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

Weekend Plans: 6/22/12

I plan on getting to the Deep Ellum Food Truck Rally early, which doesn't allow for much writing time.  That's ok, as I feel these shows speak for themselves.  Find a show or two (or more) to go see.


FRIDAY

• Deep Ellum Food Truck Rally with The Roomsounds/Ducado Vega/Home by Hovercraft
• Whiskey Folk Ramblers/Sealion/RTB2 (LaGrange)
• Dovetail/East Cameron Folklore/Parallel Play/Playtime Rabbit (The Prophet Bar)
• The Cush/Menkena (Lola's Saloon)
• Telegraph Canyon/Calhoun (The Live Oak)
• The Monco Poncho/Aristoscat/The P-Town Skanks (Double-Wide)
• The Vliets/Early Morning Creatures/O Conqueror (Dada)
• Agent Ribbons/My Kickdrum Heart (The Crown and Harp)

SATURDAY

• John Lefler EP Release/Salim & The Treefort 5/Dovetail/Doug O' Rourke (Sons of Hermann Hall)
• The Demigs/The Boom Bang/The Birds of Night/La Panther Happens (Andy's Bar)
• Art of Mistrust/Signals & Alibis/Sink or Swim (The Cellar)

I'm sure I missed something.  Be sure to post it in the comments section and chide me for my error.

Weekend Plans: 4/29/11

I'm writing this mere minutes before I head out for the night, so forgive the brief commentary. I'm sure I'll forget a really important show, so feel free to point out any significant omissions in the comments section.

And now, the shows...


FRIDAY:
THe BAcksliders/RTB2 (Double-Wide)
Not only is this a CD release show for THe BAcksliders, but they're also recording a live CD tonight. Maybe if you shout loud enough, you'll hear yourself on the record.
Human Groove Hormone/Immigrant Punk/Paul Chrisopher Yanez/Emmeline/Suzanne KimBrell/Jennifer Bean/Audacious/Karyna Cruz/Backwater Opera/Mark Brant/Sonya Jevette (Lakewood Bar & Grill)
Check out my last blog entry for my thoughts and such.
Tweed EQ/Sir Silky (Fallout Lounge)
I hope Tweed EQ's CD release show doesn't get overlooked, considering that THe BAcksliders are playing down the street. Their album Second Tour is full of plenty of bluesy riffs and classic rock revivalism. As for Sir Silky, he'll certainly bring the party to the show.
Smile Smile (The Belmont)
Word is that the duo is working on material for album number three. You'll probably get to hear some of the new tunes tonight.
The Roomsounds, Van Darien, Pale Horse, Griffin Schmucker, Gypsy Bravado, Playtime Rabbit (The Prophet Bar)
I don't even have time to start talking about how much talent is on this lineup.

SATURDAY:
The Phuss/THe BAcksliders/The Demigs (Lola's)
THe BAcksliders bring their CD release party to Ft. Worth. Openers The Demigs had their CD release show at Dada recently, and so say it sounded tight would be an understatement. Fans of Pixies and Pavement, get their early so you don't miss them.
Pastime Tavern's 74th Anniversary Party
Highlights will include Luna Matto, Here Holy Spain, and Flowers of God (most likely sans Sarah Jaffe).
The Marfalites/These Mad Dogs of Glory (LaGrange)
Are the Marfalites the best country act in Dallas? Maybe. Are they Dallas' best kept secret in country music? Undoubtedly.
The Broadsiders/Rude King/Dog Company/Letters to Voltron (Liquid Lounge)
For those who listened to my radio show Wednesday, you heard me say that I'm usually not a ska fan. You then heard me bust out local ska band Rude King's "Love Bomb". Why? Because I am ALWAYS a fan of a good catchy song. From what I've heard, Rude King has plenty of those.
Rahim Quazi/Ryil Dylan (Claypit Restaurant)
Note to Rahim fans: Rahim will NOT be playing his usual hook-filled singer-songwriter material. Instead, he's busting out some Indian music. Fans of Mr. Quazi may be curious to see him branch out into this different musical direction.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio: 4/27/11

For those who have been faithfully listening to my radio show on deepellumradio, I give you my sincere thanks. To those who have not been listening, I hope to convince to start listening every Wednesday 6-8 pm CST. Perhaps if you see the fine musical selections that you're missing out on, that will convince you to turn up your computer speakers and give me a listen. So without further ado, here's this week's playlist.


