Apples In Stereo/Crash That Took Me Tickets!

First of all, let me say that if you missed the Cystic Fibrosis benefit show at Granada last night, you missed out on a seriously amazing concert. The O's and Ben Kweller were great, and Rhett Miller, as usual, was amazing. My highlight of the evening had to be when Mr. Miller performed "Big Brown Eyes", and before he had a chance to start, the audience took over and sang the song. For most of the song, Rhett allowed the crowd to take the driver's seat and sing the tune. It just might make my top 10 concert moments of all time list.

While I was at the Granada, I also had the pleasure of meeting Gavin Mulloy, their promotions manager. I managed to talk him into letting me give away a pair of tickets to tomorrow's show with Apples in Stereo, Fol Chen, and The Crash That Took Me. I typically do not give away tickets to national touring acts, but there are two catches here. First, The Crash That Took Me is definitely a local band, albeit a band that does not play NEARLY as often as I'd like. The second reason, well, the Apples in Stereo do have a local connection with their drummer.

That leads me to how you can win the tickets. The first person to send an email to ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and include the drummer's name in the subject line wins tickets. Since his last name is a little unusual, if it remotely resembles his last name, I will accept the answer. Do not delay in responding because if I don't get a winner by 8:00 CST tomorrow, then the tickets go unclaimed. Good luck!

The Lucky Thirteen: 8/16/10 + Bonus Video

(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. "Punchline Afternoon", Charming Gardeners
   Authors often obsess over the first sentence of a novel, knowing how it establishes the tone of the story. Musicians likewise have to create an opening hook to a song that will be memorable to the listener. "Punchline Afternoon" has a killer intro that sets the tone for this powerhouse of a power-pop song. My hats off to Marc Solomon, Amy Curnow, and the rest of the band.


2. "The Longest Winter's Gone", The Crash That Took Me
   The band plays an all too rare show this Friday at Granada Theater, playing with Speak and Radiant.


3. ""In Reach of Fame", R. Jason Bonner
   You've probably heard that Jason is no longer with THe BAcksliders, opting to focus on his solo career. The man is responsible for writing many of the band's song, such as this track. After seeing him at Lakewood Bar & Grill, it is apparent that he has plenty of good songs in him.


4. "New Dress", The Orbans
   I've said before that this band was on the verge of hitting it big. I'm obviously not their only fan, as their album When We Were Wild is at #74 on the College Music Charts. A forewarning to my readers: expect to see lots of Orbans songs on upcoming playlists.


5. "City of Hate", Toadies
   Kirtland Records has finally released Feeler, the album that was originally supposed to be the follow up to Rubberneck. Here's my question: is it fair to call this a "new Toadies" song?


6. "Harder Than It's Ever Been", Fergus & Geronimo
   Let me make this clear: I have no objection to the music of Fergus & Geronimo. This is catchy indie rock with a slight hint of 60's pop in the songs. I also think that Fergus & Geronimo are as much Funk/R&B as Cake are Rap/Hip-Hop. I do not feel Dallas Observer should have nominated the band in that category, much less let them take home the award. I know it's late to chime in on this, but it's been weighing on me. I feel better now, having gotten that off my chest.


7. "Long Live the Live Long Day", Western Giants
   The band sent me their EP of the same name earlier this year, and while I liked it at the time, it never got the full attention from me that it deserved. After having come up several times on iTunes shuffle, I'm finding that their dreamy alt-country style is really growing on me. Fans of Pleasant Grove and Elkhart will probably really dig this.


8. "A Long Time", Trey Johnson
   I'm not ready to render a final verdict on Mr. Johnson's new album, Where the East Ends, but I will dare say that this track is one of the catchiest songs Trey has ever written. Nice work.


9. "Romance Tried to Kill Me", Cocky Americans
   Cocky Americans are now being represented by Manhandler Booking. In case you're not familiar with Manhandler, it's run by Chelsea Callahan. I wish Ms. Callahan and all her bands much success.


