Title	Excerpt	Author	Date	Total Comments	Recent Comment
SXSW Music News	Now that the New Year has sprouted, official developments of the South by Southwest Music Conference are being announced with more regularity given its a mere two months away. Just today, the festival's monthly listserv confirmed a handful of scheduled acts as well as keynote speaker and veteran rocker Lou…	Tara	01/07/08	0
Brazos | Mrs. Virginia	There's something about Brazos' single "Mrs. Virginia" that evokes a loose comparison to another Austin band--Spoon. It's not a blatant similarity, more of a Rorschach inkblot type of reaction. It might be the initial rhythm that makes me suddenly conscious of my own heartbeat or the slow, succinct build into…	Tara	11/30/07	0
FameCast comes to town	Austin musician Wendy Colonna  With American Idol and other reality competitions claiming the majority of television viewers on a consistent basis, it makes perfect sense that this competitive spirit has taken to the internet as well. One such contest is FameCast, an online attempt to find America's next big musical…	Tara	11/30/07	0
Vampire Weekend	Vampire Weekend's "Mansard Roof" The name caught my eye first and foremost—I expected some kind of dark, goth-like industrial rock, but no, evidently a vampire lives a calm, slightly preppy weekend life with a significant amount of West African influence. In all truthfulness, the New York-based band, all of whom met…	Tara	11/30/07	0
The Killers feat. Lou Reed | Tranquilize	The Killers' "Tranquilize" featuring Lou Reed With a penchant for slightly gawdy, cinematic videos like "Mr. Brightside" and "Smile Like You Mean It," the Killers added a touch of creepy to the video for  "Tranquilize," a track from their recently released collection of B-sides entitled "Sawdust." Featuring Velvet Underground icon Lou…	Tara	11/25/07	0
Jon McLaughlin | Indiana	I'm such a sucker for songs that make me feel the anger, heartache or giddy excitement contained, like a little present, within the melody, the lyrics, and, if I'm watching a live performance or video, the artist's personal expressions. That natural connection makes discovering new music so fulfilling. In my…	Tara	11/25/07	0
Buttercup brings it	For me the word 'buttercup' brings to mind a handful of cutesy images like the vibrant yellow flower or the green-dressed Powerpuff Girl, not so much a four-man band based in San Antonio that's known for bizarre live performances. The quirky quartet are bringing their custom guerilla art to Austin's…	Tara	11/25/07	0
Becky Stark on the big screen	Lavender Diamond's "Open Your Heart"  It was early summer when I first wrote about Lavender Diamond and lead chanteuse Becky Stark. The indie pop quartet was finishing up a club tour in support of their full-length release on Matador Records, "Imagine Our Love." As it turns out, Stark went from performing…	Tara	11/23/07	0
Collective Soul & the trip down memory lane	Collective Soul's latest video, "Hollywood"  As of late, I've been on a mid-'90s music kick, reliving my artsy, fun-filled high school days that were inspired by the alt-rock dominating the not-so-corporate airwaves back then. Green Day's "Dookie" and Nirvana's "MTV Unplugged in New York" have been in heavy rotation, dotted with…	Tara	11/20/07	0
Earlimart live at Mohawk	All it took was a trip to the Mohawk on a "school night" (although I've been out of school for nearly a decade) to remind me that I'm getting old. What is it about music venues posting unbelievably inaccurate start times for shows? Let me rephrase that: why can't…	Tara	11/03/07	0
Ghostland Observatory on late night	The effervescent Austin duo known as Ghostland Observatory has taken this town by storm over the last 12 months with an endless supply of contagious energy and a steady stream of engaging rock shows. Now they're taking on the rest of the nation beginning tomorrow night at New York's Webster…	Tara	10/18/07	0
Georgie James | Places	John Davis, the former drummer of the now-disbanded Q And Not U, coaxed sweet-sounding singer/songwriter Laura Burhenn to join him in Georgie James in 2005 --a fantastic choice really. Their vocals are beyond complementary in their thoughtful pop pieces.  Recently signed to Conor Oberst's Saddle Creek Records, the duo's…	Tara	10/16/07	0
