Sharks and Sailors

Photography by John Van

On stage, Mike Rollin releases a soft cascade of notes that shimmer from his guitar. Unexpectedly, the notes segue into a blast of syncopated chords that churn an ugly black bile. Melissa Lonchanbon’s bass meets his guitar with a harmonic, perhaps a fraction of a frequency off, and the dissonant oscillations discharge fury into the air like St. Elmo’s Fire demanding everyone’s attention. Suddenly, at the front of the stage, a tide of metal dudes has rolled in - a sweaty dark clothed wave of men called forth by the riptide of Phil Woodward’s pounding drums and the dissonant amplified strings. Fists are clenched - thrusting the Dio devil sign. The crowd is screaming at the top of their lungs while their veins burst from their necks from the force of their voices. The song being played is instrumental but that doesn’t stop one blonde haired kid from reaching up with an arm dripping in the slick salty humidity of the atmosphere. He grabs the microphone on the stage and emits a guttural growl that would summon Cthulu. The black gang, though smiling, keeps to the task at hand and feeds the boilers through to the end of “Rickshaw” where they are met with wild cheers from over the gunnel of the stage.

Sharks and Sailors may, from this description of a recent show at Rudyard’s, sound like the most metal of metal bands - the darkest of the dark things to rise from the depths – but that would be misleading. The band is actually one of the most odd and original constructs to arise from Houston’s music scene - combining elements of metal, indie rock, and prog into a sophisticated machine like no other. Beyond the brutal pounding described above, their new album, Builds Brand New, employs smooth melodic pop elements (Thrill), jarring time signatures (Fix Your Radar), and lovely psychedelic shoegaze (Condor).

The band went for a quartet (with Allen Hendrix) to a trio during the making of the new album. When I ask them what differences they experienced, I’m met with a wry “Fewer strings!”

“There is also less volume,” says Phil. “We’ve already proven we can play louder than a 747. With a three-piece there is more space and we pay more attention to the vocals.”

Melissa, whose vocals are one of the wow elements of the album, says, “I’d never sung before, so singing was odd for me particularly because I’m not a very loud person to begin with but, when I go to a show, I want to hear people belt it out.”

That’s pretty typical of the band that never seems to want to take the easy route. “We push each other hard,” says Mike. “There are tapes of us tossing Fs at each other.”

Melissa explains the dynamic, “What happens is we hit this friction point where 98% of a song is written then we spew venom.”

“That just comes from the excitement and passion of almost having it done,” says Mike. “’Rickshaw’ was a song I wrote on this shitty Peavy Rage amp. It never had a pretty quality to it. While writing it, Phil and I got into an epic argument and Melissa got it all on video tape.”

As if on cue, Phil burst out a re-enactment, “Fucking help me here!!!”

“That’s not my responsibility!!” shouts back Mike.

“Just Point!” laughs Phil.

“What the fuck is that pointing thing?!!!” retorts Mike

“Just Fucking Point!” screams Phil.

After some composure is restored, I explain how I’m always surprised that despite their lack of theatrics people always give them their full attention. Mike attributes that partly to how their shows are structured. "It's a drag when bands play then stop to tune or ask for a beer; all the momentum is lost. I never take the audience for granted or want to waste their time. That's why we'll have samples going off between the songs - to keep it seamless."

I suggest that odd time signatures are normally a turn-off for non-musicians but Mike counters, “We were just listening to ‘Master of Puppets’ and it’s in 15 but you don’t really notice it because it’s done so well.”

“We make odd grooves but we don’t want to shove it in people’s faces.” explains Phil, “I’ll use a bass drum pattern against a guitar’s odd time signature where my beat smoothes it out. I can geek out on stuff like that but we’re not forcing it - that just comes naturally.”

While Phil elucidates on the matter, I point to two odd music notations on the dry erase board. “What does this mean?” I ask.

“Oh, that? See, there are two kinds of songs.” says Mike.

“Trucker,” explains Phil, “that’s a song that keeps your head bobbin’ - where you’re driving 80 in the middle of downtown with your rig and nothin’ is stopping you! And Alabama? That’s a song where you can substitute the lyrics with the word Alabama!”

Suddenly, the band that I previously described as sophisticated is laughing and shouting “AL-U-BAH-MUH!” at the top of their lungs.



Sharks and Sailors will celebrate the release of their newest album Builds Brand New at Walters with Ume and the Jonx on August 1st. The album will be available for digital download and as a limited edition CD.

Music with Jameson & Lone Star: 2024 Houston Press Music Awards

Well here it is, Monday, and not only did I survive the Hootenanny (link) but I also survived the Houston Press Music Awards. Having these two things back to back, admittedly, is pretty rough. So Sunday, being a bit worse for wear, I stayed away from the free booze and stuck to the vitamin water. One thing I have to say about the HPMAs this year is that the venues seemed farther apart than in previous years. Whereas last year you could step out of the Rice Hotel and immediately walk across to see say Insect Warfare, this year you had to walk a few blocks to get between venues. That may not seem like a lot but, if you try to navigate at 8PM between say The Poor Dumb Bastards at Rocbar then run over to see Hearts of Animals at NOTSUOH then run down to see Buxton at Butterfly High, that's quite a little run and you can forget catching any more than two songs per band. So, I wonder what's at play here. Did a lot of the venues on Main close or did many of them just not want any of the riff-raff that attended last year? I don't know. The second thing that I didn't see as much of was the hustle and bustle of music fans on Main that I saw in previous HPMAs. Was it the heat, the distances between venues, or something else that made the streets seem relatively barren this year? Again, I'm not sure. Nevertheless, these issues aside, it was still a good time for all performers and attendees so why worry.

Me? I arrived in time to see The Wild Moccasins who somehow still had a ton of energy even after their Hootenanny set. What I love about the Wild Moccasins is that they just put it all out there - they go for it with every beat and note - and it makes for electrifying and fun shows. This show was no different- tops! 7 O'clock hour was a nutters triple shot dash. Over at Venue, The Tontons sounded simply massive. Kudos to the venue with it's weird over the top stage and sound and the Tontons wore it well by completely commanding the stage. The Born Liars over at Butterfly High are somewhat analogous to The Wild Moccasins' in terms of energy except that while the Moccasins have a fresh youthful energy, the Born Liars have the energy of drunken sailors who are on shore leave and don't give a fuck who gets in the way. Then you've got The Wiggins (at Deans) whose personae is akin to that black sheep weirdo cool uncle in the family whom the older family members wince at in disdain publicly but secretly envy. One woman at the bar, who clearly didn't know what to make of it, had the best fish out of water look of confuddlement I'd ever seen. Awesome!

The 8 O'clock hour was the afore mentioned race. Now, the reason I went out of my way to Rocbar was because of the Brian's Johnston story. To paraphrase, Brian's Johnson played Rocbar just after Whorehound. Toward the end of the set, the band played "Have a Drink on Me" and made a joke about free drinks at the bar. Then Jeff said "This is the first gay bar we've ever played - the Cockbar." Well that didn't endear them to the venue and the band was told "That's it, you're done!" Some person saying that they were the GM, expressing his displeasure at being called the Cockbar and a gay bar, told them that they were probably disqualified while big gorilla bouncers got in the bands' face. No amount of "Hey, it's a joke!" would suffice and the band was forced to leave via the back exit. Naturally, when some place called the Rocbar - whose idea of rock and roll is (well to borrow from a review in the Houston Press) as rebellious as Applebee's - gets their panties in a wad it's asking to get fucked with. And perhaps smelling blood in the water Byron of the Poor Dumb Bastards said "Ohhhh! Game On!" upon hearing the story! So, of course, we were hoping that Byron would pull this year's Insect Warfare show and give this bourge venue a show they wouldn't forget. As Steven Garcia put it, "If they don't get shut down in five minutes, I'm gonna be so disappointed." Of course, this raised the bar and while the Bastards did put on the punk rock side show we've all come to expect - which is always great - it never reached the level of challenging the Rocbar's management and staff. Total psych out!

From there it was a quick run to Notsuoh to see Hearts of Animals (Thanks Dan Castillo for the suggested short cut through the car park). I only caught two songs but it was exactly what you'd expect from Mlee - the distorted guitar, the loud beats, and the nuanced vocals. In other words, worth the run that left me dripping in sweat. But from there it was off to see Buxton over at Butterfly High whose musicianship and emotive vocals are always a joy. One of the high points for me was when Sergio Trevino suddenly said, "Hey, here's a little song about Transformers." and then proceeded to sing this hilarious and sweet song about how much cooler the world would be if were were all Transformers. It had this off-the-cuff Daniel Johnson kind of innocence and, while obviously done with a sense of humor, it never stopped to the level of being smug or smarmy. Later Trevino told me (seeming somewhat embarrassed) "I wasn't sure if that was going to work or not." to which I replied, "It's a song about Transformers! How could it not!" It's always fun to see a band (especially one as impressive as Buxton) not worry about being the cool kid on the block and let their goofy side out. Probably my favorite small moment of the night.