10. "Where the Light Is", Emmeline


11. "Paper Girl", Katie Carroll


12. "Supernatural", Rahim Quazi
    Major announcement: "The Ghost" is turning 25 next week. Really, I am turning 25. Just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and so on. Here's the point. I'm celebrating my birthday this Saturday at Opening Bell Coffee with the three aforementioned artists, as well as two out of town acts (Peter Janson and Corrine Chapman). The show starts at 6:00 with Emmeline, and cover is only $5. Don't miss this!


13. "Autumn Leaves", Danny Balis
    Since Opening Bell Coffee closes at midnight, don't be surprised if I drop by Adair's to check out Danny and the rest of the King Bucks. Oh yes, there will be fun.

As you may have heard already, Ace McNeeley passed away last Monday. My condolences and sympathies go out to his family and friends. In tribute, I offer this video of Ace's band, Grant Jones & The Pistol Grip Lassos. I think the song title sums everything up perfectly.

The Lucky Thirteen: 3/7/10 - 3/13/10

You might have heard about a little music festival up in Denton called NX35. This is the festival's second year, and I must say that the lineup is quite impressive. The thirteen artists featured in the playlist are all playing at some point during the 4 day festival. For more details, including how to buy wristbands, all the artists playing, all the venues, etc. etc. etc., then go to NX35 for all the details. The playlist only represent some of my favorite artists playing, and even at that, there are a LOT who didn't make the list who are still worth checking out.

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. "Romance Tried to Kill Me", Cocky Americans
   Performing Thursday night at J&J's Pizza, and in an unrelated note, the band headlines a benefit show tonight at Double-Wide for the employees affected by the lower Greenville fires


2. "The Vultures Are Circling", Jack With One Eye
   Performing Saturday night at Hailey's


3. "Letters to a Young Danny Kennedy", RTB2
   Performing Thursday at Dan's Silverleaf, as part of the KXT showcase


4. "Everything Dies", Nicholas Altobelli
   Performing Friday night at Jupiter House


5. "Tired of Dallas", Orange Peel Sunshine
   Performing Thursday night at Boiler Room


6. "Sunday Morning", Dem Southernfolkz
   Performing Sunday night at Andy's Bar


7. "Truth on Tape", Smile Smile
   Performing Sunday night at Boiler Room


8. "Come Closer", Shiny Around the Edges
   Performing Saturday night at Texas 8 Ball, as part of the Asthmatic Kitty Records showcase


9. "Wedding Bell Murders", The Timeline Post
   Performing Thursday night at Banter, as part of the Gutterth showcase


10. "As Hard as the Road Ahead", Western Giants
    Performing Sunday night at Sweetwater Grill & Tavern


11. "Patricia Lynn", The Crash That Took Me
    Performing Thursday night at Hailey's


12. "Barrel Chested", Slobberbone
    Performing Saturday night at Dan's Silverleaf


13. "Winter Dies", Midlake
    Performing Saturday afternoon at the North Texas Fairgrounds right before Flaming Lips take the stage, but you knew that already, didn't you?

My apologies to A.M. Ramblers, Bridges & Blinking Lights, the cut*off, Damaged Good$, The Demigs, Doug Burr, Giggle Party, The Heelers, Here Holy Spain, Jessie Frye, The Naptime Shake, Nervous Curtains, Oso Closo, PVC Street Gang, Record Hop, Sarah Jaffe, Telegraph Canyon, and all the other awesome artists who I couldn't add to the list. If I did, it would be the lucky thirty and not the lucky thirteen, which just doesn't have the same ring to it.

By the way, next week's playlist is all about SXSW, both the official and unofficial shows. If you want on the list, send your mp3s (scroll above for the email address) and you might wind up being one of the lucky thirteen.

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.

MySpace Playlist: 12/6/09

My Playlist Playlist by Ghost of Blind Lemon on MySpace Music - Play Playlist Songs & Download Tracks

I've just learned how to post the actual playlist on the blog, so hopefully this will encourage more of you to listen to the songs. Also, two weeks from now, I'll be doing an all Christmas themed playlist, so I'd encourage any bands who have recorded songs for the holiday season to post them on MySpace.

