Sorry to be a little uncreative today, but here's a little copy 'n' paste: "The Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas present LAUNCH with an opening reception and third-anniversary celebration at the CADD Art Lab on Thursday, July 16, 5-8 pm. This exhibition showcases art by current and recently graduated studio art graduate students from Master of Fine Arts programs located in the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Denton area. MFA graduate students featured include Adrian Aguirre, Julie Barnofski, Angel Cabrales, Todd Camplin, Gabriel Dawe, Kelly Flynn, Nate Glaspie, Timothy Harding, Elizabeth Higgins, Mona Kasra, Kyle Kondas, Jung Eun Lee, Tom Leininger, Mike Mazurek, and Sarah Williams."
Tactile Richland College Brazos Gallery Opens Thursday, Sept. 3, noon - 1 pm Through October 9. (972) 238-6339 featuring work by David Connolly, Paul Greco, and Harmony Padgett
DUDE: I just realized after writing all the below that this opening happened today at noon. Agh. Anyway...
I really wish I could see more of Harmony Padgett's stuff. She seems to have no web presence at all, but the thumbnails you can see on a few of the gallery sites (#1, #2, #3) look pretty interesting. Check out David Connolly's stuff linked above (also, the featured image, titled Pattern #3).
Lazy, lazy: "Using an idiosyncratic and highly individualized lyrical language of biomorphic abstraction, self-taught Czech artist Anna Zemánková (1908–1986) made drawings of striking originality and beauty. Zemánková, a Prague housewife who suffered from chronic depression, began making her richly abstracted unfolding floral-like compositions in 1960, at the age of fifty-two. She often executed her drawings while in a trancelike state, and her works appear to undergo anorganic transformation on the paper, resulting in graceful, fantastic flower/star/leaf shapes."
Hey, is anyone going to Scion Garage Fest? Is this lame or cool? I know it has a lot of everyone's favorite bands, but SCION garage fest? Not exactly subtle with the sponsorship there, unfortunately. I understand that sponsors are an oft-accepted part of most festivals (except for the successfully anti-corporate All Tomorrow's Parties), but this is the one of the most crass things I've seen in a while.
Elliott Levin Trio | The Tidbits (Phoenix Project located at 406 Haskell Ave. in Dallas) Philadelphia's Elliot Levin is a published poet, as well as a prolific saxophonist that has recorded for ESP, and studied under Cecil Taylor; that alone is reason enough to attend this performance. Throw in the fact that he'll be backed by what is arguably the best rhythm section in the state, The Gonzalez Brothers, and this show seems even more essential.
I should take this time to also mention a new recording that The Gonzalez brothers are featured on, "The Great Bydgoszcz Concert," a live recording with trumpeter/father Dennis Gonzalez's Yells At Eels, along with Lisbon, Portugal resident Rodrigo Amado on saxophone. The release is from a live show in Poland, recorded in March of last year. More info here.
Nervous Curtains | Florene | Phantastes | Lychgate (Rubber Gloves): I saw Lychgate a few times and always liked their muscular, death-drone, as it lacked the intellectual pose that can be off-putting about some multi-member acts that exist in the realm of largely formless psych music. After catching Lychgate a couple of times recently, I found that they have added a new arsenal of sonically dynamic qualities to their material that have really opened up their entire set, making it even more intriguing. The quiets are even quieter, not really building up, but making the loudness even more jarring and allowing for an explosive finale when the climactic conclusion is drawn. Throw in the wild, synth-driven antics of Phantastes, as well as Florene, and Nervous Curtains, and you have one of the darker, and more avant-leaning shows of Free Week.
