Denton’s Annual Mudbug Boil Is Back Again!

For the past 14 years, Denton Has played host to a traditional event full of music, festivities and eating bugs… Mudbugs, that is… Crawfish, to be exact. This is an event that was created to help benefit many of our local charities, and takes place this Saturday, May 1 at 1211 Hickory St. (the parking lot behind Lucky Lou’s and Rip Rocks). Hundreds of people gathered together, beer, local vendors of all kinds cooking up all sorts of delicious crawfish and fried fish dishes, beer, a lineup of great bands, beer, tons of awesome giveaways and auctions, beer and a yum-yum-yummy gumbo cook-off! What else could you ask for on a lazy Saturday?

Speaking of great bands, this year’s lineup includes: Big Daddy Alright, RTB2, The King Bucks, The Heelers and Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward. The Mudbug Boil runs from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and is a rain or shine event. This year’s event will be benefiting Aids Services of North Texas, Mothers of Multiples, Cumberland Childrens home, Friends of the Family and A Denton Family In Need. Prices start at $5 for entry only, $15 for all you can eat (while it lasts) and $20 for everything.

This is an awesome event that I look forward to every year that is also beneficial to the local community. So even if you haven’t done a good deed yet this year, this way you can get drunk, dance, stuff your face AND do something nice for your town all at once!

-Cory Coleman [c]

Bob Log III, Iternational Man of Mystery

There are some things man is just not meant to know. There are enigmas wrapped inside riddles, and then is Bob Log III. And the one-man band from Tucson, for the most part, has done a great job keeping audiences guessing.

For instance there was his official bio sheet which indicated his left hand was surgically removed and replaced with a monkey paw. There is also the fact that he never appears in public without a helmet of some sort that has been rigged to have a crude mic inside. Or the fact that people like Tom Waits have said things like the following about the man.

“And then there’s this guy named Bob Log, you ever heard of him? He’s this little kid — nobody even knows how old he is — wears a motorcycle helmet and he has a microphone inside of it and he puts the glass over the front so you can’t see his face, and plays slide guitar. It’s just the loudest strangest stuff you’ve ever heard. You don’t understand one word he’s saying. I like people who glue macaroni on to a piece of cardboard and paint it gold. That’s what I aspire to basically.”

He's got better foot-drumming skills and a loads more slide guitar finesse, but his coolness level is still somewhere near Al Howard, the mysterious old guy in Grand Prairie who does nearly the same thing while sitting in a homemade trailer contraption in front of local business like the Don Juan's.

All joking aside, I will give BL3 credit for having the longest song title I've ever come across, the aptly titled "Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump Pow! Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump Baby! Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump Pow! Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump".

Can't wait until he rolls through town in July.

MP3: Bob Log III - Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump Pow! Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump Baby! Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump Pow! Bump Pow! Bump Bump Bump

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The Guestlist w/ Yeahdef

There's people that work hard. And then there's Joey Liechty. Best known as Yeahdef, he somehow manages to juggle a day job, college, and enough shows to make you wonder if he ever sleeps. You can find him week after week at Hailey's in Denton, chopping and mixing everyone's favorite tunes from the '80s and '90s to make the people dance. There's a reason Yeahdef was voted Best DJ by Dallas Observer readers and it's not just because he puts in the hours necessary to master his art. He's innovative and unafraid to intertwine his l33t skills with his setup. He's streamed Twitter feeds and text messages through projectors during shows, crafts his own playful flyers, and recently unveiled his project, Playlister, which allows everyone to vote online for the tracks they want to hear on '90s nights. Given his sense of all things musical, technical, and Gen-Y nostalgic, it only makes sense that his Guestlist brings all of those together.

Be sure to dance back in time with Yeahdef on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or catch his new dubstep monthly gig, Dentstep, at Hailey's. And if you have time in between, try to beat him at Words with Friends.


"The 5 Best Video Game Soundtracks" by Yeahdef


5. Katamari Damacy

This game came out at the perfect time for me. I had just begun a small experiment with mushrooms, and as a result this soundtrack immediately invokes some strange melting-walls reaction in my brain. It's these fond drug-addled memories that keep me coming back (to the music, not the drugs). The songs are instantly catchy in that OMGWTF-japan-is-so-goofball kind of way.


4. Toe jam and Earl

Super galactic funk grooves throughout. There is no other game soundtrack that embraces future funk as much as Toe Jam and Earl. Yes it's repetitive (there's only 6 songs), but that parts being repeated are worthy and I still find myself humming them all the time.


