GOBL's Top 50: #10 & #9

I must confess, I'm one to enjoy a good list. So needless to say, I always look forward to December, when I get to compile my list of the top 40 songs of each year. It's a difficult process to order the song for the most part. But with few exceptions, the easy part is determining the number one song of a given year. The next two songs had the distinction of reaching the top slot in my countdown. For the first time last year, my top 40 countdown was broadcast over Deep Ellum Radio. And for those who listened regularly to my shows, rare was the episode where Calhoun was not played. Their album Heavy Sugar returned lead singer Tim Locke to a more pop sounding style, making it perfect radio ear candy.  At least that is what one first notices upon first listen.  But Tim Locke's other strength besides melodies is his ability to craft lyrics that tell a story.  No song better exemplifies that strength of Tim Locke's than "Indian Melody", with imagery so vivid it's as if he has transported you into his story.



For song number nine on the countdown, rewind one year to 2010.  That was the year when Pale Horse emerged from the ashes of Greater Good.  It was quite a transformation for the band, moving from 60's style pop-soul to the darker southern vibe that was Pale Horse.  Equally as dark as the melodic mood of the band were the lyrics, ranging in topic from life after war ("Will You Be There") to religion ("Don't Lose Your Soul").  Religion plays a role in "You're No Good", the story of a preacher who uses religion to excuse the sins he commits against his family.  It's an intense story, with an equally intense vocal performance by lead singer J.R. Denson.  His gritty, deeply emotional delivery fits the song perfectly.

While the EP was good, Pale Horse's strength was in its live shows.  Unfortunately, the band is no longer together.  My understanding is that Mr. Denson has a new band he's working on.  I look forward to whatever music he puts out in the future.  Until then, check out song number nine on the countdown.

GOBL's Top 50: #50-11

It's funny how whenever I try to take on a project like the Top 50 or the A-Z playlists, life somehow gets in the way. I'm taking a moment to get the countdown back on track. The bad news is that a number of artists will not get the level of a write up that is deserved. And for that, I apologize. I'll try to write a little something about each artist that has been neglected for the past week.

The one bright side is that doing this should have everything on track for next week, when we finally enter my picks for the top 10 local tunes of the past year.

So let's do a full recap, complete with a playlist at the end.

50. "Who's That Girl", PPT
51. "Same Old, Same Old", Hello Lover
52. "All Inside", The Felons
53. "German Chocolate Cake", Bravo, Max!
54. "The Message", Dem Southernfolkz
55. "Nip/Tuck", The Orange
56. "Icarus", Arielle
57. "We Will All Be Changed", Seryn
58. "Virtue And Vice", The Virgin Wolves
59. "Little Bear", Elkhart
60. "Love Bomb", Rude King
61. "The Great Escape", Damaged Good$
62. "Need a Release", the cut*off
63. "Were Her", The Orbans
64. "Young & Reckless", The Roomsounds
65. "Three", The Timeline Post
66. "Dalton the Prophet", Nicholas Altobelli
67. "You Pressed the Crash Button", Novaak
68. "Paper Girl", Katie Carroll
69. "Move Along", Blue Petal
70. "Pastel Lights", Ishi
71. "Seven", Ducado Vega
72. "Love That Leaves", Somebody's Darling
73. "Black Light", Macon Greyson
74. "Aim High", Chris Holt
75. "Set Me Free", The Red 100's
76. "Truth on Tape", Smile Smile
77. "Mindreader", Lovie
Harshmellow waso the first CD mailed for review by The Ghost.  While it was never formally reviewed (which happens rarely on here), the band received plenty of mentions for their super catchy tunes.  Plus, you can't beat lyrics like "Oh yeah, he loves me, he loves me not/Blah blah blah blah blah".
78. "Wire to the Walls", RTB2
Ryan Thomas Becker is arguably the best musician in Dallas right now.  While known mostly for his guitar work, this song proves that he is capable of writing an incredibly catchy tune in under 100 seconds.
79. "All Because You're Mine", Air Review
In the fall of 2009, I was at a show at Trees, chatting with John Solis.  I asked him what bands he recommend I check out.  In a separate conversation that night, I asked Pete Freedman the same question.  Both had the same response: Air Review.  My curiousity was piqued, and I was not disappointed.
80. "Just Wanna Try", Luna Matto
Luna, I know you're busy with Polyphonic Spree and the like, but Dallas needs more of your music.

