Christmas Day in the City

Christmas time is my absolute favorite time of the year. As kids, we spent Christmas Eve night bedded down on the floor, eyes fixed upon the faint glimmer of light and shadows seeping through the crack beneath the bedroom door, and ear pressed against the warm hard wood in (almost) silent anticipation of any vestige of the arrival of dear St. Nick (or at least I did).

After learning the truth behind the existence of Father Christmas, the "magic" behind the season seems to evanesce with each new year for most children. As a child of 26, Christmas "spirit" seems to be more of a grand and ambitious achievement rather than a magical feeling these days. Every year I adorn my apartment or home with festive decor, put How the Grinch Stole Christmas on a loop, and tune in to my favorite Christmas stations via Pandora beginning sometime in late November with the stubborn hope of granting the spirit of Christmas just enough time to possess my readily accepting heart. It just hasn't taken hold these last few years.

I love being a father. It's a privilege that I earnestly and affectionately hold dear. This being my first Christmas as a father, I am grateful to have discovered the most amazing way to begin to truly and amply experience said fleeting Christmas spirit once more via the arrival of my lovely daughter Eloise into our world on April 21 of this year.

I am convinced that when you choose to become a parent, you are blessed with a renewed sense of wonder in regards to the magical stories we once held so dear as kids. That being said, this has been the most magical Christmas season thanks to Ella and my beautiful girlfriend Tamara.

After spending the weekend with family and friends, we awoke on Christmas afternoon and shared a wonderful day together that was made all the more magical by the first snow of the season here in Dallas but more so by the culmination of our first Christmas together as a family. I can only be thankful, and hope that next Christmas will be just as stark.

BEFORE - 11:00am                                                 AFTER - 1:00pm

Read More

The Urban Existentialist

And so begins a new blog; a new outlet. I’ve been relatively absent from the world of social networking for the past year and a half or so. Once an avid writer and composer, I now attempt to ease my way back into this congested virtual landscape.

The possibility of re-submitting my everyday thoughts, opinions, and often fleeting and ill-conceived conjectures to “the grid” and making my sentiments available to public eye once more has been a thought I’ve been toying with for the past few months. Although I’m not sure just how much time and energy I can dedicate this time around, I feel that having the readily available option and means to vent, rant, objurgate, or publically praise any topic I feel the need to make known on a large scale (rather than spend 15 minutes conjuring up a witty one-liner via Twitter or Facebook that must be less than 140 characters) is grand.

I’ve decided to title my blog, “The Urban Existentialist”. “Urban” in tribute to my Dallas residency and my goal to experience on, a daily basis, the abundance of diverse entertainment and culture the metroplex has to offer. “Existentialist” because I am a firm believer that, as individuals, true joy, meaning, and peace of mind is only achieved through the living of a purposeful and authentic life. In essence, “Life IS what you make of it”.

In my humble opinion, a lifetime void of diverse experiences, lacking in even minimal exposure to various arts, cultures, theories, creeds, landscapes, and even foods is an adulterous existence that can only end in regretful and ill-timed excommunication. I love new experiences and trying new things, and it’s the aforementioned belief that causes me to strive to live an authentic life filled with new experiences, risks, and adventures.

I will note and clarify, for those students of philosophy out there reading this, that my opinion on a full life lived defined by new experiences, risks, etc. is just that, an opinion. To contradict my personal views, the man who lived a monotonous life and enjoyed residing in a state of sameness surrounded only by familiar things, who never ventured out of his proverbial comfort zone, may also have lived an authentic life if said state of monotony was true to his unique spirit and character.

That’s just not me.

End possible philosophical debate.

And in closing, I aim to utilize this blog as a personal log of observations, criticisms, and my day to day life as a pupil of the pre-existing and timeless existential views of which I’ve resolved to further incorporate into my daily life. This based on my goal to live a purposeful and authentic life as well as my wish to share it with others. You can most likely expect subject matter to include, music and culinary reviews, written and photo based journal entries, political criticisms, as well as my occasional attempts at prose. If nothing else, this blog will serve as a written record of my thoughts of which I can later reflect upon. However, I do invite you to read along and possibly be introduced to subject matter of which you may not be familiar with whether that be a band you’ve never heard of, a restaurant you’ve never been to, or a way of thinking you've never been exposed to.

