09]
The Soldier Thread may hail from Austin, but the music they make is far, far chillier than any warm Hill Country night could ever be. Rather, they're distant and detached, like stars in a Northern sky. The lush, atmospheric indie-rock this quintet makes is beautiful but remote, with lyrics that drip with bitter venom all smothered in the fey, Eisley-esque vocals of singer Patricia Lynn... (The Soldier Thread is playing 5/2/09 at Dean's Credit Clothing, along with Alpha Rev.)
One of the more intriguing artistic trends in recent years is the reconstitution of the debris of mainstream culture and industry into forms standing at a substantial distance from their original intent. From the sardonic collages of advertising and news broadcasts by Negativland to the recovery of plastic, paper, and other commercial would-be waste... (Atarimatt & great unwashed luminaries are playing 5/1/09 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with Pretty & Nice, The Dee Use, Tran Tran, & Female Demand.)
Winter Wallace, Winter Wallace [05/01/09]
Pre-emptive caveat time: the copy of Winter Wallace's self-titled EP that a friend handed off to me isn't technically her full four-song EP; so I don't entirely know what the whole thing sounds like, although I'm liking what I can hear... (Winter Wallace is playing 5/1/09 at Last Concert Cafe, along with Jacob Meador, The Beautiful Contributors, & Chad Strader.)
The Fresh & Onlys, The Fresh & Onlys [05/01/09]
Driven by many different muses, from an obvious fixation on the psychedelic occult to the ability to produce straightforward rock 'n roll, the Fresh & Onlys have provided yet another item to be added to the canon of West Coast psych rock. Drawing from the likes of the cultish Brian Jonestown Massacre and L.A.'s The Warlocks...
Obits, I Blame You [05/01/09]
Straight out of the hipster bowels of Brooklyn comes possibly the most unassuming yet rawest garage-rock crew you're likely to hear any time real soon. On I Blame You, Obits churn through twelve tracks' worth of driving, dark-as-hell rawk that's at turns drone-y and noisy but never too much of either one...
Mastodon, Crack The Skye [05/01/09]
It's a daunting task to follow up a classic breakthrough album. Many bands take the route of making a copy of what got them where they are. Or worse, making an album that they think people will like. Atlanta's Mastodon, fortunately, decided to make an album that they like...
Culturcide, Year One [05/01/09]
A full generation after the first release of Culturcide's Year One, I have the unfortunate ability of hindsight, with all my exposure to synth-powered sound, glam rock, garage rebellion, what-have-you. I can only put an album in the path of that train. If I could just turn back the clock...
Talk about a tailor-made release... Seeing as -- obviously -- the world naturally spins around yours truly, I'm halfway tempted to think these two bands, The Eastern Sea and News on the March, both of whom happen to be among my tip-top favorite things to listen to of the past year or so, heard I liked 'em both and decided to collaborate pretty much solely to make my day... (The Eastern Sea & News on the March are playing their 7" release show 4/18/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with The Tontons & Bolt.)
Lamb of God, Wrath [04/18/09]
Fucking Awesome. Those two simple words are the perfect description for Wrath, the new release from Lamb of God. Wrath is a return to form that allows the Richmond, Virginia, quintet to reclaim its crown as the new kings of metal... (Lamb of God is playing 4/24/09 at the Verizon Wireless Theater, along with As I Lay Dying, Children of Bodom, Municipal Waste, & God Forbid.)
Fever Ray, Fever Ray [04/18/09]
At the end of the day, I have to admit it's the accent that makes Fever Ray's self-titled debut so strangely, darkly alluring. Fever Ray everything-woman Karin Dreijer Andersson, who's made her name as half of oddball Swedish electro-pop duo The Knife, has that Scandinavian lilt to her high- (and low-, but I'll get to that) pitched voice and alien, decidedly non-English phrasing...
The Moondoggies, Don't Be A Stranger [04/18/09]
On Don't Be A Stranger, Seattle band The Moondoggies aim squarely at what The Byrds tried to do way, way back in the day -- grafting a psychedelic haziness onto subtle, rootsty folk/country. They take things a step or three further, though, by injecting a heavy dose of gospel-revival sound into the jangly guitars and psych-sounding organ...
