Archive - Feb 2009

I've been listening to LA's Everest for some time now – their excellent debut album Ghost Notes appeared at #12 on my top albums of 2008 list, and "Reloader" was included on my top songs of 2008 post – but it wasn't until recently that I realized just how infatuated I am with this band. Their sound is an ear-friendly blend of Americana and indie rock that lends itself well to a variety of occasions. It's lively enough to throw on while entertaining guests, but also soothing enough to make for great bedtime music. I haven't yet had the opportunity to see these guys live, but after watching a few videos of them on stage, I'm convinced that they would exceed my expectations. I hope they make a stop in my area sometime soon...and if they come through Houston, I'd love to see local Americana/folk craftsmen Buxton open for them – that would be a heavenly pairing indeed.

More Everest videos, info and tour dates after the jump

Full track listing for Causes 2 after the jump

Busy in the studio working on their seventh full length album, Austin natives Spoon have just released a handful of dates surrounding their previously announced April 24th gig at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Fortunately for us Houstonians, Britt Daniel and the rest of Spoon realized that a pit stop at our favorite mid-size venue, Warehouse Live, would suit them perfectly on their trek down to the Big Easy.

Check out the full list of dates after the jump

Bruce Springsteen has been showing up everywhere as of late. His Superbowl half-time appearance, his oscar-nominated song for the movie The Wrestler, his new album on shelves, and his name topping two of the largest festivals in the world – Bonnaroo and Glastonbury – are only a few of the things The Boss has been up to. To keep up with the massive PR blitz, his website is now offering a viral video series – Hanging Out On E Street – which contains Boss-related interviews and performances from a host of both established artists and young up-and-comers. I couldn't keep myself from checking out this video from The Avett Brothers, who perform a rowdy version of Springsteen's "Glory Days."

Several other performances are now available at Bruce Springsteen's official website, including performances and interviews by Wyclef Jean, Ted Leo, Juliana Hatfield and the Bouncing Souls. More artists – including Nicole Atkins, Pete Yorn and Tegan & Sara – will also be added to the video series in the next few weeks.

Zilker Park, the site of the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, is basically a large, not very well-watered field, which is fine for a modest number of visitors flipping around frisbees, but can quickly turn into a particle-filled nightmare for large crowds. ACL Sunday has become synonymous with 'dust storm' because after two consecutive days of 65,000 people tromping across the grounds, the last day of the festival is inevitably filled with throat-clogging gusts of dirt and wind. All of which then causes you to sneeze up curious-looking gunk for about three days afterward and wonder why you continue to return to ACL every year. Well, no need to fret any longer – by the looks of it, the ground conditions of the park will be improved in time for the 2009 edition.

Read what the festival has to say about the park upgrades after the jump

A few weeks ago, on Friday, February 6, Lawrence, KS-based post-rockers The Appleseed Cast stopped in at Rudyard's in Houston. Eggs and I had only recently begun to explore the band's catalog; for a few months, we had a pseudo-roommate living with us and as an avid fan, he introduced us to their work. In fact, he extended his stay in Houston by a night just to attend this show. At Rudyard's, the band delivered an intense set that highlighted their impassioned songwriting and experimental feel. Local support act Hungry Villagers also offered up a solid selection of songs, capably fulfilling crowd-warming duties.

More snaps and vids after the jump

Son Volt and Doug Burr at Continental Club
Doors open at 8:30pm

I've been meaning to post this video for awhile, even though I'm sure many of you have already seen it. It's not only hilarious, but also contains cameos by Justin Timberlake and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, better known as Meadow Soprano. More videos from The Lonely Island are to follow, and their debut album entitled Incredibad is now in stores.

The Toastman

Broken Social Scene made their way through Houston a couple weeks ago, bringing an arsenal of guitars to their sold-out show at Numbers in Houston. We primarily attended the show as fans and didn't really intend to write a full-on review, but we thought you still might enjoy our videos from that evening. With no further ado...

View a few more videos from the night after the jump