Central Booking and check out this week's En La Calle series. You can download new stuff from Cam'ron, M.I.A. (get this song!), Lady Sovereign and more if you wanna.

FRIDAY

1. The Party at Zubar with Dj Nature | Sober | Select | Prince Klassen (from Austin) (Zubar)

A trio of DJ's from the Party are bringing some class to Zubar tonight. Prince Klassen is from Austin and his page featured no music so maybe you can figure out what he sounds like by the cool places he plays in Austin. Or you could just go tonight and find out.

2. Baptist Generals | Teenage Symphony | Soyuz Union (Radio UTD Showcase, UTD Student Union)

An atypical venue for local favorites The Baptist Generals and Teenage Symphony. Soyuz Union plays charming dream pop. I would like to see this show simply based on the fact that it's in Richardson. I haven't seen a good band in Richardson since the mid Nineties at Bill's Records.

3. Night Game Cult | Minx Burlesque | The Beatdown | DJ Wild in The Streets (Secret Headquarters)

This looks like a fun and diverse lineup at a great venue. Night Game Cult brings their synthesized weirdness, Minx Burlesque is sexually charged vaudeville, and The Beat Down play some Motown influenced Soul Garage. I was pleasantly surprised at how strong the songs on The Beatdown's page sounded. DJ Wild in The Streets will be playing her usual mix of vinyl Sixties awesomeness.

4. Thorn vs. Side | Birth to Burial | Record Hop (Rubber Gloves)

I'm kind of perplexed at the headliner here. We have Record Hop and Birth To Burial who are respectively two of the best straight up rock bands in the area opening for a band that I'm going to have to assume is just a decent draw. Well, these things happen...

SATURDAY


1. Church of The Snake | Assacre | Chief Death Rage | Eat Avery's Bones (House Of Tinnitus)

The show of the weekend features Church of the Snake, which includes members of the forever touring Attractive and Popular. Attractive and Popular is a powerful live band and I would expect the same from Church of the Snake. The lone song on their Myspace page sounds really apocalyptic and cool. Chief Death Rage plays riff heavy rock without the pretense of other cartoonish "stoner rock" bands. Eat Avery's Bones is almost too good to be true and I hope they throw something at me if I go to the show. I wish House Of Tinnitus a long successful run as an unconventional local venue. As for the naysayers, did anyone else notice this isn't even a noise show?

2. Al Green (Winstar Casino)

Hopefully Reverend Al Green can save some of the lost souls at Winstar Casino on Saturday night. Judging by the vibe in that place it's probably too late. Skip the haunted houses this weekend and hang out here for awhile if you really want to see something scary. Why a legend like Mr. Green is playing this place is baffling but I would recommend taking a first date there if you really want to make an impression.

3. Faux Fox (Good Records instore at 3 PM)

Faux Fox are playing an afternoon show at Good Records to celebrate the release of their newest record, "Endless Pursuit". At one time this band was a local anomaly for mixing such a heavy dose of New Wave influences in their music. Times have changed. They have evolved from being much more tongue-in-cheek to the more detached sound they have now.

4. Sk1 Project | Dreamtigers | (Amsterdam bar)

Sk-1 Project's music stands out in this digital age with the use of analogue equipment that percolates with the awkwardness of an outdated nature documentary that might be forced upon you in a middle school science class. I miss those documentaries and I consider the description a compliment. I've had a hard time trying to pin down Dreamtigers. Ghetto-geek?

SUNDAY

1. Chief Death Rage | Church of The Snake (Amsterdam Bar)

Two nights in a row that the Amsterdam's had cool shows. I'm glad because I've been a little wary of this place as a venue. This show would be a good second chance to these two acts for everyone that didn't want to drive all the way to Denton from Dallas.