Finally, the 9 O'clock hour came on and I was going to go for 4 bands in one hour. This started with Sharks and Sailors at Notsuoh which was, for me, hilarious. See, I kept wanting to leave but they would play another song that would leave me shouting "Gawdamnmit! Now I have to stay!" So one song turned to two, which turned to three and, by the third one, I knew to leave before the first note rang of the fourth one. Phil, Mike and Melissa are just unrivaled as a powerhouse and...well, you can read my description of a show at Rudyards in this August's issue and you'll get the idea. From there, it was off to see Bring Back the Guns next door at Dean's but the door was a too crowded to make out much. Still, the band seemed to be doing what they do best - spazzing out. Well, Matt Brownlie was spazzing out. That's not a put-down, that's a compliment as, when Matt Brownlie spazzes, it's high art. From there, it was off to see the Young Mammals which probably had the biggest crowd I'd seen all night. It was pretty hard to get up front but I eventually snaked my way up to see Iram playing like the brilliant drummer he is. I'm not sure if this or the upcoming Saturday Secret Show Fest is going to be his last show but I cannot stress enough how great a drummer he is and how the Mammals are a world class act. Again, most of Houston ignores bands like this while some writers complain about the state of the scene. To all you who will have missed the Young Mammals with Iram, all I can say "You missed out!" and you will get no sympathy from me. Go pay for your $8 beer for some big label crap at the Woodlands - you deserve it.

In that light, the night for me closed with the oddest pairing of the showcase - Indian Jewelry at the Hard Rock Cafe. You could just smell the incongruity of the band and the venue. Sitting eating their hamburgers were couples and families who seemed oblivious to the fact that Indian Jewelry was there playing a strobed-out set of brilliance. It was as if on stage stood a portal between two parallel universes - one strobed and noisy and the other milquetoast and orderly. I couldn't imagine a more perfect analogy to Houston's indifference to the amazing music that grows in its own backyard. Perfect!

(Thank you Chris Gray and the Houston press for the passes. Very Much Appreciated.)

And now, photos (more on my Flickr)

The Wild Moccasins still alive after Hootenanny!
"...And so the bouncer gets in our face like this!"
Trevi Biles of Whorehound gives his
account of Brian's Johnson vs. The Rocbar.

The massive stage couldn't
dwarf the Tontons' talent.

The Born Liars - making sure that
Rock and Roll never gets respectable.

The Wiggins dripping sweat and
grade A awesomeness at Deans.

Death to poser humorless bars.
Jeff of Brian's Johnston may have lost
the battle at the Rocbar but he left
with the best story of the evening.

The Poor Dumb Bastards.
Oh no, I did not need to see that.

Hearts of Animals
Can I have a more jarring juxtaposition of images?

Fuck yeah, Buxton!
You fly that Transformers flag with pride!

Chris Ryan gets his demon face on.
Who are you? Why are you in my shot!

Sharks and Sailors -
Try to leave during one of their sets. I dare you!

Phil of Sharks and Sailors
Someday I'm gonna do a photographic
study of his various drumming faces!

Speaking of awesome drummers.
Ladies and gentlemen the one the only Iram Guerrero.
Think Houston bands aren't up to snuff?
I'll put the Young Mammals against anything you've got!

Bring Back the Guns -
Ben Murphy (left) ponders
the awesomeness of Matt Brownlie's ass shakin'!
Indian Jewelry playing in a parallel world
while the Hard Rock Cafe goes
about it's business unawares.

Music with Jameson & Lone Star: Hootenanny II: Twotenanny

The numbers are in and we can happily report that last night's Hootenanny was a huge success! Now I'll admit that my expectations were lower at the outset for this Hootenanny because, while the last Hootenanny tended to focus more on indie/punk bands (Pixes, The Clash) and some less often covered bands (Nomenasno*, Jawbox), this Hootenanny tended to swing more toward more common Rock radio fare. I'm not saying the music is bad but that somewhere in the suburbs any night is some hacky cover band doing "Do ya think I'm sexy" and that doesn't exactly make me jump up and down. But here is where my fears we're totally off the mark; whereas a cover/tribute band tries to emulate a band (generally amounting to nothing more than a living Jukebox) the bands at the Hootenanny already had a personal style going in which colored anything they played. So, instead of soulless covers, you had bands playing their hearts out in their own unique way, having fun, and being egged on by an audience that resembled more a house party posse that a concert crowd.

The Kimonos ripped through Blondie even if Gina Miller had a costume malfunction (don't worry Gina I deleted the picture). Marshall Preddy of Custom Drinker took some of the most tired warhorses (Maggie May) and lame songs (Do Ya Think I'm Sexy) in the Rod Stewart catalog, stripped them apart, reworked it with his own unique vocal style, and spit out more life than much of the source martial ever seemed capable of carrying. And no, this wasn't ironic hipster shit, Marshall was kicking it out with as much simple charm as John Sears did when he covered Sam Cooke at the first Hootenanny. That fucker even made that damn disco song work! What a dick! The Welfare Mothers took Johnny Cash and reworked into gritty, driving, and brilliant Garage rock which when you think about it is a perfect marriage. Again, no irony, no wink wink, just straight rock that shit out goodness! Buxton's take on Bjork was just as inspired! By taking Bjork's music and transferring it to the realm of Americana, the band made the music more organic than anything you could have expected and caused many a jaw to drop in amazement. At the last Hootenanny the Yong Mammals were the band that made the floor of the Backroom shake like an earthquake and this time it was the Wild Moccasins. Dressed in bright colors, awesome dresses, and radiating enough energy to solve our energy needs for the next millennium, the band tore through the B52's and made it horribly and painfully fun! Paris Falls' take on Rush may not have had the precision of my favorite Ayn Rand loving Canadians but it was still fun! When the crowd engages in uncontrolled screaming demands for drum solos and YYZ, you know you are on fire! Tody Castillo's take on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers can be summed up with my screaming the Yeah Yeahs at the top of my lungs during their version of "The Waiting"! Fun Fun Fun! But here is where my evening kind of got muddled. I got caught up in conversation and missed my pole position for the American Sharks. At this time, I got a text to meet some friends at the Big Top. Perfect, I think to myself, I'll catch a drink there then come back in 20 minutes and catch Flowers to Hide and Sharks & Sailors. Simple, right? Well, let's just say that drunky drunk time and sober time aren't exactly congruous and before I knew it what I thought was 20 minutes ended up being one hour and I raced back at 1:30 only to find that I just missed Sharks and Sailors as the Police! Weakness! Oh well, my apologies. Next Hootenanny I'm definitely not leaving the premises!

Anyhow, hope you guys made it out and had a blast. I know I sure did. Kudos to The Skyline Network's ADR and Ben Murphy for putting it together and keeping it running like a well-oiled machine as well as Dunnock for a great mix. Well done guys. So when is Hootenanny III?

And now pictures (you can see the full photoset here on my Flickr)

The Kimonos as Blondie suffered a
costume malfunction during their set.
Custom Drinker as Rod Stewart
(Marshall Preddy of Bright Men of Learning)
inspired rampant Fritos munching!

Welfare Mothers brought Johnny Cash to the Garage

Buxton got Bjorked

Wild Moccasins as the B-52s
Andrew Lee = Sex-y

I am totally jealous of Zahira's dress! Awesomeness!

Paris Falls as Rush!
YYZ! YYZ!

Tody Castillo & Ben Murphy (background)
slayed Tom Petty's "The Waiting"

For those who complain about going up and down the
stairs at the Mink Backroom, I present for you the
most awesomest Hootenanny fan ever!**

* Thanks Danny for the correction.
** Starting next Hootenanny we will be giving out the Jacob Calle Memorial "Best Hootenanny Fan" award.

The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of July 24th 2024

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT
TWOTENANNY & The HMPAs

Saturday, July 26

Skyline Network presents Twotennany!
doors @ 7pm / bands @ 8pm

tentative schedule as follows (subject to change):

DOWNSTAIRS:
Custom Drinker as Rod Stewart
Welfare Mothers as Johnny Cash
Paris Falls as Rush
American Sharks as The Cars

UPSTAIRS :
The Kimonos as Blondie
Buxton as Bjork
Wild Moccasins as the B-52s
Tody Castillo (and friends) as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Flowers to Hide as The Cure
Sharks and Sailors as The Police

@ The Backroom (The Mink; $5)

Yes! Hands down THE show of the week. Leave it to ADR and BDM to out-hype the Houston Press' Showcase. In case you missed it, the original Hootenanny was awesomeness is spades! Of course, you knew there had to be a sequel and lo and behold here it is! The bands are all ass whoopin' and you are going. Yes you heard me - YOU ARE GOING! No ifs, and, or buts! Get that henie in gear and get ready to see all your favorite bands playing musical dress-up, anyone and everyone you know having a blast while getting a Backroom's Stairmaster work-out, and me jumping out of the way if Anna Garza is vying for the front of the stage. Seriously, if Anna wants to get to the front of the stage, give her room! When Something Fierce was downstairs last Hootenanny, I felt this unbelievable pain in my side from someone punching me. I turned around expecting some huge burly tattooed biker thug with a bad attitude - lo and behold it was Anna! She may be a wee lass but she can pack a punch! So watch the f%$# out!