3. Donkey Kong Country

When I was 11 years old my grandmother took me to blockbuster every Saturday morning to compete in the video game championships. I won the regionals by collecting the most bananas in Donkey Kong Country's first few levels. I came to love the soundtrack. Maybe it's the repetition and frequency I played the game in order to learn all the hidden banana locations, or maybe that the soundtrack was a danceable bounty of jungle music. Whatever it is - I'm always in the mood for a little Island Swing.


2. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

This is probably the most properly done soundtrack. The creepy zones are creepy / the somber zones are somber. It's epic and heartrending, and some of the tunes are completely jazz-funky which I love for this type of game - it fits perfectly. Coupled with the most unintentionally hilarious voice acting, SOTN easily sits high on most reviewers list of most pleasing games for the ears. If you've never played this game complete 100% you are failing at life.


1. Earthbound

Also my top game of all time, Earthbound has the most mood inducing music of any game to date. It also represents my first personal case of sample recognition. During the part of the game where you are traveling through the innards of Dungeon Man, the background music samples The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's lonely hearts club band. I remember when I realized that as a young kid - I flipped! Something really reverberates with me and this game - kind of like a familiarity... It's hard to put into words, but it's almost as if the game is playing me and not the other way around. Maybe I've just played it way too many times.


Notable: Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Of all the Sonic soundtracks, this one might not be the best - but it is surely the most epic. Since Michael Jackson's death, in-house musicians @ SEGA have come forward confirming people's suspicions that The King of Pop lent his help to the soundtrack (based on some eerily similar sequences in the game's soundtrack and Mike's own music). It has it's moments, but I just think it's neat that Michael went in and helped out with the soundtrack uncredited, just because he was a fan of Sonic. Go Michael!


-Nina C.

Bonus MP3: White Hinterland - No Logic (Alan Wilkis Remix)

We've been all about the new White Hinterland disc this year, and for good reason; Kairos has been one of 2010's best. Not that we didn't dig their last album, but their venture into the territory of washed out electropop has not only widened the group's appeal, it has opened them up to be fodder for tons more bedroom remixers. Luckily for us we have found that the track "No Logic," was in the more than capable hands of one of our favorites, Alan Wilkis. It's not only spooky and ethereal, it's surprisingly danceable.

MP3: White Hinterland - No Logic (Alan Wilkis Remix)

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Free Ishi Dance Party to Decide Bonnaroo Slot

Many bands around the country are participating in a Ford-sponsored contest to decide who will play the Ford Garage stage at this year's Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee, and they are all asking themselves the same question; Are they better than Ishi?

The self-dubbed folktronica outfit will be putting on a free dance party at The Palladium Ballroom on April 29 to answer that very question. If the show, which will also feature openers Darktown Strutters and DJ Sober, draws out more fans than other similar parties across the country the festival gig is theirs. And judging from their recent victory in KDGE's contest to select an opening act to Edgefest 2010, they have a real shot.

As if a free dance party wasn't choice enough already, they've thrown in a few extra perks to sweeten the deal. For instance:

*1 of 10 FREE BAR TABS from Five O'Clock Happy Hour
*$3 Drink Specials Till 10PM
*1 FREE DRINK COUPON when you check in on Foursquare during the event

RSVP & Learn More here

MP3: Ishi - Pastel Lights

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The Inevitable Return of the Friday Mixed Bag

The worst types of posts I read on music blogs are those where the blogger whines about having some sort of other life that is not the blog and how he is just so busy/important that he couldn't possibly find time to update. At the same time it is sometimes simply unavoidable. But instead of apologizing in advance for today's lack of content, I'll share with you some MP3's I've been enjoying in hopes that you will be to distracted to notice I actually never said anything about them.

MP3: Johnny Flynn - Kentucky Pill
MP3: Blank Dogs - Heat and Depression
MP3: B.Y.O.Death - Snowy Eyes
MP3: Deertick - 20 Miles
MP3: Indian Jewelry - Oceans
MP3: Saintseneca - Grey Flag

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Vinyl Release Show: Mini and the Bear - Art Starts With Drums

SubEx recommends that you head over to The Lounge on Elm St tonight for the vinyl release party of Mini and the Bear's newest EP Art Starts With Drums. Mini, of course, being the noisier, much more brash, much less dance-oriented project of Giggle Party guitarist Aaron Eash. And if the fact that the shindig just so happens to be a free event isn't quite enough to suck you in, Vancouver urban punk duo Japandroids is but another name on what turns out it a pretty nice punk bill.

Want more free stuff? The EP can actually be downloaded here in its entirety. And if all that wasn't enough, Aaron has given us a few pairs of tickets to the show to pass along to a few lucky readers.

