Frontier Brothers, Calhoun, The Barons and Collin Herring

Now hailing from Austin (always the hippest and most malodorous Texas locale), the Frontier Brothers started out in Fort Worth, where they first concocted their danceable and harmonious indie pop. Inspired by David Bowie, ELO, Wilco and Ben Folds, as unlikely (and unattractive) a collection of artists as one is ever likely to compile, Marshal Galactic and the rest of this youthful trio are out in support of their sprightly new Solar Power Struggle EP. Pleasantly weird and not a little bit portentous, songs such as "Jump Blues," "Technicalelectronicsupersonicrobot" and "The Future Is" thoroughly summarize what the band is all about. Funny, engaging and convincingly frantic, the Frontier Brothers are either on the verge of something big or heading for a nervous breakdown. Adding luster to this stuffed bill are Calhoun and Collin Herring, two of Cowtown's most enduring acts, both capable of melding country's twang with some post-punk snarl. Calhoun's "Bullets That We Breathe" might be the band's calling card to wider recognition. Herring's just about to release his newest CD, Past Life Crashing, which was recorded in Nashville and produced by ex-Wilco member Ken Coomer.