Josh Alan Friedman - has documentary and one-man show Photo: Scott Mankoff L-R: Trey Carmichael, Chris Holt (Sorta drummer), Salim Nourallah Photo: Scott Mankoff

Josh Alan Friedman - Jefferson Freedom Café, 9/20/08
This night began with a film screening of a documentary about Josh Alan Friedman. Afterward, Friedman played an explosive one-man show on his vintage Guild acoustic. Standouts were “Famous & Poor,” “Josh’s Breakdown,“ which is aptly titled as Josh breaks down into seriously fast, yet soulfully deep blues that sound like a concerto of acoustic guitars. This talented musician’s style has been called “Atomic Blues,” and it’s absolutely ATOMIC.
Josh also signed copies of his new book, Tell The Truth Until They Bleed, subtitled “Coming Clean in the Dirty World of Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll.” (Scotty Mankoff)

The Black Keys - Granada Theater, 9/26/08
It’s been said that white boys should never play the blues, but The Black Keys defy the stigma. As a two-piece, they mustered more soul than The White Stripes could ever dream of. No frills here, just songs boiled down to the very essence of rock - loud overdriven guitars, howling vocals and flailing drums. Make no mistake, The Keys have that garage edge but with Delta-blues riffs. These guys could be the saviors of this stagnant genre, though Dan Auerbach would never let you know it with his modest in-between song banter.
On wax, bare-boned gritty tunes like “Stack Shot Billy” and the definitive “I Got Mine” sound calm compared to a live setting where they explode. A cover of Captain Beefheart’s “I’m Glad” captivated the sweaty sold-out crowd, and “Strange Times” made them dance. It’s clear why The Black Keys are lauded by the press and adored by their fans. This Akron, Ohio, duo is the real deal. (D.J. Ivie)

Friends of Carter Albrecht - Club Dada, 9/03/08
This night was a celebration of the life of a great musician, Carter Albrecht, a mentor to many other artists and a huge part of the Dallas music scene. “Heaven,” written about him by fellow Sorta band member Chris Holt, is one of the most touching songs Holt has written. To say we lost an integral part of the Dallas scene is not enough. Many lost a true friend. The big turnout at this concert and at times, the tears that were shed, showed how many true friends Carter had. His life and music will be remembered. This was the one-year anniversary of his death, and the Friends of Carter showed their love and respect in so many ways. It would make anyone proud. The Friends believe he is still singing and playing in “Heaven.” (Scotty Mankoff)

Airline - Club Dada, 9/20/08
Airline is a shining gem in the Dallas music scene. Members are Robert Holley (vocalist/songwriter/bass), Will Woolsey (guitar), Ryan L. Smith (piano) and the incredible Chris Carmichael (drums). Each is extremely talented in his own right and combined, they create a power-packed melodic roller coaster ride of sound. Their new CD is #171 on the College Music Journal Top 200, which is based on Radio Airplay. While their sound seems a tasty mix of Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Neil Young, songs are uniquely their own. Standouts are “Evil Livia,” “Ulysses” and “About to Bend.” This show also commanded quite a crowd. Fans danced in front of the stage and got lost in the music, as if flying away on their own Airline. See them at the Double Wide or the South Padre Music Fest Oct 31. (Scotty Mankoff)

Beard-A-Fit 2 - Club Dada, 9/07/08
Beard, for those who don’t know, is the long-standing, legendary bouncer, who’s been a fixture at Club Dada for decades. After he became ill in 2007, the first Beard-A-Fit was held to raise funds for his medical expenses.
This second benefit, Beard-A-Fit 2, was filled with great bands including Forgotten Space, Naked Lunch, Queen For A Day, Cas Haley, Enormous Magic Verb and Aaron Burton. The Backsliders were the last band to be allowed to play outside on this Sunday night. They rocked so hard, someone called the Police who shut down them down. It was a great turnout to support the one, the only, Beard. He is missing in action now, because he’s spending time with his father, who’s in the hospital. This concert was proof that the core of the Deep Ellum community still comes together to support the ones they love, like Beard. (Scotty Mankoff)