81. "Burning Pictures", The Monco Poncho
I remember the first time that I heard this band, I instantly fell in love and became a fan. Yes, what a lovely story.  There's only one problem with the story; it isn't true.  I must confess, it took me a few shows to understand the campy goodness that is Monco Poncho.  But underneath the western shtick, there are some really well crafted pop tunes.  And of that group of tunes, none demands repeated listens quite like "Burning Pictures".

82. "Hang On", Salim Nourallah
Mr. Nourallah usually specializes in sweet pop melodies that hide a darker story.  In this case, it's almost the reverse.  While the lyrics are hardly joyous, there is a certain level of hope mixed with the sadness, as exemplified by lyrics like, "You've gotta love this life, even when it has you beat."  NOTE: had Hit Parade been out longer, the title track might be right here instead.  Yes, it's that good.
83. "Swelling", Sarah Jaffe
When I got to attend the 2007 Wall of Sound Festival, I made a point of arriving early, mostly to see an artist I'd heard such good things about, Sarah Jaffe.  Not only was I not disappointed, the performance left me with speechless and with goosebumps.  The latter symptom is one I have experienced at every performance of hers I've attended.  And while "Vulnerable", "Clementine", and "Glorified High" are her biggest hits, I remember continually playing this track on her MySpace back in the days.  For that reason, "Swelling" gets the #17 slot.
84. "Try Try Try", Spector 45
There's no doubt that there is still a hole left in the local music world from the deaths of Frankie 45 and Adam Carter.  In fact, when you mention the band nowadays, there's a certain sadness felt when thinking about the loss of these two young men.  Yet if you listen to the music, what you hear is a band that was raw, energetic, and, well, alive.  That's the way I like to remember Spector 45.
85. "Bleeder", True Widow
It was the 2009 Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase, and I was trying to figure out which bands to see.  Unfortunately, many artists I like were scheduled against each other.  Such was the case with Doug Burr and True Widow.  I walked into The Cavern, planning on catching a few TW songs before checking out Mr. Burr.  I never made it to see Doug's set that night because I was hyptonized by True Widow's performance.  That set of theirs just might rank as my favorite performance of the past five years.

86. "For Keeps", Iris Leu
87. "What Turns Inside", Dove Hunter
88. "I Still Wait", The O's
89. "Gypsy Woman", Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights

You'll have to forgive me for not commenting on the last four songs.  I seem to be experiencing writer's block.  Perhaps to be more accurate, I'm starting to have a hard time discussing these songs in such a way that does them justice.  I simply hope to start finding the words again for the songs in the Top 10.  In the meantime, here's the playlist I promised.

T

Opening Act, and Opening Bell Coffee

By now, you've probably seen the commercials for the reality TV show Opening Act.  In the show, relatively unknown musicians get the opportunity to open for a well known national artist.  The show debuts tonight at 9 p.m. CST on E!, and Dallas's own Arielle is a part of the premiere episode.  As you know, I've been a convinced fan for well over a year, and apparently the producers of the show are as convinced as I am.  And the artist she'll be opening for?  None other than Rod Stewart.

You can watch the show at home.  If you're feeling more social, then you might want to head out to Opening Bell Coffee.  Opening Bell Coffee is a fitting site for the watching party, considering the fact that it's where Arielle discovered that she would be on the show.  In fact, some of the clips used in the commercials were shot at OBC.  If you plan on going to Opening Bell, get there early.  An open mic starts at 7, and then Arielle herself will perform at 8. Here's a little sneak preview of what's to come tonight.

Weekend Plans: 7/6/12

I'll reveal #23 on the countdown later, but I wanted to clue you in on what's happening around town this weekend.  Note that a majority of the options are tonight, so you might want to start plotting your weekend strategy pretty quickly...


FRIDAY:

Hello Lover/Idler/Nerdface (The Prophet Bar – Big Room)

The Phuss/Ghosts of Industry/Icarus the Owl (The Prophet Bar – Side Stage)

I presume that with how The Prophet Bar has the Big Room set up, the rock just won't stop all night long.  And with Hello Lover and The Phuss being the two big draws, there will be rock.  And a lot of it.  It's also worth noting that I've heard strong recommendations on Nerdface from Ducado Vega, so that would be reason enough to arrive early.

Midnight Empire/The Gypsy Bravado/Black Kennedy (The Boiler Room)

Midnight Empire is celebrating their one year anniversary, and for fans of 80's style rock, this band will be right up your alley.  Get there in time for Gypsy Bravado, who know how to put on a tight rock show.

