Please pardon my lack of posts. I’m getting married in November (this is cool) and working full time, freelancing, and now planning a wedding. Oh, and moving in two weeks. There are lots of things I want to post about here, but I just haven’t had time.
I’ll be out at Free Press Summer Fest (www.fpsf.com) all weekend, shooting for the Houston Press. You should be there, too. Say hi if you see me.
Hopefully after the festival and moving, I’ll be able to get caught up and start posting at what will hopefully be a nice modest rate. Keep sending me tunes, flyers, etc. I’ll get to it.
- Marc
Wild Moccasins aren’t perpetually on tour yet, although it seems that way sometimes. The band will kick off yet another tour with a show at Fitzgerald’s on Friday night, performing with Limb before heading off to a string of dates with Saturday Looks Good To Me.
Full Tour Dates
Wednesday 05-09-2012 North Manchester, IN The Firehouse
Thursday 05-10-2012 Chicago, IL Schuba’s
Friday 05-11-2012 Spring Green, WI The Shitty Barn
Saturday 05-12-2012 Champaign, IL Mike N’ Molly’s
Sunday 05-13-2012 Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlie’s
Monday 05-14-2012 Cleveland ,OH Beachland Tavern
Tuesday 05-15-2012 Ithaca, NY The Haunt
Wednesday 05-16-2012 New Haven, CT BAR
Thursday 05-17-2012 Portland, ME Empire
Friday 05-18-2012 Brooklyn ,NY Knitting Factory
Saturday 05-19-2012 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie
Tuesday 05-22-2012 Washington, DC Casa Fiesta
Wednesday 05-23-2012 Baltimore, MD Richmond, VA
Thursday 05-24-2012 Richmond, VA The Republic
Friday 05-25-2012 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Saturday 05-26-2012 Athens, GA The Farm
Sunday 05-27-2012 Mobile, AL Alabama Music Box
The band is releasing a 7” just in time for the tour, their first new music out on New West Records. The limited-edition single features the track “Gag Reflections,” a beefy pop track that the band penned while on their recent European tour, b-sided with a cover of The B-52s “Summer Of Love.” The group will have the new single with them on tour, and it should be in select Houston record stores on May 10. Cactus Music is a pretty safe bet for those wanting to snag a copy. Stream the single below.
The Treaty Oak Collective is celebrating its first release today, a stunning split twelve-inch from heavy hitters Alaskan (who actually hail from Ottawa, Ontario) and Houston/Austin instrumental crew Co-Pilot.
Alaskan’s track, “Euthanize,” leads in with some deft drumwork and sparse guitar, painting a bleak landscape. Around three minutes, the distortion comes crushing in, thundering over some massive vocals that continue for six minutes of aural assault.
Co-Pilot’s “The Bering Sea” starts off in a similarly frozen fashion, and shifts at a similar time. Their instrumental force ebbs and surges, though, shifting from scorched earth onslaught to icy retreat and back.
The tracks are long and get nice and heavy, carefully crafted by two bands to whom punctilious construct is paramount.
Available now, the release is limited to 500 copies (250 on black vinyl and 250 on clear vinyl with a smoky haze). 300 copies will be available in the US. Stream the tracks via Bandcamp, where you can order a physical copy or grab the digital files in a pay-what-you-can transaction. Houstonians should be able to find physical copies in our fine local record shops by Thursday.
(Source: thetreatyoakcollective.bandcamp.com)
There’s a good possibility that you’ve run across one of these posters for the new album, Think/Thoughts, from none other than one Benjamin Wesley.
It’s Wesley’s first release since his initial solo effort, Geschichte, was put out in 2009. My initial brush with Ben was at his release show at Walter’s, and it blew my mind. I fell in love with his songs immediately.
In the time since, Ben and I have become friends, and I’ve had the pleasure of watching him perform a number of times. Whether he arrives on stage with his complex electronic setup or just his acoustic guitar, he brings a delightful show. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear the songs on Think/Thoughts develop in a live setting, and they’re damn good.