MP3: Mini and the Bear - I No Longer Think About It, I Am

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Album Review: Spooky Folk (Self-Titled)

Though I’ve had it since before SXSW, and despite the fact that I’ve listened to it regularly in the meantime, I’ve yet to write anything at length about Spooky Folk’s masterful self-titled disc. Though it is a popular quip among people in this town that they are neither folk nor even all that spooky their brand of acoustic guitar/banjo-heavy sound, one would have to argue, does reside somewhere in that folk-rock arena –albeit in a more college-friendly form.

But it is meant as no sleight, the arrangements here are carefully thought out, and the lyrics deeply-moving. “She is a rare bird/Not many like her/Won’t catch her kind flying round here these days/I’m just a sucker/That tried to catch her/only to find out she can’t be caged,” singer Kaleo Kaualoku sings on “Rare Bird,” a track that boasts extended metaphors that would not only make Dylan proud but perhaps a bit jealous as well.

Between “My Niagra Heart,” “Rare Bird,” “Polaroid,” and “Bible Belt,” the album also possesses the strongest opening four track sequence on an album since Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the latter being a drunken fist-pumping sing-along able to win over even the most docile of crowds when the band plays it live. And although the disc drops off a bit from this point on, the strength of tracks 1-4 still make it a contender as being one of the year’s best album’s to date, or at the very least one of the most mature freshman efforts I’ve heard.

And really it’s not hard to see why this album is so hard to put down; Beyond the folkier numbers and the southern gospel nod of “Bible Belt,” songs like “Stars” wouldn’t be out of place on a Belle and Sebastian album, and the dirge “Resurrect!” would make even such veterans of the genre like the Decemberists proud.

MP3: Spooky Folk - Polaroid

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The Guestlist w/ Young and Brave

Young and Brave is a talented Denton band with a knack for seamlessly weaving different musical styles, just a few of which are 70s country, 60s pop, Motown and gospel. Their music and live act have evolved greatly over their two-year life span (in fact, their new songs are much more complex and layered than on their self-titled EP) and they are a band to watch. Big things are surely in their future.

See for yourself when they play at Andy's on Friday, April 23, along with RTB2, Roy Robertson and Jessie Frye. In honor of the upcoming show we asked the band to tell us their favorite TV theme songs and each member chose one.


"Our Favorite TV Theme Songs" by Young And Brave
Ian Mesey (bass, backing vocals):
X-Men: The Animated Series theme.

Is there any song that could possibly get you more pumped than this? Every Saturday morning, my best friend Alex and I were whipped into a veritable frenzy by this song. It was written by Ron Wasserman, who seemed to have tapped directly into my adrenaline glands as he later wrote the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers theme song as well. Jon recently rustled my nostalgia and love for this song (not to mention my childhood cartoon crush on Rogue) when he brought a season over on DVD. It would not be a stretch to say that the X-Men theme song developed my taste for metal and (later) hardcore.


Sarah Lynn Fisher (vocals, keys):
"Hey Sandy" - Polaris (Theme song of The Adventures of Pete and Pete)

You might know that The Adventures of Pete and Pete was a pretty awesome show, and not only because Iggy Pop and Michael Stipe were guest stars and Little Pete's best friend was Artie, the Strongest Man in the World. The show also had its own house band, Polaris, who contributed several songs to the soundtrack and appeared on the show a few times, mostly notably performing the show's theme song, "Hey Sandy", in the opening credits. "Hey Sandy" is a great example of mid-90s alternative rock (i.e., R.E.M. and The Lemonheads) and is pretty catchy despite the largely unintelligible lyrics. One summer I ate way too many Frosted Mini Wheats in order to collect enough UPC labels to send away for a cassette entitled Happily Deranged, Music from The Adventures of Pete and Pete, narrated by Big Pete and including "Hey Sandy". It remains one of my prized possessions.

Jon McKnight (vocals, guitar):
"Angela" - Bob James (Theme song of Taxi)

I had a really hard time choosing a favorite theme song, but this one just kept sticking out to me. I love this theme. There are very few television themes that really evoke any kind of emotion for me, aside from the "hey, cool, I'm about to watch a sitcom." This one is different. I can't seem to place a finger on why, but I get a deeply nostalgic feeling when I hear this song. It's inspired that feeling in me for as long as I can remember, and it, as television themes go, is about as well thought out and beautiful as they come. And I loved the show as well. I remember watching with my mother as a little kid, and being introduced to actors that I would grow to love as an adult. (Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, and of course Andy Kaufman.)


Matt Shasteen (guitar, lap steel, keys, backing vocals):
"My Life" - Billy Joel (Theme song of Bosom Buddies)

...because it conjures up images of a young Peter Scollari in his prime.

