You could call it a tale of two cities. Within Denton city limits lie two distinct communities separated by nothing more than railroad tracks and a sign. On one side, you have the Denton everyone thinks of: Dan’s Silverleaf, great indie bands, and the Courthouse. On the other side, you…
Rumors of the deaths of The New York Times and Warner Bros. are exaggerated. Yes, artists and bands have online services like iTunes, Bandcamp and Onesheet to control their image, music and distribution, now more than ever. But that’s not all that’s needed. In this ever-changing landscape, the fate of…
In the early oughts, few indie bands garnered as much attention and adoration as Grandaddy. Their albums The Sophtware Slump and Sumday were hits with fans and critics alike, and they seemed to position the band to break on through to the mainstream. But, as it turned out, the slacker…
That first step into Midlake’s new studio is a tricky one — especially at night. The entry way is actually a sectioned-off sitting room, and it’s pitch black, forcing one to step lightly to avoid knocking over anything of value. The blackness is fitting, representing the blank slate a new…
If it seems like you’ve seen a lot of Jeff Beck the last few years, that’s because you have. After decades of lengthy periods away from music, broken up by sporadic releases or tours, Beck seems to have finally come to enjoy being back in the spotlight. It’s curious, too,…
Dan Bejar doesn’t consider music his “first calling.” He feels he’d be more suited for the monotony of career in data entry instead. “I think it seems soothing,” he says. A sense of jittery uneasiness with his chosen profession has led Bejar, who records and performs as Destroyer, to a…
Beth OrtonDan’s Silverleaf in DentonFebruary 18, 2011Better than: the sore throat I’ve picked up since the show. It seems like two or three times a year, Dan’s Silverleaf gets a performer that causes one to double take. Bill Frisell, Daniel Lanois, any number of jazz luminaries in town to work…
When England’s Beth Orton met Midlake at the Mojo Magazine Awards last year, the artists got along so well that they discussed working together in the near future. And while that sort of thing happens all the time in music to no end result, Orton and Midlake may actually have…
Jonathan RichmanRubber Gloves Rehearsal StudiosFebruary 13, 2011Better than: watching the Grammys. A Jonathan Richman show is like nothing else. This was evident very early on last night. Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, where Richman performed on Sunday night, is notoriously smoky and never in any particular hurry to start the evening’s…
Jonathan Richman is not what you would call “unknown.” As the brains behind The Modern Lovers, Richman laid the groundwork for new wave, punk, and being influenced by The Velvet Underground. He also acted as the squirrelly chorus in There’s Something About Mary. And he still records and tours regularly…
Like a tidal wave of Sunny D, a rash of lo-fi beach pop bands has flooded the musical landscape over the past couple of years. Endlessly hooky, hopelessly poppy and undeniably likable, bands such as Dum Dum Girls, Best Coast, Smith Westerns and Wavves have also flooded year-end “Best Of”…
To hear Menkena’s people tell it, the Dallas band’s debut album, With You I’ll Travel, is the next great shoegaze masterpiece, full of all the shimmering layers of tinny guitars, nearly indistinguishable vocals and spacey loops you’d expect from the category. That’s not exactly what you get with Menkena’s album…
It’s only natural to envy those who seem to excel at anything they attempt. Whether it’s in work, in sports, an ollie axel stall 270 flip out, whatever—these people win at life with little to no effort. They seem to live outside the limits of normal folk. Malcolm Gladwell even…
Ghost of a Saber Tooth TigerDan’s Silverleaf, DentonJanuary 18, 2010Better Than: Dhani Harrison’s band with Ben Harper. Here’s the thing: It may be in bad taste, but when there’s the son of a Beatle in the room, it’s difficult to get past that. Especially when we’re not just talking any…
Charlotte Kemp Muhl hasn’t always been a musician. She’s pretty new to it, in fact. For most of her career she’s modeled, appearing on the cover of Harper’s, and worked for Tommy Hilfiger, D&G, Maybelline and others. Until recently, the extent of her musical endeavors has been strumming a guitar…
Royal Bangs, Goldilocks and The Rock and Land Animals Hailey’s January 14, 2011 Better Than: The Falcons performance against the Packers on Saturday. A small but dedicated crowd fought the cold wind and drizzle Friday night to hear Knoxville’s Royal Bangs play at Hailey’s Club in Denton. While the weather…
When you hear that a child of a Beatle is coming to town, do you really need another reason to go to a show? Especially when the Beatle-child in question is the offspring of arguably the most beloved of all of the Beatles? From the standpoint of celebrity, it’s surprising…
Local music tends to roll one of two directions: It either shoots for the moon and adopts a universal, accessible sound (to varying degrees of artistic success), or it turns inward to play only for the local community (to varying degrees of artistic merit). Denton’s Novaak takes the former route…
Telegraph Canyon, Doug Burr, Seryn, Monahans, Birds & Batteries, Glen FarrisHailey’s Club, DentonDecember 4, 2010Better than: paying for your own wassail. The folks at Spune have not only established themselves as a leading local label and promotion company. They’ve also become quite the hosts. Every few months, the company puts…
Justin Townes Earle, Caitlin Rose, The O’sGranada TheaterDecember 3, 2010Better than: seeing a washed up, crappy honky tonk wannabe band in some two-bit bar. There’s a concept in the Orthodox Church that says, when you enter a worship service, you step outside of time into an eternal “now.” There’s no…
Justin Townes Earle is making quite a name for himself. Sure, he has a couple of pretty famous names already — his father is Steve Earle, and his middle name comes courtesy of Townes Van Zandt. But the younger Earle has been making headlines all on his own the past…
Justin Townes Earle is one tough sonuvabitch. He’s lived homeless on the streets of Nashville, been addicted to crack and heroin, and hung out with “killers and prostitutes.” And all before he turned 20. How could he not be tough? Considering he is the son of Steve Earle—and the namesake…