Sunday, July 27

Houston Press Music Awards, featuring
Indian Jewelry, John Evans, LoneStar PornStar, Blaggards, Sideshow Tramps, Sharks and Sailors, Young Mammals, Thee Armada, Bring Back the Guns, Karina Nistal, Josh Dupont, Jessica Lozano, Spain Colored Orange, Molly & the Wingwalds, Los Skarnales, Buxton, Hearts of Animals, Arthur Yoria, Skyblue 72, Poor Dumb Bastards, Beetle, Southern Backtones, Deep Ella, Black Math Experiment, Chrome44, duneTX, Fondue Monks, Free Radicals with Harry Sheppard, Born Liars, The Tontons, The Wiggins, Espantapajaros, DJ Red, DJ Bizz, Zydeco Dots, Fat Tony, Pale, The Mighty Orq, Full Release, The Scattered PAGES, Wayside Drive, Dine Alone, Lee Alexander, Katie Stuckey and the Swagger, Black Dog, 80 Proof, Brian's Johnson, Umbrella Man, The El Orbits, The Wild Moccasins, Bobbie Fine, Miss Leslie, Yoko Mono, The Literary Greats, DJ Ceeplus and Bad Knives, The Small Sounds, Flying Fish Sailors, D.R.U.M., Hell City Kings, Two Star Symphony, Sugar Bayou, Moodafaruka, Whorehound, L.L. Cooper, & eyeagainst
@ Various Downtown venues

The second biggest party of the weekend is being thrown by the Houston Press and kudos to them. Each year it's a blast running between venues and trying to catch as many bands as you can. If there was ever a case where being nominated is a bigger honor than winning this is it. I mean, let's be honest, the cool thing about the awards ISN'T the awards themselves - it the showcase! Every year there is someone who doesn't get it and is flyering and begging for your vote. I say to ye bands who take it all too seriously, leave the soon-to-be-landfill flyers at home. This is nothing more than an excuse for having fun. Play your show then hang out with your friends and go listen to some other great bands. If you spend too much time worrying about getting votes for a meaningless award, you'll miss the forest for the tress; it's a P-A-R-T-Y dumbass and that's better than any glorified doorstop.

ALSO THIS WEEK

Friday, July 25

The Western Civilization / The Flyers / Pura Pharm / Wicked Poseur
@ Walter's on Washington
Have you noticed that Anthony of the Western Civilization plays "drums, percussion, awesomeness". Yes that's right - fucking awesomeness! You know how hard it is to play awesomeness? Check him play his awesomeness and dig the Western Civilization's sweet take on indie pop. Bonus Points - Wicked Poseur!!

The Invincible Czars / Two Star Symphony / Opposite Day
@ Rudyard's
Local masters Two Star Symphony will participate in an exhibition match where they use their chamber style Kung Fu while the Invincible Czars will demonstrate their electrified Austin Style Kung Foo.

Brave Combo
@ Fitzgerald's
Denton's Brave combo have hit the big time. If you listen to Click and Clack on NPR, they do the opening theme and the score. Way to use those polka fired super-powers for good guys!


Saturday, July 26

Journey / Heart / Cheap Trick
@ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Yes, the Twootenanny will totally be taking the spotlight but Cheap Trick is too cool not to give a mention. Attention, Zander and company, don't come crying to us because your show's this far down in the preview - next time get a Hootenanny hook-up.


Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers (in-store)
@ Cactus Music (3:30PM)
Straight-up whiskey drinkin' music free at Cactus. You'll have to bring your own flask.


Sunday, July 27

Mostly Bears / Over Sea, Under Stone
@ Rudyard's
The last Over Sea, Under Stone show ever. EVER! Author Susan Cooper is very sad.


Molotov Compromise (CD release) / Atrocity / Riot Up Front / KTP / Rats in the Attic / Detonate / Nosaprise
@ The White Swan
1-2-1-2-1-2 Punk Ska CD Release.


Monday, July 28

Parlor Mob / The Gold Sounds / Paris Falls
@ Rudyard's
Sure you will still be recovering from the weekend but The Gold Sounds and Paris Falls are two damn damn damn good reasons to venture out - two bands that swallow those rock tropes and spit out brilliance. [UGH! Is it possible to catch a breather this week?]


Tuesday, July 29

The Coke Dares / No Talk (7" release) / Teenage Kicks
@ The Backroom (The Mink)
Local Retro-punkers and Rob Halford wannabes No Talk issue another soon to be sold out 7". [Damn! Someone make this week stop!]


Giants / Weaver at the Loom / Antarctica Starts Here
@ Bohemeo's (8PM)
Before you get your punk on at the Mink get your shoe gaze on with the local genre masters Antarctica Starts Here. [Why wont this week stop! Why?!!]


Wednesday, July 30

Papermoons (farewell show) / Benjamin Davis Murphy
@ Boondocks
I have been listening non-stop to the Papermoon's new Cd and, damn it, you had better get your ass out there and see them before they leave town. Also, Ben Murphy will be giving a guitar clinic. [Please God, is it possible to have at least one night without a great show? I want to get some sleep!]


Thursday, July 31

South Austin Jug Band
@ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Oh don't lie. Everyone loves a good jug band!

The Texas Sapphires
@ The Armadillo Palace
OK here is one for the older folks out there. You guys recall Sincola? Yeah well Rebecca Cannon is doing country and it's pretty solid.


Recession Thursdays, featuring
Peekaboo Theory, Las Imagenes Ocultas, Barkus, Sly, and the Golden Egg, & Giant Battle Monster
@ Numbers
Omar Afra's weekly party of local bad-asses. More details coming Thursday.

Music with Jameson & Lone Star: The Eastern Sea, News On The March, Wild Moccasins, and Elaine Greer @ Walters

If you weren't at Walter's on Sunday because you were busy whining about Houston sucking, you missed out . Four bands, seven bucks, and a room full of happy cheerful people having a great time. If you ignored the invitation and missed the festivities, you'll get no sympathy from me. But let me give it to you short, sweet, and with pictures; hopefully you'll perk-up your ears and get away from that couch next time these bands play in town.

Roll Call!

Elaine Greer - Elaine, backed up by members of News on The March, The Wild Moccasins, and some guy who really really loved eating Ruffles, played sweet songs that bounced on the stage with the same joy you'd get from the first day of spring after a long hard winter. Given how long it'd been since I'd heard her play live, unabashed happiness is about how I'd sum up my reaction.

The Wild Moccasins - Good golly these folks must have been practicing like brutes because, if they were a really good band before, Sunday night they were a great band. Sure they have always been able to knock out great songs and rile up even to most timid wall flower but this time they took the performance and amped it up like never before - with a wild exuberant energy that crescendoed in a killer tsunami that left some gear a bit worse for wear. They were, simply put, the unstoppable bad-ass party train.

News On the March - First off props to Terry, Walters' soundman. This is the third time I've seen News on the March but this is the first time I'd heard them and by that I mean this is the first time I've heard them with great sound. No thin mix here. No, the cello was clearly audible, the bass full, the harmonies crystal clear, the drum powerful, and the guitars were there in all their jangly glory. It's amazing what a difference it made for a band like this. Bands as good as this deserve a good soundman and Terry delivered in spades (actually he'd done so all night). Their performance was so good that it even sparked Roy Mata to initiate a small appreciation thread on Hand Up Houston via his cell phone. But here is what you need to know about News On The March - they marry that lonesome wail of a good country song with the sweet psychedelic pop of a Brian Wilson and they do it to great effect.

The Eastern Sea - Austinites who played their indie pop beautifully but also with a sharp wit and good humor. When guitarist Matt Hines put his tongue in his cheek and made with the guitar theatrics you weren't sure whether to laugh or to give him the Dio devil sign. All band silliness aside - they played some great songs that kept me from observing my bed time. Well done lads; come on back to Houston anytime.

Lastly, next time you are at Walter's ask Roy to tell you the story of the poor sap who got caught after stealing money from the tip jar. Comedy gold I tell s ya.

Elaine Greer kicks ass and takes names!

Behold! Elaine Greer and the Capo of Power!

Zahira is so not letting that mic get away!

Oh You Know that's right! Let's tear this Sh@# up!

And lo the moccasins did run wild!
Andrew Lee opening a can of whoopass!

Note the dented case behind Nick Cody!
Wiiiild! Wild I tells ya!

News on the March with their
patented microphone condom.

Happiness is a woman and her cello!

It's surmised that at this exact moment
Roy Mata's head exploded.

Austin may seem all cute and cuddly in NOTM
but he also rips skulls off with
grindcore masters Humanicide.

Lo, we of the Eastern Sea have
brought you glowing kick drums!

See the pained hands in the middle?
Seconds before this was taken,
lasers shot from guitarist Matt Hines' eyes
literally melting somebody's face off.

Links:

More Pics on My Flickr

Elaine Greer
The Wild Moccasins
News On The March
The Eastern Sea

The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of July 18, 2024

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT

Some Love for The Hates, Elaine Greer, & The Wild Moccasins

Saturday, July 19
The Hates (CD release) , Static Thought , Societies Parasites , The Drafted
@ Fitzdown
The Hates are by now an institution and like any institution it's easy to take them for granted and with Christian Arhheiter's Mohawk on his little scooter it's easy for people to dismiss them as more cartoon than seminal Houston punk band. The band may have no original members beyond Christian these days but the band has continued for thirty years with his punk vision that at times can straddle the line between rockabilly and punk and at others stick to a straight one-two one-two OI OI OI. It's a great live show and the thing is this is the CD release for 30 Years of Hate which is a welcome chance for you to reevaluate their contribution over all these years , recognize how great this band really is, and make you never underestimate that dude on the scooter driving past you on Richmond. Cheers to you, Christian!

