Buxton’s music has never quite fit into a single genre. Broadly labeled as “Americana,” the band–which got its start in the Houston area in 2003–steadily built a name for itself with solid live shows, and the organic nature of the band’s instrumentation–which includes banjos, mandolin, and multiple guitars–coupled with by-the-numbers harmonies, draws listeners in to its down-home sound. On its long-awaited third full-length, Buxton takes a leap into an increasingly crowded pool of like-minded musicians and does its best to tread water with the rest of the pack.

Lead single “Boy Of Nine,” “Body Count,” and “Oh My Boy” best showcase the band’s influences: moody folk, bluegrass, and the ever-present indie rock–even some 80s college rock–are heard throughout the album. The latter two are precisely what helps to separate the band–vocalist/guitarist Sergio Trevino, guitarist Jason Willis, bassist Chris Wise, drummer Justin Terrell, guitarist/vocalist/organist Austin Sepulvado, and keyboardist/vocalist Hayley Barnes–from its better-known peers. While Nothing Here Seems Strange will undoubtedly appeal to those who are a little bit more country than they are rock’n'roll, the album’s edgier moments (“Blown A Fuse,” “Down In The Valley”) are firmly directed toward listeners much like the band themselves: open-minded music fans.

I have written previously that Buxton is the closest thing Houston has to Wilco, and Nothing Here Seems Strange reinforces that sentiment and proves Buxton to be a hard-working band, unafraid of experimentation, and willing to take risks in its songwriting. Whether that translates to massive sales is anyone’s guess. Regardless, Nothing Here Seems Strange is a step forward in a hopefully long and prosperous career.

Buxton celebrates the release of Nothing Here Seems Strange this Saturday (2.4.12) at Fitzgerald’s before heading out for a tour.

More information at buxtonband.com or New West Records.

Houston Calling‘s favorite Houston albums of 2011

1. Robert Ellis, Photographs (New West)
This was a great year for Ellis, whose album got him a lot of national attention, and album opener “Friends Like Those” is without a doubt one of the best songs I heard all year. Here’s what I wrote in my review of the album:

Although Photograph‘s folksier moments bring to mind the sincerity and simplicity of early James Taylor–especially on the impressive opener “Friends Like Those”–Ellis’ classic country influences are apparent throughout. The album’s most countrified moment is “What’s In It For Me?” (available on limited edition vinyl at his website and which you can stream here), a throwback reminiscent to any number of 70s-era country songs. And that’s the beauty of Ellis’ music: it’s good enough to hold its own with the greats (he gives nods to “Lefty, Willie, Hank, and Townes” on “Comin’ Home”) while still appealing to a diverse audience. Where a lesser musician playing this style of music might come off hackneyed or derivative, Ellis instead brings a smooth, irony-free approach that lends honesty to his songs. And there’s not much more a listener can ask of an album.

VIDEO: “Friends Like Those” (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvC9w73iXRU

2. Pale, In The Time Of Dangerous Men (A Blake)
Pale is one of the most ambitious groups in town, and the band’s appetite for the big time is as big as their sound (and their videos). This album further proves that Blue October shouldn’t be the only rock band from Houston in the spotlight. Here’s what I wrote about the album in my review:

Last year, Pale released the single and video for “Catastrophic Skies.” While the song wasn’t exactly a stretch for the band, there were brief hints of a musical shift in focus. In The Time Of Dangerous Men finds the foursome interjecting rawer-edged garage and danceable 80?s New Wave into the over-the-top bombast that’s defined the band’s music for years. For a band best known for its Muse-esque anthems, this is a surprising–albeit welcome–change…Pale always shoots big with its music. If 2007?s Mandatory Ambulance EP was the band moving forward, In The Time Of Dangerous Men is Pale propelling itself into a likely prosperous future.

VIDEO: “That Sinking Feeling”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEy8nwHGSb8

3. The Answer Page, Orca (Self-released)
A newbie on the Houston music front, musician Nate McKee penned an excellent break-up album that I found hard to put down once I heard it. Here’s what I wrote in my review of Orca:

The songs on Orca document the disintegration of a relationship and a man ultimately coming to terms with being alone. McKee, who not only played all of the instruments but produced, mixed, and mastered the album as well, takes the finer points of the “post-rock” genre–the slow, melodic guitars and gradually building tempos–and adds vocals that complement, but never overpower, his songs. Lyrically, the album starts off with the “all we need is love” adage that so often collapses in on itself in youth. Listeners will easily relate to “Shimmer”‘s “Roll the windows down, let’s leave behind / the things we worried about / no one can ever hurt us here…the summer’s everlasting” heartfelt sentiment. But love quickly deteriorates, and most of Orca finds McKee in reflective solitude, pining away for his lost love. “Cold Blue Light (In Circles)” and “Our Words Without Meaning” (on which he sings, “It’s not the end if I fall in love with the sound of everything undone”) best chronicles this loneliness, and listening to Orca is best when taken as a solitary experience, the better to get entwined with the songs’ swirling guitars and moody, echoing vocals.

