Cory Graves
This Week, Justus Got Served.
Each week, we take a survey of the local music scene and try to determine which acts in town are really putting in work and seeing it pay off. Which bands have the most intriguing shows coming up? Which bands are getting the most press around town? Which bands have accomplished the most notable feats of late? Based off these criteria, our music writers submit a list to be weighted and compiled into a master list revealed each week in this here space. We like to think it's fairly revealing. Check out our previous Buzz Rankings here.
What a monster week this has been for the North Texas music scene.
Really: Any one of the artists holding down the top ten or so spots in this week's Buzz Rankings likely would have cakewalked to No. 1 almost any other week.
As it were, it's JUSTUS that finds himself with the honor.
And deservedly so: Dude's been earning buzz from the biggest publications in the country this week thanks to his involvement in Dr. Dre's forthcoming third LP, which officially drops tomorrow.
It doesn't get much more huge than that, folks.
It does explain, though, why Leon Bridges singing his guts out on Conan — and on the streets of Deep Ellum — was only good enough for this week's No. 2 hole. Of course, with 10 prior wins in this thing — and all of them coming in the past few months — we're guessing Bridges won't lose any sleep over missing out on the top spot this week.
Farther down the list, Jonathan Tyler and Brent Best have each gone through hell to make their respective new solo albums, both of which have been in the works for a good half-a-decade now. This weekend, though, both will see the light of day, with Tyler performing sets at Good Records and Trees on Saturday and Best playing Dan's on Friday. Similarly, Radioactivity will also play a release show for its own newly minted sophomore effort this Friday at the Double Wide.
Other big shows that received consideration for this rankings period included Lower Dens and DJ Sober at last weekend's fifth annual Gorilla vs Bear Showcase; These Machines Are Winning's first show in two years last Saturday at Double Wide and King Diamond's opening set for Slayer at Gexa last weekend.
Then there was Matthew J. & His Wheels, which played its first show last weekend at AllGood Café. And, conversely, there's J. Charles & The Trainrobbers will play its last show ever this weekend at Three Links.
Elsewhere: Reverend Horton Heat was announced as a headliner at the Elm Street Music and Tattoo Festival that he helps throw; Parquet Courts signed with Rough Trade ahead of its upcoming EP release and announced an upcoming hometown return show at Rubber Gloves in Denton; and Telegraph Canyon, No Touching, Hate Your Friends each released new material.
(Also receiving votes this week: Larry g(EE), Tripping Daisy, Blank-Men, Toadies, Sealion, Sam Lao, Poppy Xander, Salim Nourallah, Party Static, Doug Burr, The O's, LEV, Blue, The Misfit, Def Rain, Bashe, Fond Phantom, Kaela Sinclair, Bukkake Moms, Dripping Wet, Daniel Markham, Tame… Tame and Quiet, Pnkish Black, Dead Mockingbirds, Ducado Vega, Oil Boom, The Unlikely Candidates, Bad Mountain, Pink Smoke, Vincent Neil Emerson, The Longshots, TX Connect, Friday's Foolery.)
