FRIDAY: The Virgin Wolves/Public Love Affair/White Elephant/The Klanks (The Boiler Room)
The Klanks are definitely one of the better young bands in the metroplex right now, and there are more than a few good young bands around right now. And then there's the Virgin Wolves, who consistently rock the house. On a separate note, is there a website for The Boiler Room? I rarely hear about events happening there. Just curious. Descender/Here Holy Spain/The West Windows (Double-Wide)
Based on this and the previously mentioned show, this seems to be a good weekend for hard rock shows. Anyways, I don't know much about The West Windows, other than the fact that this is their first show. Still, the fact that they wound up on such a solid lineup suggests good things. RTB2/The Blurries/Dim Locator (The Free Man)
If you're looking for something a little spicy and plenty flavorful, go to the Free Man. Oh yeah, the food is good too. The Monco Poncho/Ben Tapia & The Seahorse Chronicle (City Tavern)
Mr. Tapia sent me some of his new material, and I'd have to say it's his strongest work to date. Still, The Monco Poncho will likely steal the show. Camille Cortinas/Becky Middleton (Opening Bell Coffee)
Ms. Middleton takes a rest from her duties in Ishi tonight and performs her solo material, with Camille headlining the bill. Fans of female singer-songwriters will definitely want to check this show out. Summerfield/FLATWORLD/The Gets (The Crown & Harp)
What, you thought I wasn't going to plug my own show?
SATURDAY: Brent Best/Gaston Light (Nouveau 47 Theater)
This show was originally to be held at In Accord, and I must say I'm quite disappointed that the store will not get to host this. In Accord is in the midst of remodeling, and I am super excited about the changings happening there. But more on that another time. Thanks to the folks at Nouveau 47, who stepped in and provided a venue for us. Jason Corcoran, aka Gaston Light, has proven himself to be one of the more intruiging singer-songwriters in the area in recent years. As for Brent Best, well, he's Brent Best. If you don't know who that is, your life is more incomplete than you can fathom. Playtime Rabbit/Goodnight Ned/Tweed EQ (The Aardvark)
Easily the best show in Funkytown this weekend.
Dallas Does the Beatles (Opening Bell Coffee)
A lot of great names on the bill, like Emmeline, Jaimee Harris, Kyle Brooks, Temple Diver, and Karyna Michaela to name a few. I just hope they can find a few good songs to play. And yes, that was sarcasm
There are a lot of big names on the bill, but I must say that I wish there were a few more big name local acts on the lineup. Still, it does feature the now Austin based centro-matic, along with Mystery Skulls and Low Dark Hills, both of which are locally based.
It was bound to happen. I have gotten behind on the playlists. By putting my effort into writing about what your Weekend Plans should be, it left me without enough time to compile, create, and write about the playlist. The latter part is still not going to happen today. I promise, I will get back on track and catch up, but for now, let's give the playlist you were expecting yesterday.
More coming... soon. That's all I'm promising at the moment.
For those wondering, there will be a playlist posted later today, even if it's nothing more than the playlist widget. I felt it more important to update you on what local bands are playing this weekend. So here it goes...
FRIDAY: To Coda/Phoenix Hart/Velvet Guard (The Crown and Harp)
Phoenix kicks off the night at 10 PM with an acoustic set, and she has an intensely powerful set of pipes on her. Her entire album, Save Love, is quite good, and the acoustic version of the title track really showcases what a great vocalist she is. To Coda follows at 11, and as I've said about them before, the band is more talented than what might think for a teen rock group. And their lead vocalist, Heather Darwin, is also a very powerful vocalist. Velvet Guard ends the evening with their very intriguing blends of new wave (a la Joy Division) with more recent alt/indie bands (think Muse or The Killers), and in my opinion, this is the most under appreciated band in the metroplex right now. Let's change that, okay?
Holy Moly/800 Mile Monday/Parallel Play/One Red Cent
(LaGrange)
Is it or me, or does it seem that country music is figuring into the local music scene less prominently at the moment? Perhaps it's just that Boys Named Sue aren't playing around as much anymore, and Eleven Hundred Springs is laying low until their next album is released. For those craving country with a bawdy sense of humor, then you really need to check out Holy Moly. Also, Parallel Play sports quite a sense of humor, though less bawdy, and more folk-rock. Don't let that phrase fool you, as it's definitely high octane folk.
The Manifesto/The Wake of Man/They Cried Apollo/Altered States/Caterpillars (Liquid Lounge)
The real draws of this lineup are the first two acts on the lineup. Caterpillars, featuring Christopher Robinson of Menkena, produce moody yet entrancing songs blending elements of psychedelia, new wave, and indie. Whereas Caterpillars dabble in psychedelia, Altered States immerse themselves much deeper in the style, all while incorporating elements of progressive rock in the songs.
