Weekend Plans: 12/17/10

'Twas the weekend before Christmas, but plenty of musician creatures will be stirring around town. Here are some of my top picks of the weekend. And please, if I've forgotten a good show, post it on the comments section.

FRIDAY:
The O’s/The King Bucks/Rodney Parker & The 50 Peso Reward (Sons of Hermann Hall)
This will probably be a very calm and uneventful show, as neither The O's or The King Bucks are much into partying. Wow, I can't even type that with a straight face. I mean, let's face it, when you look up the word "party", there's a picture featuring John Pedigo and Taylor Young right next to it. The King Bucks certainly are no strangers to partying either. And if you're looking for a country soundtrack to accompany your party, then this is the place to be. Plus, I'm sure The O's will be performing plenty of material from the upcoming CD, Between the Two.
Backside Pick/The Black & Blue/Informant (Hailey’s)
Those who came to last week's showcase were lucky enough to discover The Black & Blue, and based on the reaction of those in attendance, those who saw the band loved the band. I have previously described the band as a unique blend of soul, funk, blues, and rock. In this last showcase, the band also incorporated what I'd call a somewhat psychedelic influence, or at minimum a more progressive, experimental element to the songs. This only increases the level of complexity of trying to explain the band's sound. It also increases the hypnotic charm of the band.
Doug Burr/Shiny Around the Edges/Glen Farris (Lola’s)
I've previously seen Fate Lions listed on this bill, though it appears they are no longer part of the lineup. Still, Doug Burr alone is reason enough to go to Lola's, and Shiny Around the Edges make a nice substitute. Also, is it just me or is this the first SATE show in quite awhile?
Jayson Bales/Elkhart (Poor David’s Pub)
Word is that there will be guest appearance from nationally known singer-songwriters David Wilson and Kate Miner. Even if this is not the case, these two acts are more than worth the price of admission. Jayson Bales manages to write catchy gritty tunes with a somewhat Springsteenesque flair, and Elkhart have managed to create the most gorgeous alt-country soundscapes this city has seen since Pleasant Grove (the band, not the suburb).
Emmeline (Buon Giorno Coffee – Fort Worth)
I only thought there was the one Buon Giorno in Grapevine. Goes to show what I know. This particular location will host the official Fort Worth CD release show for Emmeline. I think it's been awhile since she's done a Fort Worth show, and I believe at one of her last FW shows, one of the bands had a truly unique set of videos in the background of the performance. I doubt she'll incorporate any of those videos in her act, but you should at least ask her about this story if you go tonight.


SATURDAY:
RTB2/Air Review/Old Snack (Double-Wide)
There was a time when it seemed there was an RTB2 show around every corner. It seems that the duo have been doing fewer shows lately. Air Review, on the other hand, has always spread out their shows fairly sparsely. You can catch both of these acts at this event benefiting The Gladley Center for Adoption. Good music and a good cause. Gotta love it.
Rahim Quazi (Obzeet)
Finally, a good show in the North Dallas area. That doesn't happen nearly often enough. He'll probably do a few new tunes from his upcoming CD Born on a Sunday as well as his Christmas song. Come to think of it, you can download a demo track from the upcoming CD as well as "Merry Christmas Now" right here on Ghost of Blind Lemon. Trust me, you'll want those mp3s in your collection.
41 Gorgeous Blocks/The Light Fantastic/Here Holy Spain/Soviet (Prophet Bar)
I thought that 41 Gorgeous Blocks had broken up years ago; it turns out they're still together and even releasing new music. You can catch the band at Prophet Bar and pick up a CD while you're at it. I'd also recommend getting there early enough for the aggressive yet catchy Here Holy Spain.
Ryan Adams Tribute Night (Opening Bell Coffee)
I have to confess that I've had a hard time getting into Mr. Adams. A large part of that is that I'm still holding a grudge against him for when he referred to the Old 97's as "wannabes with fake Texan accents". Admittedly this was way back in his Whiskeytown days, but I have a very long memory. Still, I know more than a few musicians who think highly of him, including GOBL favorite Nicholas Altobelli, who will be one of the individuals performing his songs at OBC. I'll still recommend this event, but I think that to balance things out, there needs to be a Rhett Miller/Old 97's tribute night. Who's in?

