It List: Wednesday

Sonic Youth/Awesome Color (House of Blues): Sonic Youth, who just released their first album for Matador Records (kinda weird, isn't it?) are back for the first time (EDIT: second time, forgot about a more recent HOB show.  Apparently so did a lot of other people) since they played a pretty amazing show at the Gypsy Tea Room a few years ago (how great does THAT venue seem these days?). To be honest, it took me a long time, like until just a few years ago, to really start digging into Sonic Youth's catalogue. Sure, I had heard Confusion is Sex and "Bull in the Heather" and Goo and all that stuff in the 90's, but it wasn't until I saw the band live that I truly started to appreciate them on another level. Late bloomer I guess. Anyway, I was having trouble trying decide what my favorite Sonic Youth album was, and I wonder if anyone would like to discuss in the comments? Lately Bad Moon Rising has been getting a lot of spin around here, but I still think I might have to go back to Sister or Confusion is Sex if pressed to pick a favorite. Anyway, from the sound of some reviews I've read from this tour, SY are focusing about half their sets on newer material, which is a tad disappointing, but whatever-- I'm sure we'll all still get a lot of what we want tonight.

Queer Summer Camp with Pocket Change/Orange Coax/Dozal Brothers/Rival Gang (Mable Peabody's): I was going to make this about how much I respected the openly hostile atmosphere of Houston's music scene, but it turns out that Tense had to cancel. I hear he may be coming through in August, so at least there's that to look forward to.

As for now, this "Queer Summer Camp" costume party/show still boasts a great lineup, one that is still heavy with weirdo punk influences and performance art awkwardness, as well as a "make out tent (is that legal?)," and costume contest.

El Paso's Dozal Brothers have been described as an "electro freakout duo," with a sound consisting of often colorfully melodic synth parts, drum machine beats, and loopy, sometimes screaming vocals. Their cassette release on Seattle's UF Records came with a pair of 3-D glasses. This group has been recommended by the few people on earth whose taste in music I respect, so this should be, at the very least, entertaining.

A lot has been said here about the other groups, save for Pocket Change, who we haven't mentioned very much, but they are certainly what I would say is a band that should be seen. Or more specifically, seen to be believed. I won't try to go too far into explaining their sound other than so say that there is dancing, trip hop beats, very interesting rhymes, and a lot of seemingly confrontational repetition, not to mention confrontational sexuality. As forward and pushy as it seems, there is an underlying kind of innocence to it all; the duo seems genuinely inspired and enthusiastic about an act that would make most local crowds rather uncomfortable. I recently described Pocket Change's live act as making a Farah show seem like Miley Cyrus by comparison, no knock against The Big Eff of course. It's just that strange. I was really glad to hear some insight into their act, and there's a great interview on the Denton Deluxe website, which is the first in a series of interviews that the site will feature. I for one am glad that there is another local site that will feature interviews conducted by people with even remotely less obvious taste in music, or at the very least, people who don't need a group to be hyped on a million blogs or to be "Pitchfork approved" before they give something a chance. It's felt awful lonely out here lately. (DL)

Yes/Asia (Bass Performance Hall): I don't care what any of you shitbags say, The Yes Album and Fragile rule, and Close to the Edge is pretty good. I'd still NEVER go to this though. The proximity to Spinal Tap is simply too much, and its hard to support a band that hasn't released anything that hasn't been completely unlistenable in, oh, the past 25 years.

The Life and Times/Adam Franklin (Lola's Sixth): Adam Franklin was the guitarist for the British group Swervedriver, who were Creation Records labelmates with the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and a variety of other excellent bands (although, obviously, not all at the same time).