MP3: “Shimmer”

4. Sideshow Tramps, Revelator (ZenHill)
This Houston-based collective is made up of some of the city’s finest–and hard-working–musicians whose live shows are frenzied and demand crowd participation. The songs on Revelator are reworked versions of previously unreleased recording sessions, and the extra attention was obviously well-spent. The band’s music is hard to pin down, but there’s a classic quality to the Tramp’s sound, with touches of folk, old soul, and down home country. Whatever it is, there’s no denying its originality.

VIDEO: “John the Revelator” (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RST4iAqTDVE

5. Something Fierce, Don’t Be So Cruel (Dirtnap)
Listening to Something Fierce’s music grow into what it’s become definitely puts a smile on my face. From the band’s raw punk beginnings to the well-honed, late 70s-influenced sound of Don’t Be So Cruel, the band has proven itself to be solid and inventive. This is another local act that’s been able to spread its reach outside of Texas.

VIDEO: “Empty Screens”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2okxcZmpfC0

6. Scale The Summit, The Collective (Prosthetic)
Progressive metal certainly isn’t for everyone, but there is no denying the talent in this band. Scale The Summit probably gets more exposure outside Houston than any other local act, and it’s well-deserved.

VIDEO: “The Collective”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l4RoOBmX84

7. Time, Self-titled (Self-released)
Thank God for Bandcamp. If it wasn’t for the site, I doubt I’d have heard of this album from local musician/producer Chris Ryan. Taking cues from classic psychedelic rock (a la Pink Floyd), unexpected albums like this are one of the reasons I stay in love with Houston music.

LISTEN: Time

8. The Dead Revolt, Vanixer (Self-released)
Hints of The Mars Volta and classic rock permeate this trio’s second release. This one caught me off guard, as I wasn’t expecting it to sound anything like it did. I guess the band’s name threw me,

LISTEN: “Day Of The Dead”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMpxTcnn6jE

9. The Never Years, Life Of Dreams (Self-released)
The “chillwave” genre comes to Houston, with excellent results.

VIDEO: “Aquarium”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBHi0l_rwso

10. The Tontons, Golden EP (Self-released)
There’s no denying the talent of the musicians behind the voice, and these five songs showcase both elements well. It will be interesting to see how The Tontons progress in 2012.

VIDEO: “Golden” (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZyPQKjUSDA

Albums 11-20 after the jump…

11. Drowner, EP (Self-released)

12. Various Artists (Southern Backtones, Two Star Symphony, Johnny Falstaff, Sideshow Tramps, John Evans), Honky Tonk Blood soundtrack (ZenHill)

13. Slovak Republic, Summer Pills (Self-released)

14. The Mathletes, Excalibur (Homeskool)

15. Folk Family Revival, Unfolding (Self-released)

16. The Energy, Get Split (Team Science)

17. The Literary Greats, Black Blizzard (Self-released)

18. The 71′s, Rock & Roll Reaction, Vol. 2 (Self-released)

19. Balaclavas, Snake People (Dull Knife)

20. Art Institute, People Love It When You Fail (Self-released)

What were some of your local favorites this year? Anything I missed out on? Feel free to post a comment or send me an email.

Have a safe and happy New Year’s, and here’s to a great 2012…

Throughout 2011, a lot of new (or new to me, at least) bands put out some interesting and inventive albums. And some of the tried-and-true released excellent albums we’ve come to expect. But as always, there are some releases that just stick with me more than others–the ones I return to again and again throughout the year.

Without further ado…

Houston Calling‘s favorite albums of 2011

1. A.A. Bondy, Believers (Fat Possum)
Bondy’s third solo album attracted my attention the most this year, though it seems to have flown under most people’s radars. Which is unfortunate, as the songs on Believers are languid, dark, and hopeful–a powerful combination when coupled with Bondy’s low-key delivery and classic songwriting style. Ryan Adams may get more attention but A.A. Bondy is the one that deserves it.

VIDEO: “Surfer King”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lps2PRmbKzA

2. The Drift, Blue Hour (Temporary Residence)
A review I read of the album called it "intense, dark, sullen and substantial…but
it’s also beautiful"–an apt description of this San Francisco-based
instrumental band’s music. While past albums veered more toward the jazzier
side of things, Blue Hour takes a more ambient and experimental approach. It’s definitely one of the most interesting albums I listened to in 2011.

VIDEO: “Dark Passage”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_geJhbYvnKk

3. Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)
I more or less ignored their first release but was blown away by a live performance of "Mykonos" I saw online. Maybe I am a bit more mellow these days–and I understand the band’s light, folk-infused music isn’t for everyone–but the songs on this album are addictive and beautiful reminders of love and loss written by a young songwriter wise beyond his years. There is a reason Helplessness Blues is on the majority of year-end best-of lists this year.