Sunday July 20
The Eastern Sea (EP Release), News On The March, The Wild Moccasins, B., Elaine Greer & The Holly Hall
@ Walters
Austin's Eastern Sea make some nice folk music but for my money the locals are worth the $7 of the door. News on The March are on an ongoing mission to bridge the gap between Bob Wills and Brain Wilson. The Wild Moccasins can jump between sweet and soft and then turn around and roust the audience into frantic dancing. B.'s name may be simple but they put on one of the most energetic proggy "look at me ma" shows you can see. Elaine Greer with the Holly Hall are always a kick. When the Holly Hall performs her songs it's expansive like when a well written short story is successfully translated onto the silver screen. Bonus is that, last I spoke with Elaine, the Holly Hall was looking to be more of a collaborative outfit in the realm of songwriting so, given the cast, that will be a treat. Can you tell I'm really excited?


ALSO THIS WEEK

Friday, July 18

Tilly and The Wall / Elaine Greer/The Wild Moccasins
@ The Engine Room
Tilly and Wall return to Houston with their Tap Dancing fueled pop, the new album may include actual drums on about half the tracks but it's still the same straight ahead pop you've come to expect from the band. As if to send you into indie-pop overload, local faves Elaine Greer and The Wild Moccasins (see above) will open so don't be late.

Georgia's Horse / Phillip Foshee / Tiziano Dominco
@ Bohemeo's
A few years ago a little band called Georgia's Horse was putting out very smart and melodic music. The band broke up but writer/singer, Theresa, continues to peek her head every once in a while as Georgia's Horse - always a treat. Opening will be ex-bandmate Tiziano. Squeezed in the middle is Phillip Foshee plays some really neat acoustic stuff that should perk your ears if you, like me, love local bands like Buxton and Papermoons.


Bo Diddley Tribute Concert, featuring
Hamilton Loomis & Offspring
@ Last Concert Cafe
OK notice something cool about this press release?
"Blind Pig recording artist Hamilton Loomis pays tribute to his mentor, the legendary Bo Diddley. Loomis will be joined by special guests “Offspring”, which features sons/daughters of Bo Diddley: “Bodetta”, “Tammi Diddley”, and “LittleBo”, from Gainesville FL." Yes, That's right Bo Diddly has a daughter who goes by Bodetta! Freaking Awesome!!!!

Broken Teeth/Whorehound
@ Rudyard's
Get your rock on - Whorehound is playing! Much like bassist Trevi Bile's famous hot sauces, you may find your head bursting in flames from John The Black's wicked guitar lines! You have been warned!



Saturday, July 19

The Ends/Something Fierce/Alarma/Sister Devastation
@ Rudyard's
Austin Punky Pop masters The Ends are a perfect match-up for Something Fierce. Something Fierce is a band so good I almost feel like I've run out of ways to say "This band is amazing" or "Why are you not bowing down every day and worshiping their greatness?!!" This show will no doubt be a blast. And yes, how many times do I have to explain this to you - I love Alarma! There is something so bad-ass about April's vocal style much like the rest of the band where if you break it down it seems like it shouldn't work but somehow it does - and in spades. Were it not for the Hates show, this show would be right up there in the spotlight.


Hollywood Black (in-store)
@ Cactus Music (6PM)
Free!! Nuf said. Shop and listen at the same time. Plus Beer!


Rotten Piece / Doug Ferguson / A Thousand Cranes
@ Notsuoh
You know the Houston Press Music Awards are always fun but this year something is missing - real representation of the Experimental scene in Houston. That may be a product of Super Happy Funland's continuing struggle to reopen but, whatever the reason, every year without fail some of the best shows have come from experimental artists. Rotten Piece (playing this show), A Pink Cloud, and Insect Warfare's infamous set have all made for great shows that were memorable. This year, while the Press has picked some amazing artists in the category, artists from the actual noise/experimental scene are noticeably absent in the nominations. It's a shame and one that I hope the Houston press will rectify next year. If you want a taste of what I mean check out this show.

Space City Gamelan / Rattletree Marimba
@ The Last Concert Cafe
(This just in) "Space City Gamelan & Rattletree Marimba are coming together for another great show! Join us for an evening of Indonesian & Zimbabwean music." Thanks for the heads-up Bob. :)

Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlán
@ Brown Theater
Mariachi music makes you happy admit it!!!!!


Sunday July 20


Kam, RX, Bandits, Portugal The Man, and Facing New York
@ the Merdian
Local Rock, Soul, Reggae, umm throw anything in the pot if sounds good songstress Kam is playing - coolness. I haven't had a chance to really look into the rest of the bands playing this show but Christamonster's poster is freaking awesome. Loookit!!!!


Monday, July 21

Teeth Mountain/The Super Vacations/Wicked Poseur
@ Boondocks (10PM)
If percussive improv is your idea of a party then Teeth Mountain should make you grab your party hat! The Super Vacations meanwhile channel some serious fucked up 60s low-fi. Local indie rock gods Wicked Poseur will bring their dual guitar assault and smack you around around until you concede their genius.

Tuesday, July 22

Motley Crue, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:AM, Trapt
@ Toyota Center
OK, Shout at the Devil is a pretty awesomely trashy metal song that hits all the right notes but is it really worth sitting through Buckcherry and Papa Roach for?



Wednesday, July 23

Luxury Sweets / The McKenzies /Fire Team Charlie
@ Rudyard's
From the East coast - rock and roll poppers Luxury Sweets will bring enough bubble gum for everyone in the classroom while batting for the home team are the local pop faves the McKenzies who are as awesome as the five minute and 20 second fight scene in They Live between Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David!


Thursday, July 24

Lazy Horse/The Misfires/The Mathletes
@ Rudyard's
Elaine Greer (is she everywhere this week?) joins the The Mathletes as they return...as a four piece? Man is that crazy I'm so used to the ever growing Joe Mathlete orchestra of last year but I'm not complaining as this will be very much like taking in a good chamber ensemble instead of a full symphony. Well, that is if chamber ensembles played songs about robots, asteroids, and Unicorns. Also local rock em sock em bad asses Lazy Horse and The Misfires will follow.

Recession Thursdays,
featuring
Southern Backtones, Generation Landslide, Muzak John, & The Sweaters
@ Numbers
Recession Thursdays are our party and so as not to upstage all the other shows I like to devote my Thursday Blog exclusively to its awesomeness. This one will indeed be awesome! It has John Muzak - how could it not?!

Tonight - Recession Thursday with Pale, Lisa's Son, The Takes, & Come See My Dead Person

Riff Tiffs - "an impressive frigate of sound, with pressure-treated wood so bright not a barnacle one could set-up shop on her hull. It is an ACES escort for casual chilling with the school and introspective dives into the deep alone. We’ve been rocking it out for a week and, like Flipper Daddy will do so until we say So Long, and thanks for all the fish. Recommended." - The Skyline Network

(Cancelled)

Pale - “Pale has the rock ‘n’ roll ideal: the moxie and evolving know-how to get noticed in a business that gives less and less opportunity to new talent. Pale is trying to find the rock ‘n’ roll spirit again.” - Houston Chronicle.

Lisa's Sons - "Pop-Punk Boy Band For Hipster Elitists." - ??

The Takes - "80s hardcore with a 90s pop punk vibe" - Travis of He Said She Said

Come See My Dead Person - " these voyeurs veered from sad-bastard Tom Waits folk to rollicking ragtime rock. And with a name like that, there's no excuse for missing their next gig." - Chris Gray The Houston Press

We told you this show was gonna kick ass!!!!

We forwarned you that last Friday's show at the Jet Lounge was gonna shred. So, for you who doubted, here is a photo posted by Rosa "Ditch Water" Guerrero on Hands Up Houston of Shrek taking a stage dive during the Hypocristian's set! Any questions?

Behold! Twotenanny!

There is a black hole approaching at the end of July that will suck in just about every local artist and fan - it's the triumvirate made up of The Saturday Secret Shows' Festival, The Houston Press Music Awards Showcase, and the sequel to the Hootenanny - the aptly named Twotenanny. As if to kick off the festivities for this, master promoters ADR and Ben Murphy - also the marketing geniuses at DZIGAVERTOV FILMS, a wholly owned subsidiary of THE SKYLINE NETWORK - produced this little promo that encapsulates the sophistication, dignity, and majesty that will be Hootenanny II.

Music with Jameson & Lone Star: The Young Mammals & Hard Place @ Artstorm 12 July 2024

As if to counter the John Lomax's "our scene sucks" mantra, Saturday's Creature Comforts art opening at Art Storm (located within Caroline Collective) was a raving success. Unfortunately, the traffic from Galveston resulted in my arriving just in time to hear Wicked Poseur's last notes ring but, judging from the wild applause, they did pretty alright indeed.

I wish Wicked Poseur had traded slots with Hard Place because I honestly could have done without them. You know that Spongebob Squarepants episode where Squidward is assigned to lead the half-time ceremonies at a football game and the orchestra plays this terrible painful parody of an 80's song? Sure, the bit is mildly funny for its minute or so run-time but picture that for 30 minutes - that's Hard Place! Yeah, exactly! It's annoying as fuck. It's like a band that looked up every hipster cliche and decided to make that caricature real. Of course I know it's supposed to be tongue in cheek but to pull that off requires some wit and Hard Place displayed none though they clearly seemed to think they possessed it in spades.

