Space and the City
Posts tagged Jana Hunter
REVIEW: THE MATHLETES – WE’RE THE MATHLETES AND WE’RE FROM HOUSTON SO HOW ABOUT THAT (Vol. 1)
Aug 12th
(YUSS – TWO FOR TUESDAY REVIEWS!) Sometimes we are concerned that people misinterpret our affinity for the cover song. It’s true, whenever we are able to point one out (or organize a ten band festival where people play nothing but them) we seem to take the opportunity to do so. It’s not because we don’t value or enjoy the hell out of the original compositions folks come up with around town, it’s more like the insight it gives us. Surely the most potentially boring but crucial and frequently riveting part to any story is the tale of how a particular character or person got to be the way they are. What influenced them before they came into a position to influence others. This is part of why we enjoy the cover, the insight it gives us into how a band got the sound, the swagger and the strut (or lack thereof) they ended up with. But its not just that. We enjoy, in a particularly well done rendition, the respect and the reverence an interpreting act shows for the source material. How they take the composition and explore it separate from any kitsch of a cultural context and re-interpret it as something of its own merit (and not just something to earn a buck or get a laugh). The Mathletes once wondered aloud in a public forum (about themselves) “how many songs by other people can a band play before being considered a cover band” – and truth be told their shows contain a liberal sprinkling of re-interpretations of the works of others (to say nothing of last year’s “Own Other People’s Songs”, a compilation of many of their cover recordings over the years). But none of their signed, sealed, delivered renditions of the works of others are as dear to us as the tracks on We’re The Mathletes and We’re From Houston so How About That.
The four stunnahs on this extremely limited (ie – Sound Exchange counter-rack only) release are fresh takes on Houston’s finest: Jana Hunter, Young Mammals, Hearts of Animals and Bring Back the Guns. Each has the trademark quirky take on the classic, (and we bet that if you google The Mathletes, quirky is the top adjective used to describe them) and an injection of themselves into the pen and paper with massive amounts of deconstruction and plenty of genuine respect for the originals. Indeed, given that an almost open cast of characters have played in the band over the past few years, it should already be obvious that the group has tremendous respect for the music and the musicians around them (members of both Hearts of Animals and Young Mammals have performed with them). It’s hard to pick a favorite here, but at the moment we’re leaning towards their take on HOA’s “Underwater Staggie” with it’s massive droning shoegaze startup eventually giving way to clip a clap country sounds. It’s so rich. So very Richie Rich. Get you some.
PS – BRING BACK THE GUNS TRACK IS A PRE-TRUE AUDIO RINGTONE. GTFO!
As we mentioned an hour or so ago in the review of their other recent record, they are playing for free tomorrow (Wednesday) at The Mink for free with Something Fierce – early show doors at seven. COSTUME PARTY!
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALMOST NO-ONE!
Jul 31st
Weeeell, the results are in from the 2008 Houston Press Music Awards, and while there were some winners in the scene we all breathe and love, we have to say that our enthusiasm for the results is tempered. Be it voter apathy or competitive categories splitting the Hands_Up vote, it looks like that the sector of the city long regarded as being the most into that rock and roll music walked away with little more than its back beat and a post-showcase hangover. HIGHTLIGHTS:
Best New Act: The Tontons
Grand Opening, Grand Closing as the band is set to go for an extended period without doing much of anything while vocalist Asli Omar is out of town. Catch their smoky picnic table blues Friday at Fitz, Saturday at the Secret Show Festival, or next week at a few shows in Savannah Georgia.
Best Drummer: Shane Lauder (Sideshow Tramps/Born Liars)
Good to see the Liars getting some recognition (but it wouldn’t be going out on a limb to say that he won because of the words “sideshow” and “tramps.” Real talk, their recent release (among others) makes us think there should be a Best 7 Inch category next years. Actually scratch that, we are saving it for our annual awards.
Best Experimental: Studemont Project
Jandek snubbed again, and, as if UGK sweeping the Album, Song and Musicians of the year categories was not hint enough, we are all reminded that H-Town is a Rap Town, so notions of what constitutes “experimental music” varies widely.
