John Congleton

16 of the Best Local Releases of 2012 1/2

As we wind down the month of June and find ourselves square in the middle of 2012, there's that old familiar nudge to gather, quantify, qualify and categorize the local music we've enjoyed so far this year. Here are some of of favorites.

Last Night Picture Show: St. Vincent at the Kessler Theater

St. VincentKessler TheaterOctober 23, 2011Better than: missing out on all three of Annie Clark's hometown performances this weekend.All photos by Pete FreedmanSt. Vincent performed triumphantly last night before a sold-out, hometown crowd at the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff.​This much is clear, ju ... More >>

Dallas' Own St. Vincent On Her Hometown Love For John Congleton, Zoo Music and Pantera

Dallas' Own Annie Clark.​Before Annie Clark was St. Vincent, before she was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and before she a member of Sufjan Steven's touring band, she was just a girl growing up in the Dallas suburbs that took guitar lessons at the Zoo Music on Garland Road."That's just in me," ... More >>

Get To Know Your DOMAXXIII Nominees: Best Solo Act, Best Alt-Country/Roots Act, Best Country Act

​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 Solo, Best Cou ... More >>

Astronautalis Finds Different Chart Success

Sarah Jaffe Talks Her New EP, That Disc's Cover Songs, and What To Expect From Her Next LP

​Earlier this week, Sarah Jaffe released The Way Sound Leaves a Room, a new EP/DVD release that features footage from her Wyly Theater performance from back in February, as well as eight never-before-released songs from the popular area singer-songwriter. The eight songs are particularly interesti ... More >>

Watch: St. Vincent Covers Tom Waits

Tina TyrellSt. Vincent​There will probably be a lot of Annie Clark, or as she's known on stage St. Vincent, news on DC9 in the coming weeks. Call it a hunch.Fresh off the heals of announcing a September 13 release date for her third record Strange Mercy, and a Sunday, October 23, Kessler Theater s ... More >>

John Congleton Puts The Paper Chase To Bed

Good Friday: The Nighty Nite's Dallas Debut, and The Rest of This Weekend's Best Shows

Part of The Nighty Nite​This weekend's concert portfolio is strong to quite strong. Interestingly enough, though, the biggest local show will be happening at one of the area's smallest venues, as John Congleton's new band The Nighty Nite make their Dallas debut at Double Wide on Saturday. They'll ... More >>

A Busy Thursday Night? A Busy Thursday Night!

Good Lord. Aside from a trio of metal bands, everything on the musical plate tonight is home grown. And guess what? It's all pretty great.

Bonus MP3: Jessie Frye - "Prepared"

​Back in 2009, when Denton piano-pop songstress Jessie Frye released her debut The Delve EP, our own Darryl Smyers wrote that "if Frye ever chooses to venture further from the safety net of her undeniable talent, she might prove to be dangerous in alarming ways." Now, with the release of the singe ... More >>

Show Announcements: Gustafer Yellowgold, Sade, John Legend, Pat Green, Journey, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Hed P.E., A-Track, Kid Sister & More!

​Today, over on the Good Records website, there's a slew of newly announced in-store performances. The most interesting of them all, though, is one sun-dwelling cartoon character named Gustafer Yellowgold, who will be gracing the astro-turf stage on Saturday, July 23, at 11 a.m. Well, that's not e ... More >>

How Dallas Shaped The Walkmen's Sound

The Best National Album Releases of 2010

Bonus MP3: Crushed Stars -- "Eyeliner"

Crushed Stars​ Speaking of Crushed Stars, mastermind Todd Gautreau will be bringing his project to La Grange tonight to showcase his latest material, which, mind you, is mostly the product of his own mind and playing. Aside from some assistance from drummer Jeff Ryan (Sarah Jaffe, Pleasant Grove) ... More >>

Tonight, Tonight: Crushed Stars' Record Release at La Grange, The Demigs at Dan's Silverleaf, Geistheistler at Rubber Gloves, J. Charles and Corey Howe at Bar Belmont and Cowboys From Hell Paso at Trees

A fairly busy Thursday night with some fine local acts showing their stuff all over the area.

DOMA XXII: And The Nominees Are...

