I've been so lazy with my music column lately. Mostly because I don't feel like a real critic, my only qualifications being, "I knows what I likes." And so the reviews are shorter and less informative. I'll try harder, I promise.

KP CD Release Party/Rock Lottery 5
Denton was rocked, rolled, and whatnot Oct 3 and 4, with the release party for KITTY KITTY BANG BANG, and the 5th installment of ROCK LOTTERY, both at Dan's Silverleaf.

The CD release party featured the last Texas performance of "Another Boy For Jesus", aka Jason Parks who moved to NYC immediately after. But first came George Neal of Little Grizzly, who passed around a math book and scared my parents (a little) with some crazy faces, but ruled, nonetheless. That bearded angel...

Following was The Lo-Fi Chorus, whose Erik Thompson flashed the audience his guitar skills, vocal ability, southern charm, and ass crack in equal proportions. Finally, Mission Giant took the stage in matching homemade kittenpants t-shirts. YES! Their quirky techno sexy keyboard robotic awesomeness was a fantastic end to a successful evening.

But not quite as successful as Rock Lottery 5. The folks can't get enough of the concept: 25 musicians from different bands with diverse musical styles meet at a venue at 10am to draw names from a hat and form 5 new bands. Twelve hours later, each band returns to the venue, armed with a band name and at least four original songs. Playing to a packed house, this year's bands (The Cave, the Canteen; Gay Gaye; Fecalbrunch (the best band in the world from Muenster, TX); The Drunken Boat; The Clap) were "real good," according to the event's creator and organizer Chris Weber, former music coordinator for The Good/Bad Art Collective, and owner of Seattle's Guns a Blazin' Records. The event was held to raise funds for an upcoming Good/Bad archives project.

Kid Dakota is SO PRETTY
While in Denton, I stopped by Rubber Gloves to see friends and caught part of a set by KID DAKOTA, Minneapolis' answer to a question I didn't even know I was asking. I wasn't really there to pay attention, but I couldn't help it. I was drawn back into that room three times. So I bought the CD, SO PRETTY.

Now, you know how I hate reviews via musical-cross-referencing, but, whatever. Fuck you, I can't help it. My best estimate goes like this: a little Built to Spill, a little Quasi, a little Elliott Smith and I can't figure out why, but, a little Rufus Wainright (not in every song, just a few of the more vocally dramatic ones) and some Will Oldham and something completely unique as well. SO PRETTY's eight songs are each dinstinct, but share a textured quality, well-produced and well-written. I've been listening non-stop. More info: here.

Best of NYC in Village Voice: Pink Steel
If you look real hard, you can see Udo is wearing a kittenpants button. Also Corn Mo is voted "Best New Singing Comedian." Smoke that, Smothers Brothers!

Centro-matic's European Vacation
Something to better-represent Texas than GW or the Dixie Chicks. See centro-matic.com for details.

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