Ramon Muzquiz (drums/percussion, backing vocals):
"Italian Leather Sofa" - Cake (Theme song of Mission Hill)

When I was in high school I remember seeing this show when it premiered (I think it was on the WB) with my family at dinner. No one liked it but me and like every good animated show that isn't on Fox, it was cancelled shortly thereafter. Low and behold the good people at Adult Swim took over the show and sometime (about a year later I think) I had seen the whole series, a year after that or so when the giant Virgin mega store on Mockingbird was closing I picked up the whole series (one season) for less than 15$. I cherish this intro every time I hear it. I've never been a huge Cake fan but this song would always get stuck in my head for days after seeing the show. I do remember once while on a road trip when I was even younger I stole my sister's portable CD player and Cake album "Fashion Nugget." I listened to the song "The Distance" about 10 million times; I was totally transfixed. It's funny to think that if I could have taken my finger off the repeat button once or twice I could have known this song sooner. It's a good jam and on the album it's actually a little slower and laid back.

-Jesseca

The Numerators Signal Punk Is Alive & Well

I've been reading and thinking a lot about the underground indie/punk movements of the early 1980's. About bands like Black Flag and Minor Threat, and the trails they were able to blaze across the country simply based on word-of-mouth, hard-to-find fanzines that were often Xeroxed by hand, and the strength of their genre re-defining music. For bands like these punk rock was not a fashion statement, but an entire way of life that effected one's views on everything from politics, to where one lived, what one ate, or what one did for leisure. And still these bands were able to record in their garages or whatever cheap studio spaces they could finagle their way into for pennies on the dime, assemble the vinyl packaging in their living rooms themselves, and hassle enough people in between to manage to move 10,000 units in a year.

Arguably the movement died or became irrelevant when bands like Nirvana or the Butthole Surfers signed major label deals, but perhaps it only had to go quiet again, just long enough for the system to forget about it, for it to be considered underground and/or anti-system again. After all, music your parents dig could never be considered viable in the true indie scene, and just about everyone's parents will tolerate a little 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' every now and again.

But replace the word 'fanzine' with 'blog' and 'the big 6' with 'the big 3' and it is becoming more apparent that something like what happened 30 years ago is on the verge of a resurgence.

Further proof for me is a band like the one I saw last night. With their echoing guitar lines which oscillated against themselves into a pyschedelic frenzy, pounding surf rock rhythms, and unphased walking bass lines that held the entire thing together --even under the duress of the constant yips and intensely-reverberated vocals-- The Numerators caused an epiphany for me that the DIY indie scene is not only alive, but it is thriving.

This time around bands are rebelling against the established system of hawking MP3's and digital sales through massive online big boxers like iTunes or Amazon by selling vinyl, cassettes, and even laser discs at their merch booths. A great idea, as a parent-type is typically not going to seek out players for such antiquated media in the way a true underground music lover might, let alone put up with their diminished sound qualities.

Hailing from Lubbock, it is most definitely worth the short drive North to check a band like The Numerators out. But of course, downloading their Human Blanket EP is as simple as one mouse-click away.

MP3: The Numerators - Rip It

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LOLCORNELL of the Week

In honor of Mr. Cornell's recent contribution to the new Slash album, we bring you this only marginally amusing edition of LOLCORNELLZ. Enjoy. But not too much.

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Album Review: Slash's Slash

On ex-GNR guitarist Slash's new self-titled album, there are plenty of songs to listen to from people you know. Some really famous people like Ozzy Osbourne from that show with his family. There is also a guy named Dave Grohl, best known from the group, Them Crooked Vultures. Most of this album is actually very good (I didn't think it would be) but Slash did his homework on the people who are singing the songs in the album.

Chris Cornell lends his vocals to the song "Promises," and it is excellent. By far his best work since making the song for James Bond. Even the song with Fergie is listenable once, but I can't help but get the smell of Meth every time I hear her voice. Slash must play guitar a lot.

If you want unusual combinations of things, like putting a Dairy Queen meat basket into a Dairy Queen blizzard, you can do that --but you are going to feel sick after. There is a combination of that in this album too. It's got Alice Cooper from Wayne's World and Nicole Scherzinger from Popstars. That song is not a good combination. In fact, it's a bad combination. Lemmy Kilmister, from the Boys Don't Cry video "I Wanna be a Cowboy" has a song about doctors on it. It's just weird that Slasher would give a song to that guy, especially about Universal Hell-thcare. That one guy Adam Levine from that SNL skit is on the album too. His song is called "Gotten". It's pretty cool. It's actually not that good.