The Gary, Chub [04/10/09]
On Chub, Austin band The Gary (none of the members of which, it should be said, are actually named, y'know, Gary) manage to take hold of three of my favorite elements of late-'90s indie-rock, the flat-sounding vocals and understated but still powerful guitars of all those dead-serious Touch and Go/Dischord bands from that era (think Arcwelder, Fugazi, and Silkworm, for three) and the warm, melody-leading bass of fellow Austinites Silver Scooter... (The Gary is playing 4/10/09 at Rudyard's, along with The Jonx.)
Many Birthdays, Emptiness Is Forever [04/10/09]
With the music market now offering paths that circumvent the mechanisms of the music industry entirely, bands have the option of sidestepping the dog-and-pony show of glossy 8x10s and vapid music videos. By the same token, it doesn't hurt to have some quirk, kink, or outright gimmick to prick up the overstimulated ears of Joe Bloglete... (Many Birthdays is playing 4/10/09 at Super Happy Fun Land, along with Perseph One, [Insert Credits], The Good Tryers, & Light.)
First thought: dumb, dumb, dumb name. Second thought: damn, this is good; why the hell didn't I listen to this before now? Tangential (and mostly inconsequential) third thought: what the heck's up with the weird-ass comic book? Put that last part aside, though, and focus on Thought #2, because it's the truth -- goofy name and unnecessarily quirky album art aside, L.A. band You Me & Iowa's The Adventures of You Me & Iowa is a non-stop gem of an indie-rock album...
Caught In Motion, On The Edge Of A Dream [04/10/09]
Popular bands always influence up-and-coming musicians. For every Radiohead or Coldplay, there's a Starsailor or South to counter them -- bands that make decent music but that don't quite reach similar levels of success, for whatever reasons. Portland-based musicians Banah Graf and Sam Krulewitch, recording under the moniker Caught In Motion, seem aware of the pitfalls of relying too much on their influences...
I have to admit, sometimes it's nice to not have to think too much about this stuff. I mean, c'mon -- this is Chicago wildman Andre Williams, the dirtiest, funkiest, nastiest soul singer you're ever in danger of mistaking for one of your grandpa's old-timer friends. He's a truly, truly raunchy dude, the original Dirty Old Man, and as evidenced by the grimy, funky soul of Can You Deal With It?, he ain't changing...
Grady, Y.U. So Shady? [04/03/09]
I've heard bands before that blur the line between Southern-fried rock and the blues -- hell, Stevie Ray Vaughan rode that line at times -- but few obliterate it as completely as Austin's Grady. They grab hold of a fistful of downhome Delta blues licks, drown 'em in cheap whiskey, the run 'em through Godzilla-sized amps they borrowed from Pantera... (Grady is playing 4/3/09 at The Continental Club, along with Two Hoots and a Holler & Molly and the Ringwalds.)
Working on a Dream may seem unfinished to many people. Bruce Springsteen has spent 40 years plumbing the depths for us; the hopeful, escapist youths of Born to Run and the prideful would-be laborers of Born in the U.S.A. spoke without metaphor to our struggle... (Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are playing 4/8/09 at the Toyota Center.)
Bolt, Bolt [04/03/09]
No, this wasn't what I was expecting to hear coming from a bunch of guys who've made their names playing raw, punkish garage-rock in bands like The Monocles and American Sharks. The guitars are thick and "round"-sounding and bluesy, the sound's warm and inviting... (Bolt is playing 4/18/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with News on the March, The Eastern Sea, & The Tontons.)
Future Clouds and Radar, Peoria [04/03/09]
In my book, Austin's Cotton Mather were one of the most sadly underrated bands of the late '90s; while good-but-not-great people like Fastball got the hype and the spotlight, Robert Harrison and company's absolute gem of a magnum opus, Kon Tiki, languished in obscurity. And that still feels downright criminal to me...
The Mother Truckers, Let's All Go To Bed [04/03/09]
This Austin, Texas-based band has brought a tinge of country, rock, and blues on their latest recording, Let's All Go To Bed, creating a pleasantly surprising sound even to a country novice. The album starts out with the rockin' "Dynamite," which finds dual vocalists Teal Collins and Josh Zeal trading off verses...
