This week in print, I check in with Sarah Alexander and Nevada Hill, two Denton musicians who host Tiger Dick, a weekly radio show devoted to the unheard and unseen. Dallas Distortion Music chats with Alan Ayo about their first year in business. Kelly Dearmore asks Thee Silver Mt. Zion…
Austin synth/drum duo Zorch have yet to release a proper album, but last summer’s cassette on experimental label Insect Records showed just how nuanced their sound has become. “Cosmic Gloss” is one of those wonderful rabbit holes where their glitchy samples, soulful vocals and warped beats are always one step…
In a cozy house in Denton this particular Tuesday night, conversation runs the gamut from pig’s blood in the Trinity River to being attacked by a nest of water moccasins to religion. Sarah Alexander and Nevada Hill play a snippet of a poem by music writer Byron Coley, which includes…
Lead Lemonhead Evan Dando has no problems performing under the name of the band that made him an indie-rock hero. “I love the liquid aspect. It keeps it fresh,” he says. Keeping the sounds of his past vibrant seems to be the order of the day: The current version of…
If you look at the direction of Thurston Moore’s three solo records — released over the span of 16 years starting in 1995 — you can’t help but notice he’s getting further away from Sonic Youth. 1995’s Psychic Hearts was heavy and angular, and 2007’s Trees Outside the Academy mellowed…
Denton Square Donuts, Little D’s newest “why-is-that-a-venue?” venue, hosts a powerhouse lineup headlined by quirky acoustic act Fishboy, who recently added Boxcar Bandits bassist Ryan Williams to his band, nicely rounding out an already solid roster of seasoned musicians. DSD, which used to be the Hydrant Café just off the…
Machine Head’s latest opus, Unto the Locust, only adds to their vast catalog of smart, powerful metal. Expect the new stuff to mix effortlessly with classics like “Davidian” and “Ten Ton Hammer,” as Machine Head is the middle ground between older, full-sleeve-tatted folks and younger, not-yet-sleeve-tatted kids. Neither nu-metal nor…
This Welsh septet arrived four years ago on the coattails of similarly energetic U.K. bands (Bloc Party, The Go! Team), blending clamor with sweetness. “You! Me! Dancing!,” off their 2008 debut, Hold On Now, Youngster, boasts such bracing pop attack, Budweiser used it in a commercial last year. The writing…
For those who thought Ben Kweller was being cute by releasing a country album that coincided with his move back to Texas in 2009, his latest proves it wasn’t just posturing. The guy can write a good country song, as well as a good pop song, and those two things…
Efrim Menuck of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra has a simple request of music fans and writers alike: Become engaged and find your own voice. The Canadian native, who’s also in the process of reigniting his seminal band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, cuts a definitive path to what society…
It blogs. It books cool local music shows. It’s a must-follow Facebook and Twitter page. It promotes bands, free of charge. So what is Dallas Distortion Music, exactly? Essentially, DDM is Matt Vickers, 34, and Evan Henry, 15. They started out as big fans of Sub Pop Records and ended…
Sunday afternoon at the Webb Gallery promises to be quite the feat of synergy, which seems to be a keyword on the blog this week. The Waxahachie gallery and Good Records are combining forces to bring you Groove, a fusion of Texas music and art. The art part comes via…
Doomtree Dan’s Silverleaf Tuesday, February 7 In a year spent throne-watching, Doomtree’s 2011 release, No Kings, was an interesting comment on hip-hop’s climate. Excessive in its own right, the Minneapolis collective has no less than seven official collaborators contributing to the final sound of their latest record. Not the baroque…
Poster of the Week has been on hiatus for a bit, but we had to bring it back when we saw this poster for Thurston Moore’s show on Friday. Local artist Scott Spooner says he was inspired by the song “Blood Never Lies,” from Moore’s latest album, Demolished Thoughts: “In…
Since You Me at Six is already a major success in their home country of England, Josh Franceschi and crew have now set their sights on conquering America. To that end, the pop-punk five-piece recently released Sinners Never Sleep, their most mature effort to date. Featuring intense numbers like “Bite…
Dallas five-piece The Blurries are riding high from the accolades of last year’s Paper Cuts. With upcoming appearances at Dada and 35 Denton, bassist Andy Lester took some time out to talk about the first shows he saw and played, including when PJ Harvey scared him. What was the first…
Why does every band these days with a reverb pedal and penchant for black leather jackets get compared to the Jesus & Mary Chain? Because the brothers Reid paved the way for them with 1985’s Psychocandy, an album that deserves to be played a full volume with the windows open…
Looks like Texas will have to wait a while for St. Vincent to come back, though I would probably stab someone in the eye with a spork to see her and Tune-yards perform their West Coast shows in April. In the meantime, here’s the latest video from 2011’s Strange Mercy,…
There are few things that cure day-after-drinking hell better than a Bloody Mary. It’s got to be a salad in a glass for the really bad ones, when you feel heavy at the forehead like a sledgehammer. Obviously, there’s a number of additional things you can do for yourself: Get…
With all our Madonna pre- and post-Super Bowl fanaticism in the bag, of course she’s going to announce her world tour. And she’s coming to American Airlines Center on Saturday, October 20, roughly six months after her new album, MDNA, comes out. Tickets go on sale Monday, February 27, at…
Judging by Jillian Edwards’ recently released sophomore effort, Head First, the Richardson-bred singer-songwriter shouldn’t have much trouble making it in Nashville. Tunes such as “No Other Plans” and “Mind Made Up” show Edwards wiser than her 23 years might indicate. Speaking from her parents’ home in Richardson and in anticipation…
King Khan & the Shrines Sons of Hermann Hall Monday, February 6 It’s hard to tell who King Khan is channeling when he gets on stage. James Brown comes to mind first, as does Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. He sings about the important things: Mainly sex, food and rock ‘n’ roll…