VIDEO: “Sim Sala Bim” (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RPQR0Hh0Kw

4. Robert Ellis, Photographs (New West)
The first of several Houston musicians on my favorites list this year, Ellis experienced a well-deserved breakthrough in 2011 and garnered national attention. Album opener "Friends Like Those" is without a doubt one of the best songs I heard all year. Here’s what I wrote in my review of the album:

Although Photograph‘s folksier moments bring to mind the sincerity and simplicity of early James Taylor–especially on the impressive opener "Friends Like Those"–Ellis’ classic country influences are apparent throughout. The album’s most countrified moment is "What’s In It For Me?" (available on limited edition vinyl at his website and which you can stream here), a throwback reminiscent to any number of 70s-era country songs. And that’s the beauty of Ellis’ music: it’s good enough to hold its own with the greats (he gives nods to "Lefty, Willie, Hank, and Townes" on "Comin’ Home") while still appealing to a diverse audience. Where a lesser musician playing this style of music might come off hackneyed or derivative, Ellis instead brings a smooth, irony-free approach that lends honesty to his songs. And there’s not much more a listener can ask of an album.

VIDEO: "Friends Like Those" (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvC9w73iXRU

5. Cults, Self-titled (Columbia)
The group’s blend of sixties female-fronted soul with low-key indie rock
is inventive and catchy. I had ignored the hype for a while but decided
to check out the band’s free in-store show at Cactus Music. I was sold
within seconds, and haven’t been able to stop listening to the album since.

VIDEO: "Go Outside"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAM9diyVRiM

6. Mogwai, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (Sub Pop)
The fact that these Scottish rockers are still making music that’s both relevant and inventive shows why they’re one of the longest-standing purveyors of (mostly) instrumental rock. Hardcore… ranks among the band’s best, and I also suggest checking out their recent live album as well–it’s where they’re in their element.

VIDEO: "Rano Pano"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN3iuBYzBiY

7. Wilco, The Whole Love (dBpm/ANTI)
Say what you will about the band’s latest efforts, but a single listen to the "The Art Of Almost," the intro track of The Whole Love, was enough to rank it among my favorites this year. Check out a live video for the song below and judge for yourself. I got chills, they’re multiplyin’…

VIDEO: "Art Of Almost" (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6UrYvacQk

8. Washed Out, Within And Without (Sub Pop)
This is 80s-influenced, melodic bliss that I can imagine listening to for years to come.

VIDEO: "Amor Fati"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fYnfE5Cycg

9. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Self-titled (Sour Mash)
I am one of the few people I know that actually like the last two Oasis albums, and I much prefer the elder brother Gallagher’s voice to the overly nasal whine of frontman Liam. On his first solo effort it’s evident Noel’s musical talent runs deeper than his brother’s, and throughout Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, he leads listeners through an amalgam of genres and styles that undoubtedly will please both his former band’s hardcore fans and attract the ones turned off by the siblings’ previous, much-publicized antics.

This review from MusicRadar sums it up best:

…The 10 songs on Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds rank
as the best set of material the singer-songwriter and guitarist
has assembled since (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? As
it is with the best of composers, the emotional buttons–desperate,
angry, joyful, melancholy and everything else–are right there
in plain sight, but the light and dark between the hues are swimming
about, too, and they’re up for grabs…

VIDEO: “AKA…What A Life!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6m03FUYaTM

10. Pale, In The Time Of Dangerous Men (A Blake)
Houston rock band Pale is one of the most ambitious groups in town, and the band’s appetite for the big time is as big as their sound (and their videos). This album further proves that Blue October shouldn’t be the only rock band from Houston in the spotlight. Here’s what I wrote about the album in my review:

Last year, Pale released the single and video for "Catastrophic Skies." While the song wasn’t exactly a stretch for the band, there were brief hints of a musical shift in focus. In The Time Of Dangerous Men finds the foursome interjecting rawer-edged garage and danceable 80′s New Wave into the over-the-top bombast that’s defined the band’s music for years. For a band best known for its Muse-esque anthems, this is a surprising–albeit welcome–change…Pale always shoots big with its music. If 2007′s Mandatory Ambulance EP was the band moving forward, In The Time Of Dangerous Men is Pale propelling itself into a likely prosperous future.

VIDEO: “That Sinking Feeling”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEy8nwHGSb8

11. Dead Sons, Singles ("Berlin," "I Am The Lord", "Junk Room") / Boom Booom EP (Self-released)
I found out about this new-ish Sheffield, England, band during some South By Southwest-related searches, and the band’s dark and spacey, over-the-top psych-rock burrowed its way into my head this year. With nods to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Kasabian, Dead Sons manages to one-up many of its peers. It’ll be interesting to watch this band grow in 2012.

VIDEO: "Berlin"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjwLXvfHSDc

12. Ryan Adams, Ashes & Fire (Pax-Am)
While Adams may never make another album that grabs me as much as Whiskeytown’s Stranger’s Almanac, I’ll never tire of listening to the music he creates. I often prefer his bands to his more mellow solo work, but there’s no denying the songcraft on Ashes & Fire. For the most part, Adams keep it pop-free and acoustic, with subtle nods to Jerry Garcia–who heavily influenced his past work with The Cardinals–and Bob Dylan (the latter most evident on "Ashes & Fire").