Women, Women [03/18/09]
I'm not completely sure what to make of the intertwined, fuzzy (well, partly), messy knot of an album that is the self-titled debut of Calgary foursome Women. When it first starts, with the haunted voices, fucked-up guitars, and thwacking drums of too-short "Cameras," I feel like I'm staring down the barrel of a reinvented VU... (Women is playing 3/18/09 at Rudyard's, along with Crystal Stilts & Chase Hamblin.)
American Fangs, American Fangs EP [03/18/09]
How do you come up with what's bound to be one of the rawest, most crushingly addictive rock songs to come out of this just-started year? If you're American Fangs, you begin with a stomping, challenging rhythm and some guitar scrapes and throw on slurring, snarling, semi-threatening vocals... (American Fangs is playing 3/22/09 at RocBar, and also 3/28/09 at the Free Press Houston Westheimer Block Party, along with a ton of bands.)
Looking backwards from a musical landscape populated by plenty of heavy/soft dynamic shifts, fiery power-chord guitars, and yelled/sung melodies, it occurs to me now the thing that drew me to the whole emo thing wasn't really the music... (thelastplaceyoulook is playing 3/27/09 at Warehouse Live, along with Mothers Anthem, Lockehart, Mechanical Boy, Goodnight Goddess, & Another Run, and also 3/28/09 at the Free Press Houston Westheimer Block Party, along with a ton of bands.)
Those hoping for Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers Vol. 88 may not get exactly what they're looking for, but this is a fine release from Urck nonetheles. It's a two-CD (it was issued on vinyl a while back) set of avant-garde, traditional, psych and electronic sounds made primarily by Westerners on stuff like ouds...
Made in Mexico, Guerillaton [03/18/09]
On their second album, Guerillaton, Made in Mexico combines two styles you wouldn't think could possibly combine coherently, but they do -- namely, no-wave and reggaeton. And they make it work really well, in a highly original take on either genre...
Rahway, Snitches Get Stitches [03/18/09]
They always say to never judge a book by its cover. That's never been truer with the new CD by Rahway, Snitches Get Stitches. The cover looks like a Photoshop project that a band member did in school. Ten years ago. Don't let the generic graphics fool you, however...
The Favorites, Bright Nights, Bright Lights [03/06/09]
I'll admit that when it started, I was nervous. The bumping bass, the half-whispered (or half-muttered, maybe) vocals, the retro-sounding synths; it all made me wonder if Bright Nights, Bright Lights was headed straight into tepid, mid-'90s bland-rock territory. Then the killer, carved-into-my-brain hook came in, with its sing-song-y, smirking half-threat... (The Favorites are playing 3/6/09 at Rudyard's, along with betterLUCK & Esther Vonne & the Rottens.)
Scale The Summit, Carving Desert Canyons [03/06/09]
With Carving Desert Canyons, Scale The Summit does something few other instro-metal bands have been able to do, at least for me -- they've taken the long-reviled guitar-shredder motif, stripped it of all the jaded, post-ironic hipsterness, set it on fire, and aimed the burning ship straight at the heart of the sun. And that's a good thing from where I sit... (Scale The Summit is playing 5/2/09 at Javajazz Coffee House in Spring, along with Protest The Hero, Misery Signals, & The Number Twelve Looks Like You.)
The Coke Dares, Feelin' Up [03/06/09]
The Coke Dares feature the rhythm section from the Magnolia Electric Company, but their stuff is nothing like Jason Molina's -- this is stripped-down punk rock, along the lines of Buzzcocks or the Minutemen but with a catchy garage-rock streak. Their songs have that Minutemen terseness...
The Points, The Points [03/06/09]
I think I'm overthinking this. I've been wrestling with The Points' self-titled debut for way too long, trying to figure out something pithy to say about the Washington, DC, trio, and for the most part, I've got not much beyond, "They sound like the Ramones"...
Shark Speed, Sea Sick Music [03/06/09]
Provo, Utah-based band Shark Speed released their first full-length, independent album, Sea Sick Music, this month at a CD release show in Provo, where the band handed out the album free to all who attended. The band took out loans and scraped together the money necessary to travel to Arizona...
