With our DOMA ballot online and ripe for your votin', we figured we'd give you some help: a daily breakdown of each category's nominees.

Best Folk/Acoustic Act:
Doug Burr
Sarah Jaffe
Glen Farris
Matthew and the Arrogant Sea
Collin Herring

This one's wide-open, really, and features some pretty intriguing match-ups.

Farris, for instance, plays in Burr's backing band. Jaffe and Burr, meanwhile, also find themselves with nominations in our Best Solo Act category, as well as in the categories for Best Female Vocalist and Best Male Vocalist, respectively. Matthew and the Arrogant Sea's also up for another award--Best New Act--and Collin Herring's got himself one hell of a whiskey-drenched comeback story. Let's dive right in...

Less than four months after the release of Texas, Aledo-based PlayRadioPlay is no longer affiliated with Island Records or the label’s distributor, Universal Music Group.

Dan Hunter, the man behind the bubblegum electro-pop, announced the release with a two-page letter outlining how things went sour between him and his label and why he was frustrated with the label’s outdated business model. More than anything, he sounds relieved to be able to go back to putting out records at his own pace.

“Not only did the time I spend with Island Records not benefit my career, it hurt it,” he writes. “Even for an artist like me, who gained interest from thousands of fans in a completely new way (The Internet, if you, like Island Records, haven't heard of it, you should check it out), Island records simply wouldn't depart from their sluggish, outdated, and clearly flawed corporate model of trying to 'break' a new artist.

“Major record labels, due to their lack of ingenuity and their fear of change, are going the way of the cassette tape (and cassette tapes SUCK, vinyl lives!). And for that reason, major record labels deserve every multimillion dollar loss that they suffer. Music is not dead, the industry is.

(Although sometimes the music I see on TV makes me think otherwise...)”

Shortly after the announcement, Hunter began answering fan questions on an absolutepunk.net bulletin board thread. After the jump are a couple of questions and answers about how well Texas has done and whether the split was Island’s or Hunter’s call. Hunter’s entire unedited announcement follows the questions. --Jesse Hughey

Somebody's Darling is a somewhat recently formed local alt-country/pop quartet led by vocalist Amber Farris and guitarist David Ponder. Farris and Ponder spent two years in a Dallas band called Raleigh, releasing an EP and an LP before lead singer Josh King bolted to Austin.

Recruiting bassist Adam Carter and drummer Nate Wedan, Farris and Ponder decided to head in a more alt-country direction and Somebodys Darling was born. The song “Farewell” will be featured on an EP slated for release in the next couple of weeks, and it’s a gem--kind of like if Old 97’s were fronted by Katrina Leskanich.

Bonus mp3: Somebodys Darling -- "Farewell"

You can catch the band at Aparicio’s in McKinney on July 5th or save on the gas and wait until July 12th to check them out in Dallas at the City Tavern. At both of these shows Somebody’s Darling will open up for Hymns, a talented New York act with local ties. You'll have little luck finding a better bill of country--alt- or otherwise. --Darryl Smyers

This weekend was a buffet of techno delight. A glow sticks salesman’s wet dream. There was enough ecstasy to get Amy Winehouse high. Well, at least, according to what's on Youtube.

Yes, it was “Meltdown: Summer Edition” last Saturday at the Lizard Lounge, and if you like techno beats--and I think ya’ do--this is going to rock your world: Seven different musicians (I use "musician" loosely) spun it out, including Chicago-based Green Velvet. Enjoy.

And we know this is a weekend-before-last event, but when Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett and the rest of the True Colors Tour come flying through your town, I guess you cover it. Or post a Youtube clip of it. That, or you run the risk of facing the wrath of one Ms. Lauper. So here are some special selections from their show, Saturday-before-last, at the Smirnoff Music Centre...

Just for kicks, 'cause No Age is playing the Palladium tonight, an interview John Iskander or Parade of Flesh sorta-conducted with No Age (and the band's merch guy?) when the band played Hailey's in Denton with Liars in February...

...and, yeah, that's "Eraser" they play at the end of the clip. Oh, the joys of Youtube. --Pete Freedman

Centro-matic, The Kadane Brothers and The Theater Fire
Granada Theater
June 28, 2008

Better than: Um...a lot of things, really.

Y'know, when he wants to, Will Johnson can really work a crowd.

Sure, this night was, for all intents and purposes, Centro-matic's night: The band's riding high on the release of its split double-disc release Dual Hawks (with Centro-matic kinda-side-project, kinda-not South San Gabriel), and its performance on this night at the Granada was being filmed for a live concert DVD. And, sure, it was Centro-matic who was headlining the evening. And, yeah, it was Centro-matic who invited the other bands on the bill to open.

But, really, it was one hell of a bill. The Theater Fire and the Kadane brothers (of The New Year and Bedhead), both of which are on the verge of new releases themselves? C'mon, folks: We even went on record as saying that this show might have been the best all-area bill this town's seen all year. Despite the filming, despite Dual Hawks and despite the headlining slot, it could've been easy for Centro-matic to possibly, maybe, kinda, sorta get lost in the shuffle.

But no. Not tonight. No freakin' way. Centro-matic, as weird as this sounds, stole its own show. And then some.

We're RTB2 fans, OK? Get it yet?

We already told you about a bunch of shows tonight (The Party, Will Johnson, Shearwater in Fort Worth, Shearwater in Dallas, and Boris), Saturday (Doug Burr, Lymbyc Systym/Her Space Holiday/Florene and maybe the show of the year) and Sunday (Stone Temple Pilots/Black Francis). Here's the best of the rest...

Dove Hunter, History at Our Disposal
9 p.m. on Friday, June 27, at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton
We wrote about Dove Hunter's big CD release party at The Double Wide last week, and the show hardly disappointed. Hell, the place was packed. Tonight's Denton CD release show might not be as jammed, but should still be a darn good tootin' time.

What you might've missed this week on DC9 as you mourned the loss of a comedic giant...

- We checked out Tom Waits at the Palladium, and wondered what the crap was up with the venue that night?
- We celebrated the return of our favorite day-time weekend activity.
- We congratulated a local icon on taking home a BET award.
- We, uh, smile smiled at Freddie Prinze Jr.'s acting abilities.
- We ambushed West Village with some No Age.
- We marveled at the amount of national press our little burg earned this week.
- And we announced our nominees for this year's DOMAs. (So, uh, go vote already!)
- And we gave you a few free mp3s for download, too...

New Science Projects -- "Wet Sights"

No Age -- "Eraser"

Patty Larkin -- "Hallelujah"

...and that was your week. Coming up soon: Your weekend. --Pete Freedman

Saturday night's show at the Granada might be the best bill of the year--we said so in print already--so, yeah, we're pretty excited. Better yet, we've got two pairs of tickets to give away for the show.

First two people to email me with "Centro-Kadane Fire" in the subject line win 'em. Go!

Update: Contest is over. Congrats to our winners! --Pete Freedman

Denton’s beloved independent music, books, movies and more store, Strawberry Fields, reopens tonight at its new location next to Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio.

Last month, a rent hike forced the venue out of its former Oak Street location, which had been the home of many a DIY rock show. The store will no longer hold shows, but promises to expand its selection of merchandise. From 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight, you can see how the new joint (located at 411 E. Sycamore St.) compares to the old place. Plus, every purchase will include a chance to win a copy of Denton Deluxe. --Jesse Hughey