RIP Flickerstick

Tonight Flickerstick will play their final show. Unless you're from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, you probably first heard of them during their time on VH1's "Bands On The Run" (the only reality show that I've ever watched from beginning to end, and second only to "The State" of shows I wish would get issued on DVD). And now, twelve years after they started, eight years after their turn as reality television stars, seven years after sacking drummer Dominic Weir, and four years after the departure of founding guitarist Cory Kreig, they'll be downing their last shots of Jager as a band.

History probably will not be kind to them. Chances are they'll be remembered simply as a reality TV footnote, which is a shame, because they were a really good band. Yeah, their songs could be a bit middle-of-the-road modern rock sometimes, but there were always just enough Radiohead and Pink Floyd kinda influences to keep things interesting. And they were phenomenal live. Seriously. Their show at 328 Performance Hall in July of 2001 would easily rank among the best five concerts I've ever seen in Nashville. And their shows at the Exit/In on subsequent tours weren't too shabby either. I'm sure doing BOTR kept them from ever being taken seriously by some music snobs, but it also took them from being a popular regional band in Texas to having a national fanbase. And the fact that they kept going long after their fellow VH1 costar bands had given up the ghost is a testament to the fact that above all the fleeting pop culture fame, they were in it for the music. So adios boys. And thanks for the memories.

Flickerstick - "The Tourist" (mp3) from Tarantula
Flickerstick - "Coke (Original Version)" from Welcoming Home The Astronauts (226 Records version)

Sha!

Local H - Twelve Angry Months

Note: We feel like it's never too late to feature a good album, even if it's a few months (or even years) old. So on that note, Tyge weighs in with another of his guest blogger reviews... although as frequently as he's contributing lately, I suppose the term guest is becoming increasingly insufficient. But I digress...

I was recently on the verge of breaking up with my girlfriend when I came across Local H's concept album, Twelve Angry Months. I'm not sure if my finding it was coincidence or karma but I can tell you this; it was much needed therapy.

I first heard Local H on the Sling Blade soundtrack. Their cover of Guided By Voices' "Smothered in Hugs" was the beautiful black sheep that stood out on an otherwise ethereal (ie heavy on the Daniel Lanois) album. I lost track of Local H in the years that followed but have since learned they haven't been resting on their laurels. I'll definitely be catching up on more of their music in the future.

Released in May of 2008, the twelve song album follows the months of the year after a nasty break-up with a girlfriend. The opening song, "January: The One With 'Kid,'" jumps into the heat of the actual break-up with our hero asking for his record collection back. We meet the girlfriend in "February: Michelle (Again)" and her new, rich boyfriend in the somewhat humorous ditty, "March: BMW Man."

There's beautiful anger and sarcasm delivered during these songs, the lyrics clever and talon sharp. The acme (and one of my favorites) comes with "April: White Belt Boys," as singer Scott Lucas chants to the ex-gal, "Yeah... hope you have a lonely life." You can feel and hear his resentment as the song builds into a venting crescendo.

The songs of the summer months range from sadness and reminiscing to forgetting and rebounding. Nearing fall, anger rears its ugly head again in what has to be one of the best song titles ever, "August: Jesus Christ, Did You See the Size of That Sperm Whale?" During fall and into winter, the songs lean toward rebuilding, self-acceptance and retrospect.

"December: Hand to Mouth" is a beautifully orchestrated reconciliation, not between the two ex-lovers, but with one's self and the coming to terms with the break up. Completely different from anything else on the album, the song confidently and wisely lets us know our boy is going to be alright.

Listening to this album made me look at my own predicament and question the motives in my personal relationship. Twelve Angry Months helped me realize that whatever the outcome, one way or the other, I would be happy again.

Tyge blogs regularly at The Neon Lounge.

Rim Shots

- RIP Louie.

- Since I don't have HBO, I haven't been able to stay current on the second season of Flight Of The Conchords. So it wasn't until yesterday that I got exposed to the awesomeness that is "Sugalumps." If you haven't seen it yet, but all means watch it, like right now.

- The Church have a new album, Untitled #23, coming out on May 12, and two songs from it are currently available for your listening pleasure. The single "Pangea" is available for both streaming and download via Second Motion Records, while the album track "Happenstance" is streaming on the band's myspace profile.

- If the new U2 single does grow on me, it certainly isn't going to be because of the video. Ugh.

