The A to Z Playlists: Bi-Bo

Dear readers,

Time is even more limited today, so I'm simply offering up the playlist below sans comments. My apologies, but please enjoy the listen, and I hope to have some reading material to go with the playlist tomorrow. Also, check back later today for some local show recommendations.


Sincerely,

"The Ghost"

The A to Z Playlists: Ba-Be

Due to time restraints and a slight case of writer's block, some of today's tracks are going commentless.  My apologies.  Still, I hope you're contuining to find this series of playlists enjoyable and educational.

"Baby Loves the Senator", Budapest One
And we kick the playlist off with this track because, well, it's the first one alphabetically.  Duh.
"Back of Your Mind", Collin Herring
"Bad Luck Blues", Blind Lemon Jefferson
What, you didn't think I'd leave out Mr. Jefferson, did you?  Exclude the man who was the inspiration for this blog's name?  Not a chance.
"Bag Lady", Erykah Badu
If you asked me to name an Erykah Badu song, the first three song names that pop into my mind are from her debut, Baduizm.  Yet Ms. Badu's first single from Mama's Gun spent seven weeks at number one on Billboard's R&B chart, making it arguably her biggest hit.
"Bales of Cocaine", Reverend Horton Heat
"Ballad for the Children", Deadman
Dallas likes to lay claim to this jazz trumpeteer, though based on my limited research, the primary time that Mr. Hargrove was centered in the metroplex was when he attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
"The Ballad of Padre Miguel", Deadman
"Balloon Maker", Midlake
Before the band went all 70's sounding on The Trials of Van Occupanther, this track captured what the band was about in the earliest stages of its career.
"Band", Hagfish
"Bangarang!", Two Knights
I've been hearing some buzz around this band, found this song on Grooveshark, and felt it was deserving of a slot in this playlist.
"Barrel Chested", Slobberbone
Here's the title track to what I would probably have to say is my favorite Slobberbone CD.
"Barrier Reef", Old 97's
In his solo career, Rhett Miller's back up band is called the Serial Ladykillers, no doubt a reference to this song.  Also, his birth name is Stewart Ransom Miller, which is how he introduces himself in the first verse of the song.
"Be Here Now", Salim Nourallah
"Be Patient", Pop Poppins
Hearing this song takes me back to high school, when KDGE would play local bands on a regular basis.  I miss that.  A lot.  Mark, what do you say we make that happen again?
"Beard", Burning Hotels
"Beat the Time", Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
One of my favorite album tracks from Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars.
"Beatrice (Ode)", The Theater Fire
I don't know who Beatrice is, but she must be pretty special, considering the fact that The Theater Fire had three songs about her on Matter and Light.
"Beautiful", Flickerstick
My hope was that this single would have propelled Flickerstick into the national spotlight.  Unfortunately, this band's timing was off, releasing their album Welcoming Home the Astronauts shortly after 9/11 happened.  The band did not get to build upon the momentum from it's victory on VH1's Bands on the Run TV show, and was later dropped by Epic Records.  Yet another band in the "almost made it" category.
"Beautiful", Mystery Skulls
Here's another "Beautiful" song, completely unrelated to the Flickerstick track.  When originally released, the project went by the name of Mr. Sleaze instead of Mystery Skulls, and the title of the song was "Beautiful Girl".  Just a nice bit of useless trivia for you.
"Beautiful Night", Burden Brothers
Here's a double dose of Vaden Todd Lewis, first with the Burden Brothers' biggest hit single...
"Beauty School Dropout", Toadies
And then here's Toadies' contribution to Sandy Does Dallas, where multiple local artists covered songs from the Grease soundtrack.
"Beetle Orange", Spoonfed Tribe
Spoonfed Tribe tends to be quite a polarizing band, with people either regarding them as a fabulous spectacle or as an annoying jam band.  My philosophy on Spoonfed Tribe is quite simple: every local music fan needs to see at least one Spoonfed Tribe show.  Whether you like the band or not is beside the pont.  Soak in the experience of a Spoonfed Tribe show, because that's exactly what it is: an experience.
"Beg You to Stay", Smile Smile
"Begging", Vibrolux
From the first time I heard Vibrolux, I was captivated by Kim Pendleton's soulful yet melancholy vocals.  And while Vibrolux is no more, you can still hear Kim singing with THe BAcksliders.  Speaking of THe BAcksliders, they'll be playing Crown and Harp this Friday along with The Gypsy Bravado and The Hot Sleep.  Hey, give me a break.  When you get to book THe BAcksliders, you wanna promote, promote, promote!
"Beheaded", Bedhead
"Bela Was a Junkie", Shadow Reichenstein
"Belgium", Bowling for Soup
"Believe", Chomsky
"Bells", Black Tie Dynasty
While "Tender" was BTD's breakout hit, the guitar riff that opens this song sucks me in every time.  For my money, this is the band's best song.
"Better by Design", John Lefler
"Better Than Nothing", Sarah Jaffe
That brings us to song #31, and the end of today's playlist.  We'll resume the B's tomorrow.