Golden Cities, Golden Cities [02/06/09]
It'd be way, way easy to lump Golden Cities in with the whole guitar-heavy, spacey-atmospherics crowd, tag them as Explosions in the Sky 2.0 (3.5?), and move on. I mean, there's a fair bit of doubled, echoey guitars on here, particularly on tracks like "The Beautiful Death of Immortality." To pigeonhole these guys like that, though, would be a major disservice... (Golden Cities is playing 2/6/09 at Rudyard's, along with The Appleseed Cast & The Hungry Villagers.)
Loney, Dear, Dear John [02/06/09]
Ever since I first heard "Airport Surroundings" on NPR's All Songs Considered back in December, I have not been able to get Loney, Dear out of my head. I waited patiently for almost two months to be able to have that particular song and others from the new album, Dear John, on my iPod and to be able to blast it as I walk through my college campus... (Loney, Dear is playing 2/10/09 at Rudyard's, along with News on the March & Alkari.)
P.O.S., Never Better [02/06/09]
I honestly didn't think he'd be able to pull it off. After 2006's mind-crushingly awesome Audition, with its paranoiac rhymes, punk-rock-ified beats, popcult-fueled riffs on suicide and revenge, and full-on angry-ass vibe, I figured nah, there was no way Minneapolis skate-rapper P.O.S. would be able to come anywhere near that high-water mark, much less beat it. I'm happy to say I was wrong...
Built By Snow, Mega [02/06/09]
Austin's Built By Snow's sophomore release Mega injects a quick dose of Atari-influenced nerd-pop. I get the feeling these kids spent more time in arcades than J.J. Cooney, but instead of Fear, their headphones were jammin' to The Cars and Cheap Trick while in battles with the Bishop... (Built By Snow is playing 2/14/09 at Walter's on Washington, along with The McKenzies, The Tontons, & The Mathletes.)
Maps of Norway, Die Off Songbird [02/06/09]
Minneapolis indie outfit Maps of Norway has released their second album, Die Off Songbird, touting somewhat elevated guitar ramblings and vocal presence over their first outing. Featuring ex-Vespertine Jeff Ball and Eric Hanson, ex-Unbelievable Jolly Machine Matt Helgeson, and newcomer Rebecca Leigh, the group has put together a close-dozen collection of new songs...
Joni Davis, A Bird's Heart [02/06/09]
There's a scene in H. G. Wells's The Time Machine where the Time Traveler pushes his machine millions of years into the future and sits on a beach under a dying red sun. There, he watches life itself begin to fade, like a person with terminal cancer slipping off bit by bit...
The Wild Moccasins, Microscopic Metronomes [01/20/09]
I'm envious. Honestly, that's what I am -- I mean, how can I not be? With their eagerly-anticipated Microscopic Metronomes EP, The Wild Moccasins have distilled the essence of what it's like to be young and wild and carefree, and I'll be damned if it doesn't make me feel real fucking old. Not mad at the band for that, mind you; listening to The Wild Moccasins is like opening the door to a stuffy, overheated room and letting in a rush of cool breeze... (The Wild Moccasins are playing their EP release show 1/23/09 at Walter's on Washington, with Teenage Kicks, Buxton, & DJ ADR.)
The Born Liars, Ragged Island [01/20/09]
After a lot of thought, I've realized that the thing I like the most about the Born Liars, what makes 'em stand out from the crowd of loud, punkish, garage-y rockers, is, well, that they've got heart. It sounds sappy, I know, but it's the truth; they're real, they're genuine, and there's no posing in sight... (The Born Liars are playing 3/20/09 at Rudyard's, with Pat Todd and the Rank Outsiders.)
Talkdemonic, Eyes at Half Mast [01/20/09]
Eyes At Half Mast is the latest release from Portland, Oregon's Talkdemonic, originally a solo project, Talkdemonic blends hip-hop style beats with piano and viola, primarily, to achieve its unique sound. While the album is essentially an instrumental (sans a few backing chants here and there), the music holds your attention enough that you don't even notice...
Wilderness, (k)no(w)here [01/20/09]
It was like walking alone in the mind of a person tripping on acid while hallucinating on mushrooms. The guitar strummed, and it began; the sounds hit like a wave of colors smacking me in the face, waking me up to a new world. The drums followed soon after, and I realized I was falling deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, falling and screaming...
