The Lucky Thirteen: 3/12/12

So I think I heard something about some sort of music festival down in Austin this week. I guess this SXSW thing is sort of a big deal, right? It seems like bands don't get "discovered" there as they used to in the earlier days of the festival. Still, it's the biggest music festival in the nation, and for those looking for talent, you can find it in both the official and unofficial shows.

What I have here is thirteen acts playing the festival, along with the venue (or in some cases, the venues) that each is playing. Some are official shows, some not. To find out more details, I might recommend checking out the SXSW page (for official acts) and Austin 360 for the unofficial acts. Some of these acts already have the buzz surrounding them; all of them deserve it.

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. "My Girlfriend Is a Rock", The Nervebreakers
   The true beauty is of SXSW is that it allows young and up and coming bands opportunities for exposure. Bands like, uh... The Nervebreakers? No, any band that can claim being an opening act for the Sex Pistols in their heyday can't be called up and coming. But the band will be releasing a new album (their first in about 30 years), and now another generation will get to sample this classic Dallas true punk band. Click here for a list of their shows, times, etc.


2. "Wildly Inappropriate", The Burning Hotels
   I checked out the band's website, and it looks like they'll be playing a total of five shows in the course of three days, starting on Tuesday and ending on Thursday. At SXSW, the word overexposure does not exist.


3. "Save Me", Siren Sea
   I've really taken a liking to the band's ethereal and haunting melodies, as well as Reema Hamdan's powerful voice. They'll perform Tuesday at 11:00 pm at The Dizzy Rooster, and Wednesday at 10:00 pm at The Blind Pig. On a separate note though, what's the deal with all the animal club names?


4. "We'll Go Walkin'", The O's
   Long before Mumford and Sons made the banjo cool, The O's were using the banjo and crafting their "party bluegrass anthems", as I like to call them. They have one official SXSW show (Wed, Mar 14 at 8:30 at St. David's Bethel Hall), and two unofficial shows. The first will be at Opal Devine's Thursday night at 7 pm, and the second takes place Friday at 12:30 PM at Maria's Taco Express.


5. "Wired to Make Waves", Nervous Curtains
   The band plays twice on Wednesday (once at The Highball, then at Bernadette's Bar), and then Friday at Sidebar.


6. "It's Not Enough", Salim Nourallah
   Mr. Nourallah has kept quite the quiet profile over the past year. With the release of his CD Hit Parade on the horizon, expect to see a lot more of Salim in the coming months. He'll perform an official show Friday at Cedar Street Courtyard. Interestingly enough, Salim will share a bill with both Rhett Miller and Thomas Dolby.


7. "Towering", Seryn
   Seryn has already made a substantial name for itself, both inside and outside of the metroplex area. While I doubt any major labels will be giving out million dollar deals this year, at the very least I feel safe saying there will be plenty of buzz around the band. Check their website for dates , times, and locations.


8. "Wait for Us", Mind Spiders
   Assuming you're not partied out by Saturday night at one in the morning, check out this band (also with its share of buzz) at Valhalla. And yes, this is an official show.


9. "Red in the Morning", Menkena
   A little earlier on Saturday (1:10 PM to be exact) Menkena plays the outdoor stage at Casa Chapala.


10. "Little Heart", Clint Niosi
    Mr. Niosi will be releasing new material this year. I have a feeling I'm gonna be talking about him a bit in the upcoming months. I don't feel like listing all the shows he's doing, so just click here if you want the details, okay?


11. "Fortune Teller", Jessie Frye
    Congratulations to Ms. Frye for getting mentioned in the New York Times as one of the local acts worth seeing. If you want to see why the New York Times is impressed, check her out Wednesday at 2 pm at Betsy's Bar. Or check her out Friday at 6 pm at the Omni Hotel Downtown. Or check her out Saturday at 6 pm at the Austin Hilton Hotel. Or check out her Saturday at midnight at tenOak. Or check out all those shows.


12. "Slick Shoes", The Virgin Wolves
    Like Siren Sea, Virgin Wolves are also playing The Blind Pig. They'll take the stage Thursday night about 9 pm.