The Cave Singers:: Invitation Songs	The Seattle-based Cave Singers, recently signed to Matador Records, are celebrating the September 25 release of their debut album, "Invitation Songs." Singer/guitarist Pete Quirk's warbles a type of indie folk that, although mellow, stays in your head while bandmates Derek Fudesco (guitar, bass pedals) and Marty Lund (drums, guitar) spice…	Tara	09/30/07	0
Jesse Harris, Norah Jones Visit “The Hottest State”	Recently, Ethan Hawke's latest film project, "The Hottest State," premiered at Austin's own Paramount Theatre. Fans eager to be the first to see his most recent production paid the modest $30 ticket price and, in turn, glimpsed Hawke and Richard Linklater walking the red carpet, as well as soundtrack-crafter Jesse…	Tara	09/29/07	0
ACL Highs and Lows	I know, I know. It's been two weeks since the festival ended, but I've been a very busy girl.In my usual tradition of bad news first, here are the lows:Going into the sixth annual Austin City Limits Festival, there was a good deal of trepidation by many regular attendees. Not…	Tara	09/28/07	0
One to Watch: Jessie Baylin	If you're not anal-retentive like me and don't have your hundreds of discs in alphabetical order by artist last name or band first name but by category, you could easily file Jessie Baylin in "Soulful Chick Rock." That category would be HUGE in my collection.I don't know much about this…	Tara	08/31/07	0
KT Tunstall’s back with “Drastic Fantastic”	KT's been a busy little bee over the last 12 months. Straight from touring behind her breakout debut, "Eye to the Telescope," she immediately got to work on her next project, the name of which I absolutely love. "Drastic Fantastic" hits shelves September 18th, and radio listeners are already…	Tara	08/31/07	0
Josh Rouse | Country Mouse, City House	I think it's safe to loosely label Josh Rouse a nomad--he was born in Nebraska and has since lived for some amount of time in California, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Georgia, Arizona, Tennessee and now Spain. Leaving the best for last, it seems.I first met Rouse's voice on his…	Tara	08/31/07	0
Emerson Hart | Cigarettes & Gasoline	Emerson Hart is a name that might ring a bell for fans of mid-'90s radio pop. Once the lead singer and co-founder of the powerful pop rock group Tonic, Hart left the band a few years ago to focus on his solo career which has recently sprung to life with…	Tara	08/22/07	0
Flaming Lips Bound for Broadway	If this isn't the perfect band for Broadway...turns out hit show creator Aaron Sorkin (West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) will pen a musical script based on the Flaming Lips' 2002 album, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." No one's exactly sure what to expect - the album has…	Tara	08/17/07	0
Ghostland Observatory	Anytime I hear Ghostland Observatory's "Sad Sad City," particularly the opening, I think of roller skating. (I'm a retired elementary school speed skater from the mid-'80s; it's in my blood.) Initially I didn't really get the connection, but upon further inspection I realized it had to be the '70s…	Tara	07/31/07	0
One to Watch: Meiko	I will be the first to admit it: I like uber-feminine, ethereal-esque singers. I think I've confessed this before when discussing the sugary sweet front lady of Lavender Diamond, Becky Stark. Now, thanks to the fantastic marketing/touring campaign of Hollywood's Hotel Cafe, I've stumbled across another low-key lady that I…	Tara	07/31/07	0
Adrian and the Sickness	I loved Austinite Nina Singh back in the late '90s when she fronted Kitty Gordon with her ultra-feminine, supersoft voice and uncontrollable energy that she often took out on her drum kit. I kept up with her for a couple three years until my college days (read: consecutive nights out…	Tara	07/31/07	0
The Derailers | Under the Influence of Buck	Austin's own Derailers have proudly released a new tribute to their collective idol, Buck Owens.  Aptly named "Under the Influence of Buck," this 14-track gem is the twangy group's eighth album, revisiting several of Owens' most beloved creations, such as "Together Again," I've Got a Tiger By the Tail" and…	Tara	07/31/07	0
