Although The Bangles started out as an indie pop band associated with Los Angeles’ Paisley Underground scene in the early 1980’s, it didn’t take the band long to make major commercial inroads. By the mid 80’s, the band had released two huge singles, Prince’s “Manic Monday” and the almost novelty…
This news is already out there in some capacity, so no use prolonging its confirmation: Yes, the Observer is currently accepting applications for the position of music editor.After almost four years of holding down the role, I’ve decided to step down from my position as the music editor to pursue…
Technically, this show’s still a week off from today, but listen: A show featuring the lo-fi, Cleveland-based power-poppers of Cloud Nothings, as well as performances from fast-rising locals Soviet and Sealion, at the awesome Deep Ellum DIY venue The Canton Co-Op gets announced — and for the low price of…
More interesting venue news to pass along this week: The Granada Theater this afternoon has announced that it will be taking over the adjacent-to-the-theater 3520 Greenville Avenue address, most recently the home of M Street Bar, to launch a new neighborhood beer garden and restaurant and bar called “Sunset at…
Since I just stumbled across the above video of Erykah Badu and The Cannabinoids just owning the stage at our awards ceremony at the House of Blues on Tuesday night, here’s one last post about the 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards — and then, promise, we’re done. In case you…
As if Ryan Thomas Becker needed more outlets for his musical creativity, the prolific Dentonite has now added another entity to a stable that already includes his cherished solo eforts and his electrifying work in RTB2. Well, kind of. Becker’s latest project, called Ryan Thomas Becker & Last Joke, has…
With the release of this year’s Simple Math album, Atlanta’s Manchester Orchestra is now three albums deep into their careers — and the guys don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. After a quick hop, skip and jump across the pond for a tour, the band’s now making their way…
I guess the reason I dislike Bruno Mars so much is that his sensitive, artistic bad boy image likely only appeals to impressionable young girls. That’s probably why Bruno’s “It Will Rain” is synergisticly matched with the upcoming movie in the Twilight series. Bruno’s library and Twilight are both fairly…
As much of a performance art group as a regular rock band, San Francisco’s Beats Antique began as backing musicians on an album of belly dancing music. So impressed was lead dancer Zoe Jakes that she decided to assemble a band around multi-instrumentalist David Santori and percussionist Tommy Cappel. Augmented…
Dallas’ The Strange Boys are turning into quite a prolific act. They’ve released a record every year since 2007, and this year’s Live Music, set to be released next week on Rough Trade Records, follows 2010’s gritty and well received Be Brave. But even with the proximity of the two…
A few years ago, you’d hear the happy-go-lucky, impossibly supportive local music fans shout their rallying cries, and you’d smile because, much as you wanted to believe that what they were saying was true, you knew in your heart that it wasn’t. Still, you listened to their rants: “There’s just…
After releasing their popular self-titled debut last year and riding the hype of their ultra-peppy single, “Let’s Go Surfing,” things started to go south for The Drums. Their guitarist acrimoniously left the band, and lead singer Jonathan Pierce started telling media outlets that after “a lot of shouting matches,” the…
Like the marriage of her wide-eyed, porcelain-doll visage and her buzz-saw guitar licks, Annie Clark has made a career under her stage name of St. Vincent by capitalizing on jarringly pleasant juxtapositions. This year’s Strange Mercy, her third solo LP and second produced and recorded in Oak Cliff with John…
In 2009, Georgia-based unit Manchester Orchestra put out the best rock release of the year with Mean Everything to Nothing. It’s a tight, concise record, indebted to classics like Weezer’s Pinkerton and Nirvana’s In Utero, yet sonically adventurous à la Radiohead’s OK Computer. Like many great albums, it went unappreciated…
A single tweet was all Chris Cornell needed to reverse a decade’s worth of staunch denials on the possibility of a Soundgarden reunion. On January 1, 2010, the singer posted “Knights of the Soundtable ride again!” on his Twitter account. Four months later, the band played its first live gig…
Last month, at the Glastonbury festival in the U.K., the members of Battles found themselves in a dressing room next to the current queen of pop radio, and perhaps the polar opposite of their band in terms of style, Kesha. Multi-instrumentalist Ian Williams, who spent his earlier years playing guitar…
Right now, Fitz and the Tantrums singer Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick is about 6 feet and change of focused enthusiasm in a very shiny suit, able to catch an audience in one agile hand and haul it from timidity to ecstasy in less than 30 minutes. If people aren’t dancing by…
We won’t blame you if you didn’t make it out to the Double Wide last night to check out the official after-party for our Dallas Observer Music Awards Ceremony, held earlier in the night at the House of Blues. It’s been a long week of partying and rocking out, y’all.But,…
Musicians are undoubtedly influenced by the music they listen to. An artist’s musical selection can sometimes even foretell what a next album might sound like. So if you’ve ever wondered what the artists who grace your stereo are getting funky to, here’s your chance to find out. Every week, I’ll…
Very few bands come close to boasting a story like Los Angeles’ White Arrows claims. Formed in 2008 by Mickey Schiff, a talented multi-instrumentalist who happens to have been born legally blind (he gained his sight back at age 11), the band plays a marvelous amalgam of alternative music, electronic…
Earlier this morning, Pete released the full list of the DOMAXXIII award winners following a damn great night at the House of Blues. If you missed it, the performers were RTB2, A.Dd+, The Burning Hotels and Erykah Badu–all with support from the Cannabanoids. A good night. While were celebrating, our…
New Orleans rock act Mute Math, known for their blend of DJ Shadow-esque beats and new wave songs, have a new album out called Odd Soul. They’ll be on tour this winter in support of said record, and you can catch them at the House of Blues on Saturday, January…