13. "Indian Melody", Calhoun
    Calhoun seems to be bookending its SXSW shows, with one Tuesday night at Treasure Island (official SXSW show) at 11 pm, and two unofficial shows Saturday (Doc's Motorworks day party at 5 pm, then Bar Louie at 10 pm). And in the middle of all that, the band will sneak back up to the metroplex and play the Dallas Museum of Art Friday night. And you thought there wouldn't be any good local shows this week.

Oh, and if I forgot to mention any shows by the above acts, let me know in the comments section. And if there are other local bands playing the festival you feel are deserving of attention, the comment section is good for that too.

The Lucky Thirteen: 2/27/12

This is the part where I'm supposed to give some witty prologue to the playlist. I've used up all my wit in writing the blurbs on the songs and the artists, as it should be. The only thing I have left to say is this: listen and enjoy!

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. "Knockout Rose", Bad Design
   I don't think that in the past two weeks there has been a single day where this song didn't get played at least twice. The unique rhythm of this track combined with the striking guitar solo keep me coming back for more. With February not even over yet, it's way too early to declare this the track of 2012. Instead, I will say that Bad Design has thrown down the metaphorical gauntlet, daring other local acts to outdo them. Let the games begin.


2. "Hotel Denalian", Bravo, Max!
   This Saturday, The Crown and Harp celebrates its one year anniversary. Yes, 1914 Greenville Avenue has become a mainstay in the local music scene for well over a decade, but this marks one year under the new moniker. Bravo, Max! will help the venue celebrate the special occasion, along with performances by Goodnight Ned and Temple Diver. And to make it a sweeter deal, there is absolutely no cover charge.


3. "All the Reasons Why", Emmeline
   Speaking of Crown and Harp, Emmeline will be spending more than her share of time at the venue this week. As usual, she hosts the Wednesday night open mic in her usual entertaining manner, sprinkling in amusing anecdotes and coaxing audience members onstage. In addition to the Wednesday show, she will also open Friday's show featuring Backwater Opera and Cassie Holt. Disclaimer: yes, I do help book at Crown and Harp, which gives me a reason to promote the shows there. I helped make these lineups for one simple reason: they're good lineups. And really, what more do you need?


4. "When Your Hope Dies at Your Feet", The Farstar
   The Farstar has made no fuss to big to do over their latest album, God Be With You, Heaven Knows the Devil Is. In a strange way, it's rather fitting. Upon first listen, the songs might not grab you immediately. But give the album a few chances, and you'll find that tracks such as this one stick in your head. So perhaps the album will quietly worm its way into the consciousness of the collective known as our local music scene.


5. "Wait for Us", Mind Spiders
   At the end of 2010, I had barely heard of this band. In that time, the buzz surrounding this band has grown for a quiet din to a deafening roar. With tunes like this that are equal parts sloppy and hook driven, it's easy to see how they've become so popular.


6. "Lay Low", Black Tie Dynasty
   Laying low seems to be exactly what ex-BTD frontman Cory Watson is doing with his latest project, Mon Julien. What I've heard seems to be moving into a more standard indie rock territory, although I've heard people say that Mon Julien stays on the same musical turf as Mr. Watson's previous band. Either way, I'd like to see them play more so I can catch them and judge for myself.


7. "Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
   Not only will Chris Bonner of THe BAcksliders celebrate a birthday this week, fans of the band have reason to celebrate. They will be headlining March 23 at the Double-Wide, their first show since the CD release of their live album last August. Allan Hayslip joins the band as the new bass player, but I suspect the band will rock as hard as ever in their live shows.


8. "Cats in the Dark", Nervous Curtains
   The wait is officially over... Nervous Curtain's latest, Fake Infinity, is available in both digital and physical format. If the latter is more your cup of tea, swing by Good Records this Thursday to pick up a copy on CD or vinyl. And while you're there, you can catch Nervous Curtains performing a set on the store's stage.