SATURDAY:
The Ultraviolet Rock Show For Cystic Fibrosis (Dada)
I believe this is their sixth year for doing this, and the fifth year I've attended. For the first time ever, neither Lovie nor El Gato are on the lineup, although The Oxen (featuring Rebecca Dixon of Lovie and Kirk Dixon of El Gato) will perform. Also on the lineup are Fate Lions, Salim Nourallah, Ryan Thomas Becker, and Dis Posable Music. And of course there's the silent auction of art and other merchandise, with the night's profits from everything going towards the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Eleven Hundred Springs (Dan’s Silverleaf)
Okay, so maybe I spoke to soon about the band laying low...
The King Bucks (Adair’s)
The King Bucks play Adair's? Wow, that never happens.
I've probably forgotten something. Remind me in the comments section.
Before I present today's playlist, I'd like to give a word of thanks to Chris Mayes (Pleasant Grove, The Boom Boom Box, The Deathray Davies). He posted on Facebook that "you should give Ghost of Blind Lemon's A to Z playlist a look if you haven't." He also said it reminded him about several tracks and records that he hadn't listened to in a while that he should "dust off", so to speak. The process of compiling daily has been a beast, and in many cases I have not had the time to adequately discuss the tracks as I would like. Today is another such day. Still, I hope that this playlist brings back some memories, and even encourages you to discover some newer artists from the area.
Nine of these down, 22 left to go. If I ever get the insane idea to do this again, I'll try to write my segments before hand, because I'm just not finding enough time to do this day by day. Enough complaining for now, though. Let's finish those D's and start some E's.
Will the E's be completed tomorrow?
Will the fate of the F's hang in the balance?
Can "The Ghost" save tomorrow's playlist before it's too late?
The answer to these questions... tomorrow
Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel!
"Dahl Parts", The Theater Fire
Clever play on words in the title, even if it bears no resemblance to the similarly titled Hole song. "Dallas", Emmeline
It just wouldn't be right not to include this song, if only for its name. "Dalton the Prophet", Nicholas Altobelli
I'm saving my words on this song, because I'll probably discuss this track in greater detail in the coming months. More on that later... "Damaged Goods", Jason Bonner
Fans of THe BAcksliders are likely familiar with the band's version on Thank You, but it's the band's former bass player that wrote the song. "Dammit", Smile Smile
Fabulous cover of the Blink-182 song. "Dance of the Manatee", Fair to Midland
"Dance With Me", Old 97's
Very entertaining video starring Tricia Helfer of the newer version of Battlestar Galactica. "Dancing Shoes", Green River Ordinance
"Daredevils of the Red Guitar", Bugs Henderson
In my opinion, Bugs was one of the modern day blues greats of this city. His death has still left a void in the local blues community. "Dark", Terminal
This young band from the mid 2000's had quite the following, making their way on to one of the Buzz-Oven compilations. And then... nothing. It's quite a familiar story in these parts. "Darlin'", Here, In Arms
"Deadbeat Summer", Neon Indian
Hipsters, this one's for you. "Deaf Ears", The Hourly Radio
This band, along with Black Tie Dynasty, helped bring new wave sounds back to the area in the mid 2000's. "Deal With It", Florene
"Dear Claudia", SouthFM
This song was played continuously on 102.1 KDGE back in the day. It even made it in one episode on a Law & Order SVU. I'll bet they're still bringing in the money off of that. "Decorated Equals", Centro-matic
"Deep", N'Dambi
While Ms. Badu (heard earlier) may be Dallas' queen of soul, N'Dambi proves that Erykah's not the only game in town. "Deja Blue", Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat
"Desert City Sleeps", The Moon Festival
Back in 1991, I heard this song on 94.5 KDGE and thought it was really awesome. The teenage me would have never been able to fathom the fact that I'd know lead singer Salim Nourallah on a first name basis. Reportedly Mr. Nourallah does not look back fondly on his earlier material with his band, but I'm sure he won't mind me sharing this track with you. Right, Salim? I said right, Salim? Hello? Anyone there? "Devil's Basement", Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights
"Direct Line to the Telepathic", Flickerstick
This was always a favorite for the band to close their sets with. The way this song builds so slowly and climaxes with Brandin Lea singing "Let it rain", almost sounding half relieved and half desperate, makes for the perfect end of a set. "Dirt Track Race Car Driver", The Von Erichs
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", Hagfish
Because you needed some Hagfish covering AC/DC to help you make it through the day. This song is found on the 2 CD compilation Come on Feel the Metal, where Dallas bands cover classic hard rock/metal songs. "Disconnected", Hydroponic Sound System
"District County Court", Daniel Folmer
I have to admit, I'm a little more partial to Mr. Folmer's alter ego, Danny Rush, than his traditional solo material. This track of Danny's in particular is a really fun, rocking, country number. "Divine Sarcasm", The Deathray Davies
How does Mr. Dufilho manage to pack such strong melodic hooks and lyrical wit into 83 seconds? I wish I knew.
