Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Brit Pop Ian Moore!? Say it is so!


Ian Moore, heartthrob to the alternative clique, makes his way back to David Card's Poor David's Pub. I love the name of that bar, and though David might could use a bit of cash, but he certainly makes his guests welcome. The place is outfitted with comfy primary-colored plastic chairs that probably were pilfered from a high school library back in about '86 or so, tables for everyone, and a loooooong bar, so you're easily served. Watch your bar tab, though, because the barkeeps don't want David to stay poor.

Anyone who dines at Amuse before the show, let me know how it is. I've heard yummy things about the food there. Can't beat a great restaurant across the street from a great venue.

Good news, Ian's working on a new album! You can pre-order it from his website around April and is slated for release this summer. This album will be less acoustic than 2004's daydreamy and sultry Luminaria and is heavily influenced by Brit Pop. Think Nick Lowe and Scott Walker. He will be performing a couple of his new unreleased songs at the show.

Ian Moore
with Adam Hood
Poor David's Pub
near South Side Lamar
Thursday 2/1
Adam at 8pm, Ian at 9pm
$16

*************************************
Update: Great show!! Ian and Kullen Fuchs were fantastic. Kullen looks like he has aged ten years on tour tour with Mr. Moore, which is good. We'll need to call him "Mr. Fuchs" now because the boyish charm has been replaced with manly good looks. And, wow, is he ever talented. I can't believe that just the two of them can generate so many layers of sound.

As for the new album, Ian says it's more David Bowie-influenced. Which means that the next and the next albums after this one will travel in directions he hasn't yet explored. That is the brilliance and beauty of Ian Moore's music. As soon as you'd like to peg him into a style or a genre, he turns 180 degrees, yet it is still stamped with his unique style.
"I'm lucky in that I can do anything," he says. No sir, we're lucky that you choose to do everything. I cannot wait until the new CD is released. Here's hoping for some demos to head my way!

hint hint

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

There's Life in Deep Ellum... who knew?



OK, so it seems as if I'm the last blogger to blog about the new church/music/art/spirit complex that has popped up over on Taylor Street in Deep Ellum. The official opening was Saturday, but Thursday's show is a must-see. First, I bet all the kinks are worked out from the very first night and the staff has it down pat now, second because Salim Nourallah and Johnny Lloyd Rollins are playing. Johnny's got a new band, and it's quite interesting. They call themselves the All-Nighters (even though they're playing a show that starts at 8p and will be done before midnight) and it's Eric Swanson, formerly of Fishing For Comets and recently hanging with JLR at most shows, Joey McClellan of The Valentines and Tripp Fontaine (there's a joke in there from Eric that I don't get). Also, John McIntire who used to beat the skins for the likes of Record Hop is doing the same for the All-Nighters. In case you don't know who Salim and JLR are, relative to music in the coming Aughties, that's sort of like saying John Lennon and Elvis are on stage together. Well, OK, if you shut your eyes and have a few beers it is. Oops! Life in DE's venue, ellumONSTAGE is dry, in keeping with their spiritual bent. You may get quite caffeinated at Mokkah, but no altering your mindset otherwise. With Salim and Johnny are Airline, Robby Holley's great band, and The Hero Factor (aka Radiant from Oklahoma). Overall, it's a night for quite a few "Hallelujahs!"

Life in Deep Ellum ellumONSTAGE
2803 Taylor (from Good Latimer, pass Commerce, turn left on Taylor)
$10 advance/$12 @ door, all ages (duh)
tix can be bought at Good Records

photo: Johnny Lloyd Rollins with red guitar, Salim Nourallah at the Granada.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

A new way to Bend in Ft. Worth

We had it good in Dallas, now Ft. Worth can be Bendy as well:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27TH
An Intimate Evening with Bob Schneider
Opening Night at Bend Studio - Fort Worth
8:00p / doors at 7:30p
$30 / $35 online
tickets online at www.bendstudio.com/intimate_concerts.htm
this show will sell out, be sure and get your tickets in advance


Bend Studio, in conjunction with Soul Fitness, is opening it's SECOND
LOCATION this month in Fort Worth! Soul Fitness is located at 1901
Montgomery Street in Fort Worth, TX. Opening night is going to be
something very special, and we hope you can make it out!