9. "Tape Number 7", Chomsky
   I kept hearing that Chomsky was playing Edgefest, and I thought there had to be another band out there named Chomsky who was playing. Nope, THIS is the Chomsky that will be at Edgefest this year. And that, my friend, is no small deal. I can only hope this will be more than a one-off deal. My fingers are crossed.


10. "Take It Back", To Coda
    Yes, the band is a young band, with all four members still in high school. And yet for a band so young, they possess an unusually strong sense of musicianship and hint that the band is capable of even more than has surfaced thus far in their young career. The band's EP is filled with catchy pop nuggets, including this, the title track. As for the live show, the powerful vocals by lead singer Heather Darwin are reason enough to catch a live show.


11. "Swagger", The Gypsy Bravado
    Congrats to the Gypsy Bravado, who were one of the Dallas finalists in the Hard Rock Rising 2012 contest. The next round takes place on March 31 at Hard Rock Cafe. The goal: to get Gypsy Bravado to perform at the Hard Rock Cafe in London. Dallas, let's make this happen.


12. "Snow in June", Little Black Dress
    Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take a break and carefully examine what I'm wearing on my feet.


13. "San Francisco", Dead Beat Poetry
    Finally, here's a slight departure from the dreamy shoegaze vibes of Little Black Dress. And by slight departure, I mean an enormous change of sonic pace, and volume too. Dead Beat Poetry is full throttle rock and roll with a definite bluesy vibe in many of their tracks. But this is not some Black Keys wannabe duo. The songs, like this, are fierce and unrelenting. Don't just take my word on it though, you can see the band headlining at Liquid Lounge on Friday night, with GOBL fave Arielle opening the show.

Pre 4th of July Weekend Plans

Expect to hear more from me in the coming days. In the meantime, there are a few shows happening this weekend that I couldn't let pass without mentioning. Without further ado, here they are.


FRIDAY
Ian Moore & The Loosy Coils/Seth Walker/Rahim Quazi (The Kessler)
My Weekend Plan segment has always been a favorite of Mr. Quazi's, so it only seemed appropriate to do one on a weekend he's playing. Granted, he's only the opening slot, but any show featuring Rahim is one worth mentioning. There are few artists who not only put on a consistently good show as he does, but also even fewer who manage to keep each performance fresh and unique. My only complaint? It's taking WAY too long for the follow up to Supernatural to be released. What's up with that?
Gravity Feed/Ten Can Riot/Regetta de Faux/Geronamo/Christian Rios/Blake Mackey (Lakewood Bar & Grill)
This show is a celebration of the club's assistant manager (and friend of the Ghost) Jon Keener, and that's reason enough for me to attend. Get there early, as Blake Mackey is worth hearing. The man just might be the most talented acoustic guitar player in the metroplex. And while I've yet to hear Ten Can Riot, I've heard plenty of good reviews on the band.
Fate Lions/Soviet/Man Factory/Tape Deck Mountain (Lola's)
Power pop makes a strong showing tonight at Lola's, and Fate Lions are arguably the best power pop act in town. Soviet has often mislabeled as punk, whereas garage pop would be a much more fitting label. Either way, Soviet makes some pretty catchy tunes themselves.
The Demigs/Paper Robot/Deep Snapper (Andy's)
For those who have listened to my show on Deep Ellum Radio, you've undoubtedly heard me play The Demigs on more than one occasion. Their album Cities Can Wait is easily one of the best sounding albums of the year. Yes, the production is first rate, but more importantly, the songs match the same level of quality as the production. Fans of late 80's/early 90's pre-grunge a la Pixies will not want to miss this show.