"Underground", Kirby Brown
"Hotel Denalian", Bravo, Max!
"Missing Funerals", Salim Nourallah
"Hands Where Words Cannot Go", RTB2
"City of Hate", Toadies
"Carney's Lake", W.A. Fite
"Save Your Breath", Camille Cortinas
"Chasing Corporate", Air Review
"Justify or Explain", Tweed EQ
"Man with the Crooked Crown", Nicholas Altobellit
"You're No Good", Pale Horse
"Burn It Down", Here Holy Spain
"Tropicall", Soviet
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Kim Bonner
"Holy Water", Princess Tex
"Holiday", Vibrolux
"Potential Future Selves", THe BAcksliders
"Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
"sEVEN", DuCADO Vega
"Parking Lot Nights", Ghosthustler
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Love Bomb", Rude King
"Charmed", The Bright
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Skull Eyes", True Widow
"Three", The Timeline Post
"Sins of the Fathers", Course of Empire
"Remember You", The O's
"Pawn Shop Special", The Marfalites
"Someone Else's Blues", Greg Schroeder

And for those who have been wondering, the Ghost of Blind Lemon theme (intro song) was created by Clay Pendergrass, and the outro song is an excerpt from Rahim Quazi's "Supernatural (Reprise).

Also, feel free to email me at ghost@deepellumradio.com with song requests, suggestions for the show, or if you have an mp3 you'd like me to play.

Local Edge Playlist: 3/6/11

Tonight's episode featured (almost) exclusively artists playing the 35 Conferette. The one exception was the in studio performance and interview from People on Vacation. I could've sworn that they were on the lineup. Either the lineup has changed or I was mistaken. Speaking of which, if you want to see these bands at the festival, check the website for info on times/clubs/etc.

"Throw Me Overboard", The Hope Trust
"All Because You're Mine", Air Review
"Dog's Light", Bravo, Max!
IN STUDIO: PEOPLE ON VACATION
"Rainy Day"
"Because of the Sun"
"Back to Being Friends"
"Alyson Revere", Fishboy
"Battle Rock 24/7", Man Factory
"Goon", RTB2
"Forever Today", Soviet
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"2012", Cocky Americans
"Icing", Roy Robertson

Local Edge Playlist: 12/19/10

For those expecting to see Days 5 and 6 of Christmas over the weekend, sorry. Things got hectic and well, no gifts this weekend. I hope Santa doesn't hold it against me and leave a lump of coal in my stocking. In the meantime, Mark put on his 2nd annual "It's a Local Edge Christmas, Charlie Brown" episode. Forewarning #1: there will be a notable amount of overlap between his selections and tomorrow's Lucky 13. Forewarning #2: Mark said he played centro-matic's "Fuselage", which I didn't catch. In all fairness, I don't recall him mentioning the BTD song that I know he played. Oh, and for the cover of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", he gave credit to Junuis Recording, but I did not hear him specify an artist. I think it may be the Dallas Family Band, but don't hold me to that. Anyways, here is what I believe to be the playlist. I promise to give a full refund of the price of this blog entry if I'm wrong.

"What I Always Wanted", Chris Holt
"Santa Baby", Smile Smile
"Jesus Christ", RTB2
"Christmas Swag", LehtMoJoe
"Up on the Housetop", The Rocketboys
"Christmas Time Is Here", Chomsky
"Merry Ex-Mas", GalleryCat
"It's Christmas time", PPT
"Last Christmas", Hendrick
"Angels We Have Heard on High", Quiet Company
"Christmas Time", Black Tie Dynasty
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
"Happy X-Mas (War Is Over)", The Polyphonic Spree

Weekend Plans: 12/17/10

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

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


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

The Lucky Thirteen: 12/13/10

Just for the record, next week's playlist will be an all Christmas themed playlist. I am certainly open to suggestions for songs by either bands or fans. You can send your mp3s to ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and if I like what I hear, odds are it'll wind up on next week's playlist. And as usual, if anyone wishes not to be on the list or be removed, you can use the same email address for those purposes. But seriously, why wouldn't you want your song figured?

