Blogs

What Made Milwaukee Famous (Cambria Harkey)

We launched a new weekly DC9 feature called Aural Ambush yesterday, in which we hit the streets, armed with an archaic discman, and ask the people of Dallas their thoughts on a song from a band coming through town.

Yesterday's bit focused on the Austin-based What Made Milwaukee Famous' song "Sultan." In cased you missed it, here's what our fellow citizens had to say. Not sure we really get the Goldfinger comparison the second guy mentioned--like, at all--but to each his own, I guess...

You can catch What Made Milwaukee Famous playing with The Whigs (who we wrote about in the paper this week) at The Loft tonight at 8:30.

In the meantime, if you dug the track yourself, here it is, on the house...

Bonus mp3: What Made Milwaukee Famous -- "Sultan"

Enjoy. --Pete Freedman

Jesse Hughey wrote up a review of The Lash Outs' new self-titled disc for this week's paper, praising the band's lyricism and enthusiasm within its straight-ahead punk rock approach.

Specifically, he name-checks this song, "The Kids Don't Wanna Dance," and rightfully so. Check out these lyrics:

And when I walk the vacant streets of Ellum / I can't help but feel a little sore / And you know what hurts the most? / My heart's a-breakin' 'cause the kids don't dance no more.

Hear it for yourself on this free download...

Bonus mp3: The Lash Outs -- "The Kids Don't Wanna Dance"

Yeah, it's bratty. But ain't it also an accurate description of Deep Ellum's musical climate at the moment? --Pete Freedman

"Airline's really taking off, huh?" Ha! That's funny. (Jason Upshaw)

In this week's paper, you'll see a flattering review of local indie rock set Airline's newest release, Farewell Republica. In the write-up, Darryl Smyers call the disc, "detailed, dramatic and not a little dense, this is local music of rare insight, by a band demanding a following."

Listening to the title track, hearing the carefully constructed, nimble frailty of lead singer Robert Holley's voice as it floats atop the walking key parts and the ambient guitar, you can see where Darryl's coming from. The song's a pleasing output, if a little sleepy, but that's kind of the idea with this act. Live, you won't see Airline bouncing about; instead they pick their motions carefully, crooning more than rocking out.

Catch them live tonight at 8 p.m. at The Aardvark in Ft. Worth. Or just download this track for free.

Bonus mp3: Airline -- "Farewell Republica"

Or, y'know, do both. --Pete Freedman

Mom brings the comfort music. (Melanie Gomez)

I basically pour out my heart for Denton's electronic instrumental folk act Mom in my column in this week's paper, praising the band for its organic, mature sound. Mother's Day was an excuse for me to run the column on this band, who released their debut EP, Little Brite, back in September 2007. In turn, running that column is now an excuse for me to post this mp3 for you to download.

Mom -- "Skipping Stones"

This song's pretty much exactly what I was talking about when I called Mom's music "so stirringly beautiful, you almost drop your jaw the first time you hear it." Check it out.

And remember to catch them opening up for Stars of the Lid at the Granada Theater tomorrow night. --Pete Freedman

In the late '90s, Tomorrowpeople was on top of the local music world. Comprised of former Toadies and Brutal Juice members, the band was signed to Geffen Records and even recorded the tracks for its debut major label release. But then complications arose; the band and label parted ways, and most of those recorded tracks never saw the light of day. (Some did, however, in the form of the band's 1999 release, Marijuana Beach.)

Here's where things get interesting, though: Now, more than 10 years later, the band's back together to an extent, messing around and playing a reunion gig at the Double-Wide on Saturday, May 17, in support of The Angelus. They'll also be releasing all of their old stuff (including unreleased tracks) to iTunes in the near future. Also potentially on tap: writing new material and a few more gigs (if this Double-Wide one goes well).

In the meantime, whet your palate with this unreleased 1999 track.

Bonus mp3: Tomorrowpeople -- "Cruel"

Enjoy. --Pete Freedman

Sorry I didn't get around to posting this earlier, and sorry I'm posting it so late in the day (or night), but, just in case these aren't still available come morning, I figured I should tell you now that both Nine Inch Nails and The Offspring are offering free downloads today via their official web sites.

NIN's is a whole new album, which is yours simply in exchange for your email address.

With The Offspring, meanwhile, the cost is the same--an email address--but the payoff is just a new single. Which, maybe given Trent Reznor's prolific output of late, might be equal to a NIN album in supply-demand economics.

But I was no business major. --Pete Freedman

Kind of a short week mp3-wise. We gave you two (The Orange and Eleven Hundred Springs), pointed you in the direction of another (Rob Viktum), and told you about a download that, well, pretty much everyone who cared already knew about (Coldplay). But, in case you missed it, here it is:

The Orange -- "Nip/Tuck"

Eleven Hundred Springs -- "Every Time I Get Close To You"

DJ Rob Viktum Remixes Hangar 18

Coldplay -- "Violet Hill"

...and we spread some big local music news: Ghosthustler's done-zo. --Pete Freedman

It will surprise absolutely no one upon hearing "Nip/Tuck," the first single from The Orange's new-ish EP, A Sonic Collection of Short Stories from La La Land, that the local act has shared a number of bills around town with Black Tie Dynasty. Their style, however, is less Depeche Mode and more Panic at the Disco (pre-Pretty.Odd). That's not necessarily a bad thing--actually, it's quite good, if you can handle some bubble gum dance music in your black, dark indie coffee.

