Cory Graves
Are You Ready For Some Kelly Clarkson?
Each week, we take a survey of the local music scene each and try to determine which bands 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 (at the Observer, at the Dallas Morning News, at D Magazine's FrontRow blog and at various other outlets)? Which bands have accomplished the most notable feats of late? Based off these criteria, three of our music writers submit a list to be weighted and compiled into a master list to be revealed in this here space. We like to think it's fairly revealing.
Despite the fact that the Texas Rangers have gone to the World Series each of the last two seasons whereas the Dallas Cowboys haven't had a winning season since 2009, Dallas will always remain a Cowboys town.
That much explains why the local sports coverage in the media of late has been dominated by football talk, even though the regular season has yet to start up and the Rangers are currently winning their division.
It also goes a long way to explaining how a Pepsi-sponsored Cowboys “anthem” performed by inaugural American Idol winner and Burleson native Kelly Clarkson garnered so much local music coverage this week.
As far as cheesy sports franchise rallying anthems go, though, Clarkson's “Get Up (A Cowboys Anthem)” is admittedly one of the better efforts we've heard. And, to be fair, the other names contributing NFL anthems as part of the promotion (Ice Cube, Kid Rock and Travie McCoy) aren't exactly slouches, either.
In any case, we hope the song helps the 'Boys to better last year's 8-8 record.
In other news, a week after a new Flying Lotus track, which features vocals by Erykah Badu, first started popping up on national blogs, it finally started gaining some traction locally, getting posted on several DFW websites.
Makes sense. The Queen of Neosoul has a way of stealing — or in some cases salvaging — almost every track she pops up on.
But Badu's not the only local luminary appearing on the list this week either. This week, alt-country outfit The Old 97's celebrated their 15th year as a band. When their 15th anniversary tour comes to town next Friday, the band will have Those Darlins in tow.
A House of Blues show also helped -topic rank rather highly on this week's list. The Leak Show he curated last week brought together a large group of bubbling-under painters, DJs, rappers and clothing designers, although the highlight of the whole thing, at least by our judgment, was -topic's set, which capped off one of the most fun events that went down last weekend.
Meanwhile, We'd like to think their opening set at our six-month anniversary yacht rock party last Sunday at Dada is what is responsible for local garage blues outfit Oil Boom scoring so highly for a third week in a row, but the release of their new EP, Gold Yeller, and a packed release show at Magnolia Motor Lounge probably had a whole lot more to do with it. Still, though, the trio did have a pretty busy release weekend.
(Also receiving votes this week: Able Youth, Danny Rush & The Designated Drivers, Leon the Professional, Ishi, The Burning Hotels, Kirby Brown, Tunk, Brenna Manzare and the Proper Husbands, New Science Projects, Slobberbone, Yeahdef, Dovetail, Damon K. Clark, Doom Ghost, The O's, Rise & Shine, Katie Carroll, The Rich Girls, Spookeasy, Tiger Darrow, DJ Sober, Colton Jacobson, True Widow, Emotion Brown and the Cosmos, galleryCat, Telegraph Canyon, The Virgin Wolves, Air Review, China Kills Girls.)
