Some say The Ponys were too late to the garage rock revival–another me-too gang of half-Strokes, half-Hives hipsters–but anyone who caught the Chicago band in concert last year knows what the real problem was. Lead singer Jered Gummere had a terrible habit of squealing in falsetto after every fourth syllable,…
On last summer’s Curiosa Festival, a Cure-headlined road show that also featured sets by such Cure-influenced hot shots as Interpol, the Rapture and Thursday, U.K. power trio Muse were the odd men out: They’re not stylish, they don’t have great haircuts, they don’t write songs about the interminable melancholy of…
These days, I can’t walk into a music venue without bumping into a roller derby fund-raiser, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Sure, I dig the eye candy, but more important, the rock-loving, roller-skate-wearing chicks indirectly help me with a weird rating system: A band’s quality is proportional to…
Recently, the Dallas Observer has obtained riders for awards show performers Burden Brothers, Radiant*, Tahiti, Dallas Observer supergroup and Zayra Alvarez. Burden Brothers 4 — cases Miller Lite 3 — bottles Jägermeister 1 — beer bong 1 — quarter (preferably “Vermont”) 1 — designated driver 4 — bottles Wet ‘n’…
It was as unexpected as tax season. A little more than a week after Jesse Chaddock received a sentence of 19 years for organized crime in the July 26 beating of David Cunniff at the Gypsy Tea Room, the Cunniff family (including daughters Courtney and Caitlen and son Ryan) filed…
In remembrance: On April 13, local band Daynger Lagoone played its first and final concert. The young Dallas band performed that evening as part of the Curtain Club’s “New Music Festival Band Search” series, and after winning the night’s contest, lead singer Robert “Tuck” Tucker walked into the bathroom. Minutes…
Whatever and Ever Amen, Ben Folds Five’s breakout album, was filled with the snarky, stoned, hilarious observations of a man who didn’t know whether to cry or write a musical satire about it. It’s almost a decade later now–Folds is solo, married (happily, for a change) and he’s a father,…
Shocker: English musicians who dress up like World War I “Tommies,” populate their stages with stuffed birds and bears, and write eccentric postpunk romantica about Dostoyevsky and colonic irrigation aren’t likely to win much more than a tiny cult following in America, or in the U.K. for that matter. And…
Only two of New Order’s three signature elements are present on Waiting for the Sirens’ Call–Bernard Sumner’s airy voice and Peter Hook’s springy bass. And that’s not enough to keep the magic going. The Manchester legends have joined R.E.M. on the growing list of ’80s icons who have declined from…
Poor Moby. No matter how many commercials feature his music, how many awards adorn his mantel or how many hip vegetarian restaurants he owns, it can’t be fun being second only to Ja Rule on Eminem’s shit list. The feud between the rap prince and the twerpcore king may or…
The title of Eniac’s final album, All That’s Left of Us, meant something different in 2002. Back then, the name was just a snippet of lyrics in “Skeleton Crew,” a declarative emo song about missing an ex. But three years later, the title seems strangely prophetic, as this album is…
It’s hardly possible to beat the Radar Bros. at their game, a slow-strummed perfection that recalls Pink Floyd’s quiet psychedelic balladry, while delving into the immaculate California-chill harmonies of the Byrds. It’s no surprise they reside on the consistently stellar Merge label, but what is surprising is that they remain…
Worlds Apart gets Austin noise-rock act …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead pretty close to its prog-rock apotheosis, with strings, horns, a kids choir and more than one chamber-music interlude. But onstage the band remains a potent group of pissed-off punks. Recent shows have included deafening…
With a crazed glare, singer Sean Halleck declared his band’s intentions on CBS’ Late Late Show: “Chomsky is coming!” The catchy August 2004 performance was a welcome change of pace for Dallas’ XTC-loving pop-rockers, who had seen no radio or video support after signing a national deal with Aezra Records…
Stereophonics front man Kelly Jones has been Britpop’s bridesmaid–but never its bride–for so long you could hardly blame him for throwing in the towel. Name the first fellow U.K. rock act that comes to mind, and it’s likely experienced more in the way of success than the Stereophonics: Oasis, Blur,…
U2 has gone from the band that mattered most to arguably the most irrelevant. There, I said it. But just because I threw myself on the proverbial cross and ‘fessed up, I don’t expect you to go out and hawk your tickets to U2’s sold-out show at American Airlines Center…
One Tree Hill is not a show I’ve ever seen. I know it’s on the WB and it’s popular with preteens and it stars some dudes named James Lafferty and Chad Michael Murray, who is, according to one particularly breathless posting, “like the hottest guy on t.v., movies, anywhere!” I…
Fair warning: On Friday and Saturday, Fry Street Fair finally returns to Denton…we think. The Denton music festival, whose attendance peaked at 20,000 in 2002, was booted out of its hometown two years ago when city officials protested rising costs, crowds and security concerns. Rather than cancel, Fair organizers at…
On 2003’s The Chain Gang of Love, The Raveonettes more or less re-created the Jesus and Mary Chain’s discography for people who weren’t aware Rhino had already released a JAMC best-of, 21 Singles, a year earlier. William and Jim Reid could have sued The Raveonettes for royalties and the case…
Mark Everett’s at it again, moaning-groaning (some would call it singing, but shouldn’t) about how it feels so great to feel so fucking awful. “Do you know what it’s like to fall on the floor, to cry your guts out till you got no more?” he wonders, the peppy music…
The last time New York’s high-concept electroclash outfit Fischerspooner tried to go pop, they didn’t have much in the way of songs to help them make an impact with people not easily impressed by synthesizer squelch alone. So they came up with a stage show heavy on the spectacle their…
The loss of original member and bassist Nick Oliveri has sucked the life out of Queens of the Stone Age, leaving front man Josh Homme to lead his band without the screaming bassist to add a necessary spark. Some songs on Lullabies to Paralyze are just as rocking as past…