Best Indie Rock: Spain Colored Orange
Ok dudes. Real talk. It’s time for the album to come out.
Best Keyboard Player: Gilbert Alfaro (Spain Colored Orange)
Hey dude. Real talk. It’s time for you to drop that album on us.
Best Tribute Band: Beetle
Beetle freaking rules and if you are thinking to yourself “gee, I really could use some wholesome fun on a Thursday early evening” then you clearly have not been to their FREE weekly Happy Hour gigs at the Continental. Epic. Yes, we were so shut out of the awards this year that we are digressing into the Tribute category.
Best Unclassifiable Band: Black Math Experiment
Hahah, pulled out of a nearly month-long retirement to both play a nominating showcase and then collect an award. For serious, though, BME’s fans have voted them at the top of every contest they have ever been up for (remember when they were elected to open for The Misfits?). ATTN OTHER BANDS – are the people who come to your shows that stoked about you?
Best Metal: Golden Axe
Agreed
Best New Club: Boondocks
We still haven’t quite figured out what all the hate is about this place. They have freaking free BBQ on Sundays, a photo booth and an upstairs. FREE BBQ SUNDAYS. Plus, $0 shows atleast once a week and a cheap as plastic Happy Hour. Oh, and the staff are all LORDS OF WHIPS. Although real talk, they got to do something about that late afternoon sun on the patio. Totally killing their scene.
Best Live Music Venue: Warehouse Live
Considering the number of defuncts (or nearly) to win and be nominated this year, we cannot believe that the Engine Room did not win.
Best Record Store: Cactus Records
Gotta say it, we never liked the old Cactus. Never did it for us, not really sure why. We like what the new one is doing in a big way. So even though Sound Exchange cannot be beat for the local selection, we dig heavy on this place now.
Best Equipment Store: Guitar Center
I hope the higher-ups at Guitar Center Corporate know that Levi Johnson has done more to ingratiate their brand to Houston musicians than all the radio spots and glossy direct mails they can produce combined. One aces as Mata dude with a love for music and musicians (and great taste in it too – now on our check-out list due to his recommendation: World’s Most Dangerous) did more for them than Evan’s Music City having an in-venue banner at every place where a vote was cast Sunday.
Best Radio Station: KPFT
Not even by a long shot. Although there are notable exceptions, the quality of programming at KPFT continues to spiral to new identity politics-driven lows. If you think nothing makes your blood boil more than the way Ed Mayberry pronounces “business”, spend a little time listening to this station.
Best Local Label: Mia Kat Empire
Buxton, Hollywood Black and others make up their roster. Serious props are due for beating out more nationally known outfits like Swisha House or Rap-A-Lot.
CONDOLENCES TO:
Fatal Flying Guilloteens and Indian Jewelry, who both lost in four categories each; Arthur Yoria and Buxton who walked away 0 for 3; Hearts of Animals, Sharks and Sailors and Scattered Pages who were likewise shut out of their two-each nominations; and Balaclavas, Bring Back the Guns, By The End of Tonight, Hell City Kings, Insect Warfare, Jana Hunter, The Literary Greats, The Mathletes, Penny Royal, Something Fierce, Two Star Symphony and Whorehound who each blew their one shot at fame. Better Luck Next Year.
Real talk: Thats a long list of talent and a helluva good impression of our record collection. What was your biggest suprise or upset?
TODAY IS BALLOT DAY!!! YUSSS!
