Oh, Oh, O's!

Can't wait, can't wait! 'til Thursday...

The O's came over to my new studio, before there was even any electricity, and wonderful videographer Alex Kanakis rolled ... um... pixels. No "tape" for us.

Before we got started Taylor (on the left, with mustache) asked me what questions I would ask in our interview, and I went through my usual, "What do you like about Lakewood, where do you hang out, did you grow up in Dallas, when are you releasing the CD, what are you working on now... you know, that sort of thing." He nodded, and Alex began recording. I think I asked them, "What are your favorite places to hang out in Lakewood?" but for twenty minutes after that, I couldn't get in another word, I was laughing so hard. The O's were on a roll. They are Dallas' version of the Smothers Brothers, and the funniest, best FreakFolk* players I know.

You can find the O's everywhere.

*not my terminology. I'd rather go with "PopFolk" if you're asking my opinion.

Sunset in the 'hood

I love living near White Rock Lake. I see this on my way home. How amazing is that?

There is no bad pizza...

I've lived in East Dallas for ten years (gasp: 10!) and have never eaten at Angelo's Italian Grill. Today, BWR sent me there for a photo for the lovely Leslie Lee, our ad designer. Bernadette and Maria were lamenting their customers still keeping to NewYear's resolutions to save money and lose weight (i.e. not eat out at a pizza buffet for lunch), but Bernadette firmly believes, "they'll be back in February." She's right, you know.

yum.

Tomca(s)ting in the 'hood

Tom @ Tomcast 0208 059 ed, originally uploaded by Kate Mackley.

First there was a record label in Lakewood. Now there is a recording studio in Lake Highlands (and yes, there are a couple more of those nearby). I love East Dallas. Photo for an upcoming article in the Advocate.

Best of 2007 in Dallas' music

2007 was an odd year.

I thought I'd been so busy I missed out on great music. Didn't get out to get those fantastic albums that were made this year. Then I realized, nope, that wasn't it. There wasn't all that much made this year.

There was no whittling done on this year's list. A good bit of scrounging, rather.

Best of 2007...
The BEST...
1. Carter Albrecht's unreleased album
2. Doug Burr's On Promenade
By far these two albums, one of which doesn't even yet exist, are the CDs you should have. You must have. You should get right. now. when you can, that is.

The rest...
Very good choices here:
3. The Slack's Wishful Sinking (also winning "best album title" and "best photos for an album" heh.)
3. Red Monroe, Policia! Policia!
4. The Crash That Took Me's Orchestrated Kaleidoscopes
5. Salim Nourallah's Snowing in My Heart

And the ones I don't know much about (heard it, don't have it, must be hooked up; please? send?)because my head was stuck in the sand a bit this year. busy busy. But these are good listens, from the buzz and the five minutes I had with some songs. So, on faith, I'm recommending these for your Christmas wish list. No coal in your stocking:
6. St. Vincent's Marry Me
7. JD Whittenburg, JD Whittenburg
8. Lovie, Harshmellow

Not even 10 for the best of 2007. Ah, let's hope 2008 is a better year for music in Dallas.

An Acoustic Tribute to Carter Albrecht

Please come out on Thursday, October 11th, 8-11pm, to White Rock Coffee for an acoustic show of the music of Carter Albrecht. Thanks to Chris Holt, Manya of Blue Petal, Jayson Bales, and other friends of Carter, for playing. Come hear his songs, Sparrows revisited, and Sorta's music, all projects that Carter either headed or was intimately involved in. Come to remember this amazing talent, and a good man taken from us too soon. Donations will benefit the Carter Albrecht Music Foundation.


White Rock Coffee House is located at:
10105 E. Northwest Hwy. (at Ferndale)
Dallas, Texas 75238

Click here for a map to our location.

Zounds! Marc Solomon sounds incredible.

I love it when someone else does my work for me. Mary Solomon (Marc's wife) makes a strong case for the amazingness of her husband, and I concur. If you've got a budding rocker in your life, or really really wish your pre-teen could keep a beat, call these guys to have your kiddo schooled in the rock by some pretty amazing working musicians. Marc and Mary run Zounds Sounds, which teaches guitar, drums, vocals, bass, etc etc... everything you need for a proper teenage garage band. End the peaceful sounds of your neighborhood and give them a call- after you drop by the 2007 DOMA poll and VOTE!
(btw: I think that's Mary's guitar and it has to be one of my fav guitars in the world; v.cool.)

read on... from Mary...