**************
Also, don't miss out on the upcoming shows in Dallas....

An Intimate Evening With Billy Harvey with special guest Robert Gomez

Friday, January 26th
Doors @ 7:30
Starts @ 8:00

Billy Harvey
Harvey mixes clunky, off-kilter baroque pop and acoustic-based powerpop with some analog blips and bleeps, and signs it all with a familiar, laconic drawl. The result is a strangely heartfelt concoction so warm and slightly twisted it's as if the songs are melting into new forms as you listen to them.

"Billy puts words together that'll make some lyricists eat humble pie..."

"Glam rocker-turned-Americana troubadour Billy Harvey has concocted a lethal indie-pop brew. With a voice that sounds suspiciously like B.R.M.C. frontman Peter Hayes, Harvey embraces both the psych weirdness and the strummy yearning of latter-day Wilco. Regardless of comparisons, this Austin-based singer-songwriter has a unique and compelling sound all his own."

Robert Gomez
Robert Gomez is a masterful indie-singer/songwriter from Denton,TX. His music is dark, mysterious, tuneful and unique. Robert's record "Etherville" (Basement Front Records), released July 2005, is a haunting and beautiful set of songs with an amazing collection of musicians from his working band.

"Gomez is an artist with a large talent for making music regardless of genre." - Cadence

"Thankfully, Robert Gomez is a Texan.....Most troubadours would collapse under the weight of this much depression, yet Gomez steers it with confidence..." -Dallas Observer

An Intimate Evening with Abra Moore and Will Sexton
RESCHEDULED!!!
SATURDAY 1/27
Doors: 7:30
Starts: 8:00

Abra and Will together go beyond intimate to magical!

Abra Moore
The Austin-based musician and Lilith Fair alumna Abra Moore has an impressive list of accomplishments. In her decade as a recording artist, Moore has achieved a Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocal Performance for the hit single "Four Leaf Clover" from her Strangest Places album; had a music video in daily rotation on MTV and VH1; made numerous national television appearances, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien; toured with other artists including Barenaked Ladies, Matchbox 20 and Shawn Colvin and her former bandmates Poi Dog Pondering; had her music licensed for more than 25 film and television programs, including the feature films Cruel Intentions, Happy Texas and Serving Sara, and the TV series Alias, Standoff, Men In Trees, Party of Five and Dawson's Creek; and even performed a new version of "Big Sky" for the popular video game, The Sims.

Will Sexton
Sexton grew up in the company of country crooners, blues guitarists and folk storytellers, the youngest member of an Austin music scene that spawned Stevie Ray Vaughn, brother Charlie Sexton and others. With his biting lyrical style, twisted stories and pop sensibilities, Will is heir to the throne of Texas singer-songwriters.

Friday, January 12, 2007

The Lord Henry at Hailey's


It was the night before NYE. In Denton. You weren't there. No one was there. This is what everyone, including you, missed.
Do I really need words?

I <3 TLH





Thursday, January 11, 2007

Friday Jan 12 Your "To Hear" List - Kristy Kruger and Red Monroe



Only two things to do:
1. Kristy Kruger's benefit show at Opening Bell (aka Standard and Pours)
2. Method's showcase with Red Monroe at Sons of Hermann Hall

more info:

The War at Home

Kristy Kruger copes with her brother's death the only way she knows how

By Darryl Smyers

http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2007-01-11/music/music.html

I can’t think of a single thing better to do, than an overwhelming show at Opening Bell: and support this family. Whether you are a Bush supporter like Bill or Mike, or a hopeless opponent fo the war like me, we can all agree that these families deserve our support:

A personal note from Kristy..."for my brother Eric John Kruger who was killed in Iraq Nov. 2nd 2006. This day is his birthday. Please come down so myself and my family can feel something joyful on his birthday. It will be a tough day for us all. We will pass a donation jar, portions which will go to a fund for his children. My brother left behind four children, and his wife Sara. If you are unable to make the show and in a financial position to do so, please consider making a donation to my brother's memorial fund. Any amount is fine and all contributions are greatly appreciated." Make payable to "The Memorial Fund for Children of LTC Eric Kruger" The Memorial Fund for Children of LTC Eric Kruger 4850 Langdale Way Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Saturday at Opening Bell, It’ll be great music too.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The Hourly Radio and Billboard! Best of 2006

I've loved these guys since minute 1. Again, 'bout time that the nation took notice!
Goodies for you from me: Their interview at Sons of Hermann Hall plus the tour diary from the Stellastarr* tour, now with silly videos.

from their press release:

THE HOURLY RADIO
HISTORY WILL NEVER HOLD ME
NAMED #1 RECORD OF 2006 in BILLBOARDS CRITICS CHOICE! by Jason MacNeil!!!