Now, on with the playlist:

1. "Reconnect It With a Curve", The Crash That Took Me
   Be a little patient with the song, as you might not hear anything until approximately twenty seconds into the song. Once you get past the intro, the song takes off with TCTTM's trademark blend of experimental sounds, unique rhythms, and solid hooks. I've always liked this band, but even I was taken aback by how amazing their new material is. You can catch the band perform this Saturday at Art Conspiracy 5, which takes place at The Prophet Bar. RTB2, Telegraph Canyon, and The Boom Boom Box will also perform.


2. "Christmas (Doesn't Have to Be so Bad)", THe BAcksliders
   Not many artists have Christmas songs up yet, so I'm carrying over this tune from last week's playlist. Enjoy.


3. "Barcelona", Luna Matto
   This track has been a favorite of mine at Luna Matto's live shows, so I'm thrilled that the band finally posted this on their MySpace. This is just my prediction, but I think this band is going to explode in 2010. If they don't, I just might lose my faith in the Dallas music fan, as they really are that incredible.


4. "Miss Sugar Pie", Johnny Lloyd Rollins
   This track is for the anonymous idiot who dissed Mr. Rollins on the Dallas Observer (to see the war of words, click here). I'd suggest he/she come out to see Johnny at City Tavern along with Something in the Wheel and The Marfalites, but that would require anonymous to both reveal his/her identity and to also have musical taste. I'm not holding my breath on either happening.


5. "Beg You to Stay", Smile Smile
   The duo of Smile Smile has been touring with Bowling for Soup, and the two acts perform Monday night at Granada Theater. I'd like to suggest a few equally sensible pairs of artists that could tour together. How about Fair to Midland and Camille Cortinas? Perhaps Old 97's would like Damaged Good$ as an opening act? And I'll bet Erykah Badu's sound would fit perfectly with Spector 45.


6. "On a Mission", The Burgundys
   This is one strong lineup at Lakewood Bar & Grill this Thursday night. The Burgundys and The Monco Poncho will perform together that night. Both bands played at previous GOBL showcases at the venues, and both bands brought down the house. I predicted The Monco Poncho would do so, but The Burgundys pleasantly caught me by surprise. The only thing that surprises me now is that The Burgundys aren't selling out venues the size of Trees and The Prophet Bar's large room. The band's power-pop influence is undeniable, as are the hooks in these songs, guaranteed to work an audience into a frenzy. Just one warning: if you go to this show, have your excuse for why you won't make it to work Friday prepared beforehand.


7. "I Can't Make You Happy", Ronnie Fauss
   I can't make this song leave my head. I couldn't make it leave my head, even if I tried.


8. "You Just Got Sued!", Boys Named Sue
   The Boys are calling Adair's home this weekend. I'm sure you can catch them playing this song both Friday at Saturday night there. Even though the weekend may seem Light Beers Away, once it arrives it will be filled with plenty of Whiskey Talkin'. Alright, I'll lay off the alcohol related BNS references. But you know I'm right.


9. "Straight Out the Gate", Oso Closo
   Several months ago, Sarah Crisman, music editor at Pegasus News, recommended that I give Oso Closo a second listen. I saw them at Cottonwood Arts Festival last year, hardly an ideal venue for most bands. I was also tired that day, and not in the ideal frame of mind to properly receive their music. I heard this a live version of this track on The Local Edge, and instantly realized that I have not given the band the credit that they are so due. I doubt I'll be able to make it to their 5th annual Christmas show at Rubber Gloves this Saturday, but I intend to see the band again VERY soon.


10. "Maybe Heaven", The Slack
    If you've seen Chris Holt perform in the last two years, you've undoubtedly heard him sing this tribute to Carter Albrecht. The song will now be available for purchase, as it will be included on The Slack's upcoming CD, The Deep End. It will be available for download on itunes January 5, and the CD release show will happen January 22 at Sons of Hermann Hall. If you can't wait that long to see the band, however, you can see them this Friday at Bryan Street Tavern.