On Thoughts, Wesley picks up his geschichte (German for history/story) and expands upon it. While his first output was less plotted and more immediate, there’s been a lot of rumination with this album. Wesley mixes his delightful storytelling, audacious imagery, light falsetto, playful abandon, and a dark pensiveness into his well-crafted beats, guitar riffs, and looped layers of sound. It’s a concoction that’s been brewing for a while, aging not in oaken barrels but rather in whiskey tumblers and wine glasses. I’d urge you, both as a music lover and a friend of Ben’s, to check out this new work.
Think/Thoughts has been available digitally since early March via iTunes. “Catch My Shadow” is available to stream through Ben’s bandcamp.
Along with any good album release, there’s a host of events for you to partake over the next week. Ben performs and in-store at Cactus Music at 5pm on Saturday, March 31. The next day, he’s supporting the unequivocal Jandek during a performance at Big Star Bar (April 1, 4pm). On Thursday, Double Trouble is going to host a listening party for the new album, which will be available to purchase next door at Sig’s Lagoon.
Any copies of the album bought at the Cactus in-store or at Sig’s during the listening party will come with a complimentary ticket for the release show at Fitzgerald’s, on April 6. Tickets are $8 pre-sale, $10 at the door. Supporting cast for the release includes the illustrious DJ Dave Wrangler, local hip-hop wizards The Niceguys, and Khraungbin.
Please give Ben’s new album a listen. I think you’ll be glad you did.
For the past couple weeks, KTRU has been in a friendly competition, bracket-style, against other top indie radio stations across the country. At least, it’s been friendly thus far. But now, the station can see the finish line in sight, so long as they get past WRUV, their opponent in the Elite Eight round.
I don’t know about you, but I sure as hell don’t care about the University of Vermont-Burlington’s radio station. I love KTRU, though. So help ‘em win - head over to Soundtap.com/madness and stream KTRU through their site. You can login via Facebook or create a login and verify your account via text in order for your time to count. Read KTRU’s original post below for more details.
A crazy site is conducting a madness tournament of non-commercial radio stations, sort of like March Madness in college basketball. KTRU won the first three rounds and is now competing in the Great 8. We could use your help! Instead of listening to KTRU through our site, as normal, listen through soundtap.com/madness. You will need to register and use your facebook login to verify or text. The site is a little funky. If it doesn’t load right for you, try a different browser. It also seems to disconnect randomly. You can listen as long as you like, but if you don’t click the “Yes I am listening button” every 60 minutes, your listening won’t count.
(Source: ktru.org)
In the wee hours of the morning, Free Press Houston announced the lineup for this year’s Free Press Summer Fest on June 2-3. Among the headliners are The Avett Brothers, Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, Primus, The Flaming Lips (who will be performing Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon), Descendents, and many, many more. Personally, I’m excited about Danny Brown, Jeff The Brotherhood, Bad Veins, and Valient Thorr all making appearances on the lineup, as well as reunions by locals Papermoons, The Riff Tiffs, and Fatal Flying Guiloteens. Check out the full lineup below, and head over to freepresssummerfest.com to grab passes and other goodies while they’re still cheap.
Tonight: Danneurysm Rides Again -
Family is coming into town for the week, so today is a giant cleaning day. Thankfully, I get to reward myself at the end of the day with a free show at The Continental Club featuring Dann Miller’s awesome Nirvana tribute, Danneurysm, and a set from super-great punkers The Energy.
Whatever your obligations for the day are, reward yourself tonight. Come out to the show.
Heights Vinyl finally has a sign! It looks good, too.
Lots of content to come soon, to make up for the complete lack of it over the last couple weeks. Been a busy man, sorry.
Reblogged ‘cuz we can, y’all.
Photo:
@mcaphoto / Mark Austin