Tomorrow... more D's. E's too. Because that's how I roll.
Will someone remind me why I thought it was a good idea to embark on this project? Sure, it's a really cool idea, but it's also a lot of time and work. So not only am I late on posting, but I'm still without any witty commentary. Not that I'm usually that witty, but you get the idea.
So here we go again, and we're going to wrap up the C's today.
Although not every song gets its own commentary today, it's a step above the previous two days, where there was only a playlist posted. It's progress. Anywho, enjoy!
"Celestial Dub", Sub Oslo
It seemed at one time that our city embraced reggae. Embrace might be too strong of a word, but at the minimum it acknowledge that a reggae scene existed. One of the more prominent reggae acts to emerge from that scene was Sub Oslo. The band still appears to be active and performing, though the level it attention it receives has waned, much as the reggae scene has. "Cemetery Gates", Pantera
One of the most popular songs by easily the biggest metal band to ever emerge from this city. Heck, they are one of the biggest metal bands ever. Period. "Certainly", Erykah Badu
It's easy to forget that Dallas has had some true success stories on the national level, but here's a double dose of artists who have made their marks on the national scene. "Champaign, IL", Old 97's
Much to my regret, Old 97's have not shared the same level of success as the previous acts. Still, there's no need to cry for the 97's. The band has still managed a substantially successful career. The band performed this song on The Jay Leno Show in 2010. Word is that the band was originally going to perform their single, "Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)", but at the request of Mr. Leno performed this song instead. Apparently, Jay knows his Old 97's songs. Very impressive, Jay. "Change It", Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
"Change of Mind", Tripping Daisy
Admittedly, this is one of the tracks off of Bill I listen to least. Still, the album is strong enough that even the weaker tracks are still quite good. "Charmed", The Bright
This band is definitely a favorite with WFAA, becoming a regular at the New Year's Eve live celebrations for the past few years. "Chasing Corporate", Air Review
While Air Review sang "This may be our only chance", as if the song was a final desperate plea for commercial success, the band seems to be a well oiled machine, regularly producing pop music nuggets. I still maintain that it's a matter of time until the masses catch on. "Cheerleader", St. Vincent
"Chef", Billy Goat
I always thought that this Denton band's name was one word, not two. According to Wikipedia, however, it's two separate words for their name. This song was all over the airwaves on 94.5 back in 1992. "Chelsea", Darlington
Interestingly enough, I could not find a website for this band. That seems surprising to me, since in its heyday, the band was one of the most popular pop-punk local bands. And when I say pop-punk, think less Good Charlotte and more Ramones. "Chief of Police in Chicago", Doug Burr
"Chloroform the One You Love", artist
Who said Flickerstick doesn't know how to write a love song? "Choreographer of Fate", Shaolin Death Squad
It's hard to take a metal band too seriously when the verses of this song sound like they could have been lifted from a Kate Bush song. Of course, that's kind of the point of SDS. The band is as much a comedy act as a metal band, coming on stage dressed like monks with silver face paint, pretending to stab themselves with the microphone. Their live show is bound to entertain even the biggest metal haters. "Chupa Cabra", Spoonfed Tribe
"Cigarette Psalm", THe BAcksliders
From the opening line, "I quit all my cryin' when I hit rock bottom", you know you're in for a real heartbreaker of a song. And while Kim Bonner gets most of the vocal credit in the band, it's worth noting that Chris manages to give a very powerful performance with minimal backing vocals from Kim. "Cinco de Mayo", Reverend Horton Heat
It seems a shame that this song doesn't get to be played until the day after the holiday. Oh well. "Circle", Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Countless songs have been written about the end of a relationship, but rarely is the dissolution of a friendship ever discussed in song. It seems a shame, because I can say that it can be almost as painful, and in certain cases even more so. This song does a wonderful job of capturing the feeling of sadness and loss over a friend who is clearly no longer a friend. "Citizen", El Cento
Dear Google: When I do a search on El Cento, I do not mean the community college El Centro. I mean the band fronted by Don Cento (Chomsky, Shibboleth, etc.). Please learn the difference. Sincerely, "The Ghost" "City Bus", The Boom Boom Box
"City Lights", Hendrick
This song shows a very different side of the band, lacking much of the melancholy found in the other tracks. Even the melody and much sharper and less depressing than the rest of their material. "City of Hate", Toadies