SATURDAY
Rock-A-Tron 5000 Music Festival (Dada)
Somehow this festival almost slipped underneath my radar. I don't know if that's a sign that the show is being underpromoted or if I'm just that out of the loop. Either way, this all day event has plenty of good acts, including openers Spookeasy (2:15 pm), Sealion (8:15 pm), and Here Holy Spain (12:45 pm), all of which are playing on the indoor stage.
The Marfalites/Southern Karma/Steve Jackson/Mr. Troll (Poor David's Pub)
I previously called The Marfalites "Dallas' best kept secret in country music." Perhaps part of the reason they're not better known is that the band as of yet has not released a CD. They're working on their official CD, Three Penny and No Soul. But around the time that CD is released, they will ALSO release a live CD of Saturday's show. In fact, every one who pays the cover at Saturday's show gets their very own copy of the CD free of charge. And The Marfalites are definitely a band deserving of its own live CD, as they are easily one of the better live acts in the metroplex.
The King Bucks (Adair's)
There's been a lot more talk about The King Bucks this week due to a rather vicious writeup in the DC9 at Night blog. The author blasted the band for not having enough stage presence and not connecting with the audience. Admittedly, the band is pretty much the antithesis of flashy, but that would really not fit the Bucks. The King Bucks play simple, old school country: nothing more, nothing less. And if real country is what you're looking for, you'll be hard pressed to find a better option than the Bucks. And as for not connecting with the audience, Chad Stockslagger's banter alone shoots down any arguments that the band cannot connect with its audience. And the songs definitely connect with the audience, and really, isn't that what it's about?
Bronze Whaler/The Virgin Wolves/Binary Sunrise (Hailey's)
Tweed EQ/Bigelow Station/The Roomsounds (City Tavern)
Dead Rider/Nervous Curtains/Pinkish Black (Double-Wide)
Too many good shows, not enough time to discuss them. What a wonderful problem to have.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio: 5/17/11

Alright, so I'm quite a bit late in posting this playlist. Better late than never, right? Besides, now's a perfect time to remind you to listen to tomorrow's show on deepellumradio from 6-8 pm CST. I'll be joined by special guests Nick Metzger (manager of The Orange), along with Scott Tucker and Cody Waits of The Orange. Speaking of that band, I'll be doing a live broadcast from Curtain Club Friday night for The Orange's show. Come hang.

And before I digress any further, here's the playlist.

"So, Within", Seryn
"Open the Night", One Red Martian
"I'm Immune", Chris Holt
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Allison", The Burning Hotels
"Get It on the Floor", LehtMoJoe
"Hey Jane", Bravo, Max!
"Heart's on Fire", The Marfalites
"I Know a Thing or Two (About You)", Tweed EQ
"If It Never Gets Better", Taylor Davis
"Billy Prichard", Slobberbone
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Robert Anderson
"The Fall Fashions", The Deathray Davies
"Accomplice", Nervous Curtains
"Wired to Make Waves", Nervous Curtains
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"Gusto", The Demigs
"Shake Your Dandelion", Ishi
"Daylight", El Cento
"Geek", The Crazy Ivans
"Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
"to the 9's", hormones
"Fake Museum", Raised by Tigers
"Like a Charm", Here Holy Spain
"New Disco", Stella Rose
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Paper Girl", Katie Carroll
"Tryin' to Have a Good Time", The O's
"Bridges", Sorta
"Schoolboy", Kirby Brown

Weekend Plans: 5/13/11

While Friday the 13th is in theory supposed to be an unlucky day, this weekend seems to be very lucky for fans of local music. There are an abundance of good shows this weekend, more so than unusual. The only unlucky part is that you can't be in more than one place at a time. I'd need at least three of me to reasonably cover all this good music.

And while I eventually will start giving more commentary on my weekend recommendations, today will not be that day.


FRIDAY:

• RTB2/THe BAcksliders/The Demigs (Dan's Silverleaf)


• Emmeline (Roots Coffeehouse)


• The Orbans/Quaker City Nighthawks/Fate Lions (Magnolia Green Park)


• Jessie Frye/Salim Nourallah & Chris Holt/Manned Missiles (LaGrange)


• Rahim Quazi/Mora Collective/Mi Prospero (Opening Bell Coffee)


• Dallahachie Boys/The Marfalites/The Driftin' Outlaw Band (The Bone)


• The Boom Boom Box/Garbaj Kaetz/Darktown Strutters/Unconscious Collective (Pastime Tavern)

SATURDAY:

• HOMEGROWN FEST (Just click on the link for all the important info)


• The Beaten Sea/Oil Boom/Dovetail (Kessler Theater)


• Garrett Owen/Jaimee Harris/Tiger Darrow/Matthew Bridgman (Opening Bell Coffee)


• North of Autumn (Lochrann's)


• Binary Sunrise/L.A.X./Nervous Curtains/New Fumes (Club Dada)

I feel certain that I've omitted a show of significance. Show me the error of my ways in the comments section.