Reinventing Jude (Opening Bell Coffee)

The band has just released their album, Shoulder Season, which I suspect should be available at tonight's show.  I got to see the band earlier this year, and there was something in the set that reminded me of both Kristy Kruger and Sarah Jaffe.  For fans of acoustic music, this is a must see, as I suspect this band is about to become huge in those musical circles.

Dove Hunter/Stumptone (Lola’s)

Dove Hunter and Stumptone together?  Is my calendar wrong?  Is it really 2007?  Seriously though, this is an all too rare chance to see either band play.

Uneasy Pilgrim/The Frisky Disco/Kyle Brooks (The Crown and Harp)

Of course I've got to plug my own show.  BTW, no cover.  And all three acts are cool.  Of course they are. I booked them, right?

SATURDAY:

The Roomsounds (The Foundry)

Nothing fancy with The Roomsounds, just fun rock and roll.  And that's enough.

Mora Collective/UBoat (The Cellar)

I don't go to many jazz shows, but I must say that Mora Collective puts on one heck of a show.  Jazz fans and even non-jazz fans will probably be entertained by their performance.

The Angelus/Le Leek Electrique/Clint Niosi (Dan’s Silverleaf)

Denton, I didn't forget about you.  This is where I'd recommend all the Denton people hang out tomorrow night.

That's it for shows this weekend, I think.  If I'm wrong, let me know in the comments section.

GOBL's Top 50: #24 "Truth on Tape", Smile Smile

When a band has members that are romantically involved, a breakup in that relationship can lead to the end of the musical career of the band.  When Jencey Hirunrusme and Ryan Hamilton ended their romantic relationship, the band could have easily called it quits.  Instead, the band remained together, and wrote one of the best albums on heartbreak that has ever emerged from the metroplex.

Truth on Tape explores just about every emotion and thought that one goes through after the end of a relationship.  From desperation to reunite ("Beg You to Stay") to anger at your former partner ("Labor of Love"), this album covers it all.  And of course, there's denial.  That's the topic tackled in the album's title track.  "You can't escape when the truth is put on tape", Ryan Hamilton sings in the chorus.  It's a desperate plea to hang on to what once was in a relationship, while ignoring the present status of the ended relationship.    Denial has never sound catchier.  And the harmonies of Ryan and Jencey sound sweet as ever, showing that their musical relationship is as rock solid, even if the two are no longer romantically involved.

Their musical union is still going strong, with the CD release show for Marry a Stranger happening August 11th at Granada Theater.  Jaret & Erik from Bowling for Soup open the show.  But for now, enjoy the title track of the previous disc.

GOBL's Top 50: #25 "Set Me Free", The Red 100's

You often hear about famous musicians having larger than life personas.  That tends to happen far less in the local music scene.  One notable exception to that rule would have to be Robbie D. Love, of the band Red 100's.  Both onstage and off, Mr. Love is a charismatic, personable, but over the top individual.

This might come off as being a bit much if Robbie did not have the talent to back up such a persona. Fortunately, this is not an issue.  Robbie and his band The Red 100's are raw, energetic, and everything that rock and roll was meant to be.  I'm not going to wax too poetic about the band, as I feel doing so misses the essence of the band.  The band is not meant to be pondered in an intellectual capacity, but to be felt on a visceral level.  Songs like "Set Me Free" may be enjoyable over your stereo speakers, but it's truly meant to be experienced live.  Such live shows are all too rare now, as The Red 100's currently call Austin their home.  But for the time that the band resided in Dallas, they gave local music a well needed swift kick in the rear.

Crank it up, and feel this song...




And for those keeping score at home, here's the first half of the Top 50 countdown...

50. "Who's That Girl", PPT
51. "Same Old, Same Old", Hello Lover
52. "All Inside", The Felons
53. "German Chocolate Cake", Bravo, Max!
54. "The Message", Dem Southernfolkz
55. "Nip/Tuck", The Orange
56. "Icarus", Arielle
57. "We Will All Be Changed", Seryn
58. "Virtue And Vice", The Virgin Wolves
59. "Little Bear", Elkhart
60. "Love Bomb", Rude King
61. "The Great Escape", Damaged Good$
62. "Need a Release", the cut*off
63. "Were Her", The Orbans
64. "Young & Reckless", The Roomsounds
65. "Three", The Timeline Post
66. "Dalton the Prophet", Nicholas Altobelli
67. "You Pressed the Crash Button", Novaak
68. "Paper Girl", Katie Carroll
69. "Move Along", Blue Petal
70. "Pastel Lights", Ishi
71. "Seven", Ducado Vega
72. "Love That Leaves", Somebody's Darling
73. "Black Light", Macon Greyson
74. "Aim High", Chris Holt

And of course, you can now add "Set Me Free", as #25 on the list. Come back tomorrow for song #24.

