Mmmm... appetizing.

Thanks, Paulie!

Thanks to Julie for putting this on her blog!

Which Historical Lunatic Are You?
From the fecund loins of Rum and Monkey.

New music for today:

* The Go-Betweens, Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express
* The Decemberists, Her Majesty

The G-Bs album is smart and rather taut, stretched between the relative austerity of the previous album, Spring Hill Fair, and the lushness of the next two, the disappointing Tallulah and the brilliant 16 Lovers Lane. Lyrically, it's as sharp as ever. I'm going to have to let it sink in before going further in this analysis, though.

I picked up the Decemberists album because of the incessant comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel. The comparison is somewhat accurate, but the Decemberists are more oriented to pop songs (and have a Kinks influence) than NMH. The lyrics, although quite literate, can't manage the giddy freeform pleasures of NMH, and the music is almost painfully formal at times. NMH cast a long shadow, though. If my major influence were an artist as iconoclast as Jeff Mangum, I'd probably hide under the bed instead of releasing music, so the Decemberists deserve credit for courage. It will take a while to hear them for their own merits, though.

There will be a repeat of the Trouble Down South/Phenomenal Cats gig at the Carousel on Friday, Dec. 5. This time, TDS will play first.

Flyer

Music at the office today:
* The Fall comp by Bill Ham
* The Fall, This Nation's Saving Grace
* The Who Sell Out
* The Stooges, Funhouse
* The Meat Puppets, Up on the Sun
* The Bottle Rockets, s/t

Big gig tonight. First, the Phenomenal Cats will play the entirety of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, the classic 1968 album, at 9 pm. Trouble Down South plays afterward.

Flyer

Music at the office today:
* Gene Clark, White Light
* The Kinks, Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire
* Knife in the Water, Red River
* Spoon, Girls Can Tell
* Television, Live At The Old Waldorf

I'm a lousy blogger. Learning to accept that has brought me peace within.

Played the historic Hole in the Wall here in Austin last Wednesday. Our good friend Dutcher bootlegged the show, and we have a few songs up on the web.

Tulsa Nightlife

Little Johnny Jewel

Brand New Cadillac

I wrote "Tulsa Nightlife" and sing the lead vocal on it and "Little Johnny Jewel." I play the second lead on LJJ and the recurring riff on "Brand New Cadillac." Julie Beth Wood sings lead on BNC and backing vocals on TNL and plays bass on all of 'em. Matt Baab has backing vocals on TNL and plays lead guitar on all, and Scott Wiedman drums on all. Almost like you were there now, isn't it?