- Best news I got today? Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 are playing at the Exit/In on April 6. It'll be the sixth time I've seen him, and the first with a real live rock band backing him up. Finally.

Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - "I'm Falling" (mp3) from Goodnight Oslo

The Day After

I had big plans for Valentine's Day around these parts. I had been planning for months to do week long series of my favorite duets, you know, to commemorate the favorite holiday of couples everywhere. I figured it'd be a great way to celebrate love in the form of song. But a funny thing happened as February approached... I found myself with real life plans for Valentine's Day, and suddenly getting ready for that took precedence over getting ready online.

Even in real life I didn't get everything I wanted to done. Part of it was the result of unanticipated expenses that popped up, and part of it was simply running out of time. But the most important thing that happened was that I finished a song for my GF that I had been working on for a couple of weeks. Now not to toot my own horn, but I think writing a song for someone is one of the coolest presents you could give, especially on a day like yesterday. But what made it even more meaningful to me was that it was the first song I had started and finished in about eight years. The last time song I wrote from beginning to end was when I lived in Las Vegas. Since then I'd started a few, but most of them were mediocre at best, and even the ones that showed promise never got finished. This one I actually think turned out pretty good. And, you know... it's done. I'm hoping to get it recorded at some point in the next few weeks, and if you know me I'll probably send you a link to it at some point. I definitely won't be posting it on here, because self-promotion is so tacky.

I know Valentine's Day has come and gone, but I figured I'd give you at least one of the songs I was going to post in my duet series... a pairing of two of my absolute favorite singers.

Frank Sinatra & Keely Smith - "So In Love" (mp3) from the Reprise Musical Repertory Theater box set

Here's to hoping your Valentine's Day was even half as good as mine, cuz if it was, you still had a really great day.

That'll Be The, Uh, Yesterday

Note: I've been super busy lately being all in love and shit (it's a fact... new relationships are the enemy of music blogs). Luckily my friend Tyge at The Neon Lounge has hooked me up with another of his guest blogger posts. Of course, this is going up a day late... the day the music died was yesterday. But since he didn't email me this until 11 last night, it's totally not my fault. And if you're in the mood for more day old Buddy Holly remembrances, I highly recommend the WFMU post that Steve at Nashville Cream turned me on to. I'd like to say that the music business has gotten less sleazy since the 1950s... sadly it has not.

Fifty years ago today Buddy Holly, J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. Thanks to Don McLean's song "American Pie," the event became known as "the day the music died."

That got me thinking about an article I read in a "Best of Rolling Stone" issue back in 1988. The issue had reprints of articles and letters that appeared in the magazine over the years and this particular letter originally ran in an early 1970's issue. A professor from some big university, perhaps M.I.T., wrote the magazine to report of "dire news." He stated he had been entering data into the latest, state-of-the-art IBM computer and had calculated the day music really would die. Music, he said, was made up of a finite number of notes, tempos and melodies, and at some point all combinations of these would be exhausted. He even went so far as to state we would reach this fateful date somewhere around the summer of 1982. Funny stuff in retrospect. Or is it?

I couldn't find a copy of this article online but I did happen across a forum arguing this theory. It's kind of interesting in a nerdy, mathematical aspect: The Day The Music Will Die

No one knows for sure what happened in that airplane on that fateful night, but you can be sure The Kids In The Hall have their own theory:

This And That

- Bruce Springsteen's halftime show? It was good, but not Prince good. I thought "Glory Days" was a great choice for the closer, but that fake referee coming out and calling a penalty for delay of game? Super cheesy. Come on Bruce, you're one of the biggest icons in rock and roll, you don't need to resort to gimmicks to entertain people.

- I finally heard the new U2 song, "Get On Your Boots," this morning, and... I don't know. Maybe it will grow on me, but my first thought was that it is pretty meh. If you've been living under a rock for the past week like I have, you can hear it for yourself at U2.com.

- The first month of 2009 is in the books, and I have yet to see a show. Ouch. Granted I've been sick for the past two weeks, but I still feel pretty lame. This will need to be corrected, and soon.

- I meant to post this song last fall, when that State Farm ad was running every Sunday during football season, but I never got around to it. But I had pretty much the most awesome Sunday ever yesterday (even though the Cardinals lost, but what a game!), so I woke up with this song in my head. Enjoy!

Frank & Nancy Sinatra - "Feelin' Kinda Sunday" (mp3) from The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings