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

The Lucky Thirteen: 10/31/11

Ever since I started doing my radio show, I've really backed off of the Lucky Thirteen playlists. And while the radio show meets the vast majority of my needs for sharing music, there are rare exceptions where a playlist works better. This is one of those exceptions.

As you may know, I've made a Halloween tradition out of doing a playlist consisting exclusively of cover tunes. Cover songs may not seem obviously connected to Halloween, and yet there is a connection. The cover song allows the musician to do a sonic dress up of sorts, putting on their favorite song by another artist. So for those who love a good cover as much as I do, then this playlist will be right up your alley.

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 address to email me your mp3's. If I like the song, then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "Hello Susie", THe BAcksliders
   When I first received this single from THe BAcksliders, I just assumed it was a new tune of theirs. When I looked at the songwriting credits, I came to realize the track was not theirs originally. Instead, a British bands from the 1960's called The Move were the original performers. So, now you know. And no, I wasn't going for a BAcksliders reference with that, but I'll keep it anyways.


2. "Shut It Down", Sarah Jaffe
   Much like how people often dress up as Halloween characters that are unlike his or her normal personality, covers can often showcase aspects of an artist's taste that would seem unlikely. This cover of Ms. Jaffe's of the Drake song would definitely qualify as unlikely. The amazing thing is how her haunting voice so brilliantly transforms the song into sultry, moody, and gorgeous. I shouldn't be surprised though. This is, after all, Sarah Jaffe.


3. "To Love Somebody", Slobberbone
   Slobberbone does a fine job of capturing the heartache of this Bee Gees classic.


4. "Dangerous", Nicholas Altobelli
   Mr. Altobelli is full of surprises. Those who know him would likely expect a cover of a Ryan Adams song, or maybe something of Sam Cooke (he has a real weakness for classic soul music). But Nicholas singing Roxette? Roxette??? Still, it's a quite interesting listen.


5. "All The Pretty Girls", Lovie
   I think this song has made it on each covers edition of my playlist that I've done. Just thought I'd share that.


6. "Driver 8", Old 97's
   Out of all the covers in the list, this one seems to sound the closest to the original. The biggest difference? Rhett Miller's voice is much less nasal than that of Michael Stipe.


7. "Folsom Prison Blues", Frankie 45 & Ben Martin
   Frankie, you're still missed.


8. "Don't Worry Baby", Little Black Dress
   LBD's cover of The Beach Boys is a perfect blend of staying true to the original while adding enough new sonic elements to keep this cover sounding fresh. The band's shoegaze style is a perfect fit for the song.


9. "Beauty School Dropout", Toadies
   Sometime back in the 1990's, someone got the idea to release Sandy Does Dallas. The concept was to have local artists cover the soundtrack to Grease. It's sad that while in many ways it has become easier for bands to record, nobody is pushing the idea of cool compilations and tribute CDs like this anymore. Heck, I'm still waiting for that Toadies tribute CD that Kirtland talked about years ago.


10. "Revolution", Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
    This is a live recording from New Year's Eve 2009 at Granada Theater. Technically, this song was really recorded on New Year's Day. I was there for the show, and all I can say is it was the perfect choice for ringing in the new year.


11. "Never Let Me Down Again", Kristy Kruger
    Before I met or listened to Kristy Kruger, my strongest memory of her was that she won a Depeche Mode box set from the Dallas Observer. Having been such a big fan of the band back in my high school days, I envied her for winning it. So it's only fitting that I put her Depeche Mode cover on the playlist.


12. "You May Be Right", Holy Moly
    The band's new CD, Grasshopper Cowpunk, is easily the best effort ever put out by the band. But for today, I go back to Drinkin' Druggin' and Lovin' (the CD, that is) for this fun Billy Joel cover.


13. "Lithium", The Polyphonic Spree
    When Kurt Cobain sang the song, he sounded like a man in desperate need of Lithium. In the Polyphonic Spree cover, the band sounds as if they have overdosed on it.