This review has taken me quite a while to put together, and part of the reason is that I still don't feel like I understand as much about folk music and Americana as I should. Particularly, I've had a difficult time tracing the origins of "freak folk," a label that Chris Garver is likely to be branded with by many who hear E4/E5, his debut full length, in the coming weeks and months. The phrase itself implies a sense of experimentation and strangeness mixed with some blurry link to Western folk's storied past, but its application in the context of music history is a bit vague. From what I can gather, some of the major influences of contemporary "freak folk" allstars such as Animal Collective, Feathers, Six Organs of Admittance and Vetiver can be traced back to a period in the early 70's when a small group of artists were making progressive, largely introspective rock music that built on traditional English and American folk. During this time, solo artists like Vashti Bunyan and Karen Dalton and bands such as Comus, Fuchsia, Pearls Before Swine and a handful of others from South America and Europe were all taking early forms of prog rock and (by that time) familiar incarnations of psychedelic pop and casually applying them to the traditional "folk" music of their homelands (bluegrass, etc. in America; Celtic in England), resulting in an experimental but decidedly organic sound that is still hard to classify to this day. The significance of this particular movement, which at the time was referred to as "acid folk," is difficult to qualify or gauge, but its safe to say that this music has seen an unparalleled resurgence in interest over the past couple of years, thanks in no small part to a new group of mostly American musicians that have found a source of inspiration in some of these relatively unknown artists.

Although the importance of this development certainly doesn't seem to be lost on Chris Garver, his brand of sleepy, rustic folk has more to do with Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and traditional country than any of these other more obscure influences, and as a result, E4/E5 works as an example of the fashionable acid folk lineage turned inside out. Essentially, many of the more progressive folk musicians of the 70's sounded as if they were trying to take traditional forms of music and push them to different, more modern places, while Chris Garver sounds like a thoroughly post modern musician that has found solace in looking to the past, albeit through a dark and distorted contemporary lens.

To get it out of the way, Chris Garver's voice will likely remind some listeners of the oh so fun to hate indie/emo figure Conor Oberst, but the similarities are only skin deep. Yes, his voice quivers and cracks in a slightly similar fashion, but his lyrics, music, and presentation are far less obvious, more emotionally complex and consistently more rewarding than anything Bright Eyes has done.

E4/E5 starts off rather ominously, with a haunting drone/feedback track kicking things off and transitioning into the bold, detached darkness of "No Ideas but In Things," a song that is structurally drenched in trad folk but stylistically informed by post-punk dread and the modern outsider lo-fi weirdness of Jandek, with creeping pianos and a ghostly vocal echo that takes some getting used to but eventually makes perfect sense. These two songs successfully reach out beyond the confines of their tracks and set a mood that permeates throughout the remainder of the record, casting somber shadows over some of the sunnier and more humorous songs that also happen to be some of Garver's most successful compositions. A new and improved version of barn stomper "Wasp in the House" follows and stands as a clear highlight, demonstrating Garver's knack for writing infectious folk pop and playing the shit out of some harmonica, which is something he does several times on the record with a high rate of success. "You Bring the Banker Honey" is yet another strong standout, with a simple acoustic guitar base and a hum along chorus that will burn its tune in your head almost instantly, while "Put the Papers Away" starts off as a quiet, low down blues number and evolves into a noisy symphony of balls to the wall layers of explosive electric guitar that will remind listeners of mid 90's Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and reinforce Garver's connection with rock n' roll.

These upbeat standouts are sandwiched between slower, darker and more introspective tracks, and the contrast between them adds a good deal of depth to the record as a whole. Songs like "When Your Momma Leaves" and "Southfork Luncheon Blues" are quiet and tender, and Garver's vocal delivery is detached, sleepy and pensive, exposing a thoughtful sadness and an often strange, haunting spirit that adds enough mystique to separate the record from most of the more traditional folk and country acts in DFWd.

Its clear that Chris Garver understands folk, country and blues, to be sure. But its also clear that he knows that this kind of music, in its most ancient form, was sad, unsettling and a bit strange, and merely playing it straight in this day and age simply won't do justice to this important aspect of the American folk tradition. This kind of music can be called many things I'm sure, and successfully sad modern Americana folk records aren't exactly unheard of (see pretty much anything Bonnie Prince Billy has done). The important point, however, is that Chris Garver has managed to inject a contemporary brand of sadness, wonder and thought into traditional folk and country in a manner that is unique and pleasurable, making his debut one of the more memorable and promising local releases of the year. I'm not sure if thats "freak" folk or what, but its good enough to make me not really care.