Dillinger Four, Civil War [01/20/09]
Minneapolis punk band Dillinger Four finally returns with their fourth album. Civil War is another slice of their Hüsker Dü-meets-Southern Califoria sound. If anyone was worried about the band's six-year break between albums, never fear -- Civil War shows them in fine form. It's packed with lots of great songs and energetic backing from the band...
Totimoshi, Milagrosa [01/20/09]
Bay Area band Totimoshi is a power trio not afraid to sound much bigger than their numbers. Milagrosa, Totimoshi's fifth album, is big, bombastic stuff. Jangly guitars mix well with a thumping bass and heavy, cymbal-driven drums. Slightly proggy vocal parts reminds me of David Bowie or Ian Anderson...
Followed By Static, Demo*lition [01/15/09]
Austin duo Followed By Static has been quietly gathering praise as their songs float through the music scene. The sound on their five-track Demo*lition EP may be rough, but their point of view is quite clear: they like airy, pretty guitars combined with a good amount of dirty... (Followed By Static is playing 1/15/09 at Walter's on Washington, with Nervous Curtains & Antarctica Starts Here.)
Although this show took place a while back now, it has taken me this long to wrap my head around why a band as talented and musically interesting as Manchester Orchestra would tour with a band as uninspiring as Say Anything. I still can't give you an answer -- so instead I'll just give you all the reasons why I think Manchester Orchestra's indie-rock sound and genuine potential deserves to play center stage when they tour with bands that quite simply suck... [more] || [Brigitte Zabak] || [07/19/08]
Sitting outside Walter's on Washington around 8:45 Friday night before last, someone asks my friend Sean and I, "do you think Her Space Holiday will be more electronic or acoustic tonight?", a question we could only shrug at. Having never seen Marc Bianchi's electro-pop act live before and having not read much about their shows, I wasn't sure how the songs would be presented. Would Bianchi have a full band behind him? Or would it be more of a one- or two-person setup, with him relying on samples and synths?... [more] || [Wes Buhler] || [07/11/08]
As I walked into an almost-empty Meridian, I wondered, "Am I at the right show? Is Black Mountain still playing tonight?" Then I remembered I was in Houston. And everyone was either recovering from SXSW or still there. As the opening bands came off-stage, the Meridian's small red room started to fill, but not enough to pack the house, which made for a great intimate setting. Faces started lighting up from the green glowing cube in the bass drum. When the first note was heard, bodies started to shake... [more] || [Dwayne Cathey] || [07/11/08]
Taking in a performance at The Orange Show is something everyone should experience. The bands that perform there are as eclectic as the venue itself. How many people can say "I caught Dengue Fever in the fish pond at The Orange Show," and not feel a little eclectic themselves? At The Orange Show, bands perform in a dry fish pond, while spectators watch from multiple levels of landings and some theater-style seating. The place is a maze of structures built with what looks like leftover building materials and pieces of farm equipment. Vibrant colors cover every inch of the handiwork... [more] || [Quinn Alexander] || [06/18/08]
The Spanish Armada, The Spanish Armada [11/28/09]
The Spanish Armada is a five-piece noise-rock band from Boston. On The Spanish Armada, their debut album, their sound borrows heavily from Sonic Youth, and the singer even sounds a little like Thurston Moore...
Philip Vandermost, Automatic August [11/28/09]
Philip Vandermost's Automatic August offers the world another collection of sunny songs from a singer/songwriter. The music is uplifting, for the most part with happy words...
Baby Guts, Kissing Disease [11/11/09]
Baby Gut's Kissing Disease is a fresh new outlook on the standard garage-punk band of today, seriously. While most people might disagree with their approach -- meaning that yeah, some of the songs are kiddish...
Death Sentence: PANDA!, Insects Awaken [11/11/09]
It's kinda odd describing the San Franciscan band Death Sentence: PANDA! I remember when I was living in L.A. we used to drive past Panda Express and scream, "Stop eating Pandas!" I guess it's sort of like that...
Chinese, The Conquest of Tomorrow Today [10/17/09]
Remember when two-piece bands were a novelty and seemed so exciting and new? Now they're as commonplace as the acts that they pretend to be superior to...
Digable Cat, Letters From My Dreams [10/17/09]
Digable Cat spent two years working on Letters from my Dreams, and it shows, but not everyone may be able to handle the emphasis on the singing...