​Well, we did it. Just minutes ago, we reached 300 followers on Twitter for our @DOMATweets account. Which means, as promised, it's time to reveal the ballots.After the jump, feel free to peruse the ballot for your 2010 Dallas Observer Music Awards. And, in the comments, go to town on your thought ... More >>

Good Friday: Swim Swim, Mount Righteous, Giggle Party, Darktown Strutters, Richmond Punch, DJ Nameless, Animal House and More

"Animal House" at the Lounge on Elm Street Saturday is not a screening of the classic college comedy, but you are certainly welcome to drink like it is. ​Just because it's freezing out and everyone in Dallas seems to have a sinus infection doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself at a show. Misery lo ... More >>

The Best Songs in Dallas Music, 2009: St. Vincent's "Marrow" Chills Us To The Core at No. 3

[Editor's Note: Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be presenting my favorite local songs of the year, counting down from No. 25 to No. 1, one track a day. Today we take an in-depth look at song No. 4 on the list--and, please, feel free to click after the jump for a free download of the track. Lastl ... More >>

Counting Down the Best Local Albums of '09

Presenting The Best DFW Albums of 2009...

[Editor's Note: In this week's paper, you'll see my picks for the best DFW albums of 2009. Unfortunately, because of space concerns in print, some of the column was cut. So I've decided to print the whole thing here in full. Check it out. Argue away. Do your thing. And check some of our writers' pic ... More >>

Giveaway: Five Pairs of Tickets To See Bill Callahan at the Granada Theater on Friday

For two albums now, the artist formerly known as Smog and (Smog) has gone by his birth name, Bill Callahan, and despite of some early concern from his fans, the past few years have really only seen Callahan's fanbase grow. It helps, of course, that 2007's Woke on a Whaleheart was Callahan's poppies ... More >>

Jessie Frye Is Recording Her New EP with John Congleton, Performing Her Birthday Show This Friday

Frye seems to have the whole "look pensive while sitting out in a field" thing down.​Local singer/songwriter Jessie Frye is in the studio recording a new EP with producer John Congleton at the helm. Seems like an odd pairing at first--especially since Frye's debut EP, The Delve, was such a meticul ... More >>

Analog Rebellion (formerly PlayRadioPlay!) Announces New Album Details

Kolby Schnelli Analog Rebellion's Daniel Hunter​I perfectly understand Daniel Hunter's frustration. Really, I do. As PlayRadioPlay!, the Aledo native did get lumped into the mall-punk scene by a lot of people--us here at DC9 included. But, upon going back and listening to the still super-young 20- ... More >>

DOMA XXI: And The Nominees Are...

This year's trophy will look nothing like the Heisman. Sorry to get your hopes up.A few weeks back, the 2009 Dallas Observer Music Awards balloting process began--somewhat quietly, I admit.  Distinguished area musicians, producers, booking agents, sound engineers, bloggers, journalists a ... More >>

What It Was Like: Beach House, The Paper Chase, Tricky, Devo

Jesse HugheyDevo at Austin Music Hall Friday night. Act: Beach HouseWhere: Cedar Street CourtyardWhat It Was Like: Packed. There were obviously quite a few fans of Beach House's mellow, cheery songs. Also, judging by all the "Who are these guys?" I heard, many badge-holders were taking advantage of ... More >>

Semester's End Marked by a Great Night of Denton Music

Our 20th Music Awards

1988-2008: Two Decades of DOMA

DOMA XX: And The Nominees Are...

Ain't No Mountain High

The musicians behind Mount Righteous' feel-good amp-less ensemble aim to get you on their level

Mount Righteous Dispatches From The Road: Day One, Off To Abilene

Same Difference

With EITS and the Paper Chase, the song doesn't remain the same

Chairmen of the Board

Erik Wofford and John Congleton on the art of production

Wait No Longer, Spree Fans

Devil's Day

This Tuesday, Satan's gaping black mouth shall spit forth...the new Ice Cube CD

Wright Amendment

The industrial-wave insanity of Denton's best underground trio fits somewhere nicely between Satan and Sartre

Odds & Ends

Who says you need to go to Austin this weekend for a good concert or four?

the pAper chAse | Will Johnson

Split 7” (Idol)

Kill ’em All

The pAper chAse brings out the knives. Again.

"A Good Guy"

Dallas says goodbye to another local musician

Safe at Home

Don’t forget the local boys...and girl

Scene, Heard

If it is a joke, the Reds are doing their best not to laugh.

Scene, Heard

With special guest: Music Centre at Fair Park

Baboon

A Bum Note and a Bead of Sweat (Last Beat)

Scene, Heard

Band-related paper cuts and other ironies.

Dallas Stars

Revisiting the best local albums of 2000

Scene, Heard

Budapest One, Bobgoblin & Adventures of Jet

Across the Bar

Adventure Club's b-day bash; "Surreal" multi-act bills; Funland reunited (sort-of); Get a job

Across the Bar

[DARYL]'s Communication; Centro-matic is almost automatic; Captain Audio has The Cure; And more

Across the Bar

Potluck Audio; Club B-day; Aden high Five; It's not easy being Green