The Lucky Thirteen: 3/28/10 - 4/3/10

Here's my standard disclaimer which I've forgotten the past two weeks (fortunately no lawsuits have come my way): any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email addy to email me mp3's, and if I like the song then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

So I have one question for you, my readers? Are you ready to rock? I can't hear you, I said, are you ready to RAWK?!?!?

Sorry to disappoint you then, because I've decided to go a more mellow route with this week's playlist. The rock will resume next week, but for now enjoy this more subdued yet lovely playlist.

1. "D Street", Luna Matto
   Here's another of the tracks that I received from Luna Matto, and I've always enjoyed the sparse arrangement of this song. I'm sure she'll be performing it Saturday night at City Tavern, along with Darktown Strutters and Binary Sunrise.


2. "The Sticking Place", Most
   Art festival season is upon us, and this weekend will be the Deep Ellum Arts Festival, and there are several bands worth checking out. While I still haven't seen Most's live set, I'm convinced that their set (Saturday, 5:00 pm at the Main Stage) will be quite captivating.


3. "Three", The Timeline Post
   I suppose it's kinda cheesy to place this song as number three on the list. What can I say? I'm not feeling all that original today. Sue me.
   
4. "...And Again", Hendrick
   Hendrick was originally scheduled to perform at the Arts Festival, but they're no longer on the lineup. That leaves only one show on their agenda this week, and that would be the Thursday night show at Trees. You know the show I'm talking about. This is the show that determines which band opens Edgefest. There is no online voting for the last round, so the only way to make certain your favorite band makes it to Edgefest is to attend Thursday night. I don't know the order of the lineup, but Bridges & Blinking Lights, Ishi, Andrew Tinker, and Criminal Shift round out the top five.


5. "The Moon", Elkhart
   How could I do a mellow playlist without adding an Elkhart song? Their CD, The Moon, is nothing less than a classic in terms of dreamy ethereal alt-country pop. It's also a rare CD that never compels me to press the skip button, and that's a true rarity in this day and age.


6. "Somebody Else", Smile Smile
   Here's yet another good track from Truth on Tape. They'll be performing Wednesday at City Tavern as part of the Home Sessions series. If you're not familiar with the Home Sessions series, the way it works is that artists perform stripped down, and then many of the tracks will later be available to stream or even download for free. Pretty cool, isn't it?


7. "The Regulator", Nicholas Altobelli
   Mr. Altobelli will be performing next Sunday at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival, and I'm sure he'll be playing several songs from his next album, which shares its name with the posted song.


8. "Red in the Morning", Menkena
   Yo Jimmy, when we gonna meet up so you can give me the new CD? Okay, so my Brooklyn accent doesn't even come close to that of Mr. Menkena. Still, Jimmy's promised me a mastered copy of the new CD, and I'm seriously ready to listen to it.


9. "Acts of Man", Midlake
   This is an obvious choice for this mellow thirteen.


10. "Fly", GaydenLee
    I received the duo's CD, Songs for Thursday, this past week and I must say that there is a definite charm to the six songs. There's something in the songs that reminds me of the Once soundtrack, not so much because of their writing style but in spirit. When I first saw that film, I was struck by the simple sincerity of the performances and the obvious love the two felt for the music. I sense a certain amount of that admittedly intangible quality with GaydenLee. If this has you curious, check them out next Sunday at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. They play at 3:00 at the ArtLoveMagic Artist Alley.


11. "Rivers into Rum", Carter Albrecht
    I think this is the first time I've posted a track from Mr. Albrecht's solo album on a playlist. Admittedly, I couldn't do that with the MySpace playlists, but I should have addressed this problem much sooner. Still, better late than never, and this song fits in to the playlist perfectly.


12. "Together", The O's
    I'm sure than John Pedigo and Taylor Young are just having a blast over in Europe, but I'll be glad when they return and do some shows closer to Paris, Texas than Paris, France.


13. "After All Is Done", Iris Leu
    This is one of my favorites from Hushaboo that I've only seen Ms. Leu perform one time, and that was at the CD release show. I doubt she'll change that trend this Saturday when she performs at the Kessler Theater. For the record, if you haven't been there yet, change that... like, now.

The Lucky Thirteen: 2/22/10 - 2/27/10

Sure, it's a day late, but better late than never, right? I'm short on time, so forgive the briefer comments that usual.

Standard disclaimer: any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email addy to email me mp3's, and if I like the song then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "Caldera", The Timeline Post
   I'm working on a review for the band's new album, Slow Descent. No, I don't do a lot of album reviews, so when I do, that usually means something really significant. In the meantime, I leave you with this track from the album, which I think is the perfect introduction to the band. The song is almost split into two different parts: the harder rocking half, and the darker, more melancholy half. Both halves are amazing.


2. "Need a Release", the cut*off
   Work has been busy lately to say the least, and I have been stressed out. Simply put, I have lately related to the idea of needing a release. Rarely do I select songs for playlists based on my personal life, but I decided to make an exception. Besides, it's a darn good song.


3. "Young & Reckless", The Roomsounds
   The band will be opening for RTB2 this Saturday at Barley House. This is a band that I've wanted to see live for quite some time. This song has captivated me for quite awhile, and I'm hoping the live show cashes in on the potential shown in these two minutes of pop bliss.


4. "Great American Trainwreck", Eleven Hundred Springs
   "Great American True Country Music" could just as easily be the name. It'd be truth in advertising.


5. "I Can't Make You Happy", Ronnie Fauss
   Mr. Fauss has managed to get himself on a quite impressive bill this Thursday night. He'll be performing with Brent Best & Danny Balis at Allgood Cafe.


6. "This Is Me", The Rocket Summer
   Bryce Avery has a new CD coming out, and the CD release show happens Friday at Granada. I may get flack for this, but I don't care. His early material, particularly his Calendar Days CD, is just really great pop music, and I don't care what the indie hipster kids say.


7. "Sins of the Father", Course of Empire
   Fell in love with the song at first listen back in my junior year in high school. Still love the song.


8. "Romance Tried to Kill Me", Cocky Americans
   Great song title.


9. "All Yesterday's Parties", Nervous Curtains
   I don't know whether or not this track is on the band's upcoming debut album. I do know that the LP release show will take place at Good Records Thursday. What, no CD?


10. "Little Bear", Elkhart
    The band will play Friday at Bryan Street Tavern, and the band will undoubtedly sound beautiful, as usual.


11. "Infatuations Never Last", The Slack
    Mark from the EDGE, I'm jealous. You get to host these great shows at Trees, and this Thursday's show may be the best lineup to date. Andrew Tinker, Johnny Lloyd Rollins, Fate Lions, and The Slack on one bill, plus no cover. Why don't I get to host a lineup that cool? It's just not fair.


12. "Sweetness", Toadies
    I'm not going to lie. There are lots of Toadies songs in the Hypster catalog, and that saved me the time of uploading my own music. Hey, cut me some slack. At least I didn't choose Vanilla Ice.


13. "At the Switches", Air Review
    This track from Landmarks grows on me with each listen. For that matter, so does the entire album.