GOBL's Top 50: #26 "Aim High", Chris Holt

When local music fans think of Chris Holt, the first thing likely to come to mind is his skill on the guitar.  If I had to choose one individual as the best guitar player in Dallas, it would have to be Mr. Holt.  Through past bands of his like Olospo and The Slack, the biggest draw with both was the opportunity to watch him play guitar.  I've watched him perform, wondering how the man is physically capable of playing so fast and so skillfully.

Because of his reputation as one of the area's finest guitar players, A Cosmic Joke was more than a bit of a risk for Mr. Holt.  Gone were the elaborate guitar solos and the riffs that had brought Mr. Holt such attention.  Instead, A Cosmic Joke focused much more on simple melodies and storytelling.  This was definitely not a safe move on Mr. Holt's part.

It was a move, however, that paid off artistically.  A Cosmic Joke stands as Chris Holt's strongest work to date.  The album is not as instantly catchy in the same way as his previous works, but rather is a thoughtful CD that grows on you with each listen.  Much of the CD leans on the more acoustic side, with tracks like "The Wind Has Left My Sail" and "Medication", the latter being highly reminiscent of Bryter Layter period Nick Drake.

The closest thing to a "rock" song on the album is "Aim High".  At first listen, the groove of the melody is what will suck you in.  It's the lyrics, however, that make the song a compelling, if somewhat uncomfortable, listen.  This song, like many others on the CD, was Mr. Holt's way through music of working through the death of his friend and bandmate, Carter Albrecht.  While most of the album is more melancholy, this song is an angry ode to the man who fired the gun shot that ended Mr. Albrecht's life.

Take a listen...

GOBL's Top 50: #27 "Black Light", Macon Greyson

On a regular basis, I'll see updates and press releases for bands that are promoting a song being featured in a TV show or even film.  Sometimes the songs are featured in reasonably successful TV shows or movies, though most of the time not.  In 2008, Macon Greyson mentioned that their song "Black Light" was included in an upcoming Mickey Rourke film.  I immediately wrote this off as a rather insignificant event, seeing that Mickey Rourke hadn't starred in anything even vaguely successful in eons.

Wow, was I wrong.

The Mickey Rourke film in question was The Wrestler, a film that reinvigorated Rourke's career and even earned him an Academy Award nomination.  I was thrilled for the film's success, more because I hoped it would bring Macon Greyson some well deserved attention.  I'd been a fan of the band for years.  While the alt-country label gets tossed around a lot these days (a bit too carelessly for my taste), Macon Greyson was one of the few that I felt carried on the tradition established in the mid 1990's by artists like Son Volt, Bottle Rockets, and hometown heroes Old 97's.  With the band's authentically alt-country sound, combined with their energetic live shows and razor sharp lyrics (courtesy of lead singer Buddy Huffman), it seemed that the band was destined for bigger and better things.  Alas, those bigger and better things never came.  In fact, when the band broke up last year, there was no announcement;  Macon Greyson quietly faded away.  It was a shame to see such a talented band disappear.


Still, if you get an opportunity, I'd recommend you pick up one of their CD's, with Translate and 20th Century Accidents being my two favorites.  The latter album features the song below, #27 in the countdown.

GOBL's Top 50: #28 "Love That Leaves", Somebody's Darling

I saw Somebody's Darling perform for the first time back in November 2007 at The Cavern.  I raved about their performance, saying about lead singer Amber Farris that "if [her] vocals don't move you, check your pulse to see if you're still alive."  Ms. Farris and her Janis Joplin meets country style have always been part of the band's signature style.

Yet my favorite track of theirs is "Love That Leaves", a song that somewhat breaks the typical mold of the Somebody's Darling song.  Although Amber's vocals are as passionate as ever, the song leans more towards  a straight ahead rock approach than their other songs.  And in the vocals, there are times where Ms. Farris's vocal mannerisms remind me of a 10,000 Maniacs period Natalie Merchant.  Their former bass player, the late Adam Carter, had many a discussion on this track.  He cited this as his favorite song of the band's, and I have to full heartedly agree.

The track is available on the Ultraviolet compilation CD released in 2008.  All proceeds from the purchase of the CD go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  If you don't already own the CD, I'd encourage you to click here and purchase it.  But before you buy, go ahead and give Somebody's Darling's contribution to the disc a listen.