Wilco | The Altered Statesman (Will Rogers)
When I think about it (which I rarely do), I kind of see Wilco as a band that has been used by a lot of people. They are used by yuppies as a name drop to stay "hip" with the kids, they are used as a rallying cry against clueless major label A&R people that would be dumb enough to think a record as good as you know what wouldn't sell, and they are often used by hipsters as a measuring stick for how successful a band is allowed to become before they are considered lame. All in all, I can't say that I quite feel sorry for Tweedy and the rest of the millionaires, but I can say that the concept of Wilco is probably a lot bigger than anyone in the band ever intended it to be, and that with the kind of success they've enjoyed, some negative reactions and backlash are bound to follow. I wasn't quite crazy about their last record, and I think their music is generally held on a pedestal that is just a bit higher than it should be. However, I've seen them live twice, and they were excellent both times. Furthermore, I don't think their artistic integrity, adventurous compositions and ability to make the strange accessible should be overlooked as easily as they often are. Wilco is a band that has become so good at what they do that their excellence almost seems run of the mill to many of us that enjoy them so much. Don't know where I'm going with this really, but I guess I'm trying to say that I like Wilco quite a bit, but I'm just not excited enough about their show to drive to Ft. Worth.

Of course, you can also hit up Zoo at the Cavern tonight, as well as hip hop at Slip Inn and 80's Dance night with Dj G.

And locals Sarah Reddington will be playing with Spitfire Tumbleweeds and Peter and the Wolf at Rubber Gloves.

Man Man | The Thermals (Hailey's-Denton)
In case you didn't catch it when we wrote about their performance at The Cavern this summer, Man Man puts on one of the best live shows you'll see anywhere. They completely rocked the living shit out of a Dallas venue that is hardly known for conveying the true power of many of the bands that take its stage, and it was really a site to be seen. When you consider the fact that they had a DALLAS crowd jumping around and moving their asses, I bet you can imagine the kind of atmosphere that you'll find at Hailey's tonight when the rowdy Denton set gets their hands on them. The Thermals quickly became a favorite of mine a few years ago upon the release of their debut album More Parts Per Million. And while I have to say that neither one of their follow up records have come close to reaching the bottled excitement and pure pop aggression of their debut, I would be willing to bet the farm that they put on a hell of a show. There isn't a better bratty, sloppy pop punk band out there. Highly recommended. And here is a Man Man video. The quality isn't great but you get the idea:



The Black Angels | Strange Boys/ Blackheart Society (Tea Room)
Despite what some of the more clueless anon comment makers might think of the Black Angels and their Stonesesque $200 performance fee, I think they ARE one of the better bands in Texas right now, and I could give two shits if you heard about the Silver Apples before they did. The fact of the matter is that for all the talk about them being a 60's revival act, a lot of what they do doesn't sound like the 60's at all. I think psychedelic music, in the most broad sense of the term, can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and for the Black Angels, I think it means a post-punk informed dark collage of layered noise and invasive textures. Their music is minimal yet swirling and atmospheric, and I think when they're on, they're one of the best in the Lone Star state. If you don't like what they do, thats fine. But if you don't get what they're about, you should probably think a bit harder. You might also want to check this show out just to see what the Strange Boys have been up to recently. They've played some new material the past couple of times I've seen them, but I'm guessing they'll be focused on new stuff quite a bit more tonight. I'm curious to see whether they are ready to take their music to the next level.

And of course, if you do hit up the Man Man show tonight, DJ Nature's Party at Rubber Gloves might be the perfect night cap after what should be a fun, loud and out of control show.