The Lucky Thirteen: 12/6/10

As you might have noticed, I'm just a little bit excited about my showcase this Friday at Green Elephant. For those who somehow missed my post and tweets, here's the deal: THe BAcksliders, Pale Horse, and The Black & Blues are performing a showcase of mine this Friday at The Green Elephant. And not to brag or anything, but this is going to be seriously amazing. I am super proud of this lineup, and I hope you will come and check it out.

But back to the playlist. This week, I'm spotlighting not only the artists playing my showcase this Friday, but an assortment of acts that I have had the privilege of performing at my showcases.

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 address to email me your mp3's. If I like the song, then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "Regular Nights", THe BAcksliders
   This is the second showcase of mine featuring THe BAcksliders. They also performed for the GOBL one year anniversary show at Club Dada in 2008.


2. "You're No Good", Pale Horse
   Pale Horse has also had experience with GOBL showcases, having performed this past May at my Cavern showcase.


3. "Thinkuboutmi", Keite Young
   Unfortunately, I do not have any Black & Blues songs to share with you. I'll do the next best thing, and feature a solo track from B&B lead singer Keite Young. This guy has a serious set of pipes on him, and you need to get there good and early so that you don't miss this band.


4. "What I Always Wanted", Chris Holt
   I love it when I get to be the first to debut a song. Erv from Idol Records shared this new Christmas track from Mr. Holt, and I'm stoked to let my readers hear it now! And just so you know, Chris performed at the first GOBL showcase, which was held December 29, 2007 at Opening Bell Coffee.


5. "Borrowed Time", The Monco Poncho
   The Monco Poncho headlined my first showcase at Lakewood Bar & Grill...


6. "The Queen Himself", Fate Lions
   And Fate Lions headlined my last showcase at that venue.


7. "Rocketships", Menkena
   Menkena helped me ring in the second year anniversary of the blog with a show at City Tavern.


8. "Romance Tried to Kill Me", Cocky Americans
   Cocky Americans were on the same Cavern bill with Pale Horse. Roomsounds played that night as well.


9. "Your Virgo", Lovie
   Lovie has played two showcases of mine. The first was an Opening Bell Coffee showcase, mere days after the band won Quick magazine's 2008 Battle of the Bands. The second time, they played at Lakewood Bar & Grill along with The Felons and The Burgundys.


10. "We've Had Everything", The O's
    The O's also performed at my two year anniversary show at City Tavern. And no, you didn't miss out on the 3 year anniversary show. I didn't organize one. I guess I'll have to make #4 even bigger to make up for it.


11. "Buyer's Remorse", Les Americains
    Here's yet another in the long list of acts that played my Lakewood Bar & Grill showcases.


12. "Slideshows", Rose County Fair
    John Pedigo has done plenty of my showcases, both as half of The O's as well as this band of his. RCF played both of my showcases at Dada, both my one year anniversary show as well as my January 2009 showcase that also featured The O's, Erik Neff, and Nicholas Altobelli.


13. "She Falls", Rahim Quazi
    I believe Mr. Quazi holds the record for most GOBL showcases. He was played solo at my first showcase, then Rahim & The Supernaturals performed the Dada 1 year anniversary show, and he also played one of my Lakewood Bar & Grill shows. And I have a VERY strong feeling that he'll be adding a fourth show to his musical resume. Curious? Good.

Lucky Thirteen: 10/26/10 (Covers Edition)

With Halloween coming up next Sunday, I wanted to do something to celebrate the day without doing the ever cliched ghosts/goblins/monsters type playlist. So instead, I'm doing what I did last year: an all covers playlist. That may not seem so Halloweenish at first, but stop and think for a second. What do most people do to celebrate this holiday? They dress up in costume, trying on a different character. In a sense, the cover song is the musical equivalent of that.

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.

1. "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", Clay Pendergrass
   I received this tune from Mr. Pendergrass at the same time as "Unicorn $", but I've been saving his reworking of the Paul Simon classic for this week.