Jul 2nd
UPDATE: 2:26 PM: Breakdown of the Ballot by Artist and number of nominations. Fatal Flying Guilloteens and Indian Jewelry come out on top in our cloud with four each:
- Fatal Flying Guilloteens (4) – Musician of the Year, Best Guitarist, Best Punk, Best Male Vocalist
- Indian Jewelry (4) – Best Album, Best Song, Musician of the Year, Best Unclassified Band
- Arthur Yoria (3) – Best Songwriter, Musician of the Year, Best Male Vocalist
- Black Math Experiment (3) – Best Album, Best Song, Best Unclassified Band
- Born Liars (3)– Best New Act, Best Drummer, Best Traditional
- Buxton (3) – Best Local Album, Miscellaneous Instrumentalist, Best Neo-Folk
- Spain Colored Orange (3) – Best Miscellaneous Instrumentalist, Best Keyboard Player, Best Indie Rock
- The Tontons (3) – Best Local Album, Best New Act, Best Female Vocalist
- Hearts of Animals (2) – Best New Act, Best Experimental
- Scattered Pages (2) – Best Drummer, Best Neo-Folk
- Sharks and Sailors (2) – Best Bassist, Best Indie Rock
- Balaclavas (1)– Best Indie Rock
- Bring Back the Guns (1) – Best Guitarist
- By The End of Tonight (1) – Best Experimental
- Golden Axe (1) – Best Metal
- Hell City Kings (1) – Best Punk
- Insect Warfare (1) – Best Metal
- Jana Hunter (1) – Best Neo-Folk
- The Literary Greats (1) – Best New Act
- The Mathletes (1) – Best Experimental
- Penny Royal (1) – Best Unclassified Band
- Poor Dumb Bastards (1) – Best Punk
- Something Fierce (1) – Best Punk
- Two Star Symphony (1) – Best Unclassified Band
- Whorehound (1) – Best Metal
UPDATE 1:56 PM: Born Liars are (oddly) in the Roots Rock category, while Buxton, Jana Hunter and the Scattered Pages all turn up in another new designation “Neo-Folk.” Arthur Yoria and Shawn Adolph (Fatal Flying Guilloteens) are both up for best Male Vocals, while The Ton Tons Asli Omar is in for the Female side of things. Everything else is just details and write ins! Phew what a rush!
UPDATE 1:52 PM: The Experimental category is unreal, with Hearts of Animals, The Mathletes, By the End of Tonight and The Wiggins all competing for the glory. Likewise Indie Rock with veterans Spain Colored Orange, Sharks and Sailors and Young Mammals being joined by newcomers Wild Moccasins and Balaclavas. Something Fierce, Hell City Kings, Fatal Flying Guilloteens and the Poor Dumb Bastards will all likely lose to Los Skarnales in Best Punk. The new category (we think) best Unclassified Bands sweeps up The Small Sounds, Black Math Experiment, Penny Royal, Two Star Symphony and Indian Jewelry. Metal has a tough call to make between Whorehound, Golden Axe and Insect Warfare.
UPDATE 1:46 PM: Moving into the instrument categories, Erik Bogle (Bring Back the Guns, Fatal Flying Guilloteens) is up for Best Guitarist, Shaun Lauder (Born Liars) and Andy McWilliams (Scattered Pages) for drums, Erik Jackson (Spain Colored Orange) and Jason Willis (Buxton) for Miscellaneous Instrument, Melissa Lonchambon (Sharks and Sailors) for Bassist and Gilbert Alfaro (Spain Colored Orange) for Keyboards.
UPDATE 1:42 PM: Best New Act is another full slate of our favorites: Born Liars, Wild Moccasins, The Tontons, Hearts of Animals and The Literary Greats. Arthur Yoria gets a nod for Best Songwriter, and is also up for Local Musician of the Year along with the Guilloteens and Indian Jewelry.
UPDATE 1:39 PM: Skyline Favorites sweep Best Local Album, with releases by Indian Jewelry, Buxton, Black Math Experiment and The Tontons up for nomination. BME and Indian Jewelry also up for best song with “Everyone is Gay” and “Swans”, respectively.
UPDATE 1:32 PM: Ok, Our sources indicate that the truck has arrived. Banner ads have started popping up on the Houston Press website with links to the ballot. We’re pouring over it now. We couldn’t be more excited. We’re huge dorks. From our initial look, it’s full of CONTROVERSY! For example: Neither Bring Back the Guns’ Dry Futures or The Fatal Flying Guilloteens Quantum F*cking are nominated for Album of the Year.
