Yr. Weekend, Pt. 2: Laura Stevenson & The Cans (MP3s) + The Lotus Effect + Prairie Cadets + Sahara Smith (MP3) + More

More going on this weekend, as always; tomorrow, Sat., October 2nd, definitely included. And while it’s not strictly musical, I’m tempted to drag the midgets down to Sugar Land to check out the ARTernative Fest, which features a ton of interesting-looking dance performances of various kinds and some fun short films courtesy of the Aurora Picture Show folks. It sounds like it’ll be good, esp. for folks with wee ones like myself.

Anyway, beyond that, here’s what’s going on that sounds cool to me:

Laura Stevenson & The Cans/Elaine Greer/football etc. @ The Mink (8PM; $7)
I honestly hadn’t heard much by Laura Stevenson & The Cans ’til this week, although I know Stevenson’s history with Bomb the Music Industry!, but after hearing a fair chunk of A Record, the band’s recently-rereleased 2008 album, I’m pretty damn impressed, I have to say. Stevenson’s voice is sweet and winsome but never overly Joanna Newsom-esque, reining in the ethereal warble when it’s needed; the result is a very cool cross between Kelli Scarr and Eisley’s Stacy DuPree, all over music that rides a nicely midtempo indie-folk-pop line (think Rilo Kiley with folkier instrumentation). Check out a couple of tracks:

Laura Stevenson & The Cans – “The Pretty One”
Laura Stevenson & The Cans – “The Source and The Sound (The Sound & The Source)”

Of course, the openers are nothing to sneeze at, themselves — it’s very cool to see low-key, sweet-voiced indie-folk artist {Elaine Greer} back in town, since everything I’ve ever heard her do has been pretty great, and I’ve heard good things about {football, etc.}, as well. Get there early enough to see all three.

Katatonia/Swallow The Sun/Orphaned Land/The Lotus Effect @ Fitzgerald’s
Ah, those crazy guys in {The Lotus Effect} — not only are they good folks in general, but they could well be on their way to being a truly mindblowing band. Live, I suspect they’re already there, and in recorded form, they come up with some damn fine songs, particularly “Fireflies,” singer Dre‘s ode to Pat Tillman. Hit the newly revitalized Fitz and support ’em when they open for Katatonia; good shit.

The Bourgeois Gospels/The Hard Heads/Prairie Cadets/Kill The Rhythm @ The Continental Club ($5)
I’ve got not a clue about most of the folks on this bill, but the one I do know is the {Prairie Cadets}, the band of quirky popsters that includes Marc Brubaker & Adam Newton. I’ve never been able to catch ’em live, unfortunately, but I’ve liked the handful of tracks I’ve gotten so far.

I know the original duo’s had some fairly major changes, btw — for one thing, they’re now a four-piece, with {Houston Press} writer John Gray now on drums (I think?) and April Patrick, who’s a veteran of more bands than I can name but was last seen in these parts with Guitars, playing with them, as well. I’ve got my fingers crossed that these folks will put out a full-length soon…

Raul Malo/Sahara Smith @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
I’ve only heard the one song so far from Sahara Smith, but it ain’t bad, surprisingly… Frankly, I didn’t have real high hopes — the hype I’d heard made her sound fairly meh, to be honest, but it turns out there’s a lot more to the Austinite than that. Her voice has a nicely rough quality to it, a bluesy huskiness with just a teeny-tiny hint of desperation that makes me think of Alanah Myles’ “Black Velvet” more than anything else.

Take a listen right here:

Sahara Smith – “The Real Thing”

I’d have to hear more before I could really call myself a fan, mind you, but hey, it’s promising, at the very least.

Runners-Up:
Karina Nistal Band (CD release)/Nick Gaitan/Michele Thibeaux/Mr. Blacc Sheep/Carisma/DJ Soulfree/DJ Mad Sounds/DJ Freddy B/Bboy Craig @ Groundhall (1515 Pease)
Midtown 10th Anniversary Super Block Party, featuring Days Drive, Tyagaraja, Runaway Sun, D.R.U.M., & Mason Lankford & The Folk Family Revival @ Midtown (Main St. between McGowen & Anita; 12:30-9:30PM)
Enter Shikari/Haste The Day/Sleeping With Sirens/Ms. White/LightsGoBlue @ Shadowplay Lounge
Michael Franti & Spearhead @ House of Blues
Depressed Buttons (mem. of The Faint)/Damon Allen @ Numbers
Tyrone Wells/Andrew Belle/Crown Point @ Fitzgerald’s