Hey there. We've been doing holiday stuff with family, etc. this weekend, and we're a little busy taking naps and figuring out ways to avoid going shopping or even talking about shopping. We were going to do a big weekend concert list on Wednesday, but we just haven't had the time to get it done. So instead, we'll have little It Lists each day for the rest of the weekend before getting back to normal on Monday. Deal with it. Tonight:

Pleaseeasaur | El Paso Hot Button | Hardin Sweaty and the Ready to Go (Rubber Gloves)
Pleaseeasaur is a joke band that probably listens to a lot of Ween and a little Captain Beefheart. Whatever. I hate joke bands. The real highlight here is El Paso Hot Button, and they are certainly a strong live band that is worth seeing if you're up in Denton. They play around here quite a bit, but I wish they did even more. They sound like they could be hugely successful and really goddamn good at the same time (imagine that), so I would recommend keeping your eye out for them. Great punky hard rock. And dude from Hardin Sweaty recommended a Swell Maps video to us on Youtube the other day, so he is awarded two WSJR bonus points.

...And You'll Know Us By the Trail of Dead | The Blood Brothers | Celebration | Brothers and Sisters (Granada)
I haven't heard the new Trail of Dead album and I really don't give a shit. The last one was positively terrible (remember that song about the Twin Towers?), and I frankly don't even have the energy to make fun of this stupid crap. However, I've linked to what is apparently a fan Myspace page so that you can hear some of their better, earlier stuff if you feel like it. Yes, I did like Source Tags and Codes when it came out. Despite the suckness of the headliners, the rest of this line up looks pretty good. You probably either hate Blood Brothers or love them, so theres really nothing I can really say to influence you one way or another. You should know, however, that they can be unreal live. Celebration, who came through earlier this year with TV on the Radio, are surely the most interesting band in this line up with jagged guitars and infectious but understated rhythms that fight for attention with urgent and detached vocals that distinguish this band from the pack almost right away. They have a truly unique sound and a good one at that, and I would pay to see them alone. Brothers and Sisters: Son Volt with a slightly less entertaining singer and a Polyphonic Spree fetish. Enough said.

The Great Tyrant will be playing at Amsterdam tonight. Not sure who is opening for them (sorry), but they are expected to go on around 1100.

Dove Hunter | The Backsliders | Team Evil (Doublewide)
I suppose this show is one to catch if you're interested in seeing a couple bands that many of the other local music news outlets have been buzzing about in recent weeks and months. Unfortunately, my limited exposure to each of these groups hasn't inspired a lot of excitement around WSJR headquarters. Dove Hunter is probably the most worthwhile of the three, with a slightly country/folk influenced take on the kind of jammy, dark indie pop that takes nods from Arcade Fire and the more relaxed moments of Wilco. The musicianship is pretty solid and the songs are well put together in many of the ways that you could hope, but there just isn't a whole lot going on that you haven't heard before, and even less that will get any of you very excited. They're much more tolerable than the average popular local rock band to be sure, but thats only saying so much. The Backsliders don't really do it for me either since I just don't like Reverend Horton Heat or the Muffs... sorry. And Team Evil reminds me of a more directly punk influenced version of a Frank Black solo record. Not bad, I suppose, but I'm not going to pay for it without hearing more. The whole show reminds me of OKCola.

ephb is actually a really nice guy.You guys probably caught him on a bad day.Anyway,he's in a new band now called We Are Good Friends

Yes?

bitch

No.

always gotta have the last word, huh girlfriend?

even though ephb is an asshole, he's a pretty talented asshole.
with a lisp.

Chances are nobody respects your band either, so at least you can relate.

sorry Defensive, no one respects girl bands.

anon 9:25 AM

you kick ass.

Will you teach me to play an instrument? I've tried real hard and it's so...hard! Maybe you can show me and I can be in a band and be as smart as you.

You guys are worse than Wilonsky...

Seriously, writers of this blog, learn to play a f'n instrument... You make me sick.

WSJR, the anti-clique, clique...

Backsliders are way more X than the Rev.
You gotta get their album, though mixed poorly, where you can hear the songs written by Jason Bonner, the little brother of the guitarist/singer.
Or go to www.myspace.com/ronnievain

He's truly one of the most gifted songwriters I know, right among Denton's Chris Garver and Will Ridinour (Will E. Lee)

Three songs into the Trail of Dead set I developed a sudden craving for a hot dog, so I left. The hot dog turned out to be much more satisfying than Trail of Dead.

Why, thank you.

same to you.

brothers and sisters were decent live, played with them in austin, really nice guys (and girls)!

oh, and happy thanksgiving to you SR, DL, and all you jerkoff anons.

twang = no good

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't el paso hot button a one man band. I know he was, and I know he used to be a real asshole, too.

Celebration is worth three times the cover to see. Don't miss them. YOu probably won't want to see anyone else by time they finish their set.

come on... go listen to some of their songs. Its more than a twang and multiple vocalists that make them sound like those bands. I don't dislike them, to be honest, and I haven't seen them live.

if you want to have fun tonight you'll be at rubber gloves.

I agree I saw them at the Mohawk in Austin in September and they were awesome. Very worth getting there early to check out.

Just because someone is twangy doesn't mean they sound like Son Volt. And employing multiple vocalists does not make you the Polyphonic Spree, either. Brothers and Sisters kick ass. Go see them.