Generally, we’re not into simple arrangements. Nothing gets us hotter than some Pet Sounds action - all those clever little nuances and parts and instruments that pop up for just a moment once in a song or an album. If there aren’t 13 overdubbed guitars playing backwards and four random beats on a tympani thrown in somewhere, we feel cheated. DANIEL LANOIS WOULD NEVER ALLOW THIS! MUST BE A DEMO! But that’s the problem, as over the years we have spent more and more of our time plugged into recordings that were done by necessity on the fast and the cheap - where compositions aren’t much more than well recorded demos - we’ve come to really fall in love with recordings that weren’t. Sour Notes’ Meat of the Fruit, Papermoons’ New Tales and Powerhouse’s Yeah! come to mind as the sort of well produced releases that combine good engineering with equally meritous songwriting. But they’re all fairly ornate, and pretty far from notions of three-chords-and-the-truth bliss that comprises the larger part of the Rock and Roll cannon.

We’d lost sight of what a solid, if uncomplicated in production, rock and roll record sounded like. The Gold Sounds’ EP has completely cured us of this. With its tight songwriting, robust lyricism, blinding bright guitars, occasionally fuzzy bass and rock of Jericho solid beats, this self released CDr EP packs a more rockfreshing wallup than it’s hand-made cover could ever convey. These songs, especially the first three, are phenomenal (the closer, “Parfum,” is a drunky twilight on the trail ballad - still a good listen, but nowhere near the caliber of “Champagne”, “Keep it Rolling” and likely song of the year nominee “Two Ways.” You wouldn’t think it would be so much of a novelty to hear a band executing such, frankly, uncomplicated songs so perfectly - but in our experience it is.

Now, when we say simple, we’re not positing that these are verse chorus verse songs that milk the powerchord all the way to a Chinese Factory. Rather, there just isn’t much more to it than guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Gold Sounds are about as straight ahead, full on rock and roll as you could hope for. Full of touchstones, but none so strong that you can actually put a finger on it. It feels like it’s from another era, or perhaps another universe where this particular branch of closer to the roots music did not spill out of the early 70s into a cultural current of suck. There is a temperament to what’s being done here, think of the restraint it must take, afterall, to record an album as a trio that actually comes out of the studio still sounding like a trio played it.

There are exceptions, of course. There isn’t much tempered about the vocals on the album, for example, which is a relief because this is one of those rare local records where the vocalist can not just carry a tune, but actually sing (again, this shouldn’t be such a novelty, but it is) - powerful, raw and truthful. This EP has stolen away the top spots in our unwelcome sunrise playlist, combining the desert sky pearl-snap minimalism of Eagles of Death Metal with the aluminum-siding real-talk of “It Makes You Happy” era Sheryl Crow, wrapped up in the straight ahead big riffage and steady beat of early Queens of the Stone Age. (Oh yeah, and we love all those things, especially that one really good Sheryl Crow record - whatever, we had no cred to begin with.) The Gold Sounds haven’t really gotten much in the way of the inner loop spotlight yet, and that’s probably a good thing because clearly instead of wasting their time worrying about scenes and competing metanarratives of what it means to be a musician they’ve just focused on writing songs. These are guys that sometimes play with their shirts off, but most assuredly always without a cynical irony. Again, and sadly, how refreshing. Recommended.

The Gold Sounds are playing this Saturday’s Free Press’ Westheimer Block Paty at 12:45 pm Upstairs at Avante Garden. For those that can’t make it, they’ll be playing a free show at the Scout Bar the next night.

Us? Well, little olde us are scheduled to be in transit between Tulsa, Oklahoma and Denver, Colorado on that particular eve of hallows. It’s totally top secret and totally the result of some of the worst scheduling ever. But here’s what we would suggest you do (and we’re suggesting it based not merely on the merits of the poster):

SCORE-PION! GHOULISH MOST EXTREME PARTY TRICK OR TREAT ME! And here’s the one thing missing from the flyer, not only will there be a free keg-o-saurus rex, but free copies of the forthcoming News on the March/The Monocles 7″ split. Cursed travel planner. You are so fired. NOW HIRING!

