Building the Perfect Beat
Tonight, the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle returns to Houston at Venue (718 Main). “Not sure if you made it out last year, but believe me, this is an event you do not want to miss,” swears former Houston rap-promotion shaman and current AustinSurreal point man Matt Sonzala, who…
Here Comes the Black
Austin roots-rockers the Black, whose frontman David Longoria is a satellite member of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – he plays keyboards from time to time; …ToD singer Conrad Keely sometimes returns the favor by sitting in on viola with the Black – and whose…
Not Funny: ESPN Fails to Understand The Daily Show
The newest word on the interwebs is that the fine folks at ESPN are contemplating Daily Show-type programming for ESPN 2. They feel they need to do something to get viewers to turn on the Deuce after ten o’clock at night, and they apparently feel that comedy-talk programming is the…
Astros-Rangers: Houston Wins, Barely, and Somehow Manages to Outclass Atlanta
The game got off to a kind of an inauspicious start last night when Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler led off with a shot to the outfield that was just feet short of a home run, but turned into a double. Two batters later, Kinsler scored, and the Rangers were…
The Kids are Alright: Seventh Grader Reviews the New 3 Doors Down
[The latest in our weeklong series of middle-schoolers weighing in on recent albums.] 3 Doors Down 3 Doors Down www.3doorsdown.com If you’ve heard of 3 Doors Down, then you probably know they have a new album. It’s called 3 Doors Down and out of the whole CD, it’s very difficult…
Sausage Fest: Vincek’s Smokehouse
The East Bernard Kolache-Klobase Festival is only once a year, but Vincek’s Smokehouse (Texas 60 at U.S. 90A, 979-335-7921) offers up kolaches, homemade bread, fresh meats and smoked jerky and sausages all the time, except for Mondays, when the joint is closed. I picked up a pound of thick-sliced, heavily…
Wow. Charlie Sheen is a Real Asshole.
I admit I’ve done my fair share of whining with regard to Denise Richards. But when it comes to Denise’s ex, Charlie Sheen, all I can say is…wow. He’s an asshole. It’s recently come to light that in 2005, Mr. Men at Work left a series of totally horrible voice…
A Family Affair: Fresh Tortillas at El Bolillo
Next time you’re in a grocery store, check out the list of ingredients on the corn tortilla package. There will be corn masa, of course, but also preservatives such as calcium propionate, methyl paraben, propionic acid and potassium sorbate. Which is why they have such a long shelf life and…
Morning MP3s: Two from the New Sharks and Sailors
How about a little shoegaze (or is it post-rock now? I can never remember) with your morning coffee? Here are two songs, “Bricks” and the title cut, from Sharks and Sailors forthcoming LP Builds Brand New, due August 1. Both sound pretty Cocteau Twins to me, though “Builds Brand New”…
John Culberson Loves Ben Franklin. Foreigners, Not So Much.
U.S. Congressman John Culberson, 7th District of Texas, sent out a note this afternoon reporting that the “Democrat led Congress has finally passed a responsible Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, (FISA), that President Bush can sign.” His note also included this snappy statement: “I am not worried about the rights of…
Notes from the 2008 Southwest Foodservice Expo: Walk Around Mascot Costumes
When I see folks standing on the side of the road in costume, hawking whatever hides in the strip center behind, I can’t help but feel sorry for them, which is odd, since in other settings I’d probably fantasize about kicking them. (Clutch, I’m looking at you.) I think it’s…
Billy Gibbons Tells an Awful Blonde Joke: Video and Pictures from ZZ Top’s DVD Release Party
Last night ZZ Top atoned somewhat for recording their new Live from Texas DVD in Dallas – hometown of Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, but it still stings, OK? – by donating the “poodle” guitars from their iconic “Legs” video to the Hard Rock Cafe’s memorabilia collection. Billy Gibbons also…
The Kids are Alright: Seventh Grader Reviews Weezer’s “Red Album”
It’s weird that old guys can sing about stuff a teenager feels, but they are good at it.