2. "Stoned", Funland
   This is from the infamous split single released on Idol Records where Funland covers Old 97's, and Rhett and the gang return the favor.


3. "All The Pretty Girls", Lovie
   I'm not sure how well known this Judys song is known outside of Texas, but it's certainly a classic here. Lovie does quite a nice job with the song as well.


4. "Love Untold", Jayson Bales
   Thanks to Mr. Bales for sending me his cover of this Paul Westerberg song. I've been enjoying his cover at live shows, and am glad to have this to listen to whenever I feel like.


5. "Jump Into The Fire", Tripping Daisy
   Tim DeLaughter and the band remade this Harry Nilsson tune for the soundtrack to the 90's teen horror film The Craft.


6. "Love My Way", The Polyphonic Spree
   Here's another cover from Tim DeLaughter, this time reworking this 80's classic from The Psychedelic Furs. So I did two covers by DeLaughter. It beats covering "Something in the Air" three times in one night. Oh wait, Tim already did that. Open mouth, insert foot.


7. "Wicked Game", Sara Donaldson
   Sara, where have you been? Your gorgeous voice and haunting work on the cello are sorely missed around town. Whether it be covering this Chris Isaak song or playing your own music (I honestly prefer the latter), Dallas needs you.


8. "Damnit", Smile Smile
   Blink-182 has never sounded as good as when done by Smile Smile.


9. "You May Be Right", Holy Moly
   I like their cover of Billy Joel here, but I'd love to hear the band cover some Violent Femmes. The only potential problem is that with lead singer Jim Rose's voice, it might be hard to distinguish their cover from the original.


10. "Hot 'N Cold", Phoenix Hart
    I'm not the biggest Katy Perry fan (and that's putting it mildly), but Ms. Hart does a nice job with this cover. Her own material is even better than this. If you want to hear her and get new music from her, head to House of Blues Thursday night for her CD release with The Roomsounds. Don't hold me to this, but I believe that you get the CD with the price of the ticket.


11. "Keep-A-Knockin'", THe BAcksliders
    There's a good chance you'll hear their cover of this Little Richard tune this Saturday, when they perform at Kessler Theater with Floramay Holiday and Trinity River Folk.


12. "Summer Of '69", Bowling For Soup
    Oh yes I did.


13. "99 Luftballoons", Crushed Stars
    Who knew this 80's hit from Nena could sound so dreamy? As far as I'm concerned, this easily trumps the original.

The Lucky Thirteen: 8/9/10

No promises here, but I'm going to try to get back to writing more. That, and of course, I'll be posting my playlists. I don't have time for commentary now; that will come later tonight. For now, I leave you with a new edition of The Lucky Thirteen. I'm moving the playlists to Monday. I encourage anyone who likes the playlist to retweet it as part of "Music Mondays", as tweeters like to call it. And if you're not following me on Twitter, do so!

(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. "German Chocolate Cake", Bravo, Max!
   This band came highly recommended to me by John Keener from Lakewood Bar & Grill. He compared their sound to The Waterboys, and while the comparison doesn't totally fit, it fits better than any that I can come up with. It's certainly a very enjoyable pop song, and I'm curious to see what else this band is capable of.


2. "Regular Nights", THe BAcksliders
   Do you know how I knew this song was going to be good before I even heard it? I knew because it was by THe BAcksliders. Duh. I have yet to be let down by the band, and this new song shows that they've still got the goods. They'll prove it this Friday night in Sachse... that's right, Sachse. The band will play at Monkey's Pub N Grub off Highway 78. Sachse, you don't know what you're in for.


3. "If My Heart Was A Car", Old 97's
   As you might have noticed, I've switched from Hypster to Grooveshark for my playlists. Grooveshark doesn't have a lot of local music on there, but it has a surprisingly respectable selection of songs from Slobberbone and Old 97's, even going all the way back to this, my favorite track from Hitchhike to Rhome.