Adds:
1 DAMIEN JURADO And Now That I'm In Your Shadow Secretly Canadian
2 PATTERN IS MOVEMENT Canonic Hometapes
3 DOSH The Lost Take Anticon
4 PIT ER PAT Pyramids Thrill Jockey
5 DAN SARTAIN Join Dan Sartain Swami

Charts:
1 BEACH HOUSE Beach House Carpark
2 GRIZZLY BEAR Yellow House Warp
3 COMPILATION Chrome Children Stones Throw
4 PERNICE BROTHERS Live A Little Ashmont
5 TV ON THE RADIO Return To Cookie Mountain Interscope
6 CHANGES Today Is Tonight AAM
7 JUNIOR BOYS So This Is Goodbye Domino
8 AKRON/FAMILY Meek Warrior Young God
9 SPARKLEHORSE Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain Astralwerks
10 BONNIE PRINCE BILLY The Letting Go Drag City
11 PORTASTATIC Be Still Please Merge
12 CHAD VANGAALEN Skelliconnection Sub Pop
13 LOW LOWS Fire On The Bright Sky Warm
14 MY MORNING JACKET Okonokos: Double Live Album ATO
15 OVER THE ATLANTIC Junica Carpark
16 MASTODON Blood Mountain Warner Bros.
17 YO LA TENGO I'm Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass Matador
18 ALBUM LEAF Into The Blue Again Sub Pop
19 IN CIVILIAN CLOTHING We Made A Killing, We Made A Mess Right Place
20 MOUNTAIN GOATS Get Lonely 4AD
21 RICHARD BUCKNER Meadow Merge
22 CHIN UP CHIN UP This Harness Can't Ride Anything Suicide Squeeze
23 FOUR TET Remixes Domino
24 R.E.M. And I Feel Fine... The Best Of The I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 Capitol
25 TORTOISE A Lazarus Taxon Thrill Jockey
26 SANDRO PERRI Plays Polmo Polpo
27 DR. DOG Takers And Leavers [EP] Park The Van
28 PERE UBU Why I Hate Women Smog Veil
29 LEMONHEADS The Lemonheads Vagrant
30 VIVA VOCE Get Yr Blood Sucked Out Barsuk

Of course, you can always head upstairs at the Cavern for Wanz' Lost Generation DJ night, featuring a concentration on kraut, electro, psyche, post punk, and anything else you might want to hear that doesn't suck or appeal to people that like good ol' fashioned blah blah blah. Maybe thats the central problem with Dallas right there and we just haven't been able to figure it out. Too many people that like good ol' fashioned blah blah blah. Maybe we can all pretend that rockabilly and crybaby bands don't exist for one night.

And I might catch some shit for this, but fuck it. Thats the main reason why writing this blog is fun. Anyway, think I've become something of a fan of Athens' The Whigs, who are playing tonight in the Tea Room. What do they do thats so special? Well, nothing really, except write very good pop rock songs that are recorded just the right way and don't sound like wimpy bullshit. They sould like a lot of 80's and early 90's "college" rock favorites, and seem to have nothing to do with neu-wave, post-post punk or any other buzz terms you've heard in the past few years. I think fans of Guided By Voices, The Replacements, Superchunk and even Dinosaur Jr. might dig these guys. See for yourselves. They're good old fashioned blah blah blah thats actually good, if not old fashioned.

In anticipation of the Black Angels show this Wednedsay at the Gypsy Tea Room, we asked guitarist Christian Bland some questions about his band, life in Austin, Anton Newcomb, The Strange Boys and Texas Psychedelic rock. What I find most interesting about many of his responses is the way he talks about musical influences and drawing from the past. Critics of the band often dismiss them as a throw back act, but the self awareness with which they approach their 60's influences makes the whole thing a bit more complicated than their detractors would like it to be. It also helps that they write great psychedelic rock songs that often don't really sound like the 1960's at all. Here are our questions:

It seems that a lot of people in the media refer to you as a "revival" band, claiming that you look backward to 60's psychedelic rock not only for musical inspiration but for looks, attitude and quite a bit more. Do these kinds of statements bother you? Do you think there is anything wrong, per se, with a band that looks to the past openly and often?

We draw our inspiration from the Creative Revolution that occured in the 1960's. In our opinion, theres been no other time in history where music was so central and involved in social and political change. We hope to continue the tradition of Psychedelic music that was born here in 1966 with the the 13th Floor Elevators. I think its our duty to keep the spirit alive by paying homage to our forefathers, but by also pushing it into new territory. Our second album will put the revivalist talk to rest, but overall, we're proud to represent the 60's sound in a modern context.

