HOUSTON LABELS READY TO FLOOD YOUR COLLECTION WITH MANY NEW ACES RECORDINGS

Man OH Woman! The fine folks behind three of Houston’s most extreme party call me record labels have been busier than a Clintonian mathematician lately, putting together a slate of forthcoming releases that dazzles the mind and empties the wallet. Who said you can’t buy happiness? Let’s get to listing.

Team Science Records, which still floats so far above the radar we have trouble keeping up with their steady-streamin lazy river of releases (singles club please), is kicking the summer of with a vinyl release of friends of Houston Matt and Kim’s To/From EP. Though the songs were available on cd before, this is the first time they’ll be getting the 10” treatment, with a hand-screened cover to boot. They’re also putting out the next full length by Wolverine state punks The Swellers. But have our boys (who also do the whole I Heart You Productions thing too) forgotten our local champions? Hardly.

Team Science was smart enough to pick up the option to do the first Teenage Kicks 7”, who’ve been making quite the hay with their live shows and the strength of their first Grey Ghost release. Though we’ve mentioned this before, TS is still planning on putting out a double seven inch from Golden Axe, which makes us cry tears of pure metal joy. And this is a fun one, also on the horizon is a CD from Lisa’s Sons, the pop electronica project that divided the hands_up board rather sharply into PRO/CON camps around the time of the Westheimer Block Party. We’re kinda in the Pro side. This band is alleged to have members of By The End of Tonight in it too, which might be a joke or might be the reason they haven’t put out a new record in the past month.

Dull Knife, hot on the tail of the so- fresh- its- in- the- counter- rack- at- Sound Exchange RTFO Bandwagon New Jack 7” is alleged to be putting together a split 12” from Indian Jewelry and the Future Blonds (both of whom have already put out records in the past month or so – dang dudes, take some time off and read the paper or something). People in the know also count in their trivia cards that DK will be putting out a Wiggins 7” before too long too. Note to bands in Houston wanting to get a Dull Knife release: Don’t use real drums.

Mia Kat Empire (hey look, they ditched the cat from their logo – one down, billions to go) has a brand new EP coming out by Christ punks Hollywood Black, along with one for Framework (which happens to be the solo side-project of Hollywood Black member Ben Ellis). Then later on we can expect a split from ambient kids Wood and Felt and Convair.

All of these records will most likely be available for sale from their respective label’s website, or at quality local record stores like Sound Exchange, Cactus, Soundwaves and Sig’s Lagoon. Party.

PS – You thought we were behind on our reviews before?! YIKES

REGGIE GETS ROBBED

Talk about one of our least favorite kinds of stories to run; Reggie O'Farrell, Mia Kat Empire's in-house producer and member of The Western Civilization had his van broken into early Sunday morning. The thieves took a black plastic guncase which was full of microphones. Here's the list of what was pilfered:

6 - Shure SM57
2 - Shure SM94
1 - Shure BG 4.1
1 - Shure Beta 52
1 - Audio Technica ATM25
1 - Octavia MK319
3 - Sennheiser E604
1 - Sennheiser E609 Silver

Gear shoppers - keep your eyes out for this stuff, and if you happen to spot such a collection, call Reggie at 832-563-6561 or email him: reggie at miakatempire dot com. A free Skyline Network Goodie Bag is up for the taking if you help Reggie recover his lot. A lifetime of good karma would be your prize if you run into someone selling this out of the trunk of their car and you hit them in the head with a brick.

We feel more than a little sheepish mentioning that you can try to cheer Reggie up when the Western Civilization play the Feel Good Hits of the Summer Fest on Saturday.

WE VISIT THE MIA KAT EMPIRE HOUSE: TOTALLY DON'T RUN INTO NO CATS!

Earlier this year we made a joke (prolly not online) about how the score for geographic record label releases in town being Kingwood: 3, Spring: 2, Montrose: 0. We had a big chuckle about it. Of course, it isn't entirely accurate. Passionateyouththing is, essentially, a Montrose label. And though the mysterious Feow! is ramping up towards a bean-dip worthy (aka, amazing) roster of '07 hits (we can't wait to start talking about this, btw), there really isn't yet much in the way of a label emanating out of the good ghetto that was the 77006.

Well, turns out you can change out that score for Kingwood, as Mia Kat Empire has relocated themselves, area codes and all, to the Heights. Not the bands, necessarily, but their entire pro-gear pro-attitude operations into a front-porch sporting house on 9th street. The quaint little 1930's hide-away might have previously boasted "Two Bedrooms" and "Vaulted Ceiling" in a craigslist posting, but now it features "acoustically treated live and control rooms," a "six color screen-printing tree" and, potentially, "a treehouse."

Dang. Who are these kids? Funny you should ask, we have some background. The three kids who got it all started are Reggie O'Farrell (in-house producer and go-to guy), Matt Ellis (inventory and Matt Pinfield-esque indiemusicknowledgist) and Amanda Ellis (administrator and bookkeeper). Also on the team is label full-timer Sonia Parga, whose duties include getting the word out and showing nosy bloggers around the house.

The label has big plans, and hopes to use its resources not just for the records they put out, but to rent out to kids who want to record rock of their own, or make merch that suits their fancy. We're told that next up in the studio is Buxton, who have a couple of tracks out on the label's sampler comp, and are in the process of knocking out a full length like Warren Moon. Championship (and next time we'll take a camera). Wanna learn more? Stop by the Mia Kat Empire table at next Saturday's Feel Good Hits of the Summer Festival, where you can also take in the sounds of signees The Western Civilization.