VIDEO: "Dirty Rain"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-Zcwdsl9fc

13. Alberta Cross, The Rolling Thunder EP (ATO)
Another great batch of Southern rock-influenced Britrock songs. Why these guys aren’t as well-known as My Morning Jacket, I’ll never know.

VIDEO: "Broken Side Of Time"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdXMuBLs1Xk

14. Thundercat, The Golden Age of Apocalypse (Brainfeeder)
Some crazy, funked-out electro-jazz you have to hear to believe, especially mind-blowing when you know that bassist Stephen Bruner also plays for punk legends Suicidal Tendencies. The obvious Jaco Pastorius influence makes …Apocaplyse even more special.

VIDEO: "For Love I Come"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8nuH6SKtNU

15. Pallers, The Sea Of Memories (Labrador)
One of the best things about the Internet, and digital music in general, is that I can find out about some random, 80s-influenced Scandinavian electronic band, buy the album on a whim based on some review I read, and it steadily becomes one of my favorites. Moody, yet not depressing, the songs on The Sea Of Memories are expertly crafted electro-pop that hearkens back to the 80s without being overly dancey. It’s mellow enough to appeal to those not really into electronic music, yet electronic enough for electro fans to savor.

VIDEO: "The Video Of Memories"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98dqiyanxjQ

16. The War On Drugs, Slave Ambient (Secretly Canadian)
This is one of those albums people kept telling me about, and once I finally broke down and downloaded it I wondered why it had taken me so long. Pitchfork best described the album:

…it’s as if the Spiritualized and Springsteen albums filed alphabetically
next to one another in your record collection had melted together on a
hot August afternoon…

VIDEO: "Baby Missiles"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMToQg0vSds

17. Steven Wilson, Grace For Drowning (kscope)
When he’s not fronting prog rockers Porcupine Tree, making music with side projects Blackfield and No-Man, or producing remastered King Crimson and Jethro Tull albums, Wilson somehow finds the time to create impressive solo work as well. Grace
For Drowning is not so much a departure from Wilson’s other ventures as it is an extension of them, with somber and progressive jams taking center stage, and an experimental jazz influence apparent throughout. The soundscapes from his initial solo outing Insurgentes have given way to better-formed songs, best evicenced by "Deform To Form A Star" and the 23-plus-minute jam "Raider II."

LISTEN: "Deform To Form A Star"

VIDEO: "Index"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dte3-sSkWic

18. The Answer Page, Orca (Self-released)
A newbie on the Houston music front, musician Nate McKee penned an excellent break-up album that I found hard to put down once I heard it. Here’s what I wrote in my review of Orca:

The songs on Orca document the disintegration of a relationship and a man ultimately coming to terms with being alone. McKee, who not only played all of the instruments but produced, mixed, and mastered the album as well, takes the finer points of the "post-rock" genre–the slow, melodic guitars and gradually building tempos–and adds vocals that complement, but never overpower, his songs. Lyrically, the album starts off with the "all we need is love" adage that so often collapses in on itself in youth. Listeners will easily relate to "Shimmer"’s "Roll the windows down, let’s leave behind / the things we worried about / no one can ever hurt us here…the summer’s everlasting" heartfelt sentiment. But love quickly deteriorates, and most of Orca finds McKee in reflective solitude, pining away for his lost love. "Cold Blue Light (In Circles)" and "Our Words Without Meaning" (on which he sings, "It’s not the end if I fall in love with the sound of everything undone") best chronicles this loneliness, and listening to Orca is best when taken as a solitary experience, the better to get entwined with the songs’ swirling guitars and moody, echoing vocals.

MP3: "Shimmer"

19. The Damnwells, No One Listens To The Band Anymore (PledgeMusic)
The band we formerly knew as The Damnwells is gone, the victim of bad record deals and musicians growing older. But frontman (and primary songwriter) Alex Dezen remains at the helm of a rotating cast of musicians, and thankfully the music hasn’t suffered. Here’s what I wrote about the album:

No One Listens To The Band Anymore contains some of Dezen’s best songwriting to date (on "Werewolves" and "The Same Way"), and while the band created the album without label influence or interference nothing in its sound seems to have changed. Not that it’s a bad thing, mind you. The band keeps it mostly low-key throughout, understandable given Dezen likely wrote much of the album acoustically. He also continues his use of humor to make a point, such as on "The Great Unknown" ("Oh beautiful for spacious skies / what a shitty soundtrack of our lives…"), and remains adept at writing hooks–not that the general public ever paid attention (see the Golden Days documentary for more on the band’s past). The album suffers lyrically in spots, most notably on "She Goes Around" ("Yeah, she goes around-round / She goes up, down, and she’s goes around / Yeah, she goes around-round / I go up, down, and she goes around"). But this is a minor offense on an otherwise thoughtful album. What ultimately sticks are catchy songs like "Feast of Hearts" and "The Monster," which listeners will be humming for hours after listening.

