I’ve been chatting with a lot of local musicians recently, because I am boundlessly fascinated by people who (unlike me) have talent and fun-ass jobs. When the discussion inevitably turns to “Which local bands make your pants tight?” or “Which local bands are better than U2?” the same few names pop up — Quaker City Night Hawks perhaps more than others. Not that anyone’s keeping score (I’m keeping score), but if you’ll kindly recall, I broke the news a few months ago that Quaker City was going into January Sound Studio in Dallas with producer Matt Smith, co-owner of Magnolia Motor Lounge and drummer for Oscar-winning Austin singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham. Well, initial tracking was just finished. The Night Hawks hope to release their as-yet-untitled sophomore album at some point this summer or fall. There seems to be a consensus among the bandmembers and their friends-in-the-know that the new album will transcend the debut, ¡Torquila Torquila!. Drummer Matt Mabe agrees. “The songs are going to be better,” he said. “Everything will be an improvement. Every little thing is 10 times better than the first record. I think it’s actually also heavier than the first record.” Before the new platter comes out, the band will release Live at Magnolia Motor Lounge, a six-song blast of gritty barroom rock recorded on the midnight before last Thanksgiving. Copies will be available at shows and via online retailers within a few days.
Nothing says Cinco de Mayo (?) like a little furious pop-punk and revved-up rock ’n’ roll. Actually, salsa probably says Cinco de Mayo better, but never mind. In celebration of the most mysterious of all holidays, Ozzie Rabbit Lodge (6463 E. Lancaster Ave., 817-446-9010) is throwing a party. Featuring performances by two loud and fast Fort Worth outfits, Perdition and The Dangits, the show will serve as a CD release party for Perdition, whose debut, Hispanola, is full of pure pop-punkery. In addition to “Race for the Rabid,” one of my top songs of 2011, the 10-track album on Denton’s Dang!Records includes such inevitable classics as “These Are the Droids We’re Looking For,” “I Don’t Get Drunk, I Get Awesome,” and “Bitch, I Hold Babies All the Time.” The quartet has made a video for the track “Gatorade Punch,” a song on a new 7-inch split EP, DIY ’til Death, Vol. 1, with DC Fallout, Allout Helter, and Samuel Caldwell’s Revenge. “Gatorade Punch” is a furious but melodic jaunt and is available for free download at http://dangrecords.bandcamp.com/track/gatorade-punch. Dang! also offers attractive CD/shirt/poster packages.
Big congratulations to Chad Ober and Mindy Pace on their nuptials, celebrated last Saturday with a beautiful (and short) ceremony at Fort Worth Water Gardens and a reception at Lola’s Saloon. Mindy is consistently one of the Weekly’s top-billing advertising sales representatives and is loved by everyone, and Chad is a sweet, soft-spoken guy who sings co-lead vocals in Sweetooth, a hard-rock band about which you’ll be hearing much more in the coming months. The guys are recording an album, and based on a couple of finished tracks (very Alice in Chains-y), it should be pretty great. Sweetooth will open for two ginormous metal acts, Mushroomhead and Hed PE, on Friday, May 24, at Trees in Dallas. Congrats again, Chad and Mindy.
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