The crowd may have dug Hard Place's set but, my irony meter reading in the red, I merely took the time to check out the art which was a much better use of my time. For a show like this, I like to just look at the art first then go back with a program and see who created what. The funny thing was that when I made the second pass with the program the same name came up again and again without fail - Eli Sebastian Brumbaugh (Link). On the right is Ezekiel 44:31, one of his paintings on display and it, like the rest of Brumbaugh's work, displayed wit, playfulness, and joy without a hint of smugness - a perfect antidote to Hard Place's set. Thank you.

The Young Mammals closed the night with their typical verve. The band is one of Houston's best and a perfect example of why those who decry Houston bands as mediocre need to get out more. Their songs and performances spring with energy and the band engages in the kind of jocular repartee during their set that is simply endearing. This was one of the band's last shows with their drummer Iram and I hope you savored his performance if you were there. Very few drummers can upstage their bandmates but Iram, though seated throughout, plays with the energy of a crazed trucker careening his 18-wheeler just to the edge of the cliff - sticks fly, he falls off his stool, and collapses on his kit as he drips in sweat from hurling every ounce of energy into his performance. Is it any wonder he'll be missed? Not to under-sell the rest of the band: they are just as much fun as they hop and jump like stand-ins for The Beatles in HELP! So, of course, people ate-up their performance. Be it alone or with guest Mlee Suprean (Hearts of Animals) on one new song, the band radiated everything that is so great about a summer evening in Houston.

Culture is alive and well in Houston folks so leave the wide-screen TVs and Wiis at home.

"Houston's drawbacks: mediocre bands,
terrible radio, second-rate venues,
poor public transportation, killer
sprawl and a diverse populace
of mildly paranoid, cynical souls. "
- John Lomax

"Sure, our local bands, venues and sound men
are not the greatest, true enough, and cliques
can be off-putting to newcomers and less trendy
music fans." - John Lomax

Iram's drum kit sums up my reaction to Lomax's
obsession with the Two Gallants show from
two years ago. Any guesses as to how many
people stayed home or even thought of that
show Saturday night?
If you guessed one, that's too high.

"The minute people stop trying to figure
out what's wrong, they'll start to get it right."*
- Mlee Suprean

Yet another poorly attended Houston show.
Why was nobody there?
Just ask John Lomax and he'll tell you:
mediocre bands, a substandard venue, and a cynical populace.
Oh yeah and Two Gallants.

Links

Wicked Poseur (Link)
Young Mammals (Link)
Hard Place (Link)
Art Storm (Link)

More Pictures on my Flickr (Link)

* regarding Lomax's article and the resulting Hands Up Houston discussion.

The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of June 11th 2024 - Special John Lomax "Our Scene Sucks" Edition

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT IS ON
THE YOUNG MAMMALS AND THE PAPERMOONS


Friday, July 11
Papermoons (record release & tour kickoff) / Phillip Foshee / B. / The Sour Notes
@ The Backroom (The Mink)

Here is a show I wish I could attend but such is fate. The 'Moons are relocating and this will be their last Houston show in the foreseeable future. That's disappointing because they only just got started. The 'Moons have become one of Houston's best bands and if you haven't heard their newest album I highly suggest you do so. The album is a perfect mix of nuanced instrumentation, gorgeous vocal harmonies, and songs whose melodies will follow your every footstep. Right now, you can preview two songs on their Myspace - Follow the Sun and Front Porch. Do me a favor and just take a listen. The songs don't rush in painting their canvases but patiently build with a palate of chiming guitars and restrained drumming. Then, when the harmonies kick in, the production just envelops you with that same feeling you get in the winter night when it's cold outside, you come into a warm house with a fire, and sit on the sofa with a blanket with the one you love. The songs are at once open with hope yet hesitant of stepping forward in a world that moves a little slower. That's a lovely tension that is pretty hard to pull-off but the 'Moons are a band with the skill, talent, a heart do it and do so in spades.

Saturday July 12
Creature Comforts Art Opening Featuring Young Mammals, News On the March, Wicked Poseur, Hard Place @ Artstorm / Caroline Collective (7:00PM)

Sunday July 13 Young Mammals, Wicked Poseur, Hard Place @ The Mink

The Young Mammals are and have been kings of the Indie Pop mountain for a few years now. Their energetic shows and catchy songs have been the summer soundtrack to many a young Houstonian and leading the charge has been drummer Iram Guerrero. I tell you this, your band is defined by your drummer. That person who sits behind the kit may be overlooked by many but any musician will tell you that the drummer is the heart of it all. That's why Iram's departure from Houston is such a huge deal. Not only does he play a powerful and distinct style but if you've ever seen their live shows - he is one of the most memorable performers out there. There may be many great drummers out there but few can upstage the band. Iram performance evokes the playfulness of Han Bennink - a performance that plays with a humor and wide-eyed joy of the instrument. That kind of mugging is so honest and so real that you can't help but be drawn into the music and the performance. Normally, I'd go into the greatness of Wicked Poseur and how good News on the March are but this is really Iram's weekend (though you will have one last chance though at the Houston Press Music Awards). I suggest you demand encores and do not allow him to leave the stage until he has completely collapsed. GO!

ALSO THIS WEEK
(NOTE: TONIGHT I WILL BE ADDING SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. SO CHECK BACK WITH US TOMORROW MORNING FOR THE REST OF THE PREVIEW.)

Friday, July 11

Deceased/PLF/Hypo-Christians/Termination Force
@ Jet Lounge (8:30, $10)
It's funny that the two shows that I rank highest on the must see list tonight come from opposite ends of the spectrum. While Papermoons work with understatement and subtlety this show is the polar opposite - a Yin Yang that shows why John Lomax (whom I love - honestly, he really is a great guy and all but he) is so full of shit when he keeps whacking-off on his self-fulfilling prophecy of how lame the local scene is; I say it therefore it is true so take that, hipsters! Whatever! John, mon ami, here is my prescription - here is what you need. Get the fuck away from that bleeding desk and go to the Jet Lounge tonight. That's right, don't just talk about the scene sucking, actually go a show that will envelop you in sweat and noise from a genre you by and large pretend doesn't exist. Here are three bands completely off your radar: PLF's brutal and precise instrumentation is crushing, Hypo-Christians inject some much appreciated humor into the proceedings, and Termination Force are simply apes!

Oh yeah, and a touring band is playing here too. You know one of those that never come to Houston. Which brings up what you don't get and I think Rosa Guerrero has figured out. You see, you keep jacking off on how the national scene doesn't come to us. Here is the scene she points to - Gulf Coast Hardcore. Her point is simple and you being so much into rap should have fucking figured it out by now. The answer doesn't lie in measuring a scene by how the nationals react but in a fierce regionalism. Dirty South and Gulf Coast Hard Core - that's the freaking model. Let the rest of the world catch up! You think anyone gives a flying fuck about the Arctic Monkeys now? No, but that's what you were creaming over a few years back. You measure of success is based on popularity and sales and not the music. Fuck that! You can keep those bands like Arctic Monkeys and Vampire Weekend - their rise is only matched by how quickly their spotlight fades. PLF will make those sissy Brits you loved so much cry all the way back to the UK but have you ever give them praise? No, fuck no! Why? Because you (and I say again you are a cool guy and I love you to death) are always looking elsewhere to what's cool and interesting and you have this thing about "hipsters" which as the guitarist in my band once put it so precisely "Oh, Hipsters? Yeah, I know those - you mean Kids!" Amen! And the Kids are Alright!

Bob Log III / Scott Biram / Possessed By Paul James
@ Rudyard's
Oh wow check it out a cool touring show! You know, the kind that never come to Houston? He's a one man band who's performance is...well...just look at the picture!!! It's sounds like umm... OK, imagine The Medicine Show as one guy playing with a huge helmet. I've heard his shows get nutters and are a huge amount of fun! The music is surely a hoot. Give a little listen over on the myspace and see for yourself. This show is also a must-see if you can get your Tardis to actually work for once.

In the Land of Archers
@ Notsuoh
Attention fans of Experimental [you know, that genre so utterly and completely misunderstood by the Houston Press even though Houston has long been regarded as fertile soil]!! Here is where you should be tonight!

Floyd's Birthday Bash, featuring
30footFALL, Morgue City, The Blind Pets, Ne Plus Ultra, & Burn The Boats
@ The Meridian
1-2-1-2-1-2! Poppy punk Fuck You We're From Texas granddaddies 30 Foot Fall lead the festivities at the Meridian.

Dine Alone (CD release), The Burning Ground (CD release, Four Men Walking, Feeding James
@ Fitzgerald's
Buzz radio is not my thing - not in the least. I simply abhor the genre, how it's marketed, how it's produced, and well...you get the idea but I figure a CD release is a CD release and it deserves a mention. So if you can stand the Buzz and want to see a local band do that kind of thing, have at it!

Saturday, July 12

The McKenzies/Audio in the Pregap/Ledaswan
@ The Mink
The Mckenzies have a Korg and they are not afraid to use it!! If the Dimes left you jonesin' for some more indie-pop then the McKenzies may be just the fix you need for the rest of the evening.

"I Love You From the Neck Up" Art Opening
with work by Lance McMahan, Jim Pirtle, & others
with Free Radicals, The Brute Wolf, & Palit
@ Notsuoh
Well I'll be damned if I can find much info on this but it does have Free Radicals and that is pretty cool if you like your improv-jazz funky.

