Miracle Condition (buy this album)

MIRACLE CONDITION: ONE STEP BEYOND
Kwame M. Anderson

Our lives are sum of our experiences, the result of many moments, some bland and some
grand, that when multiplied give us the perception of our lives. Music parallels this experience, as each song is a moment, the whole is the album, and like life, these days it is more about the moment rather than the total experience (songs more than albums), but this is not the case when digesting the music of Miracle Condition.
“To me it’s like an extension of writing a song,” comments drummer Pat Samson, “like when you’re trying to piece together where the songs go, you hit it right on the head in that we’re not trying to make a bunch of just pop songs that stand on their own, we want it to work as a whole, and when you’re creating a song, you have to take into consideration the same thing as when you’re piecing the whole album together.”
Miracle Condition’s self titled album is in the vein of the old idea of albums, it is like a novel, there are chapters, there is the entire story, but then each song is a piece of the story. The songs can be heard individually, and be satisfying, but the appreciation is in hearing them within the context of the entity. Songs such as “The Wandering Y” or “Assignment” are powerful, but when heard in continuum with the album they are catapulted to even greater heights.
“We definitely thought about how we were going to put the songs together, it’s not a concept album, but we thought about the beginning and the end,” notes guitarist Matt Carson, “and how it would flow together and how we’re creating a mood between the beginning and the end, there is a continuity between the songs even if the songs are drastically different, maybe more than other bands, maybe they write the songs individually and the song is intended to stand on it’s own, but the way that we’ve been playing is that we have an idea and we try to fit that idea into the other ideas that we have and we create a flow.”
In preparation for this album, a few months ago, the band released a mini-album called 68 Degrees that basically established (in my opinion) the band’s sound. It could be called psychedelic or (terribly) shoe gaze, in that the songs have layers, the guitars build and subside, Samson’s timing and bombast is measured and tempered thunder and lightning, and inside of these layers a magical feeling is concocted, otherworldly, a feeling of being levitated, or transported may strike the listener. In the conclusion of one song is a sound that becomes the intro of another, and within that there is a story. However, unlike most music of this ilk, there is no talk of magical lands and butterfly dragons, but rather the challenge of daily living and finding one’s self amidst the madness that engulfs us, it is real, it is fantastic but not fantasy.
“Sometimes we you have the dichotomy, when the music is saying one thing and the music is saying another thing, it actually mixes well, an example I think of is Johnny Marr and The Smiths, he wrote this happy sounding guitar melodies, he was great guitar player, and Morrisey would talk about these depressing sort of self absorbed stuff, but the two together worked really well, it seems like an odd combination if you separate them, and it’s not what we’re trying to do here, but it’s kind of similar in that the lyrics I was writing, if you think about real life, the things that you think about, the things you go through everyday, can be as foreign and strange as space or magic or whatever.”
Miracle Condition are the reason one listens to music, they care about the experience, they value the art. In this commerce driven time (not to say they don’t care about money) sometimes music is created more as a product than a viable piece of work that you can cherish and that can transform you. More than that, there are no two Miracle Conditions, the band is an individual statement, in a cookie cutter industry. Find this album, absorb it, and allow something other than your butt to be moved. It is exhilarating, but when the ride is over, the wind will feel that much more beautiful. You're welcome.

Music With Jameson and Lonestar: Shonen Knife & Born Liars 11/08/2009

OK let's face it. If you missed Shonen Knife on Sunday night at Mangos, you failed miserably. Now, sure, we'll make an exception if you shelled out the big bucks for AC/DC but anything beyond that and you may as well just pack your bags and move into the Lazy Acres retirement home. But, you know what? I'll go you one more - I will go out on a limb and say (even though we are talking apples and oranges to some degree) that a Shonen Knife rock show is on par with a big AC/DC show.

Sacrilege you say? Consider this. Outside the studio, Shonen Knife take the poppy songs you hear on their records, turn up the amps, channel the spirit of Joey Ramone, and put on a great performance like no other! It's the kind that made even local garage bad asses the Born Liars, who kicked it mighty on Sunday night, seem tame by comparison. Seriously, until you've seen Shonen Knife live, you haven't really experienced Shonen Knife. And in a small intimate venue like Mangos for a measly $10? Good gravy, what did Houston do to get so damn fortunate?! Hell, check out the set list:



That's a pretty nice mix of old stuff and the new stuff from the latest album. And what's impressive is that even weaker songs off the new album like Pyramid Power came off live in a way that made the studio version seem like a crime. This meant that the rock solid material off of Super Group like the show stopping metal of "Muddy Bubbles Hell" caused the ghost of Ronnie James Dio to travel back from the future to lend his mighty rock blessings while old favorites like "Johnny Johnny Johnny" caused many people to simply go into seizures. The thing is Shonen Knife plays with a ferocity that their albums could never convey so if you missed out, you really missed out. So weep at your poseurdom and behold the pics from the show:



Don Walsh "I can't fucking give these things away!
Err, who's playing again?"

Domokos wanted you to know that he was not DJing
between Born Liars and Shonen Knife.
The Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple,
and the rest was Shonen Knife's mix.


Born Liars ripping up Mangos.

Born Liars' Bill Fool - in the zone!

Carol Sandin gets in the Born Liars spirit.

Omar holds court as Eli Brumbaugh and
Mike Sims patiently await their turn.

Three women, three instruments,
and a hell of a lot of Rock and Roll

Shonen Knife inspiring future generations.

Just so you know for next time they are in town
Naoko likes to shop at the Rice Village.

Shonen Knife is rocking so hard here that the dude
in the MC5 shirt is trying his best not to hurl!

Drummer Etsuko Nakanishi.

Bassist Ritsuko Taneda.

And of course the one, the only,
Naoko Yamano.

Naoko midflight through
Muddy Bubbles Hell's awesome solo!

Yes, I concur with Dio Metal Sign -
Shonen Knife rocked epically!

Bonus for Shonen Knife fans was
original drummer Atsuko Yamano's
surprise appearance!

Never underestimate the rock of Shonen Knife!

Coolest Shonen Knife fan Ever!!!!!