Hawthorne Heights - Fragile Future, Victory Records
For each good pop-punk-emo-esque CD on the shelves of Target, there are ten that suck. This disc isn’t one of the ten, but it won’t change your life, either. Don’t get the wrong impression; this is a fun disc with plenty of good times to be had. On Fragile Future, HH marginally differentiates their style enough to stick out in the skinny-jeans crowd, and that’s great for them. The songs are cool and comfortable like a crisp bottle of Miller High Life, but they aren’t very predictable. HH spontaneously changes up the tempo during the majority of the tracks, which keeps the listener from nodding off. If you’ve been looking forward to this album, know the band’s ups and downs, you’ll appreciate the product more. KKKK (Shane Epting)

Jonny Lang – Live At Montreux 1999 DVD, Eagle Eye Media
Coming onto the scene at 16, Jonny Lang made a splash on the blues scene. This DVD captures Jonny at the height of his playing and at one of the most coveted Jazz Festivals. At the age of 18, he was touring behind sophomore major label release Wander This World. He was amazing on this tour but on the DVD, you can truly see how much emotion he plays with and his pure talent on vocals and guitar. Focusing on Lie To Me and Wander This World, standout tracks are “Still Raining,” “A Quitter Never Wins,” “Breakin’ Me” and “Lie To Me.” If you like your blues, you’ve gotta pick this up. KKKKKK (Travis Tutwiler)

The New Kids on the Block - The Block, Interscope
Yeah, this review isn’t a misprint. NKOTB really-and seriously - did release a new album. For the average guy or a girl (who wears hiking boots everyday), this album is your worst nightmare. The album is, above all else, cheesy and artificial. The cheesy aspects refer to the lyrical content, and that notion is present throughout the CD. The artificial condition, on the other hand, refers to the overall sound, which is extremely over-produced. Collectively, it sounds as if no real instruments were even employed in its making. If you pine for the days of old-school NKOTB - for whatever godforsaken reason-this album will disappoint you. KK (Shane Epting)

People in Planes - Beyond the Horizon, Wind-Up Records
It’s truly difficult to classify these guys’ sound. On one hand, People in Planes have a familiar indie with a twist of straight-forward rock vibe. But on the other, the songs have too much texture to be considered generic. The twin vocal/guitar attack of Gareth Jones and Peter Roberts provide extra dimension to the already dense arrangements. PiP shine brightest in their expansive choruses such as in opener, “Last Man Standing.” “Mayday(M’aidez)” is an upbeat number that begins like a fellow U.K. brethren Muse song, “Tonight the Sun Will Rise” sounds like Switchfoot with balls, and “Evil With You” gets all trippy before ending the album with a bang. As an added bonus Beyond the Horizon includes a DVD with the band performing the CD in its entirety. KKKKK (D.J. Ivie)

B.B. King - One Kind Favor, Geffen Records
America’s favorite bluesman and best-known diabetic is back with another album worthy of unlimited accolade. Despite the fact that King is eighty-freaking-three years old, he hasn’t lost his touch at all. From its beginning until the end, every song is hand-crafted like fine Tennessee bourbon. Speaking of bourbon, if you’ve been searching for the perfect soundtrack for drinking in a dimly lit room, this is it. Some of the collection’s best include “See that My Grave is Kept Clean” and “Waiting for Your Call.” But, then again, each song will speak to each connoisseur of fine blues differently. KKKKK (Shane Epting)

The Game – LAX, Geffen Records
This audio enterprise exhibits profound insights into the scope of the contemporary urban experience. Accommodating The Game’s venture, the listener finds several guest appearances by such praised rappers such as Ice Cube, Common, Lil Wayne and Ludacris. The Game and his associates deal with a multitude of topics- acquisition of monetary funds, metaphysical instability, questioning authority and California sunshine in the summertime. The beats are of superb variety, and said beats might cause the listener to maneuver his or her head in an up-and-down fashion. Those aspects stated properly, LAX makes a delightful soundtrack for such activities such as smoking weed with your homeboys, chilling in the crib or steady mobbing. KKKKK (Shane Epting)