Henry McMinn, one-half of that twosome, is now back as Tele Mori, and backed by a full band. Not only does that added help grant depth and a richer sound to his programmed melodies, but the resulting disc, Sounds from a Broken Music Box, is more accomplished. Whereas a good chunk of Funktion’s tracks sported […]
Pop
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Colin Nance — Warmth
The aptly named “Dream Cove” launches the effort with an expertly arranged froth of synthetic washes, cavernous percussion and his wistful, measured vocals. The following “Awakening” is more playful, bouncing with Casio beeps and a more vivacious melody that soars at the chorus; had this song come out 30 years sooner, I’m certain it would […]
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Hostage situation
You won’t see Connecticut pop-punk act Hostage Calm refueling at Chick-fil-A on the road between gigs. The group’s guys are some of the most vocal supporters of marriage equality touring today, playing rallies, helping assemble a documentary on the movement and even selling merchandise that benefits organizations fighting for same-sex legal unions. “For my generation, […]
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Last chance
Deer Creek isn’t known as a birthplace of rock music … yet. At Long Last, a band of four Deer Creek High School students, is on the rise, having opened for the likes of Forever the Sickest Kids, Go Radio and Greyson Chance. Singer-songwriter Jordan Lindley and drummer Carson Hawkins started playing together at their […]
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News ease
America has embraced many bands and musicians over the years, but only a few dozen have wrapped themselves into the fabric of the country’s pop culture like Huey Lewis and the News. A massive presence in the formative days of MTV, the blues-influenced pop rockers unleashed a string of feel-good, smash-hit singles, including “The Heart […]
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Childish melodies
Surprise: The guys behind power-pop outfit Forever the Sickest Kids never wanted to grow up. Playing a brand of music popular mainly with the Clearasil set, the Dallas-based outfit hasn’t overhauled its sound dramatically since its 2008 debut, Underdog Alma Mater, even as its four members approach their 30s. Their friends and ex-bandmates are getting […]
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Jon Lyle Williams and the Bravest Retreat — Jon Lyle Williams and the Bravest Retreat
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal;mso-outline-level:1″><span style=" Times New Roman” ,”serif”;mso-fareast-times=”” new=”” roman”;=”” mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-fareast-language:es-bo”=””> I assume Jon Lyle Williams and the Bravest Retreat miss it, too, because their self-titled album seems like an ode to the decade with a certain affection for their Oklahoma roots thrown in for good measure. Williams’ voice is a husky and powerful […]
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Black gold
When you are a three-piece band, the departure of one member — especially the lead singer — can be a killer. Luckily, for Dallas rock outfit Oil Boom, a lineup shuffle only made it stronger. “We’re happy with how things have progressed with this change,” drummer Dugan Connors said of the addition of bassist Steve […]
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Set it off
Does it have to do with family, food or fireworks? My bet is that it involves at least one of those three, and maybe all of them. For me, the most memorable Independence Days have involved fireworks. When I was about 10, I clearly remember my two older, ornery cousins wearing blue-and-white-striped denim shorts and […]
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Aw, Swell
Jonathan Weiner When Nick Diener and his brother formed punk act The Swellers as teenagers, they didn’t know what they were doing. “When we were kids, we had these guitars and we wondered what it would be like to be rock stars. So we formed a band,” guitarist and singer Diener said. “I didn’t know […]