Links:

Full image set on my Flickr (link)

Listen to the new album on LaLa (link)

Shonen Knife online (link)

Born Liars on mysapce (link)

New ListenListen Video

Music With Jameson and Lone Star - Mathletes farewell show at Mangos 08/15/2009

Saturday was one of those days where there were so many options of what to do that you couldn't shake a stick without finding a good show. Over at Indie Houston World Headquarters there was the Buxton/Robert Ellis tour kick off with Listen Listen, Super Happy Funland had a great evening benefiting the ever scrappy Sedition Books that included A Thousand Cranes, Anarchitex and Room 101, Dansparc over at Numbers was celebrating a 7 million years of bootie shakin', and Rudyards had the Hell City Kings record release going on to name a few.

Ironically, given all the things to do, it seemed as if I wasn't going anywhere and, thinking this, I left my camera at home (which is why the only image you'll see here is a poorly drawn picture of Joe Mathlete using MS Paint ). Thankfully, fortunes changed and, after considering all the options, I had to put my money down on seeing the final Mathletes show over at Mangos. I mean as great as the other shows were, this could possibly be my last time to hear songs about robots and unicorns performed live like the good lord intended! How could I miss out on that?!

So, off to Mangos we went and we made it just in time to catch the last few songs by Young Mammals. Bonus was hearing Andrew Ortiz playing behind the kit with all the fun and joyful fury he's known for. I'm still bummed about him leaving Wild Moccasins but seeing him behind the kit only reinforced why he'll be missed as he's one of the few drummers who can upstage the people in front of him. The Mammals themselves played with all the fun and hoopla you'd expect and closed with a guns blazing version of Dragon Wagon. Hooray! Glad we made it in time to see some of their set.

Afterwards, the The Mathletes, opening with a stellar Pinnochiobot, raged into a great jukebox set of some of their best songs. The crowd ate it up as the band played with the kind of friendly intimacy you'd expect at a house party where nobody is trying to impress anyone but are just there to have fun and celebrate a very talented and wonderful friend's music. Surprisingly, the spectre of this being billed as the final Mathletes show never hung over the evening. I don't think any of us really believe that The Mathletes won't return to the stage in some form or other; after all, Joe is the Mathletes and the Mathletes are Joe. So, instead of listening to the songs with a bittersweet ear, we in the audience simply smiled, hooted, cheered, and forced the band to play multiple encores until it was clear that the band couldn't play anymore. Hell, chaos is half the charm of the Mathletes anyhow and the fun sloppy unrehearsed encores were a blast. So for our efforts we got sloppy versions of a Smashing Pumpkins song; a mash up of the Velvet Underground's Sister Ray, Wire's Strange, and The Modern Lovers' Roadrunner; and a rip roaring version of my favorite Mathletes song Animals which was still great to hear even without Jenny (Robot McGee) on vocals. I can't ask for much better than that and, in point of fact, I'll take a fun unrehearsed encore by these guys over the most polished soulless Buzz band any day.

So, long live the Mathletes and all who sail with her and thanks Joe for 10 years of singular, quirky, droll, fun, and uncompromising music. I expect at least another 10 more.

Rain 1, Summer Fest 2.

Hearts of Animals
Originally uploaded by Free Press Summer Fest

Okay, so yes. The precipitation did throw of the schedule, but things bounced back and the rain barely stopped by for a second visit.

What Made Milwaukee Famous is finishing up its set on the Main Stage and News On the March will take on Stage 2 soon with more harmonies than you can shake a staff at...Get it? Staff? Musical... Nevermind.

Just posted some new photos of Prince Paul, Hearts of Animals, Buxton and What Made Milwaukee Famous.

-- Dusti Rhodes

More Photos from the Frontline

IMG_0469
Originally uploaded by Free Press Summer Fest

Just up: pics from Wild Moccasins and Sideshow Tramps. Currently posting these stage side as Prince Paul schools Summer Festers in the history of hip-hop.

Grandfather Child: Sweet Lovemakers?

IMG_0425
Originally uploaded by Free Press Summer Fest

"I want to make love to you while you whisper into my ear!" cried a male fan of Grandfather Child.

Unfortunately, singer Lucas Gorham didn't hear, as we're sure he would've had some clever retort. But instead the guys pushed through a 20 minute set with plenty of blues-infused rock, or maybe it's more rock infused blues. Regardless, the crowd was down for their six-minute-that-sound-like-three minute tunes.

Check back soon for video of their closing number.

Elaine Greer Photos

IMG_0398
Originally uploaded by Free Press Summer Fest

Ms. Greer just finished a quick set that included two new, unnamed songs. Look for some video-action of one -- soon to come.

As promised, the Fest is still up and running. There have been a few schedule changes, so just get here. You don't want to miss your favorites. But if you do, you can check back here for updates on how they did.

Chatting Up The Eastern Sea

IMG_0395
Originally uploaded by Free Press Summer Fest

So, how does it feel to travel from Austin to a festival in Houston?

Zach: I don't think there is a feeling, because we're all from Houston.

Andy: We're all staying at our parents’ houses.

Matt: (Laughs) The only reason we're on this bill is because somebody thinks we're from Houston.

Zach: We have much better shows in Houston than we do in Austin.

What has the band been up to?

Matt: It's been a slow summer. We haven't been doing much. We've been trying to finish up the second EP.

Are these songs that you guys have been playing or haven’t yet?

Matt: We've been playing it.

Zach: We’ve basically been playing the same songs for almost a year.

Matt: I spent the summer writing a whole new full length record.

Is that usually how the writing process goes?

Matt: Usually.

Andy: He writes the song, song and we write the arrangement.

Matt: It's a slow writing process..

Zach: And it takes a while because we're not afraid to stop and scratch it off.

Matt: There's been times when we’ve been writing a song and scrapped it.

The band then goes into a too-many-answers-to-type discussion about how they often play songs differently every time.

Does this translate to the live setting? Do you guys maybe play one song one way in front of one crowd and differently in front of another crowd and gauge the reaction?

Matt: Absolutely.

How does that balance come on stage? How do you guys just change up the arrangement but still manage to keep things tight?

Matt: It’s finding the right people. We share a lot of the same musical influences.

Thomas: [There were times when] matt would go extreme in one area, and I would go in the other and then Zach would just meet in the middle.

Matt: It's something good to give somebody a new way of listening to something they like.