Another thing the music press loves discussing in relation to your band is drug use. Do drugs play a role in either the band's social life or in the actual creative process? If not, do you think they could or should?

I think that drugs have been made a scapegoat. Anything that is used in excess will cause harm. Eat too much brocolli, and you might get cancer. When drugs are used properly they can open new doorways. When they are used unintelligently they will cause harm.. I think society has made taking drugs seem evil. As a kid we were made to take our DARE classes. Its good to learn about what drug abuse can lead to, but what about learning how drugs might facilitate the creative process? By no means do we condone taking any drugs (unless theres enough for everyone).

What is it with Texas and psychedelic rock? I read an interview with Secret Machines recently in which they claimed that the hot, muggy Texas weather is the perfect breeding ground for spaced out stoner rock. I'm not sure if I think its entirely true, but Texas sure seems to have its fair share of psychedelic rock bands, and I think its been pretty constant since the mid 60s. Any thoughts on why that is? Does it have something to do with escapism perhaps?

Well, like i said earlier. The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators were born in 1966 in Austin, TX. Psychedelic music was started in Austin, so its only right that the tradition be kept alive. (Another late 60's band from Houston to check out is The Red Crayola. Get the first album, "Parable of Arabel Land'. ) I think all our songs are about some form of Escapism. Thats a central theme to our music. The conservative environemnt that hovers over our State can create a feeling of distrust, and a desire to leave altogether. We make music to cope with this.

Do you enjoy living in Austin? Do you find it conducive to creativity, or do you find that it merely has that reputation? It seems that Austin is just as much about Starbucks and yuppies as it is about anything else these days, and I wonder how the artistic community has responded to Austin's growth over the past decade. Could you tell us about some of the good and bad things happening in Austin music and art these days?

The reason Austin has a reputation as being a creative environment is because its true. Austin isnt like the rest of Texas. However, we purposely stay away from the yuppie/starbucks side of Austin. Thats fake living. We live in the 'Real' section of town, on the east side, with the real people. Many artisits are migrating to East Austin because its cheaper to live here. Soon the city will see this, and taxes will go up over here (as they already are). The goal of the city planners is to make Austin a center for the Capitalist Republicans. Poor folks aren't desired. As for the music scene here, no Austin band has really blown us away. The only other Texas band we really like is The Strange Boys. They draw from all the right influences.

I've noticed that you guys seem to have some sort of relationship with Anton Newcomb. Could you tell us how you met, what you think of him as a person, and what you think of BJM as a band?

Antion Newcombe is a genius. He's the modern day BobDylan/John Lennon/ Syd Barrett wrapped into one. We met Anton during the 2004 SXSW. BJM is the perfect example of a band that draws inspiration from the Creative Revolution in the 1960's, but has brought it into a modern day context. Our favorite story about him is when we got to play with him this past SXSW. The rest of his band was stranded in Phoenix and they were suppsed to play the festival. Instead, we took the BJM slot and learned a Jonestown song right before we went on. Anton played with us as his backing band for about 15 minutes. Hes an awesome person, Dont let the movie DIG! fool you.

Could you tell us a bit about your songwriting process? How does the band go about writing songs, and what are some of the things that inspire you musically and lyrically?

A lot of the time i'll come in with a new riff and we'll build around it. Alex writes most of the lyrics, but he and I collaborate just as often. Sometimes we just start to jam in practice and then all of a sudden a song is born. I think the thing that inspires us most is seeking the Truth and telling people about it.

It seems that you guys are quite good at building and manipulating moods through repetition and simple, minimal song structures much like electronic dance music often does. Do you see any relationship between the music you make and some forms of dance music?

Yeah for sure. We're all about the minimalist, repetitve drone. We make music to groove to. Our music is Hypno-drone. Check out the Silver Apples & Psychic Ills; masters of drone n roll.

You guys have a pretty good relationship with one of Dallas' better bands, the Strange Boys. Could you tell us how you met, what you think of their music, and what your impressions are of Dallas' musical community?

