Yr. Weekend, Pt. 2: Jealous Creatures + Street Dogs + Murder the Stout + Fallcore XI + Wheel Workers + More

Late again, I know — sorry about that, y’all, but the family stuff’s really knocked me out this week, which is why I’m typing this late in the evening, while watching Cupcake Wars & the so-far-excellent Rare Exports with the fam… But hey, there’s still time to get out & about tonight, Saturday, November 26th, and there’s a crapload of stuff to do, definitely. Here goes:

The Tyburn Jig/Jealous Creatures/A Sundae Drive @ The Continental Club
Okay, so this show wins out because it’s got not one or two but three of the coolest bands I’ve heard in town this past year or so. I’m blown away the most by middle band {Jealous Creatures}, and not only because they’re like a supergroup of late-’90s H-town music folks (members of Big Top & Japanic, for two) but also because their recent full-length, Little Heaven, Big Sky, awesomely blends the indie-rock of my youth (Superchunk, Magnapop, Tsunami, etc.) with Western-sounding highway music like the Cowboy Junkies or Sand Rubies.

{The Tyburn Jig}, too, heads in a seriously Western direction, mashing up surf-rock, Ennio Morricone-esque film scores, and Nick Cave-style dark lyricism; they’re like Death Valley reincarnated, but with a gloomy Goth icon on the vocals. Then there’s {A Sundae Drive}, the one I’ve heard most recently — their EP You’re Gonna Get Me jumps between sharp-edged Jawbox-style post-hardcore and sweet, nostalgic shoegaze, never getting trapped in either. All in all, it’s a set of three of the best this city’s got going right now.

Street Dogs/The Broadsiders/Murder the Stout/Roots of Exile/No Resistance @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
Then there’s the full-on punk show. I dunno Dallas band The Broadsiders at all, sorry, but I’ve always dug Boston-based Dropkick Murphys “splinter group” Street Dogs (who also have some Houston ties); they’re like the Murphys minus the overt folky stuff, just flat-out punk rock. Then, as an added bonus, there’s awesomely fun folk-rockers {Murder the Stout}, who I’ve seen and whom I like quite a bit — I think they’re actually touring with the Dogs, so kudos to them for that one.

Fallcore XI, featuring Power Trip, Mammoth Grinder, Will to Live, The Burden, Venomous Maximus, War Master, Band of Mercy, Dissent, Hardside, Cutting Losses, Gain, & Landfill @ Fitzgerald’s
Raaaawrr. Metal, hardcore, punk, and grindcore, all mashed together in one long, loud, post-Turkey Day night up at Fitz. Go, bring earplugs, and enjoy (especially {Will to Live}, who I thought were dead, badasses {Venomous Maximus}, & Austinites Mammoth Grinder).

The Wheel Workers/Boy + Kite/Winter Wallace @ The Mink
And then, if you don’t want your ears to bleed, here’s the antidote: cool, cool, obliquely political indie-popsters {The Wheel Workers} plus sweet, husky-voiced, somewhat Fiona Apple-like songstress {Winter Wallace}. Prepare to chill out and smile like a big idiot. Oh, and check out the interview with The Wheel Workers over here, plus the review of Wallace’s latest, here.

Runners-Up:
Scarface/Z-Ro @ Verizon Wireless Theater
The Freedom of Expression!!! Art Benefit, featuring Cavernous, Conscious Minds, Cutta, Harold Borup, Chironex, Nikkhoo, & more @ Villians (2001 Commerce; 7:30PM-2AM)
ESE/Reno Divorce/13 Black Coffins/The Sellouts @ Mango’s
Awkwardly Cast/Fake Believe @ Rudyard’s
White Ghost Shivers @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
The Illegal Wiretaps @ Dean’s Credit Clothing
The Beans @ Avant Garden
Ceeplus Bad Knives & Ali Rapp B-Day Bash, featuring Czech1, Bobby DJ, Mr. Castillo, Fredster, B-Boy Craig, & Ceeplus Bad Knives @ Grand Prize (1010 Banks)
Gritsy @ Warehouse Live
Thank God for Texas Music Fest, featuring Casey Donahew Band, Adam Hood, Ray Wylie Hubbard, & Folk Family Revival @ Nutty Jerry’s (Winnie)