What can we expect today?

Andy: Thomas is back.

Matt: Today, we're going to do short quick, really fast ‘cause we only have a 20-minute set. We're mashing our songs together. … Wham, bam thank you ma’am.

Andy: (Nods.) wham bam thank you ma'am.

Photos on flickr

IMG_0340
Originally uploaded by Free Press Summer Fest

Hey Folks,
If you can't wait to start reminiscing about today's haps, then check out our flickr page with photos from the bands. Tomorrow, we'll be updating this site in real time, so you can follow along visually, if you're inclined to do so.

PHOTO!

Muhamadali on Stage 2

Octopus Project: Currently in Session

Sitting side stage listening to the experimental pop stylings of Octopus Project. The wind continues to grace Summer Festers with its presence and the crowd continues to grow as more Festers file into the bowl. We apologize for the Internet difficulties, but we promise tomorrow's coverage will be more bug-free. With interviews, photos (crosses fingers) and more. Stay tuned for more news from the front and come out, it's not too late!

-- Dusti Rhodes

B L A C K I E Video Shoot Tonight!

If you want to know where the after-after party is head to the Indie Houston House. B L A C K I E will be shooting the video for his new song "Lou Dobbs on My Knob." Anybody can come. "Everybody," says the man with all caps and spaces. The tape will start rolling 'round midnight, so be there. "Dress as slutty as possible," he says. Even the dudes? "Especially the dudes ... jk, no homo."

But seriously, B L A C K I E says it's set up to just be a house party. The idea is to get as many people there as possible, so don't be shy on the invites. Bring your friends, their friends and their friends. Who knows ya'll's mugs might wind up on video that might wind up all over the world.

Once again, here's the info:
Starts around midnight.
Indie Houston House, 1816 Calumet.
Bring lots of people.

Heat 0 Summer Fest 1

It might be hot, but that's not stopping Muhamadali, Los Skarnarles and Young Mammals from getting the crowds on their dancin' feet. By the looks of em, you'd think the festivalgoers all went swimming before they came here. But, hey, sweat is there to keep you cool. Fat Tony is about to take the Main Stage and B L A C K I E vs. Cop Warmth is prepping up the side stage.

Stay tuned for an interview with B L A C K I E about his video shoot tonight. Details to come ...

I am Mesmer


I am Mesmer just got called off the Main Stage (They were over time.) The crowd wanted one more, but hey, that's the joy of festivals. Now that they know they want to hear more, they can go check out a future show. The Watermarks were holding it down on the side show playing to Summer Festers that looked pretty comfortable sitting in the shade and soaking up some late-90s style pop rock.

Los Skarnales are currently warming up on the Main Stage and we've still got a whole day left for Fat Tony, Young Mammals, Broken Social Scene and Explosions in the Sky (who early this morning were catching some extra zzzz's in the Artist Tent.)

More photos to come soon, if not later this evening.

- Dusti Rhodes

Matt Brownlie talks about H.U.S.H. - his new Happy Hour Music Series at Rudyard's

“Dude, c'mon. It's Rudz, there's cheap and awesome food, beer and liquor. We're going to have tacos. The music's going to be good. We're giving the money to charity. Let's get together for happy hour once a month, huh?”

That’s Matt Brownlie of Bring Back the Guns fame practically shaking my shoulders off with enthusiasm over his new series at Rudyard’s - H.U.S.H. (Houston Underground Social Hour) – which is a monthly series of happy hour shows with the intent of showcasing some of the city’s best music. The kick-off begins this week with Benjamin Wesley, The Takes, and Muzak John and the $5 cover benefits Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas. We were so intrigued that we sent him a round of questions and then thought that perhaps we should follow those up with some real questions. Here are his responses to both sets of questions:

FPH: Matt, what is your fucking problem?

Brownlie: My fucking problem is that I missed the show at the Double Dave's pizza joint up the street from my house last week. What the fuck, how did I forget that?! I've wanted to book shows there forever. I am stupid.

FPH: Why do you hate the music scene so much and why are you killing it?

Brownlie: Killing the scene jokes are killing the scene, Ramon.

FPH: Do you miss the funky smell at Rudyard’s?

Brownlie: I used to tend bar at this super fancy restaurant in River Oaks. Incredibly stark, minimal decor and Nouveau Comfort Food. Chic as fuck, right? About two months in, something went wrong with the sewer line and there was this persistent reek coming from one spot behind my bar. So you're sitting there drinking $12 apple martinis, waiting for your buffalo meatloaf or whatever, and constantly sniffing a port-a-potty. It was hilarious and torturous.

FPH: Yes or No. Is Rick Ross the biggest boss that you seen thus far? Why and if not, who is?

Brownlie: My personal motto is, "Every other day I'm hustlin'."

FPH: OK Matt, some real questions now. Give us the scoop; what brought about the idea and what is the goal?

Brownlie: The goal is to see some bands I've been meaning to see and hopefully get a bunch of people together for a fun happy hour. What brought it about? My lack of ability or desire to stay out late for rock shows. And how quickly that disconnected me from the scene. I've always thought that occasional early shows are a good idea and knew that I could book 'em.

FPH: Your kick-off has Muzak John. How well do you think people open up to experimental music after a hard day at work?

Brownlie: Dude, I have been asking myself that question from the get-go. I guess it's just that I love watching live experimental stuff and hope others feel the same. And maybe that sort of stuff goes down easier in a context where it's mixed with other genres? Anyway, it would be nice to see further scene cross-pollination, wouldn't it?

Either way, I'm just booking what I'm curious about or into. Hopefully others will be curious about or into it as well.

FPH: When you use the word Houston Underground, what are you including? Will we also be seeing Underground Metal, Hardcore, Hip-Hop, Rap, etc.? Or is this primarily geared as Underground Indie Rock?

Brownlie: Hip-hop definitely. I honestly know next to nothing about the metal and hardcore scenes, and that stuff is less my bag. But I want to stay open to good music from any genre. Anna Garza was throwing some good stuff my way just yesterday.

FPH: Looking back at Matinee shows their success seems to be mixed. What do you think makes one successful; and others less so?

Brownlie: I don't know. I guess I'm hoping that making these a regular deal will help them be successful. I'm hoping that the fact that they're cheap and benefiting local charities will put people in the mood to hang out.

