Since I’ve been taking a holiday break from live reviews, I figure I should roll through some of the stuff that I’ve dug this year. This is not intended to be all-encompassing. Hell, right off the top of my head, I can think of great artists – Tambersauro, Sharks and Sailors, PLF, Young Mammals, Hearts of Animals, Buxton, Giant Princess, etc. etc. etc. – that I didn’t mention below. But the way I figured I’d approach this was like one of those games where you just say the first thing that pops into your head but with a time-limit of ... Read More »

Wednesday the Papermoons were playing their last show in Houston before their departure to far off lands. Their new album New Tales has been spinning endlessly at work, in my car, and in my head. So, given my obsession with the music (not to mention the good and endearing nature of Daniel and Matt), this was required attendance. This show could have been bittersweet and sad but it was instead a very joyous affair of friends and fans there to celebrate the ‘Moons and their talents. If you missed out on seeing the Papermoons live or haven’t heard their new ... Read More »

Is it me or is this a year of exodus for great musicians from Houston? Earlier Danny Mee of the Jonx moved to Austin and Jenny Westbury also announced her imminent departure to Seattle. Now word comes down the line of a continued talent drain. First Iram Guerrero of Young Mammals (aka The Dimes) is down to his last three shows before he leaves Houston. That’s a huge blow given that he’s one of the premier drummers in Houston and a defining part of the band’s sound. Then, Papermoons announced that after their upcoming tour, they too will also be ... Read More »

Papermoons self-portrait It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m sitting with the Papermoons outside King Biscuit in the hot Texas sun as guitarist Matt Clark and drummer Daniel Hawkins are getting all In Search of… on me. A house party on their upcoming tour is right near the hometown of the legendary Moth Man which, as you can imagine, is a local legend involving some creature that looks like…well…a Moth Man. The supernatural is an odd little diversion for the Papermoons. “We went to an old graveyard in Sleepy Hollow at night.” says Daniel, “That was some freaky shit!” Cleary not freaked ... Read More »

Lets face it, even if Hendrix were to rise from the dead and play a set before 10:30PM the odds of me seeing him would be dodgy at best. I think I’m just locked into that whole Rudyard’s time zone – doors at 9 and bands start at 10:30(ish!!!) – sorry. Friday was no different as even the lure of The Wild Moccasins (who put on great lively shows that are matched by some great tunes) wasn’t enough to forgo a pre-show round of booze and baseball with some friends over at Griffs*. That is no dis to the Moccasins ... Read More »

My obsession for this last week has been the song Lazy Bones - a teaser Papermoons posted for their upcoming album on their Myspace. If there have been cries of 2008 being a rough year for Houston music (Proletariat’s closing, the ongoing travails of SHFL, etc. ), let me just say that Papermoons are prepared to clean the slate and raise the bar. Papermoons show how you can accomplish more with understatement and simplicity than any overdriven Marshall, screaming rawk vocalist, or histrionic Xiu Xiu emoting song could ever dream of. There are no gimmicks in this song. In fact, ... Read More »