Email Author Darryl Smyers

2005 Stories by Darryl Smyers

• The Silos

  published October 13, 2005

  It has been argued that without the Silos, there wouldn't be an alt-country movement. So great is the admiration for their 1987 masterwork... More >>

• The Occasion

  published October 6, 2005

  As much an art school collective as a proper group, the five New Yorkers who make up The Occasion create some of the quietest racket imaginable.... More >>

• Jello Biafra with the Melvins

  published September 29, 2005

  Godfather of American punk, former Dead Kennedys' front man Jello Biafra has been comfortable on the spoken word circuit for years, releasing an... More >>

• Echo and The Bunnymen

  published September 22, 2005

  Since reclaiming the moniker in 1997, mainstays Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant have grappled with issues of age and relevance, but Siberia... More >>

• Buddy Guy

  published September 22, 2005

  Even at age 69, legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, who Clapton himself called "the greatest guitar player alive," can still burn up a fretboard.... More >>

• C.C. Adcock

  published September 22, 2005

  With events in Louisiana on folks' minds these days, the delightfully outrageous Cajun rock of C.C. Adcock might well provide some needed respite.... More >>

• Billy Bob Thornton

  published September 15, 2005

  Despite such strong evidence as the likes of Bob Dylan and Jules Shears, a bad singer does not always equal a great songwriter. And make no... More >>

• Inara George

  published September 15, 2005

  In the music biz, a family name is more often a curse than a blessing. After all, Tito Jackson never compared to Michael and Janet, and Lisa Marie... More >>

• Run-DMC

  published September 8, 2005

  Back in 1982, when I first heard Run-DMC, I thought it was a joke. Really, two guys yelling over a beat box? And what exactly was this kind of... More >>

• Modey Lemon

  published September 8, 2005

  When in doubt, plunder the Stooges. On their quality new release, The Curious City, this Pittsburgh trio throws in some not-so-subtle nods... More >>

• Merle Haggard

  published September 1, 2005

  Why is Merle always third in the list? When people talk about country legends, it's always Johnny Cash, then Willie Nelson, then Merle... More >>

• Mayday

  published August 25, 2005

  Influenced by, of all things, teenage death ballads of the '50s, the Nebraskans in Mayday actually fly closer to alt-country than they may care to... More >>

• Adrian Belew

  published August 25, 2005

  With an instantly recognizable style and a body of work as substantial as any session guitarist, Adrian Belew makes a rare Dallas appearance. For... More >>

• Flotation Toy Warning

  published August 18, 2005

  Buried beneath the found sounds and homemade instruments of the intriguing debut from London five piece Flotation Toy Warning are songs of quiet... More >>

• John Vanderslice

  published August 18, 2005

  "Being Joan Crawford at 21 was easy," sings John Vanderslice on "Letter to the East Coast," one of many tantalizing obscurities collected on his... More >>

• Darryl Lee Rush

  published August 18, 2005

  Llano Avenue, written and performed by Dallas resident Darryl Lee Rush, is the least hip country effort you are likely to stumble across... More >>

• Zuco 103

  published August 11, 2005

  Three Brazilians record Latin hip-hop in Amsterdam with legendary Jamaican producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, and the results are released on a San... More >>

• Hayes Carll

  published August 4, 2005

  Last time I saw Hayes Carll, he could have easily been mistaken for a homeless guy who somehow wandered onstage. Even some of his most ardent... More >>

• Chris Whitley

  published July 21, 2005

  Back in 1991, Chris Whitley's debut record was a critical favorite played incessantly by indie record store clerks and praised for its... More >>

• Castanets

  published July 21, 2005

  Raymond Raposa is the creepy kind of guy who has just enough genius to stay on the critics' radar but off the police lineup. He is the core of... More >>

• Guthrie Kennard

  published July 14, 2005

  As a longtime bassist for Ray Wylie Hubbard, Guthrie Kennard has spent a good while compiling songs and absorbing influences. Ranch Road 12... More >>

• The Willowz

  published July 14, 2005

  Although Willowz singer Richie James Follin sneers as well as anyone since Sky Saxon, the "garage" tag often associated with his Anaheim foursome... More >>

• Adam Carroll

  published July 14, 2005

  Adam Carroll's latest album, Far Away Blues, sounds like it's proud of its Texana label--glad to be associated with Robert Earl Keen and... More >>

• The Jim Yoshii Pile Up

  published July 7, 2005

  "You are all hereby formally indicted," sings Paul Gozenbach on "A Toast to the Happy Couple," with all the rage and acrimony he can muster... More >>

• Paul Anka

  published June 30, 2005

  Crusty, one-time teen idol Paul Anka doesn't deserve much credit for Rock Swings, a semi-successful marriage of modern pop-rock and swing.... More >>