Happy reading.

Read More

Hello Chief - Pantry Ants Review

I'm sitting outside on a muggy Beaumont evening, laptop alive and buzzing on an aged wooded picnic table along Westgate Drive. In the distance I can hear cars streaking down Dowlen splashing tiny puddles of water onto the grassy curb. The smoke from a Marlboro Smooth 100 drifting from my hand does little to scatter the swarm of tiny mosquitos circling around my head. The bright LED glow of my computer screen is simply too inviting, and I've given up all hope of sharing this evening alone. As I scroll through my iTunes playlist searching for the perfect compliment to my reanimated morning coffee, the playful album art of a certain local favorite catches my eye as it has so many times before. My computer speakers come to life, and the air is filled with an ambient stuttered loop that reminds me of distorted wind chimes. Pantry Ants have delightfully sabotaged this would-be picnic.

In 2009 I had the privilege to meet and perform alongside a truly precocious and, then, still relatively unknown Nederland trio. Hello Chief was brought to my attention by a mutual friend who had been raving about their exciting and energetic sound for weeks, continually insisting that I head out to one of their shows that summer before I would be forced to make the trek back to my college campus in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in August. Having never heard the band and in need of another act to fill the bill at a show I was putting together at The Barking Dog (BMT), I shot a blind and somewhat reluctant text to Jonathan Wooding. I remember not knowing what exactly to expect when Wooding and the band agreed to perform and as Hello Chief took the stage that night in late July. I can say now that I wasn't prepared for the auditory sensation that followed.

My college playlist was littered with bands like Minus the Bear, This Town Needs Guns, Arctic Monkeys, RX Bandits, and The Fall of Troy. As I watched in astonishment, I quickly began to understand why said mutual friend had been so very confident in my immediate positive reception of a band that sounded like more like they were merely visiting the Golden Triangle, the citrusy smell and influence of Southern California heavy on their backs. The small, now defunct, Pearl St. venue was alive that night, swaying to the tunes of a glorious conglomeration of mathy progressive alternative indie rock teaming with not so subtle hints of ska, reggae, experimental rock, and surf-gaze. It was there on the corner of Pearl and Bowie on a late Saturday night of well worth in Beaumont, and after taking twenty or so minutes to express my own surprise and newfound adoration of that which is Hello Chief to Jonathan Wooding (Bass and Vocals), Jake Hollier (Drums, Percussion, and Vocals), and Jordan Wright (Guitar and Vocals) that I knew. Southeast Texas was about to be rocked to it's core. No pun intended.

2010 and 2011 saw Hello Chief rise to become one of the prominent acts in Southeast Texas. It has become quite clear that I wasn't the only one who thought this band was making a significant impact as I find myself having had countless "Chiefy" conversations with artists and concert goers alike who are still singing the praises of the kings of progressive musical innovation in today's SETX music scene. It seemed like the Golden Triangle couldn't get enough of Hello Chief as I attended Chief shows hosted by Star Bar, The Art Studio, Victoria House, The Barking Dog- Orange, Logon Cafe, Tequila Rok, and other SETX venues all year. Whether it was the highly energetic and flawless live performances, the inventive mathy guitar loops ala Jordan Wright, Wooding's creative, dance inspiring bass hooks, Hollier's breakbeats and monolithic percussive but non intrusive presence, or the gravity of a band so unlike anything the area had ever seen or heard before, the fever had spread, and fans new and old were beginning to ask, "When and where can I get my hands on a Hello Chief record?!"

The answer came in early 2011 with the band's release of "Pantry Ants". The short 4 song EP is the first of hopefully many to be added to the Hello Chief arsenal. Four highly diverse tracks up for grabs on Bandcamp were the first to be made available to the band's growing fan base. The EP, though just a taste of what is Hello Chief, is a tremendous freshman effort by a band who is still only teething. After hearing the release in its entirety for the first time back in January I could not restrain myself from flooding Facebook and Twitter with words of praise and commendation. Today the Hello Chief play count on my Macbook Pro is somewhere around 60, and I certainly haven't gotten the least bit tired of hearing Pantry Ants grace my shuffled morning playlist once or twice a week.