If you are going to keep talking about getting around in that thing, you better at least show people that you own one, or are is borrowing one from your friends. There are other friends to listen to on this song collection as well. Kid Rock, from the movie Joe Dirt, is in a semi country-rock-white trash song about getting different people pregnant. That may not be all the songs on this collection, but that's all I could do for right now. I may come back later.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

MP3: Slash - Watch This (Feat. Dave Grohl &Duff McKagan)

-Morrow

Giveaway: Tickets To See Middle East at The Loft

Hello to all the SubEx community this fine Tax Day. We have some exciting news for you this morning. Our friends over at The Loft in Dallas have sent us not one, but TWO pairs of tickets to see Middle East and Frightened Rabbit next Thursday, April 22nd! We thought this would be a fine time to have a little giveaway since the I.R.S. is having a fine time of taking everything away today. Shoot us an email over at subservientexperiment[at]gmail.com, and in the subject line, just include the phrase "I.R.S.O.B", and the tickets could be YOURS! *emphatic Captain Planet voice.

It's as easy as eating room temperature cheese that you squeeze out of a can! This is a perfect opportunity to relieve some anger and stress that most all of us American taxpayers are feeling today. So don't hesitate this morning, SubExers! Email us now! These tickets will go fast!

MP3: The Middle East - Blood

-Cory Coleman [c]

It's All Good With The Hood Internt

Let's face it, I'm a sucker for all things Hood Internet and/or Gucci Mane. Which is why I was so thrilled to see that the Chicago mashup duo opted to call upon my favorite dirty south rapper not once, but twice.

In the first instance sees Gucci's party anthem "Wasted" aka the jam that launched a million FB status updates mixed with Norwegian producer Hans-Peter Lindtrom that I'm admittedly not all that familiar with. Either way it's a nice change of pace from the original, and carries enough weight to handle Mr. Mane's grimy rhymes. And it does so without having to compromise on the tempo.

I've always said Julian Casablancas' electro-friendly synth-pop solo album Phrazes For The Young would make good mashup fodder, but it takes a Hood Internet to prove me right. In their usual simplistic, no-frills style they pair Omarion's "I Get It In" with Casablancas' "River of Brakelights". While the original Omarion track doesn't do all that much for me, and the lone Casablancas riff gets a little repetitive before the song's end, it's well worth the listen for Gucci's verse alone.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention that Mr. Casablancas would be playing the House of Blues tonight. Should be a pretty decent show.

MP3: Gucci Mane vs LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE - Wasted Love (Hood Internet remix)
MP3: Omarion vs Julian Casablancas - I Get The Hang of It (Hood Internet remix)

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About Last Night: Vampire Weekend at House of Blues

As Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig so keenly observed from the House of Blues stage, Sunday night is not typically known as the night to dance. But that didn't prevent the crowd at last night's sold out show from giving it all they've got.

From the moment Vampire Weekend took the stage to DJ Kool's "Let Me Clear My Throat", the venue shook with energy. Even those in the balcony, some paying an upwards of 100 dollars per seat, took to their feet. And though the band sporadically participated in maintaining that energy, there's no mistaking what initiated it; the music. And on Sunday night the music seemed to have a life of its own, spawning waves of pop induced energy across the audience.

It peaked several times, most noteably during "A-Punk" which, from the balcony must have made the floor look like a giant game of whack-a-mole. A few moments later Diplomat's Son playfully dared the audience to cha-cha-cha in unison and "Oxford Comma" reminded all the English majors in the crowd that there is definitely more than one way to splice a sentence (like with a mid-air fist pump). Yes, Sunday nights show was definitely all about the music. And that's a good thing, given that the performers avoided the typical stage banter and all attempts to achieve the ultimate rock star pose. They didn't even try. I guess they figured everyone who wanted to watch that was at the Bon Jovi show down the street.

Seeing Vampire Weekend live isn't really about the band or the "show" they put on; its about participating in a music experiment. It began just a few years ago by four students at Columbia. The question was this: What would happen if we cranked Caribbean beats, Afro-pop, old school rock and a touch of hip hop through a series of synthesizers and add a Brian Wilson-esque voice to the result? You got it: Vampire Weekend.

But you don't exactly attend Columbia to become a musician. Thats why the guys of Vampire Weekend have never aimed to be. Sporting their signature pop collared polo's, the guys remind us that being a part of the show is way better than simply watching one.

-Jamie Linver

MP3: Vampire Weekend - Ruby Soho (Rancid cover)

Set List:
White Sky
Holiday
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
I Stand Corrected
M79
Bryn
California English
Cousins
Taxi Cab
Run
A-Punk
One (Blake’s Got A New Face)
Diplomat’s Son
Giving Up The Gun
Campus
Oxford Comma
——
Horchata
Mansford Roof
Walcott

Interview/Guestlist w/ Birds and Batteries

In case you might not have read the recent post about the great Birds & Batteries, this group from San Francisco is out on tour promoting their latest release, Up To No Good (EP). Having come down through Texas for the SXSW Festival this year, they happen to also play the NX35 Conferette along the way, which I happen to catch. After much boozing and dancing to B&B’s range of folky rhythms to their wild, driving dance melodies, I ended up talking with the band. Very laid back and awesome people.