Tegan and Sara | The Con	These Canadian identical twins remind me of a younger, punkier and more identical Watson Twins, whom I LOVE. I've been intrigued by their story from the beginning—lesbian identical twins who "work" together but have vastly different writing styles while living in separate cities - obviously not an easy task. Regardless,…	Tara	07/31/07	0
Wendy Colonna	Sometimes, when I'm introduced to a local musician that I haven't discovered for myself yet, I realize just how much I take this live music capital for granted. I was lucky enough to assist with a photo shoot recently. The subject was the young, beautiful and amazingly soulful Wendy Colonna. …	Tara	07/31/07	0
Roky Erickson’s “You’re Gonna Miss Me”	Roky Erickson is a prized name around these parts, a musical legend whose mention brings both sadness and respect to mind. In the '60s, Erickson led the groundbreaking 13th Floor Elevators as singer, songwriter and guitarist. The group had a massive impact on the music scene, as they're unique…	Tara	07/30/07	0
deadboy’s Dax Riggs	Deadboy & the Elephantmen had a sweltering mid-afternoon spot at last year's Austin City Limits Festival but it didn't stop frontman/guitarist Dax Riggs and drummer Tessie Brunet from rocking out like it was a dark, crowded club set. Since that stellar performance full of blood references and aggressive, energizing rock,…	Tara	07/30/07	0
Mexican Institute of Sound’s Pinata	If Beck had a fraternal twin who was raised from birth in Mexico City rather than Kansas City, he'd be Camilo Lara, the sole mastermind behind the Mexican Institute of Sound.  This well-established DJ, producer, remixer, and former VP of A&R and Marketing for EMI Mexico has put together "Pinata,"…	Tara	07/25/07	0
Better Than Ezra in a Jeep Advertisement?	Every one of my international trips has an unintentional soundtrack that, when heard years later, recounts a precise moment of the trip--the sound or smell of life in that particular place at that particular time.In 1995, for a family Christmas cruise down the Nile River from Cairo all the way…	Tara	07/22/07	0
Rilo Kiley—The Moneymaker	I should have known when I fell for the Watson Twins in the nave of a Presbyterian church at this year's SXSW that I'd like Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley too. But I didn't realize this until I read a blurb about their latest single, "The Moneymaker," on…	Tara	07/21/07	0
PJ Olsson makes Primetime	I can't believe I'm going to admit this on a well-read blog, but yeah, I like Ghost Whisperer, the over the top cheesy television show about helping dead people cross over. There's just something about Jennifer Love Hewitt and her not so convincing abilities. Plus the girl's got a great…	Tara	07/16/07	0
Live Earth	In just one week, a one-of-a-kind global concert will take place. Using the easily memorable date of 7/7/07, founder Kevin Wall, Al Gore and many other sponsors will host this seven-continent event.In theory, this idea runs circles around even the largest festival we've seen, but unfortunately, the only way to…	Tara	06/30/07	0
The Papercuts - Can’t Go Back	The name itself makes me squirm, mostly because I'm the most papercut-riddled person in Austin I'm pretty sure. Currently I'm nursing two and I'm not exaggerating. How does that happen when I work on a laptop 24/7 from home?Anyway, who knows where the name came from--maybe he's the most papercut-riddled…	Tara	06/30/07	0
Soothing Powers of Lavender Diamond	I have a thing for women with ethereal vocals, probably because I can't even attempt such sweet, girly sounds with the voice I was given. Gentle front lady of Lavender Diamond, Becky Stark, encompasses all that I wish I'd been born with—soft and breathy with an unbelievably effortless delivery. Just…	Tara	06/30/07	0
Billy Harvey is Scared of Fire	At least that's what his website says. It also says he can pick me, and you for that matter, up with one hand and that he's been 27 years old for ten years now. Even if you don't dig his music, his website is freaking hilarious. His name is Billy…	Tara	06/30/07	0
News for Anastasio	Ex-Phish frontman Trey Anastasio has both happy and sad news to deliver as of late. Let's do the good first - his next album is almost here. "The Horseshoe Curve" will be released on his own Rubber Jungle Records on both CD and limited edition vinyl July 24. Fans who…	Tara	06/30/07	0