4. "The Message", Dem Southernfolkz
   I had good intentions in regards to blogging about the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase. I think there's some cliche about a road paved with good intentions. Anyways, back to the DOMA showcase. Of all the performances I saw that night, none could compare to Dem Southernfolkz. Their fusion of southern soul and thought provoking hip-hop was the highlight of my evening. At the very least, DSFZ has become my new favorite rap group. Judging by the band's victory at the Dallas Observer Music Awards, I'm not the only fan.


5. "The Queen Himself", Fate Lions
   Ever since KXT put Fate Lions into regular rotation, it seems their presence in the metroplex is looming larger. That's fine by me, as this band produces some really catchy tunes such as this one. They'll be at The Prophet Bar this Saturday as part of Deep Ellum's Second Saturday, where $10 cover gets you into several clubs.


6. "It's Over Now", Lovie
   One Deep Ellum club that's not participating in the aforementioned Second Saturday is Liquid Lounge. Instead, they'll be hosting an Acoustic Chaos Reunion show, which will include Moonshot Radio (featuring members of The Burgundys) and Lovie. The show is a benefit for Ultraviolet/Cystic Fibrosis.


7. "Farewell", Shaolin Death Squad
   Finally, a metal band I can sink my teeth into. Granted, this is not exactly a serious metal band. Perhaps it's their over the top sense of humor, wardrobe, and stage antics that won me over. This is one of those rare bands like Polyphonic Spree and Spoonfed Tribe where I would say everyone needs to attend a show regardless of what preconceived notions you might have regarding the music.


8. "Virtue and Vice", The Virgin Wolves
   Thanks again to all who sent their mp3s for my last playlist. I discovered many good new artists as a result. Of all the songs on that playlist, however, this particular track stood out as my favorite. The opening riff is quite killer, and this song is vying for the title of "Best Hard Rock Anthem of the Year". I challenge anyone to put out a more rocking song in the remaining months of 2010.


9. "Rocket Seance", Record Hop
   Speaking of bands that rock hard, Record Hop will be at Kessler Theater this Saturday.


10. "Swelling", Sarah Jaffe
    During the first year of my blog, this was possibly my favorite song. Finally, almost three years later, "Swelling" was properly released on Suburban Nature. It's about time.


11. "Burning Pictures", The Monco Poncho
    It's long overdue, but this week I am PROMISING my readers a review of the band's CD, Miserable Man. After you read the review, check out the band Friday Night at City Tavern. We'll compare notes later.


12. "New Dress Were Her", The Orbans


13. "Farewell Republica", Airline
    This weekend it's Farewell Airline. The band plays its final show Saturday at Double-Wide, with The Orbans opening. Speaking of The Orbans, a glitch prevented me from posting "New Dress", so you'll have to settle for "Were Her". And by settle, I mean really, really, enjoy.

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

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.


Get Your Own Free Hypster.com Playlist.

1. "Undercover", Bridges & Blinking Lights
   The band is keeping busy this week, playing first Friday night at the Kessler Theater (a venue so great I felt the need to add a direct link) with Nervous Curtains and Happy Bullets. The following night, they join Cocky Americans and Manned Missiles for a show at City Tavern.


2. "I Love You", Spector 45
   I would have liked to place this song in last week's playlist in order to promote the band's set at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival Saturday night. Unfortunately, this song somehow didn't fit in among the other tracks in the previous mellow themed playlist. Spector 45, not mellow? What a shocker. Although I heard several people complain about the sound quality at the Festival, I thought it was one of the best sets I've heard from the band as of yet.


3. "Libertine", The Buck Pets
   The band reunites at Trees this Saturday night, with The Boom Boom Box and Dead Beat Poetry opening.


4. "Your Virgo", Lovie
   I hope you've taken advantage of the free download of this tasty pop nugget from Lovie. Good stuff!


