The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of May 30, 2008

THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!

Sat., May 31 -
Awake / The Mckenzies / The Gold Sounds
@ The Mink Backroom
The one time I saw Awake I really dug their dense, slow, and, at times, melodic death dirges so much that - even though it was the last few songs in a set - I was pretty impressed and felt that they were doing something pretty unique. The weird thing about them is if you download their albums, it sounds nothing like it does live. So here, check this live youtube video of the song redshift ( Link ). It's slow and brutal yet also very pretty like Codeine as played by The Swans. Neat! The Mckenzies are a band you've already heard me rave about as being a poppy ass-whoopin' so I'll give you a break on the raving but they really are that good! The Gold Sounds have some new tracks on their myspace that are vast improvement over their debut EP from last year. The last release seemed like one from a band that had some nice influences but the songs never got past their inspiration. The new material though suggests a band that may have found its voice. The vocals are more confident, the melodies are stronger, and the band sounds heavier and more urgent. Nice job guys. Well done...and to think I'd written you guys off.

Saturday, May 31
Sad Like Crazy / Rossi Mission
@ Rudyard's
Sad Like Crazy were on a roll back in the 90s. Their jangly indie rock was well loved here in Houston and they even put out two nice albums but then, you know, stuff happened - band members become parents, band members moved to Austin, etc. - and the band kind of simply vanished. So, like a pleasant summer, fans kind of wrote them off as a fond memory. Then, suddenly, this year and out of nowhere word came that Mari, Trey, and Thane just up and got back together which got everyone in a tizzy. Unfortunately for them, they booked their first Houston show in years on the same night as the Hootenanny at the Mink to many a fan's dismay. Mercifully, they are back for a second show and the lovely thing is it doesn't seem to be a reunion on a lark - the band seems ready to pick up where they left off. So come on down and welcome the trio (and their new drummer) back to their old home, eh?

ALSO THIS WEEK

Friday, May 30

Great Unwashed Luminaries / Wood and Felt / Good Night Light & the Red Balloon
@ Notsuoh
Are you up to your gills in guitars? Well, welcome to the land where keyboards and electronics run free. GNL&TRB promise to be the most interesting of the bunch as their compositions have that short and sweet Music for Films "this is a cool idea - let's not have it overstay its welcome" aesthetic.

Old 97's/Hayes Carll
@ The Meridian
Dallas' roots rockin'/alt country favorite sons come south in support of their new album. Woodland's singer/songwriter Hayes Carl opens.

The Dresden Dolls/Smoosh
@ Warehouse Live
For me, there's something a bit contrived about the Dresden Dolls but at the same time I can see their appeal and at the very least it's not the same old tired rock formula so I guess points on that. As for the opening band, a friend of mine loves the Barsuk records' Teen-duo Smoosh but, just listening to the music, I don't get it. The vocals have the kind of phrasing you get to endure during a high school talent show which is perfect for Nickelodeon but beyond that - no. Their lackluster music and skill show the sisters' age but their story is just cute enough to make for an easy story on NPR and the Today Show where nobody asks the obvious question; "Umm, if you are over say 15 (and that's pushing it folks) and you really like this band how creepy are you? Especially if you are a guy!"

The Mother Truckers
@ The Continental Club
The Austin's Roots Rockers have some lovely slide, guitar, and male/female harmonies worthy of the lowliest Texas ice house.


The Defenestration Unit
@ Brasil
Catty-corner from Hollywood and just down the way from Poison Girl you'll find some fine ImprovKrautJazz.


Saturday, May 31

Steve Miller Band/Joe Cocker
@ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Yes nostalgia fans, The Joker and it's perplexing "popatus of love" line is indeed a great song but here is the thing - looming out there you know will be that goddamn Abracadabra song. Fuck that song sucks!

Randy Weeks (1PM)
Allen Oldies Band (3:30PM)
@ Cactus Music (Free in-store)
This week a singer songwriter and a cutesy oldies band. The usual Cactus record shopping, live music, and free booze thing.