The Lucky Thirteen: 9/13/10

1. "Aim High", Chris Holt
   I'm saving my comments for the review I hope to get out of Mr. Holt's upcoming CD, A Cosmic Joke


2. "Talk to my Heart", THe BAcksliders
   I thought the band had a show in Fort Worth this week, but I'm not seeing any mention on the website. If anyone has any official info, feel free to post it in the comments.


3. "Caldera", The Timeline Post
   Speaking of comments, what's up with The Timeline Post? I haven't heard about any shows in months, and I'm hoping the band is still together. Again, post a comment if you know something.


4. "Letters From a Young Danny Kennedy", RTB2
   Ryan and Grady have a busy weekend ahead. The band plays Friday Night at the Kessler Theater, and then will perform Saturday at Rubber Gloves.


5. "Girl from the City", The King Bucks
   The band plays Friday at one of its favorite places, Adair's.


6. "Motivational", Toadies
   Kirtland Records recently announced that there will be a Toadies tribute album being released. As I understand it, applications are still being accepted from both well established local acts as well as lesser known up and coming acts.


7. "A Black Wave Is Comin'", Doug Burr
   After several months or either few or no postings or playlists, too many good tracks are only now getting the attention from me that they deserve. I've been listening to the track for months, but this is the song's debut on the Lucky Thirteen. Better late than never, right?


8. "Just Wanna Try", Luna Matto
   After about two years after its opening, Mokah Coffee Bar is finally making its mark on the local music map. This is thanks in no small part to the recent shows being booked by Chelsea Callahan. I'm not sure if she had a hand in Saturday's show featuring Luna Matto and Something in the Wheel's Mimo Morreale, but it's sure to be a good show.


9. "Preacher, Preacher", The Phuss
   This band blew me away when they opened up for Spector 45's CD release show. They also nearly blew out my eardrums, but that's another story. I enjoyed every second of the damage to my hearing.


10. "Falling Out of Sync With Time (History at Our Disposal Mix)", Nervous Curtains
    The band recently released an album of remixes, The Song's Been Damaged, and it can be downloaded free of charge on the Nervous Curtains Bandcamp page. Oh, and you can hear the non-remixed versions of the songs Friday at Kessler Theater when they perform with RTB2.


11. "Pardon Me", Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights
    Last week's playlist was supposed to be a Labor Day tribute to some of the hardest working acts in the metroplex area. This is one of the songs that would've made the cut. Mr. Tyler and his band have been touring like crazy, and I'm still hoping it pays off and pushes him into the national spotlight.


12. "You're No Good", Pale Horse
    I like this band. A lot. Hey, I warned you about my less than witty comments this time around...


13. "Walk Beside Me", Kerri Arista
    Emmeline recently performed with Ms. Arista and said quite nice things about her music. Being curious and trusting Emmeline's opinion, I checked out Kerri's website. There were several good songs on there, but this song really stood out. The intro is so simple and stark, and Ms. Arista's voice is crisp, clear, and possesses a beautiful simplicity. I could analyze the technical aspects of the song further, but that would minimize the song's greatest strength. "Walk Beside Me" is a very tender, emotional, and at risk of sounding corny, a very touching song. And while I risk becoming more cliched, isn't music about touching your heart?
    

The Lucky Thirteen: 8/30/10 (And a Day Late)

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. Also, if you just want to upload your songs to Grooveshark, that works too.

1. "City of Hate", Toadies
   On the Weekend Plans post Friday, there was one minor show I left out. Some band called Toadies playing out in New Braunsfel. Hey, it's an easy show to overlook... NOT! My bad.


