A few years ago, before blogs took over “the internets” – and began commandeering the local-music conversation – Ghostcar often popped up when discussion turned to exciting, locally produced experimental bands. Mentioned in no ironic terms alongside Yeti, Sub Oslo, and Ohm – and even former Ohm member Nathan Brown’s krautrocking AC Identity – Ghostcar was doing indie-jazz-rock-noise-sci-fi-Old-Western-swing before it was cool.
The band got quiet after trumpeter and spiritual guru Karl Poetschke left North Texas to travel all over the world (again). But now that he’s back (again), so is Ghostcar. With multi-instrumentalists Daniel Huffman, Chris Perdue, and Clay Stinnett, Poetschke is set to release a collection of new material, recorded by monster David Willingham (Centro-matic, Spoon, Ray LaMontagne) at his studio in Argyle, bringing the grand total of Ghostcar recordings to three – the two other discs are Easter Sunday and Flames of Satisfaction vs. the Flames of Despair, Vol.1. Check out www.myspace.com/ghostcardfw. … From Lifters to The Lifters to, now, The Orbans. The third and undoubtedly final name of frontman Peter Black’s indie-alt-country band reflects not only a newfound enthusiasm of sorts, according to a recent post on www.myspace.com/theorbans, but also the addition of two new full-time members and musical geniuses: drummer Cooper Heffley and keys player Justin Pate, who join Black, guitarist Kenny Wayne, and bassist Cliff Wright. The sound is a little different, having gone from rustic and sepia-toned to bright and Old 97’s-y. To hear for yourself, visit the band’s MySpace page and check out the two new demos that are up, “Were Her” and “Like a Liar.” Both tracks were recorded by famed producer Salim Nourallah (The Old 97’s, Old 97’s frontman Rhett Miller, The Deathray Davies, Black Tie Dynasty, the cut*off, The Damnwells) at his Pleasantry Lane Studios and are brilliant. The Orbans – and how many people you think are gonna start calling them, “The Orbs”? – have a small string of gigs lined up, including on Fri., Jan. 30, at Double-Wide (3510 Commerce St., Dallas, 214-887-6510), with Airline and The Polycorns; the next day, Sat., Jan. 31, at The Moon Bar (2911 W. Berry St., 817-926-9600), with Chatterton and Becky Middleton; and in late February, opening along with Stella Rose, Calhoun, and Holy Moly for Flickerstick on the legendary local band’s farewell local show at The Aardvark (2905 W. Berry St., 817-926-7814) as part of a farewell national tour. … Chad Percy, a.k.a. Cadillac Fraf, passed away last week due to complications from a recent scooter accident. One of the most articulate and lovably curmudgeonly souls I’d ever met, the tall, skinny, tattooed, and bearded alt-singer-songwriter was just as quick to poke holes in a friend’s arguments – about music, life, love, whatever – as to buy him or her a shot. (Fraf’s favorite buddy slammer was a Nazi Taco. You can probably guess what’s in it.) To his music sensibilities, everything – including perhaps the complexities of the instruments themselves – was secondary to the performance. As he said numerous times (and I’m paraphrasing here), “It might suck, but at least it’s real.” “Real”: If only we were all a little more so. Fraf, we’ll miss you, buddy.
Contact HearSay at heasay@fwweekly.com.