Stupid Media Personalities: Jemele Hill, Johnny Miller, Dick Enberg and Don Imus
I thought we would play a new game today. And it’s kind of easy. You’re just going to match the statement with the person. Are you ready? Okay, I’m going to give you four media personalities who have written or said some very stupid things the past couple of weeks…
Notes from the 2008 Southwest Foodservice Expo: Dripping Springs Vodka
Texas is getting a bit of respect for its micro-distilleries in the Hill Country. Dripping Springs Vodka just won Best in Class and the Purity Vodka Trophy at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London…
Notes from the 2008 Southwest Foodservice Expo: Viva Mexico!
Lamb barbacoa. Vacuum packed. No refrigeration needed. By far the most interesting food presentations were at the Mexico Pavilion with samples of coffee flavored with cinnamon, grasshoppers sauteed in butter and garlic, powdered avocado, mole from the state of Veracruz and heat-and-serve lamb barbacoa…
George Carlin: Baseball vs. Football
I’d like to say many profound things about George Carlin. But I don’t have the ability with words that he possessed. Let’s just say I thought he was funny. And that there was an intelligence and wit in his humor found in his work that many comics can never match…
Aftermath: Tom Waits at Jones Hall
Photo by Mark C. Austin/click here for a slideshow Funny. If I had to make one of those road-trip/desert-island lists of music I “couldn’t live without,” Tom Waits’ 1985 album Rain Dogs would probably be on it, as I suspect it would for a lot of people. However, loving Rain…
$7 at Mai’s on Milam
Where: Mai’s Restaurant, 3403 Milam Street, 713-520-7684 What $7 gets you: Plenty full, plenty late. I had the Cơm Tám Thit Nůơng (rice with BBQ Pork) for $6.25. My pork came well-done and was tasty. The rice was hot and fluffy. For being a simple meat-and-rice dish, it was nonetheless…
Not Quite Nascarbernet: Private Label Wines from Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille
When I heard that locally owned Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille (9827 Katy Freeway) was debuting its own private label wines, I couldn’t help but be reminded of when Wal-Mart announced the launch of a line of private label wines, set to sell for $6-7 per bottle, a few years ago…
Gas Prices are Something Fierce, Alright
One of Houston’s own made national news over the weekend; unfortunately, not in a good way. As John Nova Lomax noted last month, runaway gas prices are causing havoc on the touring circuit, especially among artists without booking agents or labels helping them out. The Associated Press got wind of…
Tonight: ZZ Top at Hard Rock Cafe
Shameless plug, coming right up: Tonight at the Hard Rock Cafe, Houston’s own ZZ Top will make an appearance in honor of their new live-concert DVD, the descriptively titled Live from Texas. Sponsored by the Houston Press, the event will also feature a memorabilia donation, which we assume won’t include…
Slideshow: Lebowski Bash at Caroline Collective
We just loaded up a batch of photos from Saturday’s Lebowski Bash at Caroline Collective, featuring bowling balls, mustaches, art cars, nihilists, the Tontons and SexyATTACK. — KP…
The Kids are Alright: Seventh Graders Review Usher and Coldplay
[This week Houstoned Rocks will run several CD reviews written by Press music/nightlife writer Shea Serrano’s students at Stevenson Middle School. We like to start them young around here. These are the first two.] Usher Here I Stand www.usherworld.com The new Usher CD Here I Stand was okay – not…
Fantastic Naan at Kaiser Lashkari’s Himalaya Restaurant
I just came across a slideshow called “Foods You Shouldn’t Eat” and – bam! – the first one listed was naan, which can clock in at 500 calories, so we’re talking two to three hours on the elliptical. What to do? What to do? Well, I guess one could limit…
Chicken-Fried Steak and Eggs at Little Hip’s
I walked into Little Hip’s (1809 Washington, 713-861-4411) around 10:45 a.m. and I was the only customer in the place. It’s a homey little diner and a great place to hang out. The food has occasional flashes of brillance (try the giant onion rings), but mainly it’s just solid middle-of-the-road…
Steroids and Roger Clemens: As Barry Bonds Goes, So Goes the Rocket?