Elvis Costello (Nokia) I'm normally an Elvis Costello detractor, but can you believe that the top ticket to see Collective Soul tonight is about six bucks more than the top ticket to this show? That's ridiculous, even to a guy like me, who thinks that Elvis Costello's finest moment was co-writing Paul McCartney's last Top 40 hit, "My Brave Face," which is featured above. This song has nothing going for it; terrible production, embarrassingly self-referential lyrics, and an over the top refrain that sounds like it was recorded in a crowded baseball stadium. And yet, I find this track irresistible. The sophistication of the daringly ornate verse that builds up to the chorus in particular makes this a Youtube favorite, much to the dismay of everyone else around me. Costello is touring with a mostly acoustic band, and is playing in a more reserved manner than you might expect from this so-called "aging punk rocker." Expect some Merle Haggard and Velvet Underground covers. Might be the highlights for me, since the chances of him rocking the aforementioned hit are slim.
it list : tuesday and introducing our two new writers
I'm proud to announce a couple of new clever nicknames for you all to admire, have secret crushes on, and of course, spend your pathetic weekends obsessively trying to figure out their identities. They are Frank Phospate and Nite Maus, and I hope you are as thrilled as I am to read some writing that is not me or Stoned Ranger. Ok, here we go:
Rival Gang | RTB2 | Drink To Victory | Violent Squid (Rubber Gloves) Another solid, diverse show at Rubber Gloves tonight, as free week marches on into its second day. Tonight is a great opportunity to see some bands that don't play outside of the DIY scene too often, whether by choice or otherwise. Ty Stamp, the grand master behind Violent Squid is always a curiosity piece. His live shows are not known for their consistency; every performance is a unique entity with a rotating cast of performers, instruments, and ideas. One thing you can count on is that the boundaries of what a live musical performance can be will be pushed. Ty has an eye for picking top notch people who know how to play off one another. Whether it is one person or an entire choir of avant-wunderkinds, you can expect a mind-melting experience.
To counter the previously mentioned free form artiness, you can expect a kick in the ass by Drink to Victory’s straight ahead punk rawk sound. If history repeats itself, all of the band members should be shirtless by the end of the set, a little something they throw in for the ladies I guess.
Fresh off the heels of their Observer "Best Of" something-or-other win, duo RTB2 will offer a nice calm between the Drink to Victory/Rival Gang storm. RTB2 usually get stuck playing with the same group of artists, limiting the reach that they deserve. This should be a great opportunity to be heard by a different crowd.
Last but not least, we have the Denton sex-pot trio, Rival Gang. The group draws a line in the sand early in their performance. You can choose to step across, or be a boring lame-o and go to the bar waiting for the “real music” to happen. Those of you that choose to stick around are in store for one of the more exciting bands around town these days. The chaotic nature of the music is an obvious pairing for a D.I.Y. setting, but works surprisingly well at a venue with a real PA and an unsuspecting audience. I was lucky enough to catch Rival Gang at, of all places, Dan's Silverleaf; the facial reactions of audience members that night was priceless. The music is messy, some times out of tune, perverse, abrasive and confusing. What good Rock n’ Roll should be. Unfortunately this will be the last time to catch RG for awhile so don't miss it. (FP)
Fruit Bats (Free Show Good Records followed by an appearance at The Loft) The Fruit Bats' latest release's popularity is as confusing to me as Fleet Foxes' moment in the spotlight last Fall. They're bands which are charming enough, listenable enough, poppy enough. And uninteresting enough to be one more forgettable addition to a club that really doesn't need more members (the Sub Pop club?).
I'm really trying to understand when inoffensive and unobtrusive music became the hottest commodity. Put out anything that sounds remotely like The Shins and you'll get a slobberfest over it. I mean, don't you remember that one scene in "Garden State?" Wasn't that just the cutest?
The only compliment I can give "The Ruminant Band" is that it might hold a spot in the always-great "Which albums can I give mom at Christmas?" list. I mean, Fleet Foxes was even sold out at the local Barnes and Noble last December (gasp). It's a harsh world out there, and to be making money with music is honestly kind of impressive.
