From sneering vocals straight off Never Mind the Bollocks to the amped-up 12-bar blues progressions lifted from old Chuck Berry and Gene Vincent 45s, everything about The Lash Outs’ debut album screams throwback. It would feel like a grave-digging rip-off if they didn’t attack the songs with so much enthusiasm…
We’re knee-deep into Depression 2.0., running out of jobs and overwhelmed with the amount of people looking for them. Chances are you’re unemployed—or if you aren’t, then there’s a good chance that you will be, because your job can be combined with the guy in accounting, and you and the…
OK, so this isn’t really news, per se–anyone who’s been to the Palladium recently has seen this on the venue’s TV screens–but My Morning Jacket, who our sister paper LA Weekly just deemed the “best live band in the world,” officially announced today its upcoming August 23 show at the…
Jesse Hughey wrote up a review of The Lash Outs’ new self-titled disc for this week’s paper, praising the band’s lyricism and enthusiasm within its straight-ahead punk rock approach. Specifically, he name-checks this song, “The Kids Don’t Wanna Dance,” and rightfully so. Check out these lyrics: And when I walk…
Marquise Knox sure doesn’t sound 17… (Peter Newcomb) Elvis T. Busboy and The Blues Butchers, a Dallas cover act, are the ostensible headliners at the Blue Shoe Project’s free festival Saturday, but the real highlight will be Marquise “Big Daddy” Knox from St. Louis. Knox is just 17 years old,…
“Airline’s really taking off, huh?” Ha! That’s funny. (Jason Upshaw) In this week’s paper, you’ll see a flattering review of local indie rock set Airline’s newest release, Farewell Republica. In the write-up, Darryl Smyers call the disc, “detailed, dramatic and not a little dense, this is local music of rare…
The Stars’ improbable run in the Stanley Cup playoffs continues tonight as Mike Modano and the gang head to Detroit for the first game in the western conference finals. Or so I’m told. Last time I really cared about hockey I was trying to make Gretzky’s head bleed. But, hey,…
When TVT Records filed for bankruptcy back in late February, it was easy to figure out what it would mean for artists on the label’s roster, like Dallas’ own The Polyphonic Spree: no more label obligations, monies owed, etc. But the fallout for those owed money by the label, which,…
Akkolyte, Aaron and Stefan Gonzalez’s grindcore duo (the two also perform with their father, Dennis, in experimental jazz project Yells At Eels), offers up a live show that’s about as fun as grindcore can get (it helps that it’s about as loud as any musical duo can get, too), and…
Cover art by Jayme Nourallah. Spoke with Rhett Miller earlier this week for a story about the Old 97’s new disc, Blame It On Gravity, which you’ll see in next week’s paper. In the meantime, head on over to the band’s Myspace page, where someone went ahead and added on…
I haven’t watched a single second of American Idol this season, the show’s seventh, and clearly I’m not alone; the ratings just keep dropping for the reality singing competition that made Burleson’s Kelly Clarkson a star. But area TV viewers did have a reason to watch the Fox reality show…
This week we sent Observer intern Daniel Rodrigue out on the town to find out what real people think about What Made Milwaukee Famous’ single “Sultan” …and videotape their reactions. See what your fellow Dallasites made of the track, which Stereogum, Pitchfork and NPR all dig. (Oh, Pete, Daniel and…
Or so it would seem, considering the band just announced that its last ever show will take place at an as-yet-undetermined New York City venue. So, those of you Police fans passing up on the chance to see the band for the second time in a year, might want to…
Mom brings the comfort music. (Melanie Gomez) I basically pour out my heart for Denton’s electronic instrumental folk act Mom in my column in this week’s paper, praising the band for its organic, mature sound. Mother’s Day was an excuse for me to run the column on this band, who…
In this week’s paper, Robert Wilonsky steps up and offers his take on the new Elvis Costello and The Imposters record, Momofuku, praising both its sound (“Costello hasn’t sounded so refreshed, relaxed, engaged or enraged in years”) and the fact that Costello chose to release this disc in vinyl solely…
In case you missed his posting, Friday was Rich Lopez’s last day as the Dallas Observer’s clubs editor. Now that he is raking in the big bucks as a freelance writer and bookstore clerk, I have the formidable task of taking over for him. That means club owners, music booking…
In the late ’90s, Tomorrowpeople was on top of the local music world. Comprised of former Toadies and Brutal Juice members, the band was signed to Geffen Records and even recorded the tracks for its debut major label release. But then complications arose; the band and label parted ways, and…
Not only did rock icon Bob Dylan recently performed three sold out shows at House of Blues, but the famed songwriter seems to include Dallas as a stop on just about every tour he has. Odd then that his son Jakob would stub the metroplex for his initial solo tour…
One of the best shows to hit the Gypsy Tea Room prior to its demise was the reformed Gang of Four in late 2005. The legendary post-punkers were together for the first time in their original incarnation since 1982 and blitzed the audience with classics such as “At Home He’s…
Scottish post-rock act Mogwai is reissuing its 1997 debut, Young Team. The re-release, due May 26 from Chemikal Underground, will be available as a double-CD or limited-edition, quadruple vinyl box-set; new liner notes were penned by journalist/writer Keith Cameron. And, now, our sister paper in St. Louis is giving away…
DJ Jazzy Jeff with Mad Skillz May 6, 2008 Ghostbar Better than: Watching a Will Smith concert during his Willenium phase. Victory Park is such an anomaly to me. Arriving in the area at 11 p.m., there was nary a car on the road but–damn!–if all the parking meters weren’t…
For your Wednesday morning music fix, check out this video of The Slack performing at the Granada from May 2. — Chelsea Ide…
