Critic's Notebook

We’ll be there, documenting the Happy Bullets’ new video shoot for a slideshow you can expect to see here on Monday, I bet…

The Captain’s Dead blog, which, let’s face it, is about as good a source on Centro-matic as any thanks to its incessant fanship of the band, has an awesome bootleg available for yourdownloading pleasure of frontman Will Johnson (pictured above) performing solo at a recent Dan’s Silverleaf gig. In it,…

I’d be lying if I said I totally “got” The Secret Handshake, the widely regarded indie/dance emo-pop project of Dallas’ own Luis Dubuc. One the one hand, I don’t really see what makes him so different from the throngs of other like-minded acts around town, or why he’s gotten so…

North Carolina’s The Ox Magnolia posted its new album up as a free download over on the band’s MySpace page on Wednesday. And, I’ll be damned if I haven’t plopped down $14.95, or more, for albums that were no where near as good as the stunningly, breathtakingly beautiful Only Some Place…

Your daily dose of music news for Friday, February 13, 2009… Beginning on Monday, March 2, you can see Bono preening for five straight nights. Yep, U2 will be the lone musical guest on Late Show With David Letterman that whole week long.  Fred Durst will once again lead his…

The now-Austin-based (and formerly Dallas-based–frontman Ryan Sambol and his brother, bass player Phillip, are the sons of Bob’s Steak and Chophouse owner Bob Sambol) lo-fi garage rockers The Strange Boysare getting all prepped for the March 24 release of its debut LP, The Strange Boys…And Girls Club. And, as a…

Buried in an otherwise mundane press release received this afternoon about Ozzy Osbourne’s plans to hit the recording studio this summer to co-produce his tenth studio record comes a bit of bad news for area metal fans hoping that Ozzfest would return to Pizza Hut Park in Frisco in 2009:”Ozzy…

Given the amount of hoopla surrounding the red-hot local production duo of Play-N-Skillz lately–the abundant MTV coverage, the Grammys pre-party, etc.–the brothers Salinas (Juan and Oscar) had plenty of confidence heading into Sunday night’s Grammy Awards–maybe too much, considering how, last week, before the awards show, Juan (aka Play) promised…

Vanessa Peters’ MySpace page used to list her home town as McKinney, but truth be told, the former Austin resident spends as much time in Italy as she does in the states–which probably explains why Peters is touring The Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium before her new album is officially released…

Your daily dose of music news for Thursday, February 12, 2009… Been waiting for the day when MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice would team up again and rock your socks off? Well kids, your dream has come true! This Friday, Stanley Burrell and Robbie Van Winkle will play a show together in…

If, by chance, you happen to be in Austin this weekend and you find yourself suddenly homesick for Dallas, well, here;s one way to get your fix: Attend the live-recording of Sarah Jaffe’s performance for Austin PBS affiliate KLRU’s new Austin City Limits web-specific show called ACL Stage Left. Jaffe…

Fans of bombastic area power pop/psychedelic rock act The Orange might have some trouble spotting the band on any area venue’s upcoming show calendars.Mostly because, um, The Orange has been peeled. Which is to say that it’s done with.Well, partially. “As far as The Orange goes,” frontman Scott Tucker wrote…

Love music? Love art? Love love? Then you won’t want to miss the opening of the Love Songs exhibit 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Art Hotel gallery in the Cedars Arts District.More than  40 local artists will display artworks representing their favorite love songs in the exhibit,…

And the first single off Kari Jobe, “I’m Singing”, has already been getting airplay at radio stations locally and around the country. While it’s definitely not something that I’d probably ever, ever put on my mp3 player, well, I’ve heard far worse stuff that’s been cranked out of the Rube Goldberg apparatus that produces…

Your daily dose of national music news for Wednesday, February 11, 2009… That no talent ass-clown known as Paris Hilton apparently approached Sir Paul McCartney backstage at the Grammy’s asking if he would consider doing a duet with her. I believe he answered by doubling over in laughter and then walking…

As in past years, this year’s Lumberjack Festival at Dan’s Silverleaf boasts a brawny lineup (see poster, pictured right). But also of note about the festival: In addition to being a release party of sorts for Spitfire Tumbleweeds’ new Pope Crow album, the show is rumored to be the Denton…

Local indie pop duo Smile Smile, whose long lost love is the thing legend ’round these parts, is offering a free download of its cover of the Foo Fighters’ “Walking After You” on its web site in anticipation of its free show on Friday night at the Barley House. Check…

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!Per HOB publicist Alli Brodline: “Tonight’s performance has been postponed due to a medical emergency.”…

…courtesy Idol Records, which announced last night the date of and the acts who’ll be playing its annual SXSW showcase. In addition to Idol signed acts Here Holy Spain and The O’s, both of which were announced in the second round of SXSW band announcements, the label has added roster…

Your daily dose of national music news for Tuesday, February 10, 2009… It looks like the summer of 2009 is ready for the return of So-Cal punk. Not only is Blink-182 reuniting, but Green Day will be releasing its new album, 21st Century Breakdown, as well.  Speaking of Blink-182, MTV wants you…

Beginning next week, improvisational/experimental musicians from around the world will be descending upon Texas and Louisiana for the multi-city No Idea Festival. The bulk of the action is taking place in San Antonio and Austin, but the festival includes one night in Cowtown, at Lola’s Saloon. Percussion pioneer Tatsuya Nakatani,…

Tickets for John Iskander’s inaugural (and awesomely named) post-SXSW showcase of bands stopping through Dallas on their way out of the Austin free-for-all officially went on sale this morning. Pre-order your tickets for the gig right here. But be warned: The show is at The lounge on Elm Street, as…