Thursday, August 6
HUSH @ Rudyard's, 2010 Waugh Dr.
Food & drink specials at 5:30pm, bands at 6:00pm

Behind the Music: FPH Summer Fest Performers

Hey Everyone!

I don't get over to the blog side of FPH very often, but I wanted to stop by and say hello (Hello!) and let you all know that I'm doing a little blogging over at the place I call my online home. The FPH Summer Fest is just around the corner and I wanted to introduce you all (well those that don't already know)to some of the truly talented local bands that will be gracing Stage 1 and Stage 2 over at Eleanor Tinsley Park on August 8th & 9th.

Be on the look out for posts at least every other day from now until the festival. It's just my humble take on some of the FPHSF bands that make me proud to call Houston home!

Visit www.ikeepminehidden.com for more info.

Brigitte B. Zabak

7 Inches of Buxton

Saturday night at Mangos Buxton will deliver a 7" slice of prime USDA Grade HPOP - on Vinyl no less. If you haven't already heard Feathers or Flint yet, you're in for a treat. Feathers alone is my call for song of the year. The intro is better than any cup of coffee with Justin Terrel's drums pounding your skull as guitarist Jason Willis does more with one note on the guitar than most guitarists do with a whole fretboard before leading into a lovely guitar line that ebbs into Sergio Trevino's soft spoken and emotive voice as bassist Chris Wise rolls softly in back. The song continues through soft quiet breezes and hurricane like furies. It's a shining example of HPOP at it's best. Great dynamics, smart instrumentation, addictive hooks, and the bright upbeat shit we love here in Houston. It's the stuff that will get you dancing and will take your darkest days and make them bright and joyous. I cann't speak any higher of a band who can do that. So pick up your dancing shoes as tomorrow night they play with the Wild Moccasins (triumphantly returning from tour) and Ghost Mountain. Because we're so excited, we asked the guys a few questions this week and here's what they had to say...

FPH: Why is vinyl relevant?

Justin: Vinyl is relevant because it's stylish and sounds the best. If your band doesn't have at least one vinyl then you're not a real band. We're almost a real band.

Jason: Putting out an actual vinyl record was something we had always wanted to do. We were excited about these two songs in particular, and wanted to get them out in a tangible form one way or another. We could have just put them in the internet and that be the end of it, but we were excited about the songs and wanted other people to get excited about them as well. That, and the idea that a CD with 2 songs on it is just ridiculous.

Sergio: In my opinion, it kinda it's just kind of a milestone. Like 4 years ago we were happy to have written an album. 2 years ago we were happy to get on a label. 1 year ago we were happy to get a nod with the Houston press. This year ...vinyl.

FPH: Why were these songs not held back for a full album and how did you come to select these two as 7" worthy?

Sergio: These are meant to be fun songs, Sometimes we write something with the intention of sticking it within a "bigger picture" not so much the case with these songs.

Jason: These songs didn't exactly fit in with a lot of our newer material we had been working on. There was a lot of debating about what to do with all of these different songs and in the end we decided to put out a series of EPs. The first is the 7" Feathers / Flint. After the 7" we're going to focus more on a very stripped down acoustic gospel / folk EP com

prised of songs written by Sergio and his wife, Amanda, that will be called Morning Saints. Then we plan to put out another EP of the songs by Bjork that we covered at the Twotenany. As for why we decided to put Feathers and Flint on a 7", .... why not?

Justin: We wrote both of these songs after I joined the band and they were a result of Buxton getting a full time drummer, I suppose... rather than just adding drums after the song was written. These songs are very energetic and fit really well together because they were written at the same time but it wasn't necessarily the direction we were going in for a full length, i think. It just makes sense on a 7".

FPH: Feathers brings in a lot of HPOP to your sound. How much have bands like Young Mammals and Wild Moccasins bored their way into your skulls and affected your songwriting or general approach to music?

Jason: They've bored the hell out of us. Those two bands have to be the most boring bands in Houston, if not Texas. Actually it was our drummer, Justin, who has made the biggest impact on our songwriting. Before he joined, we always wrote songs acoustically, then added drums later, if any. So we never really had the option of dynamics while writing. Now that he has joined, we can experiment with those dynamics and apply them to the writing process. It's been fun. But just for the hell of it, I'll go ahead and say that Cody from Wild Moccasins' mustache, and the curly hair of all of the Young Mammals, have been the ultimate influence on us when it comes to songwriting, playing tennis, and overall being a good human being.

Justin: Musically, i haven't let either of those silly bands affect my writing style. I'm just kidding about the silly part, I love both of those bands and every member in them.

Sergio: HPOP!!! Yeah, you know that song does feel communal with the likes of the Mam's and the Moc's. Nice to be a part of that.

FPH: How did the songs progress from raw idea to final arrangement? Where was the 7" recorded? Who engineered it? How much did the studio environment come to play in the arrangement and writing of the song?

Jason: Both songs started off with us goofing around and jamming. Usually Sergio will write the basic structure of the song and the rest of us will add to it but we wrote these two together from the ground up. We also had a set practice space with a nice setup, so that helps as well.

Sergio: They were really the 1st songs we wrote with a drummer, and actually allowing the drums to shape the songs. The songs before that we would write, and then add drums to it.

Justin: The songs were pretty much written [before the studio] but we had a few ideas for an intro to feathers that Jason pretty much made up on the spot. We also had some basic horn ideas that we sort of let our two friends, Aaron and Nicholas, sort of build on.

Jason: We were lucky enough to record the 7" at Sugar Hill Studios with John Griffin. Recording in that studio was a dream come true. We have never recorded anything that went so smooth. A lot of that has to be credited to John who was very professional and a great guy. We were usually on the same page when it came to what we each wanted so it was easy and quick to get things set up and over with. Not only that, but they had some great studio equipment that we had no hesitation to take advantage of. Hammond B3, a Fender P-Bass from the 60's, a grand piano, things like that which we all used on Feathers.

Justin: It was really chill working with John and the whole experience was super relaxed. We all loved it.

FPH: Y'all have had these tracks completed for quite some time. Was there any strategic reason for waiting until July to release it?

Sergio: Yeah Chris!?