I remember debating on whether or not to include this song in my top 40 of 2010 countdown. My concern was not over the quality of the song, but rather if it truly should be considered of that year. The song's history dates back to the late 1990's, when the band was supposed to release its follow up to Rubberneck. That album, Feeler, was never released by Interscope. Unfortunately, the label also owned the rights to the album, and refused to release. The solution? The band rerecorded many of the songs for the Kirtland Records version of Feeler. Since it was recorded more recently, I allowed the song in the countdown, where it charted at #23. "City of Wet Streets", Funland
"The City Sleeps", MC 900 Ft Jesus
When I think of MC 900 Foot Jesus, I first think of his sense of humor, displayed in such songs as "Truth Is Out of Style" and "If I Only Had a Brain". Yet it's this darker tale of pyromania that has become his best known song. "Clara", Paul Slavens
Best known nowadays for his show Sunday evenings on KXT, Mr. Slavens has been a fixture in the local music scene for decades, going back to his work with Ten Hands. More recently, he released Alphabet Girls Volume I, where each song is named after a woman. I'm still waiting for Volume II. Paul, you still have O-Z to go. "Clementine", Sarah Jaffe
True story: I heard this song playing at a CVS store a few weeks ago. I would expect to hear far more mainstream fare on their in store station, not Ms. Jaffe. I must say, it was a pleasant surprise. "Clever Found a Name", The Deathray Davies "Clock in Now", The Deathray Davies
Next to the Old 97's, no other band has done more to turn me into a local music fan than The Deathray Davies. Back in 2000, the band played so frequently that I was going to a show of theirs almost every weekend. Through that, I discovered a multitude of other great local acts. It only seems appropriate then to have a double serving of DRD songs here. "Close Your Good Eye", Gaston Light
Be on the lookout for a show announcement regarding this band soon. Very soon...
That's it for today. Tune in tomorrow as we wrap up the C's.
Again, time is not my friend, so today's playlist lacks any links, commentary, etc. Still, I hope you are continuing to enjoy the musical insanity that is the A to Z playlists. Tomorrow the more full edition playlists will (hopefully) resume. In the meantime, give these 31 songs a listen.
Before I get all local up in your grill, I wanted to take a moment to address the sad news in the world of music today. As you've probably heard by now, Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, known as MCA to his fans, lost his battle to cancer. MCA, along with the rest of the band, was constantly pushing musical boundaries and bridging the gap between rap and rock fans. My condolences to his family and friends.
Now let's get to some local music. After all, we've got to fight for our right to party. It's what MCA would have wanted
FRIDAY: THe BAcksliders/The Gypsy Bravado/The Hot Sleep (The Crown and Harp)
BAcksliders shows used to be frequent occurrences around here. The band has been laying far too low for my level of liking. What is to my liking, however, is the band decided to perform an all too rare show at The Crown and Harp (disclosure time: in case you haven't been paying attention, I book The Crown and Harp). It's a smaller venue than normal for the band, but that may work in their favor. A tightly packed BAcksliders show with an energized and dancing crowd just might be what the doctor ordered. Scary Cherry and the Bang Bangs/The Farstar/The Chloes/Velvet Guard/Always The Alibi (Curtain Club)
Tonight is the CD release show for Farstar's God Be With You, Heaven Knows the Devil Is. This album is the band's work to date, with much darker, sharper, and insightful lyrics than before. And the melodies are catchy as to be expected. Curtain Club's lineup also features GOBL faves The Chloes and Velvet Guard, as well as Scary Cherry and the Bang Bangs, who rocked the house two weekends ago at the same club. Taylor of Secret of Boris/Dead Beat Poetry/Dyerwood/Arielle (Liquid Lounge)
Meanwhile, next door at Liquid Lounge, Justin Dyer of Dyerwood will be celebrating his birthday, as well as performing earlier in the evening. Arielle, one of my favorite female singers in town, opens, and the heavy blues stylings of Dead Beat Poetry are replacing Altered States in the lineup.
Bobgoblin/The Von Ehrics/Sawed Off Sick (Lola’s)
Hot off their show at LaGrange last night, Bobgoblin brings their "angular rock" to Cowtown. I put that phrase in quotes because I never realized rock songs had angles. I can say, however, that the band released an excellent album on MCA Records in the mid 1990's, The Twelve Point Master Plan, which never got the attention it deserved nationwide. Over fifteen years later, the band has released its follow up CD, Love Lost for Blood Lust Part I. Expect to hear new songs from the CD as well as some 90's classics tonight at Lola's.
D. Anson Brody/Dustin Prinz/What Lies Ahead (Opening Bell Coffee)
While I have yet to see Mr. Brody perform live, everyone I know who has seen him regards him as one of the best guitar players in the local acoustic scene. Based on what I've heard off of his EP, Elephants and Entropy, I'd have a hard time disagreeing with those who rave about his talent.