Saturday Secret Show
@ The Shady Tavern
The secret is all about who is playing. Unfortunately JD and Stacey Tucker are tough cookies when it comes to spilling the beans.


Sunday, June 1

The Bellrays / Architects / Suzy Bravo & The Soul Revue
@ Rudyards
This probably ought to be up in the spotlight just because of The Bellrays. So, you ask, why didn't I include it? Well yes, The Bellrays' live shows always leave people up in arms with their rock and soul hijinks and that is noteworthy but the support on this bill are hard to get worked up about. Still, if history repeats itself The Bellrays will tear the roof off the sucker giving you damn good excuse to show up tired and kranky to work on Monday.

The Defenestration Unit
@ Discovery Green Park
See above


Monday, June 2

Whorehound/The Trian Woodburns
@ Boondocks
Metal Vs. Rootsy Garage. Who will leave victorious? You'll have to go and find out yourself.


Tuesday, June 3

X/Detroit Cobras
@ Warehouse Live
Happy 31st birthday X! Sure it's been 15 years or so since your last album but, since you guys keep busy with solo albums and that Knitters thing, we'll excuse the nostalgia thing and gladly revel in old warhorses like Los Angeles. The Detroit Cobras should also be worth a few hoots as their take on Rock and Soul classics takes them beyond the realm of coverband and into the more esteemed category of interpreters. Yet, I can't help but feel that if you saw the Cobras at Rudz on their last two stops into HTown, you may find yourself missing the intimacy of those earlier shows.



Wednesday, June 4

Matt Costa/Delta Spirit
@ The Meridian
Matt Costa is the kind of project that sounds awful - former skateboard pro does pop songs. Well, the thing is, he's not half-bad at it! Not perfect mind you - Mr. Pitiful kind of chokes on the chorus for example - but it's amusing enough to perk up your ears. The Delta Spirit are sharper on the songwriting and, perhaps because they are an ensemble, seem a lot more fleshed out with the Pop Rock thing by bringing more energy and snappier hooks; you know - them things you love so much in summer.


Thursday, June 5

Total Abuse/El Desmadre/Black Congress
@ The White Swan
Yippee! Hardcore show! Austin's Total Abuse hit hard and fast, Houston's El Desmadre dodge and weave, while Black Congress are so badass they don't post songs or list band members. If I told you that, say, Roy Mata and Chris Ryan were somehow involved, they'd likely kill me right now.

Preview - The Sword Tonight @ Rudyard's

Starting tomorrow I will be moving to a Friday to Thursday format for my previews but I didn't want to overlook this show.

Thursday, May 29
The Sword / Torche / Stinking Lizaveta
@ Rudyard's
The Sword are Austin's central rallying point for Metal glory. Much like Houston's weapon of choice (Golden Axe), The Sword don't simply peddle in Metal tropes, they take them and eagerly dive head-first into its heady waters and don't come back up for air. It's metal that both stupid and smart without winking with irony and thank god for that.

The sunshine state's Torche demand to be seen as well. Check out a stream of their new album Neanderthal here ( http://www.torche-meanderthal.com/ ). Is that not the shit? That opening track is progtastic! Then Grenades has it all - the heavy, the bombastic drums, the great vocals, and the guitars with touches from indie rock, shoe gazer, and, of course, metal. And then... well, this isn't a review of the whole goddamn album. Stream it for yourself while you're toiling at work. Eat up your bosses bandwidth and be hypnotized by the cool flash animation. You know what it's telling you? "Don't fucking show up late you goddamn poser!" You have your marching orders!

Openers Stinking Lizaveta has quite the fan base - Steve Albini, Greg Ginn, and Joe Lally (Fugazi). The band describes itself as an "eclectic style of music [that] incorporates post-rock, metal, sludge, prog, stoner and doom with jazz stylings and eastern influences." I wish I could agree with that characterization or even find them interesting but it's pretty dull and wanky rock that compositionally goes nowhere with solos that sound like a day at the floor of Rockin' Robin. The other two bands on this bill play with tropes and make them new and interesting but this band brings nothing clever or interesting to the table - it's just a rock band with no vocals. Two words - smoker's patio!