Cannot deny it, the folks at the Free Press have put together another WHIPS OF ACES lineup for their twice-annual block party. All this week, we’ll be helping battle your OH NO, WHICH SHOW TO GO? malady with a shot in the arm of our thoughts on some recent releases by Block Party acts. And daaaang, what a set of conflicts of musical interest that is.  Peep the full schedule:

Kinda tiny font there, eh? To view a bigger version, go ahead and give this here link a click. DO IT. What’s the biggest CRAP BUT I WANT TO SEE BOTH/ALL THREE in your forthcoming?  Leave it in the comments.

LOOFA DONCHAKNOW! Way back in June you may recall we were pretty breathless in our review A World of Her Own, the exhaustive career retrospective of early 80s syrup city New Wavers the Mydolls. In the aftermath, we were positively starstruck when bassist Dianna Ray wrote us to say thanks for the write up, in a followup she hinted that a reunion show for bands that played the long passed Island club might be taking place over Thanksgiving weekend, and that they were planning on being involved. Sadly, that show doesn’t seem to be in the cards, but leave it to the folks at Noise and Smoke to step in and get the Mydolls back together and on the stage.

YESSSIR, Mydolls will be part of the fine lineup of acts for Noise and Smoke 2008, headed your way Saturday November 15th at Dean’s Credit Clothing and Notsuoh downtown. Condensed over the 2007 format (two clubs on one night rather than two clubs on two nights), this year’s bill is heavier on the punk and lighter on the pop, but still chock full of more scene darlings than two buss-loads of Elaine Greer clones. LIMELIGHT LIST PLEASE: The Born Liars Homopolice, Balaclavas, El Desmadre, Vincent Trails, Patsy, The Takes, B L A C K I E vs Cop Warmth and Teenage Kicks. Check back for more deets as the date arrives. EXORCISM!

View from inside the Skyline Network Newsroom

OH WHAT THE MOOSEMEAT?! There we were, enjoying a cognac and smoked salmon as equally as the post VP debate spin, when suddenly we were plunged into darkness. DARKNESS. And not the I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE JUST LISTEN TO THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART type darkness. NO NO. The cruel, and unwelcome return of life after Ike. Guh. It’s a horrible sequel. Like if they made ET 2: REBELLION starring Christian Slater. It makes 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS look like a masterpiece of contemplative thought, wit and social commentary. So, another morning of slowly rotting caviar by candlelight. Not feelin it. Let’s see what we can find to distract us this weekend.

Nosferatu with Golden Arm Trio @ Discovery Green
Merciful heavens, not the English goth band Nosferatu, but the classic silent film, the original Vampire movie. But silence simply will not do, and so the musical score will be performed live by Austin’s Golden Arm Trio. Two Star Symphony did something like this recently with the Cabinet of Dr. Kilgari, and it was reported to be quite the good time, so if an evening in the park sounds like your kind of a jam, this is a helluva good way to go about it. Free. Starts at 7:30pm.

Generator House Show w/The Young, Teenage Kicks Guitars and Something Fierce @ 1813 Marshall
Turns out our beautifully appointed new headquarters isn’t the only place without power, 1813 Marshall, home to Something Fierce’s Steven Fierce and Niki7, STILL haven’t gotten the meter running (atleast we had five days or so). But fuggidaboutit is their attitude, having borrowed a generator and are throwing a house party show regardless, with Austin’s The Young headlining. This is a free BYOB affair and it get’s started at 7pm. Standard ANGRY DAD warning about messing with people’s homes.

Vinyl Ranch @ Leon’s Lounge
We may have given them a hard time about being voted the best place to meet single women, but yee haw we may have to go find out for ourselves. This particular installment of the monthly classic country throwdown on Houston’s Smallest Dancefloor is billed as a celebration 1978 and, by extension, the birthday of Monica Danna. Boots (optional) get a scootin’ at 10pm. Free.

Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Golden Triangle @ Walters
HEY! Roy Mata and Miss Emily Driskill are bartending – see you there.

The Whigs @ The Meridian
Free Show, The Kooks, who were scheduled to headline, had to cancel due to illness.

