It List: Thursday

Old Snack/Jail/Bad Sports (Double Wide): I've been hearing good things about Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Jail, for a little while now, and so far I've found their somewhat psychedelic, mostly poppy, garage rock pretty good, especially for the stabs at varying the tempos and tackling slower numbers along with the outright rock songs. It's not just a constant pummeling, and it sounds like there is a lot of thought put into the songwriting even if it comes off as haphazard and spontaneous; something that many rock bands try to achieve but fail miserably at. Sometimes they come off like The Reigning Sound with Late Seventies New York Punk, man-bitch vocals. I mean that in the best way possible. Top it all off with two of the most reliable garage pop bands in the area, and this is a solid show.

Iron Age/Power Trip/Unit 21/The Burden/Unexpressed (1919 Hemphill)

The Soft Pack/Hymns/Cocky Americans (The Cavern): The Soft Pack are formerly known as The Muslims. Can't imagine why that name would cause controversy. Here's a really depressing video of the beloved Czech Stop that might shed a little light.

Top Notch Thursdays with DJ Sober (The Cavern Upstairs): Sober will also be putting on Top Notch at Boondocks in Houston, the last Saturday of every month.

80's Night With DJ G (Hailey's)

David Bazan/Say Hi (Dan's Silverleaf): Does anyone seriously care whether or not Li'l Davey believes in God? Journalists, man. They always have to have their narrative, though I don't doubt musicians milk it for their own purposes as well. Another thing: see how many groups you can name where the "mysterious" lead singer is presented, along with ample help from the the media and/or his publicist, as having a tortured childhood with an overbearing Pentecostal/Baptist/preacher father. Wait, stop the presses! Your childhood sucked? Your parents believed in God? You had a strict upbringing? WELCOME TO EARTH, SINGER SONGWRITER.

As for his music, he peaked at the first two tracks off of "The Only Reason I Feel Secure." He once moonlighted with Starflyer 59, who I find to be fairly superior as far as Spiritual Slowcore goes. What a drag of a genre.

Fox And The Bird/Hand Combine/Seryn (The Lounge): I had a long description here that included references to whittling and making soap from lye, but I decided to hold back. You're welcome.

Lazy Magnet/Nothingberry Plasma/Welby/Evil Spirits/Whore Hair (Wasted Words house located at 2404 S. Fielder Rd. in Arlington): Lazy Magnet began as the solo project of Jeremy Harris, who released stylistically diverse records for fifteen years, and eventually invited others to join him, turning the project into a collective effort, though I don't know if that's still the case. His material has been available through Providence's respectable Corleone Records, a label that has worked with many noteworthy acts including Night Wounds, Black Pus, and Landed. This should be really good show for Wasted Words. Also, has anyone ever heard of Drugs Bunny? Are there some great band names in the underground or what? I recently heard a band called Butt Simpson, and it was the best thing I have heard in six months to a year. But how do I tell people that with a straight face?