I’m wondering if Rocket and his associates saw the latest news from Barry Bonds World last week. The news isn’t so much about Bonds as it’s about Greg Anderson, Bonds’ former trainer, the guy who went to jail for 13 months rather than testify to a grand jury about Bonds…
Did You Know That The High School Pregnancy Pact Is All Juno’s Fault?
So this past week everyone was all in a tizzy about a bunch of high school girls in Massachusetts who apparently made a pact to get preggers together. Of course, this news disturbs me for a whole mess of reasons, not the least of which is that when I was…
Over the Weekend: Mugsy’s, Big Easy, SW Foodservice Expo, Tom Waits and Astros
George Carlin, RIP. We now pause for a moment of seven-word cussing… 12:04 a.m. at Mugsy’s Bill Olive hung out on Kirby on Saturday night, starting at Mugsy’s… 1 a.m. at the Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club …and working his way down to the Big Easy…
Slideshow: Tom Waits at Jones Hall
We’ve just loaded up some images from Tom Waits’ show last night at Jones Hall. More to come. — KP…
Astros-Rays: Houston Falls Into and Then Crawls Out of Last Place
The Houston Astros had a 3-2 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays coming into the ninth inning Sunday afternoon. This was the third straight game against the Rays in which the Astros had led coming into the ninth inning. Valverde had made Friday’s game interesting by giving up a homer…
Notes from the 2008 Southwest Foodservice Expo: Dry Soda
Dry Soda is a reduced sugar (50 to 75 calories) carbonated soft drink. The inventor, Sharelle Klaus, was not happy with the nonalcoholic options (coffee, tea, soft drinks) available during her pregnancy and set about to develop four flavors (brilliantly I might add) that could be paired with food or…
A Tom Waits Warmup
Not long now, people. Simmer down. To tide you over, here’s the setlist from Waits’ show last Tuesday at Phoenix’s Orpheum Theater. Thanks to whoever posted this on Hands Up Houston. Lucinda (Orphans) Hoist That Rag (Real Gone) Come On Up to the House (Mule Variations) Jesus Gonna Be Here…
Review: The Host, by Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer, queen of the vampire books — Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse – marketed to teens, has ventured into adult and science fiction with The Host, and almost instantly scored a No. 1 bestseller. In this book, Earth has been invaded by another species, known as “souls.” A soul,…
Previewing Uncle Charlie’s Poster Show
Last night I got an impromptu preview of this evening’s Uncle Charlie poster show at Sig’s Lagoon. (They had just finished hanging all the posters when I walked in.) Come, look, buy, 6 p.m. to midnight. There’s talk Charlie and former Austin rock-art deity Frank Kozik may collaborate on a…
Review: The Spies of Warsaw, by Alan Furst
Here’s all you need to know: There’s a new Alan Furst novel out, and he’s at the top of his game. Furst has become the absolute master of evoking a singular period in time and place: that murky, shifting, ominous period right before World War II, as lived in the…
Aftermath: Eliza Gilkyson at the Mucky Duck
video by Chris Gray Sometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time. Like Eliza Gilkyson’s almost-rained-out in-store at Cactus Records. As Gilkyson packed her gear, I approached the stage and asked her how brother Tony was doing. “He emailed a few weeks back that he’d had some…
Texas Bowl Says Goodbye Big East, Hello Big 12
I just wanted to give a brief update from the world of college football. Specifically, the world of college football as centered in Houston. The folks at the Texas Bowl announced yesterday that a team from Conference USA will be taking on the Big 12 opponent in the next two…
Big Bad John Cornyn Is One Tough Cowboy, Apparently
Last week at the Republican Party of Texas State Convention here in Houston, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, who is seeking reelection, was introduced to the crowd with a new campaign video and rhyming ditty that uses classic Texas tough guy, cowboy imagery. “As the sun rose on the Pecos The…
A Little Friday Afternoon “Strokin’”