5. "The Impossibility of Life in the Mind of the Dying", Les Americains
   Several months ago, Robert Efurd from Les Americains sent me this track that has yet to be released on CD. Since the band plays Friday night at Prophet Bar with Austin band The Criminal Kind for their CD release show, now seemed a good time to share the track with my readers. Oh, The Roomsounds is also on the bill, and they're most definitely worth checking out.


6. "Party Like You Mean It", Damaged Good$
   What can I say, this song just seems to keep worming its way into the Lucky Thirteen. It's just cool like that.


7. "Paper Bag", Katie Carroll
   The first time I heard this track on The Local Edge, it instantly grabbed my attention. I even tweeted host Mark to find out the name of the artist. When I found that the Dallas Observer made this a free downloadable track (click here for the article and mp3), I downloaded it, listened to the song, then listened again, and again, and... well, you get the idea. I anxiously await both live shows and CDs from Ms. Carroll.


8. "Austin's Birthday", The Burning Hotels
   
9. "Chasing Corporate", Air Review
   Both bands play Trees Friday night for a stellar night of music that also features Radiant and They Were Stars. By the way, is it Radiant or Radiant*? I can never remember.


10. "Maybellene Don't", THe BAcksliders
    The Bonners (plus Taylor Young on drums) don't play these parts near as frequently as I'd like, but this Friday the band headlines a nifty little show at City Tavern. Cricket Taylor and the Electromagentics and The Action Is open for the band.
    
11. "Barrier Reef", Old 97's
    
12. "Honky Tonk Angels (Don't Happen Overnight)", Eleven Hundred Springs
    
13. "Bleeder", True Widow
    Oh yes, music festival season is still going strong, with this weekend's big event being the MusInk Festival going on at Fair Park, starting Friday night and ending Sunday night. Go to the website for all the details on bands and world class tattoo artists, but I'll tell you know that the biggest local guns per night are Old 97's for Friday night, Eleven Hundred Springs for Saturday night, and True Widow for Sunday night.

Ten to Watch in '10

I almost gave up on publishing this list, given that the first quarter of 2010 is almost over. Some might even say that it's too late to publish such a list. Still, I feel that these ten artists are deserving of the attention and should not be denied the exposure because of my severe tardiness. Better late than never, right? As for these artists, some are well established within the local music community, while some are relative unknowns. Every single one of them is worth your time and attention.

