Four Videos

The first video is from Erik Neff, who will be playing my showcase this Saturday at Club Dada. I'm guessing most of you haven't heard Mr. Neff yet, unless if you've been listening to my playlist (which you all should be doing, really). It's the same song as is on the playlist, just with video this time around. As I've mentioned before, he's also a male model, so I suspect there'll be a few ladies watching this video repeatedly and swooning.



Up next are the O's (also part of my showcase), singing their song "California". No, this is not a cover of the Phantom Planet song, silly. The video was recorded by none other than Cindy Chaffin. Hope she doesn't mind me posting her videos. Maybe she'll forgive me if I link to both her old blog (The Fine Line) and her new blog (Life Outside the Bubble).



Want some more video of artists playing my showcase? Well you happen to be in luck. Here's a video of Rose County Fair playing at the Granada.



This last video has nothing to do with my showcase or local music whatsoever, and is far more important than any of the other videos. Some of us (like myself) are lucky enough to have the day off, so let us remember the purpose of today.

MySpace Playlist: 1/18/09

Make no mistake, this is a really, really, really, big weekend for shows. I cannot stress enough how big this weekend is. If you're wanting to know some of the best shows this weekend, check out the playlist, featuring only artists playing this weekend. Be sure to listen through the whole playlist, because I have saved the best for last.

1. "Beautiful", Flickerstick
   This Saturday, Dallas says goodbye to the Band on the Run that captured America's heart with their TV exploits of drunkenness and tantrums. Oh yeah, the music was pretty awesome as well. If you can find Tim Locke that night, be sure to buy him a beer, as he'll be doing double duty as Calhoun is one of the openers. Stella Rose and Holy Moly open.


2. "Lydia", Fishing For Comets
   I'm not really familiar with Jack's Backyard, but that's where you can find FFC Saturday night.


3. "You Deserve Better", The Slack
   Technically, The Slack aren't playing this weekend. Slack lead vocalist Chris Holt, however, will be headlining a bill at Opening Bell Mosaic. It's another Anju Bill Foundation fundraiser.


4. "Farewell Republica", Airline
   Just so you Fort Worth folks don't feel left out, here's a show for you. Airline plays Friday night along with The Burning Hotels and Austin band The Lemurs. I'm not sure of the order of the lineup, but be sure to get there early enough for Airline, who will steal the show.


5. "The World Is Full of People Who Want to Hurt You", Salim Nourallah


6. "Rocketships", Menkena
   You can find both Mr. Nourallah and Menkena at Granada Theater this Friday evening. Radiant will headline, and Winslow Bright (who I know nothing about) is also on the bill. Salim will most likely draw the biggest crowd, as he has earned a reputation as one of the best songwriters in town, and has been a constant positive presence in the scene going on almost two decades. But for all the attention Salim will get, let us not forget about Menkena. The band's unique blend of dreamy melodies (think Slowdive or Lush with a male vocalist) and emotionally intimate lyrics and acoustic guitar (think Nick Drake) have bend Menkena one of my new favorite bands. Their EP (you can purchase it at the show I'm sure) has been constantly in my CD player. Do not, I repeat, do not arrive late to this show. Yes, Menkena is that good. But if you think that's good, wait until you check this out. Yes, I have saved the best for last.


7. "Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom", Nicholas Altobelli


8. "Takes One to Know One", Erik Neff


9. "California", The O's


10. "Slide Shows", Rose County Fair
    Yes, The Ghost is at it again. I have put together a little show for everyone to attend. Not to brag, but I did assemble a mighty fine lineup here. You have Nicholas Altobelli, an excellent singer-songwriter who is just starting to get the attention he deserves. I hope this showcase will get him that attention. You also have Erik Neff, a model/musician whose killer bluesy-rock tunes prove he's more than a pretty face. Rumor has it there's talk of a major label deal for this guy, so come and say you saw him before he hit it big. Speaking of big, The O's have gone from a small side project to becoming one of the most talked about bands in town. The band's approach is simple: write good songs and play them well. It seems to be working for them. Finally, we have Rose County Fair, playing their first show since, well, my last showcase. Major props go out to John Pedigo for being willing to do double duty. Come on out to Dada this Saturday night and be part of the mayhem!!!
    