"Pantry Ants", the debut Hello Chief EP is proof that Hello Chief is still perfecting the concept of stylish math pop vibery complete with complex rhythms and insidiously charming riffs and scales with an indie flare. The production is integrated and can be characterized by/with a broad stylistic diversity with ventures into psychedelic folk, prog, and art rock. Interesting enough, Hello Chief doesn't set up camp anywhere, and surprises listeners of "Pantry Ants" with augmentative tension, peculiar drum patterns, bursts of bassy showcasing, and technical yet free flowing breakdowns.

The first track, "Birds Outside", begins ever so subtly and erupts into a splendid jaw dropping introductory breakdown somewhere around 40 seconds in that seems to sub-musically scream, "THIS IS WHO WE ARE!!" The tune, instrumental for the most part, kicks into a lively dancelike groove around the two minute mark, serving as one of the finest feel good hooks of any 2011 EP I've come across - Maps and Atlases-eque with a twist of Givers.

Track two, "Hats" really showcases Wright's creative picking style from the opening notes. The more intimate flavor of this selection leaves plenty of room to showcase Hollier's vocal crooning. I love Wooding's presence on this track as he and Wright seem to carry this tune forward by the way of imaginative and harmonious licks, synergistic and complementary throughout. Forget cowbell, woodblock is the way to go on this one.

"Fay" is by far one of my favorite live tracks. The tune is carried through to the breakdown by a driving bass and what sounds like several twangy traded guitar riffs, but what is, in fact, Wright's spellbinding trademark looping. "Fay" then transforms into an edgy emotional guitar solo, followed by a few measures of full band stabs, and concludes with a beautiful verby jazz-like outro that's best experienced live, a little buzzed, and eyes closed. This is definitely an imaginative tune that leaves one satiating and hungry for more of the like.

The last track on the EP is a smooth moony little four minute marvel that explodes into an ambient lackadaisical dreamscape abruptly interrupted by a whimsical three part vocal arrangement amongst a driving mixture of chants and stabs concluded by This Town Needs Guns/early Minus the Bear-esque guitar work, and a playful dancing bass line accompanied by Hollier's smooth shaker and percussive ontogeny. In total, a masterful transformation that could only have be derived from the collaborative efforts of skilled progressively minded individuals working in complete synergy.

As a whole, this short EP is a great way to acquaint yourself with Hello Chief. "Vibey" is the best way to describe this EP in full. The tracks are solid, the mood is diverse - cool, crisp, energetic, and trancelike at times but, rest assured, that each tune is well constructed and thoughtful, inspiring foot tapping, soulful swaying, and a trip down a bouncy afternoon road to listener placidity and embedded with feel good math rock laden vibes. Pantry Ants is must have for any SETX listener, and we here at Greenhouse Music say with full confidence that you will not be disappointed. Most notably for fans of Maps and Atlases, RX Bandits, Givers, This Town Needs Guns, Tera Melos, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Facing New York. You can preview and purchase "Pantry Ants" at HelloChief.bandcamp.com

Connect with Hello Chief on Facebook

Cheers,
Bo Michael King

Read More

I am Immortal. I am everlasting. I am eternal.

I am immortal. I am everlasting. I am eternal.

When the cruel damnation of a barbarous existence beats with iron fists upon my door, I AM UNWAVERING.

When the knavish fingers of temptation's imploring hand reach out toward my reestablished calm, I AM FIRM.

When the rigors and asperities of a squandered domain bid me doth arrive, I AM RESOLUTE.

When the drunken cries of an addlebrained generation resound with charm and temporary resplendency, I AM UNDAUNTED.

Of cretins and fools I am a foreigner.
Of villains and dastards I am an alien.
Of liars and thieves I am an outlander.
Of scoundrels and perverts I am a stranger.

When the mighty reach of redeeming love tenderly raps upon my door, I AM ADMISSIVE.

When the benevolent hymns of a forgiven guild echo throughout all creation, I AM RECEPTIVE.

When amorous interest creeps timidly, tenderly into my sight and within my reach, I AM CAUTIOUS.