VIDEO: “Werewolves” (bad video, great song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e8rC8809u8

20. Sideshow Tramps, Revelator (ZenHill)
This Houston-based collective is made up of some of the city’s finest–and hard-working–musicians whose live shows are frenzied and demand crowd participation. The songs on Revelator are reworked versions of previously unreleased recording sessions, and the extra attention was obviously well-spent. The band’s music is hard to pin down, but there’s a classic quality to the Tramp’s sound, with touches of folk, old soul, and downhome country. Whatever it is, there’s no denying its originality.

VIDEOS: "Tramps and Freaks" (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXBkcvRhh-I

What were some of your favorites this year? Feel free to a comment or send me an email.

Also, please be sure to check back soon for Houston Calling‘s favorite Houston releases of 2011.

The songs on Orca document the disintegration of a relationship and a man ultimately coming to terms with being alone. McKee, who not only played all of the instruments but produced, mixed, and mastered the album as well, takes the finer points of the “post-rock” genre–the slow, melodic guitars and gradually building tempos–and adds vocals that complement, but never overpower, his songs. Lyrically, the album starts off with the “all we need is love” adage that so often collapses in on itself in youth. Listeners will easily relate to “Shimmer”‘s “Roll the windows down, let’s leave behind / the things we worried about / no one can ever hurt us here…the summer’s everlasting” heartfelt sentiment. But love quickly deteriorates, and most of Orca finds McKee in reflective solitude, pining away for his lost love. “Cold Blue Light (In Circles)” and “Our Words Without Meaning” (on which he sings, “It’s not the end if I fall in love with the sound of everything undone”) best chronicles this loneliness, and listening to Orca is best when taken as a solitary experience, the better to get entwined with the songs’ swirling guitars and moody, echoing vocals.

One of the strongest things about the album is how the songs burrow into the listener’s head, almost forcing focus. Unlike some of the music by better-known instrumental rockers like Mogwai or Explosions In The Sky (obvious influences on The Answer Page’s music, along with Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine), Orca is not content to be background music, and the album’s intricacies–along with the raw emotion of the lyrics–help keep the weight from dragging it down.

People eventually pick themselves up and move on, and the eight-plus minute “Torch Song” finds McKee finally coming out of the funk. “It’s been a long time since I’ve wondered how you are…I’m not carrying this torch for you / I’m not falling down / I don’t miss you anymore,” he sings. We’ve all been there, but not everyone can put it to such wonderfully addicting music.

Listen to and purchase the album on Bandcamp.

I recently asked McKee a few questions about The Answer Page, his musical background, and plans for playing Orca live in Houston.

Houston Calling: You’ve been in Houston a few years now but this is the first we’re hearing from you, music-wise. What prompted the move to Houston and what was your inspiration for the songs on Orca?

Nate McKee: I moved to Houston in 2008 for work but I grew up in Missouri and spent several years in Lawrence, Kansas, for school prior to the move. I’ve come to love Houston and it’s been really exciting to experience a new music scene.

Orca is about a relationship I was in a while ago and the album is kind of a soundtrack to it. It’s chronological from beginning to end and the goal was to try to cover all of the stages of that relationship through songs that would convey the emotions at each stage of it. Some of the tracks on Orca were originally a series of demos and experiments that turned into a larger project to see whether or not I could compose and record full songs on my own in my spare bedroom without a producer. After five or so were finished, I felt like I really wanted  to turn it into something more complete, and that’s how Orca came to be.

HC: You’ve played in bands before, right?

Yeah, I’ve played quite a bit but not in Houston yet. I played drums in a band called Ten Hour Drive back in Lawrence for about 4 years. We played lots of live shows, did some studio and DIY recording, filmed a few videos, etc. I had a lot of fun with those guys and learned a lot about performing from playing tons of shows, getting over stage fright the best I could, and trying to have fun with it and not get too wrapped up in perfectionism. Though I attribute most of my skills with the production elements from recordings we worked on towards the end of my time with that band. We got pretty experimental for a while and at one point decided to do everything ourselves. It was out of that necessity that I taught myself how to get by with the recording gear we had available.

HC: I like the “shoegazey” and “post-rock” aspects of your music. What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do you think they play into your music?

NM: I grew up listening to all kinds of stuff: Q and not U, Sonic Youth, Glassjaw, Bjork, Boards of Canada, and lots of other bands that probably didn’t seem to flow together real well. I think that because I started playing guitar about 17 years ago while I was listening to some of those different bands with little regard to genre or anything like that, I got a lot of exposure to different styles of songwriting and composition. Later in life I got really, really into …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, My Bloody Valentine, Mogwai, and some of the earlier Appleseed Cast albums while I lived in Lawrence several years ago. I started getting drawn into really dramatic and expansive music and I think it’s what led me to post-rock and shoegaze type stuff when I was writing. In all honesty, I had no idea how much some of those influences had come out in my music until I heard the final product and could really pick out elements that felt inspired by those bands.

HC: You wrote and played all the instruments on Orca, right? Have you had any success putting together a solid line-up for live shows yet?

NM: Not yet, though I have convinced my best friend Allen to play bass with me when I finally get a band together. For me, it’s always been important to make sure that I’ve got a really good personal connection with my band mates so it may take me a little longer to put something together that feels comfortable, but my goal is to be playing shows by next spring after lots of practicing and probably some work on a new album. 