Really, Really, Really Tough Choices for Tonight

Usually, I can predict where I'm going to be on a Saturday night at the latest of the night before. At the time I am typing this, I am still debating on which of the three following shows to attend. Sure, it beats the alternative of not knowing what to do because of weak shows, but it's a tough choice nonetheless. If anyone has any advice as to which show I should attend, feel free to post a comment with your suggestion.

Macon Greyson, The Magnolia Sons (City Tavern)
On the surface, this looks like just another Macon Greyson show in Dallas (which is good enough in and of itself). Here's the catch: since their song "Blacklight" has been featured in The Wrestler, it may only be a matter of time before the band gets the break that they so deserve. Goodbye Adair's and City Tavern shows, hello Hollywood. Granted, the guys in Macon Greyson are such nice fellows that I don't think they'd let the success go to their heads. Still, it might be nice to catch them now before one of them starts dating Paris Hilton or Jessica Simpson.
Doug Burr, Baptist Generals, Robert Gomez, Dust Congress (Sons of Hermann Hall)
Did I miss something about Sons of Hermann Hall relocating to Denton? No, not to worry. This showcase at the Sons (yes, still in Dallas) is being called a "Salute to Little D". Headlining the show is Doug Burr, who is celebrating the release of The Shawl tonight. The concept of this album is quite intriguing; it's a collection of songs inspired by the Psalms. I've yet to hear the new material, but my hopes are held up high.
King Bucks, Calhoun, Jack County, The Atoms (Club Dada)
Even though I've known Keith and Chad from King Bucks for about seven years now, I've yet to see a full on King Bucks show. Tonight might be a good night to change that, especially since Calhoun (a band I don't get to see often enough) is also on the lineup.

There's one more show worth mentioning. You can see the cut*off at The Moon in Fort Worth, along with Pat Boone's Farm and The Hosty Duo. I don't feel like driving out to FW tonight, but any Fort Worth residents needing something to do tonight would be well advised to attend this show. Oh, and if you tell them "The Ghost" sent you, well, prepare to run out of the club really, really fast.

See you out tonight... wherever that may be for me.

The Cure for Your Case of the Mondays

I know the day is just beginning, but let’s face it: you’re about to have a case of the Mondays. Mondays, as a general rule, suck. Nothing good usually happens on a Monday. I say usually because this is not your typical Monday. It’s not often I can say this, but you have several options for good shows this Monday.

Kristy Kruger (Opening Bell Coffee South Side on Lamar)
Today should have been Lt. Col. Eric Kruger’s 43rd birthday. As many of you know, Kristy’s brother was killed over a year ago in the Iraq War. It will certainly be an emotional evening, but it is always a treat to see Ms. Kruger perform. Other than Sarah Jaffe, I do not know of another female singer-songwriter who has the ability to captivate an audience like Kristy. I also believe this is her only Dallas performance this month, so catch her while you can.

The Donkeys/Orange Peel Sunshine/The League of Fucking Decency (The Lounge on Elm Street)
I really don’t know the first two bands, but I’ve always had a soft spot for opening act League of Fucking Decency. The LFD blends a lo-fi sound with lots of off the wall humor in their lyrics. The band is encouraging the audience to bring either sock puppets or their own instrument “to mock them”. If the band is half as entertaining as their lyrics and MySpace bulletins, then a fun time is sure to be had.

Romp Almighty (Barley House)
I got a bulletin from the band informing me of this “top secret” show. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.

MySpace Playlist: 1/11/08

Yes, it's time for yet another playlist. There's not really a theme this time around. No, it's just ten songs that I felt like putting on the list. And in case you haven't noticed, I've made it easier for you to like to my MySpace page. Just look to the left, and you'll see how to contact me thru MySpace, last.fm, and Twitter. As for email, go thru my blogger profile to contact me. Feel free to do that; it keeps The Ghost from getting too lonely.