1. "Indian Melody", Calhoun
   After hearing "Knife Fight" on The Local Edge with Mark, I was quite curious to hear more of what the band had been up to. Jordan Roberts was kind enough to send me a mp3 copy of Heavy Sugar, and this may be my favorite album the band has ever put out. Lead singer Tim Locke describes the effort as more of a return to pop. The genre of pop has been maligned over the years, particularly due to the fact that pop has become synonymous with overproduced, cookie cutter top 40 songs. This track serves as a reminder that pop, done correctly, is a most enjoyable thing.


2. "We'll Go Walkin'", The O's
   I must say, I'm proud to have debuted the new O's track on my blog this past Tuesday. The album it's from, Between the Two, will be released in February. The Calhoun and O's CDs are two of my most anticipated releases of 2011, and both acts feature Taylor Young. Coincidence? I think not.


3. "Allison", Luna Matto
   I may not have an exact record of which songs I've listened to the most within the past month, but this track would certainly have to be in the top 5.


4. "Try Try Try", Spector 45
   Many years, it has been a struggle to find good New Year's Eve shows. This year, there is an overabundance. Just for starters, Jonathan Tyler & Northern Lights headline at Granada Theater, Air Review headlines at Dada, and Ishi headlines at Trees. The Spector 45/Marfalites lineup at The Bone has gotten less press than most of the other fine options, but I did not want the show to go ignored.


5. "Coffee at Midnight", The Red 100's
   Finally had the pleasure of meeting Robbie D. Love from The Red 100's. He's quite a talented guitarist, and that talent can be audibly heard in the Red 100's. It's not easy as an instrumental band to keep a listener's attention, but if tracks like this are any indication, The Red 100's will have no difficulty commanding their fan's respect.


6. "Silent Night", Smile Smile
   Here's a little holiday tune from Smile Smile to get you in the Christmas spirit.


7. "Flower on the Wall", Kerri Arista
   I've previously included her track "Walk Beside Me" on the Lucky 13, a very sweet and beautiful song. Kerri has just released a new album, 50 Different Ways, and I have a hunch that her name will become a quite familiar one in the singer-songwriter world next year. This is a small taste of what her album has to offer.
   
8. "District County Court", Daniel Folmer
   I don't have any special explanation for why I included this song, other than the fact that I like it. That's a good enough reason, right?


9. "to the 9's", hormones
   A few weeks ago, when I asked for readers to recommend tracks for the Lucky 13, I received a couple of requests for the band hormones (the band prefers the name not to be capitalized). Since I did not have any mp3s of the band at the time, that was a request that obviously could not be fulfilled. Jordan Williams finally emailed me this track, and it's a quite interesting an unique track. I mean that in a good way.


10. "The Spilling Blood Child", RTB2
    RTB2 will play Saturday night at Double-Wide for the fifth annual Orphanage benefit, along with Air Review and Old Snack.


11. "End of the Planet", The Adventures of Jet
    Sometimes I randomly type in band names and see if Grooveshark has anything by that artist. Sometimes I find myself pleasantly surprised by what's in their catalog. Case in point: Grooveshark has both Adventures of Jet CDs available in their entirity. No Bobgoblin yet, but that's still pretty amazing.


12. "...Name of Every Star", Red Monroe
    I had a conversation with Chris Demiglio of the Demigs recently, and the band Red Monroe came up in conversation. Both of us thought that the band had broken up and faded into oblivion. This is an instance where I'm glad to be wrong. The band has new material available on bandcamp, and it's a pay what you feel like deal. I suspect there'll be an official album release early next year. I'll let you know more as I do.


13. "You're No Good", Pale Horse
    Finally, I'd like to take the opportunity to give out some thank you's. Thanks to Travis Behl and the entire staff of the Green Elephant for letting me host my showcase there and making me feel welcome. Thanks to Pale Horse, for playing even minus a drummer, and thanks also to THe BAcksliders and The Black & Blue. And finally, thanks to everyone who came out and supported the showcase and the bands. Let's do this again soon, okay?