NOTE: I thought the playlist would be embedded in the blog entry, and obviously MySpace doesn't allow that. If you click on the link, however, it will post the playlist in a new window, allowing you to listen and read at the same time. Sorry, it's the best I can do for now.

MySpace Playlist: 11/8/09

1. "Patricia Lynn", The Crash That Took Me
   Last night's TCTTM CD release show bordered on being a true force of nature. My props go out to Sons of Hermann Hall and whoever was doing sound that night, because every instrument could be heard by the audience member crystal clear. More importantly, super enormous props to Dylan Silvers and the rest of the band for putting on one of the most rocking shows I've seen all year; every member of the band is a first rate musician. If you haven't picked up Chlorine Colored Eyes, run, don't walk, to your nearest quality CD store and buy it; this is Mr. Silver's best work to date. I could rave on and on, but I'll shut up for now.


2. "I Can't Make You Happy", Ronnie Fauss
   I'm not sure I've heard a song with a bare bones minimal melody work so effectively. The verses consist of one note repeated over and over, and what should be repetitive and annoying is instead haunting and memorable (in a good way). This overly simple melody also serves another purpose even more important: it draws the attention of the listener to the emotionally frank (and well written) lyrics. Bonus points to Mr. Fauss for referencing my favorite Bob Dylan song.


3. "Saturday", Baboon
   I really wanted to add "Lush Life" to the playlist instead. Oh, the limits of MySpace. This is still a great song, and if your computer speakers aren't cranked up to full blast, then it's too quiet.


4. "Come Hell", Matthew Bridgman
   The first time I saw Mr. Bridgman perform, my car has just broken down over by Bill's Records, and my mind was only half on the performance. I saw him play this Thursday at The Pearl Cup, and was amazed by how good his performance was. The songs on his MySpace, like this one, only give the slightest indication of the level of talent he possesses.


5. "Echo and the Pass", Hendrick
   Speaking of Mr. Bridgman, he was once a member of this band. He talked about how he thinks lead singer Josh Hendrick is a fabulous songwriter. All of the songs off of Exhale are indeed great songs, expect for this track, which there are no words in the English language to appropriately describe how amazing and beautiful this song is. Please, please, PLEASE listen to this song. I can't imagine anyone being able to listen to this song and not just falling in love with it.


6. "Have You Ever Been Down?", THe BAcksliders
   Friday the 13th is your lucky day. With THe BAcksliders and Spector 45 performing at Double-Wide, how can it not be a good day?


7. "Change Gon' Come", Dem Southernfolkz
   Of course, for those who feel that Friday the 13th is bad luck, Friday's show at Trees could be used as evidence. No, I don't say that because the show is a bad show, quite to the contrary. Dem Southernfolkz will celebrate their EP release (which you can download for free here), and Dove Hunter, Mo Brown, and They Were Stars will round out this great lineup. Why is this bad luck? You can't be at Double-Wide and Trees at the same time.


8. "I'm on Fire", The Farstar
   The band's first full length CD, produced by Salim Nourallah, will be released next year. In the meantime, enjoy this catchy tune from their recently released Strange Kids EP.


9. "Maureen's House", The Marfalites
   Another band working with Mr. Nourallah is The Marfalites. Catch them Saturday night at City Tavern as they open for Grant Jones and the Pistol Grip Lassos.


10. "Meteor Shower", Rhett Miller
    I normally don't add Rhett Miller's solo material to playlists since he's been based out of LA for almost a decade now. Still, the man was born in Dallas, and I'm really looking forward to Saturday's Granada Theater show, which will be a benefit for Cystic Fibrosis. Salim Nourallah, The O's, and Shibboleth will also perform. Get your tickets now, because you don't want to miss out on this one. Short on money and can't afford tickets? Keep your eye on the blog this week; I just might be able to help you out...