Hello Friends & Family,

Many of you are used to receiving emails from me on strictly music school related business. (Thank you for taking the time to read all of my ramblings be the way!) This email missive is just a bit different. I am campaigning on behalf of my husband Marc Solomon. I think he deserves your vote to win the Dallas Observer Musician of the Year 2007 award.

Some of you might have stopped reading there scrolled all the way down and clicked on the last link. You people have voted already. Thanks guys! It's folks like you, what with your support and utter faith in what I have to say/ask of you, that keep me in birthday presents and well wishes. Some of you are already very familiar with Marc's work both as a teacher/mogul & creative artist and you are being reminded of just how awesome he is right this minute. Perhaps you guys are voting now.

You are thinking about what a tremendous difference he has made in your child's life, giving them encouragement, knowledge and most importantly a new sense of themselves as individuals. You are hearing his booming laugh and voting...NOW!

You might remember the last Rock Show @ Dada when 3 kids were sick and Marc got up and unexpectedly filled in on the drums, sang, played bass and of course melted your face on lead guitar. All to help the kids sound great, play great and feel great about themselves. You are remembering how much fun you had. Those of you with similar memories are clicking and voting....NOW!

There are those of you only know Marc as that teacher/business owner/luckiest man alive, ahem...and aren't that familiar with his music. Go here to listen...http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?useaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=11088362 .

While he isn't appearing on stages around town nearly as often as some of his competition in this category (2 of which are teachers here at the school!) he is busy recording new songs for the much anticipated follow up to the critically (Harp, Texas Songrwriter & Gutiar Player) acclaimed Get it Wrong It's Alright with producer, Casey Diiorio. Did you know that that record has had a very busy time of it on TV? In the last year songs from that record have been on...

ABC & ABC Family (Lost & Three Moons over Milford)

CBS (The Ghost Whisperer)

MTV (Just about any stupid reality show, which is just about all of their "music" programming)
Comedy Central (I'm not sure which shows but we heard together once and yelled HOORAY!)

VH1 (Not Behind The Music, thank God.)

Some of you are now just a little impressed and are voting...NOW!

OK, now...who have we here? Some of you are only reading this far because you are polite and want to finish this long thing but are feeling a little harassed by me and my asking for your important vote. I will wrap it up with a quick list/summation of the reasons why Marc Solomon (under dog, under the radar) deserves your vote.

#1 Hometown Boy Done Good: He is a rock veteran (Zane Grey, The Clowns, Perfect, Clumsy and now, Solly) who has not only survived L.A. & New York, but come home to "bloom where he was planted".

#2 Mr. Solomon's Opus: He proves George Bernard Shaw WRONG by illustrating that those who that CAN...TEACH!!!

#3 Marc as Johnny Appleseed: He is actively planting the seeds that will grow and bloom into even more great music. His passion, dedication and hard work in music production and education here in Dallas will "pay it forward" by broadening the horizons of the young people who are influenced directly by him and our wonderful teachers. Marc visits DISD schools numerous times a year preaching the word of MUSIC. (I went with him to Gooch and got teary eyed on four separate occasions that day. It was magic. Please see attached thank you letters and you'll have but a glimpse as to why it was so wonderful.)

#4 Marc Super Stealth Super Star: His music has been heard by millions. They may not know it is his music...but you know what I mean. Let's give a little of the recognition he deserves. As anyone who owns a copy of Get It Wrong, It's Alright will attest, this guy is amazing.

#5 Marc Is The Hardest Working Man In Show Business: He is on the phone everyday before I have even thought about coffee. He keeps a million plans, requests & schedules in his head at once and USUALLY maintains his wonderful good humor throughout it all. He can tell you without much trouble when Johnny's soccer practice ends, when Sara's SAT prep course starts and then have them jamming in time for the concert. Stunning to behold!

#6 Marc Vows To Finally Fix The Pothole Problem In Dallas: That is of course a joke, and I hope that those of you who have stuck it out with me this far, are smiling.

So, please vote for Marc! Love to you all!

Thanks to everyone of you! And I hope to dance with you at the Soul Show May 25th, at the Sons of Hermann Hall!

Mary Armstrong Solomon

Vice President

Zounds Sounds Inc.