The A to Z Playlists: An-Az

"Am I Still Loaded", Sparrows
When starting off a playlist, you can't go wrong with anything that features Carter Albrecht on lead vocals. It's just a fact.
"Am I Too Late", Old 97's
Early in the career of the 97's, the band fixated primarily on the topics of women and alcohol. When Satellite Rides was released, the band explored the topics of death and loss with tracks like "Weightless" and this song. In spite of the heavier lyrical content, the band manages to maintain a steady but energetic pace to the melody, keeping the song from getting too maudlin.
"Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow", Fair to Midland
I'm usually not one for heavier rock bands, but Fair to Midland's live show is nothing less than captivating. In the one live show of theirs I witness, lead singer Andrew Darroh Sudderth starting out the set by casually strolling onto stage, looking bored while smoking his cigarette. Halfway through the song, Mr. Sudderth was screaming full blast into the mic with the wire wrapped around his neck. Regardless of what your musical leanings may be, I dare you to catch an FTM show and not walk away with a deep respect for the band's talent.
"Amazing", Mystery Skulls
Has anyone ever determined the identities of the members of Mystery Skulls? I know that this is a side project by another well known local musician, but I have not heard a single person mention who is in the band. If anyone has an answer for me, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and let me know. I can keep a secret if need be. Honest.
"America's Son", Air Review
In the beginning, Air Review received many a comparison to Muse. With this single, the band veered away from that style and into a more straight on indie pop sound. The result? The song has easily become the band's most recognized and loved track overall. And if anyone at Apple is listening, this song practically BEGS to be played in a commercial for the iPod or iPhone.
"Anastarsia", Happy Farmers
Happy Farmers was a band formed out of high school in the late 1980's. Normally, a high school band would not endure the test of time well enough to make such a playlist over two decades later. When that high school band features such members as David Garza and Clay Pendergrass, that helps. A lot.
"Angeline", Here, In Arms
In my weekend planner posts, when separating artist names on a lineup, I always use slashes instead of commas. Why slashes and not commas, you ask? It's this band's fault.
"Angry Girl", Funland
Will Johnson is represented twice in today's playlist. His band Centro-matic will come later in this list, but this band features Mr. Johnson behind the drumkit.
"Ann Arbor", Nicholas Altobelli
Mr. Altobelli claims that his album When Now Becomes Then will be his last acoustic album. He also has been making such claims since his after his full length debut. He did at least finally debut his full band show at the Big Folkin' Festival. We'll see if the electric album will follow later this year as he says it will.
"Another Try at Something New", Macavity
"Antarctica", Black Tie Dynasty
Here's a double dose of Idol Records releases for you.
"Any Given Saturday", Spitfire Tumbleweeds
I've always found it interesting how local musicians are often in bands that are so diametrically opposite in sound. Take for example Scott Porter. He not only played guitar in Denton noise rock act Record Hop, but he was the lead vocalist for the country act Spitfire Tumbleweeds. No one can accuse him of not having diverse musical taste.
"Any Life", Bedhead
I hadn't known until recently that slowcore was an actual musical movement. And while I always realized that Bedhead was quite popular in the metroplex area, I never realized that this slowcore band had a strong national following and remains one of the most popular bands of the slowcore movement.
"Anywhere I'm Loving You", Eleven Hundred Springs
Here's a nice little ballad from the band's debut, appropriately enough titled Welcome to Eleven Hundred Springs.
"Apocalypse (A Love Story)", Calhoun