SATURDAY:
Sarah Jaffe/Zhora/John Singer Sergeant (Granada Theater)
Undoubtedly the biggest local show this weekend, Ms. Jaffe's popularity is only growing bigger and bigger since the release of The Body Wins. While it lacks the haunting quality of her earlier work, the melodies are the strongest she has written to date. In fact, "Glorified High" is so catchy, it practically begs for airplay on Top 40 radio. I mean that in the best way possible. John Singer Sergeant, aka John Dufilho, opens the show. No word on how many guest vocalists from his album will show up live. I've heard Salim Nourallah may be playing, and I would imagine Marcus Striplin of Pleasant Grove will show up so he can duet with Ms. Jaffe on "Married to the Sea".
Because you need some Simon & Garfunkel covers in your life.
The Brushlanders/Family Crude/Reinventing Jude/Paco Estrada
(City Tavern)
While I was not a South FM fan, I just recently checked out his solo work, and was impressed with the beauty and lyrics of his work. In fact, I have to give strong props to all the acts on this lineup. If you're a fan of acoustic music, alt-country, Americana, or anything in between, this is probably where you want to be Saturday night.
It's Cinco de Mayo, so what more appropriate band to see than Mad Mexicans? And while this may not the right indie hipster thing to say, their shows are a whole lot of fun. It's Rude King, however, that I think will steal the show with what may be the best ska that our city has ever seen.
I think that covers it all. But if I'm wrong and I forgot an important show, let me know in the comments.
Time is even more limited today, so I'm simply offering up the playlist below sans comments. My apologies, but please enjoy the listen, and I hope to have some reading material to go with the playlist tomorrow. Also, check back later today for some local show recommendations.
Sincerely,
"The Ghost"
Due to time restraints and a slight case of writer's block, some of today's tracks are going commentless. My apologies. Still, I hope you're contuining to find this series of playlists enjoyable and educational.
"Baby Loves the Senator", Budapest One
And we kick the playlist off with this track because, well, it's the first one alphabetically. Duh. "Back of Your Mind", Collin Herring "Bad Luck Blues", Blind Lemon Jefferson
What, you didn't think I'd leave out Mr. Jefferson, did you? Exclude the man who was the inspiration for this blog's name? Not a chance. "Bag Lady", Erykah Badu
If you asked me to name an Erykah Badu song, the first three song names that pop into my mind are from her debut, Baduizm. Yet Ms. Badu's first single from Mama's Gun spent seven weeks at number one on Billboard's R&B chart, making it arguably her biggest hit. "Bales of Cocaine", Reverend Horton Heat "Ballad for the Children", Deadman
Dallas likes to lay claim to this jazz trumpeteer, though based on my limited research, the primary time that Mr. Hargrove was centered in the metroplex was when he attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. "The Ballad of Padre Miguel", Deadman "Balloon Maker", Midlake
Before the band went all 70's sounding on The Trials of Van Occupanther, this track captured what the band was about in the earliest stages of its career. "Band", Hagfish "Bangarang!", Two Knights
I've been hearing some buzz around this band, found this song on Grooveshark, and felt it was deserving of a slot in this playlist. "Barrel Chested", Slobberbone
Here's the title track to what I would probably have to say is my favorite Slobberbone CD. "Barrier Reef", Old 97's
In his solo career, Rhett Miller's back up band is called the Serial Ladykillers, no doubt a reference to this song. Also, his birth name is Stewart Ransom Miller, which is how he introduces himself in the first verse of the song. "Be Here Now", Salim Nourallah "Be Patient", Pop Poppins
Hearing this song takes me back to high school, when KDGE would play local bands on a regular basis. I miss that. A lot. Mark, what do you say we make that happen again? "Beard", Burning Hotels "Beat the Time", Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
One of my favorite album tracks from Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. "Beatrice (Ode)", The Theater Fire
I don't know who Beatrice is, but she must be pretty special, considering the fact that The Theater Fire had three songs about her on Matter and Light. "Beautiful", Flickerstick
My hope was that this single would have propelled Flickerstick into the national spotlight. Unfortunately, this band's timing was off, releasing their album Welcoming Home the Astronauts shortly after 9/11 happened. The band did not get to build upon the momentum from it's victory on VH1's Bands on the Run TV show, and was later dropped by Epic Records. Yet another band in the "almost made it" category. "Beautiful", Mystery Skulls
Here's another "Beautiful" song, completely unrelated to the Flickerstick track. When originally released, the project went by the name of Mr. Sleaze instead of Mystery Skulls, and the title of the song was "Beautiful Girl". Just a nice bit of useless trivia for you. "Beautiful Night", Burden Brothers
Here's a double dose of Vaden Todd Lewis, first with the Burden Brothers' biggest hit single... "Beauty School Dropout", Toadies
And then here's Toadies' contribution to Sandy Does Dallas, where multiple local artists covered songs from the Grease soundtrack. "Beetle Orange", Spoonfed Tribe
Spoonfed Tribe tends to be quite a polarizing band, with people either regarding them as a fabulous spectacle or as an annoying jam band. My philosophy on Spoonfed Tribe is quite simple: every local music fan needs to see at least one Spoonfed Tribe show. Whether you like the band or not is beside the pont. Soak in the experience of a Spoonfed Tribe show, because that's exactly what it is: an experience. "Beg You to Stay", Smile Smile "Begging", Vibrolux
From the first time I heard Vibrolux, I was captivated by Kim Pendleton's soulful yet melancholy vocals. And while Vibrolux is no more, you can still hear Kim singing with THe BAcksliders. Speaking of THe BAcksliders, they'll be playing Crown and Harp this Friday along with The Gypsy Bravado and The Hot Sleep. Hey, give me a break. When you get to book THe BAcksliders, you wanna promote, promote, promote! "Beheaded", Bedhead "Bela Was a Junkie", Shadow Reichenstein "Belgium", Bowling for Soup "Believe", Chomsky "Bells", Black Tie Dynasty
While "Tender" was BTD's breakout hit, the guitar riff that opens this song sucks me in every time. For my money, this is the band's best song. "Better by Design", John Lefler "Better Than Nothing", Sarah Jaffe
That brings us to song #31, and the end of today's playlist. We'll resume the B's tomorrow.