SATURDAY
Danseparc @ Numbers
Delayed, pushed back like Elaine, whatever you want to call it, the 6th anniversary party (note – that’s longer than the Proletariat was open) is finally here. And it doubles as an ELO tribute night, with lots of tracks featuring that Jeff Lynne sound. Oh, and Mix CDs. And shirts. And lifetime passes to Danseparc. Oh word. Starts at 10pm

prettyEVIL: current works by Eyesore Opening @ Aerosol Warfare Gallery
Yuss. DJ’s Paramour and GRRRL Parts. Yusss. 7-11pm. 2110 Jefferson. Free?

2nd Annual Rock for Houston’s Youth Concert@ Warehouse Live
Please, won’t you help DRUM, Studemont Project, Rowe, The Crisis, Electric Attitude, Advent Scars, Westborn, City of Sounds, Fulton Read, Sevi, & The Blue Poptarts save the children?

Also
Ra Ra Riot!, Spain Colored Orange, Walter Meego and Morning Benders @ Rudyards
Saturday Secret Show @ The Shady Tavern
2pm. Always Free.

SUNDAY
News on the March (EP release), The Wild Moccasins, Elaine Greer, Earnie Banks @ The Mink
Woah. This snuck up on us. We’re just as Luanne Platter as you are to get our hands on News on the March’s first presumable full-band release. Why on a Sunday kids, why on a Sunday? All us old folks are going to miss 60 Minutes. News on the March also has a split coming out at the end of the month (that IS alot of News) with the Monocles, which is available free at the Halloween show at Walter’s. Have you heard about this yet? We’ll get to it. This show has been canceled, unfortunately.

Tonight you’ve got many fine options to choose from in the entertainment department, to say nothing of the VP Debate between Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden or, as Palin might have named him, Beans Harpoon Biden. So, whether you’re planning on hitting the town for some jams or sticking around the house to play gaffe bingo, this evening is your delicious dozen of raw oysters. Debate starts at 8pm on every television channel ever (LOVE the commentators on Lifetime), and here’s the skinny on everything else:

Ooga Booga, Welfare Mothers and Gnaugahyde @ Rudyards
Hey - check out this barely safe for work poster. Ooga Booga is from Australia, home of Men in Hats, INXS and Crocodile Dundee, so look for this band to be heavy on the 80s gated snare, since we haven’t received any evidence of anything out of the vast island nation since then. Ok, actually, we’ve heard only that they are “rock and roll by good blokes”, and here is a video to prove it. Local heroes the Wellfare Mother are also on deck, and if you haven’t already, you should check out the romping A-Side from their first 7″ below. 21+ show likely starts at 1am, it being Rudyards and all.

Yip Yip, Pataphysics, B L A C K I E and //TENSE// @ The Mink
We <3 Dusti Rhodes’ description of Yip Yip crafting “sounds you would expect if Kraftwerk, Devo and Danny Elfman jammed inside your Nintendo console.” BIG TOP PEE WEE SOUNDTRACK! BLACKIE’s massive deconstructivist take on hip hop and TENSE’s glittering KRAUTRONICA round out the bill. This is an early show, doors at 7, bands at 8. $7. Note that all shows at the Mink are now 21 and up. (Sorry folks, looks like Walter’s is the only venue you can get in anymore - that sucks). We strong moose suggest you enjoy B to the L to the A to the C to the K to the I to the E apostrophe S “That’s Right”.

PS: YOU HAVE UNTIL MONDAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE. DON’T BLOW IT.

“Paula Abdul taught us how to dance”
- Dusty Hill

Oh word? The ‘Top, having for quite a while not been upon it, has recently undertaken some steps to dust off (or, well, actually to re-apply the dust and dirt to) their iconic though no longer laconic brand. It started with the replacement of their long-time manager, a completely under the radar re-issue of Eliminator on its 25th anniversary and hitting up the studio to make an album with Rick “Let’s kick it like back in the day” Rubin. They also put out this DVD of a recent concert they performed here, back where it all got started, in Houston Texas.