Justin: We recorded the two songs much later than we wrote them and after we recorded them it took time for Chris to figure out exactly who we were going to use to press and all of that. And of course, it took a while for everything to actually be pressed. I think that's all true.

OH, we were shooting for a March release but it took a while to get everything figured out and then we wanted to find a good weekend where nothing else was going on. And THEN, of course, our dear friends The Young Mammals decided to have their tour kickoff at the same place two days before so we hate them now.

Jason: We really just wanted to give ourselves plenty of time and not rush a release. We've learned the hard way that if you set a date for a release show too early, it can be lame. With our last full length, 'A Family Light', we had received the CDs a week before the release show and the artwork and text was blurry and pixilated. There was nothing we could do. So this time around, we tried to give ourselves plenty of time in case something like that were to happen again. The weird thing is, we still got the final copies of the 7" in about a week ago as well, so it's a good thing we did set the release for a later date. Getting vinyls pressed is a lengthy process. We're also just really lazy.

FPH: Why do those publicity shots of you guys dressed like orderlies freak me out so much? Also, is it true that those same shots are stills for a remake of the Fat Boys' 1987 classic film Disorderlies?

Justin: I don't know; I love them. Don't you, too? And yes.

Sergio: I saw that movie at my cousin’s house when I was 7...Going on the queue.

Jason: Ramon, they freak you out because they turn you on and you're just not used to it yet. As for a remake of Disorderlies, I herein am not able, with legal representation or authorized liberty, through a clause of exclusivity, to disclose of any such information of any progression or contractual obligation of said production, herein known as "Disorderlies". Sorry :(.

Buxton on Myspace ( Link )
Buxton Orderlies photo by James Dillon

Interview: Geoffrey Mueller

By Omar Afra
Photo by Cecilia Johnson

Geoffrey Mueller is a musical chameleon having mastered several instruments such as banjo, guitar, bass, saw, voice, and whatever else you stick in his hands. Playing in such notable bands as Sideshow Tramps, I am Mesmer, Grandfather Child, Chase Hamblin’s band, Perfect Penis, and more, Mueller manages to be everywhere yet not spread himself thin. Frankly, if you spend any night of the week watching live music in this town then you are surely to run into this local musical treasure. In the 90’s as an adolescent he was well known as an amazing pop-and-lock break-dancer and as the front man for local metal band Lower ( I shared a studio with him more than a decade ago when I played in a similarly mook-ish band) . The SceneWiki says “He's embarrassed about this so be sure to ask him about it.” But Geoffrey is one of those rare hyper-talented performers that are just straight up nice guys. He brings smiles wherever he goes and we here at FPH are just smitten with him. He was also gracious enough to answer a few probing questions.

What motivated you to pick up the saw as an instrument?

Like most things in my life it was pure impulse. I never heard a saw in person, but I knew they could be played, so I made a bow out of fishing line and a ruler, bought a saw from Southland and got to work. It took me a month of experimenting before I could get a good sound (this was pre youtube DIY days). Now it seems to be the instrument I'm most closely associated with. I love the saw. I still give free lessons to anyone interested in learning. Contact me here - cajunbanjo@gmail.com My goal is to create a full saw orchestra.

I am Mesmer is such a 'supergroup'. Tell us how that came to fruition.

Ha ha ha, that's funny, yeah, I've heard that term thrown around a few times. It's like the "We are the World" USA for Africa group of Montrose with Kelly Doyle and Whitebread as Hall and Oates, Robert Ellis as Lionel Richie, and Jo Bird as Cindy Lauper. I'll let you fill in the rest, Omar, well, except for Lukas Aberer, he's obviously Dan Akroyd.
I don't know how we formed really, It's not like I woke up one day and said "I think I want to put together a 9 piece string band to play insanely fast apocalyptic gypsy music right here in Houston, Texas," but it happened and I'm glad it did. We just all found our way to that first rehearsal, and now everyone is a vital member. The line up is Kirk Suddreath, Hilary Sloan, Young Will, Mike Whitebread, Lukas Aberer, Jo Bird, Robert Ellis, Kelly Doyle, and myself. These are some deeply original and talented musicians, I'm happy to be the weakest link in the group.

Is there anything you can't do?

Tell Karen Carpenter how much I love her music. Besides that, the list is far too long to mention.
When you are alone at home in front of the mirror, do you ever catch yourself practicing your old break-dance moves or zipping through some rhymes?

My moves are too powerful; I won't even let the mirror watch. As for rhymes, I composed a new routine for I am Mesmer. It's really just an excuse to get Jo Bird and Hilary Sloan to rip on the mic.
What local musicians 'flabbergast' you?

My biggest influences have all been from Houston. I love Little Joe Washington. He absolutely rips on the guitar, charms any crowd in the first ten seconds, passes the hat, and takes off on a little girl’s bicycle. When I see him at gigs he's always encouraging and usually drops some Yoda like wisdom on me about playing music. I like Greg Harbor and the Gypsies. Kelly Lancaster, Ferrence, Richard, Vladymir, Julia, and all the rest. A while ago, Greg had triple bypass surgery or something of that caliber. I saw him the next week throwing back cocktails at a tango event. There's also Kelly Doyle - Everything I know about guitar I stole from him. Doug Kosmo, Rodney Elliot, and all of J.W. Americana - The most entertaining band in recent Houston history. Two Star Symphony, Sabra Laval, Clouseaux, Space City Gamelan, Hilary Sloan, Bill Miller, Nick Gaitan, Robert Rodriguez and that whole crew, Wayne "The Animal" Turner, Blarin' Aaron. Pretty much anyone I'm playing with or have played with over the years. This list could get very long very fast, so I'll just say I love the musicians in this town. I'm also very impressed with the new bands of late: The Ton Tons, Buxton, Wild Moccasins, NOTM, etc. Looking forward to what they'll all do.
What instrument is next?

The Cajun Accordion. I've always wanted to play one with the Sideshow Tramps. I bought one in Dallas a few months ago, named it Yves Dupree after my Mom's Dad.

Are there any festivals on August 8th and 9th at Eleanor Tinsley Park that you are looking forward to?