"Am I Still Loaded", Sparrows
When starting off a playlist, you can't go wrong with anything that features Carter Albrecht on lead vocals. It's just a fact. "Am I Too Late", Old 97's
Early in the career of the 97's, the band fixated primarily on the topics of women and alcohol. When Satellite Rides was released, the band explored the topics of death and loss with tracks like "Weightless" and this song. In spite of the heavier lyrical content, the band manages to maintain a steady but energetic pace to the melody, keeping the song from getting too maudlin. "Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow", Fair to Midland
I'm usually not one for heavier rock bands, but Fair to Midland's live show is nothing less than captivating. In the one live show of theirs I witness, lead singer Andrew Darroh Sudderth starting out the set by casually strolling onto stage, looking bored while smoking his cigarette. Halfway through the song, Mr. Sudderth was screaming full blast into the mic with the wire wrapped around his neck. Regardless of what your musical leanings may be, I dare you to catch an FTM show and not walk away with a deep respect for the band's talent. "Amazing", Mystery Skulls
Has anyone ever determined the identities of the members of Mystery Skulls? I know that this is a side project by another well known local musician, but I have not heard a single person mention who is in the band. If anyone has an answer for me, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and let me know. I can keep a secret if need be. Honest. "America's Son", Air Review
In the beginning, Air Review received many a comparison to Muse. With this single, the band veered away from that style and into a more straight on indie pop sound. The result? The song has easily become the band's most recognized and loved track overall. And if anyone at Apple is listening, this song practically BEGS to be played in a commercial for the iPod or iPhone. "Anastarsia", Happy Farmers
Happy Farmers was a band formed out of high school in the late 1980's. Normally, a high school band would not endure the test of time well enough to make such a playlist over two decades later. When that high school band features such members as David Garza and Clay Pendergrass, that helps. A lot. "Angeline", Here, In Arms
In my weekend planner posts, when separating artist names on a lineup, I always use slashes instead of commas. Why slashes and not commas, you ask? It's this band's fault. "Angry Girl", Funland
Will Johnson is represented twice in today's playlist. His band Centro-matic will come later in this list, but this band features Mr. Johnson behind the drumkit. "Ann Arbor", Nicholas Altobelli
Mr. Altobelli claims that his album When Now Becomes Then will be his last acoustic album. He also has been making such claims since his after his full length debut. He did at least finally debut his full band show at the Big Folkin' Festival. We'll see if the electric album will follow later this year as he says it will. "Another Try at Something New", Macavity "Antarctica", Black Tie Dynasty
Here's a double dose of Idol Records releases for you. "Any Given Saturday", Spitfire Tumbleweeds
I've always found it interesting how local musicians are often in bands that are so diametrically opposite in sound. Take for example Scott Porter. He not only played guitar in Denton noise rock act Record Hop, but he was the lead vocalist for the country act Spitfire Tumbleweeds. No one can accuse him of not having diverse musical taste. "Any Life", Bedhead
I hadn't known until recently that slowcore was an actual musical movement. And while I always realized that Bedhead was quite popular in the metroplex area, I never realized that this slowcore band had a strong national following and remains one of the most popular bands of the slowcore movement. "Anywhere I'm Loving You", Eleven Hundred Springs
Here's a nice little ballad from the band's debut, appropriately enough titled Welcome to Eleven Hundred Springs. "Apocalypse (A Love Story)", Calhoun