Wait, hold on. [flips over packaging after not recognizing seating arrangement in venue to read liner notes.] DALLAS?! THIS THING WAS RECORDED IN DALLAS? THIS THING WAS RECORDED IN DALLAS! NO GOOD, STOP THE DANCE. STOP THE DANCE! SURE - Frank and Dusty are from Dallas, but Mr. Voice, Mr. Guitar, Mr Billy Gibbons is from right here where SPACE IS THE PLACE. Stories of his tossing back suds at Lola’s so fast he returned the bottle cold and slapping down a Fifty for a milkshake at 59 Diner are crucial threads in the Turin Shroud of Montrose lore. Bah! You think after Keith Richards inducts Bring Back the Guns into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame they’re gonna go kick off the sunset years of their career in the Nokia Theater? HAH! Ok, we’re cheel. Apologies to any Dallasians (Dallasonians?) we may have offended.

This show was recorded in 2007, and contains no archival material. This is a smart move if you want to reinvigorate listeners with you in the here and now (and, by extension, your next album), but we’ll admit that some seriously 70s video of the band remains on our re-release dream list. And the show certainly does reveal a band that is still vital, playing crisp and inspired versions of hits they have likely played thousands of times before.

The bonus features are great, if brief - especially the one in particular in which the trio sits down to play some poker and, to borrow a phrase, remembers more times than Michael Jackson. They drop names like Ike drops trees: Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Roky Erikson, 13th Floor Elevators and yes, Paula Abdul (turns out she did the choreography for one of their videos, and they explained how she literally nailed their boots to the floor so they could execute the now famous ZZ Top lean). There are plenty of origin stories, including when Dusty tried out to join the band (but didn’t bring a bass) and their first show (where he, again, did not bring a bass).  It comes across well, and is certainly among the more interesting and least self-glorifying ‘band history’ segments we’ve come across (Although when Billy starts to talk about ‘the women’, it is kind of creepy).

There’s also a ‘backstage pass’ view of the day of the show, during which Gibbons’ luthier and guitar tech (two different people) get a surprising amount of screen time. Granted, their discussions aren’t wonky or detailed enough to satiate staunch gear nerds, but it was interesting, certainly more so than an interview with their manager or a superfan. What was disturbing, however, was the clear (though never addressed) indication that Frank Beard has a serious drinking problem. As best we could tell, it looks like the man has a case-a-day habit…. of Tab. Check out these screen grabs:

Frank backstage with atleast two cans

Frank takes an unhealthy gulp

During the poker game, the only non-band member to appear is this young woman who brings Frank a new Tab.

Franks sets down his Tab momentarily to conduct an interview with a local TV station. It sits comfortable by his foot.

His Tab remains in a deathgrip while taking pictues with some presumably important people.

On the way to the stage, one last sip of the sustaining sauce.

Or maybe not, as it turns out his drum set has a CUSTOM TAB HOLDER.

Shocking. While we’re the last people in the world able to throw stones about the beverage consumption of our fellow man, this may call for an intervention. If you’ve always wanted to see ZZ Top live, but never have wanted to stand in the beer line and have a conversation with a true-believer stranger at a ZZ Top show, then you’d do well to go pick up a copy or throw it in the Netflix cue.

Some of our readers may already be aware that, if one drives their Hummerzine outside the loop 610, there exists not only additional parts of our own fair city but entirely different municipalities as well. Some of these villages, it turns out, have music scenes whose citizens demand the quality and accuracy of reporting you may occasionally find here on The Skyline Network, and, because the market is infallible, several similar media outlets of distinction have sprung up around the state to inform those cities’ most beautiful and well read about the who’s and what’s in their respective area codes. We’ve teamed up with two of those formatters of the HTML to do a monthly post swap, sharing Houston lore and legend with their readers, and spreading onto you a delicious cream cheese schmear of blissful insiderness. Our pardners in this pursuit are Austin’s Austin Sound and Dallas/Denton’s We Shot Jr, both excellent sites that you should be reading anyway (KEEP SAN ANTONIO LAME). Enough exposition, we now proudly present Austin Sound’s recent interview with Shawn Jones of The Lovely Sparrows.