Back in the days that Tim Locke was the lead singer of Grand Street Cryers, his band was one of the Dallas Observer's favorite bands to bash. It wasn't until about a decade later when his band Calhoun released Falter.Waver.Cultivate that Mr. Locke began to get the respect as a songwriter that he so richly deserves.
"Apple Pies and Alibis", the pAper chAse
while the bAnd gAve up this prActice lAter in its cAreer, the pAper chAse would routinely leAve most letters in lower cAse with the strAnge exception of hAving the A's remAin cApitAlized. fortunAtely, the bAnd finAlly decided to ceAse its errAtic cApitAlizAtion pAtterns. personAlly, i think this wAs A good ideA, considering thAt it looks reAlly freAky. But you AlreAdy noticed thAt, right?
"Apple Tree", Erykah Badu
So what's the fixation with apples by local musicians? Just wondering.
"Are You Listening?", Chris Holt
This is the song that opened my eyes to the talent that is Chris Holt.
"Are You Ready for the Shutdown?", Centro-matic
And here's that Centro-matic track I hinted at earlier.
"Astigmatism", Astronautalis
Time to get some hip-hop in the hizz-ouse, word to your mother. Okay, I'll shut up now.
"Astronaut", Fate Lions
Is it just me, or does the area need more power pop bands? At least we have Fate Lions.
"Astronauts", FLATWORLD
Shameless Crown and Harp plug: FLATWORLD will be playing there on Friday, May 25th along with The Gets.
"At the Public Dance", Doug Burr
Yesterday, I professed my love for Mr. Burr's On Promenade album. His official follow-up to that album, O Ye Devastator, didn't quite match the emotional intensity of Promenade. This is not meant as an insult to Devastator, but rather to say that sometimes when an album is as fabulous as On Promenade, even an excellent follow up may wind up standing in the shadows of the previous masterpiece. Still, there are plenty of great songs from this CD as well, and expect to hear more from this album as well.
"Atlas", Mildred
Back in 1991, WFAA broadcast a recording of that year's Dallas Observer Music Awards ceremony. I remember seeing it on TV, and that's where I first discovered Mildred. This was the song they played, and I instantly fell in love with the quirky pop melody. I regret that I never saw the band live, though I did finally discover a used copy of Whippersnapper at the Addison CD Warehouse, which of course I bought without hesitation.
"Athens, TX", Gaston Light
Have you ever had a song that it disturbed you that you really liked? I was first captivated by the gorgeous melody of the song before discovering that the song is about a man who picks up a woman at a bar and murders her. Yet Jason Corcoran, the man behind Gaston Light, is such the storyteller that you get sucked in to the dark tale.
"Austin's Birthday", The Burning Hotels
This is what Burning Hotels sounded like before they went new wave.
"Avenue", Salim Nourallah
This song was always one of my highlights of the live Salim shows back around 2004. The contributions of John Dufilho and Jason Garner (Deathray Davies) on drum and bass respectively really made this song pop live.
"Aw, the Humanity", Reverend Horton Heat
I don't know if the Rev is credited with developing psychobilly, but I had certainly never heard of that term until he rose to popularity.
"Awake and Lifeless", A Dozen Furies
I'm not going to lie. This isn't my cup of tea. Still, the band managed to get national attention for being the winner of the reality TV show Battle for Ozzfest. At the minimum, such an accomplishment has earned the band a spot on the playlist.
"Away", Toadies
I'm not sure if this song genuinely caught on with other alternative stations around the country. All I know is that almost two decades later, this song remains in constant rotation on KDGE.
"The Aztec God", The Deathray Davies
I was told the song was inspired by Del Perez, member of such acts as The Wurlitzer Prize, Pegasus Now!, and eyes wings and many other things. Yes, there is quite an interesting story behind the song. No, I will not tell the story on the blog. You're welcome, Mr. Perez. And that concludes the first letter of the alphabet. Tomorrow, we begin the B's.