Music with Jameson & Lone Star: Ume, Wild Moccasins, and News on the March Saturday 25 May 2008

Yea, for though tired, I marched seven stages and five parasangs to the Alabama Ice House. There verily did I bivouack with my friend from the North Eastern region. The provisions were many - Lone Star and Shiner were plentiful here - and after many discussion regarding bananas, Amsterdam, the largeness of Buckees 52Oz drinks, and other such pressing matters the soothsayers did infact suggest that the time had now long past for me to arrive at my destination at the allotted time. Nevertheless, after sacrificing one last Lone Star to the gods I proceeded to march four stages and two parasangs onwards to Numbers 2 for the Free Press Canned Food drive.

I arrived at my destination just in time to have missed The McKenzies which was quite vexing as their skills in producing enjoyable pop is heralded across much of this land. Yet all was not lost for News on The March, The Wild Moccasins, and American Sharks had yet to take the stage. Those in attendance were numerous but the encampment was so large as to render them tiny in comparison. Later that evening I would make my way to the Mink and, even though those gathered were no larger in number than those gathered here, the more proportional size of the venue to the crowd gave the impression of a vast throng. Here the effect was quite the opposite and once one put some distance between himself and those gathered their numbers seemed smaller within the cavernous surroundings. Regardless the crowd was just as enthusiastic as the one I could come to encounter shortly on Main and spirits were high.

News On The March came fourth onto the stage and there they did please many with their excellent vocal harmonies and impeccable guitar lines. These young Hoplites sung their paeans with great skill and enthusiasm causing many in the audience to holler and applaud their skill and artistry. It should be noted that they do favor Fender amps and thus their instruments of choice do jangle in a pleasing manner. Of note is one Austin Lloyd whose work on the Jaguar was particularly enjoyable. With his reverbed tone and extensive use of the tremolo bar he did, as it is often said, bring it on home particularly through the band's rousing crescendo. He and Joe Weber conferred a great benefit to the group with their dueling guitars. This was particularly notable as the played country swing lines and harmonies whilst the soundman found himself taxed by the soundsystem which mocked his attempts to right the issues with the cello. Theirs was a set deemed very pleasing the gods.

The Wild Moccasins though would not be usurped and they took the high ground on the stage with a youthful vitality that όλα τα οντα agreed to be right and good. With Cody Swann and Zahira Gutierrez leading the charge they did conjure uncontrollable dancing from those who did not take heed of the warnings and dared stand too close. Yea for the band did bounce and hop and no mere mortal could thusly resist. Particularly memorable was Spanish and Jazz where Andrew Ortiz's drums marched with Nick Cody's slithering bass and Andrew Lee's reverbed guitar laying forth a strong groove for Zahira's vocals whose rousing chorus pleased the gods more than 1,000 sacrificed she-goats. Yet, despite their mighty grooves, the end of the new morning's first hour lay a mere ten minutes away and text messages to Dunnock and Jeff regarding when Ume would take the stage had proved futile therefore it became prudent to take my leave of Numbers and march five stages and 3 parasangs to the Mink.

When I arrived, to my great dismay, Ume - though headlining - had been already laying waste to all those that stood in their path and, as I made my way to the front, Lauren did announce to all those gathered that this would be their last song. Normally this would have been quite dispiriting except that merely one Ume song is worth more than a full set from the fiercest of bands and, as fortune would have it, they performed an electrifying encore. Taking up the rear of the formation sat Jeff who, bathed in sweat, lay a beat that Heracles himself would envy while Eric, armed with a mere four strings, took the lowlands. At the fore stood Lauren wielding her Telecaster which many admired and feared. The renown of her skill on the axe is such across the lands that anyone who hears the smallest of runs immediately recognizes its source. This evening was no different and she thrashed in a violent blur on blonde hair as her fingers nimbly laid out runs of such fury that those gathered shouted helplessly in response to the force of the sound that was thrust upon their ears. Thus it was that with a mere three songs, Ume made the gods tremble in fear and only after seeing all before them laid to waste Lauren did approach the microphone and proclaim to those who remained standing a meek "thank you."