Check it out with this free download: The Orange -- "Nip/Tuck"

It's a polished, well-produced sound--almost to the point that it has a tinny sheen. Granted, that might be the biggest problem with this band. They could stand to dirt things up a bit for my tastes.

Anyway, we spoke with the guys in the band shortly before their album release party at the Curtain Club in late March. Since then, they've booked themselves an upcoming tour of the northeast, where they'll play in New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. But first they've got a couple local gigs to get out of the way--the first of which is tomorrow night at Firewater. --Pete Freedman

In the paper version of our coverage this week, Darryl Smyers calls Eleven Hundred Springs' new disc, Country Jam, "two-stepping fare of rare intellect and subtlety, a great record of real music." Having received the disc here in DC9 HQ as well, we can certainly see where Darryl's coming from--this ain't no radio country, but it ain't no southern rock or outlaw country, either. This is "there's nothing 'round here to do, so let's all grab some instruments and move the furniture around so we can have a dance floor, and, quick, someone go tell the neighbors a mile down the road about this party!" country--which is to say this disc transports you the hell out of this city, into a slower, easier-going place. And that, my friends, is a testament to Eleven Hundred Springs' talents.

Go ahead and download the first single off the album:
Eleven Hundred Springs -- "Every Time I Get Close To You"

This is moonshine music, folks. Catch Eleven Hundred Springs performing live all over town in the coming weeks, promoting this disc. --Pete Freedman

See, it is about who you know: When the (pretty kickass) independent hip-hop label Definitive Jux--home to El-P, Aesop Rock, Dizzee Rascal, Del The Funkee Homosapien, RJD2, Mr. Lif and more--was looking for a DJ to remix the recently released album from rap trio Hangar 18, local DJ and beatmaker Rob Viktum was tapped to do the job. Mostly, according to the label's site, because Viktum and the H18 guys have been "friends...for a couple of years now."

Just released last week, Viktum's remix of Hangar 18's Sweep the Leg is a nice effort, one that really displays his talents--impressively, it sounds almost nothing like the original disc (which only really had one solid track on it by my count). But Viktum's efforts only add so much to the fun, but average, album; the disc is still pretty mediocre.

Although there is one nice perk: Def Jux is giving that sucker away for free. And that makes the whole thing a heckuva lot cooler. --Pete Freedman

...just by going to the band's web site. You have all week. --Pete Freedman

Had a lot of music for you to download for free here on DC9 this week. So, in case you missed any of it, here's your catch-up:

Stumptone -- "Halfforgotten"

Broken Teeth -- "Roll Over",

Does It Offend You, Yeah? -- "We Are Rockstars"

The Shackeltons -- "Your Movement"

Plus, yesterday over on Unfair Park, Wilonsky offered up this gem: Bobby Patterson and Shibboleth -- "Digging Up Bones"

And since we didn't post an mp3 round-up at the end of last week, we've got a few others to remind you about.
Lions -- "Evil Eye"

Blackheart Society -- "Don't Say You Love Me"

Over the past two weeks, we also managed to show you where snag new mp3s for old Freddie King live tracks (for free) and where to download some rare Buddy Holly covers from Eric Clapton (yep, also for free). --Pete Freedman

Don't look down on Stumptone.

Next week in the Observer, you'll see our take on Stumptone's psyched out new disc, Gravity Suddenly Released (sidenote: all this "gravity" talk today is purely coincidental, I swear). And while I won't tell you exactly what the review says, I will pass along an mp3 from the disc:

Stumptone -- "Halfforgotten"

One listen to this track and I think you'll know whether we're gonna trash or praise the album. (Major hint: We sure as hell aren't gonna trash it.) --Pete Freedman

If you find yourself in Ft. Worth this weekend and--somehow--in need of some really bad '80s-inspired hard rock music, you'll find your fix at Rock Star Sports Bar, where Austin rock quintet Broken Teeth will perform on Saturday.

Broken Teeth's sound is everything you'd expect from an act booked to play a venue that calls itself Rock Star Sports Bar with a straight face. It just doesn't do a thing for me. Check out (and, yes, download for free) this track off the band's 2007 album Electric:

Broken Teeth -- "Roll Over"

Or you can just save the gas money and stay the hell away from Cowtown this weekend. --Pete Freedman

...oh, oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore.

If anyone knows Maria Elena Holly, the widow of Buddy who happens to live in the Turtle Creek area, they might wanna pass along this exceptional find: Eric Clapton covering the Lubbock legend's immortal songs "Maybe Baby" and "Peggy Sue," both of which have never been released despite sounding, well, like the best things Eric Clapton's done since he was, ya know, God.

And if you do talk to Ms. Holly, ask her how that lawsuit's going, while yer at it. --Robert Wilonsky