If you do want to check them out, they'll be playing an in-store at Good Records tonight at 7pm. I'm sure they'll be super nice and perfectly adequate. (NM)
90's Night With Yeah Def and Ian Bangs (Hailey's) All I ever hear about in Denton is how this night is nearing capacity. You know what that means. Time to strictly enforce more of a Downtown Dallas dress-code at Hailey's. NO HOODIES, NO CUTOFFS, NO SANDALS, NO BAGGY JEANS. YOU GOT THAT? BIZ CAJ ONLY, BABY. (DL)
Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge) Tonight's guest is Big J.
I was introduced to New Zealand guitarist Roy Montgomery some time in the mid 90s when my high school chemistry teacher made a tape for me with two of the songs from this record, "Strand" and "Dissong." There was a lot of great shit on the tape, like Pierre Henry, Silver Apples, Scenic, Painkiller, Naked City, and a few others that I can't readily recall, but the Dissolve songs stuck out immediately to me and, nearly a decade and a half later, I still listen to this record fairly frequently.
Dissolve, a project with fellow New Zealand guitarist Chris Heaphy, is but one of many groups that Montgomery has been associated with. In 1981 his first band, the Pin Group, released the first single on New Zealand's famous (and currently, like, super hip) Flying Nun label, even though the Clean are often credited as having done this with their debut, "Tally Ho." He went on to be a member of Dadamah, who released a couple of singles and the fucking fantastic record "This is not a Dream" in the early 90s on Majora, all of which saw a compiled cd release on Kranky. As a solo artist he has released several singles and a handful of excellent full length albums, with the highlight probably being 1996's Temple IV. His collaboration with Bardo Pond, Hash Jar Tempo, was also well received, despite being one of the worst named bands ever.
I am a fan of damn near everything that I've heard regarding Montgomery's lengthy discography, but this record, along with the aforementioned Dadamah and Temple IV albums, is definitely among my favorites. It's not very often that an album with two guitarists, no other instruments and very little in the way of vocals can keep me (or many others) interested throughout, but this one has done it for me time and time again and I only hope that it can do the same for some of you as well.
1. I was surprised to find out that director Spike Jonze gave praise to Austin-based photographer and video artist, Ben Aqua, on his "We Love You So-Where The Wild Things Are" website, where Jonze is promoting his much anticipated next film and describes the site as being "established to help shed some light on many of the small influences that have converged to make this massive project a reality," which makes this all the more impressive.
For some perspective and bias, Aqua has shot some of my favorite musicians; everyone from members of Finally Punk, to Daniel Francis Doyle, and Yellow Fever.
2. Sober tipped me off to a project (via FB post) I was not aware of, but am now very interested in; an upcoming documentary release about the late, great East Coast MC, Big L. Entitled "Street Struck: The Big L Story," the documentary features rare footage, promos, and interviews with friends, family, and associates like Doug E. Fresh and DJ Premier. Unfortunately it doesn't look like there's an official release date set, however you can find more info here.
The List:
Cool Out with and Schwa | Clever Monkeys (The Cavern) Before you head out tonight, take a minute to read the new Cool Out blog, which gives some intelligent insight on some of the diverse musical interests that have made this Monday night weekly such a success. Read about Fela Kuti, jazz violinists, Brazilian funk artists, and of course, more detailed info than you're likely to find elsewhere on the Cool Out guest for that night. In fact, he has a little writeup posted just today on tonight's guests, Sex And Fury, from the three-city-strong collective, The Broken Teeth Crew, who seemed to be everywhere this past weekend.
Bad Sports | Drug Mountain | The Uptown Bums | Fred Xeppelin and The Meatles (Rubber Gloves) Bad Sports are such an impressively forceful yet catchy band, that they have even done well in Dallas, not an easy feat for a bunch of Denton punks. I caught Fred Xeppelin and The Meatles at a cramped, A/C-free house show earlier this summer, where the group combined performance art, noise, and acrobatic vocal improvisations in a way that even caught the attention of a bunch of sweaty, uncomfortable people waiting to see a band literally called BFF. At the beginning of the performance, vocalist Sarah Alexander implored audience members to submit requests which she jotted down on paper. I asked for "Moon River" and was treated to some top 40 radio country hit. Brilliant. The always dependable Uptown Bums and Drug Mountain round out a very entertaining bill.