Yuppie Pricks / Young Heart Attack
@ Rudyard's
Yuppie pricks are shtick-rock that asks the question "How would a bunch of annoying spoiled rich wanks sound if they decided to make music?" Oh yeah that's right - Vampire Weekend. OK OK forget that explanation. Basically picture tongue-in-cheek punk rock that sing songs like "Fuck You I'm Rich"- that's much funnier and fun than those over-hyped tools that nobody will remember by next year's SXSW.

Earth, Wind & Fire
@ Verizon Wireless Theater
Yeah yeah you've heard the songs a million times but c'mon at least fess up - September is one of those happy happy joy joy songs that few can resist.


Sunday, July 13

Alkari / Ellypsea / Via Linda / The Gold Sounds / Thea
@ Warehouse Live
Woo Hoo! Deer Park's Gold Sounds! These guys are amazing and rip some sweet songs. Nuff said! Swing on down and see what the kids down south on I-45 are doing right!


Monday, July 14

The Cheat / Guitars
@ Boondocks
Q. What do you get when you take one part Alarma (bad-ass bassist April) and one part Lennie Briscoe (bad-ass drummer JD)? A. A hella lotta of posts on Hands Up Houston! I kid of course, they both rock and what you'd really get is a band called Guitars. Should be fun.


Tuesday, July 15

Sleepercar / Buxton / Giant Princess
@ The Mink
Well shit! It's about time Buxton returned to a Houston stage!! These guys are simply incredible live performers and their debut album was simply a wonder of heartfelt Americana. Joseph Collins alone was a song that I just just kept listening to over and over again all the while picking apart the arrangement, structure, production, lyrics, and just about anything else. The rest of the album also is just as worthy of being obsessed over with its sweet melodies a broad palate of instrumentation. Live, the band may not have the lush qualities of the album but they make up for it with a hard driving and emotional performance that will grab you by the collar and drag you in. Sergio Trevino's vocals may catch your attention but pay attention to Guitarist Jason Willis' droll guitar work and you will walk away envious.


Wednesday, July 16

The Warlocks / The Vandelles / The Monocles
@ Walter's on Washington
Psychedelic rock from LA and MONOCLES!! MONOCLES!! MONOCLES!!


Thursday, July 17

Recession Thursdays, featuring
Riff Tiffs, Lisa's Sons, Pale, The Takes, & Ceeplus Bad Knives
@ Numbers
YUP Another Omar Afra extravaganza!!! More deets on Thursday!

Pics from Willie's Picnic

* 1346 - arrived at concert. Asleep at the Wheel playing "Boogie Back to Texas".
* 1424 - Asleep at the Wheel finishing up. Wind kicks up as the storm blows in.
* 1425 - Stagehands scramble from unseen places under the stage to cover equipment.
* 1426 - In a strange matchup, man races cowboy hat blowing down the track. The hat wins.
* 1432 - Rain and wind.
* 1434 - A couple with a small baby is brought to the media tent for shelter from the storm. Baby is subject of bored photographers' cameras for the next 6 minutes. The parents look pissed.
* 1527 - Rain finally stops. Ray Wylie Hubbard opens with "Snake Farm".
* 1600 - First tittie flash of the evening.
* 2100 (circa) - Willie makes his first appearance. Does anyone else smell a skunk?
* 2152 - Crowd simultaneously puts their arms around each other as Willie plays "Always on My Mind".
photos by Bruce Wiggins

Tonight's Recession Thursday!! Studemont Project, Wicked Poseur, Wolves at the Door, & Trusty Tape Recorder!!

Well, I had hoped that a guest blogger was going to hype this show but that fell through leaving me no time to properly post a preview of this show. Mercifully our fearless leader Omar Afra (who also puts these together I might add) was good enough to help me out by writing this preview. Here is his preview! Now Get out there! (PS. Thanks Bro!)

Join us at tonight Numbers for another clutch-time extravaganza that is Recession Thursdays
-Dollar Beers
-Just 5 bux at the door
-Free smacks in the face (Limit 10 per person)
-Door at 9-ish
-and these great bands

Studemont Project has been serving up the homegrown style of live band hip-hop around these parts for years. Their sound has steadily evolved and tightened into a more organic direction with additions of guitar player Tom of the Ton Tons and bass player David. They have plugged their sounds with loads more melody and abrupt changes that a band format can only deliver in a hip-hop context. Emcees Christian and Gilbert work together seam-lessy and are one of the best rhyming pairs in the city. Always a good show. ( As I was writing this, a copy of their new album, Warmth of the Midnight Sun, was delivered by FedEx to our office. Expect a review in the publication)


Wicked Poseur scores an impressive 36 on the one to ten clutch-meter. Deftly combining Billy Idol-esque Brit pop with quasi garage sensibilities, these folks are no doubt a great live band. Last time me saw them, I was nothing short of impressed.


Wolves at the Door is an experimental indie jam band that spends lots of time building crescendos into pretty little ditties. Their songs tend to bounce from songwriting to jamming with the inclusion of horns and healthy masturbation. Remember, masturbation is always healthy.


Trusty Tape Recorder makes like psychedelic noisy electronic experimental stylings like you mother used to. Lots of low-fi guitar and shakers round out the sound to remind you that TTR can go in other directions.

Exodus: Movement of Jah People!

Is it me or is this a year of exodus for great musicians from Houston? Earlier Danny Mee of the Jonx moved to Austin and Jenny Westbury also announced her imminent departure to Seattle. Now word comes down the line of a continued talent drain.

First Iram Guerrero of Young Mammals (aka The Dimes) is down to his last three shows before he leaves Houston. That's a huge blow given that he's one of the premier drummers in Houston and a defining part of the band's sound. Then, Papermoons announced that after their upcoming tour, they too will also be leaving Houston. Oh wait, but it gets worse because Sabra Laval has also announced her departure from Houston. Man, that's a rough year and we're just past the halfway mark.

So, just so you know, here may be the last few times for you to see these artists in the near future as they will be seen a lot less frequently 'round these parts.


Papermoons

Friday July 11
CD Release/Tour Kick-off w/ B./The Sour Notes /Phillip Forshee
@ The Backroom (behind the Mink)

Young Mammals

Saturday July 12
W/ Wicked Poseur, News On The March& Hard Place
@ Artstorm/Caroline Collective

Sunday July 13
W/ Hard Place & Wicked Poseur!!!
@ The Backroom (behind the Mink)

Sunday July 27
The Houston Press Music Awards

Sabra Laval

Monday July 28
w/ Warren Jackson Hearne & Admiral David
@ Notsuoh

The Jonx

Friday August 1
w/ Sharks and Sailors (CD Release Party) & UME
@ Walters

Music with Jameson & Lone Star: Artstorm Jeremy Jay @ Artstorm and 500 Megatons of Boogie, The Jonx, and Together we Are Instruments at Rudyards

Well, by now you already know that the whole Keene St. Party imploded between my Friday preview and Saturday. It went from full steam ahead to dead to an unexpected resurrection at Notsuh. Refunds went from none to some to all. Bands and DJs dropped like flies but in the end five bands held-on and, by the looks of it, the smaller scale version at Notsuoh seems to have been (albeit under much humbler goals) a success. Jeremy Hart at Space City Rock did a nice job of reviewing the whole thing (link). Me? Well, trying to figure out what was going on eventually wore me out - Keene Street burn-out. So, I decided to roll through two shows of a little lower profile.

The first was a pass by Caroline Collective where Artist Patrick Turk's exhibit was coming to a close with K records' Jeremy Jay. It was a pretty low-key affair with Jeremy Jay playing his poppy songs on a small stage on a hot and humid Houston night. It was pleasant and I preferred the more jangly numbers but the audience seemed to sway more towards the songs powered by the more vintage Korg sounds. Sure the crowd wasn't what you'd call a throng but have you ever had one of those crowds where it seems every time you turn your head you find yourself wrapped in a conversation? Yeah, this was one of those crowds - a good peeps crowd - and that's always a pleasant enough way to start an evening.

From there it was off to Rudyard's. I was pretty interested in seeing Together We Are Instruments and they delivered the electronics and textures. The only issue I had was the vocals which were somewhat distracting from what was going on underneath. This was their first time with vocals so I'll let that go. Their strength lay in the electronically generated textures and the ability of the players to feed off each other's improvisations to build into an engaging whole. It's classic Houston Noise/Experimental - the kind of stuff that Super Happy Fun Land hosted often. That's not everyone's bag of tea but their use of beats under the textures was particularly nicely done. All in all pretty nice stuff and worth showing up early for.

The Jonx followed with another standard Jonx-style ass kicking. I mean that seriously even though I've likely said similar things a million times. I was telling Stuart how, after writing about them for so long, I honestly just don't know what else to add. I mean here you have this amazing drummer, a brutal bassist, and an unstoppable guitarist who dodge and parry their way past most bands with their math rock meets punk rock hybrid. The thing that sets them apart is that they take that and combine it with some great guitar and bass lines that you find yourself humming almost immediately. It's not just aimless chord and time changes but honest to goodness hooky songs that I put up with anything out there nationally or internationally. The show Saturday was more of the same - punch drunk hooks cleverly interspersed with sonic blasts of dissonance. If you missed them, see them on August first with Ume and Sharks & Sailors and then try to tell me you aren't impressed.