1. "City Limit Signs", Nicholas Altobelli
   I really wanted to see more of Mr. Altobelli's set at Liquid Lounge yesterday. Alas, when one act bailed, the schedule put Mr. Altobelli directly up against Elkhart at Dada. I stayed for three songs at Liquid Lounge, then caught the rest of Elkhart (who are amazing, by the way) at Dada. This particular track is a demo version of a song from his next album.


2. "Devil's Basement", Jonathan Tyler & Northern Lights
   I had meant to put this song on last week's playlist, but I somehow forgot. How I managed such an oversight I am not sure. What matters is that I have corrected said oversight. Enjoy this track, because you're not going to be seeing that many JT&NL shows in the near future. That's the price of being signed to a major label.


3. "Go On", The Shapes
   This is a band I almost put on last week's playlist. I hadn't heard much about The Shapes in awhile, and I assumed that the band was either broken up or barely played anymore. Well, there's an old saying: when you assume, it makes an ass of u and me. Point is, The Shapes are not only alive and kicking, they are FINALLY releasing their first full length album. Thanks for the update, Patricia.


4. "Might've Said It", The Spin
   Sometimes it's just fun to have a little blast from the past. This track was recorded in 1991 I believe. This was back in the days where all of my local music knowledge came not from live shows, but from KDGE. George GiMarc, KDGE needs you back, whether they realize it or not.


5. "Black Market Value", the cut*off
   Fort Worth people, listen carefully. The place to be in Cowtown this Saturday is The Moon. I believe the cut*off will be headlining the show. Also, go to their MySpace and check out the video for the song. Pretty cool, huh?


6. "I Hate This So Called Reality", The League of Fucking Decency
   Admit it, you love the name of this band. They'll be playing at The Lounge on Elm Street Monday night. Then you can tell all your co-workers the next day that you saw The League of Fucking Decency. It makes for good conversation around the water cooler, don't you think?


7. "Should've Known", Doug Burr
   The CD Release Party for The Shawl is Saturday night at Sons of Hermann Hall. For now, however, I'm going back to On Promenade for this killer track. He finally made a video for this track. Yes, it seems a little peculiar to release a video for a song that came from the album BEFORE the one just now being released. Give it a watch though, and I'm sure you'll agree that it's better late than never.


8. "Blacklight", Macon Greyson
   I noticed about a month or so ago that Macon Greyson was talking about this song being in a movie called The Wrestler. I didn't think much of it at first, figuring this would be a straight to DVD type movie. Now I'm hearing a bunch of Oscar hype for Mickey Rourke's performance in the film. I have no doubt the band will be playing this song Saturday night at City Tavern. Check these guys out before they go Hollywood and start dating supermodels.


9. "Go", Summer Ames
   I caught a little of Ms. Ames' set last night at Liquid Lounge. I listened to the first two songs, and then walked out when I heard she was about to cover Colbie Caillat's "Realize". I felt that was completely unnecessary, as both of the previous songs were far stronger than what I've heard from Colbie. And for those of my readers groaning at the mention of Colbie, I feel you should still give Summer's music a chance. It's a nice, mellow, folkish type vibe that would feel very much at home at Opening Bell Coffee. I say keep an eye on this young talent.


10. "When We Was Kool", PPT
    If you're looking at the player on my MySpace page, you're probably seeing the ad for the upcoming film on Biggie Smalls. It inspired me to put this song on the list, since PPT was easily my favorite rap act to ever emerge from the metroplex. The group has since gone off in separate directions: Picnic is doing his own thing, and Pikahsso and Tahiti are dawning the age of AwkQuarius. Tahiti has also released a solo track available on itunes called "Next to Me". Best of luck to all three members in 2009.

Weekend Stuff

I wanted to get out some last minute recommendations for shows this weekend. Nothing fancy here, just some good old fashioned live music suggestions along with witty commentary. Honestly, I think today will be more commentary and less wit. Hey, you can't hit a home run all the time.