When true and unshakable love glides in implicit beauty down a road less traveled, I'LL BE READY.

Of decivers and scoundrels I am a foreigner.
Of jesters and jackals I am an alien.
Of deviants and tricksters I am an outlander.
Of cheaters and prevaricators I am a stranger.

I am immortal. I am everlasting. I am eternal.

In these, I am forever.

Read More

We Were Wolves - Lost at Sea EP Album Review

Let me begin this article by saying that I've had the privilege to be a part of the Southeast Texas music scene for over 10 years now. I've personally witnessed the rise and fall of many a local band as fans tend to fade alongside the initial hype, often the mere product of a sense of newness rather than legitimate buzz. I've also watched many of the prominent local acts, over the years, pack and leave the area in search of greener pastures. I can remember growing up in this area attending local shows hosted by Rock City, Ten Shades of Grey, Bennington, My Lucky Cardigan, Fung Shui, Fast Lassie, Deconai, and Dwelling Stellar. That era was a keen time to be a teenager in Southeast Texas and a pivotal part of the development of this area's local music culture. Looking back now, I acknowledge that our current state and present musical playground was paved by those pioneers of Southeast Texas music and art, and this community wouldn't be what it is today had it not been for the aforementioned and the like. The local scene has since been transformed by an ever growing niche of progressively minded and talented individuals.

After leaving Beaumont in 2005 in pursuit of a college degree, I knew I was leaving behind what then seemed like a dying era. Southeast Texas music seemed to have lost some of it's drive, and I was apprehensive about leaving it behind rather than working to rebuild what seemed to have been lost. I was also starry-eyed and young with hopes of becoming one of the salient scremo/emo acts in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex with my own just-out-of-high-school 5-piece. Go ahead and laugh.

Four years later, after having made periodical trips to and from the area to play a few local shows here and there with my own band, I returned to Beaumont for a semester of online schooling. I had lost touch with the region, and I wasn't quite sure where the local scene stood. Had it finally died off? Was the dwindling Crocket Street entertainment district the only dim beacon of possibility and potential growth. Or was it a memorial to all that was and may never be again? One slow Monday night, I decided to see for myself, and headed out to a local show, probably put on by Joe or Molina, at Star Bar. The bands were The Amorist and We Were Wolves. I had given each a quick listen on myspace which wasn't enough for one to form a decent opinion of who these bands were or what they were all about. Admittedly I was already somewhat acquainted with The Amorist after having played a show or two with them at The Barking Dog that same year, and who I thought were a Beaumont phenomenon; one of the few acts making real headway in the seemingly stagnate Southeast Texas music scene. It was my first time seeing Jake Hooker on stage again since The Molly Maguires had called it quits, and I had really no idea who We Were Wolves were.

I ordered a couple Lone Stars and sat down at a table as the Wolves did a quick sound check on the empty dance floor that was backed by a smallish corner stage. Amidst trying to hold a conversation with a few friends I had come along with, the Wolves exploded into their set. It was far too loud to continue my conversation, so I turned to watch and take in We Were Wolves. The first thing I noticed was that, in the course of just a few minutes or so, the dance floor had been flooded by bar patrons, glasses raised high above their heads in a debaucherous salute to the Beaumont quartet. It's hard to describe the energy of a Wolves set, and harder still to do so twice, so I'll quote myself from a previous review in saying:

"There is nothing modest about a We Were Wolves set; raucous vocals, overtly rude guitars, and a truly dynamic rhythm section. (The) Wolves seem to draw inspiration from 80s punk and sometimes bare a musical similarity to the likes of modern progressive acts such as Wolfmother, Queens of the Stone Age, and Them Crooked Vultures. There is a glorious mixture of grunge, punk, and hard hitting bluesy soloing that emanates from all We Were Wolves compositions. It's no secret that We Were Wolves (Jake Hooker - Bass and Vocals, Zach Elizondo - Drums, Vinc Prihoda - Guitar and Vocals, and Drew Haught - Guitar and Vocals) put on a raw and highly engaging live show characterized by strong tonal distortion and crude three part vocal arrangements that seem more full of energy than angst"

After moving back permanently to the Southeast Texas area in early 2010 I had the opportunity to attend multiple Wolves shows. The air was always full of energy and enthusiasm, and the venue was always near capacity. Notable shows include The Wolves/Cousin Phelpy vinyl release, CtheDs Fest 2 at The Gig in which The Wolves headlined, and SXSETX where the Wolves shook the walls of The Back Room. I've personally had copies of "Yeah, Mammoth", We Were Wolves' first physical release, and their aforementioned split vinyl on my playlist since I was able to get my hands on each.