One of my favorite songs of all time, Clarence Carter’s “Strokin’,” just came up on XM Radio’s ’80s channel, and it put me in such a good mood I felt like sharing it with all of you. Though it never actually charted, “Strokin’,” from the Alabama native’s 1985 LP Dr…
To Do: Tha Fucking Transmissions, Glass Candy and Farah at the MFAH
If the posters and flyers for Starbucks and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s latest Mixed Media Event have you thinking “WTF, TFT?” let us help you out: Tha Fucking Transmissions. The local hip hoppers had to acronym-ize their name in order to keep things kosher for the MFAH’s PR…
Astros-Orioles: That’s Eight in a Row
The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the first inning last night against the Baltimore Orioles when Lance Berkman singled in Michael Bourn. Then Hunter Pence made the game 2-0 when he homered in the second. But this is the Astros we’re talking about, so it was obvious the lead…
Aftermath: Jonny Lang at Verizon Wireless Theater
Walking up to center stage, twentysomething Jonny Lang looked more like a kid that works in a coffee shop than a monster musician, but a monster he is. From the opening “One Person at a Time” to the encore “Lie to Me,” Lang was as close to guitar playing perfection…
Espresso Perfecto at Catalina Coffee
Now that’s a cup of espresso. You want to spread the crema on a bagel and eat it. Many thanks to El Koshkin and Nealio for recommending Catalina Coffee Company (2201 Washington Avenue, 713 861 8448). Catalina Coffee Company is a very cool place to hang out. Owner Max Gonzalez…
Weekend Music: Allen Oldies Band, True Colors Tour, Tom Waits and a Really Strange Japanese Guy
Friday Don’t forget the Allen Oldies Band’s “Summer Shindig” tonight at the Continental Club. Here’s the high priest of the oldies (and some very fetching dancers) holding court at the recent Art Car Parade. I never can figure out how they get that ancient “Oldiesmobile” to even start. Cactus Music…
The Top Five Astros-Killers of All Time
You recognize them by the sick feeling in your gut every time they step up to the plate or take the mound. They cause you more heartburn than a plateful of hot wings. Every time you hear their name your sweat glands start acting as if you’re attending a game…
The Wayback Machine: 5, 10 and 15 Years Ago in Houston Music
On the third week of June, 1993…The Mothership connected on Richmond: George Clinton made landfall at Rockefeller’s West…Danny “The Humbler” Gatton shredded in the Bon Ton Room. He would kill himself 15 months later…Warren Zevon was at the real Rockefeller’s…Dirty Rotten Imbeciles played a homecoming gig at Catal Huyuk with…
PETCO Food Seized by FDA
If you have pets and you live in Texas and you’re a moron who chooses PETCO over PetSmart, don’t buy no food from your preferred store today: the FDA has requested a seizure of food stored at their distribution center in Illinois. Based on my experience at their dimly lit,…
Judas Priest Prophesy Free Tickets to Woodlands Show; Nostradamus Reviewed
With all due respect to Iron Maiden, the Metal Masters package show, scheduled to pillage the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Saturday, August 23, has got to be the metal tour of the year. Ye Gods, it’s Judas Priest, Sabbath-come-latelies Heaven and Hell, Motor-freakin’-head and Testament, whose new LP The Formation…
Recession Thursday at Numbers Tonight; MP3s from Arthur Yoria and Woozyhelmet
Our kissin’ cousin in gratis journalism Free Press Houston is sponsoring another one of its slacker-friendly Recession Thursdays tonight at Numbers. Admission is $7 under 21, $5 over. Cheap drinks too. Headlining are the Tontons, who, it should come as no surprise, are about to be nominated for a slew…
Q&A: Talking Naked Ladies and Sweaty Elvises with Caren Anderson and Carl Baldwin of Portland’s Velveteria and Black Velvet Masterpieces
It is the Rodney Dangerfield genre of the art world: demeaned, dismissed and definitely not getting any respect with subject matter like crying Elvises, fang-bearing jungle panthers, Jesus with various apostles, and full-frontal nekkid Hawaiian girls. But for Caren Anderson and Carl Baldwin, there is no greater art than that…
Summer Drinks: Greek Frappe