FRIDAY:

Boys Named Sue (Allgood Café)
Redneck happy hour has become quite the tradition at Allgood, and there are no signs that this tradition will fade away. After all, this is Texas, and what do Texans love more than good country music and cold beer?
Nicholas Altobelli (Buon Giorno)
I know I've raved about Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom, but I rave with good reason. The album is filled with gorgeous, melancholy tunes that sound like what I'd imagine Nick Drake sounding like if he was raised Texan instead of British. You can also check out Mr. Altobelli Saturday night at Liquid Lounge. I'm not listing that show, since I'm not certain about the quality of the other bands on the lineup. I may swing by, however, just to check out this super talented guy.
Johnny Lloyd Rollins, Bridges and Blinking Lights, RTB2 (Double-Wide)
I'm not quite sure I get this lineup, but I'll go with it, just because Mr. Rollins doesn't play near enough shows anymore. Any opportunity to see JLR play is a delight, and I'm sure tonight's show would be no exception. My experience with RTB2 is very limited, but the few songs I saw them perform live has me curious to see more.


SATURDAY:

Eleven Hundred Springs (Double-Wide)
The band is recording a live album during the show, so if you've ever wanted to be on record (sort of), now's your chance. Get there early, as I'm sure the place will be packed to the max by the end of the evening.
Salim Nourallah, Chris Holt (Opening Bell Mosaic)
Can someone help me find some new ways to express how brilliant these two artists are? I think I've run out of original ways to do so.
Lovie, Monco Poncho, Elkhart (Club Dada)
I haven't seen the band since drummer Grace left, so maybe I'll get the opportunity to meet their new drummer, Leanna. Joining the bill will be Monco Poncho (led by the awesome Nick Durham), and Elkhart (who I've been dying to finally see).

MySpace Playlist: 1/4/09

First of all, to any readers patiently (or impatiently) awaiting my podcast, please bear with me. There are songs I am lacking from the countdown, plus it just takes time to put together. It will happen.

In the meantime, check out the songs on my MySpace profile. Last week I spotlighted some awesome songs that didn't quite make the countdown. This time, instead of looking back, I'm looking forward. I'm giving you a small glimpse of what will hopefully be big this year. These are songs that will hopefully be released by year's end. I can't promise that all of these songs will receive a proper release, but hopefully they will. By the way, I am still without a sound card, so I'm going on faith on a few of these tracks. Comments are highly appreciated on any and all tracks.

1. "Rocketships", Menkenna
   I feel like I'm cheating but using Menkenna in both 2008 and 2009 playlists, but I don't care. I saw them last night at the Prophet Bar, and I am still reeling from their set. The band manages to pull off the feat of blending together the gorgeous atmospheric vibe of the best shoegaze sounds with all the emotional intimacy of a singer-songwriter type. If there is any justice in the Dallas music scene, this will be a huge year for Menkenna.


2. "You've Got Your Heart", The O's
   I also got to see this band with Menkenna, and I just love this band to death. If you haven't seen them yet, you need to remedy that immediately. They've got plenty of shows coming up, including a particularly special one on January 24th at Dada. Trust me, you need to reserve that date on your calendar.


3. "Which We Have Heard and Known", Doug Bur
   There was no better CD released in 2006 than Doug Burr's On Promenade. Following up such an amazing disc is a difficult and unenviable task. Yet I feel confident that if anyone can pull it off, it would be Mr. Burr. This is one of the songs on the playlist that I have unfortunately not had the privilege of listening to. I have complete faith, however, that this track is going to be amazing. After all, it's Doug Burr. Need I say more?


4. "The Vultures Are Circling", Jack with One Eye
   If you like this track, you can download it free on the band's official website. It's a free promotional download that I believe is a limited time offer before their CD Release Party February 13th at The Lounge. I haven't heard this track either, but I like what I've previously heard by the band.


5. "Beg You to Stay", Smile Smile
   Talk about hot off the presses. The band just posted this rough demo on MySpace today. Obviously, another track I'm posting on faith.


6. "My Best State", The Felons
   Finally, a track that I have heard. I haven't seen them play live since my showcase in August. At that time, the band had just recently said goodbye to their keyboard player, the multi-talented Fred Holston. I am highly curious to hear what direction the band is going in now, since they are now sans keyboard player.