News On The March

The Wild Moccasins

Ume

Links:
News On The March
The Wild Moccasins
Ume

The Music Crumudgeon's preview for the Week of May 23, 2008

THIS WEEKS SPOTLIGHT
SATURDAY!
THREE SHOWS!
ONE NIGHT!
OH CRAP!

SATURDAY, MAY 24

Free Press Houston
Food Drive Featuring:
American Sharks / The McKenzies / The Wild Moccasins / News On The March / Audio In The Pregap / Cave Reverend
@ Numbers
(8PM, $8.00, bring canned & non-perishable food)

I'd like to give a pat on the back to Omar and the rest of that those helped organize this. It's a great idea that helps out folks and it's so painless to help out. I mean look at the line up. American Sharks is a band with a Walker twin. I mean what the fuck? Do I need to tell you anything else to sell you on them? I didn't think so! The McKenzies put on one of the most unexpected pop sucker-punches at the last block party and this will be my first chance to see them since then and I'm stoked. The Wild Moccasins' recent Grey Ghost was a thrill (and thankfully did the band more justice than the previous ambient mic affairs on their myspace) but it's still a far ways away from the boisterous energy that this band throws out live. News On the March straddle the line between Pop and Western Swing. For the pop side dig the song Moving Pictures on their myspace it's a sweet slice of 60's pop that would make Brian Wilson proud. Audio in The Pregap do that 80's thing while The Cave Reverend (yes we misspelled it on the poster) actually was around in the 80's. If you were around back then and remember the Reverend's shows at The Axiom you'll know why I'm so happy to know that they are back with their weird mutant bluesy take on Rock and Roll.

A Benefit for Alex Arizpe, featuring
30footFALL / Spain Colored Orange / The Tie That Binds / Pretty Boys / LJ All Stars / Molotov Compromise
@ The Meridian
($10, all ages, 6:30PM)

First off I have to say kudos to Mike and Molly Rodriguez (Link) on such a lovely flyer. Oh my god; is that not the sweetest?!! Sadly it's the kind of benefit we all hate especially because we here in Houston love our drummers; Alex Arzipe is battling cancer and, like many people, is facing not only a dreaded disease but the accompanying medical bills. Thankfully he has some good friends willing to help out. And having friends like the ubiquitous punkers 30 Foot Fall and ubiquitous indie popsters Spain Coloured Orange certainly helps . Sadly Azripe won't be behind the kit of his old band Tie That Binds but it's nice that the band is pulling a reunion despite this. Pretty Boys and LJ Allstars will bring the poppy punk too while Molotov Cocktail will bring the punky ska.

Ume / The Lymbyc Systym / The Sour Notes
@ The Mink (8PM show)

OK so it's NOT a benefit but goddamn it's Ume with one of my favorite guitarists to have ever stepped out of the heat stricken, mosquito swarming, roach infested, pollution chokehold that is Houston. lauren's unique guitar lines alone are worth my club hopping but the matter of the fact is they will have demos of the new album. Did you hear? Demos! Yes, no more having to log onto myspace to get your fix. That demo for Around the Neck for example is the shit! Eric's Bass sounds massive, Jeff's drums are brutal and Lauren's guitar and voice are like total berserker. The band sounds like Conan cutting down the hordes. Austin's Lymbyc System and Sour Notes also play. The latter has a new CD that a friend described as "poppy and bom bom bom kinda".