We Were Wolves were the first band to remind me upon my return that the SETX music scene is far from dead or dwindling. New and exciting bands are making themselves known, and setting a new bar for the area in regards to just how effective and brawny the local art culture can be. The pioneers would be proud, and the scene lives on - pulsating with the promise of growth and transformation.
It's about time I shut the hell up and get to the actual review.

It has all the satire and sarcasm fans have come to expect from the likes of a grungy garage rock quartet like We Were Wolves, but "Lost at Sea", yet another rambunctious Wolves release, is likewise embedded with raillery and jocularity establishing their latest effort as a derivative of backchat rather than temperamental gall. This hair-raising 80s punk laden EP is quickly bullying it's way to the top of every local concert goer's playlist, and stands alone as a tough contender for best album of the year, that is if we had our own local music awards show. "Lost at Sea" is 5 song yobbo of a release featuring all the new fan favorites, and recorded and engineered by Beaumont's own James (Baby J) Faust of The Polarity Studio.

"Lovetits" is a particularly ravenous track that doesn't just merely stand out on this record. It reaches aggressively from it's number three spot with a rusty spiked gavel and pounds it's way to the top of the play count with a sinister snarl. It's no surprise that the band recently chose "Lovetits" as the album single, and crowned it with it's very own music video shot here in Beaumont at the Beach House that's already reached over 1700 views after being released in late September. The track begins with an edgy high pitched guitar solo backed by heavy full band stabs ultimately building up into the first groovy verse that transitions seamlessly into the first chorus complete with those deep rich/rude Wolf "yeahs" SETX concert goers love to chant along to. Around 1:45 the tune breaks into a wolfy trademark in-your-face guitar solo that ties everything together quite nicely, and provides a nice break for live attendees to partake in a little drunken swaying or throw another shot back before the track concludes at 2:32 to applause.

The wait is over for an in-your-hands recording of the fan favorite "Lost at Sea" - title track of this 5 song EP. "Lost at Sea", made even more popular by Beaumont's own Ramblin' Boys, has been the foremost and darling drinking song of 2010-11. This track is by far one of the Wolves more moody broodish tunes that almost feels incomplete in it's recording without the presence of fan voices singing along to the well known chorus. A doleful emotional guitar solo around the three minute mark is one of my favorite moments in any Wolves set that is almost always sure to be accompanied by the clinking of glasses, drunken laughter, and a few "Woooos" and "Yeahs" emanating from a crowd in good spirits egged on by the actual spirits in their glasses. I think I speak for more than a few when I say that Nati Light would be proud to have this tune in the foreground of one of their radio ads.

This EP is everything fans have come to expect from a Wolves release. Canty, make-merry compositions reflective of and influenced by the local music community. This record and Wolves records past have always born the uncanny ability to make listeners feel included rather than mere patrons. Rude, energetic, unabashed, and dynamic are words that describe this new release, and fans everywhere can now rest a little easier knowing that songs like "Lost at Sea" are now available for purchase at a Wolves show or on iTunes.

Album's like "Lost at Sea" are proof that the Southeast Texas music scene is very much alive and thriving. If you haven't had the opportunity to attend a We Were Wolves show, Greenhouse Music highly recommends you do so, and alter what might be a very dreary weekend to a rip roarin' good time complete with screaming guitar solos and maybe even a wolfy rendition of "Bird is the Word". Most notably for fans of bands like: Wolfmother, Queens of the Stone Age, Motorhead, Eagles of Death Metal, Nirvana, and Them Crooked Vultures.

www.wewerewolvestx.com

Connect with We Were Wolves on Facebook

Cheers,
Bo Michael King

Read More