Update: The Favorites (Reviewed/Tonight!) + Reviews + Alejandro Escovedo + America

Yep, yep, yep — Friday night, and so here I am again posting this last-minute little note to mention that we’ve got a pile of brand-new reviews up (along with the excellent MI Ami interview I blathered about a few days ago). The reason for the hurried posting? Well, because this latest batch includes a review of Bright Nights, Bright Lights by local power-popsters The Favorites, who’re playing this very evening up at Rudyard’s (along with betterLUCK & Esther LaVonne & the Rottens).

It’s a darn good disc, one good enough that I’m kicking myself for not writing it up sooner; seriously, the Favorites guys craft some insanely hooky, Fountains of Wayne-ish, Big Star-loving guitar-pop, the kind that drills straight into your brain and makes itself at home. (And that goes double for lead-off track “Something That You’re Missing”). Check the full review here, then get on up to Rudz tonight…okay, assuming you’re not already planning on hitting the Bolt show at Walter’s, that is. If I could split myself in two, amoeba-like, I honestly would, folks.

Actually, amend that. I’d love to be able to split myself in three this evening, because along with the other two shows, one of my favorite singer/songwriters ever, Alejandro Escovedo, also happens to be playing tonight at some place called NiaMoves (508 Pecore) that I think is a dance studio or something. Odd venue, but damn, I’d love to see Alejandro again — just thinking about him playing “By Eleven” long, long, long ago at the KTRU Outdoor Show makes a chill run down my spine. If power-pop & noisy rawk ain’t your thing, well, maybe careworn, countrified, beautifully-written songs about love, loss, and all the rest will be.

The show reportedly starts at 8PM, and it’s billed as a “special duo performance,” although there’s nothing that says what/who the other half of the duet might be, so… Oh, and sadly, it ain’t the cheapest seats in town — $35 is the ticket price, which somewhat makes me cringe…

On top of The Favorites, btw, we’ve got plenty of other cool stuff reviewed. There’s the fine, fine, fine instro-metal soundscaping of local boys Scale The Summit (here) — and yes, they’re playing back in the area on May 2nd, up at Javajazz in Spring with Protest The Hero — then there’s the Magnolia Electric Company sidemen of The Coke Dares (here), Provo dance-rockers Shark Speed (here), and Ramones-loving DC punks The Points (here), who were supposed to have played here in town this past weekend but apparently had to cancel. Dang.

Oh, and there’s also an excellent live review I missed when it went up — writer Bill R. was kind enough to head down to Stafford to check out long-running classic rockers America (along with more contemporary stagemates Second Day Red, whom I’ve heard are pretty great) and write up his thoughts on the show here. It’s good stuff. Here’s the full list, for all you completists out there…

Interviews: Mi Ami

Live Reviews: America

Reviews: The Favorites; Scale The Summit; The Coke Dares; The Points; Shark Speed; Peel; Pretty & Nice; Warship;

More to come…