The title is something of an imperative: Lean back, kick off your flip-flops and don’t bogart that joint, my friend. This charming, endlessly listenable debut from the Los Angeles band–spearheaded by writer/producer Chris Colthart, who also sings and plays guitar–is brimming with spaced-out ’60s pop, like the soundtrack to a…

Among the instruments in Tree Wave’s arsenal are: an old beige Commodore computer, a 1985 Epson dot matrix printer and an Atari console that hasn’t been in fashion since Knots Landing ruled prime time. Tree Wave makes music with these clunky ancients and–believe it or not–it’s good. This isn’t a…

Colin Meloy was not a normal boy. He loved books more than just about anything–Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Piers Anthony–and had a rather unsettling fascination with axe murderers. At the age of 7, he wrote, directed and starred in his own play, “The Bloody Knight,” which he describes as “basically…

There was a day when fame meant hoofing it in some big-budget musical or, maybe, a spot on Solid Gold. In these complicated times of bloggers and Real World celebrities, however, success is a far trickier beast. How do you know when you’re famous? Is it when your sex tape…

These aren’t your father’s classical musicians. They’re young, dressed-down and prefer Depeche Mode to, say, the church choir. They are also making classical music–that ultimately expressive but occasionally stuffy music form–into something for all ages, what violinist/composer Mark Landson calls “new classical.” They use videos, work with dancers, spruce up…

Last Saturday, The Vanished held a press conference. “Thank you for spending your afternoon with us,” said lead singer Kevin Kirkwood, twisting around on his swivel chair somewhat nervously. “I wouldn’t even be out of bed yet if I was you guys.” The room was lit for a hangover, or…

Buzz-Oven’s Aden Holt is doing it for the kids. And we love him for that. His Buzz-Oven project, introducing high-schoolers to local music through free CDs and all-ages shows, is an ingenious marriage of art and commerce. Coca-Cola pays for ad space; kids get turned on to Dallas talent. Past…

In a parking garage near the Fort Worth Convention Center, monster trucks gobble up the compact-car spaces. A Firebird blazes past with four young women in fuchsia lipstick and tops held together by strings. In the passenger seat of a Mazda, a woman catches your eye. Pat Benatar clothes; your…

Blues clubs used to rule Deep Ellum. Back when Blind Lemon Jefferson was busking the streets, the whole place throbbed with it, pouring out of bars and brothels. But if the blues knows one thing, it’s this: Times can be tough. Over the decades, the blues disappeared from Deep Ellum,…

Over the past few weeks, acceptance letters have been arriving in the mailboxes of local musicians. Baboon got one. So did Pleasant Grove, and [DARYL], and the Riverboat Gamblers, and Speedealer, and 21 other acts from the Dallas/Denton area. The good news: They’re playing SXSW in Austin, March 17 through…

Trey Johnson didn’t say much when he took the stage at the Sons of Hermann Hall, just launched into the music–catchy roots-rock with a twinge of the high and lonesome. The band was opening for the Old 97’s that night, and though the place was humid and clattering with people…

Nothing says “I love you” like fork-tongued thrash metal. That’s why, just in time for V-Day, we bring you the romantic saga of Dallas-based Damageplan, the new noise gods on the block formed by guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul, formerly of Pantera. With Pat Lachman on vocals, Bob…

At 14 years old, nothing stirred me like 10,000 Maniacs–the righteousness of their songs, the style and unmistakable alto of Natalie Merchant, like a cool senior girl in funky tights and vintage clothes. Listening to their two-CD boxed set, all I can say is: What was I thinking? Songs about…

Last Sunday, like all Sundays, Kirk Franklin went to church. Later, he horsed around with the little ones, got soapy and soggy giving them a bath, watched the Super Bowl in his pajamas with his wife and went to bed. Such is the life of a gospel superstar. Last month,…

Everybody was drunk, the Weary Boys were tearing it up, and no one knew which one came first. But the floor trembled with foot stomps, and couples poured onto the dance floor, tumbling into each other and spilling their drinks. Old men at the bar looked up from their Jack…

At 7:10 last Thursday night, Davíd Garza took the stage at Club Dada. With just a guitar and a glass of red wine, he began playing through a handful of what he jokingly called “old geezer Deep Ellum classics”–Sara Hickman’s “Simply” and Edie Brickell and the New Bohemian’s “Little Miss…

Let me guess: You don’t like classical music. The very words make you itch like a new church suit, make you check to see if your shirttail is hanging out. It’s not that classical music is terrible; it’s just one of those fine art forms–like modern dance or abstract art–that…

A few weeks ago, I received a letter from a reader. “I think you have a great spark,” it began. (Or was it, “Shut yer pie hole, you stinking hack”? I get them all confused.) “And I would love to see you write about the Democratic Party candidates for 2004.”…

A few weeks ago, as usual, we were speaking out of ignorance. “Why don’t local bands put out more compilation CDs?” we griped. “Why don’t they get together more often, do something cool and out of the ordinary?” We were thinking along the lines of hoot nights, actually, or a…

Chip Taylor was an answer on Jeopardy the other day. The question–for 500 points, Alex–was this: Who penned the Troggs’ hit record, “Wild Thing,” in the ’60s? The question also could have been: Who penned Juice Newton’s hit record, “Angel of the Morning,” in the ’70s? Or perhaps: What successful…