The Strange Boys are our favorite band in Texas. Theres no one else that gets it like they do. We met them at a show at the Avenue Arts Venue in Dallas. Ryan was in the front row with an old tape recorder capturing the show. I thought that was cool, because i would have been doing the same thing. They all draw from the right inspirations (plus anyone who knows 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' by heart is a friend of mine) and I think/hope they are the future of the Dallas music scene. I dont really know many other Dallas bands. They stand out above the rest.

Black Francis | Kentucky Prophet (Gypsy Tea Room)
Ok, so Frank Black. Yeah I know, Pixies Pixies blah blah. I like the Pixies as much as the next person, and probably more. But for some reason, I just haven't cared about a Frank Black solo record since Teenager of the Year, and I'm not sure that I'll start celebrating his post-Pixies work any time soon. Don't know why, but most of his solo stuff just doesn't do it for me. However, I do think there have been some highlights here and there over the past 10 years, and I'm going to see him tonight because I know he puts on a good live show. I don't think he's done anything truly groundbreaking in a long time, but damn it, I love his voice and I just like him. So there you go. And Kentucky Prophet... oh christ. Absolute trainwreck. Avoid this band at all costs.

You can also hit up Jazz night at the Amsterdam bar as well.

1. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
2. The Polyphonic Spree - Wait
3. Beach House - Beach House
4. Ghostland Observatory - Paparazzi Lightning
5. Sparklehorse - Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain
6. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
7. Red Monroe - Red Monroe
8. Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory - Tree Colored See
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
10. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
11. Akron/Family - Meek Warrior
12. Yo La Tengo - I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass
13. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
14. My Morning Jacket - Okonokos
15. Ben Kweller - Ben Kweller
16. Subtle - For Hero For Fool
17. OOIOO - Taiga
18. The Hidden Cameras - Awoo
19. Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
20. Xiu Xiu - The Air Force

We'll have several local CD reviews this week in addition to other stuff we feel like writing about, but you should start the week off with this:

Here is a link to the full video of this past Friday's gubernatorial debate. Just watch a couple of minutes, and you'll figure out why you should vote for Chris Bell.

Remember, its Texas-OU weekend kids... so you're really going to want to avoid Greenville and Deep Ellum if you can. I'd tell you to avoid the West End too, but if you're the kind of person that would actually go there, you deserve to suffer.

FRIDAY

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's show with Ex Models at Gypsy is sold out, so unless you're going to hit up their Good Records instore today at 530 or you already have tickets to the Gypsy show, you simply aren't gonna see them. What to do?

I would suggest heading down to Minc (near the corner of Perry and Exposition in Expo Park) to catch DJ Nature with DJ Stephen R opening. Nature was just named Best Local DJ by the Observer, and Chris has been talking this show up today as well. Translation: you'll hear a guaranteed great DJ set packed with hits and shit you've never heard, and about half the people that you've ever seen at anything cool in Dallas will be there. A part of the other half will be at the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show I'm sure, but with no cover at Minc, I'm guessing it will be the after show spot of choice.

SATURDAY

Of course, the Rock Lottery will be happening at Dan's Silverleaf. The cost is ten bucks for the show itself, which starts at 10pm, and 15 for the show and the drawing, which happens at 10am and includes a free breakfast. The proceeds go to the Save Fry Street project, which is certainly a worth cause. The performers that you'll see are hit and miss to be sure, but there are enough highlights (members of Undoing of David Wright, Shiny Around the Edges, The Great Tyrant, Fra Pandolf, Spitfire Tumbleweeds and Faux Fox) to make it a pretty decent night. Even if you don't like every artist playing, I'm guessing it could be fun.

Next, Ghostland Observatory is playing Club Dada with Cartright and Tame...Tame and Quiet. I'm not completely sold on GO to be sure. They kind of remind me of the same old same old 80's inspired dance rock stuff that we've all heard so much of in recent years (think VHS or Beta in particular). However, the six or seven tracks I've heard from them are quite good for what they are, and based on all the good things I've heard about their live performances, I'm guessing this will be a solid show... the fact that two great bands are opening also helps quite a bit. I'd give it a shot.