Also, keep your eye on the blog, because later today, I'll be making an announcement that you're going to want to hear. Trust me.

Local Edge Playlist: 11/21/10

Mark shone the spotlight away from Big D and onto little d for this all Denton Edition of the Local Edge.

"Wishy Waltz", RTB2
"Book Burner", Roy Robertson
"Cut the Lights", Manned Missiles
IN STUDIO: DANNY RUSH (aka Daniel Folmer)
"District County Court"
"Pissin"
"Medicine"
"River Song", Seryn
"Birthmark (Chicago)", Jessie Frye
"Count Me Out", Grassfight
"This Floor", Young and Brave
"Walking in an Arc", Delmore Pilcrow
"Park Bench", Florene
"Mother Nature", Andrew Tinker

The Lucky Thirteen: 11/15/10

Thanks to all who participated in this week's all request playlist. You really made my job easier. I'll take it. Also, let me know if you have any issues hearing songs on the Grooveshark playlist. I've had difficulties recently, and want to know if it was a fluke or an ongoing problem.

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. "Barn Burner", The Roomsounds
   Chelsea Callahan requested this tune, and since her birthday was yesterday, I felt it only appropriate to start with this song. For the record, this may be my new favorite song of theirs.


2. "Buyer's Remorse", Les Americains
   Jason Roach requested some Les Americains for the Lucky Thirteen, but did not specify a track. I felt that after two weeks of "Calistoga Blues", a change was needed.


3. "Clara", Paul Slavens
   A quote from Clay Pendergrass, who requested the song: "In my imagination, this is what it would sound like if Theloneus Monk and Leonard Cohen met in a smoke-filled cafe stocked with absinthe and found a piano in the corner." Couldn't have said it better myself.


4. "German Chocolate Cake", Bravo, Max!
   Nicholas Altobelli had a long list of requests. Since he requested this band and I already had the track, I opted for this song.


5. "Someone Like You", David Crandall
   This song was a request from Emmeline, an amazing artist in her own right. Keep your eye on the blog for more Emmeline related articles as her CD release show approaches.


6. "Moanin' Rag", Whiskey Folk Ramblers
   Scott Riegel recommended this particular track, and it's a fine choice I might add.


7. "A Cosmic Joke", Chris Holt
   The individual who requested to hear Mr. Holt wished to remain anonymous, choosing the pseudonym "The Cat of Blind Lemon." As an admitted cat lover (I have four myself), I definitely liked the fake name, as well as the track. If you haven't checked out the video for this song, you need to click here and watch.


8. "Absalom", Spot
   Allan Hayslip of the band Bonedome requested to hear some Spot, and also gave me quite the history lesson on the band. It's a shame that this band didn't make it further; listen to their songs and you'll hear a band that, as Brando would've said, "coulda been a contender."


9. "Last Night", Sparrows
   Here's a request from THe BAcksliders


10. "The Sun Shines On My Face", THe BAcksliders
    And here's a request for a particular song by THe BAcksliders (recommended by the lovely and amazing Angela Donnelly).


11. "I Love You", Spector 45
    This request came from Amy Verycrusse, who actually lives in the Austin area and not the metroplex. And while the music covered here is almost exclusively local in nature, I do welcome readers from all over the globe.


12. "When Hammer Hits Stone", RTB2
    Here's a fine choice from Brett Michael Strawn of Cocky Americans.


13. "Epic Outro", Sore Losers
    I've seen the name Sore Losers around a lot, but when Nic Hernandez requested to have one of their songs on the playlist, I sat down at gave their songs a listen. I am now adding their name along with Damaged Good$ and Dem Southernfolkz as one of DFW's finest hip-hop acts. And with a song name like "Epic Outro", it seemed the perfect way to wrap up this Lucky Thirteen.