The A to Z Playlists: Aa-Am

"Aaww-Some (Johnny Sierra Remix)", Best Fwends
This song seems to have been created for the exclusive purpose of kicking off any A to Z list. Fittingly enough, the song is found on an album called Alphabetically Arranged.
"About the Movies", Tripping Daisy
Count on lots of Tim DeLaughter on this list, whether it be Tripping Daisy or Polyphonic Spree. Heck, if someone wants to upload some Preteen Zenith on Grooveshark for my use, I'll use one of their songs in the list as well.
"Absalom", Spot
After the dissolution of Mildred, the Rueffer brothers formed Spot, a decidedly more straight ahead rock band.
"Accomplice", Nervous Curtains
This song ranked #32 on my Top 40 Local Tracks of 2010, which seems unusually low considering how much I listened (and still do listen) to the song.
"Actor Out of Work", St. Vincent
Annie Clarke aka St. Vincent has certainly become one of this city's bigger success stories, although it seemed that her popularity was almost exclusively through the blogosphere, and less from a steady stream of live Dallas shows.  Perhaps that's the secret to making out of this town: get some bloggers (myself not apparently included in the list) to fall in love with your music.
"Acts of Man", Midlake
The Courage of Others was not the breakout hit for Midlake that some predicted it would be. With influences like Nick Drake and Fairport Convention obvious in the album's sound, I am absolutely stunned that the band was not selling out stadiums and getting played on KISS-FM. Alright, alright, I'll tone down the sarcasm. Seriously, it's a well made album that almost seemed to be a statement from the band that they did NOT want to go in a more commercially viable direction.
"Adults Don't Always Know Best", Andonia Layr
Stumbled upon this song by accident while compiling the list, but I must say I quite like this track.
"Afraid of the Dark", Sorta
I cannot listen to the closing refrain of "Oh, it's over now" without getting chills. According to the liner notes of the CD, that part of the vocals was recorded shortly after Carter Albrecht's death.
"After All Is Done", Iris Leu
I've only heard Ms. Leu play this song once, at her CD release for Hushaboo. It was my favorite performance of the night, and her guitarist Hans Grumbein stole the show without stealing the show. Let me explain: instead of playing an over the top, showy guitar solo, his refrain was restrained but powerful enough to convey the full emotion of the song. It was a delicate balancing act that he pulled off seamlessly.
"Aim High", Chris Holt
If you listen only to the melody, you'll notice an intriguing groove to the sound. One listen to the lyrics, however, and you'll hear the anger in Mr. Holt regarding how Carter Albrecht was killed.
"Aimless & Alright", Kevin Aldridge
The former lead singer of Chatterton strikes out on his own with this track that mixes a very Byrds-esque vibe with hints of alt-country. A big thumbs up for me.
"Air of December", Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Some might say that it was the success of New Bohemians that brought life to the Deep Ellum community. While that would be an oversimplification, one cannot deny the powerful effect that Ms. Brickell and the band's success brought to our town.
"Alabaster", Kristy Kruger
Perhaps the most gorgeous song ever written for a dog.
"Alcoholic", The Tah-Dah's
Roy Ivy always had a way with words. "If you were a Cherokee, I might have reservations". Or how about this: "If you queen of Rome I'd want to move to Rome and wouldn't that be Rome-antic?" Goofy? Yeah. Clever? Definitely. Fun? Absolutely. The Tah-Dah's definitely brought Le Fun with their only full length CD.
"Alibi", The Orbans
Before The Orbans, the band was called Lifters, and they released the CD Switchblade Waterpistol. This song was on the CD, but was rerecorded for The Orban's full length, When We Were Young.
"All Because You're Mine", Air Review
While "Chasing Corporate" is the obvious choice for a single from Landmarks, this track has just as strong off hooks and builds to a climax that proves the song to be a perfect closer for the band's great live set.
"All I Want", Ishi
Because you love that Ishi.
"All Inside", The Felons
This is what Dave Hickmott did before playing guitar with Menkena.
"All That I've Done Wrong", Danny Balis
After seeing Mr. Balis play backup for years in Sorta and Sparrows, it came as a surprise to hear him sing. The even bigger shock was how perfectly suited his voice was for country, showcased both in his work with The King Bucks and on his solo CD Too Much Living.
"All the Pretty Girls", Lovie
A Texas girl band covering another Texas girl band (The Judys). How fitting.
"All the Reasons Why", Emmeline
Does anyone remember a song called "Surrounded" by Chantal Kreviazuk? The opening piano riff for some reason reminds me a little of that song. But once Emmeline's voice kicks in, the song goes in a completely different and much more optimistic tone than that of the Chantal Kreviazuk song.
"All the Time", Bad Sports
The band now splits its time between Denton and Austin, but they remain one of my favorite local punk acts of the past few years.
"All You Do Is Crazy", Fate Lions
Still needing more Byrds influenced local music after the Kevin Aldridge track? Well, here you go.
"All You Need", True Widow
Having done both a blog and a radio show, I've discovered one advantage of blogging vs. radio. Whenever a band comes up with an obnoxious album title like As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth, instead of having to say it each time, just cut and paste instead.
"Allison", Burning Hotels
"Allison", Luna Matto
It's weird that two separate acts would record a song called Allison months apart and independently of each other. While stylistically very different, both tracks share a very melancholy feel.
"Already Gone", Kelly Clarkson
I see your eyes rolling at this one, but Ms. Clarkson is for Burleson, and has certainly had one of the most successful careers of any solo artist in the metroplex.
"Alright", Baboon
I know, you were just thinking how you always like to follow up your Kelly Clarkson with some Baboon. Glad I could be of help.
"Always Be There", Rahim Quazi
I love the guitar intro on this track.  Not going to rave at lengths about Rahim at this point in the list.  I have to save something for later, right?
"Always Travel Light", Doug Burr
Speaking of things I love, Doug Burr's On Promenade is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful album. I suspect that before this A to Z deal is over with, you'll hear over half of the songs from this CD on the playlists.
"Alyson Revere", Fishboy
And I end today's playlist with some Fishboy. But check back tomorrow as I wrap up the A's.