The Sorely Trying Days, Survival Mode [10/03/09]
Too "indie" to be punk... Really, I can't understand this mentality; it's the fun, happy "go out and party!" attitude and approach to making music, and I just don't understand...
To The Waves, To The Waves [10/03/09]
This band has potential; trust me, a lot of potential. This record could signal a decision point, because they have two sounds going: a punk approach like that of At The Drive In, and a post-hardcore, early Drop Dead Gorgeous kind of vibe...
The Nuclear Children, Paint It Red [09/18/09]
Experimenting with different genres yet staying true to their overall sound, The Nuclear Children have come up with an EP that would knock aside some of today's big acts. While throwing in a few references to The Rolling Stones...
Oh No Not Stereo, 003 [09/18/09]
Plenty has been said of Oh No Not Stereo and their brand of emo-laden pop rock. Of their latest release, 003, some say their pop sensibilities are too formulaic and forgettable...
Electric Owls, Ain't Too Bright [09/11/09]
Electric Owls' Ain't Too Bright is an album that I'd recommend to a dope-smoking pre-pubescent. If nothing else, you can expand your street drug vocab. From the song "Kamiakin": "Summertime won't be so bad / We can all get high over at my uncle's trailer..."
Man at Arms, A Waste Of Time And Space [09/11/09]
Man at Arms is a crazy-cool two-man band that will have you turning your head to see if there are any more band members. It's insane how these two guys can simply blow you out your mind with their short but punchy EP...
If history has taught us anything, it's that bad things come in threes. Billy Mays, Michael Jackson, and Farah Fawcett all died in the same week -- in fact, they died within three days of one another. Coincidence, no. Cosmic law...
From Autumn To Ashes, Live at Looney Tunes [08/21/09]
From Autumn To Ashes' Live at Looney Tunes captures the band's classics in their live form for the fans, giving in to the all-out jams of post-hardcore and metal. It has the energy and atttiude of any other band...
Foreign Cinema, Non-Synchronous Sound [08/07/09]
Foreign Cinema's Non-Synchronous Sound EP is pretty low-key. The four songs, "Arbitrary Map Mode," "At the Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea," "Ice Machine," and "Lovers and Killers," have creative names but little to offer in the creative department, as far as the music goes...
Chris Schutz + Tourists, Gemini [08/07/09]
Let me start off by saying that I've never seen this much variety in a single record; I have to compliment Mr. Schutz for his combination of jazz, blues, lullaby-type songs, and Spanish flair...
Arab on Radar, Sunshine for Shady People [07/22/09]
This may possibly be the worst DVD that I have ever seen. Seriously. I was actually really excited to watch it and hear some great music, but I was very disappointed. The DVD was cheaply made and just consists of the band Arab on Radar carrying around a camcorder on parts of their tours and talking a bunch of crap and swearing every other word...
Hans Stockenberger, Shine [07/22/09]
I hear people lament about the lack of talent in Houston all the time, and I always have to look at them like, "what are you talking about?" Houston is teeming with great talent; just stop watching NCIS for a night and get out to see a show...
Audiocrash, Time sensitive material [07/10/09]
If you're the type to use CDs as drink coasters, hang them from your car's rearview mirror to watch them glisten in the sun, or maybe just for junk/experimental artwork, then I'll give you this album for nothing. Just think: you could make a CD Art Car for next year's parade!...
You ever fall hard for somebody who you know is really, truly not your type, but there's something weirdly attractive about them, some quirky thing that makes you look past what your brain's telling you and convince yourself they're The One for you?...
Death is not a Joyride, The Human Zoo [06/20/09]
The Human Zoo is the first full-length album from Austin's Death is not a Joyride. Recorded by John Congleton of the Polyphonic Spree, it sounds like the dark mirror of that beacon of shiny happiness. The approach on The Human Zoo is highly experimental...
The War On Drugs, Barrel of Batteries EP [06/20/09]
You know when some bands will release an album and have tracks that are just a few seconds long, or maybe a minute long, of just instrumental music? Well, I normally really hate that and just delete them from my iTunes library. However, on The War on Drugs' recent Barrel of Batteries EP, I find myself actually liking that part...
Invention, Parable of the Surveyors [06/12/09]
Invention is from Seattle. Do "electronica" music, apparently. Beyond that, we know nothing about them -- nothing really online, no bios, nothing. In crafting their spacey, midrange-y music, Invention use compressed bass and guitar to create very synth-like sounds...
