It List: Tuesday

Bexar Bexar/Balmorhea/Alex Dupree and the Trapdoor Band/Bryce Isbell (Rubber Gloves): Sorry bros-- my computer is all fucked up today (as is our website), and I can't get Myspace players to work for some reason, which means that I didn't have a chance to take a close listen to much of this music today, even though I've luckily heard three of these four bands before (guess which ones). Austin's Balmorhea has been receiving a bit more attention in recent weeks thanks to a solid Pitchfork review, and Bryce Isbell's recent output has been quite interesting as well, focusing on atmosphere and found sound and all kinds of things that have nothing to do with "folk." Probably a pretty chill show if you're into that kind of thing, although the phrase "influences include Mogwai" always frightens me a little.

ADD:

The Wax Museums/Terrible Twos (Club Dada): Meant to add this show much earlier. This looks to be an exciting pairing between two punk bands, one local and one from the proven punk hotbed of the Detroit/Ann Arbor area. I have it from a reliable source that Terrible Twos are one of the best live experiences going right now. Upon first listen they seem like straight ahead dirty rock music, but they couple the attack with synth as well as some cool stuttered guitar parts. Wax Museums are great, with a sound straight off of some obscure scene compilation from the hardcore era, where all the bands have weird names, weird songs, and weird recording methods. So authentic, it kind of creeps me out to be hearing this in 2008.