Wilco, Liam Finn

This summer, when Wilco guitarist Nels Cline was asked by Paste magazine about how the band has evolved over the years, he responded by saying, “I think we’re having maybe more of a blast and enjoying each other’s playing and company more now than before.” In listening to Wilco (The…

U2, Muse

The ugly truth behind this most recent tour from U2—named the 360-Degree tour, as it’s an in-the-round type set-up—is that the band, despite having played some three dozen shows already on this jaunt, has yet to make a profit. Ticket sales aren’t the culprit—rather it’s the massive stage setup, which…

Owen Temple

City folk might describe their economic plight in terms of shuttered restaurants, dwindling sales numbers and shrinking retirement funds. But while he has lived in Dallas, Austin and even New York City, Texas songwriter Owen Temple documents the pawned guitars, crumbling factories and rusted towns of the “Broken Heart Land”…

J Tillman

There is an undeniable spiritual element to J. Tillman’s latest record, Year in the Kingdom. The album’s opener and title track tells of a man beginning a journey toward something larger, something beyond the physical dimension. Tillman’s soulful yet relaxed voice quivers over a chord progression that is dragged and…

The Shaky Hands

Last year’s Lunglight introduced Portland’s The Shaky Hands to the world outside their hometown, complete with the Kill Rock Stars’ seal of approval. Most noticeable was the aptly named quartet’s loose, jittery take on guitar pop and frontman Nicholas Delffs’ trembling vocals, at times resembling a reverb-free Walkmen. With the…

The Rising Sound of Denton-Based Seryn

Some Telegraph Canyon fans were visibly puzzled as they trickled into Good Records for the band’s recent album release show in Dallas. Some strange, other band was setting up its gear and instruments on the store’s green stage. No, this wasn’t Telegraph Canyon promoting its brilliant The Tide and The…

Wavves Is Out Of Control–In A Good Way

What Wavves’ Nathan Williams vividly renders on cassette and aluminum isn’t The Beach Boys’ carefree beachscape, with its bathing beauties, surfboard-wielding Adonises and pinks-on-the-line drag races. Last year’s Wavves (Fuck It Tapes) and this year’s Wavvves (Fat Possum) paint a decidedly grimmer, less idyllic picture: goth zombies everywhere, early 20-something…

Enroll in the Rap Institute of Acting Today!

So you’re a young man with star-studded dreams of Hollywood. What are you doing in drama school? There’s just no need: The Rap Institute of Acting offers a quick, inexpensive avenue into the world of television and movies. And, sure, while it’s true that a little pigmentation helps, even pale-faced…

Distant Gig Alert: Dead Prez at The Prophet Bar on October 21

Back in May, we told you about the greatness that is the weekly, Wednesday night, R.C. Williams-led Prophet Bar jam sessions, where local hip-hop and funk musicians gather to create beats on the fly, sometimes with the help of touring acts like Bun B and Raheem DeVaughn.Still haven’t ventured out…

Last Night: David Bazan, Say Hi at Dan’s Silverleaf

David Bazan, Say HiDan’s Silverleaf, DentonOctober 8, 2009Better Than: trying to drive home in the rain. Even before the storm rolled in and David Bazan finally lumbered on stage at Dan’s Silverleaf, last night’s elbow-to-elbow capacity crowd had to know that it was in for an unforgettable night. After all,…

Aural Ambush: David Bazan

Today, we welcome back an old friend to the blog. That’s right: It’s the return of Aural Ambush, a feature we hope will be back and running regularly in these confines we call DC9. It’s been a while, though, so, for those who may have forgotten the concept, a quick…

Bonus MP3: Seryn — “We Will All Be Changed”

In January, the first time I stumbled across Nathan Allen of Seryn , he was playing his guitar while walking on Fry Street. At the time, Allen said he was working on some solo-acoustic material. Well, as mentioned in this week’s North of the Dial, after adding several more members…