Frontman Mike Sempert, was gracious enough to answer a couple of questions about the group’s little roll through Denton town and how they feel about this little part of the world. He even threw in a little Guestlist just for your viewing pleasure! So, please enjoy. And please check out Birds & Batteries!


SubEx: First of all, how did you come up with the name Birds & Batteries?

Mike Sempert: It's a long, disgusting story. No actually, I stumbled across the words in a Tom Robbins novel and thought they had a nice ring. That's it.


SE: Are all of you guys from San Francisco?

MS: Myself and Christopher are from the Boston area, Brian's from San Diego, Jill's from Rockford, IL. We all met in SF.


SE: What would you call your music?

MS: Special. Everyone thinks their baby is special. Genre-wise, we do whatever the music calls for, which could mean a sparse, pedal steel accompanied ballad, or funky, weird, dance music.


SE: How long have you been together?

MS: We've been working as this lineup for two and a half years, B&B has been a performing moniker for almost five years.


SE: Do you have a favorite bird?

MS: Hmmm... I appreciate gay birds.


SE: What is the State Bird of California?

MS: See above.


SE: Was this your first time though Texas?

MS: This was our fifth time through Texas.


SE: What did you think of the NX35 Music Conferette as a festival compared to other festivals you have played?

MS: It was a lot of fun, definitely more relaxed than other festival experiences. It's exciting to see this thing taking off, and we're happy to be on the near-ground floor with it. Hopefully we'll be back next year.


SE: How did Denton treat you?

MS: Very well. Friendly people, nice town.


SE: Did all the beards scare you?

MS: Yeah right. Our nickname is Beards & Batteries.


SE: What did you think of the size of the town with all of the concentrated culture of people and places?

MS: I was surprised to learn that there's only 100,000 people in Denton. So, yes. High culture-to-people ratio.


SE: Did you get to check out any other shows going on while you guys were in town?

MS: Not as many as I'd hoped. Tour is rough like that. Telegraph Canyon's show at Rubber Gloves was amazing. DJ Mom Jeans was fun.


SE: You guys had a pretty busy weekend in Austin for SXSW... Tell us about it.

MS: Oh man, pretty standard- it was a total cluster-fuck. Lots of fun, anxiety, hard-work, a sense of relief at the end of the day and bbq.


SE: What color are your underpants?

MS: Green


SE: People call Austin the "Music Capitol Of The World." How would you describe your experience in Austin?

MS: Well, my experience is almost entirely limited to SXSW. My conclusion is that Austin is a whole lot of fun.


SE: Likewise, people have begun to refer to Denton as "The Other Music Town In Texas." How would you compare/contrast the two towns in your experience? How did the people treat you at the shows/on the streets?

MS: Well, you were real nice, and so was everyone we interacted with. Austin and Denton are not in the same category in terms of scale. But I'd hate to see Denton become Austin and I don't think it will. Denton has got its own thing goin' on and that's what makes it so cool.


SE: Where did you guys head after SXSW?

MS: Back to Ft. Worth to play a show with Telegraph Canyon.


SE: Would you ever want to come back to Texas?

MS: Of course. Texas is where we do our thing.


SE: Do you miss me?

MS: Yes, desperately. But we're booking another tour for August. . .See you then!


"Top Five Bands We've Ever Seen At SXSW" by: Birds & Batteries


5. Telegraph Canyon
4. Oh No Ono
3. Dirty Projectors
2. Efterklang
1. Andrew Bird


Birds & Batteries’ music can be purchased through iTunes or by visiting their website: birdsandbatteries.com


-Cory Coleman [c]

Tomorrow Night at Haileys: Camera Obscura w/ Princeton, a Once In A Lifetime Pairing

If the aforementioned Shearwater show tomorrow night at The Loft doesn't quite tickle your fancy (of if you are one of those Denton kids who refuses to leave it's city limits) there is another viable option as well. Glasgow natives Camera Obscura, who were responsible for one of the very best albums of last year will be taking the stage at Hailey's, and with them the LA quartet Princeton whom I had the privilege of seeing perform live last September with Ra Ra Riot.

During that performance the Princeton crew were joined onstage by RRR's cellist for "Sadie and Andy", my favorite track from last year's Cocoon of Love. I would expect something similar to happen tomorrow night with Camera Obscura's Tracyanne Campbell, and like the RRR collab it should result in a special scene that audiences will most likely have only one chance in their lives to catch. Either way it should be quite the show.