The story that I heard while living in Greece was that, in 1957, Nestle’s was marketing an instant chocolate milk drink to the Greek market and giving away free cocktail shakers. This gave one of their Greek executives an idea on how to penetrate the Greek market with Nestle’s instant…
Steroids and Roger Clemens: Nothin’ But a Good Time, Sans Bentley
According to that bastion of journalistic integrity that is the New York Post’s Page Six, Roger Clemens is getting so desperate for money to pay Rusty Hardin’s legal bills that he’s now selling off his cars. And while it doesn’t mention anything about the various Hummer’s he supposedly owns –…
Astros-Orioles: Keeping the Streak Alive
Way back at the start of the month, when I predicted the Astros would go 10-16 for June, I did so because I had been following the Tampa Bay Rays, and I’d seen how tough the AL East teams were. And knowing the Astros would be playing against the AL…
Maury Povich: An Analysis
In case you were wondering, being Miss Pop Rocks is not, in fact, a full-time job. Miss Pop Rocks does other things, one of which is working on her thesis for her master’s degree. (Shocking, but true.) Now, focusing on said thesis can be quite difficult, so from time to…
Good Vibrations Indeed
Just watch. – Chris Gray…
“Daredevil Island”
We’re not really sure what Indiana Jones and astronauts have in common. Maybe Space Center Houston is featuring the Indiana Jones-themed exhibit “Daredevil Island” this summer because both sound cool to little kids. The center calls the new adventure exhibit a “wild expedition” for “thrill-seeking visitors.” It’s really a cool…
Mixers, Elixirs & IMAX
Prepare for a British Invasion invasion. The Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Mixers, Elixirs & IMAX will be taken over by local cover band Picture Book. As patrons dance and dine under dino skeletons, the five-piece group will charm them with a catalogue of hits from The Kinks, The Rolling…
The Red Dons
The Red Dons’ lo-fi post-punk borrows heavily from Portland outfit The Observers — with good reason. The band is led by former head Observer Douglas Burns. After members of his first group called it quits, Burns re-formed, renamed his sound and recruited other notable Portland rockers, including Justin Maurer of…
DEAR Camp
Brian Neal Sensabaugh’s exhibition “DEAR Camp,” presented at Lawndale Art Center in the winter of 2007, could have been seen as a kindred expression of the tension seen in Brokeback Mountain: A man with atypical desires must reconcile his feelings with his harsh, hyper–masculine environment. In the exhibit, Sensabaugh re-created…
Geraldo de Barros
In the 1940s, when other photographers were doing straight documentary and portraiture photography, Geraldo de Barros was creating abstract photos. He started with the negative: He would bend, scratch, draw on, flip, twist and double-expose film to create designs worth – and in need of – a second look. Sicardi…
“Defending Democracy”
Angry about politics? The economy? The exhibition “Defending Democracy” at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art might provide you with some relief. The exhibit, which features the highly politicized work of three noted artists and collectives, includes the boldly graphic, angry-yet-entertaining work of the Black Panther Party’s former Minister of…
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
Made just before horror movie spoofs became almost as cliché as actual horror movies, 1978’s Attack of the Killer Tomatoes shows the human race plagued by man-eating fruit. Tomatoes — which for some reason have grown huge, developed teeth and started moving around — gobble up several humans in scenes…
“Uncle Charlie’s Art Show”
Uncle Charlie will likely forget more concerts than you’ll ever attend. The local artist began designing concert posters back in the ‘80s and, 18 years later, he’s still at it. He’s created his comic book-style show announcements for bands including (but nowhere near limited to) Poor Dumb Bastards, Steve Earle,…
Keiji Haino