2. "A Long Time", Trey Johnson
   Tuesday: new Trey Johnson (Where the East Ends) out on iTunes and in stores. I promise I'll share some more tracks off the album, but I've just been enjoying this track too much not to share it again.


3. "Accomplice", Nervous Curtains
   The folks at Gutterth are sponsoring Free Week at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio. There will be free shows all week there; you can go to the Rubber Gloves website for more info. My personal favorite pick? Nervous Curtains on Friday night. I thought "All Yesterday's Parties" was a nice enough song and all, but "Accomplice" is getting under my skin a lot deeper. For those keeping score, that's a good thing.


4. "Katie", Ray Johnston Band
   It would be easy for me to be skeptical of Ray Johnston. Athletes as musicians usually sound as good as actors trying to be musicians. Ray Johnston is the exception to that rule. He might get extra publicity for playing with the Mavericks, but the music stands firmly on its merits.


5. "Her First Party", The Deathray Davies
   DRD is supposed to have finished an album, but no telling when it will be released. The fact that DRD mastermind John Dufilho is touring with Apples in Stereo this fall suggests we'll have to wait longer.


6. "I'm Immune", Chris Holt
   I have to confess I'm only halfway thru Mr. Holt's new album, A Cosmic Joke. Still, if the second half is as good as the first half, this album could be Holt's piece de resistance.


7. "Will You Be There", Pale Horse
   Warning, BAcksliders, Warning!!! Pale Horse is trying to steal the title of "Best Live Band in Dallas" from you! They haven't done it yet, but they're working on it. Don't let this mellow, introspective song fool you: their lives shows rock with an intensity shared only by the best in town.


8. "Emulate", Spector 45
   Sometimes it takes several viewings of a band to finally "get" them. Although I've always thought Spector 45 was good, their EP release at LaGrange was what turned me from a casual fan to fully understanding the talent that Frankie 45 and the gang possess. I see many more Spector 45 shows in my future.


9. "Unicorn $", Clay Pendergrass
   As promised last week, here's a new tune from Mr. Pendergrass.


10. "Devil's Nest", Lalagray
    Ashley Myrick (aka Lalagray) will release her debut album, sharing a name with the above song. Also on the bill is my favorite Austin singer-songwriter, David Ramirez. I hear he used to live in Dallas. Does that qualify him as a "local artist"? Let the debate begin.


11. "Virtue and Vice", The Virgin Wolves
    Do you hate music that really rocks? If so, then do not, I repeat, DO NOT listen to this song and stick with your Michael Bolton. For the rest of you, I offer this song up to again because, well, it rocks.


12. "Pusherman", Nemesis
    While scrolling Facebook statuses, I found the video for this song posted by Pikahsso (PPT, AwkQuaruis). I had heard of Nemesis, not even being aware of the fact that they were from Dallas. The beat is admittedly repetitive, yet that works in the songs favor, as it hypnotizes the listener as opposed to boring the listener. Thanks, Pikahsso.


13. "Star Girl", Katie Carroll
    This beautiful final track from Ms. Carroll's debut album seemed the perfect way to wrap up this playlist.

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: 1/24/10 - 1/30/10

1. "Everything Dies", Nicholas Altobelli
   Ghost of Blind Lemon readers, you should feel extremely special right now. The song you're listening to here is a Ghost of Blind Lemon exclusive. That's right; you will not find this song on his MySpace. He is slowly debuting songs from his upcoming album, The Regulator, on MySpace. This past Friday, he posted "Pretend It's the Sky" on his site, and if these two tracks are any indication, I think this could prove to be his finest album yet.


2. "Lush Life", Baboon
   Ah, there's nothing quite like the smooth transition from the simple, beautiful folk melodies of Mr. Altobelli to the relaxing and tranquil sounds of Baboon. Uh, scratch that. How about this? There's nothing quite like the jarring transition from the simple, beautiful folk melodies of Mr. Altobelli to the in your face noise rock of Baboon.