MP3: Princeton - Calypso Gold

MP3: Princeton - Shout (Fol Chen Remix)

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2 Shearwater Giveaways, 2 Ways To Win

In this week's issue of the Dallas Observer, I talk about Shearwater frontman Johnathan Meiburg's obsession with birds, and his band's sonically-thrilling latest disc, The Golden Archipelago. Not only can you can see the whole thing for yourself this Saturday at The Loft, you just might be able to do so for free. The good folks over at the newly re-branded Palladium complex have given us two pairs of tickets to give away to the show (which also features Wye Oak and Hospital Ships), and in-turn we are giving you two ways to win. Either send an email to subservientexperiment@gmail.com telling us about your favorite bird, or follow us on Twitter and RT our Shearwater contest message. It's just that easy. Good luck, and see you there.

MP3: Shearwater - Black Eyes

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Brooklyn Boys Show Off Their Girlie Sides

I have happened onto a pair of covers this week that involve dudes doing songs made famous by ladies --which is my favorite type of cover song. I would like to admit my Dan Band album (which I paid actual moneys for) as exhibit A. Want further proof? I rarely go to a karaoke bar without doing at least one ABBA track (exhibit B).

Following in the footsteps of Travis and Local H (who have each covered Britney Spears) Brooklyn's The Morning Pages have put their twist on fellow diva Lady Gaga's "Telephone". I'm no Gaga expert but I'm guessing her version is probably a little catchier than this mellow folky jam.

Fellow Brooklynites the Suckers put their delightfully freaky art-rock twist on The Raveonettes' "Boys Who Rape" to promote their upcoming Wild Smile LP. They're fuller, darker sound adds a more believable twist to one of the top 5 rape songs I've ever heard (behind The Toadies and STP of course). The Suckers will be at The Cavern on 4/22.

MP3: The Morning Pages - Telephone (Lady Gaga Cover)
MP3: The Suckers - Boys Who Rape (Raveonettes Cover)

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Album Review: NO - Diagone

It's as if the members of Genesis were talking about practice, not the game, but about practice. I mean we can all agree on that. It's really simple, if you want to make the band better, that's what the people deserve. How the hell can they make their bandmates better by practicing? You got your harpsichords and you got your synth stabs. There's some guitar in it too. But you can't say there is rapping in it, because then you'd have to call it fapping. Since it's in French. They got in there and are working the rotations, but it's really hard to talk right now when you keep talking about practice. The people of Philadelphia deserve to have a winner. Plenty of discord piano, going all subtle. When you bring in a viola, what are you going to tell him? Hey, it's funny to me too, I hear you. Don't let the tittle fool you, there is no quit in Quitter la ville (morte) / premiere, but you better believe we are talking about the game when it's in the seconde. Elodie Bernede really needs to be talking about things that makes the band better, it's easy to sum up if you're just talking about practice. I told Elodie that you don't have to give the people of Philadelphia a reason to think that he is leaving the band or anything like that.

4 out of 5 stars.

(Any confusion caused by the above rant should be cleared up by watching this)

MP3: NO - Quitter la ville (morte) [buy the full album here]

-Morrow

The Guestlist w/ Roy Robertson

The latest edition of The Guestlist comes from a man who needs very little introduction around these parts, as we've been so taken with Roy Robertson's blend of folk, prog, and chutzpah as of late. Sure, it hasn't been all that long since we were asking ourselves 'just who is this Roy Robertson character?' but since his full electric band made its live debut at NX35 he's quickly become one of our favorite local musicians. And we're guessing that by the time his The Moth & Moon LP comes out this summer quite a few others will probably be sharing our opinion as well.


"Songs That Sound Like Films" by Roy Robertson


The worlds of film and music are fluid and cooperate with each other, sharing many similarities. They are both able to reach the deepest parts of our emotions, to inspire us with new ideas, to keep us yearning for the nostalgia of times past and to help us question our beliefs on truth, beauty and all the important things that no one really understands. And so, I have chosen five songs (films) which represent all the essential qualities of a great film, doing my best at the same time to critique them in the manner appropriate for film.


5. The Beatles - She's Leaving Home

A film worthy of a primetime spot on the Oxygen Network, She's Leaving Home is a melodrama about a young girl who yearns for another life, one with magic and excitement. Set in a 60's home with tacky floral wallpaper from the 40's and wooden floors, the main character wakes early and leaves without saying goodbye to her loving, but hopelessly clueless parents who ask each other repetitively what they could have done wrong. They had given her everything money could... But perhaps what she longed for was something that money could not buy? Perhaps...