Like Bells, Like Bells [06/12/09]
Like Bells is a violin-led, mostly instrumental trio from Antioch, Ohio. The music on their self-titled debut is sort of a cross between Dirty Three and Mono, embracing quieter lyrical moments as well as some louder rock...
Post-rock quartet Guns Are For Kids may hail from Sydney, the sunny-side Harbour City of the Land Down Under, but the music on the band's latest release, the P.E.-ref-ing It Takes a Nation of Morons to Hold Us Back, sounds like it's just stumbled out of some scary-ass dive on NY's Lower East Side, pre-cleanup...
Noush Skaugen, Palomino [05/14/09]
So I pick up the case for Palomino; Noush (pronounced New-shh) Skaugen's first release, and on the front cover is a cute, naked girl posing with a guitar covering her goods. Nice...
Fair to Midland were discovered by System Of A Down singer Serj Tankian while on tour; apparently, their live shows are sick, with tons of chops and energy. The album reflects the chops but less of the energy, sort of how Jethro Tull never came across on their albums...
Zoe Scott, Beautiful To Be Alive [05/01/09]
Ooh, finally an album of inspirational lyrics created (according to the press release) during a "vision quest" in the Mojave desert -- the supposed endeavor highlighted in her song "Caves of Possibility," where she repeats that exact phrase countless times...
Starvin Hungry, Cold Burns [04/18/09]
Starvin Hungry's Cold Burns comes across less like an album of individual songs and more like one not-very-exciting song reworked a few times. Sure, it's okay to have a signature sound, but when everything remains at the same volume and tempo for almost forty minutes, there's a problem...
Mista White, From the Basement [04/18/09]
Mista White has been making a troublesome nuisance of himself in Houston since 1996. Since then, he has released albums, protested, spouted off, and otherwise bothered the people who have suits and pens and things like that...
Hail The Size, Side Two [04/10/09]
Side Two by Hail The Size is a comical, light-hearted take on dysfunctional relationships, explosive farts, and addiction. The whimsical and witty lyrics remind me a bit of Weird Al or even Flight of the Concords, but country music-style, if you can imagine...
Old Ghost, Hearts and Coffins EP [04/10/09]
Considering the band sounds just like him, Old Ghost should be glad Bob Dylan hasn't sued for copyright infringement. Okay, so they don't sound exactly like Bob, but unfortunately, that's because they're missing his songwriting ability...
Teith, Oak City [04/10/09]
You have to love that the band Teith explains that their name is pronounced "Keith," as in Carradine, Richards, and Sweat. Makes me laugh everytime. The Oak City EP is the re-release of the band's demo that made the MySpace rounds a while back....
Foreverinmotion, The Beautiful Unknown [04/03/09]
Looking for a new album to put on as you slowly drift to sleep? Or maybe you really wish Enya would one day pick up a guitar? If so, Foreverinmotion may be your next favorite band; even the cover art of the band's two albums look like the front of every Enya CD...
Stuck Mojo, The Great Revival [04/03/09]
It's insulting to think that one word could sum up an album. With the new CD from rap-metal pioneers Stuck Mojo, the one word is obvious: laughable. Decibel Magazine has already given The Great Revival the honorable distinction of being the first album of the New Year to earn a 0...
Various Artists, Happy Birthday To Me [04/03/09]
To celebrate its twenty-year anniversary, Sub Pop released a compilation album called Happy Birthday To Me, comprised mostly of tracks from 2008. Judging by the songs and the roster of artists...
Miss Autopsy, The Hill [03/18/09]
Miss Autopsy is the one-man experimental rock band of singer/guitarist Steve Beyerink and is most definitely an acquired taste. There is nothing that I like about this Chicago-based musician's third full-length release...
The Reel Banditos, Indochina [03/18/09]
The Reel Banditos are an instrumental trip-hop duo based in Hamburg. On Indochina, their second album, the Reel Banditos incorporate lots of unprocessed sounds in their material, from guitars to keyboards to all sorts of percussion...
Peel, Die in June [03/06/09]
Die in June is Norwegian boy-band rockers Peel's first release, and from the opening "Cutting Crew"-style keyboards, I knew this would be a chore...