WOAH WOAH HOLD ON THERE VACATION – WE ALMOST FORGOT A THING. Yep, it’s our favorite day of the year – BALLOT DAY. Today, The Houston Press will unveil the candidates for this year’s Music Awards. Then the PR campaigns begin, including a bacchanalian showcase of showdowns (July 27th this year, when you will be no doubt recovering from your evening spent at HOOTENANY 2: TWOTENANNY!), and culminating in an awards show complete with musical performers, trophies, no-shows and Michael Garfield, the High Tech Texan! STOKED! It’s like Oscars season, just with different zip codes, somewhat smaller budgets and a much higher percentage of fixed-gear bicycle ownership.
SO – it being the start of the season, we have rushed back to Houston on The Skyline Network Most Extreme Party Call Me Of The Gods jet and touched down only hours ago, going full tilt on our Segways to the nearest Houston Press corner newspaper box only to discover…. LAST WEEK’S ISSUE!!! We messaged our most extremely secret contact at the Press, and they told us that there may be a problem with the truck delivering the papers, and that they weren’t out on the street yet. OH MAN WE NEED A NEW STORY GRAPHIC:
“TRUCK PROBLEMS” delivering the ballots?! Sounds kinda Mugabe to us!!! Don’t worry Houston – we will be sure to keep our eyes of the freedom eagle on this breaking story, and will post updates as needed. It’s good to be back home and we’re super stoked about today and the month to come. PARTY CALL US!!!
TODAY IN NEWS: FEOW GETS PITCHED! GANGSTA ZYDECO DRIVEBYS! A FESTIVAL FOR THE REST-A-Y’LL!
Aug 13th
Well HAPPY MONDAY HOUSTON. You’re gonna a need a dedicated dancer/ecstasy dealer to keep up with all the news and goings on this fair day. Let’s ROUND UP the best of who and what from the blogs, the message boards and the papers.
FEOW RECORDS KICKS OUT PR MACHINE LIKE GANGBUSTERS
Feow – if you hadn’t seen mention of em online yet, you must not read many music sites. Yep, the lean mean record releasing machine that is the join love child of Bring Back the Guns’ Matt Brownlie, Wicked Poseur’s Arthur Bates and Jana Hunter started to get mad press this weeks. Raddage. First up, go check out the dating advice and sneak peek tracks that I Guess I’m Floating has for the label’s upcoming first releaser, Deer Tick.
Then, mosey on over to an article on Pitchfork, which totally scoops us with such badass news as an impending Jana Hunter/Indian Jewelry split plus full lengths by Wicked Poseur, Sharks and Sailors and Woozyhelmet. Woah! Score! You read it here second!
TRIFILIN HATERS BE SHOOTIN UP KPFT!
We were more than a little stupdefied this AM to read on houstonsoreal that someone had fired shots at KPFT’s studios last night. A story in the chronicle has more detail. No doubt, KPFT has had some violence pointed its way in the past, and let’s face it – their programming choices sometimes makes our piss boil – but we’re totally at a loss as to what would make someone do a drive-by during the zydeco show of all things? Maybe the genre is a lot more gangster than we previously estimated.
HE SAID SHE SAID PRODUCTIONS REVEALS DECEMBER FESTIVAL LINEUP
Over on hands_up, Travis from He Said She Said dropped the bomb that not only is a WICKED ACES festival in the works, but that its confirmed lineup contains the legendary The Mike Gunn. INTO IT. Peep the lineup for this slammer, and set December 14th-16th at Rudz on your calendar: The Ugly Beats, Amplified Heat, Alright Tonight, Wayward, Born Liars, The Bad Rackets, The Monocles, Something Fierce, The Pumpers, The Hex Dispensers, The Ape Shits, The High Beams, The Wax Museums, The Takes, Linus Pauling Quartet, The Mike Gunn and Hearts of Animals. More ‘surprise guests’ are to be announced. We’ll definitely be talking about this more as the date draws neigh.
DUNNOCK REMIXES JANA HUNTER
Apr 5th
OH SNAP! OH CRACKLE! OH POP! The official release date of There’s No Home is still five days away, but already it’s getting the remix treatment. None other than local hero Dunnock (Reprogram Radio, Frank From Accounting) puts the chop, the glitch and the hip-hop drums to Jana‘s jam Regardless. Coming soon to a G.R.A.B. DJ party near you? Check it!
