Welcome to our 2011 Dallas Observer Music
Awards breakdown, wherein we'll use the weeks leading up to the DOMA
showcases on Saturday, October 15 (which is also when voting ends), to
explain the nominees in each category Today, we look at the nominees in
the Best Instrumentalist, Best Radio Show, and Best Blog/Website categories and see how each of
these nominees got to this point. Read up on them, follow the links to
hear their music and, if you're impressed, shoot the band some support
in the first of a text vote sent to 61721 (see codes for each band below
their names).
Best Instrumentalist
Ryan Thomas Becker (RTB2, Madison King)
Text Your Vote: DAL132
Why He's Here: Ryan Thomas Becker is a jack of all trades. He's a great guitar player and songwriter, and he even played keyboards for Eaton Lake Tonics until they broke up earlier this year. Not only that, but he works well in a wide range of styles.
Don Cento (El Cento, Shibboleth)
Text Your Vote: DAL133
Why He's Here: Don Cento is kind of a cerebral musician. He's a multi-talented master of several instruments, and has played in smart pop bands such as Chomsky, Shibboleth and El Cento for well over a decade.
Scott Danbom (Centro-Matic, Sarah Jaffe)
Text Your Vote: DAL134
Why He's Here: Scott Danbom is the glue that holds Centro-matic together, smoothing off the rough edges of Will Johnson's gritty songs with harmonies, piano and violin. He does the same in Sarah Jaffe's band, too.
Sean Kirkpatrick (Nervous Curtains)
Text Your Vote: DAL135
Why He's Here: Sean Kirkpatrick brings an interesting, slightly demented feel to his piano style. His band, Nervous Curtains, is a piano-heavy trio led by Kirkpatrick's avant garde approach to pop music.
Chris Mayes (The Naptime Shake, The Boom Boom Box)
Text Your Vote: DAL136
Why He's Here: Chris Mayes has long been the auxiliary instrumentalists in Dallas' most tasteful acts. Add to his time in The Naptime Shake and The Boom Boom Box his tenure in Pleasant Grove, where he shined on the keyboards and slide guitar.
Chris Semmelbeck (Seryn)
Text Your Vote: DAL137
Why He's Here: Seryn is a highly emotive act, but without Semmelbeck, their shows would only be half as energetic. His drumming drives the band forward. But he also fills in on quite a few other instruments like banjo, accordion, guitar, and pump organ. Talented dude.
Best Radio Show
"The Adventure Club" On KDGE-102.1 FM The Edge
Text Your Vote: DAL80
Why They're Here: For over 17 years, "The Adventure Club" has helped area listeners discover new indie and alternative music during its three-hour slot on Sunday nights. Each week the show starts too late and ends too early, acting as a great bookend to the week.
"The Good Show" On KTCU-88.7 FM The Choice
Text Your Vote: DAL181
Why They're Here: For over a decade Tom Urquhart and Chris Bellomy have been hosting "The Good Show" on The Choice, offering TCU students and Fort Worth dwellers a chance to hear a wide variety of underground music.
"Infrequent Exposure" On KNTU-88.1 FM The One
Text Your Vote: DAL182
Why They're Here: Started by UNT student Holly Groos in 2009, "Infrequent Exposure" has become a staple of underground music listening in Denton. Now, with the torch handed off to host Shelley Jackson, the show continues to be a success.
"The Local Edge" On KDGE-102.1 FM The Edge
Text Your Vote: DAL183
Why They're Here: Mark Shectman, the host of "The Local Edge," won this category last year. Thanks to the way he has breathed life into local music radio in Dallas, by simply not playing the butt-rock that previously occupied the time slot, his nomination will be a tough one to beat.
"The Paul Slavens Show" On KKXT-91.7 FM KXT
Text Your Vote: DAL184
Why They're Here: Over six years ago, Paul Slavens started a Sunday evening radio show that shed light on an eclectic mix of local and national acts. Mix in Slavens' off the wall, and often times silly personality, and you've got yourself a good show.
"Texas Mix" On KKXT-91.7 FM KXT
Text Your Vote: DAL185
Why They're Here: The "Texas Mix" hasn't been on in a while, but when it was on, it was really on. Playing the best artists of Texas' wide ranging list of genres, the show is a great way to discover new music being made around the corner.
Best Blog/Website
But I Just Like Music (Butijustlikemusic.com)
Text Your Vote: DAL186
Why They're Here: But I Just Like Music has grown over the last year. It has gone from a small two-person operation and expanded for quite a few more voices. The blog now has five writers and covers a wide a varying range of local and national acts.
DBF Music (DBF-Music.com)
Text Your Vote: DAL187
Why They're Here: For almost five years, DBF Music has been covering national music from right here in town. The site features a good number of album reviews and concert reviews with photos.
Gorilla Vs. Bear (Gorillavsbear.net)
Text Your Vote: DAL188
Why They're Here: The impact that Gorilla Vs. Bear has had on the blogosphere as a whole has been astounding. A mention on this blog has been the start of a buzz avalanche for many up-and-coming acts.
Subservient Experiment (Subservientexperiment.com)
Text Your Vote: DAL189
Why They're Here: The guys at Subservient Experiment are very particular about what they like. You'll see local acts and quirky national acts covered daily on the site. And every few months the blog will put on a great local show.
Violitionist Sessions (Violitionist.com)
Text Your Vote: DAL190
Why They're Here: Violitionist Sessions is the only nominee on the list that is primarily a video blog. They compile well edited video of studio performances and interviews to create compelling looks at North Texas bands.
Weekly Tape Deck (Weeklytapedeck.com)
Text Your Vote: DAL191
Why They're Here: Weekly Tape Deck takes a high brow approach to music blogging. Not chained to the local scene, the mp3 blog is constantly on the look out for underground acts to showcase. And they do an extensive job of it.