7. "Mr. Natural", Trey Johnson
   Sorta may be gone, but that's not stopping Trey from recording new material. I talked to him about his upcoming solo CD, and he told me it was a very different vibe from what he did with Sorta. This should be interesting to hear.


8. "Erased", They Were Stars
   No, this song is not related to the Salim Nourallah song of the same name. All I really know about this band is that they played at Dada Halloween night, covering songs by The Cure. Hey, that's a good enough starting point for me.


9. "Robin", Little Black Dress
   It looks like this will be a great year for Idol Records, between CD releases of The O's and this band. Hmmm... Menkenna, Jack with One Eye, Little Black Dress... is this the beginning of a shoegaze revival? I'm keeping my fingers crossed.


10. "From Under the Blankets", Sara Donaldson
    Ms. Donaldson has had this song on her MySpace since 2006, and we're still waiting on her second CD to be released. I know, I know, between her paintings, photography, yoga, and everything else she has on her plate, there's not a lot of time on her hands to release a CD. Still, I can hope, can't I?

The Top 10 Performances of 2008

Happy new year to all my readers! I've got some big stuff coming your way in the next week (hopefully) including a few big announcements and The Ghost's first ever podcast. I'll be counting down the Top 13 local songs of 2008. I know that's a weird number, but hey, go with it.

For now, I hope you'll settle for my countdown of the top 10 performances of last year. Note: I am not counting down the best lineups of the year, just specific performances. Sometimes the artist mentioned will not even be the headliner of the bill. No matter what, these are the performances that I shall remember the most from the past year. Here we go.

10. The O's (October 25, Allgood Cafe)
    If I had to choose my favorite new band of 2008, the title goes hands down to The O's. I had my suspicions of the potential talent that The O's would possess. Their performance at Allgood simply cashed in on their potential. Both John Pedigo and Taylor Young are first rate singers, songwriters, and musicians. Yes, the band consists of only the two members. No, there is not a need for extra members. The sound is complete and needs nothing more. Their debut album will be released on Idol Records early next year. Keep an eye on these guys, because 2009 is gonna be their year.


9. Record Hop (April 24, Palladium Ballroom)
   I had always thought of Record Hop as a talented band, but it wasn't until their performance at the Quick Big Thing Awards Show that I actually GOT Record Hop. Sure, my ears were bleeding after their performance, but more significantly, I was in awe of the raw, fierce talent possessed by the band. Major props go to Scott Porter, whose guitar work had me captivated. The set was not a long set, but it left me craving more.


8. Little Black Dress (May 3, Granada Theater)
   Radiant was the headliner, and the biggest draws on the lineup were The Crash That Took Me and the newly reunited Chomsky. It was Little Black Dress, however, that captivated me that evening. I've become a fan of the shoegaze sound in the past few years, and I have never seen a Dallas band that captured the sound so well. Can't wait for their debut album, also coming out on Idol Records.


7. Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights (March 15, The Idle Rich)
   Sure, Mr. Tyler was at least half blitzed by the end of his set. The amazing thing is that whether sober or not, all the members put on a killer performance, blending the best aspects of 60's soul, classic rock, and southern rock, and presented it as the perfect soundtrack to an early St. Patrick's Day party. I left the show thinking that JT&NL just might be the best live band in Dallas.


6. THe BAcksliders (August 2, Club Dada)
   OK, so perhaps I'm a little biased here. First of all, you may recall that the date in question was my anniversary show at Dada. Yes, I know, I did put on a fabulous show that night, didn't I? But seriously, it was a great set, and the peak of the evening came with the highly energized performance from THe BAcksliders. The band's set balances the perfect blend of rock n' roll energy with a genuine passion and professionalism with their musicianship. I could have chosen so many performances of theirs to put on the list, but ultimately I think they took the cake that night. After this performance, I started to believe that it's THe BAcksliders, and not JT&NL, who deserve the title of "best live band in Dallas".