Funny you should ask that. I was just sitting in my favorite vegetarian restaurant Mango’s, drinking a Robert Ellis, when I saw an ad in my favorite monthly publication the Free Press for that very festival and all my favorite bands are playing you shameless self-promoting bastard. Too bad I have to work those days.

I love you Geoff, Do you love me?

Yes. Sorry if I don't always show it, I'm just slightly autistic.

Anderson interviews Herndon

Tortoise has an album called “Beacons Of Ancerstorship” on Thrill Jockey Records. In celebration of this event , I called a member of the band, John Herndon, who, apparently pumps gas during a hail storm, to discuss the latest Tortoise album, the current state of the music industry. However, since I did not have questions, per se (it was more of a casual conversation), I thought I’d just make up questions that may or may not relate to the answers and present it as the intentional piece. See Omar, I make you wait a day for this. (Writer’s note: This isn’t our actual conversation verbatim, the quotes are real, but I know John, so this is sort of culled from our conversation, which pertained to the album).
FP: How’s the weather in Chicago, enjoying the pre summer days?
JOHN H.: Watching this storm fromm underneath this over pass, and it’s got some hail, that’s the size of golf balls.
FP: Your album is fabulous.
JH: Thanks a lot. Are you calling to interview me?
FP: I think it’s cool how the album is available in multiple formats, other than, illegally downlaoded. I noticed that this record is like Tortoise’s return to beats…
JH: It wasn’t premeditated, we didn’t really talk about, like “Let’s get back to beats.” It just seemed like it was where a lot of people’s heads were at. A lot of it, for me, was like trying to discover where people like(hip hop producer, genius) Jay Dee were at, and Mad Lib, and I think Jeff and I have been listening to Jay Dee stuff a lot but I think everybody wanted to make something that was reflective, or what was happening in our own spaces…
FP: When you bring a song to the band, before it is completed to be illegally downloaded, how does that work in terms of the democracy of the band, how each member’s song ideas get incorporated into the boullibaise that is a Tortoise album?
JH: You’re asking like how you present a song to Tortoise, and have a everybody agree to work on it? Well I just kind of collect stuff, I’m really good at starting shit, but I aint great at finishing it, so I have like a bazillion little scraps of ideas on my computer, or on the MP (360, a sampler beat machine thingy), and I’ll just bring in everything, I’ll play 27 beats that I have, and just sort of wait until something catches people’s ear, and then it’s obvious and we’ll work on that (on the other hand) you play something and you see glassy eyed stares, people starting to look away, and awkward silence, and you’ll be “Oh well let’s play the next one…”
FP: I like the length between the records, it gives you a long time, to make sure it’s sank in, like your last album (It’s All Around You) took five years to sink in…
JH: I don’t know why it takes us so long, we never have the intention of waiting so long between records, if someone had told me it was gonna be five years between when this record came out after the last one, I would have said you’re shitting me. I would like to start working on a new record now, and have it come out next year, but I don’t think that that’s gonna happen. I don’t know why it is, but we work really slowly. We all havde things we like to do, as much as Tortoise, we put a lot of energy into other projects. With this record, I could say that my oldest son just turned five, so that might have something to do with it.
FP:The other day I downloaded the new Liberace album, it was OK, Lil’ Wayne has a verse on it.
JH: That’s where things are at, people are not buying records. I’m curious to see…I downloaded Beacons Of Ancestorship a month ago, I was looking around to see if it was anywhere, and I found this blog sight, and they had a Rapidshare address, I went there, click, download, and I download the whole thing.
FP:Mos Def’s new album it’s being sold on a T Shirt with a downoad code on the tag and the songs on the back of the shirt, I’m thinking of doing the same thing with a toilet paper, but putting the download code on the cardboard roll, wipe your ass, while you jam my shit.
JH: It’s almost like people don’t even have a CD player anymore, if you’re a nerd or something you have a record player, downloads and vinyl are where things are going now, and most people don’t even have a record player, so there’s a few people that would buy a CD, a few people will buy the vinyl, but most people are downloading it.
FP: But look on the bright side, people rob other people during a recession, they don’t pay so you can’t get paid, but they think you’re awesome.
JH: Yeah, it’s interesting, I don’t expect anybody to buy a record really, but hopefully we’ll play some shows, we’re gonna be busy through the summer and hopefully that’s gonna be able to help me with making a living.
FP: Making a living…
JH:But whatever, I don’t wanna poo poo this shit, and beat beat (into the ground) this “making a livng” shit, because the bottom line is that regardless if I’m making a living or not music is going to be my prority, and if that I have supplement my income doing something else, then I’ll just do that.
TORTOISE’S NEW ALBUM BEACONS OF ANCESTORHIP IS IMPECABLY INCREDIBLE. IT’S OUT RIGHT NOW! “IT’S LIKE MAX ROACH DOING LOW END THEORY”- John Herndon

Punk This: Double Dagger at SHFL 6/23

Brigitte B. Zabak

I know what all you folks out there in the Houston music scene must be thinking right about now. It probably involves something along the lines of – “What the hell does she know about punk music when all she writes about is indie this and indie that?” Well, while my knowledge of punk, post-punk, and pseudo punk is limited in scope, I am still fairly confident in my ability to know when music is good and when it ranks up there with American Idol rejects.

In recent weeks, I have had the good fortune of discovering the existence of a trio from Baltimore that makes lots and lots of noise without all the bullshit. Double Dagger is a three piece ensemble that utilizes drums, bass and vocals to create more volume than should be possible when using so little instrumentation. The nerd-centric crew has an impressive background in graphic design and has channeled their inherent visual creativity into its very geeky and loud auditory counterpart.

What is even more appealing about Double Dagger is the high praise they have been receiving for their live performances. They are a band who has mastered the ability to translate their erratic, improvised live goodness into the more structured medium of recording and still manage to maintain a high level of quality on both fronts. And while it’s awesome to be able to have the Double D with you wherever you go – it is really in their live performance that you get to experience the layered texture and sheer volume of their music.

Double Dagger has embarked on a pretty extensive summer tour and will be stopping by ye old Houston to share the stage with two of the city’s loudest and rowdiest bands. Muhammid Ali is quickly becoming one of Houston’s favorite new acts. Their live shows are energetic and fun and their music is a sort of power punk/pop hybrid that is hard to stop listening to once you’ve started. Black Congress is comprised of some of Houston’s most influential veteran musicians and rounds out this trifecta of sound with their cacophonous clusterfuck of infinite proportions.