1203 N. Haskell Ave.

Dallas, TX 75204

(214) 826-7735

*ROCK*

DOMA 2007 preliminary ballot -

Dallas Observer Music Awards...

Those four words make me think of a few things such as
1. recognition for our local musicians right here at home
2. awareness for the public of who's out there in Dallas making great music
3. marketing potential (hey, I book shows, so it helps!)
4. frustration. very LARGE amounts of frustration. First, it's impossible to find ANY info about the music awards on the Observer's website. WTF? Can I preview the categories? No. I have to actually vote to figure out what they are (they can change from year to year). Has anyone from the Observer written anything this year promoting the ballot? Apparently not. So, I relied on my friends' posts and emails about their picks to help me with mine. I'd link you, but basically it's condensed below. Vote, please: DOMA 2007

Think of voting today like the primaries; you don't get to decide who wins, but you can get your choice on the ballot. These are my suggestions. Some I voted for, some I went "DOH!" when I saw them on friends' suggestions, so you gotta make up your mind.

Best Act in Town: The Crash That Took Me, Sorta, The Chemistry Set, Happy Bullets, Radiant (no more *), Airline, Shibboleth
Musician of the Year: Chris Holt, Salim Nourallah, Marc Solomon, Eric Pullido (Midlake)
Best Album: Sorta's Strange and Sad But True, Jayson Bales Cruel and Unusual, The Chemistry Set Blue Monsters, Boca Tinta rec's JD Whittenburg's new CD, JD Whittenburg, but I haven't heard it yet, so I'll put it here on her word, which is quite reliable. Guess it's a trip to Good Records for me, asap.
Best Song: "Our Love" – Red Monroe (with excellent production by Junius Recording Co.), "New Hope PA" - Chemistry Set, "85 Feet"- Sorta
Best New Act: Airline, The Valentines, (Boca Tinta rec: The Felons, whom I also haven't heard yet; I must get out soon), The Crash That Took Me, JD Whittenburg
Best Country/Roots: Telegraph Canyon, Jayson Bales, Theater Fire
Best Cover Band: Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi). Hard Nights Day: I love you guys, but really, you can't have this award EVERY year.
Best Folk/Acoustic: Sarah Jaffe, Chase Willett, Doug Burr
Best Jazz: Shelley Carroll/Sheldon Wright Quintet
Best Indie-Rock: Red Monroe, St Vincent, Midlake
Best Experimental: Tree Wave, Mom (don't know them, either, just taking Travis' word on that)
Best Hard-Rock: Record Hop
Best Female Singer: Sarah Jaffe, Camille Cortinas
Best Male Singer: Doug Burr, John Dufilho, Trey Johnson
Best Radio Show: Meat Radio, Uncut K104
Best Music Website/Blog: BocaTinta, The Fine Line
Best Record Label: Hit Records, Kirtland Records, Idol Records
Best Producer: Salim Nourallah, Chris Bell, Lindsay Graham, Stuart Sikes
Best Live Music Venue: Club Dada, Palladium, Deep Ellum Live, Bend Studio, The Cavern, Sons of Hermann Hall, The Granada

Looking over that list, while it's not exactly a comprehensive guide to the Dallas scene, but it's a good start. You're going out on Saturday night and want to hear some music? Check to see if any of the above are playing. You're a band and need to know the decent venues to play in Dallas? Call those bookers first (if you can get in). You're ready to record your album? Any of those producers will give you a quality product. Etc. Etc. You see where I'm going with this post; quality over quantity and the key insiders in DFW music, listed above. Just know, there's lots and lots of great people who aren't listed. Music is Dallas is worth listening to!

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!!!

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/yearend/2006/top10/staff_3.jsp

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

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

Best of 2006 ... in so many ways. Happy New Year!

Lots of these songs I've been listening to for longer than 2006, so this is more a retrospective of "oh, yeah, that was finally released!" 2006 was definitely the year of the demo for me, as I had to look up most of the actual album titles for these.

My "most listened to" according to my iPod of 2006…

"Roscoe" Midlake The Trials Of Van Occupanther
I first heard "Roscoe" piled into Eric Pullido's little Mini, in the heat of July, sweating it with McK and the other Eric. I loved it from the first listen, and even bootlegged a copy with my iPod mic. It was an awful recording, but I still listened to it often as I waited for the final album to be released. Van Occupanther was worth the wait, and this song, or this album, is on everyone's Best of '06.