No Lucky Thirteen Today...

That's right, for the second week in a row, there will not be a new Lucky Thirteen playlist published.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that I have been hard at work on a playlist project far bigger than a mere thirteen song playlist.

Some of you may recall that on Memorial Day two years ago, I did an A to Z playlist, with one song from each letter of the alphabet represented in that list.  I'm taking that same idea, but with a few changes.  Instead of one playlist, there will be thirty-one playlists, one published each day.  Each playlist will consist of thirty-one songs.  For those who need help with the math, 31 * 31 = 961.  That's a total of 961 songs by local artists, in order from A to Z.

What songs will be played, you ask?  That will be revealed in time, but I will say that this list is a much more inclusive list than the traditional playlists, based almost exclusively on my personal tastes.  All genres of music will be represented: rock, pop, indie, metal, electronica, reggae, R&B, country, folk, hip-hop/rap, and even polka.  The list is certainly influenced by my tastes, but in an effort to be inclusive, I will say that not all of the tracks I personally like.  The purpose of these playlists is not only to provide exposure, but it is also an attempt to spotlight a wide variety of artists that have made a significant impact on our music scene.  Most of these artists have strong roots to the local music scene and community, although I will admit to placing some artists on the list whose contribution was to merely be born in the metroplex area.

The first playlist will be posted tomorrow, and I will post a new one each day (tomorrow's playlist will be songs starting with Aa through Am), and the playlist will end once I have reached the Z's.  While there will likely be debate on the songs selected (why is this artist on the list but not this other artist?), I hope you find this to be an educational and even enjoyable examination of all that is local music.

Weekend Plans: 4/27/12

I don't do these weekend posts often enough I realize. It seems, however, that a large number of the major media outlets are shifting their focus even further away from local talent and towards the national touring acts. At Ghost of Blind Lemon, we (and by we, I mean I) like to keep it as much about the local scene as possible. So check out these shows listed, and more importantly, go to one.