The evening closed with 500 Megatons of Boogie whose name was a constant source of amusement for some friends ("That was only 100 megatons! You owe us 400!!!") Now, I have to say that I mixed myself up on Thursday's preview and wrote what in effect was a preview for the Squishees and not 500 Megatons of Boogie. Why the error? Ok look it was late true but basically 500 Megatons is an offshoot of the Squishees but with a different drummer. 500 Megatons eschews the crazy time signatures for more straight-up (if not necessarily less histrionic) rock and roll. So, that cleared up, let me just say that Saturday's show was a riot. Guitarist and singer Eriq Fancypants is one mean guitarist and he moves on the stage and grimaces like someone who stuck something electrical and unpleasant in his ass. The band may take its rockin' seriously (consider the heaviness of It Gets Me Blue) but they clearly are just goofy geeks who are just out to have a blast. And Jesus come on down and make with the wine but they ripped a kick-ass version of James Brown's It's a Man's Man's Man's World. Hallelujah! Now if they could only play that in Fortran!

Jeremy Jay popping it up at Caroline CollectiveThe event was the closing for Patrick Turk's
art exhibit (that's his sparkly daughter)

Together We Are Instruments - I'd recommend pairing them
with a good wheat beer and spinach quesadillas.

The Jonx ripping through their punishing
12-minute epic Scent of the Earth at Rudyard's

500 Megatons of Boogie gave us 501 Megatons of Boogie
especially when they covered James Brown

Links:

More images at my Flickr (link)

Caroline Collective

Jeremy Jay
Together We Are Instruments
The Jonx
500 Megatons of Boogie

Papermoons

Papermoons self-portrait

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m sitting with the Papermoons outside King Biscuit in the hot Texas sun as guitarist Matt Clark and drummer Daniel Hawkins are getting all In Search of... on me. A house party on their upcoming tour is right near the hometown of the legendary Moth Man which, as you can imagine, is a local legend involving some creature that looks like…well...a Moth Man. The supernatural is an odd little diversion for the Papermoons. “We went to an old graveyard in Sleepy Hollow at night.” says Daniel, “That was some freaky shit!” Cleary not freaked out enough on that tour, they plan to spend some time this tour visiting Gettysburg where ghosts are said to roam and people can visit at night. It’s all par for the course for a band that clearly loves not only making music but also travelling. Talk with them for any length of time and it’s clear that, for these two, touring is still a grand adventure filled with the promise of the unexpected and the memorable.

That love of the road is actually quite appropriate as the duo met while touring in different bands. Danny had been drumming in Houston’s Little Compass and Matt had been in playing guitar in the Akron, Ohio band Adios. The bands met through the internet, toured together, and the two immediately hit it off. Then, when the bands were coming to their logical end, a night at Late Night Pie sealed the partnership. “We were talking about quieter bands like Wilco,” says Matt, “and it turns out we had similar ideas of what we wanted to do. We started sending tapes of songs back and forth between Ohio and Texas where one of us would build on the ideas of the other. Eventually, I was over with school and had nothing keeping me in Ohio so I moved to Houston.”

The new duo soon discovered the challenges and rewards of the new less-is-more approach. “There’s a freedom in just playing a backbeat and not overplaying.” says Danny, “Believe it or not, it’s actually easier to overplay than to just hold-back but it’s amazing how much a song can be just as powerful without resorting to simple volume.”

“My guitar has to do a lot more work,” explains Matt, “and I have to try to fill the sound. But if you can play a song – just vocals and a guitar – and it holds up, that’s a good song. That’s my benchmark.”

“When we work on songs, we hear arrangements in our heads,” says Danny, “so if we don’t feel that, we drop it. This new album was written pretty fast. We wanted to release it in time to tour during the summer so all the songs were written and recorded under that time constraint but we didn’t compromise in the process. This album is exactly the album we wanted to release.”

The album was partially written in our small apartment. “Danny set up his drums here in the living room,” says Matt as he sketches three very small rectangles in an L shape with stick figures on my note pad. “I was in the bedroom here, and in this small bathroom between the two rooms is where I set my amp. We recorded the entire thing on Adobe Audition starting with Danny’s drums and I’d layer on top of that. We’d start with the music and find the vocal harmonies.”

“Harmonies were the first thing on the table when we started his band!” exclaims Danny. “We love killer harmonies so that’s one of the things we concentrate on. We’ll work out the melodies and Matt will write the lyrics.”

“I’m not much of a lyricist,” says Matt as his leg shakes up and down under the table, “I’ll try to write broad lyrics that everyone can relate to. Some of it is from stuff I’ve experienced but the lyrics are never specific. I just try to find that one line and, once I’ve got that down, the rest of the lyrics flow from that one line.”

Matt may be humble about his lyrics but there is a simple honesty in his words that seem as organic and of-the-earth as the music. Take the opening track – Follow The Sun - from the new Papermoons album. Chiming guitar notes play off a lonely slide guitar as vocals sing a gorgeous melody evoking a melancholy joy. They sing “Yeah, I chose this life/ a life with no money at all/ and you get what you put in/ if you do what you love/ give in/ just give in.” That is the Papermoons in a nutshell.

The Papermoons’ new album “New Tales” will be available in July on Team Science.
Their tour kicks off on July 11th with their record release at the Backroom at the Mink.

Link:
http://www.myspace.com/thepapermoonsband

The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of July 4th 2024

THIS WEEKS SPOTLIGHT
KEENE STREET WAREHOUSE PARTY!!!!

ANDREW WK, THE OCTOPUS PROJECT, WINNING, ANDY DIXON, BRING BACK THE GUNS, THE WATERMARKS, RIFF TIFFS, O PIONEERS!!!, PAPERMOONS, AMERICAN SHARKS, LIMB, WELFARE MOTHERS, B., LISA'S SONS, BLACKIE
@ KEENE ST. WAREHOUSE
1620 Keene St.
1PM - 4AM
Bands end at 10PM.

It's been an interesting week for promoter Jacob Calle - Andrew WK has already dropped out and more worrisome was that I kept hearing rumblings about the state of the fire-ravaged warehouse. While no official reason has been given for YK canceling, I figured we'd at least look into the condition of the venue and either dispel or confirm the rumors so I made a trip out this morning. I figured "Eh, I've already plunked down my $12 so we'll see huh?" I mean even with Andrew WK saying no, it's a pretty solid line-up of bands and DJs but if some of the rumors were true, people may want to know. So, I was somewhat surprised at what I saw so I called Eric whose I Heart You Productions had been asked to do two tasks in this event - sell tickets on-line and manage the show as it took place (man the door and stuff like that). Clearly he got more than he bargained for. The story goes that the owner had insurance and said he'd have a roof in place by now but one thing is what the property owner had hoped for and another is reality. Thus, Eric and posse spent two days this week cleaning up the place. Given what he signed up for, I think that's pretty admirable.

What the pictures show below is a tidied up shell of a building that caught fire months ago. Eric tells me that today and tomorrow they will be working hard - adding a tarp (to keep you dry should it rain), building a stage (the bands will appreciate that), and lastly bringing in a generator that will power the whole endeavor. Eric said he'll send me pictures when they add the tarp and the stage so you can see how things are moving along. Here, as a preview, are some pictures I took. I have a few more posted on my Flickr (link).

The burned out but recently cleaned-up
Keene St. warehouse on the morning of July 4th

A tarp, stage, and generator
are to be in place by tomorrow

So there you have it. Given the line-up, it should be pretty fun and as Eric puts it "The way to look at this as a glorified kegger in someone's house." Wooo! Kegger! See you there tomorrow.

ALSO THIS WEEK


Friday, July 4

This Moment In Black History/Black Congress/Camp X-Ray/The Monocles/Thieves Like Us
@ Walter's on Washington
Man what a way to celebrate the birth of our country but with some fucked up shit from Cleveland. TMIBH are a noisy chaos of freaky energy - funny, weird, and certified "what the fuck" in all the right ways. As for local super-group Black Congress, you know the score - local manly men playing hard, loud, and sweaty. The Monocles play garage by taking the garage and beating it over your head until you hand over all your beer and dope - gawddang!! Thieves Like Us clearly are a band that bought that Joy Division boxed set that came out a while back. I wonder if the bassists slings his bass as low as Peter Hook? God Bless America!

Geto Boys
@ Warehouse Live
Do I even have to write anything about these guys? Really, I mean these guys are so iconic that they can do a song about cereal and get away with it! You try to pull that off! But more importantly this is the group that settled the question that had long plagued theoretical physicists for decades as to the maximum velocity attainable by "real gangsta-ass niggas". God Bless America!

Dethklok/Chimaira/Soilent Green
@ The Meridian
You! The guys smoking a bowl and watching adult swim. First, "Don't put Marbles in Your Nose!" and second, dig creator Brendon Small as he gets his metal geek on! A friend of mine said she was going and I couldn't help but be totally jealous. God Bless America!

Mike and The Moonpies, Jonathan Terrell, Stephen Reynolds Band, Whiskey River Revival, Dead End Cowboys, Texas Contraband, The Trian Woodburns, John Garza Jr., Wolf Explosion, Leo Rondeau, & more
@ Fitzgerald's
Ok I get the Free. That's cool. I get the Country/Rootsy bands. That's awesome. You can see the downtown fireworks with drinks, snacks and snow cones! Ok coolness! But here's what I don't get - kid friendly parking lot. "Hey Kids go play in a parking lot!" OK, I'm sure it's roped-off but it just sounds weird. Should be cool. Oh, and God Bless America!