HC: What are your plans for spreading the word about the album? I’d hate for people to miss out on it — I’ve really enjoyed it so far.

NM: So far it’s mostly been word of mouth through friends, social networking, and some really kind bloggers and reviewers that picked up on it not long after it was released in July. I got featured on Get Off The Coast, Cactus Mouth, Altered Zones, and BIRP.fm, and after those posts went up, I got a lot of attention from other bloggers and places like Soundcloud, last.fm, and Bandcamp. It’s been a little strange because since I hadn’t played any shows in Houston, I didn’t have an opportunity to spread the word here as easily and that’s what I’m working on now. I’ve got copies in stock at Sound Exchange and at Soundwaves as well and I’m working on meeting more people here all the time…

HC: How are you using the internet and social media as tools to market The Answer Page?

NM: Social media has been HUGE in my marketing so far. In fact, all of it has been either word of mouth through my family and friends or as a result of using Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and to an extent Myspace. There are so many music lovers that use some or all of those services and if you can have a presence on all of them, you can really start building a big network of supporters and fans. The coolest part is that all of those services are really good about spreading the word when you meet friends and fans that are really into what you’re doing. I’m 100% fortunate that I’ve had the chance to meet as many people as quickly as I did. I don’t think I’d have had near as much luck without social media tools, especially without playing live shows yet.

HC: In your experience, how do you view Houston’s musical climate?

NM: I think that there are a lot of really exciting things happening in Houston right now. In the three years I’ve been here, I’ve seen a ton of amazing live shows and have even watched some really interesting things develop like the emergence of witch-house music care of DISARO records last year before it moved out to L.A. I’ve found that there are a lot of bands getting out and playing shows and being part of the scene in that way and there are also a whole lot of underground and DIY acts that are getting some national attention too. It’s really great to see a lot of crowd support for local music in addition to the big touring acts that come through town. I’m still new to this scene in many ways but I really enjoy it here. I love the creative and industrious spirit I see in a lot of Houston bands I’ve watched live.

HC: If you could have any band cover one of your songs, what song would it be and what band?

NM: Oh man, this is a hard question. As hard as this one is to answer, I think I would pick “The Two Trees” to be covered by The Breeders. I originally wanted to say Q and Not U to cover the same song, but I remember getting Last Splash on cassette back in ’94 or so and playing the hell out of it to the point that the tape was all crappy and I eventually bought it on CD. I hadn’t even bought my first guitar yet and I’d never touched a drum-set but I remember as a pretty young kid (I was in 4^th grade, I think) pretending that I was in that band and wishing I knew how to slay a rock song like Kim Deal. My goal with “The Two Trees” was to have a loud and upbeat song that could open the album and Kim is an absolute genius at that.

HC: What are some of the local bands you’ve been enjoying lately?

NM: I’ve recently discovered Children of Pop and Drowner, both of which I found online and have really dug what they’ve got going on. I also saw Scale the Summit and Spain Colored Orange a few times over the past year and have always really enjoyed their live set and the energy that they can convey to the crowd. I had my face completely melted off by Scale the Summit at Ghoulsfest last year and was in awe at their musical chops and ability to play a seriously tight live set with the brutal sun in their faces. Finally, even though they broke up a while ago, I keep a copy of The Jonbenet – Ugly/Heartless in or around any stereo I own because it’s one of those albums that regardless of how much I’ve heard it I can’t seem to get tired of it. I can’t stress enough how sad I am that I never got to see them live in Houston (though I did once when they toured in Lawrence).

HC: What’s in your CD player/iTunes/etc right now? Anything to recommend?

NM: I’ve been listening to a lot of Active Child – You Are All I See, The Jonbenet – Ugly/Heartless, Red Alder – Dissociation, Dom – Family of Love, Daughters – S/T, Mogwai – Rock Action (it’s a classic!), and a lot of the new JSHIH, Vehicle Blues, and Pariah Carey tracks. And because of the recent news about R.E.M., I’ve been listening to R.E.M. – Out of Time quite a bit too.

I’d definitely recommend that people take time to listen to some of the great up-and-coming acts out there in Houston and on the internet like Drowner, Children of Pop, Vehicle, Blues, JSHIH, Pariah Carey, Red Alder, etc. If you want to discover more, scour Bandcamp and music blogs — there’s a ton out there right now.

Thanks to Nate McKee of The Answer Page for taking the time out to answer these questions. Check out The Answer Page’s music on Soundcloud. Find out more about the band on Facebook. Buy Orca on CD in Houston at Soundwaves and Sound Exchange–or buy it digitally on iTunes or Bandcamp.

English band Kaiser Chiefs plays in Houston on 9.19.11 at the House of Blues with Walk the Moon. The Chiefs released its new album, The Future Is Medieval, earlier this year in one of the most interesting ways I’ve seen–they let you choose the songs you want to buy for a unique version of the album from a pool of 20 songs. The site also allows you to “design” your own artwork for the album. Check it out at www.kaiserchiefs.com.