5. Dove Hunter (February 2, Lola's)
   It was my first (and so far only time yet) at Lola's, and I had already seen an amazing set featuring The Cush, Telegraph Canyon, and one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Doug Burr. I had seen Dove Hunter before, and thought they were a likeable band, but a band I didn't fully "get". About halfway though their performance of "What Turns Inside", I had the a-ha moment. It wasn't like a light bulb going off over my head, but more like lightning striking my body. It was an awe inspriing performance, and I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Quincy Holloway is the best drummer in Dallas, hands down. I spent half the set in awe just watching him on drums, wondering how he manages to be so precise with his rhythm, yet so fierce in pounding his kit. I still haven't figured that one out yet.


4. Sarah Jaffe (January 19, Allgood Cafe)
   One could say that Ms. Jaffe's performance was a perfect storm of sorts. I have never seen Allgood Cafe as packed as it was for her performance. I have also never heard the audience as quiet as it was for Sarah. I guess when you have the beautiful and haunting voice that she has, it shuts people up and makes them listen. I've heard the phrase "you command respect, not demand it", and I've never seen this statement proven so true as it was during her performance.


3. The Chemistry Set (January 11, Club Dada)
   I saw this band for the first time in 2002, and it didn't take long for me to become a faithful follower of this band. And by "faithful follower", I mean a obsessed fan. I'm glad Steve Duncan never issued that restraining order he was talking about. Seriously though, the reason I became a fan of the band is that they were the perfect blend of ambitious indie rock sounds, without any of the typical indie-hipster pretentiousness that surrounds most of those type of bands. It was with great sorrow that I said farewell to this band early last year. Fortunately, the band went out with a bang, digging up old favorites ("Abagail", "Tyranny of the Urgent") and typical favorites ("Lee Minor 7", "Why Don't You?"). Steve even got his former Grand Street Cryer bandmate (and Calhoun lead singer) Tim Locke to bust out an old GSC song. Damn, I still miss those guys.


2. Rahim Quazi (May 2, Club Dada)
   Ever since I heard Rahim perform the song "Supernatural" for the first time, I had extremely high hopes for the CD. I even wondered if I had set my expectations so high that there was no way Mr. Quazi could live up to the hype. Something unexpected then happened: Rahim didn't live up to my high expectations, he surpassed and annihilated those expectations. He kicked off his set with "Supernatural", and continued the set with killer track after killer track. The performance ran the gamut of sounds and emotions, ranging from slow, poignant, and insightful ("So Much Better") to rocking and energetic ("You Fool"). I could go on and on, but the truth is that words would not do justice to his performance. Trust me, you had to be there.


1. Sorta (October 23, House of Blues Pontiac Garage)
   I'm not even sure where to begin to describe this show. Yes, it was obviously a highly emotional show. You could see many an audience member fighting back the tears, and some of them unable to fight the tears back. It was a beautiful night filled with Sorta favorites, as well as tracks from their final self-titled CD. The band closed with "Afraid of the Dark", one of Sorta's most beautiful and haunting songs ever. When the band sang the final refrain, "Oh, it's over now", well, I'm sure I wasn't the only audience member with a lump in their throat the size of a softball. In spite of the highly emotional nature of the evening, the band held it together and sounded as tight as ever, in spite of the lack of Carter Albrecht's musical presence onstage. It may be over now, but the memory of both Sorta and of Carter remains with all of us.

MySpace Playlist: 12/28/08

Greetings and happy belated holiday wishes from "The Ghost".

Earlier this year, I created weekly playlists on last.fm as a means of exposing readers to local music I like. When last.fm changed the way they set up playlists, it made it less feasible to do weekly playlists. It also didn't help that their library of local artists was lacking at best. I'm going to try a new tradition by creating a weekly playlist on my personal MySpace page. Each week I will spotlight ten songs; sometimes there will be a theme for the songs, and other times not so much. Either way, it gives me opportunity to share music with my readers.

Speaking of sharing music, I'm going to try to create my first ever podcast. I make no promises how it will turn out, but I'm trying to do a year end countdown, Casey Kasem style. The following ten songs are songs that unfortunately did not make the countdown. Take a good listen, and think about this: if these are the songs that DIDN'T make the countdown, imagine how killer the actual podcast is gonna be.