Adieu Carolines Spine	I just got the sad news—the first band I ever actively saw live (my actual first concert was Conway Twitty and the Mandrell Sisters, but it wasn't by choice) is disbanding. Granted, they've been together for a crazy length of time - like 14 years or so - but I…	Tara	06/29/07	0
Band to Watch: Tammany Hall Machine	I've always imagined that growing up in a small town leads to forced creativity, a nothing-else-to-do kind of mentality. Having been raised in a medium-sized city in the upper right corner of Oklahoma, I found escape in crafts that weren't music-related - mostly writing and painting - only because I…	Tara	06/29/07	0
Memorable Mash-Ups	Mash-ups have caught my attention over the last few months, particularly ones that smoothly and artfully incorporate some old-school songs with current favorites. Austin duo Car Stereo (Wars) rock; their SXSW set this year was a nonstop mixfest with random inserts of Tripping Daisy's "I Got a Girl," Kris Kross'…	Tara	06/29/07	0
Concert for Diana - In Memory	This Sunday, July 1, would have been Princess Diana's 46th birthday. It's hard to believe it's already been ten years since her grisly accident, and even harder to believe that she was only 36 when she passed. Described as a way to commemorate her death by celebrating her life, Concert…	Tara	06/28/07	0
Brazilian Girls hawk Blackberry	For once, I was on to an emerging band before a bunch of my peers. I can't tell you how fulfilling that is, particularly considering the #1 question I get from strangers when they find out I write for liveDaily is, "Oh, who are your favorite artists?" and I…	Tara	06/27/07	0
Kelly Willis—“Translated From Love”	She's cute, sassy and one hell of a country artist. She's Austin's own Kelly Willis, whose latest album, "Translated From Love," is garnering quite a buzz around these parts since it's release this past Tuesday.Willis has traveled a long, hard road in the music business since her start at the…	Tara	06/27/07	0
Austin Unsigned: Austin’s Best Kept Secrets	I am the queen of the secondhand "great idea"—I always come across simple, fantastic ideas that I can't believe I didn't think of first. The "Austin Unsigned: Austin's Best Kept Secrets" cd series is a great example of those forehead-slapping moments. The series' first disc harbors ten varied tracks from…	Tara	05/31/07	0
Queens of the Stone Age: “Turning on the Screw”	Angry times call for aggressive rock in the form of bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails and White Zombie. It really doesn't matter what they might actually be referring to in the lyrics, it's all about the power behind the music. QOTSA have a new album…	Tara	05/31/07	0
Teddy Thompson’s back	I've been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Teddy Thompson's new album which I just found out is titled "Upfront & Down Low." I've spun his early 2006 release, "Separate Ways," constantly, largely because it holds some of my favorite tunes, including "Shine So Bright" and "I Should Get Up." His…	Tara	05/31/07	0
The Frames: The Cost & Once	I don't even know how I came to know of this mellow Dublin band —I'm pretty sure it was in my usual way of picking up an album based on the cover art and giving it a listen. That's a pretty decent way of finding new music I've found.In late…	Tara	05/31/07	0
Counting Crows on Tour	Being from the center of the bible belt, the apex of tornado alley, the part of the country deemed the "Heartland," I think it's probably expected of me to enjoy state fairs. It's in native Oklahomans' blood. But my giddy affinity for carnival food, bizarre sights and totally unsafe rides…	Tara	05/31/07	0
Venus Hum EP : Surgery in the Sky	Venus Hum is one of the few experimental/electro/indie rock groups I really like to listen to. My discovery of their quirky music is exactly what makes SXSW important—I somehow wandered into their 2000 show and have kept up with them ever since.They recently released a new EP they call "Surgery…	Tara	05/31/07	0
Blues on the Green	Ruthie Foster More free outdoor music for Austin fans—this one's known as Blues on the Green, smack dab in the center of Zilker Park at Rock Island. Sponsored by locals' favorite radio station KGSR, these summer shows occur every other Wednesday evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. This series, unlike the earlier…	Tara	05/31/07	0