For the less adventurous, you can also buy the album online in the usual spots.

Here the video for “Little Shocks”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt4JGk6pn2U

Tickets to the show are available via LiveNation.

Check it out online here.

Ellis plays in Houston at Fitzgerald’s on 8.24.11 with Dawes.

Titus Andronicus is a notably dark work–reportedly Shakespeare’s first tragedy–and this seems to fall directly into Two Star’s sweet spot. The group is known for being a bit outside the norm when it comes to what most consider “classical” music, which is among its best traits. And while the music on Titus Andronicus is decidedly more classical than not, the haunting score unquestionably captures the theme of the play. Song titles like “Rape,” “Aaron’s Evil Interlude I,” and “Titus Gone Mad” let listeners know they’re not in for the gentlest of experiences, and Two Star Symphony–musicians Jo Bird, Debra Brown, Margaret Lejeune, and Jerry Ochoa–creates an eerie, yet palatable, set that ranks among the group’s finest work. It’s no surprise that these songs were written by Two Star Symphony–it takes a unique group to create unique work. In less experienced (and more uptight) hands, an album like Titus Andronicus could have been easily overdone. But the subtlety of Two Star’s work keeps that from happening–the members know when to push boundaries and when to rein it in.

Two Star Symphony celebrates the release of Titus Andronicus this Saturday (8.6.11) with two shows (at 8pm and 10pm) at the new Divergence Music and Arts performance space at Spring Street Studios. Admission is $10, but each performance is capped at 85 attendees. Advance tickets may be purchased at www.twostarsymphony.com.

There will be a pay-what-you-can bar, a Tie-Dye Taco cart, and a tattoo station from Texas Tattoo Emporium, where you can get a Two Star Symphony tattoo designed by Bird.

Titus Andronicus will be available on CD at the show for $10.

You can read my review of Ellis’ new album, Photographs, here.

Robert Ellis
Photographs
New West Records

Making him a name for himself with a stellar debut (2009′s The Great Rearranger) and a weekly residency playing old-school country covers at Houston clubs, Ellis’ latest release is full of snapshots of a man growing more mature. Some of the songs are actually downright cute, with Ellis singing about the day-to-day aspects of life and love, such as painting a house with his woman (“Two Cans Of Paint”), driving back from an out-of-town gig to be with his woman (“Comin’ Home”), and the strains of being in a relationship with the woman (“What’s In It For Me?”, “No Fun”).

The album is very distinctly split down the middle, and Ellis gives listeners a taste of his influences—both folk and country. Photographs‘ first five tracks are mellow folk songs with softly strummed acoustic guitar and subtle pedal steel, while its second half is made up of full-on country romps and ballads (helped along by drummer Ryan Chavez, guitarist Kelly Doyle, bassist Geoffrey Muller, and pedal steel guitarist Will Van Horn). The shift in styles is abrupt at first listen—and was likely designed to be played on vinyl—but is further evidence of how masterfully Ellis crosses genres.

Although Photograph‘s folksier moments bring to mind the sincerity and simplicity of early James Taylor—especially on the impressive opener “Friends Like Those”—Ellis’ classic country influences are apparent throughout. The album’s most countrified moment is “What’s In It For Me?” (available on limited edition vinyl at his website and which you can stream here), a throwback reminiscent to any number of 70s-era country songs. And that’s the beauty of Ellis’ music: it’s good enough to hold its own with the greats (he gives nods to “Lefty, Willie, Hank, and Townes” on “Comin’ Home”) while still appealing to a diverse audience. Where a lesser musician playing this style of music might come off hackneyed or derivative, Ellis instead brings a smooth, irony-free approach that lends honesty to his songs. And there’s not much more a listener can ask of an album.

Robert Ellis returns to Texas soon from a week-long residency in Portland to play CD release shows in Austin at Cactus Cafe this Tuesday (7.5.11) and in Houston at Fitzgerald’s this Wednesday (7.6.11) before heading back out on tour.

Get your copy of Photographs at Amazon, Cactus Music, and other record stores this Tuesday, 7.5.11.

More information may be found at www.robertellismusic.com.

See a live video of “What’s In It For Me?” after the jump. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mha-TfS9NO8

What’s interesting about Houston’s Ninja First Class is what songs the band chooses to cover in its live sets.

Sure, there’s the obligatory Cheap Trick cover (a brilliant “Surrender” sung by rhythm guitarist Jim Parish, who also tips his hat to the Chicago rockers with his checkerboard guitar strap), but there are also covers of songs by Tegan & Sara, The Go-Go’s, Veruca Salt, The Raconteurs, and San Antonio’s Girl In A Coma. For every song people can sing along with (“Surrender,” for example), the band plays another song that it loves–and that few in the crowd have likely heard before. The five-piece’s Houston band’s set list is steeped in 90′s alt-rock radio and Sirius’ indie rock catalog, with a few classic pop songs thrown in, but the band also performs songs penned by lead singer/guitarist Gelli Hunyadi–a recent high school grad with stage presence and charisma that urges attention.