FRIDAY:
Sayonara/The Klanks/Tweed EQ (The Crown and Harp) Of course I'm going to promote this show. After all, I booked it, so you know it's good, right?
Spookeasy/Sealion/Burgess Meredith (LaGrange)
This is a CD release show for Spookeasy's full length, Faux Show. I've listened to the CD, and it's every bit as good as I expected.
Bravo, Max! (The Free Man)
I'm at a lack of new ways of raving about this band, so instead, I'll just take a moment to recommend checking out the food at The Free Man, especially their sweet potato fries. Mmmmm.
The Olivia Tremor Control/The Deathray Davies (Sons of Hermann Hall)
Yes, I realize I'm mentioning a national touring band. But since Deathray Davies gigs are such a rarity at the moment, I would be slacking on the job if I didn't mention this opportunity to see one of my favorite bands ever to emerge from the area.


SATURDAY:
The King Bucks/Cory Herring (Granada Theater)
It's King Bucks. And there's no cover. So yeah, this is a good option.
The Phuss/The Virgin Wolves/Brunettes Not Fighter Jets (City Tavern)
Now that The Phuss have completed their full length CD (produced by Todd Lewis of Toadies no less), I have a feeling this band will soon be exclusively playing larger size venues. So enjoy this opportunity to see the band in a more intimate setting. Oh, and The Virgin Wolves still rock. But you knew that already, right?

I suspect I've forgotten more than a few good shows worth mention. That's what the comment section is for. Don't be afraid to use it.

The Lucky Thirteen: 4/16/12

In honor of Record Store Day this Saturday, this week's Lucky Thirteen is all about records. The first six songs are all from local records. By local records, I mean albums that you can purchase on vinyl as opposed to CD. The next six tracks are from artists who will be performing at various Record Store Day celebrations. And the last song, well, it would only be appropriate to end with Record Hop, keeping with the record theme and all.

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. "Garage Sale", Old 97's
   Old 97's and Funland released this split EP back in 1995, featuring the Old 97's classic "Stoned" and Funland's "Garage Sale". In addition to the original versions, the ten inch single also featured each band covering the other band's song. By overwhelming demand, the single was later released on CD.
2. "Unstoppable", Salim Nourallah
   After making music for over two decades, one would think that the quality of Mr. Nourallah's output would have weakened by now. Based on what I've sampled of Hit Parade, the exact opposite is the case. Salim's songs are as catchy and witty as ever. Unstoppable would seem to be the appropriate adjective for Mr. Nourallah. He'll be playing an acoustic set Saturday night at Allgood, then later that night he brings a full band set to Bryan Street Tavern. And on top of that, he performs live Sunday at Good Records.
3. "16 Candles", Morning Elephant
   Shameless Crown and Harp plug: Clay Pendergrass's project Morning Elephant will be performing there Friday night. Perhaps he will even bring some vinyl copies of Music Is Unfinished Conversation to add to your collection.
4. "So, Within", Seryn
   While I have no data to back this statement up, I would predict that no local artist sold more vinyl copies of an album last year as Seryn's This Is Where We Are sold.
5. "Hotel Denalian", Bravo, Max!
   Sure, I could have chosen any of the fine tracks from Dog's Light to play. But when the opening line of the song is "Put a record on/Put the needle down/Dance to the fear/Round and round", well, that just ties into the Record Store Day theme all too well.
6. "Indian Melody", Calhoun
   My favorite CD and record of the year was unarguably Heavy Sugar. And had they released it on cassette and 8-track, it would have been my favorite album in those mediums as well.
7. "Steampunk Jetpack", Sealion
   If you're looking for the biggest names to play Record Store Day, you'll find them at Good Records. The store managed to get some quite famous nationally known acts to play the event: Civil Twilight, Switchfoot, and Tings Tings are all part of the festivities. I must say that I regret not seeing more local favorites on the list. Still, Good Records has managed to get some good homegrown talent on the bill, with Sealion being my favorite of that bunch.
8. "Seven", Ducado Vega
   Bill's Records is getting in on the festivities as well, with performances from Blacktop Gypsy, Thieves of Sunrise, and Darryl Lee Rush, to name a few. And then of course there's GOBL favorite Ducado Vega and Bloodrich, who always bring a soulful energy to every show.
9. "A Black Wave Is Comin'", Doug Burr
   For Denton folks not wanting to drive down 35 for Record Store Day, Recycled Records has everything you'll need. Ryan Thomas Becker? Check. Glen Farris? Check. Doug Burr? Check. Lots of records to buy? Just like every other day of the year, check.
10. "Tryin' to Have a Good Time", The O's
11. "Save Me", Siren Sea
12. "Mine", Emmeline While Good Records may have the biggest names of any celebration, I honestly feel that the award for best lineup easily goes to CD Source. If you click here to check out their Facebook event, you'll notice that the lineup looks like a roll call of musicians that I both love and have booked on a regular basis. The previous three artists are only but a small sampling of the tasty musical treats available that day. And if tasty edible treats are more your thing, there will be plenty of food available in the store. And as always, there are plenty of musical treats available for purchase, both on CD and vinyl. My hat goes off to store owner Lance Price for putting together such a strong day of entertainment.
13. "Rocket Seance", Record Hop
    Interesting enough, I do not believe Record Hop ever released anything on an actual record. It's a shame that they disbanded. Few bands in the metroplex have managed to create as captivating hard rock as Record Hop did. This song exemplifies everything that is right about Record Hop, where it be the guitar hooks in the intro or Ashley Cromeen's melodic screams. And don't even think of playing this song on anything other than full blast.