Keiji Haino had a life-changing experience after hearing The Doors’ “When the Music’s Over.” (No, he wasn’t on drugs.) The 11-minute psychedelic ditty inspired the Japanese multi-instrumentalist to dig deep into America’s ‘70s rock sound, and he never looked back. He started, quit and re-formed a number of improvisational rock…
“Wine, Worship and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani”
Civilizations come and go, empires rise and fall, but mankind’s obsession with shiny yellow gold seems to be everlasting. That obsession is immediately apparent at the exhibition “Wine, Worship and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani,” opening this weekend at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Vani was a…
Houston Dr. Sketchy Life Drawing June Party
Psst, wanna see a naked woman? Head over to the Houston Dr. Sketchy Life Drawing June Party. Okay, maybe the model won’t be completely naked, but with a theme of Raunchy Renaissance, we’re guessing she’s gonna be pretty damn near naked (except for a corset or two, that is). According…
Katt Williams
Katt Williams is out to prove big pimpin’ comes in small packages. Along with his HBO, BET and Comedy Central specials, the comedian also hosted the Roast of Flavor Flav, where he took a few knocks himself. Fellow comic Patton Oswalt referred to him as a “pimp in a thimble”…
Juneteenth Celebration
On June 19, 1865, Texas finally got the message that slavery had been abolished (two years after the rest of the country). Today, African Americans celebrate Juneteenth as an anniversary of emancipation, and kids can join the fun at the Children’s Museum of Houston’s Juneteenth Celebration. Activities include performances, ice-cream…
Alice Neel
Painter Alice Neel was known for her “inner landscapes,” portraits that reflected the hearts of her subjects in mood and background. Examples include a portrait of art historian Meyer Schapiro with a debonair look and a grayed face; one of “land art”-maker Robert Smithson, with a contemplative gaze and surrounded…
Jeremy Scahill
Before September 2007, big media didn’t have any interest in Jeremy Scahill. Then 17 Iraqi civilians were killed by Blackwater guards in Baghdad. “On September 17, the day after the Nisour Square Massacre, I woke up at about 10 o’clock in the morning,” says Scahill, author of Blackwater: The Rise…
The Tamarie Cooper Show
Tamarie Cooper is back, and this time she’s married. In her previous Tamalalia series of autobiographical mega-musicals, Cooper covered such diverse topics as love, drugs, sex, bacon and her ass. But as her musical world premiere The Tamarie Cooper Show makes clear, things are different now. Oh, she’s still singing…
WWE’s Smack Down!
While the more realistic (and brutal) Ultimate Fighting Championship and similar mixed-martial arts leagues have made big inroads into their demographic, World Wrestling Entertainment continues to be a huge draw for young, male, testosterone-fueled fans. Well, guys, get ready, because Houston is hosting the taping of two back-to-back episodes of…
Annual Summer Concert: A Juneteenth Celebration
It’s Juneteenth, baby, and that means parades, picnics and a whole lot of music. Among the various performances and shows, Houston Ebony Opera Guild is celebrating with their Annual Summer Concert: A Juneteenth Celebration. This year’s theme is African American Spirituals: The Tradition Renewed. Conductor A. Jan Taylor will lead…
Metamorphosis: Echoes of the Voyage
One of the oldest gay men’s choruses in the United States, Bayou City Performing Arts, hits the stage again today, and this time it’s not alone. A chamber orchestra, guest soloists, a professional dance troupe and members of the Bayou City Women’s Chorus are also on hand for the song-and-dance…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Jason Salavon: Annex and Catalogue,” “John Alexander: A Retrospective,” “Learning by Doing: 25 Years of the Core Program,” “Ruth Pastine: Ever Present”
“Jason Salavon: Annex and Catalogue” Jason Salavon alters images using software of his own design. In early works, he averaged the colored pixels of ten years of scanned Playboy centerfolds in order to create a fuzzy, vaguely feminine, visual mean. He applied the same tactic to images of homes for…
Ludo, with Steel Train, the Spill Canvas, and Liam and Me
