More information on Pale may be found at www.palerocks.com.

You can read an interview I did with The Hood Internet’s Steve Reidell for a SXSW preview in March at Spinner.com.

Here’s a sample of the band’s music:

The Hood Internet plays the Free Press Summer Fest after-party at Warehouse Live this Sunday (6.6.10) at 10pm. Don’t miss this set.

For more information and a full line-up for Summer Fest, visit www.freepresssummerfest.com. For more information on The Hood Internet, visit www.thehoodinternet.com.

Here’s a video of Wild Moccasins live in Austin:

Wild Moccasins plays at Free Press Summer Fest this Saturday, June 5th, at 2:35pm on the Main Stage.

For more information on Summer Fest, including the full line-up, set times, and how to get tickets, visit www.freepresssummerfest.com. More information on Wild Moccasins may be found at MySpace.

photo by Cambria Harkey

Here’s a video of Kingkaid with WMMF playing “Demons and Monkeys” live at Antone’s in Austin:

You can read an interview I did with Kingkaid for last year’s Summer Fest here.

Michael Kingkaid & The Black Power plays at Free Press Summer Fest on Saturday, 6.5.10, at 4:05pm on the KTRU stage.

More information and a full line-up for Summer Fest may be found here. For more information on Michael Kingkaid, visit MySpace.

You can read an interview I did with Sharks and Sailors’ Mike Rollin for the Houston Press’ Rocks Off blog here.

Here’s the S&S video for “Cliffs”:

Sharks and Sailors plays during Summer Fest this Sunday, June 6th, at 5:30pm on the KTRU Stage. For ticket information and to view the Summer Fest line-up, visit www.freepresssummerfest.com.

More information on Sharks and Sailors may be found at MySpace.

Catch Ceeplus Bad Knives at the upcoming Free Press Summer Fest, which is next Saturday and Sunday (June 5th & 6th) at Houston’s Eleanor Tinsley Park. For more information, the schedule of performers, and to buy tickets online, visit www.freepresssummerfest.com.

Read an interview I did with Ceeplus for this year’s Houston Calling SXSW preview here.

Visit Ceeplus online at www.myspace.com/ceeplusbadknives.

Here’s a video of the band live at Boondock’s in Houston:

Tax The Wolf plays Summer Fest on Sunday, June 6th, at 11:05am on the Dos Equis Stage. For more information on the band, visit MySpace.

In advance of Summer Fest, percussionist Zachary Duran answered a few questions for Houston Calling.

Houston Calling: The Eastern Sea put on an impressive performance at last year’s Summer Fest, and has played in Houston a few times since (including an in-store at Cactus Music). Were you happy with the response?

Zachary Duran: Thanks man. Yeah, it has in some ways. Since those shows, we have been playing to the biggest Houston crowds we have really ever played to. But at the same time it still feels like our friends are the ones making up a majority of the crowd. We have a lot of old and new friends from Houston that have always come out and supported us. And on the topic of Cactus Records, we are scheduled to play there again on June 4, the day before we play at Summer Fest.

HC: I think a lot of people, myself included, were surprised that we hadn’t heard much (if anything) from the band before. Is that something you guys struggle with–trying to get noticed in a time where music is so easily available and it’s tough to stand out?

ZD: It doesn’t surprise me, because for so long all of us have been playing music in bands that no one listened to, except our friends. But that’s part of the process. You play for a while at places where no one ever goes on a Tuesday night and then people maybe start to care. So it’s not really a struggle, it’s just what you have to do.

HC: Are you looking forward to this year’s Summer Fest? Which bands are you most looking forward to seeing?

ZD: I would be more excited, but everyone I want to see plays on Sunday and I have to go to Austin for work that day. But if I had to say some names and reasons I would go with this. Detroit Cobras because Sarah likes them. Fat Tony because he raps with us sometimes and his flow is hot. Caddywhompus because I like them and I like their music. I have my doubts about Girl Talk live, but what else is there to do at 10:35? And of course our friends the Wild Moccasins, but it appears as if Free Press Houston has turned us against each other, booking us at the same time. So I can’t tell you to see them! 

HC: Austin has its place as Texas’ music city, gets a lot of press because of SXSW and ACL. Houston often goes unnoticed and a lot of touring bands often skip us when they come to Texas. Do you think Summer Fest will help change the music industry’s perception of Houston and Houston bands?