Photo by Jacob Cuthbertson

It’s taken Shawn Jones of The Lovely Sparrows nearly two years to craft an album worthy of following up the EP that completely redefined the band’s sound in 2006, Pulling Up Floors, Pouring On (New) Paint. The new album, titled Bury The Cynics, is more expansive, both musically and lyrically, than its predecessor, but its writing was marred by its own set of problems, including the theft of a laptop containing most of the demos. Now on the brink of the album’s release, we sat down with Shawn Jones to talk about the new album, the state of the band, his view on the local scene, hipsters, swing music and, most importantly, to reprimand him for his lengthy absence.

Austin Sound: The album seems to be getting a lot of press lately with the video premiering on SPIN and all. How has that been, was it expected?

Shawn Jones: Umm… it has been unexpected because we’re now I guess a few months into the press push - most people start three months before the record comes out - and it’s been kind of a slow build. And when we put the video out, which I guess was like last week, it seemed like there was an immediate wave. I think it helped people, I think it gave them something visual to kind of hold on to. I know this album was a little bit more than the EP was, as far as imagery and it’s not all relationship based and stuff like that. So it was a pleasant surprise.

AS: Over the past year the popularity of Sparrows has been gaining, if slowly.

SJ: It’s very slow, very slow build

AS: You did Daytrotter…

SJ: Yeah, the Daytrotter guys have been really nice to us. They’ve been on board since like day one.

AS: Have they been in contact still, since that was back in June or July of last year right?

SJ: They have, they have. I think we’ll probably do another Daytrotter session whenever we get around to Chicago. We always touch base around South By. They’re just all nice guys.

AS: What was your ear to the ground for how popularity was building, or if you were doing the right kind of stuff?

SJ: It’s hard to gauge. I feel like in Austin we’ve just now gotten a little bit more, I don’t want to say selective cause that sounds kind of shitty, but a little bit more selective… I guess about who we play with in town. And there’s all kinds of stuff that I like, tons and tons of bands that I don’t think would fit well. I think we’ve been thinking more about which band would have an audience that might actually be into us. I think that I have a better gauge of it outside of Austin. I feel like we get a lot of support, like a whole lot of support for press here and stuff, but it’s so hit-or-miss at shows, like how does that translate?

I know that if we play in New York where I feel like no one has heard of us that we can kind of make enough to barely cover the trip, and it’s a pretty engaged crowd, especially for as low key as we are compared to a lot of stuff that’s big right now. But then we played inside between Fleet Foxes, which was kind of weird and fun, and they’re super, super low key. A lot of people compare them to Grizzly Bear, but their live set, Grizzly Bear’s obviously a lot more energetic in the Pink Floyd rock out sections, you know? And it gave me a little bit of hope, kind of the same thing from a Smog show. I saw Smog at the Cactus Cafe a year or two ago, and it was a pin-drop audience. So I thought, “OK, how do we find those people? How do we get the record out to those people that are interested,” cause there’s obviously a lot of people that are interested, or at least enough to fill a room. I feel like we somehow have not found those people yet in Austin. We’ve got a lot of friends and a lot of really loyal people who’ve been really great to us and always say really nice things about us, but it’s like, where are just the people who were at that show? So it is a really slow build.

AS: Yeah, it seems like going out of Austin you’d be attracting only people who want to hear the stuff, whereas playing in Austin you’re really attracting all of Austin, who come out anyway.

[Read more →]

SHANA TOVA! Though God’s Chosen and generally most attractive people are taking a day of rest to ring in 5679, their apparent stranglehold on the entertainment industry has slipped as evidenced by the slew of releases shelf-stocked or announced on this fine High Holiday. We kid because we love. SOUND THE SHOFAR!

Fired For Walking - C.D.E.P.
A robust crowd turned up Rudyards in anticipation of their release show Friday (including some that could not help but flap their gams during the final quarter of the Presidential Debate, which Rudyards was showing upstairs before the doors for the show officially opened. HEY ASSHOLES, SOME OF US FIND THE FORTHCOMING ELECTION MORE INTERESTING THAN YOUR CONVERSATION, SO TRY TO KEEP IT DOWN. ALSO, LOTS OF FOLKS DIDN’T HAVE POWER OR CABLE THEN, SO IT’S NOT LIKE WE HAD MANY OPTIONS WHERE TO SEE IT. NEXT TIME WE’LL BE NAMING NAMES). Back on subject. This six song slinger was recorded by Joe Omecheck at RBI records and is now available at Sound Exchange, with samples on their MySpace.