Smartass geek rock will never go out of fashion. That’s good news to St. Louis’s Ludo, whose quirky pop spills all over its major-label debut, You’re Awful, I Love You — a set of catchy gems played with spunk and sprinkled with cheese. “We look forward to making whatever crazy…
Russian Circles, with Daughters
“Post-rock” may not be the most ridiculous descriptor in contemporary music; I’d cast my vote for either “sadcore” or “neo-prog.” Still, the term means next to nothing when it’s applied to a band like Russian Circles, which co-stars on this roster with Daughters. On 2006’s Enter and the just issued…
Bill Bentley Goes Online with Sonic Boomers
Bill Bentley has been going to a lot of funerals lately. Both of the 57-year-old Houston native’s parents passed away in the last year, each time necessitating trips back to Texas from his long-time home in L.A. What’s more, the two fields of endeavor he has devoted the last few…
Get Smart Redux is a Rare Device
As old Broadway shows are revived, new Broadway shows get spun from old movies so that new movies may be fashioned from ancient TV series. It’s an iron law of the culture industry that turns out to be a pleasant surprise in the case of Get Smart, the late-’60s sitcom…
Islands: Arm’s Way
Since his days with the Unicorns, Islands mastermind Nick Thorburn has revealed himself as equal parts pop genius, musical theater admirer, neo-vaudevillian, and humorous storyteller extraordinaire. With Arm’s Way, he has refined these traits, crafting an eclectic, albeit scattered, album that continues his explorations of new indie-pop frontiers. The lush…
A Domineering Dad and the Son Under his Thumb in When Did You Last See Your Father?
Nothing snaps a child’s head around quite like a dying parent, especially when the parent is a cantankerous old sod like Arthur Morrison (Jim Broadbent), whose nominally adult son Blake (Colin Firth) still clings to childhood grievances. Directed by Anand Tucker with the same quiet tact he brought to Hilary…
Eugene S. Robinson: Fight: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ass-Kicking but Were Afraid You’d Get Your Ass Kicked for Asking
Some very fine spoken-word action on the art of butt-whoopin’ by the scary but articulate frontman of rad avant-metal behemoths Oxbow. Also a frequent contributor to boxing- and martial-arts mags, Robinson at first and second glances would appear to be one very big, black biker baddie, replete with bulging biceps…
God, Texas and Tom Waits
Although he was raised in and around Los Angeles and San Diego, few musicians have as much love for the music of the Lone Star State as Tom Waits. It’s in his blood; his father Jesse Frank Waits was from the northeast Texas town of Sulphur Springs. This Tex-o-philia is…
The DREAM Act Might Be Dead, But These Kids’ Hopes Are Not
The phone was already ringing when Javier walked through the front door to his parents’ house. “Hello?” said Javier, who had just returned from the University of Houston campus where he and a group of undocumented students had been passing out pro-DREAM Act fliers just days before the U.S. Senate…
Faun Fables, with Invincible Czars
Dawn McCarthy’s Faun Fables is an odd, uncategorizable, morphing entity that sits on your kitchen table, emanating an orange-ish glow and a low humming sound. In tandem with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum singer/multi-instrumentalist Nils Frykdahl, McCarthy chills the spine with beautifully forthright singing and conjuring of “dreams within dreams” in a…
Mindless Fun
Sitcom classic Gilligan’s Island has been in syndication for so long, it’s a shock to realize that it ran on CBS for only three seasons, 1964 through 1966. Savaged by the critics, the 100-plus episodes hit some kind of cosmic nerve in the American psyche — who, of a certain…
Emery, with Army of Me, Envy on the Coast, and the Almost
Emery’s big move turned out to be a major downer. Formed in South Carolina at the top of the decade, the screamo group packed its bags for Seattle, with images of superstardom dancing in its collective head. En route, on September 11, 2001, band members heard about the terrorist attacks…
A Montrose Man’s Panic Room Wasn’t Enough
