AltWeeklies Wire
'Begin Transmission' Fuses Funk-Rap with Trillcorenew
But the Fucking Transmissions have the hard part down: their rap-rock fusion that is both highly melodic and joyfully rhythmic.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
11-14-2007 |
Reviews
Jay-Z: America's Most Overrated Rappernew
Rap's Grateful Dead? Hova? Young? The No. 1 MC of all time? None of the above.
Houston Press |
Ben Westhoff |
11-06-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: American Gangster, Jay-Z
Johnette Napolitano's Post-Blonde Ambitionnew
The former Concrete Blonde lead singer has a unique way of dealing with her garbage: She makes it into art.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
11-06-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Johnette Napolitano, Scarred
Joy Division's Expanded Reissuesnew
With Rhino's expanded reissues of the dour Manchester quartet's three albums -- three different concerts (and one sound check) are tacked onto bonus discs -- plus noted rock videographer Anton Corbijn's new Ian Curtis biopic Control, Joy Division's moment has officially arrived.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
10-30-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Control, Joy Division
Protest Music, Then and Nownew
In contrast to the politically charged music of Vietnam era, the soundtrack to the Iraq war has gone mostly unheard. And it is out there.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
10-23-2007 |
Music
How (Not) to Name Your Bandnew
Anyway, our therapist recently told us to try to find something productive in all our seething rage, so we're turning it into the following list of tips for new bands hoping to come up with the world's best band name.
Houston Press |
Jonanna Widner |
10-23-2007 |
Music
Billy Joe Shaver's Hard-won Faithnew
Save the title track, a curious hybrid of hymn and Native American ghost dance, the music on Everybody's Brother is better suited to honky-tonks than church-houses.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
10-16-2007 |
Reviews
Kevin Fowler's 'Bring It On' Brings Attitudenew
If you're the sort of country fan who prefers tear-in-my-beer laments to yee-haw lyrics like "We're still stirrin' up a ruckus, lightnin' ain't a-struck us," best move on.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
10-16-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Bring It On, Kevin Fowler
David Rice on Going Too Far Too Fastnew
In the beleaguered mid-1990s Houston rock scene, David Rice seemed like a rare mainstream success story. He had a Columbia Records deal back when such things still mattered.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
10-16-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Remember Gene Watson?new
Nashville hasn't forgotten him, as Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Connie Smith, Rhonda Vincent, Joe Nichols and Mark Chesnutt turn up to help out with duet and background vocals on In a Perfect World, Watson's first album for New Jersey folk/roots label Shanachie.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
10-02-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: In a Perfect World, Gene Watson
Houston's Ten Worst Songsnew
… and we're still not as bad as Dallas
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
10-02-2007 |
Music
Houston's Very Best Songs Evernew
When we originally set about attempting to catalog a list of Houston's top songs ever, we thought it was a stretch. How could there be a list of ten, much less 100, world-recognized songs from this relative backwater of a music city? In fact, the exact opposite is true.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax and Chris Gray |
10-02-2007 |
Music
Trenchtown Texans Create Joyful Skanew
Ryan Scroggins was Los Skarnales's keyboardist, and from the sound of the Trenchtown Texans' debut, also their resident ska fiend.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
09-26-2007 |
Reviews
How Records are Made and Playednew
You start with PVC.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
09-26-2007 |
Music
All Hail Vinylnew
Vinyl may be a niche format, but it's also a slam dunk. It's survived because the medium itself commands a loyalty -- perhaps even reverence -- CDs, cassettes and MP3s just can't match.
Houston Press |
Chris Gray |
09-26-2007 |
Music