Back in the days that Tim Locke was the lead singer of Grand Street Cryers, his band was one of the Dallas Observer's favorite bands to bash. It wasn't until about a decade later when his band Calhoun released Falter.Waver.Cultivate that Mr. Locke began to get the respect as a songwriter that he so richly deserves. "Apple Pies and Alibis", the pAper chAse
while the bAnd gAve up this prActice lAter in its cAreer, the pAper chAse would routinely leAve most letters in lower cAse with the strAnge exception of hAving the A's remAin cApitAlized. fortunAtely, the bAnd finAlly decided to ceAse its errAtic cApitAlizAtion pAtterns. personAlly, i think this wAs A good ideA, considering thAt it looks reAlly freAky. But you AlreAdy noticed thAt, right? "Apple Tree", Erykah Badu
So what's the fixation with apples by local musicians? Just wondering. "Are You Listening?", Chris Holt
This is the song that opened my eyes to the talent that is Chris Holt. "Are You Ready for the Shutdown?", Centro-matic
And here's that Centro-matic track I hinted at earlier. "Astigmatism", Astronautalis
Time to get some hip-hop in the hizz-ouse, word to your mother. Okay, I'll shut up now. "Astronaut", Fate Lions
Is it just me, or does the area need more power pop bands? At least we have Fate Lions. "Astronauts", FLATWORLD
Shameless Crown and Harp plug: FLATWORLD will be playing there on Friday, May 25th along with The Gets. "At the Public Dance", Doug Burr
Yesterday, I professed my love for Mr. Burr's On Promenade album. His official follow-up to that album, O Ye Devastator, didn't quite match the emotional intensity of Promenade. This is not meant as an insult to Devastator, but rather to say that sometimes when an album is as fabulous as On Promenade, even an excellent follow up may wind up standing in the shadows of the previous masterpiece. Still, there are plenty of great songs from this CD as well, and expect to hear more from this album as well. "Atlas", Mildred
Back in 1991, WFAA broadcast a recording of that year's Dallas Observer Music Awards ceremony. I remember seeing it on TV, and that's where I first discovered Mildred. This was the song they played, and I instantly fell in love with the quirky pop melody. I regret that I never saw the band live, though I did finally discover a used copy of Whippersnapper at the Addison CD Warehouse, which of course I bought without hesitation. "Athens, TX", Gaston Light
Have you ever had a song that it disturbed you that you really liked? I was first captivated by the gorgeous melody of the song before discovering that the song is about a man who picks up a woman at a bar and murders her. Yet Jason Corcoran, the man behind Gaston Light, is such the storyteller that you get sucked in to the dark tale. "Austin's Birthday", The Burning Hotels
This is what Burning Hotels sounded like before they went new wave. "Avenue", Salim Nourallah
This song was always one of my highlights of the live Salim shows back around 2004. The contributions of John Dufilho and Jason Garner (Deathray Davies) on drum and bass respectively really made this song pop live. "Aw, the Humanity", Reverend Horton Heat
I don't know if the Rev is credited with developing psychobilly, but I had certainly never heard of that term until he rose to popularity. "Awake and Lifeless", A Dozen Furies
I'm not going to lie. This isn't my cup of tea. Still, the band managed to get national attention for being the winner of the reality TV show Battle for Ozzfest. At the minimum, such an accomplishment has earned the band a spot on the playlist. "Away", Toadies
I'm not sure if this song genuinely caught on with other alternative stations around the country. All I know is that almost two decades later, this song remains in constant rotation on KDGE. "The Aztec God", The Deathray Davies
I was told the song was inspired by Del Perez, member of such acts as The Wurlitzer Prize, Pegasus Now!, and eyes wings and many other things. Yes, there is quite an interesting story behind the song. No, I will not tell the story on the blog. You're welcome, Mr. Perez. And that concludes the first letter of the alphabet. Tomorrow, we begin the B's.