The criminal heart of the city, wherever it lies, does not probably lie in Montrose. Those who live there do not expect violence, and last January, when police reported an “Incident at 1320 W. Pierce,” a lot of people were reduced to cliché. “You read about stuff like this,” said…
Foals: Antidotes
Hyped as the next big thing by British music rags and blogmobs alike, Foals comes out of the starting gate with heavy expectations on its full-length debut Antidotes. This upbeat, guitar-fueled post-punk dance band churns out an exciting sound just when you were beginning to think such characterizations could be…
Wild Wild Waller Burgers: The Hill Bar & Grill
J’s Special at The Hill Bar & Grill in Waller is a cheeseburger served on Texas toast. Swapping out a bun for two double-thick slices of toasted white bread sounds like a pretty minor change. But the effect that aggressively griddled Texas toast had on this sandwich was quite remarkable…
Bayousphere
When you think of billionaire torts lawyer Joe Jamail, you think of one thing: skateboarding. And, maybe, winning a billion dollars against Texaco. Jamail, apparently bored with dumping money on Longhorn athletics, donated the cash for a new skatepark that gets a workout here from Olympic gold medalist Shaun White…
Bowl opens next door to Absinthe Brasserie
Everyone’s favorite hidden Montrose hangout has just gotten a new neighbor. “Running Absinthe Brasserie and working until five a.m., then getting up at seven a.m. now that I have two kids, is getting to me,” says Ralph Rager, one of the owners of the popular establishment. “That’s why I decided…
Capsule Stage Reviews: bare, Electile Dysfunction, Present Laughter
bare Damon Intrabartolo (music and book) and Jon Hartmere (book and lyrics) call their vigorous and entertaining R-rated musical set at a co-ed Catholic boarding school a “pop opera,” and that’s all right by us, even though it’s a long way from having an opera’s thematic unity. Yes, everything’s sung,…
This Plate is Hoppin’ at Hugo’s
Some people may seem disconcerted at the thought of eating grasshoppers, but it’s not as bad as it seems, especially since their little heads and legs have been ripped off, making their bodies look like tiny shells. In Spanish, they’re known as chapulines, and they’re popular in the Mexican state…
The Duchess of Langeais Got Game
Having returned from the center of Africa, “held prisoner by savages for two years before fleeing,” the Marquis de Montriveau (Guillaume Depardieu) is the talk of Paris society. “How very amusing,” deadpans the unflappable Duchess of Langeais (Jeanne Balibar). “None is more dull or somber,” a friend sighs before consenting…
Ninja Gaiden II Pours on the Gore – and Glitches
It’s probably a good thing Game On wasn’t around to review Ninja Gaiden when it hit Xbox in 2004 — we probably would’ve written An awesome, brutal, majestic action masterpiece, then filled the rest of the space with crude crayon drawings of ninjas. Because really, there’d be nothing else to…
In Defense of Renu Khator
Online readers comment on “Pop Quiz with UH President Renu Khator,” Hair Balls, by Richard Connelly, May 29. Wow: Talk about slanted reporting. Do you have something against UH or new president Renu Khator? Maybe you should try talking to students there and get their input on the matter: From…
The Allen Oldies Band: Ride the Wild Surf
In the British government, there’s a cabinet-level Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport position. Nobody calls it that; instead, they call the holder of that post “the Minister of Fun.” If Houston had a cabinet of soul, in addition to being Houston’s High Priest of the Oldies, Allen…
Savage Sports Fans and Mexican Overcrowding
Dear Mexican, I recently went to a Los Angeles Dodgers game at Dodgers Stadium. It was good to see the familias having fun with their children, pero I then saw and heard something disturbing. There will always be rivalries in any sport, of course, pero the white people cheering for…
On Weezer’s Mystifying Red Album
I’ve had a three-second loop from the new Weezer record stuck in my head for about 48 hours now: Rivers Cuomo snarling “I don’t wanna get wit’cher program” in my ear as I eat, as I sleep, as I stagger around in the heat. As a statement of defiance, it’s…