JASON MACNEIL
Billboard.com contributor

1. The Hourly Radio, "History Will Never Hold Me" (Kirtland Records). Texas outfit's debut features fantastic songs, great hooks and no dull moments.
2. Keane, "Under the Iron Sea" (Interscope). Darker than album one but just as stellar with "Try Again" and "A Bad Dream."
3. Tom Petty, "Highway Companion" (American Recordings/Warner Bros.). Yet another taken-for-granted gem in a catalog of songwriting gold.
4. Primal Scream, "Riot City Blues" (Columbia). Music-mixing mad hatters get back to Stones-y basics.
5. Vince Gill, "These Days" (MCA Nashville). Axl Rose will release a similar amount of material ... by 2057.
6. Ron Sexsmith, "Time Being" (Warner Music Canada). Slight departure for the underrated musician, with the same excellent results.
7. James Dean Bradfield, "The Great Western" (Sony BMG). Solid solo album for Manic Street Preachers frontman will hold most over until band's next release.
8. Calexico, "Garden Ruin" (Quarterstick). Branching out into a slightly rockier format does wonders for fine band.
9. The Black Keys, "Magic Potion" (Nonesuch). Seedy, sparse, bluesy, fuzzy and great!
10. Sloan, "Never Hear the End of It" (BMG Music Canada). Adventurous 30-song release touches on both the old and new

Friday, January 05, 2007

Ridicularious' best of 2006 (and 2007!)

My dear friend DerJer recently put out his Best Of, and I'm posting it. 'Cause he has good taste. Though I'll need to forgive him for just now discovering the Earlies...

The BEST OF 2006 LIST according to Derringer (and other musical distinctions of the year)
This is by NO MEANS representative of all the music recordings of the year....

there are plenty of albums that have still slipped by me unheard and some are rather acclaimed... some albums that I never got around to fully listening to... The Guillemots (gonna buy the import soon), Regina Spektor, Sonic Youth, Howe Gelb, The Upper Room, KT Tunstall Acoustic, Elton John's newest, and plenty more...

SPECIAL NOTE!!!! - JOHNNY LLOYD ROLLINS isn't on my list cause the cd hasn't OFFICIALLY RELEASED YET!!! BUT IT IS AMAZING ALBUM and would top my TOP TEN if it was officially released.... I LOVE HIS ALBUM and see BIG potential for him soon...

but out of what I have heard and what I have spun the most and what has truly fallen on my ears in album completion... this is what I deem the best of the year....

The TOP ALBUMS are based on how they impacted me personally mixed with how excellent the artistic achievement stood against others...

TOP TEN ALBUMS OF THE YEAR:

HONORABLE MENTIONS: albums DEFINATELY worth your time but not entirely worthy of being in top ten...

Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
Glen Hansard of THE FRAMES and Marketa Irglova) - The Swell Season
Ed Harcourt - The Beautiful Lie
Beck - The Information
M. Craft - Silver and Fire
Morning Runner - Wilderness is Paradise Now
Joseph Arthur - Nuclear Daydream
Duels - The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
Stoney - The Scene and The Unseen
Eberg- Voff Voff
Jeremy Enigk - World Waits
Mellowdrone - Box
Plan B - Who Needs Actions When You Got Words
Melissa McClelland - Thumbelina
The Format - Dog Problems
The Knife - Silent Shout
Jenny Lewis solo album
Belle and Sebastian - the Life Pursuit

10. WHITE WHALE - WWI
*a kaliedescope of dizzying musical directions mixed with intriguing lyrics blend together in a truly unique and thrilling listen*

9. JOHN LEGEND - ONCE AGAIN
*the debut threw sparks but failed to light my fire.... this followup met and exceeded the expectations and the potential that I knew he had... it is a GREAT soul-pop record with endless rewards in melody and songwriting...not extremely innovative, but downright addictive*