I'll also mention that the Hold Steady is playing at Hailey's with Sean NaNa and Zykos. I'll state right up front: I'm not the biggest Hold Steady fan, and in fact, I really couldn't stand their last album. I haven't heard the new one so I can't really say anything about it, but I know we've probably got some Hold Steady fans here, and I thought I'd mention it. I'm a person of the people after all.

Pleasant Grove will be playing at Doublewide.

Also, Maaster Gaiden will be playing at 1919 Hemphill with TV's Daniel (click here for a video he directed) and Wax Museums. This should be a really good show. Check out TV's Daniel.

Thats it.

I'll admit it: I'm a complete geek, and I like a lot of really stupid music. And no, I'm not saying this in that "ironic" hipster way like "oh my god, 'Come on Eileen' is SUCH a guilty pleasure!" Saying something like that is easy because a lot of the music that people reference when they talk about guilty pleasures is actually nothing to feel guilty about, and they know it. What I'm talking about is REALLY bad music, the kind that shows up on my radar because I'm a wimp with bad taste. I'm talking about songs and artists that I won't even list on here because I'm afraid I'd lose half my audience if I did.

Put simply, I like a lot of 70's, 80's and early 90's teenage girl music, and most of it is completely indefensible. Of course, I listen to as much Cash, Coltrane and Dylan as the next guy, but sometimes I just want to hear some Sheila E or a choice cut off of Rhythm Nation, and theres nothing I can do about it. Its this side of me that is happy about the birth of MOViN 107.5.

I first heard about MOViN 107.5 through a post by our friend Eric over at Theme Park Experience. His focus was on the loss of Oasis, the smooth jazz format that the MOViN format has replaced, and the loss of jobs that came as a result of the switch. I then read a post about MOViN by Sam M. over on his new blog, where he likened the format to "a new take on 106.1 for white teenagers trapped in the year 1993." I knew right away that I'd have to check it out.

Of course, I don't want to celebrate the fact that a bunch of people lost their jobs this week. I also don't want to sit here and tell you how "bad" smooth jazz is, because knowing that is like knowing that the Earth is round. What I do want to say is that I've spent a total of about two hours listening to MOViN, and for better or worse, I kinda like it. For the record, I'll admit that about 50% of the music I've heard on the station so far has been complete crap. Destiny's Child, UB40, that annoying Gnarls Barkley song that I've heard 8 million times (sorry yupsters), Will Smith, and on and on. Pretty frustrating. But I've also heard Warren G, Outkast, Pet Shop Boys, Janet Jackson, Chic, Cameo, Donna Summer, Prince, Of Montreal (Ok ok, it was that Outback commercial) "Lucky Star," and the aforementioned Sheila E. Almost all of it is music that you'd never defend in public, but its also stuff that you might play at a stupid dance party at your place, which would provide you with a really convenient excuse to blast the kind of disco that has nothing to do with the words "Mutant" or "Italo." The format certainly isn't hip, but for Christ's sake, this is DFW radio people! Sometimes I don't have a CD or ipod in my car, and when a commercial break starts on The Ticket or NPR discusses a great recipe for Pumpkin Pie, I need somewhere to turn for a few minutes of even slightly entertaining music. The pickins in the metroplex are slim, as all of you know, and MOViN might just be your best bet if you can't stomach another Edge Cock Fight or the phrase "Ridin' Dirty."

Maybe these songs aren't as bad as I'm making them out to be, and part of me knows that I can get away with mentioning them because even the coolest dude on the block likes some of this stuff. But I figure something has to be said for a radio station that makes you laugh, or as MOViN itself puts it, "Makes you feel good." And besides, this post could have been a lot worse. It could have been about that Toad the Wet Sprocket song I really like.

A couple of MP3s, for sampling purposes only of course (sorry, the file hosting site that I normally use is down right now. You have to scroll down and click a couple of times to download from these links, but they work)

Janet Jackson, "What Have you Done for Me Lately" Link
Warren G, "Smokin' Me Out" Link
Sheila E, "The Glamorous Life" Link