Combining Double Dagger’s stinging punch with the riotous roar of Black Congress and Muhammid Ali will probably result in night filled with drunken, garbled mayhem – most likely perpetrated by the bands themselves. It should be a night to remember, assuming you don’t drink yourself into an alcoholic stupor at some point during the event.

Double Dagger and company will be performing on Tuesday, June 23rd at the new and improved Super Happy Fun Land now located at 3801 Polk. In addition to the already awesome lineup, the show will be the official kick-off for Muhammid Ali’s summer tour. The show will start promptly at 9 p.m. and should end close to midnight. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $7.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Tolerate the Funk

Man, you go out of town for two weeks and it takes you six weeks to get back on track. Seriously. So, now maybe I can get my priorities back intact and start talking at you about local music the way I should. So while everyone is reviewing Elaine Greer's release (which I'm sure is great, I've loved her since back in the Holly Hall, but I unfortunately have not heard note one of) I'm going to tell you about another release going on this weekend, Electric Attitude's Laser Laser Laser Beams. And after that, this weekend's line-up!

When it comes to funk, I usually the wrong person to ask. But when my dear friend Blake told me to take a listen to his bands new EP, no way in hell was I going to say know. I've shared bills with Electric Attitude on more than one occasion and have witnessed first hand the frenzy that the can work a crowd into. Blake is a dynamic frontman and I know of his love of The White Stripes and Franz Ferdinand, and if you throw in a huge heap of funky wah-wah grooves then what he's got your gonna get it put it in you (yes. that was a RHCP reference).

There is a big audience for these party jams and salacious entrities to young ladies (possibly in the audience?) for an after hours good time. Blake often approaches that Jack White yelp in his vocalization but flips things around a bit with the "Take Me Out" style riffage that blasts off into some kind of cosmic funk laser solo...which I think might be the point...to be the first party band in space. Make that the first human party band in space as I believe there's interest from Max Rebo to scoop these guys up to open for them on their intergalactic reunion tour.

My favorite track is "Pistolwhip", and maybe it's cheating because knowing Blake, I'm pretty sure I know what these lyrics are specifically about, and that's always an easy behind-the-scenes thrill. But insider knowledge aside, it's got a killer (Killers? haha) hook and it's a shoe-in for them to win the talent show at Galaxy High. All-in-all this is NOT your father's Solar Samba Rumba what with the binge drinking enabling robots and laser beams flying on the dance floor, but there's no need to fear the Sarlacc, there's only need to dance.

THURSDAY MAY 28, 2009
This Thursday's Cactus in-store is Austin's The Belleville Outfit, they're that right kind of fun and beautiful Americana that surpases the trappings of the genre and crosses over into the indie midset. It starts at 5:30pm and is a great way to get ready for the main event tonight. It goes without saying that the important event is Elaine Greer's CD Release at Mango's. She is one of the city's favorite female singer-songwriters (and there are a lot of great ones here!) and getting ahold of a for-real release has been a long time coming. Galveston friends Darwin's Finches are playing at Super Happy Fun Land and from what I heard The Points after their show there the other night, you might want to bring the band some beer. And a show that Houston is pretty lucky to get (in light of the really cool bands skipping us all the time) is break out popstress Lissy Trullie appearing at Rudyard's with The Virgins and Anya Marina. If you're in the mood for some really nice soul music Anthony Hamilton is playing at Reliant, a big show, but dude is smooth. Over at The Rat's Nest (2305 Lyons Ave) you can loose your mind to Witch Hunt and it's not even the weekend.

FRIDAY MAY 29, 2009
There is always a shit-ton to do on a Friday night but I can only give 100% approval to some of them. At the top of my list is the Ditchwater Records Showcase #1 at Rudyard's featuring the most criminally under rated band in town Dead Roses. Ok, sure people who know them, love them, but get the word out. with or without a drummer they rock harder than anyone. They're doing it up right with The Wrong Ones. But over at The Houston Foundry (1712 Burnett) is a huge all party mess featuring the appropriately rated Muhammid Ali (everyone talks about 'em as they should!) and Death Rainbow Fuck Evil Blood (what?), Balls Deep, Limp Limb and a bunch more. Doors at 7:30pm. Mango's brings you great show #8,262 in the long line of great shows in it's short existance with My Name is John Michael and The Riff Tiffs. And finally, if you want to do it up proper head to the Arena Theater and if there are tickets left you can go see BB King.

SATURDAY MAY 30, 2009
There's twice as much to do tonight, so you better get to decidin'. Hopefully my little look at Electric Attitude's EP might compel you to go out to The Mink for their CD release. They'll be joined by Female Demand and Satin Hooks. But of course, as usually can you can start the party early over at Cactus for the Dexter Romweber Duo instore at 3:30pm, but of course they'll be at Rudz later with Detroit Cobras. Oooooh but a wonderful show is at Mango's! It's The Theater Fire, listenlisten, Sew What (favorite!) and Robert Ellis (another favorite!). For reals, if you haven't had your heart melted by Sew What yet, then stop being a chump and get to it. Longtime local favorite Motion Turns It On are playing to the white shoes over at Notsuoh, Cop Warmth are at The White Swan and (this one's for Jake the Snake) King's X is over at The Meridian. But I gotta say 10th Grade Cutie and The Caprolites at an afternoon matinee might be a perfect way to spend the pre-show hours. That's over at SHFL with a whole mess of other bands.

Sunday May 31, 2009
The weekend just keeps going and I know that while my friend who is visiting from out of town will be at No Doubt at Cynthia Woods, I will more likely be at The Mink for The Footsies. I caught them the other night and they definitely grew on my during the course of their set. Good stuff. They're playing with Stallone!!! and Brutally Normal. Over at the
i.am.we.house (819 Land Grant Dr in Richmond) for Joshua English, he was in Six Going On Seven. We all liked that band. And it's a potluck. We all like food.

MONDAY JUNE 1, 2009
Hey! Joshua Englishb is playing again. This time at Mango's! So close to home!