8. M. WARD - POST-WAR
* Ward went all out this time with a full band and a more rocking attitude but still keeping the fort held down by his touching perspectives on life and his occasional magic stirred by gentle, stripped down production... again, where it lacks in innovation, it makes up in heart and soul.... I adore this artist*

7. JOHNNY CASH - AMERICAN V: A HUNDRED HIGHWAYS
* yet another endearing, teardrop collecting batch of songs from the soul of a man on the brink of of bidding the earth goodbye. It is a chilling impact and jarring confrontation at the pearly gates... this is genuine church music, soul music, country music all wrapped in one*

6. TV ON THE RADIO - RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN
* yep, the Brooklyn art-rock group defied my previous distaste for their music with a truly original album.... with melodic flash colliding with artistic freedom where there seemed to be only artistic freedom before.... the experience was a deeply unsettling, yet unimaginably spiritual one...*

5. THOM YORKE- THE ERASER
*like any great Nigel Godrich"ed" album...the initial listen is deceiving... Godrich's genius lies in this fact... the first listen will always seem less rewarding than each following listen...he is BRILLIANT at layering albums with subtle fairy dust... melodies emerge and dissolve into one another... electronic beats and blips become a hypnotic symphony... and Yorke's songwriting is the perfect match...each listen to this album has reaped tremendous increase in the necessity for calling this one of the year's best*

4. MUSE - BLACK HOLES AND REVELATIONS
* Just when you think this band cannot outdo themselves, they slap you in the face and laugh... with an album that barks with futuristic glances and present day intensity... this became their landmark moment... Muse has cemented themselves in history with this album... the elegant charm of Starlight, the gritty, glacial, raunchy groove of SUPERMASSIVE BLACKHOLE, the epic inspiration of Invincible and so MUCH MORE....
this was a monster... a REALLY spectacular monster...exhillerating!*

3. BRAND NEW - THE DEVIL AND GOD ARE RAGING INSIDE ME
*this album was a complete SHOCK for me... I had NEVER imagined getting excited over an album by this band... they were emo-rock... plain and simple... but with this album... the emo got toned down and the rock notched up to ARENA ROCK... the spiritual wrestling of this album both lyrically and sonically is a major acheivement and it ran like a soundtrack to my life... I love when a band surprises me!*

2. JOANNA NEWSOM
*this sweeping, monumental masterpiece is unlike ANYTHING I heard this year and as ambitious as it is... it is equal in emotion and lyrical pageantry... as a lover of words and great classic novels, it feels like Newsom has delivered a piece worthy of the Pulizter...
the allegories and flights of voice and harp are JUST MESMERIZING.. her voice is either love it or hate it... I LOVE IT>.. there is so much childlike wonder and get chills listening to her.

1. THE VEILS - NUX VOMICA
*This was the album that i couldn't live without in 2006.... the album has unjustly been overlooked by the press (as was their tremendously stunning debut album that is every bit as GREAT).. I'd like to think that I can change this injustice... THIS ALBUM IS INCREDIBLE... it is a raw, unbridled,passionate piece of work that never, never, never lets up in its glorious rewards... Finn is a genius.... it frustrates me so much that this AMAZING band is still on the fringes of industry... The House Where We All Live is a nostalgic slice of perfection.... when Finn sings... you feel it in your core... chills rip up and down the spine on songs like Jesus For The Jugular, a very intense vocal delivery is involved...then the other song that makes me weep, Under The Folding Branches.... I'm telling you... if I had to choose one album to walk away with this year, it would be this one...although Joanna Newsom would be wanted bad too... BUY THIS ALBUM! BUY THEIR DEBUT! THEY ARE WORTH IT!


Other awards...