3. "You Know Nothing", Inner City All-Stars
   For those who want to see good live music and help the victims of the Haitian earthquake, tonight is the perfect opportunity to do both. The Prophet Bar is hosting a unique evening of world music, ranging from hip-hop to latin to polka to reggae to tribal and just about everything in between. Some of the highlights include Brave Combo, Spoonfed Tribe, and one of my favorites to see live, Inner City All-Stars. Their fusion of New Orleans jazz and hip-hop never fails to please. All the money earned through the cover ($5) goes to the Red Cross. And if you can't make it to tonight's show, I would encourage you find another way to donate.


4. "Jason Bought a Hatchet", Giggle Party
   On the band's website, Party to Death, the band will be debuting a new song each Tuesday which will be free for 24 hours. Don't be like me, who forgot to check the site on Tuesday. As a result, instead of sharing a new track from the band, I offer you this favorite from last year.


5. "All You Do Is Crazy", Fate Lions
   Happy Birthday to Fate Lions drummer Josh Hoover. By the way, if anyone from KXT is reading this, I like it when you play this song. Feel free to continue playing this song on a very regular basis.


6. "Bowling Green", The O's
   Speaking of birthday, Taylor Young will be celebrating his b-day this Friday at City Tavern, and yes, the O's will be performing. I don't know who else will be on the lineup, but still, it's a good excuse to go out, here some cool music, and buy Taylor some birthday shots.


7. "The Royal Me", Les Americains
   I have previously said that this song reminded me of Echo and the Bunnymen. While I still think there is some truth to that statement, upon further listening I think the more accurate comparison would be to The Cult. Either way, I regard both acts as pioneers in 80's music, and while Les Americains is by no means an 80's revival band, the comparisons are meant as high forms of praise. I'll bet they'll play this track Friday night at Prophet Bar, along with the incredible Tonite Tonite and Austinites The Criminal Kind.


8. "All Yesterday's Parties", Nervous Curtains
   One of my favorite's off of Gutterth's second compilation CD, available for free download at their website.


9. "Red in the Morning", Menkena
   It's been awhile since I've raved about Mark and The Local Edge. Now that Menkena is playing at The Local Edge showcase this Thursday Night along with Bridges and Blinking Lights and Dovetail at Trees, now might be a good time to resume the raving.


10. "Autumn Leaves", Danny Balis
    Fans of country, pay close attention. Boys Named Sue and The King Bucks (featuring Mr. Balis) will be battling it out at the "World Championship of Honky Tonk" this Saturday night at Sons of Hermann Hall. Who do I think will win? That's an easy one: the audience that gets to see two of Dallas' finest country bands in one night. Cop out answer? Perhaps, but don't expect me to take sides here. I think both acts exemplify all that country music should be.


11. "Shiver Me Timbers", Jokersdeck
    I routinely receive CDs in the mail. This week, however, was the first time I ever had someone FedEx a CD to me, and it was courtesy of the fine folks in Jokersdeck. The band obviously wanted to make certain I had the CD in time for this week's playlist, right before their big CD release show Saturday night at LaGrange. It's a short disc, only seven tracks long, and this track smack dab in the middle stood out to me as their best song.


12. "The Christmas Tree", Stella Rose
    Speaking of CD releases, I somehow missed the fact that Stella Rose recently released a new CD, Drag. The band has had CD release shows in Austin and Fort Worth, and as usual, has no Dallas shows even listed. I don't have the new CD as of yet, but you can listen to tracks on their MySpace page. In the meantime, this is still my favorite track of theirs. And please, Stella Rose, show some love to Dallas!


13. "So Much Better", Rahim Quazi
    I had already planned to post a song of Rahim's on the website simply because of his show Saturday night at Veritas Wine Bar. Yesterday, I received a text message from Rahim with some worrisome news. It read as follows: "Please pray for my dearest friend, Todd Keller, who is having brain surgery Sunday morning. And please pass this on to anyone that believes in the power of prayer." I do not know the status of the surgery, but my thoughts and prayers are with Todd Keller and his family as well as with his friend Rahim. And to those who believe in the power of prayer (or even positive thought), then your prayers (or thoughts) are both welcomed and encouraged. Here's hoping and praying this Saturday's show will be a celebration of Mr. Keller's recovery!