So, here goes the playlist:

1. "Dalton the Prophet", Nicholas Altobelli
   Thanks a lot, Nick. You send me your brilliant CD, Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom, after I made the list of songs. Actually, the truth is that it's difficult to pick a singular song off of this CD. The strength of the CD is how perfectly all the songs fit together; to take one song and isolate it seems to take away from the package. Still, "Dalton the Prophet" is an excellent song, but merely a small taste of how good this CD is.


2. "Color of a Lonely Heart is Blue", Old 97's
   I, like many, found the band's previous CD, Drag It Up, to be a letdown. Rhett and the gang came back full force this year with Blame It on Gravity. This track is easily my favorite off of the CD, and quite possibly the best song Murry Hammond has ever done with the 97's. By the way, Mr. Hammond also released a solo CD this year, titled I Don't Know Where I'm Going, but I'm on My Way, and it's easily one of the best albums of the year.


3. "Just Got Robbed", Greater Good
   This song just BARELY missed out from being in the podcast. I almost considered doing a top 14 instead of the top 13 that I plan to do just so I could include this song. Unfortunately, top 14 is kind of a weird number.


4. "Summer Ship", American Werewolf Academy
   AWA was one of the many bands that I had the privilege of getting to play the blog's one year anniversary show. Although "Summer Ship" was really released in 2007 on the Zac Crain for Mayor benefit CD, the song found a more proper release on their new CD, Triceratops.


5. "No Deliverance", Toadies
   Yay, Toadies are back, yay!


6. "The Moon", Elkhart
   Much like Nicholas Altobelli's Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom, Elkhart fell victim to the same trap. Their CD was another where the entire disc was wonderful from start to finish, but there was not the one song that stood out from the rest. So I offer you the title track as a taste of Elkhart. Keep an eye on these guys in 2009; I think this is a band whose following will grow.


7. "Stupid Girl", The Liking Strikes
   This is just such a fun and catchy song. Even the most pretentious indie hipster would have a hard time getting this tune dislodged from his or her head.


8. "Honey", Erykah Badu
   Ms. Badu hasn't sounded this good since her debut album, in my opinion.


9. "Bill Cosby", Shibboleth
   This is quite possibly the best instrumental song released all year. Runners up: everything else from Experiment in Error.


10. "Feelin' the Wait", Menkena
    Okay, I have a confession to make. I added this song to my playlist because the band is allowing anyone who posts a Menkena song on their MySpace page to download the EP free of charge. With beautiful dreamy songs like this, you'll want to do the same thing.

A Final Flicker of Sound

It may surprise some of my readers to know this, but I have always been a big fan of the band Flickerstick. I saw them for the first time in 1999 opening up for Grand Street Cryers (yet another band that never received the respect I felt they deserved). I don’t remember much about the set, except for the fact that I thought their songs were unusually catchy. It was about a year later when I got to see my second Flickerstick show, and the band had grown by leaps and bounds. One of the things that immediately caught my eye was the stage presence of lead vocalist Brandin Lea. With his Mick Jagger style strut and his ability to connect with the crowd, the band seemed destined for success.

That success almost happened. The band got the opportunity to star in VH1’s reality competition show Bands on the Run, and even went on to win the competition. Epic Records re-released their debut album, Welcoming Home the Astronauts, with some new tracks and some re-recorded tracks. The album failed to perform to expectations, and they were dropped from Epic Records. The band has maintained a highly loyal local following, almost always selling out any show they perform.

I was disappointed to learn that the band is now breaking up. Flickerstick has announced the dates for their final shows. The last Dallas show will be January 24th at House of Blues. The band will play two farewell shows on February 27th and the 28th at Aardvark, which I believe is the first venue the band ever played. The band will probably play for about two hours for each performance, which I hope will allow time for some cover songs (“Fade into You”, “Black Metallic”) and some more obscure favorites (“Execution by X-Mas Lights”). Tickets will go on sale for these shows this Friday, and I would count on all of these shows selling out. The band is known for their energetic live performances, and I think it is safe to say that Flickerstick will go out with a bang and not a whimper.