"Aaww-Some (Johnny Sierra Remix)", Best Fwends
This song seems to have been created for the exclusive purpose of kicking off any A to Z list. Fittingly enough, the song is found on an album called Alphabetically Arranged. "About the Movies", Tripping Daisy
Count on lots of Tim DeLaughter on this list, whether it be Tripping Daisy or Polyphonic Spree. Heck, if someone wants to upload some Preteen Zenith on Grooveshark for my use, I'll use one of their songs in the list as well. "Absalom", Spot
After the dissolution of Mildred, the Rueffer brothers formed Spot, a decidedly more straight ahead rock band. "Accomplice", Nervous Curtains
This song ranked #32 on my Top 40 Local Tracks of 2010, which seems unusually low considering how much I listened (and still do listen) to the song. "Actor Out of Work", St. Vincent
Annie Clarke aka St. Vincent has certainly become one of this city's bigger success stories, although it seemed that her popularity was almost exclusively through the blogosphere, and less from a steady stream of live Dallas shows. Perhaps that's the secret to making out of this town: get some bloggers (myself not apparently included in the list) to fall in love with your music. "Acts of Man", Midlake The Courage of Others was not the breakout hit for Midlake that some predicted it would be. With influences like Nick Drake and Fairport Convention obvious in the album's sound, I am absolutely stunned that the band was not selling out stadiums and getting played on KISS-FM. Alright, alright, I'll tone down the sarcasm. Seriously, it's a well made album that almost seemed to be a statement from the band that they did NOT want to go in a more commercially viable direction. "Adults Don't Always Know Best", Andonia Layr
Stumbled upon this song by accident while compiling the list, but I must say I quite like this track. "Afraid of the Dark", Sorta
I cannot listen to the closing refrain of "Oh, it's over now" without getting chills. According to the liner notes of the CD, that part of the vocals was recorded shortly after Carter Albrecht's death. "After All Is Done", Iris Leu
I've only heard Ms. Leu play this song once, at her CD release for Hushaboo. It was my favorite performance of the night, and her guitarist Hans Grumbein stole the show without stealing the show. Let me explain: instead of playing an over the top, showy guitar solo, his refrain was restrained but powerful enough to convey the full emotion of the song. It was a delicate balancing act that he pulled off seamlessly. "Aim High", Chris Holt
If you listen only to the melody, you'll notice an intriguing groove to the sound. One listen to the lyrics, however, and you'll hear the anger in Mr. Holt regarding how Carter Albrecht was killed. "Aimless & Alright", Kevin Aldridge
The former lead singer of Chatterton strikes out on his own with this track that mixes a very Byrds-esque vibe with hints of alt-country. A big thumbs up for me. "Air of December", Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Some might say that it was the success of New Bohemians that brought life to the Deep Ellum community. While that would be an oversimplification, one cannot deny the powerful effect that Ms. Brickell and the band's success brought to our town. "Alabaster", Kristy Kruger
Perhaps the most gorgeous song ever written for a dog. "Alcoholic", The Tah-Dah's
Roy Ivy always had a way with words. "If you were a Cherokee, I might have reservations". Or how about this: "If you queen of Rome I'd want to move to Rome and wouldn't that be Rome-antic?" Goofy? Yeah. Clever? Definitely. Fun? Absolutely. The Tah-Dah's definitely brought Le Fun with their only full length CD. "Alibi", The Orbans
Before The Orbans, the band was called Lifters, and they released the CD Switchblade Waterpistol. This song was on the CD, but was rerecorded for The Orban's full length, When We Were Young. "All Because You're Mine", Air Review
While "Chasing Corporate" is the obvious choice for a single from Landmarks, this track has just as strong off hooks and builds to a climax that proves the song to be a perfect closer for the band's great live set. "All I Want", Ishi
Because you love that Ishi. "All Inside", The Felons
This is what Dave Hickmott did before playing guitar with Menkena. "All That I've Done Wrong", Danny Balis
After seeing Mr. Balis play backup for years in Sorta and Sparrows, it came as a surprise to hear him sing. The even bigger shock was how perfectly suited his voice was for country, showcased both in his work with The King Bucks and on his solo CD Too Much Living. "All the Pretty Girls", Lovie
A Texas girl band covering another Texas girl band (The Judys). How fitting. "All the Reasons Why", Emmeline
Does anyone remember a song called "Surrounded" by Chantal Kreviazuk? The opening piano riff for some reason reminds me a little of that song. But once Emmeline's voice kicks in, the song goes in a completely different and much more optimistic tone than that of the Chantal Kreviazuk song. "All the Time", Bad Sports
The band now splits its time between Denton and Austin, but they remain one of my favorite local punk acts of the past few years. "All You Do Is Crazy", Fate Lions
Still needing more Byrds influenced local music after the Kevin Aldridge track? Well, here you go. "All You Need", True Widow
Having done both a blog and a radio show, I've discovered one advantage of blogging vs. radio. Whenever a band comes up with an obnoxious album title like As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth, instead of having to say it each time, just cut and paste instead. "Allison", Burning Hotels "Allison", Luna Matto
It's weird that two separate acts would record a song called Allison months apart and independently of each other. While stylistically very different, both tracks share a very melancholy feel. "Already Gone", Kelly Clarkson
I see your eyes rolling at this one, but Ms. Clarkson is for Burleson, and has certainly had one of the most successful careers of any solo artist in the metroplex. "Alright", Baboon
I know, you were just thinking how you always like to follow up your Kelly Clarkson with some Baboon. Glad I could be of help. "Always Be There", Rahim Quazi
I love the guitar intro on this track. Not going to rave at lengths about Rahim at this point in the list. I have to save something for later, right? "Always Travel Light", Doug Burr
Speaking of things I love, Doug Burr's On Promenade is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful album. I suspect that before this A to Z deal is over with, you'll hear over half of the songs from this CD on the playlists. "Alyson Revere", Fishboy
And I end today's playlist with some Fishboy. But check back tomorrow as I wrap up the A's.