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: 3/14/10 - 3/20/10

NX35 wraps up tonight, leaving you a brief breather before that OTHER major music festival in Texas. I must say, I'm disappointed by how little of the metroplex area is represented in the official SXSW showcases. Frankly, I think that as a whole, the bands playing the unofficial shows are better than most of the locals playing the official shows. Still, I'm letting you have a taste of both sides of the fence. You'll get several official bands that you'll need to pay lots of money to see, as well as many playing free unofficial showcases.

1. "Austin's Birthday", The Burning Hotels
   The official show happens Wednesday night at Jaime's at about one in the morning. What's even cooler, however, is the fact that they're playing at the Fort Worth Grab Bag show Thursday at Dominican Joe's free of charge. Their set starts at 6:30 on the outdoor stage. Other bands playing the showcase include Fate Lions, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, and Goodwin just to name a few. This is easily the king of unofficial showcases.


2. "Dawn", Nicholas Altobelli
   Here's some more unofficial fun: Nicholas Altobelli performs Saturday at Thunderbird Coffee around 7:00, where I'm sure he'll be performing songs from his upcoming release, The Regulator. (NOTE: the Thunderbirds show is cancelled)


3. "Tell It in My Ear", Fergus and Geromino
   This Teenage Cool Kids side project has gotten plenty of buzz around these parts, and they'll be trying to spread the buzz at SXSW. This is an official show starting at about 9:00 pm Saturday night at Red 7.


4. "Minor It Down", True Widow
   They'll be performing Friday night at Encore around midnight, and yes, this is an official showcase. If you haven't seen the band play live yet, then this is a must see show for you.


5. "Acts of Man", Midlake
   Here's yet another official show, this one happening Thursday night (about 1:00 AM) at Buffalo Billiards.


6. "TNT Family", Holy Moly
   I don't have a start time for their set at Darwin's Pub; all I can tell you is that it's an unofficial show Friday night.


7. "When Hammer Hits Stone", RTB2
   RTB2 is another one of the acts performing Thursday at the previously mentioned Fort Worth Grab Bag showcase. Need more RTB2? They'll also be playing Friday afternoon at Momo's club around 5:20 or so.


8. "Party Like You Mean It", Damaged Good$
   If any local artist could claim to party like they mean it, it would be Damaged Good$. Attend the party, I mean official show, Friday night (10:00 pmish) at The Independent.


9. "Robin", Little Black Dress
   For those who will arrive in Austin Wednesday night, don't miss LBD's official show at The Hideout. The set starts around 1:00 AM.


10. "Even Born Again", Sarah Jaffe
    Ms. Jaffe's set starts at 8:00 pm Thursday night at St. David's Historic Sanctuary, a quite unlikely place for a SXSW show.


11. "Have You Ever Been Down?", THe BAcksliders
    Were the folks at SXSW intimated by the wild performances and energetic rock stylings of THe BAcksliders? This band deserves all the buzz it can get. SXSW may have been intimidated, but fortunately the Electra Beauty Lounge isn't as easily scared. That's where they perform Saturday afternoon around 3 pm.


12. "Shake Your Fist", Telegraph Canyon
    It's no surprised that Telegraph Canyon, one of the most critically acclaimed bands around here as of late, is performing an official show Saturday night at The Ale House. The set time is 8:00 pm.


13. "She's from the Other Side", Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights
    It used to be that each year their would be that "breakout" artist at SXSW. Norah Jones was a "breakout" artist, and perhaps our metroplex can score another breakout with JT&NL. Not only does our music community need a success story, but this band has the talent to pull it off. Check out both of their official shows: Thursday at midnight at Maggie May's and Saturday at Galaxy Room Backyard (9:00 pm). Can't afford the real shows? No worries, because they'll be performing Friday afternoon at Antone's (not sure of the set time).

And if there are any other good local acts I've forgotten to list (especially good unofficial shows), feel free to post them in the comments section.

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.

Playlist: 1/10/10 - 1/16/10

If any artists that are on this playlist do not wish to be on the playlist, please email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the song. If, on the other hand, you'd like to be featured on the playlist but I don't have any songs by your band, feel free to email me at the same email and perhaps I'll add you on a future playlist.