"Flowerparts" Bob Schneider Texas Music 2006 (The Californian)
Yup, I hightailed it to Wendy's when I heard they were giving away a CD of Texas music with a giant Dr. Pepper. The Hourly Radio's "Deaf Ears" is on it as well, and also should make my Best of 2006 list, but I heard that so often in 2005, it's a bit past prime for me. Burden Brothers, Rhett Miller, Sorta, Patrice Pike, and The Rocket Summer were also on the CD, so why didn't they just go ahead and call it "Dallas Music (and a Bit of the Rest of Texas) 2006"?

"We're All Going to Hell" Here, In Arms Soon We'll All Be Scattered
Brent Engle's producer sent me these demos back in August. I had to check that they had actually been released because I hadn't heard much of them. Why? Who knows? Let'hope that "marketing" isn't a dirty word to him and that Here in Arms gets on it a bit, soon.

"I Wonder Where You Are Tonight" Jayson Bales Cruel & Unusual
He wrote this in his car, on his Blackberry, between three stoplights. Or so he says. Bales is a legend of his own making, but I'm more than happy to contribute to the aura behind this guy. One day, we're gonna realize we "knew him when" and then be amazed that such a talent is in our midst. That, and he buys drinks. Love him!

"Nothing Left To Say" Sorta Strange And Sad But True
I gots lots to say about Sorta and Trey Johnson and it's all good. "All Good" - get it? LOL, local humor... Starting from the artwork on the cover and in the CD, this is a great album. Like the Midlake album, this recent Sorta album is a maturation of the band. Little Bay was good, but not this good.

"One Day At A Time" Johnny Lloyd Rollins Let's Be Poor Together
JLR's unique style, a fusion of classic pop and indie styling is simple, beautiful and enduring. He's another artist that is hard to believe is from Dallas. Our music scene produces such differing styles from Baboon to Midlake to Johnny; while Seattle in the 90's may have had Grunge, Dallas in the Aughties has more than just a sound name will cover.

"Loss of Love Says Hi" The Lord Henry Zoo Palace
The Lord Henry is known more for dance rock than introspective melodies, but the switch in producers midway through Zoo Palace changed the character of their first LP. "Loss" and my most-overplayed song I got in 2005, the lovely Beatles-esque "Jilina" are my favs on the 2006 CD. Clinton Piper will never be confused with John Lennon, but he certainly has more depth of soul than Julian Casablancas.

"Peppermint + Bitterness" Lousy Robot Smile Like You're Somewhere Else
I love Lousy! Lousy Robot. I've declared 2007 "the Year of the Robot." Watch these guys; Dandee, their dandy hubba-bubba-Indie-adorable bassist is the bearded dude strolling through the Albuquerque snow in the I Love Math video. Why is a bassist from a New Mexican band in a John Dufilho song's video? Because Lousy Robot is produced and engineered by Dufilho and Salim Nourallah. Does that mean that there's a video from Beautiful Noise and Jim Phillips somewhere on YouTube? I really, really hope so!

"Blue Mountain Air" Red Monroe Red Monroe
Red Monroe finally, finally stopped debating over which U2 album they liked best and struck out and made their own sound. If there has to be an Arcade Fire reference in some of their reviews, Walter Riley (a good friend of the band) and I know why. Now, when "Wilmington" actually makes it on an album - can the next one be a live acoustic?! - then, then I will be in heaven.

"Any Given Saturday" Spitfire Tumbleweeds King James Version
My fav Denton man, Scott Porter, is in this band. No, Scott Porter sings (growls, hoots, deep bass voice knocks your socks off) in this band. "Nuff said.

"Mason Jar" Zapruder Sequence Pretty Girl Charm Lies
Jordan Munn, the Binford boys, and the irrepressible Michael Karnowski make up the new Old 97s. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Rhett and Ken and those boys ought to be mighty proud. Zapruder is just plain good fun and great music. Though the band is splitting itself between Atlanta and Dallas right now, Pretty Girl Charm Lies has plenty to fill the gap.

"Josephine Street" I Love Math Getting to the Point is Beside It
So pretty, so John Dufilho, "Josephine" is my vote for the best of the Best of 2006.

The few songs I can't include here, because they will be released in 2007, that are coming down the pipe from Pleasantry Lane, BPL, Purple Pear, and Luminous Sound will make 2006 go on record as an exceptionally productive year. Next year, our listening will be brilliant!