Rusted Shut - Hot Sex 12″
Dull Knife records breaks the 7″ barrier with a series of recordings first put to tape (or hard-drive, who knows) back in ‘98, the same lineup that produced the acclaimed Rehab full length. Expect this to sound like the soundtrack to every picture you’ve seen of Crystal Beach for the last two weeks, except at night with more mosquitoes and crows than you though an post-apocalyptic ecosystem could sustain. Though this is already in Sound Exchange, there are mail order benefits, including a free T-Shirt for the first ten, and a DVD-R of the band playing at the Pink Pussycat Strip Club in 1999. Buy online here. MP3: Rusted Shut - Godstrike

The Mathletes - Secret Scientist
You know, it’s always a surprise when we see Joe Mathlete out on the town. This is not because he is some sort of a hermit or doesn’t know how to operate an automobile or a doorknob or anything, but rather because he is impossibly prolific. Was it even a few months ago that he had not one but two records hit the street within a week of each other? Plus he put out the Jenny “Future Bride” Westburry CD. Oh, and it’s not like he just drops this stuff off at Capital Records and says “Here ya go Mr. Mercer, another widget from the hit factory ready for all that manufacturing and packaging baloney.”  NO - HE DOES IT HIMSELF. Which, understandably, is why there will only be 20 copies of this EP, the first of a SERIES OF THREE (GET A HOBBY) that will be out during the rest of the year. Should hit the shelves of your friendly neighborhood Sound Exchange soon.

Born Liars - 7″
From Ditchwater, the chutzpa destroying creative arm of local photographer/future historian Miss Rosa. 300 copies of this 48gm vinyl release will be available to the public in the immediate future, who will be treated to the songs “Don’t Tell Me I Know” and “I Don’t Know Why”. We’re not exactly sure if these are the actual tracks, but if so, helluva song pairing. We expect that we’ll dig it just like we did their previous venture into black plastic earlier in the year.

Oh what, that aint enough for you? Well, while you plead forgiveness for the next ten days, we’ll also let you know that there’s a Tambersauro record out there now too, as well as a very special release coming this October. We’ve been keeping the lid on it, but we’re no longer inclined to hide the fact that the TRICK OR TREAT for the show at Walter’s this Halloween is a split between News on the March and The Monocles. NEWS ON THE MARCH AND THE MONOCLES! HOW ‘BOUT THEM APPLES AND HONEY?!

Sometimes, our cruel and dictitorial editor in cheif won’t permit us to go out for our traditional weekday 80s-style Three Martini Expense Account Lunch (we usually have the Savings and Loans Bailout Burger with Keating Fries - mmmmm) and we’re forced (unfairly) to order takeout and actually work.  Horsehockey!  So, today we’re starting a new series that we were supposed to get off the whiteboard and into the HTML months ago called LUNCH N’ LISTEN - It’s an opportunity for you to plug in the earphones for a few minutes and have a bit of a preview of a show coming up this evening.  It’s sort of like those online seminars your boss is always trying to convince you to take during your lunch period, except that there isn’t an interactive Q&A at the end.  Oh, and we’re not trying to sell you anythying.  Except this extra takeout

Corey Derden - I Have
Derden is a regular on the Saturday Secret Show and Notsuoh circuit, usually performing solo. The one man one instrument minimalism spirit carries through on the three guitar arrangement of “I Have,” with a sad hobo sunset on a dustbowl trail plodding away towards stars that will never be bright enough.

Listen Listen - Safe Home in Port
We were taken aback by their debut EP last year, with an invigorating folk Americana that droned forward almost like shoegaze. This track, from their forthcoming, shows them growing in arrangement, production, but most importantly - in songcraft. We find it almost impossible to talk about this track without sliding into a bowl of hot and sour platitude.

Listen Listen and Cory Derden are playing tonight at Boondocks. Free.