The Lucky Thirteen: 4/9/12

This past weekend was 100% beautiful melodic insanity. The Deep Ellum Arts Festival is one of the most incredible weekends of the year, and this year was no exception. I owe a huge thank you to Kim Keebler, for letting me book acts in her store and also for letting me help book the Deep Ellum Radio Stage. Thanks to the wonderful acts who played at In Accord during Saturday, and thanks to everyone who played the Deep Ellum Radio stage, making it a huge success. My apologies to Ducado Vega, Tweed EQ, Here in Arms, and The Klanks. The weather got the best of the festival, and I truly regret that you did not get the opportunity to perform and let your talent shine. Maybe next year the weather will treat us kinder. In any event, I'm overall thrilled with the weekend, but tired.

As a result, here is a commentless Lucky Thirteen playlist. Fortunately, these songs stand on their own, so I'll just shut up now and let you listen.

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. "Steampunk Jetpack", Sealion
2. "Fortune Teller", Jessie Frye
3. "Indian Melody", Calhoun
4. "Julie", Dovetail
5. "One Loaded Gun", Lara Parker
6. "Just Like California", Old 97's
7. "Minx", Old 97's
8. "Knockout Rose", Bad Design
9. "Save Me", Siren Sea
10. "Within the Flame", Anna Thomas
11. "La Revolucion", Dead Beat Poetry
12. "Nazarene", Madison King
13. "Never Too Late", The Electro-Magnetics