ALSO THIS WEEK

Friday, May 23

The Murder Junkies/ Los De Verdad / Rats in the Attic / Riot Up Front
@ Walter's on Washington
It's been almost 15 years since the Murder Junkies lost their frontman, the late G.G. Allin when stupidity finally caught up with him, and so bassist and brother Merle Allin rounded up the troops for a reunion tour. I never bought into the whole GG Allin bodily fluids and violence shtick as being anything more than tedious stuff geared toward suburban boys looking for a way to rebel against their bourgeois upbringing. Eh, I shrug. The rest of the local cats bring punk in many flavors. Los De Verdad can do it in Spanish, Rats in the Attic play it fast and without a hint of metal, and Riot Up Front still hold true the old punk idea that all choruses must have a chorus of guys shouting the lyrics!

HotelHotel/P for Flamingos
@ Notsuoh
If you have that stuff that is really mellow then, yeah, Austin's HotelHotel and Houston's P for Flamingos with their ambient soundscapes may be your ticket.

SHOW TO AVOID THIS WEEK AWARD GOES TO:
Forever the Sickest Kids/Metro Station/The Cab/The Maine/Danger Radio
@ Warehouse Live
Forever the Sickest Kids reminds me why Texas needs to unilaterally force Dallas to secede from the state. While we're at it let's get the banish the Buzz too, OK?

Saturday, May 24

Guy Forsyth (CD release)
@ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
@ Cactus Music (in-store)(3:30PM)
He's that rare breed - a singer songwriter from Austin. Oh god that joke never gets old.

Secret Saturday Show
Presents
Zine Fest Houston
@ The Shady Tavern (1206 W. 20th).
Hooray for SSS saving Zine fest as, for once, I can say it's not like a complete secret. Jeremy Hart has a nice blog about this (Link)

54 Seconds/Antarctica Starts Here
@ Warehouse Live
Antarctica Starts Here is a swirling whirling vortex of chiming guitars and vocals swimming in a sea of echo that are highly highly recommended. Listen to the slow build up to the crescendo on Karen and you'll know what I mean. Oh yeah and there is an Austin band "headlining" - natch.

Sunday, May 25

They, Who Sound
Improvised & experimental music with 2 different sets per night featuring -
The Efferent Flow Quartet - Sonia Flores, David Dove, Doug Falk and John Martinez
and
Konstantinos Kouzas
@ The Mink Backroom (6PM)
Sunday evening improvised music at The Mink's Backroom.

Infernaeon /Fierce Allegiance /Uncleansed /Hod / Ebonmortis / Funeral Cult
@ The Meridian
Oh it's a metal show. I love that, in the band HOD, all the memebers have the same name "HOD". HOD Play Drums! HOD play guitar! HOD play bass! HOD sing! Take that Joey Ramone!

Bad Ash
@ Notsuoh
Tongue in Cheek punk from Boston that could either be really stupid and fun or really god fucking awful. I figure if there is no middle ground, they have horns, and guitarmonies it's worth mentioning.


Monday, May 26

BLAKE/E/E / Sabra Laval / over sea, under stone
@ The Backroom (The Mink)
Don't be annoyed by the annoying name. Chicago's Blake/e/e play some nice engaging indie pop with some clever arrangements and sounds. Local chanteuse Sabra Laval will bring her moody and engaging folk while Over Sea, Under Stone will provide their brand of keyboard-driven new wave.

A Proper Music Preview Tomorrow but tonight - Maiden!

OK, sorry folks we're running a day behind here on our preview. There is a lot going on tonight but what I do takes some time as I search for the bands, listen to a few tracks, and then either scratch 'em off the list or write some attempt at a pithy summary. Simply put, I got slammed this week but check in tomorrow and we'll have a nice proper music preview - I promise.

If you're looking to do something tonight that is music related check out Space City Rock which is always my jumping-off point for this calendar anyhow. (Link)

One thing that will undoubtedly rock tonight is this....

Iron Maiden @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

(insert Dio metal sign here) OK, I know I bitch about nostalgia acts and all but it's Maiden. Ya know Eddie...The Trooper...Run to the Hills and all that! How can it not rock!