Freedom Over Texas
@ Elanor Tinsley Park
OK, yes it's the lamest music of all the music options I've listed thus far but....It's about the fireworks dummy! God Bless America!


Mission Control, featuring Mic Skills & DJ Remix
@ The Backroom (The Mink)
DJ, dancing, booze, God Bless America!

Saturday, July 5

500 Megatons of Boogie/ The Jonx / Together We Are Instruments
@ Rudyard's
Well I raved about the triple powerhouse of the Jonx on Thursday. Well 500 Megatons of Boogies are kind of like The Jonx's oddball older brothers. They sport the same odd time signatures and energy sure but you can't help but wonder, "Hmm If I asked them to play that in Fortran would they do it?" TWAI is a damn cool collective of improvised loops, electronics, and god knows what! Very cool experimental stuff so I suggest you arrive early to see them.

Charlie Wilson & the Gap Band @ Arena Theatre
Charlie Wilson will indeed drop the bomb on you!


Willie Nelson's Family Picnic, featuring
Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Los Lonely Boys, Asleep at the Wheel, David Allan Coe, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver, & Johnny Bush
@ Sam Houston Race Park
Willie's family Picnic! Woooo!


Sunday, July 6


Vans Warped Tour @Sam Houston Race Park
You know Van Warped Tour just makes me wonder...why didn't bungee Kyacking take-off as an extreme sport?

Sabra Laval/Warren Jackson Hearne/Cory Derden/Sew What
@ Notsuoh
You know how it works - Sabra plays quiet lovely folk and you go see it.

RTX/Imaad Wasif
@ The Backroom (The Mink; 8PM)
Jennifer Herrema's half of what was the Royal Trux. Straight-up scummy rock and roll is the order of the day with RTX. Opener Wasif I think seems the more interesting of the two. Not sure yet if I'm enamored by the songwriting or the production on his new album. Like on that song Oceanic at about two and a half minutes where that guitar hits the melody that plays off that low burping note. Man, that is a great guitar tone!


Monday, July 7th

Gravy Train / Bridez @ Walter's On Washington
Attention Handstamp's Sara Cress. Keyboards and irony...I think I found your show! Bring your skinny jeans!

Burning Brides / Middle Class Rut/Fired For Walking
@ Rudyard's
Fired for rocking!

Suzi Trash / Black Black Gold
@ Boondocks
Black Black Gold are inspired by that 60's International Artists psychedelia and their inspiration leads them to some pretty cool territory. Suzi Trash sounds like every teenager's 4-track-demo made in their garage - sloppy, slightly inept, and yet horribly charming.


Tuesday, July 8th

Harry and The Potters w/ Fishboy, Math The Band, Uncle Monsterface
@ Walter's On Washington
Attention Gie Gie! Fishboy is playing! You know what that means! QUATTRO!!!!!!

The Umbrella Man @ The Continental Club
They play weekly so it's easy to take for granted but do note that they rock.

Beppe Gambetta @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Un Italiano que fare la musica folklorica degli stati uniti. Non so se tutto e' buono ma giocca la chitarra bellissimo.

Wednesday, July 9

Sex Vid/No Talk
@ Sound Exchange
(8PM; free, but donations encouraged)

Beau Beasely's post-Insect Warfare band has a lot of people pretty excited. The band kick it old school - we're talking early 80's punk rock hardcore. You think that poster is a Really Red reference? Hmmm. Regardless expect a bunch of homo-erotic shirtless brotha's getting all sweaty and bumping into each other. And if that isn't enough there's
Seattle's Sex Vid. Ok maybe instead of explaining Sex Vid I'll just let this video from a house party in Olympia do the talking.



Gifts From Enola / Maps / Antarctica Starts Here
@ Walter's on Washington
This is the mellow pill to counter the Sound Exchange show. Antarctica Starts Here are my favorite local shoegazer band - echoes of chiming guitars and atmospheric vocals. It's a great pairing with Virginia's Gift from Enola which have the same inspiration. Load up the car, load up the bong, and go!

Sleep State /Tambersauro / Geraldo! / Stove Blow
@the white swan
Take this pill if you aren't ready to come down after the Sound Exchange show and want more manic music. Missouri's Sleep State will keep your nerves on edge and manic time changes and inane energy can be summed up in one word - Tambersauro! Man Tambersauro are great. If you want to get your math rock on - they are your band!



Thursday, July 10 -

Peter Murphy/Ali Eskandarian @ The Meridian
Get out your trenchcoats kids, it's summer!! Eh, as great as Bauhaus was, I never much cared for his solo stuff though he did do a decent job on a Pere Ubu cover.

Recession Thursday's Featuring
Studemont Project / Wicked Poseur / Wolves at the Door / Trusty Tape Recorder
@ Numbers
Our weekly showcase. We'll have more details on our Thursday Blog in super special Hype-O-Rama. I will say though that Wicked Poseur are indeed a wicked live band!

Tonight's Recession Thursday - The Jonx, Closet City, Mesus the Thesus, Sew What, Lennie Briscoe all for $5 at Numbers

The Jonx - This band alone is worth $5 and more. With a triple threat of incredible drumming (Danny Mee), razor sharp guitar (Stuart Smith), and nimble and brutal bass (Trey Levigne), The Jonx are and have been one of Houston's best and criminally undervalued bands. I still pop in their last album and marvel at how goddamn good that album is from beginning to end.

Closet City - Oh yeah, these guys. They were pretty awesome musically. The weird thing is they had this amazing juxtaposition of hardly moving while playing this insanely aggressive music. So my reaction when I clicked on their myspace and realized it was them was a big dopey grin. Rock dudes!

Mesus The Thesus - MESUS THE THESIS LOVES REESES PIECES! I mean that sells it, doesn't it? Ok OK well how about the fact that they say "Our beats are hotter than the devil's drawls, more hip than those Westheimer hipsters, cleaner than the snuggle bear, and mo' crisp than a new can of DP." Mo' crisp than DP? DAAAAMN!

Sew What - Truly one of Death Metal's most esteemed and feared performers. Rachel's vocals and guitar make blood flow from the ears of all posers while Corey's instrumentation is truly worthy of Satan himself. Yes, truly metal as the dark lord intended...errrr or maybe it's late, I'm tired, and they are really a folk band. Check out the crushing Iron Maiden like gallop of "Chocolate Water" and you tell me.

Lennie Briscoe - Who's in Lennie Briscoe? Let's just say it's a secret and you'll have to come on down to find out. ;)

The Skyline Network presents Hootenanny II: Twotenanny

July 26 @ The Mink's Backroom
Words by David A. Cobb
Photo by Rosa Guerrero

(The Ka-nives have since cancelled)

Many people shudder when they hear the term "cover band," but the crew over at The Skyline Network knows a good idea when it strikes: get some of the best local bands together to play as their favorite classic bands. After the inaugural Hootenanny in January--which featured 10 bands and seemed to be way past capacity--it was pretty much a sure thing that there would be a sequel.
This month's show, which is July 26th at The Mink's Backroom, features another excellent, varied line-up: The Ka-Nives as The Lemonheads, Flowers to Hide as The Cure, The Kimonos as Blondie, Buxton as Bjork, Custom Drinker as Rod Stewart, Tody Castillo and Friends as Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Friends, Sharks and Sailors as The Police, American Sharks as The Cars, Judas Bear as Spoon, and Paris Falls as Rush.
Sharks and Sailors' Mike Rollin says the inspiration for their set came from their admiration of The Police. "We're all big fans, and we wanted to do something fun," he says. "It's also a good chance to rip off...I mean, learn some new chords. Andy Summers is a wizard."
As for which bands he's excited about seeing at the Hootenanny, he says, "The Ka-Nives' set will be insane. I also want to see Paris Falls doing Rush. I want to hear "2112" in its entirety...Marshall covering Rod Stewart will be fun, and Flowers to Hide's three-guitar attack should lend itself well to The Cure."
Tom Petty is an obvious choice for local crooner Tody Castillo, who will play alongside a Who's Who of local musicians, including Ben Murphy, Travis Foster, Kurt Coburn, Arthur Yoria, and Ryan Chavez. It's nice to hear from you. "All of these guys are big Petty fans and we're psyched to be doing it," Castillo says. "We're going full force rock on this one..."
Musician Ray Brown (Paris Falls) says Rush wasn't the band's first choice but that it works perfectly with their current line-up. "We first thought Alice Cooper but we didn't think many people would know the tracks we wanted to do," he says. "Iron Maiden was out of the picture because we needed more guitars. We didn't want to come off doing a band someone would expect us to do like the Beatles. Since we're a three-piece band now, it worked out to do Rush songs. We will be doing a 2112 song but unfortunately not [The Temple of] "Syrinx." We couldn't land the Taurus pedals. Also expect songs from Signals, Moving Pictures, Hemispheres..."
"Plus we all grew like three sets of extra balls each and we needed to use them," he jokes.
Brown also says he's looking forward to seeing The Kimonos and Sharks and Sailors. "And bands with more sweet 'staches, naturally, even if Mikey's isn't."
Cover is a mere $5, so you really have no excuse.

\American Sharks as The Cars
Buxton as Bjork
Custom Drinker (Marshall Preddy) as Rod Stewart
Flowers to Hide as The Cure
The Kimonos as Blondie
Paris Falls as Rush
Sharks and Sailors as The Police
Tody Castillo and Friends as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Welfare Mothers as Johnny Cash
Wild Moccasins as TBD