ZD: It’s a good start. Plus, Houston has some really great bands that could help push the city.

HC: The Eastern Sea has a couple of EPs out — any plans for a full-length release? What else is in store for the band in 2010?

ZD: Yeah, we’re working with an engineer/producer named Jim Volentine who has worked with a lot of really great stuff in Austin and beyond. We’ve been recording one new song, at two of the craziest studios we’ve ever seen. So we’re just going to see where it goes when that one is finished. It would be really cool to record a full length with him. We’re also going on an East coast tour in September, which we’re all really excited about.

HC: How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?

ZD: Alaska is for Players meets Playground and then they grow up.

HC: What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do you think these play into your songs?

ZD:  You know, we’re like anyone else. Any music you listen to is going to play some role in the music you make, even if you don’t realize it. So probably just the stuff we listen to the most. Our house has had the new National record in since it came out. That would probably be our biggest influence right now (although Tomas would probably say differently).

HC: What’s one album you’ve bought this year that you would recommend I check out?

ZD: Check out the new Dr. Dog album, Shame, Shame. I have already killed it for myself, having listened to it for three or four straight weeks in my car. Now I have to wait six months before I can listen to it again. Maybe you can still enjoy it. I would also say get Curse Your Branches by David Bazan. It came out in 2009, but is still better than anything I think has come out in 2010.

Here’s a mini-documentary on The Eastern Sea:

The Eastern Sea plays at Free Press Summer Fest on Saturday, 6.5.10, at 2:40pm on the Dos Equis stage. The band also plays a free in-store show at Cactus Music at 5:30pm on Friday, 6.4.10.

More information and a full line-up for Summer Fest may be found here. For more information on The Eastern Sea, visit www.theeasternsea.com.

Here’s what I wrote about The Great Rearranger last year:

Ellis is a musician that seems to never be satisfied unless he is making music. From his work with musician Chase Hamblin to various local side projects to old-school country covers at Mango’s to his excellent solo work, Ellis definitely stayed busy this year. The Great Rearranger is a folk album that could have been made at any point in the past 50 years and would still be as strong as it sounds today–and that is a testament to Ellis’ songwriting. After a single listen, I couldn’t get “Good Intentions” out of my head–good luck getting it out of yours.

In advance of his upcoming performance at Free Press Summer Fest, which runs June 4-5 in Houston’s Eleanor Tinsley Park, Robert Ellis recently some questions for Houston Calling.

HC: You seem to be very busy these days (playing with Chase Hamblin, among others) and you also have the weekly gig at Mango’s. Are you planning on a solo gig at Summer Fest or will you have some friends onstage with you?

Robert Ellis: I’m going to have my full band with me. Geoffrey Muller, Wil Van Horn, Ryan Chavez, and Kelly Doyle. It will be a rowdy fun show.

HC: Will you be playing in any other bands during Summer Fest?

Ellis: Yes. As you mentioned, I play drums with Chase as well as I am Mesmer and Grandfather Child. I’m gonna try and not drink as much as last year. It’s hard work.

HC: How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?

Ellis: There are two sides to my stuff right now. Half is dark folk music. Influenced heavily by Paul Simon, Doc Watson, John Hurt. The other side is a big classic country sound.

HC: There’s a definite 70s folk/country vibe in your songs. What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do you think
these play into your songs?

Ellis: George Jones, Willie, Ray Price, Buck Owens, Lefty Frizell, Paul Simon, Smog. They all affect my sound in some way. I think the country stuff is obvious, but much of the folk and “indie” music I listen to has had a lot of influence over the arrangement of the records and the songwriting. 

HC: You recently did a Daytrotter Session, which seems like some great publicity. How did that come about? Are you pleased with how it turned
out?

Ellis: Daytrotter rules. I got in touch with them through a band I play with in Austin, The Lovely Sparrows.

HC: Which band or bands are you most looking forward to seeing at this year’s Summer Fest? Surely, Sideshow Tramps are going to be all over it again this year…

Ellis: Yeah, Tramps are great. I’m not gonna miss Golden Axe for anything. Wild Moccasins, Buxton, listenlisten, and I’ll probably catch most of The Nationals.

HC: Houston’s never really had anything like Summer Fest before. What’s your hope for the festival and your participation in it?

Ellis: I hope it gets bigger and bigger…and Omar and Jagi quit fooling around and make it into a country music festival, with me between my living heroes…

HC: What else do you have planned, music-wise, for 2010? Are you working on songs for a new album?

