The great Dallas Americana artist Johnny Lloyd Rollins was the first of the bunch this year to offer us a rough track. It's a brave thing to do, but he's a generous guy by nature.
Rollins writes: "This is a demo called 'Poor Michayla.' It may or may not be on my new album, but it's just something I threw together on Garageband real quick. It's kind of a Big Star meets CSNY."
Johnny Lloyd Rollins, "Poor Michayla":
Rollins says he'd demo'ed a bunch of songs for a new album, but recently decided to start over. He knows his last album, Let's Be Poor Together, will be a tough act to follow.
"The next album is going to sound completely different than the first album in that it will most likely be semi-live without click tracks and without multiple overdubs. Basically a more raw and dirty sound. I am looking to put it out before the end of the year."
When to see Rollins next: April 17 at the Opening Bell Mosiac location.
As you know from reading Quick's cover story today, Denton's Robert Gomez is coming out with a new album on his Nova Posta label, called Pine Sticks and Phosphorus. You need to download or buy this album next week. It's subtle and gorgeous and will stay in your head, even if you don't listen to it over and over and over the way I did while preparing to write about it. Here's a track that gets my point across pretty well.
Robert Gomez, "Middle of Nowhere":
About "Middle of Nowhere," Gomez tells me. "This song's part locomotive, part house plant, part convenience, and part 3,2,1."
I was going to link to the Q&A online, but we're having some, uh, Web site issues. I'll just paste it in after the jump. Enjoy.
Nervous Curtains is fronted by Sean Kirkpatrick (pictured), who put out one of the finest local CDs of 2007, Turn on the Interference. The track I'm playing you is from NC's debut album, which continues the dark, piano-laden style of Kirkpatrick's solo release. From the sound of "All Yesterday's Parties," though, he's going for something bigger and bolder than before ...
Nervous Curtains, "All Yesterday's Parties":
In Kirkpatrick's own words:
"The lyrics are about someone who was a celebrated figure at an earlier stage in his life. As he has grown older, people have become indifferent to him and his work. This results in bitterness, bizarre behavior, the chemical/ alcoholic struggles and a form of nastalgia that is painful. The title is obviously a play on the Velvet Underground song 'All Tomorrow's Parties.' The lyrics are somewhat inspired by the Phil Specor biography, but there is also a lot of myself in there. It's basically me poking fun at myself and my delusions of grandeur. Hence the grandiose arrangement."
Nicholas Altobelli showed he was a real natural at writing and performing substantive Dylanesque folk on last year's self-produced full-length CD Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom. He'll be back in late May with an EP produced by Salim Nourallah called Dog Years (CD release show scheduled for June 13). It promises more polished production and at least one extra player (Glenn Farris on banjo). Here's a track from it:
Nicholas Altobelli, "Down That Dusty Road":
Altobelli's thoughts on the track:
"I'm very interested in history and the Great Depression/dust bowl era. The song is basically about leaving Oklahoma and going to California for a new life. There's something about having optimism in a time of struggle. That seems to be the theme of the album ... unlike Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom. The theme of that album was 'everyone is going to die in seven minutes.'"
Woo-hoo! Today, we begin uploading some brand new and unreleased tracks from area artists for your listening pleasure. As you'll recall, last year we premiered tunes from Sarah Jaffe, Roy G and the Biv, Black Tie Dynasty and many more. For the second edition, we've got some equally exciting things up our sleeve.
In addition to streaming several tracks daily, you'll be able to read about the artists' ideas behind them. Still working on preparing today's selections (I see Nicholas Altobelli and Johnny Lloyd Rollins in your future), so hang in there with me.
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