In Accord Show This Saturday

Before I tell you about this Saturday, I'd like to say a few thank you's regarding last Saturday and the Big Folkin' Festival. First, thanks to Jeremy Drake of Parallel Play for letting myself and In Accord be a part of the event. Thanks also go out to Kim Keebler of In Accord, who for some strange reason lets me keep booking shows there. Obviously, a big thanks goes out to all the musicians who made the store sound so wonderful: Rahim Quazi, Jaimee Harris, Garrett Owen, Hannah Wilshire, Emmeline, Chris J. Norwood, Kyle Brooks, and Lara Parker. Finally, thanks to everyone who came in to hear and support the music. I absolutely love the vibe of In Accord, and feel that it is a perfect venue for acoustic performances. If you haven't been to an In Accord show as of yet, this Saturday provides the perfect opportunity to do so. I realize there are a multitude of events happening in Deep Ellum this weekend, but I would encourage you to make time in your schedule to check out these performances. 12:30 - Kyle Brooks I've seen many meldings of musical influences lately, but Mr. Brooks has demonstrated one I have not seen as of yet. Along with the expected folk influences, he has a deeper appreciation for modern R&B music than most in his genre. So along with the typical singer-songwriter fare, don't be surprised to hear covers of "No Diggity" and "Nice and Slow" mixed in. And to answer the skeptics out there, Mr. Brooks shows that both work quite well on guitar. 1:30 - Quincy Forte Johnson Some of you may be familiar with Mr. Johnson's work with Ducado Vega and Bloodrich, and his ability to shred on guitar. What you may not be aware of is that Mr. Johnson is able to write a mean song or two himself. He is currently working on releasing an EP in the next month or so. Expect to hear many of those songs Saturday. 2:30 - Emmeline There are few performers in the metroplex that are as skilled in working an audience as Emmeline. Whether it be through sharing the stories behind the songs or insisting on audience participation in one of her crazy medleys, the audience is never bored. The songs and stories run the emotional gamut: heartbreak, loss, hope, joy. All are expressed in her music. 3:30 - Anna Thomas When one listens to Anna Thomas' music, the first thing to stand out is the voice. It is powerful and gorgeous, and carries an emotional weight that may catch some off guard. This feat is all the more amazing considering that she is only 16 years old. Her EP, Break Apart, spotlights not only her gifts as a singer and piano player, but as a songwriter whose skills are impressive regardless of her age. 4:30 - Dave Hickmott of Menkena Fans of the blog are likely to remember The Felons, Mr. Hickmott's previous band. With songs like "Cathedral" and "Leave Me Alone", Dave managed to combine an epic rock sound a la Muse with an emotional intimacy rarely found in that genre. Mr. Hickmott is now spending most of his time backing up Jimmy Menkena in the band sharing his last name. This Saturday, however, presents an all too rare to give Dave Hickmott the moment in the spotlight he so richly deserves. 5:30 - Gaston Light Jason Corcoran of Gaston Light is making quite the name for himself, both in and out of the metroplex area. He even managed to get the attention of Dallas Morning News music critic Mario Tarradell; click here to read the story on Gaston Light. His album Peel is filled with beautifully haunting country tinged songs like "Athens, TX" and "Half Awake" that show why there's a certain buzz surrounding him. 6:30 - The Klanks School of Rock seems to be a hotbed of talent, whether it be the teachers (featuring members of Virgin Wolves, Seryn, and Fair to Midland) or students like Taylor Marie, Kahli Cooper, and Cade Garrett, all of which have graced the In Accord stage. Once again, In Accord will be home to another School of Rock act. The Klanks combine elements of 70's, garage, and indie rock in a blend that shows the tremendous potential this young band possesses. Admission is free for the show, and it is all ages. No excuses. Come.

Spring is definitely upon us, and with that comes festival season. My personal favorite of the bunch has to be the Deep Ellum Arts Festival, a festival that manages to capture all the unique aspects of the neighborhood. Artists, both local and out of the area, flock to the neighborhood to sell their unique art. Restaurants set up stands to sell their food, along side the traditional hot dog and nacho stands. And then, there's the music. I'm particularly excited that this year there is a Deep Ellum stage, sponsored by Deep Ellum Radio. I would encourage you to check the music schedule, and particularly the Deep Ellum Radio stage. So this week for the Lucky Thirteen, I've decided to spotlight artists playing the Deep Ellum stage, as well as the other stages. After all, there's plenty of good music to go around. 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. "La Revolucion", Dead Beat Poetry
2. "Sly Dreamer", One Red Martian
3. "Virtue and Vice", The Virgin Wolves
4. "Supernatural", Rahim Quazi
5. "My Favorite Song", The Crazy Ivans
6. "Daylight", El Cento
7. "Love Bomb", Rude King
8. "Chupa Cabra", Spoonfed Tribe
9. "Little Heart", Clint Niosi
10. "Take It Back", To Coda
11. "Set Me Free", The Red 100's
12. "sEVEN", Ducado Vega
13. "I'm Not to Spare", Tweed EQ