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF THE YEAR:

1. the New STREETS album
2. the New FLAMING LIPS album
3. the New KILLERS album
4. the New FUTUREHEADS album

MOST OVERRATED ARTISTS:
1. BEIRUT - I absolutely, positively do NOT like his stuff and even saw some of his show live and I DON'T understand all the hype... okay, so the music is a bit different... but no matter how many times I've tried, I just CANNOT deal with him)

2. The Hold Steady

3. Beach House

4. The Arctic Monkeys

5. Islands

6. The Knife (I do like stuff by them and specific songs on the newest album, but I don't understand the full album being so praised... maybe the whole album just hasn't clicked with me yet... it's more the ALBUM is overrated than the performing act itself... they supposedly put on an incredible show that I'm dying to see... they are unique though)

7. Yo La Tengo - I do NOT understand why everyone thinks this album is so spectacular...

8. Califone - Roots & Crowns
* Pitchfork raved about it but it is rather boring and meandering if you ask me...

9. Duke Special - *my expectations went high for this one based on alot of talk from overseas... while I still want to see him live due to the wide acclaim, the album is not as great as I hoped...but it is growing on me and becoming more of a guilty pleasure...

(note from KatieMac... I met Duke Special at SxSW last year. Not only great guys, but brilliant live show. and yes, the album in NO WAY recreates the show. love them.)

10. Peter Bjorn and John
*same as with Duke Special... expectations were HIGH...got it and like certain songs but for the whole thing to get the acclaim it is, I'm just not getting it...

yep, Eric, you are right... worst album of the year goes to GWEN STEFANI...


BEST EP of the Year :

(tie) Sparrow House
(tie) Guillemots

INNOVATIVE ACHEIVEMENTS IN ALBUMS:
Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Scott Walker - The Drift
Xiu Xiu - The Air Force
Matmos - The Rose Has Teeth In the Mouth of the Beast
Tv on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
White Whale - WWI
Guillemots - Through the Window Pane

Best Dance Albums of the Year:
1. Michael Meyer - Immer 2
2. Herbert - Scale
3. Hot Chip - The Warning
4. Lindstrom - It's A Feedelity Afair

Best Instrumental CD of Year:
Don Peris - Go When the Morning Shineth

Great cd, disappointing live act award:
OFFICE

Lost its Luster award:
The Pippettes

Favorite NEW ARTIST award for this year:
WALTER MEEGO

Not as great as Before, Not as bad as it was panned Award:
Damien Rice - 9 Crimes

It's a Grower Award (albums that took awhile to finally click with me... some of these are guilty pleasures):

- new Keane
- new Snow Patrol
- new DEARS
*Duke Special

UNDERDOG CHAMPION OF THE YEAR:

The Format - for being dropped from major label and then creating a truly remarkable listening experience....with the excellent DOG PROBLEMS...


PINCH ME, IM DREAMING, DID I REALLY JUST BUY THAT DISC?
*artists who shocked me by making me stand up and take notice of them and their latest album... never ever thinking I'd ever buy anything from them EVER! *
- My Chemical Romance
-And You Will Know Us by THE TRAIL OF DEAD...


Best Chistian/Gospel rock album of the year...

LeeLand

Best Christmas Album:

Sufjan Steven's box set


Saddest Goodbye of 2006:

Oversol - I can't believe your calling it quits, but I know many great things await each of you in our own musical endeavors from here on out...


The DERRINGER AWARD for best new band/artist most likely on the brink of getting signed in new year:

1) Johnny Lloyd Rollins.

2) Eddyfink

and that is all for now.... I'll change the 2006 to 2007 on my main page hopefully today!

blessings.
jer

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

No way to represent, Sistah

Ever since Sam left the Observer, I've been remiss in reading the weekly, well, at all. I'd so much rather hit Merritt and Andrea's blogs. Cut to the chase, ya know? So, I spent a little time on my blogreader today, catching up. And, apparently, forming opinions about the writers. Julie, Bible Girl, is my new crush (God, she'd hate that! hee hee) and Jonanna Widner is trying too hard. She's dissing on my homies, man. First she calls Sorta bombastic, disappointing, 70's leftovers (OK, that could be a little out of context), then she says Radiant* has "Coldplay Disease" and she writes it like it's a revelation. Um, Jonanna, we like that about Radiant*. Always have. And then there is this quote: "I'm beginning to think every band in Dallas should be a tribute band."

I'm just sayin', that's all.

***************************

update: OK, she redeemed herself somewhat in my estimation today. (odd... today? no, not possible, really, she had a deadline, she'd been working on that article awhile...) She has been around just a short time, I'm planning to stay caught up on my blogreading now. Paper's so messy. But, damn, I think I just got lumped in as an "offshoot".

Monday, January 01, 2007

happy 2007

because it is.
and I hope for you, too.
<3
kate