4. The Mars Volta - Soothsayer

A film with language and imagery as accessible as one in another language, Soothsayer is a strange one to describe. Set in the East, a call to prayer opens the film with an evil, omniscient string quartet playing a sly intro leading into the film. The story begins by dazzling the senses as the viewer is engulfed in another world were flashes of glittering plates and pans; heavily perfumed smoke rising from unseen sources, allowing for a complete immersion into the atmosphere. As the film progresses, the darker it becomes. The film ends as it began, with a call to prayer below a squirming quartet, having neither posed nor answered any question.


3. Bob Dylan - Simple Twist of Fate

Taking place one night, one very special night. A night in which fate is palpable; where nothing and no one can escape what destiny has planned for those involved. As the two characters sit together at dusk in the park, they feel both the awkward pull and distance of two new lovers. Very little light is seen at this point, merely the street lamps under which they walk and the neon light burning at the strange hotel they check into. In the morning, the fate, which she had felt the night before, would apparently only remain within that night as she leaves, looking forward to a day just as special and fateful as any other. He awakes with an empty feeling, that which weighs on the chest, not so intense to crush, but not light enough to take a full breath as he realizes she has left. He hopes she will find him again and sees whatever she had the night before once more. However, that night and every night is in the hands of fate; those unknown laws that govern the world of this film.


2. Bjork - Vokuro

The foreign film of the group, Vokuro is a motion picture where subtitles aren't necessary. The story is played out perfectly in the faces of the actors, the cinematography, the inflection of the voices, and the ambiance of the world they create. It is at once completely vague and absolutely clear what the film is about, which allows the audience to make their own conclusions about what the film means and what the characters' motivations are. It sends chills down the spine and remains essential and unclear. Art at its best is to allow room for exploration, not being told what is true but finding it out through one's own process.


1. Bob Dylan - Isis

Dylan is a master of film (obviously, he has two spots on a top five list). Although his flirtation with real film ended in considerable failure (Renaldo and Clara, 1978) his genius of lush imagery, dialogue, action and mystery should not be down played in the slightest. Failed romance, lust, adventure, greed, nostalgia, ceremony, betrayal are all themes of this film as it opens with the protagonist speaking of his failed marriage with Isis. Wrought with despair, he reinvents himself, cuts off his hair and travels to some unknown land to try and forget the memory of the tragic events that forced him to leave. He stops to wash his clothes in an unknown area where he has a chance encounter with a strange character whose quest is to find treasure up north. Against the protagonist's better judgment, he follows the strange man into the desperately cold canyons in search for gold and turquoise. Flashbacks of Isis and their failed relationship run through his mind during the long trek to the pyramids embedded in ice. After the strange happenings that occur during their expedition, the protagonist returns from his travels to find Isis and their dialogue and his inner thoughts close the film. (The Bootleg #5 version of this film is worth viewing).


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Album Preview: MGMT - Congratulations

It really is hard to follow-up MGMT’s first album, Oracular Spectacular, because of its greatness, but one must give the Brooklyn band credit for trying a new style. If you like “The Munsters” theme song, you might enjoy their new album Congratulations as well.

But the album falls short of its predecessor’s fun sound; All the tracks have a melodramatic sound with no differing changes between tracks and no overtly catchy tunes. For instance, if you were keen on “Kids” from Oracular Spectacular you may not like the new album. But if you happen to prefer a more mellow mix of whimsical keyboard noises this album could be for you.

“Song for Dan Treacy”--written for the (now-no-longer) unsung English cult musician and leader of Television Personalities, an implicit influence on MGMT--and “Flash Delirium” are definitely the gems of the bunch. Although not much different from all the other songs, they have something interesting about them that may ask for a second listen.

Fans have the opportunity to stream Congratulations in its entirety on the MGMT official Web site. The album will get its physical release April 13th.

MP3: MGMT - Flash Delerium

-Laura Sliva

Birds And Batteries - Up To No Good (EP)

I had never heard of Birds And Batteries until they rolled through Denton for the NX35 Music Conferette a few weeks back. As I was already at Sweetwater Bar & Grill, which turned out to be one of the better venues for the conferette this year, I decided to check them out. Honestly, I really liked the name and wanted to see if the music lived up to such a badass name. It sure as hell did. The band is touring to promote their latest release, Up To No Good (EP).

With twangy electric guitars, synthesizers and driving drums and bass, mixed with folky, melodic lyrics and a little bit of pedal steel guitar, you get fuzzy, psychedelic ‘80s style dance beats with a hint of old folk melodies from the ‘80s of the previous century. It is a very interesting and enjoyable listen. And like what disappointingly happens with many records, where the songs start to lose momentum as the album progresses, this EP is the exact opposite. The songs only gain in momentum and head-nodding awesomeness as each song rings out. Birds And Batteries latest effort is haunting and mysteriously deep and wonderful… And they put on a freakin’ sweet live show. Give it a whirl!

-Cory Coleman [c]