Now, onto this week's playlist:

1. "For Keeps", Iris Leu
   I've searched the names of several local artists on Hypster, and frankly the current selection is underwhelming. Number of songs by The O's? Zero. Number of Chomsky songs? None. How many Midlake songs? Only one. Number of Iris Leu songs? Four. Obviously I'm not the only fan of Ms. Leu's who uses Hypster.


2. "Acts of Man", Midlake
   Oh, scratch my previous comment about the number of Midlake songs. I've placed this track off their upcoming CD, The Courage of Others, on the site now. You're welcome.


3. "Pipe Dream", The Slack
   I am officially declaring The Deep End as the first important release of 2010, and Holt and company are starting off the year on the right foot. Don't forget, the CD release show is on the 22nd of this month at Sons of Hermann Hall.


4. "All Because You're Mine", Air Review
   Their song "Chasing Corporate" ranked number six on my year end countdown, and that's definitely their most immediately accessible track. "All Because You're Mine" is one of the those songs that takes its sweet time to worm its way into your head. Once it's there, it is there and setting up permanent residence. I would probably say that after repeated listens to Landmarks, this is truly their finest track.


5. "View from the Track", Dust Congress
   The fine folks at Gutterth have created two compilations of tracks that can be downloaded for free on their website. I've been particularly enjoying this track from Compilation: One.


6. "The Spilling Blood Child", RTB2
   Have you heard about the In*And*Out Tour of 2010? Okay, so "tour" might be too strong of a word. RTB2, new GOBL fave Luna Matto, and PVC Street Gang will be playing at The Cavern this Friday, and taking the show north on 35 when they play Hailey's the next day. Make a point of attending at least one of the shows.


7. "Flat Black", True Widow
   True Widow will play at Sons of Hermann Hall with the pAper chAse and The Boom Boom Box, and I predict they will steal the show.


8. "Say Hello", Tim Miller
   According to Opening Bell Coffee's website, Tim Miller & Friends will be performing there this Saturday. As to who those friends are, I have no clue, though I'd love it if one of those friends was Sara Donaldson. I've seen the two perform together, and it's one of those situations where the sum of their performance is greater than the parts of either solo. Oh, and Jayson Bales & The Charmers open the show. For the record, it seems as if Opening Bell has a LOT of good shows booked in the upcoming weeks.
   
9. "Paperweight Eyes", Sorta
   While Hypster's selection of local artists is currently limited, I intend to change that. The beauty is that it at least allows me to expand their selection, something that is not available thru MySpace. This is particularly frustrating when a band you love has a very limited selection of tracks available. This is the case with Sorta, where their first two albums are unavailable for playlists. Here's one of my favorites off their first full length, Laugh out Loud.


10. "Echo and the Pass", Hendrick
    Once again, my congratulations go out to Hendrick, who came in at number one on my year end countdown. It has been a mission of mine to convince people to listen to this track, and I can only hope it impacts my readers the way it did me. Thank you, Hendrick, for creating this masterpiece.

Good Tuesday Shows... No, That's Not an Oxymoron

Traditionally, Tuesdays are the worst day of the week for shows. You haven't even made it to "hump day", yet you've made it past both the weekend and Monday. Many clubs do not even book bands on Tuesday, and those that do book bands do not bring out their top talent on Tuesdays. To have one intriguing show on a Tuesday is rarity; two good shows is practically unheard of. Yet tonight finds two shows that are worth the time and money.

Today marks the release of Ryan Thomas Becker's solo CD, Neighborhoof. If you're not familiar with Mr. Becker's work, then you're probably not well acquainted with local music. Between The Slow Burners, Eaton Lake Tonics, and RTB2, Ryan has been responsible for more than his share of great songs. While the opening track of the CD, "Seek Fire, Anime Kids", sounds like it would fit in perfectly on an RTB2 album, much of the rest of the album finds Mr. Becker in a more introspective state of mind. Tracks like "Premaries" and "Where Your Father Didn't Go" have a simple beauty to them that may surprise those only familiar with Mr. Becker's work with RTB2. I'm sure you can find Mr. Becker performing all the aforementioned tracks plus many others when he plays tonight at J&J's Pizza in Denton.