The Lucky Thirteen: 1/31/10 - 2/6/10

Standard playlist disclaimer: any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email addy to email me mp3's, and if I like the song then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

Now, on with the playlist:

1. "When Hammer Hits Stone", RTB2
   This Friday, RTB2 will join Cocky Americans and Orange Peel Sunshine onstage at Hailey's. Dallas people, fear not: the same lineup shall be repeated Saturday at Double-Wide. I also believe that both shows are CD


2. "The Longest Winter's Gone", The Crash That Took Me
   Speaking of CD releases and Double-Wide, The Crash That Took Me will be the opening act at the Hello Lover CD release party. If you've never seen the band perform their "sex rock" music (their words, not mine), Friday would be a great opportunity to do so. I would've added their song "Same Old, Same Old", but alas, I don't have the CD (or an mp3 of the song). That needs to change. Soon.


3. "I Howl at tha Moon", Morning Elephant
   Morning Elephant performs an all too rare show this Saturday at Barley House, along with Camille Cortinas performing a set of her own songs. If we're lucky, she may even join ME for a few songs.


4. "The Message", Dem Southernfolkz
   There's a push right now to get the video for this song on one of the MTV stations; I can't recall if it's MTVu or the MTV Hip-Hop station. Whichever station it is, it would be nice to have Dallas represented by such an intelligent hip-hop band as Dem Southernfolkz, a band that avoids the stereotypical rap subjects (thug life, bling, pot, etc.) in favor of thought provoking social commentary. There is a need for more hip-hop bands in this vain. Click here to watch the video.


5. "Libertine", The Buck Pets
   I was on last.fm for the first time in eons, and found that all the track from the band's 1990 album Mercurotones were available for free download. I'm ashamed to say this, but I had not heard the band until then, but I like what I hear, particularly this track. One question: why was this song not in heavy rotation on KDGE at the time?


6. "Houston", Elkhart
   For people who want a night of beautiful dreamy music, head to City Tavern this Saturday to catch Elkhart, Little Black Dress, and Menkena all in one evening. But please, if you attend, do NOT chatter over the music. These are bands that deserve the undivided attention of the audience, and for those willing to listen, your ears will be richly reward. I know I'm standing on my soapbox, but there is a strong tendency in Dallas to talk during a musician's performance, and it's the quieter bands that pay the heaviest price for the inconsideration of the talkers in the audience. These are three incredible bands that deserve respect, so please, use your ears more than your lips during their sets. That is all.


7. "Have You Ever Been Down?", THe BAcksliders


8. "Back Is Broken", Oso Closo


9. "Write for You", Goodwin
   This is the strongest linest I've seen for a show in Funkytown in a long, long time. I've raved and raved about THe BAcksliders, and I'm becoming a bigger fan of Oso Closo with each passing day. Throw in the fun straight rock of Goodwin, and you've got a winning show.


10. "Another Day in the Life", Tim Miller
    Mr. Miller recently released an EP with acoustic version of several tunes. This was not one of the songs that received the acoustic treatment, and while it would seem like a less likely choice to perform acoustic, I've heard this song stripped down and it works even better than the original heard here.


11. "Sleepwalking", Luna Matto
    Until the band releases their first 7" single, you'll have to settle for the songs on their MySpace playlist and this nice track that Ms. Matto was kind enough to share with me.


12. "The Fine Art of Bleeding", The Slack
    For what reason did I include this song? Isn't the fact that it's The Slack reason enough?


13. "Along the Seawall", Jayson Bales
    Thanks to Mr. Bales for sending me this unique version of the song. In the email he sent along with the mp3, he told me about this particular recording. Here's what he said: "This recording of the song is a live acoustic version I did in a songswap with Carter several years ago. I performed this song with the wrong string hurriedly strung on my guitar. After breaking a string, I accidentally strung another D string and stretched to a G and so essentially the guitar sounds kind of cool/weird because it has two D strings and no G string on it." Here's what I have to say. Add Mr. Bales' Springsteenesque voice to the bare bone acoustic melody, and it adds up to an emotionally intense and honest performance. This is, in a word, amazing.