Shakey Graves, David Ramirez Fitzgerald's, December 29
Shakey Graves, the musical alter ego of Austin's Alejandro Rose-Garcia, is fast becoming the name to drop among the scruffy aspiring singer-songwriter set. As heard on the 2011 debut Roll the Bones, Graves' DIY patchwork of folk and blues - accentuated by a kick-drum fashioned out of an old suitcase - struck a chord with hipsters and older roots-music aficionados alike.
Released in October, new LP And the War Came keeps the charge going, recently sending the single "Dearly Departed" into AAA radio's Top 10. Come early for David Ramirez, whose own material works through the same interpersonal issues, albeit in a somewhat mellower key.
Propaghandi Warehouse Live, December 29
Known for their extreme left-wing activism, this Canadian agit-punk group's roots date back nearly three decades, but their big break came after sharing an early-'90s bill with NOFX. As the story goes, they impressed Fat Mike with a cover of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" so much that he signed the men from Manitoba to his Fat Wreck label and lured them to L.A. to record 1993 debut album How to Clean Everything. Today Propaghandi is as staunch as ever, steered by founding members Chris Hannah and Jord Somolesky, and recent albums have included 2008's Failed States and 2012's Supporting Caste. With RVIVR and War on Women.
John Egan The Big Easy, December 29
Give John Egan credit for taking chances. The longtime solo Houston bluesman's latest album, Amulet, is in some respects the polar opposite of its 2012 predecessor, Phantoms. Besides bringing in a few side musicians and respected Americana producer R.S. Field (Billy Joe Shaver, Webb Wilder), Egan has expanded his songwriting reach to include Latin-tinged jazz and melancholy pop, showing he's less reliant on his Resonator guitar's unforgiving tone but comfortable keeping the instrument as his anchor.
The end result is a softer mood than Phantoms, whose songs sometimes showed visibly bared teeth, but Amulet's overall disquieting feel suggests Egan has done little to ward off the same tormentors who were after him last time.
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