Sleepy Sun | True Widow (City Tavern) Though the Sleepy Sun bio claims their fans have a chant "Let's Get Weird!" at the group's shows, there is actually very little "weird" about the group's use of stoned, psych-folk hallmarks littered throughout the deliberate plodding music, where the speed, or the lack thereof, are used as a weapon. Dead Meadow is an admitted influence, and you can take a lot from that previously drawn comparison. Here's hoping they don't do what many of these groups do, and just go straight for the all jamming/all the time aesthetic hazard that some of these groups fall prey to. That just ensures you'll nurture a fan-base either too stoned to care or too bored to listen. It's funny how often that works though, I have to say. The somehow more direct, yet still methodically slow True Widow open.
Os Mutantes is playing La Zona Rosa (Austin) in October. I thought some of you might be interested in that.
Speaking of Austin, a lot of people have been asking what we think about the Fun Fun Fun Fest Lineup, do we think it's worth going etc. Well, am I supposed to be shocked that there's a festival in Austin with a lot of big names? I also saw The Jesus Lizard and Mission Of Burma when most of you were still listening to Everlast. Whatever. So, the short answer is yes, this will definitely be worth attending.
FRIDAY
Select & AV (Murray Street Coffee located at 103 Murray St. in Dallas) Live stream here while it lasts.
Back To School Weekend Part I featuring Yeahdef | Left/Right | Vega | Fizzy Dino Pop w | Sore Losers | Sleepreader | Of Mars | Bangs | Cartright | Corporate Park | Super Puppy Faces!/Peopleodian/Peligro (Hailey's) One of many big "back to school" themed lineups in the next week, with tonight's highlights both being ex-members of Ghosthustler, oddly enough. Sometimes people still throw Ghosthustler around as an insult to any band that might use a synthesizer, and I don't have an especially mature response other than to say, "I'm sorry you grew up on Saddle Creek and I can't help you." Anyways, Corporate Park bears a slight resemblance to brainy early 80's and unlikely dance floor pioneers Crash Course In Science, and I'm glad to be able to say that any local artist reminds me of them. Whatever you may think of the music, this seems like a decent spot to hangout tonight, which is kind of the point.
Sounds of Seattle 2009 Tour Featuring Ten/Badmotorfinger/Facelift (House Of Blues) I once walked out of a North Dallas bar specifically because there was just a lone dude with a keyboard serenading the large douche population with a very mournful version of "Rooster," featuring nothing more than the rather introspective bro and the spare cheesy keyboard sound. It was probably set to "cello." This show is just like that times a million, which almost makes it cool. I will add this to my list of "nightmare first date ideas" along with the Frulatti at any area hospital or the "Cafe" at Fry's. And in case you didn't get it, yes these are Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains cover bands, respectively.
Stereo On Strike Atomic Party featuring Nervous Curtains | Akkolyte | Juan Solo | Blixaboy (Fallout Lounge) For those that may not know, Juan Solo is John Durbin of Thorazine Dreams, The Falcon Project, and more recently Personal Victories.
Depeche Mode | Peter Bjorn and John (Superpages Center) I'm not a big Depeche Mode fan, but I would never deny their legend and stature, and I just don't know if Peter Bjorn and John are appropriate touring partners. Case in point (from the Peter Bjorn and John Myspace page)
Influences: Most of all each other. Love & life. Girlfriends, movies, food, books, travelling (sic), relationships etc.
This sounds like very much like language heard in your average Match.com ad, which only means, however counter-intuitively, that it must be sincere. I think this band has improved past their whistling novelty hit of a few years ago, but probably not enough to be opening for Depeche Mode at up to eighty nine dollars a ticket.
Night Of Progress: Division Of Power | Ill Factors | ko49 (1919 Hemphill) With a Haymarket Puppet Show, tables by local organizations, and free vegan food.