Air Review
In 2009, bands like Hendrick, The Farstar, and Dovetail reminded local music fans that it is possible to blend together the best parts of indie rock and commercial alternative music. Air Review has followed that model and then taken it to another level with a sound that combines all the best qualities of British bands like Muse and Radiohead without ever coming off as imitators. Their song, "Chasing Corporate" is not only an incredibly catchy tune, but it is a surprisingly intelligent song about trying to catch a break in the music business. And while the band repeats the line "This could be our only chance" throughout the song, their album Landmarks is filled with many other great songs ("Exodus", "All Because You're Mine", and "Cartography" for starters) that will give the band multiple chances to win over fans.
Emmeline
When 2009 began, I had no idea who Iris Leu was. All it took was one listen, however, and I was instantly hooked by her gorgeously memorable voice and great songs. By the end of the year, her talent earned her a substantial following. Throughout the year, she joined both Morning Elephant and Chameleon Chamber Group, and she even won Best New Artist at the Quick Awards Show. I think Emmeline, another talented young singer songwriter with tremendous skill on the piano, has the potential to pull a similar feat this year.
Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights
Sure, JT&NL have pretty much conquered the metroplex area, bringing droves of adoring fans to each and every show. There is no doubt that they are stars in our metroplex. So why are they spotlighted in this list? Now that their major label debut, Pardon Me, will be released this April, the band has the potential to duplicate that success on a national level. Now is the part where I get on my soapbox. It has been too long since our city has had the chance of such a major success story as JT&NL. So please, if you're a fan of their 60's influenced southern soul (as you should be), do your part. Buy the album. Go to shows. Call your radio stations. Go to more shows. Tell your friends. Maybe then you can say, "yeah, I knew them way back when".
Lovie
My love of Lovie isn't exactly new. Their debut album Harshmellow was a very enjoyable collection of catchy tunes sure to put a smile on even the biggest grouch's face. So why are GOBL faves Lovie on this list? Well, if the track "Your Virgo" (from their upcoming EP Because of My Mattress) is any indication, the band is taking things to another level. Don't get me wrong, the songs still have that pop sensibility to them. The difference now is that their sound is slightly more aggressive and a lot more energetic, sort of like a local version of Sleater-Kinney. Perhaps this is due to newer additions Leanna Bates on drums and Kristen DeRocha on bass. Either way, Lovie, this new sound looks good on you. Yes, I know I'm mixing metaphors.
Luna Matto
Polyphonic Spree side projects are nothing new. St. Vincent, Andrew Tinker, the list could go on and on. So Luna Matto is just another name to add to the list, right? Wrong! From the first time I saw this band play live at Lakewood Bar and Grill, I knew instantly that this is a band that needed to be heard by the masses. Ms. Matto's voice is distinctive and quite lovely, and I have yet to hear a song by her that hasn't amazed me. Her style is in a definite Cat Power/Sia type of vein, and she's every bit as good as those artists, if not better. By this time next year, she should be selling out the Granada Theater and other venues of that size not only in Dallas but across this nation. I once said on the blog that if Luna Matto doesn't "explode" this year, that I "just might lose my faith in the Dallas music fan." I still stand behind that statement. There are few artists I'd go that far out on a limb with, and Luna Matto is one of them.
Menkena
So much has been done with music that it seems difficult to do something truly unique. Yet I feel that Jimmy Menkena has managed to do that with his blend of acoustic and shoegaze sounds. He and his band has blended together the beautiful sonic stylings of shoegaze with the captivating lyrics of what is normally only found in the singer-songwriter world. Yes, their music is quiet by nature, and if you're looking for the soundtrack to a party, then Menkena will not work. If, however, you want to dive into a gorgeous sonic landscape and get lost in a masterfully told story, then you will not find a better act in Dallas than Menkena. Oh,I almost forgot, they'll be releasing their first full length CD soon. I predict it'll be one of my most listened to CD's of the year.
The Monco Poncho
First of all, let me say I'm thrilled that the band has found such an enthusiastic fan base for their live shows. If you have not seen them live yet, it is a fun experiences filled with western dress and lots of cap guns. Still, I sometimes worry that it distracts from the fine songs written by lead singer Nick Durham and the rest of the gang. When they release their debut CD next month, be sure to pick it up and listen carefully. The shows may be fun, but the songs can definitely stand alone on their merit.
Ryan Thomas Becker
I'm not going to specify whether to watch his solo career, RTB2, Slow Burners, Eaton Lake Tonics, or whatever other project he may be a part of this week. Here's what you need to know: if it involves Mr. Becker, it's a big deal. That's all you need to know.
Sarah Jaffe
When I compiled the list, I knew that Ms. Jaffe was going to release her first full length, Suburban Nature, on Kirtland Records. I even knew she was opening for Midlake on their European tour, no doubt a nice opportunity for some exposure. Never would I have predicted that she'd be getting to open for Norah Jones. That's right, she's the main support for Ms. Jones on several dates, including her Dallas performance May 4th at the Fair Park Music Hall. And yes, her voice is still powerful enough to send chills down your back. Some things never change.
Tonite Tonite, but After Tonite You're on Your Own
It's been a long road for the band, almost breaking up several times and coming close to releasing their album but never getting it out yet. I think 2010 will finally break the spell for this band, and their debut (produced by none other than Salim Nourallah) will finally see the light of day. Like Menkena, this is a quiet band, but one whose beautiful melodies are well worth the attention. And as for the band's name, yes, it's a little long. Some would say that a name so long will hurt the band, yet ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead managed to do just fine.