Ellis: We are working on a new record. Should be out this fall. Half country/half folk. After that I’ll be going on tour indefinitely.

HC: What’s one album you’ve bought or heard this year that you would recommend I check out?

Ellis: Bill Callahan’s new album [Rough Travel For A Rare Thing], Paul Simon self-titled, Kris Kristofferson’s last two. George Jones’ The Grand Tour is one of my favorites.

Thanks for Robert Ellis for taking the time out to answer these questions.

Here’s a video of  “Good Intentions” live:

Robert Ellis plays at Free Press Summer Fest on Saturday, 6.5.10, at 12:40pm on the main stage.

More information and a full line-up for Summer Fest may be found here. For more information on Robert Ellis, visit www.robertellismusic.com.

Photo by Reality Photography - Debora Smail

Buxton–which has been in the studio recently working on songs for a new album–returns to Free Press Summer Fest‘s impressive line-up this year, and bassist Chris Wise recently answered a few questions for Houston Calling.

Houston Calling: Buxton has steadily made a name for itself in the Houston area over the past few years, and has earned a Houston Press Music Award nomination. Are you pleased with the response the band has received so far? What are your hopes for the band for the future?

Chris Wise: We’re really appreciative of the response we’ve received in the Houston area–for a long time nobody knew who we were. We’ve been playing together for six years and it wasn’t really til 2008 that anybody really took notice. Getting nominated was really cool, and it’s great to be considered in the same league as Sideshow Tramps. They are the best musicians I know. Really, our hopes for the future is to get more people to hear our music, and maybe even like it. We’re very prepared to push this next album, we all believe in these songs and I think it inspires us to work harder.

HC: Which bands are you most looking forward to seeing at this year’s Summer Fest? Maybe next year Wilco will play…

CW: Wilco playing would blow my mind. They are one of our favorite bands, I don’t think we could handle it. (laughs) I think for almost everyone, the band to see is The Flaming Lips. The Soft Bulletin is one of my favorite albums of all time, and their new album Embryonic is excellent. We’re always excited to see Grandfather Child, they inspire jealousy.

HC: You guys recently played the crawfish festival in Spring, right? How did that go? You also have a gig coming up downtown at Discovery Green (with The Small Sounds)–how did that come about?

CW: We played it last year too, this year was a hundred times better because it didn’t rain. It went well, we got to play with Austin Sepulvado, which is always a bonus. Those are really weird environments to play because generally people don’t know who you are, but fortunately we played pretty solid and we caught some ears. The Discovery Green show came out through Allen Hill. He was looking for bands, and we were suggested. We did that also last year, and it rained. The people who stuck around just joined us onstage and we played a very weird, awkward set. Hopefully the trend this year is that we get some luck with rain that we didn’t get last year. It should be great, I can’t wait. 

HC: What’s your take on the current state of the Houston music scene? What would you do to improve it?

CW: It seems like it’s been on the up for a while now and I’m just wondering how far that’s going to go. It seems like everyone is waiting for something to happen, and I hope something does. Everyone is working hard, and that just naturally pays off.

sIngs came out in April and that’s my favorite record of the year thus far. Wild Moccasins‘ new record is amazing. listenlisten‘s new stuff is solid and I think they’re done recording it. I really think that’s going to take the cake. Grandfather Child is set to record. You got Robert Ellis‘ record coming out. Tax the Wolf should have something soon. Rabdargab by Fat Tony hopefully comes out this year. Giant Princess as well. I mean the list goes on, and I’ll be surprised if all of that goes unnoticed. It would have to be one hell of a local curse to keep all of that good music insulated in Houston.

Normally I would say people putting out their music in a tangible form would be the best way to improve it but that’s not the case anymore. At least this year. I honestly can’t think of a thing; if everyone is working hard, then good things will come.

HC: Buxton’s last release was a 7-inch (“Flint”/”Feathers”). Are you planning a 2010 release for a new album, or is that still in the works?

CW: Yes. We’re recording it right now at SugarHill with John Griffin. It should be out this year. And it’s feeling really good. It took a while for us to get the songs where they needed to be. And as much as I really want it to come out this year, we’re going to take as much time as we need to get it right. I don’t think we’ve ever felt as good as we do about these songs. But yeah, I think its safe to say it will be out this year.

HC: What’s one album you’ve bought this year that you would recommend I check out?