Flanfire

Lots to say, but little time, as Flanfire is off to New England for the long weekend.  Gotta mention Sunday night at Antone’s with Bill Carter and the Blame (not your ordinary cover band) — Andy Salmon on bass, and Charlie Sexton, Will Sexton, and Denny Freeman all on guitar.  Yeah!  Earlier that evening it was Gina Fest — Gina Chavez got a good bounce for her 10-month mission trip to El Salvador by winning the fan favorite vote in the Gatti’s Jingle contest, and she just missed winning the $10,000 grand prize.  John Pointer played the show holding his power cord to keep it from shorting out, and Haydn Vitera and Michaes Ramos added spark to Gina’s own set.  Lots of great music and a HUGE turnout at El Sol y la Luna, which has taken over what was once the filthiest bar on Sixth Street before Emo’s cleaned it up just enough for Blastbeat to have its May 2008 competition there (won by Blues Mafia) and made it one of the most beautiful places in Austin.

LOTS more props for Oklahoma songwriter John Fullbright, who made his Austin debut opening for Jimmy LaFave Saturday night at Threadgill’s to rave reviews, and to Uncle Lucius for their stunning show at the Saxon Pub late Saturday with Mark Williams on cello and horns too.  Right in the middle of “Fire on the Rooftops” the band broke into “Cortez the Killer” (that’s my favorite ever Neil Young song) and since I was already out with the beautiful and talented Barbara Nesbitt I KNEW I had gone to heaven.  [Barbara Nesbitt -- remember that name -- new to Austin but very very very good!]

THE TINY TIN HEARTS –  Last Flight of the Martyr Aviator

I have been jonesing for this record in its final form for well over a year.  Produced by George Reiff, with Steve Christiansen handling “Luke,” this is everything we always wanted and expected from one of Austin’s most innovative ensembles — MY HEADLINERS AT FLANFIRE FAVORITES AT CENTRAL MARKET ON OCTOBER 11th!!!!

Talk about an eclectic group that leader Seth Osborn has put together.  Melanie Martinez on bass (she learned to play from Mark Andes), Jessie Poole on drums, Sean Ziegler on guitar and lap steel — plus Daniel Eversole on violin, Jim Korioth on cello, Jenni Wieland on French horn and trumpet, and Donald McDaniel on trombone.  Maybe the first time in history this particular set of instruments made up an entire band (Seth, BTW, plays banjo and keyboards and writes the lyrics). 

The CD opens with “The Aviator,” and you know immediately that you are in for quite a flight — indeed, the closing number is “Love and Jet Engines,” which suggests that Seth watched Top Gun as often as I did on the BIG screen.  Two “gnossiennes” (a term coined by Erik Satie) grace the CD, along with TTH favorites “Navesink” and “Luke.”  This is full-bore music — to be heard live.  DO get out to the CD release on September 25th at The Parish and also to the October 10th showcase.  I LOVE THIS BAND!  And so did my young French horn player friend from Oregon, who texted me that she was listening to the Hearts on KUT-FM on the Internet last weekend while in Washington, DC.

BROTHERS LAZAROFF — American Artifact

I just got this CD in the mail and played it three times through.  Jeff Lazaroff (main lead singer) has finally persuaded brother David (main guitarist) to return home to St. Louis, but the band will be back and forth anyway, given that Lindsay Greene (bass) and Gary Newcomb (pedal steel extraordinaire!) live in Austin and the lads just cannot get good tacos that far north.  Also featured on the CD are Stacy Hoobler on drums and percussion and Jerem Schildcrout on harmonica — but trust me, there are PLENTY of people (Dave Sanger and his lovely bride Elizabeth McQueen, for example) who love to play music with THESE guys.

THIS is the record I had long been waiting for — consistent in its sound and with the songs I had been hearing for years, like “When the Bottom Falls Out” (dark) and “Let It Be Love” (yeah!) and “Creeks Don’t Rise” (sounds like a Robbie Robertson song to me).  The opening cut begins with Newcomb’s signature sound, and then Jeff’s raspy voice promises that “I’ll See You Through.”  The title cut is a real rocker — this is, after all, an Indie rock band of sorts.  More guitars on “Ain’t Gonna Let You In” (I think this is David singing here?)  — this has a little of the sound of “Eight Miles High.”  “Dreamin’” is a ballad sure enough, with lots of pedal steel and passion.  The final cut, “Lament,” is a poet’s version of a Bob Seger song, one to be played late late at night.  I have to run so I will not tell the WHOLE story of this record — but just get it and tell the band they HAVE to get here for about six or seven shows a year at the very least.

P.S.  I played American Artifact several times over last week while driving through the beautiful Vermont countryside — and let me tell you, the juxtaposition of David Lazaroff’s fuzztone guitar and Gary Newcomb’s unequaled pedal steel make this one of the best traveling records in a long time.  The final cut, “Lament,” is nearly nine minutes of pure bliss — Jeff’s spoken vocals reminding us along the way that “paying attention” reaps huge rewards and does not (despite the “paying”) cost a dime — Gary says this is some of his very best work ever, and I concur.  The boys will be down later this year for another round of shows.