Pretty & Nice, Get Young [03/06/09]
Here we go again. White boy falsetto vocals? Good! Extra dirty guitar riffs? Great! Drums played by a monkey on speed? Awesome! Add that together, and you have a 30-minute, 10-track, lo-fi dance-pop album that aims to please...
Warship, Supply and Depend [03/06/09]
What do you do when the big-name, influential as all get-out metalcore band you're doing time in crashes and burns? In the case of From Autumn To Ashes' Francis Mark and Rob Lauritsen, well, you get a chance to finally do that side project-type thing...
"Look at me I'm the next big thing," sings Crisis in Hollywood singer Adrian Snyder, and with his band's anticipated debut album, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, he may be on his way...
The New Duncan Imperials, End of Phase One [02/06/09]
Long-running goofballs the New Duncan Imperials bring plenty of their inspired nonsense to their eigth album, End of Phase One. The band pilfers a multitude of styles, from garage to punk to '50s rock, and cuts it all with the silliness and catchiness of the Replacements...
I, Octopus/Metronome the City, Split EP [01/20/09]
I'm still a little bit confused about why these two totally separate groups chose to share one forty-minute-long EP divided into two über-lengthy tracks. The best way to express their relationship is to list their commonalities: both bands are from New Orleans, and both are marketed as being "experimental rock"...
Joetown, Pills and Ammo [01/20/09]
Loud (well, mostly), guitar-heavy, grunge-influenced rawk with vocals that swerve back and forth between Vince Neil, Chris Cornell, and Rob Zombie; that's Joetown (known to his 'rents, apparently, as Joe Delaney) all the way. And, surprisingly, I don't hate it...
Guns N' Roses vs. Metallica [01/03/09]
In 1988, while I was in high school, I received the Holy Grail from a friend of mine who prided himself on his collection of tapes: a copied 60-minute Memorex with Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction on one side and Metallica's Ride the Lightning on the other (at the end of RTL, there was also the last song from AC/DC's Back in Black, "Rock and Roll ain't Noise Pollution," making this tape probably the awesomest thing, since, well, awesome)...
Woozyhelmet, Get Down [01/03/09]
Dang. I've had a hard time getting a handle on this one; it makes some sense, though, since Woozyhelmet's Get Down is the latest by a band that has vexed me in the past, where live performances left me reeling and wondering what the hell just happened, unable to really pin 'em down. I can't put my finger on what was missing before, but I'll freely admit that the band's new stuff well and truly hits the mark...
Pale Young Gentlemen was founded in 2004 by brothers Michael and Matt Reisenauer, and has grown steadily over the last few years both in body count and musical range. Today, the critically acclaimed Wisconsinites travel as a seven-piece ensemble and make good use of a variety of instruments...
Seasick, Seasick [01/03/09]
As Frank Zappa & The Mothers so cryptically stated it in one of their early songs, "What would you do if the people you knew...were the plastic that melted and the chromium, too?" The only thing I can possibly imagine theoretically rising back up from the ashes of such a poetically offbeat dissolution just might be Brooklyn's own neo-psychedelic trio called Seasick...
Matt Duke, Kingdom Underground [01/03/09]
My cynical side wants to sneer at Matt Duke's Kingdom Underground, tossing it aside as just another Adult Alternative-ready singer-songwriter. Fortunately, that cynicism ends up being undermined by Duke himself, who happens to be an earnestly sweet/bitter pop-rock guy with a sensitive, unthreatening voice that can jump from Rob Thomas-y growl to Chris Carrabba-esque emo yelp...
On their debut album, Aperture For Departure, Strangers Die Every Day play instrumental chamber rock, reminiscent of Dirty Three with the rock feel of Papa M. The use of the violin and cello gives the group a distinct quality. They have a beautiful sound, which is pretty much given when you include strings, but their songs are also interesting...
It's almost impossible these days to classify bands -- what's the difference between hardcore and post-punk? The difference between emocore and plain old emo? Between grindcore and shit?...
Northern Liberties, Ghost Mind Electricity [01/03/09]
Northern Liberties has been around awhile, playing up and down the East Coast and only recently getting as far west as Dallas. Ghost Mind Electricity is interesting, strongly experimental post-punk...
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