TUESDAY JUNE 2, 2009
Super nice show going on over at The Mink. It's got local folks I love Cedar Boy Bailey(Sergio from Buxton) and sings (now with a full band!) along with other nice people Western Giants(with a new EP!), This Old House and Framework.

Later dudes.

Talking CD release with Elaine Greer

Elaine Greer vs. Bubbles by Jim Dillon

Elaine Greer is someone readers of this newspaper and blog should be quite familiar with (See our profile of her from March 2008). She's one of Houston's best singer songwriters - packing a sharp gift for melody in one holster and strong and distinctive voice in the other. If anyone's work in Houston has been long overdue a proper CD release, it's Elaine Greer's! Thankfully on Thursday at Mango's Elaine is finally letting the hen out and releasing her first proper CD - a six-song EP "Making Plans and Going Places." The songs should be quite familiar to fans who've kept up with her live performances and many will be excited and surprised at how Elaine approached the songs in the studio.

Thrilled about the imminent release we sent Elaine the death metal questions you saw on the homepage (link) then figured - oh, what they hey - we may as well actually ask her some real questions too. Thankfully Elaine was gracious enough to reply to both sets of questions.

FPH: How was this whole process different than the CDRs of your work that you've released before and sold at shows?

EG: Well, I didn't want to stray too far from that and risk the CD not sounding how I'm used to sounding. I think the biggest change is simply the instrumentation. In my past recordings I would add on as much as I could, but a lot of the things on the CD now weren't a possibility. And of course, quality wise, this CD shouldn't even compare to the home recordings, all of which were done with one crappy USB microphone! Process wise, it was initially strange for me just sitting there waiting while someone else recorded parts, but I think I got used to it pretty quickly!

FPH: I really like the production on the album. It’s rich but not overbearing. My favorite example is the string arrangements on Under The Radar they’re just this perfect touch. Who played the strings and who arranged them? Also, where was this recorded? Did you have a Producer? How was the recording process like? Who were the players and what did they bring to the process?

EG: The strings on Under the Radar were played by Gillian Williams (cello) from News on the March, and Brian Howe (violin). The arrangements were constructed by Harrison Speck and myself. For Under the Radar, we sat down with a keyboard and used the fake string sound to figure out something that would sound good, and then he made our dinky keyboard sketch into some readable sheet music! For Wild Things, I have to give all of the credit to him as far as the string arrangement goes. Some of it ended up being cut out in the mixing process. Nearly the entire CD was recorded at Master Bedroom Studios (the studio of Joe Weber from NOTM), but the horns parts were recorded by Harrison Speck (trombone) and Amber Nepodal (trumpet) in Austin and sent to us in Houston. There was no producer; I kind of had rough ideas for how I wanted the songs to sound, but nothing definite. I wanted to ideally reach a mix between the simpler more vocally based home recordings and the more upbeat live band sound we had at the time. All of the different people who played on the CD brought something different to the table and I think that's what really affected the end result. Other than the above mentioned players, there was Travis Smith on bass, Andrew Ortiz on drums, Lucas Gorham on lapsteel, Austin Sepulvado on guitar, accordian, and backing vocals...I played a bunch of piano and keyboardy bits, bells, and omnichord...Joe Weber and Harrison Speck played a couple of keyboardy bits...you get the idea! I went in first to lay down the acoustic guitar tracks, followed by bass and drums, and from there it was just a slow building process to what it is now.


FPH: These songs have been kicking around for a while now and for the most part the arrangements have been pretty set in stone for a while so while recordings don’t vary much structurally, there is a lot more lush palate you are working with in the studio in terms of instrumentation. How did you approach figuring out just what you wanted to add, what you wanted to change, and what was too much?

EG: This was actually something I mulled over a lot before and during the recording process. I knew the kinds of sounds I wanted, but I initially didn't know where or how to incorporate it...which resulted in the recording happening in a system of layers. We would record the parts we already had, and then record new alternatives, and in the end it was kind of a trial and error/elimination process. There were definitely a couple points where things started sounding really cluttered and confusing, but in the end I think it all got sorted out!

FPH: Were there any unexpectedly happy surprises in the process?

EG: Oh definitely. Lots and lots of them. I was super excited about the string and horn parts, and I'm really pleased with the outro of Ancient History and the big build up at the end of Under the Radar. After Lucas recorded lapsteel on Wild Things, we all kept listening to it and being like "Whoa that part's neat!" I was also glad to be able to incorporate some pretty dreamy instruments, and now have a new love for glockenspiel and omnichord.

FPH: How did you approach your vocals on the CD compared to your live performances. Did you find your phrasing change in the studio or was it pretty much just how it came out?

EG: Well, in general I think I tend to sing louder and more enthusiastically in the live setting, especially with the band...mostly to match the volume of the situation. On the recording I wanted it to be more of how I would naturally sing the song, even if only to myself. I get really nervous about recording vocals around other people, especially harmonies and "oohs" and "ahs". So I had to do a lot of those when there was no one else in the room, but I guess in the end however it came out wasn't completely planned. A couple little changes had to be made, such as having overlapping lines on Under the Radar. The reason is that the song is faster now than it originally was when I wrote it, and I had trouble fitting all the words in! Not to mention that some of the songs on the CD were first (home) recorded 6 months-a year ago...sometimes I start singing them a little differently throughout time without even realizing it.

FPH: I see Michael Rodriguez did the cover art. How was it working with him and getting the look that conveyed what you wanted for the CD?

EG: Working with him was great...it went very smoothly and was very easy. We sat down once to talk about ideas for the cover art, and there were a few different directions it could have gone. There were also a couple different stages with different designs. I think what I initially told him was fairly vague, but I wasn't too worried because I've never seen anything he's done that I didn't like!

FPH: Was there anything you wanted to add that just wasn’t able to make it on the CD?

EG: Yes, but I think that would always be the case. I originally had recorded a piano song that was supposed to be on the CD, but it ended up getting ignored and was never finished. I would have liked to have a piano based song, and I didn't quite do as many crazy vocal harmony parts as I would have liked to. But hey, I'll save all that for the full length.

Elaine Greer CD release party with News on the March and One Hundred Flowers. $8 includes copy of disc. 9 p.m. Thursday @ Mango's.

(Note: that digital download version of the EP should be available in about a month.)