City Tavern finds itself hosting a great show for an unfortunate reason. Recently, local musician Greg Schroeder's musical gear was stolen. It is my understanding that the proceeds of this show will help Mr. Schroeder replace the stolen gear. Greg will be performing at the show, as well as Here In Arms, Madison King, Cousin Wes, and Grant Jones & The Pistol Lassos. Here's hoping that plenty of money is raised to help Greg.

Pretty good shows, especially for a Tuesday night, don't you think?

MySpace Playlist: 11/1/09

A couple of thank you's before I start the playlist. First of all, I thank all of you who came out Friday night to see Iris Leu and Luna Matto. Morning Elephant was originally on the bill, but could not perform that night and the folks at LBG replaced them with Avoiding Disaster. If you haven't seen either Iris or Luna as of yet, you are so missing out. Both of them rocked the LBG in a major way.

Also, I thank everyone who has contributed to the discussion about the Dallas music movement. It always does my heart good to know that people still care about local music. Keep the discussion going, and do whatever you can to support the movement. Attend shows. Expose your friends to local music. Attend shows. Call up radio stations and encourage them to play local music. Oh, did I mention that you should attend shows?

Okay, time for me to step down from my soapbox and give you some music to listen to.

1. "Red in the Morning", Menkena
   This song distills all the best qualities of Menkena (intelligent lyrics, dreamy melody) into five minutes of pure sonic bliss. This may be the band's finest work to date. The level of anticipation I have for their upcoming full length CD is a level usually reserved for local heavy hitters (Old 97's, Salim Nourallah, etc.) and if there is any justice, Menkena will reach that level of respect in Dallas and beyond.


2. "Young & Reckless", The Roomsounds
   I discovered this track last week on The Local Edge show and have listened to it repeatedly. Jangly guitars? Check. Catchy melody that sticks in your head? Check. Band with major potential? Check.


3. "Were Her", The Orbans
   Speaking of The Local Edge, The Orbans will be joining Chatterton and Shock of Pleasure at Trees Wednesday night as these three bands perform for the opportunity to play at EDGEfest. By the way, wouldn't Roomsounds be the perfect opening band for The Orbans? Those two tracks transitioned seamlessly.


4. "Luggage for Light Years", the cut*off
   If you can't catch The Orbans on Wednesday night, then catch them Saturday night at The Moon, along with Dove Hunter and this band. Fort Worth, I'm jealous of you right now.


5. "In Case You Might Forget", The Heelers
   Haven't listened to this track in forever, and decided it had been too long since I shared this song with you, my readers.


6. "Have You Ever Been Down?", THe BAcksliders
   I wanted "Keep A Knockin'" on last week's covers playlist, but alas, the band has removed that track from their MySpace. They'll be playing Double-Wide on Friday th e13th. I usually don't mention shows on playlists that are not for the current week, but I'm just that excited about seeing them.


7. "Minor It Down", True Widow
   They'll be playing at Sons of Hermann Hall Saturday night, opening for The Crash That Took Me's CD release party. I'd post a track from TCTTM's CD, except the band still hasn't posted any tracks from their upcoming CD on MySpace. What's the hold up, Dylan?


8. "Wire to the Walls", RTB2
   When Granada hosts the Destroyer show Friday night, two of Denton's finest will open the show. Both Sarah Jaffe and RTB2 will perform, and although their styles could not be more different, the one trait shared in common is first rate musicianship and quality songs. And really, what more is needed?


9. "We Gathered in Spring", Midlake
   As I eagerly anticipate the band's next CD, The Courage of Others, I've found myself listening to this track more than ever.


10. "Little Polyanna", Kristy Kruger
    This Monday is Dia de los Muertos, translated in English as "Day of the Dead." It is also the day that Lt. Col. Eric Kruger, brother to Kristy, died in the Iraq War. Every year, Kristy performs a show in honor of her brother. She will perform at Opening Bell Coffee, along with Robert Gomez and The Beaten Sea. Part of the proceeds will go to Fisherhouse, a group that helps members of the military, as well as their families. This will not only be an evening of great music, but an opportunity to pay respects to a true hero and help others who are fighting for our country.