I caught the band live twice last year, at its former weekly gig at the now-shuttered Wing Cafe in Spring. Live, bassist EJ Hunyadi mostly channels Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo when he sings, and guitarist Christopher Sharber doesn’t let his solos overpower the songs. Drummer Sherry Hunyadi (Ninja First Class is mostly a family affair, mind you) is a bastion of restraint, and does an excellent job of not blowing out the ears of patrons who’d rather eat wings and stare at TVs than watch live music.

This year, Ninja First Class has shifted the focus to creating its own music. A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to hear demos of a few of the band’s recently recorded original songs, which run from subdued, Pixies-ish, stripped-down tunes to a catchy, sing-along pop song to a work-in-progress heavily influenced by Joy Division. I recently asked the band–three members of which I work with–about its origins, its influences, and the new songs. Read it after the jump… 

Houston Calling: How did Ninja First Class get started as a band? I first interviewed Gelli back in 2007, when I think she was just starting out playing guitar…

EJ Hunyadi: We started almost five years ago when Jim Parish and Chris Sharber wanted to get together to play some songs together. As they both played guitar and I played bass, we decided to give it a go. While practicing, Gelli brought out her guitar and played and sang “Zombie” by The Cranberries. She then became our singer. After a few practices, my wife Sherry decided that she was tired of listening to us practice without drums so she learned to play drums over a weekend on YouTube and became our drummer.

HC: Your live sets, cover-wise, have a broad range of influences–although I get a sense that 80s alternative plays a bigger role than most. What do you consider to be your primary musical influences and how do you think they play into your original music?

EJH: Yeah, lots of 80s songs, but actually a lot of 90s and even more modern stuff. I would say that my own musical influences are The Smiths, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Metric, Tegan and Sara, Silversun Pickups, and Abba.

Jim Parish: That eclectic taste we have in music shows up when we write songs. One song might have a Joy Division or She Wants Revenge sound, the next reminds you of early Police, then the next a Katy Perry tune, which we are writing now in expectation of selling out for the big bucks here real soon.

HC: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

JP: Alt-rock with musical leanings to whatever gives us pleasure at that moment.  Maybe our band name should be The Hedonists.

Gelli Hunyadi: Pop indie rock…

HC: How does the band approach the songwriting process? Is it collaborative or does each member brings ideas and it goes from there?

EJH: So far, the majority of our songs have been collaborative. I start with a bass line, Jim joins in with a melody, and Sherry kicks in a beat. Gelli then starts singing nonsense words, but the important (and cool) part is that she builds a nice vocal melody that ends up guiding the song. Add in some solos from Chris, and we’ve got a song. There are a few exceptions where a band member brings an idea, music, or lyrics to practice, but even then, we tend to collaborate on the song and build on it.

JP: We have had band members bring in fully formed tunes that we tweak or a musical idea that everyone enjoys and we add to it.  Recently, our favorite way to write is to put the condenser mike in the middle of the practice space and start recording. We jokingly did a session the other night where we pretended we were telling the story of how some of our greatest hits came into being. Saying things like, “And during our rap phase, we wrote this song about Irish monkeys.” Then EJ would play a bass line, I would follow with guitar, and the others would join in. It was a way to joke and have fun, but it also allowed us to play in whatever style we wanted and it provided us with a lot of material to build songs that we genuinely enjoy playing and want to share. You know, our real greatest hits collection.

HC: You’ve had some steady gigs at a couple of places since you started, which I assume is a good way to hone your songs. What’s your plan for getting your songs to a wider audience locally?

JP: The steady gigs were so good for us. It kept us focused on practicing to get ready for the gig, practicing new material so our set lists would not get old, and it helped up grow as musicians and performers. It also is a great sounding board. What you think is genius in the practice room can seem, well, less than genius in front of an audience.

HC: Have you been pleased with the response you’ve gotten at your gigs so far?

EJH: Yes. The vast majority of people who hear us play like us and our music. The few who don’t like our music tell us we’re good musicians but that the music just isn’t their thing. That’s okay; the overwhelming majority of folks who come out to hear us play enjoy the music and we’ve been very lucky to have some very awesome positive feedback.

HC: You’ve started demoing some original songs. Are you doing this in your own studio? How is that process going so far?

EJH: Yes, we’ve been doing self-recording and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s also a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding. Of course, with every pass, there’s something else we learn and something else we want to fix or redo, but it’s all a part of the learning process, and the trip, so we’re enjoying it…

JP: We are doing this in our own studio. The process is slow because we are going with the flow each time we get together. So, some nights we might expect to record a specific song, but we get caught up in some ideas we had from the week before. We are enjoying the creative process as it happens, in whatever form it happens.

HC: Do you have a solid goal for getting the new songs tracked and recorded or are you taking your time?

EJH: We’d like to have the songs recorded within the next two months. We would like to put out a 6-song EP we’ve tentatively titled “Six in a Day.” The EP cover art will make the title make sense.

HC: What do you think is the most difficult thing for bands just starting out in the Houston area?

GH: The knowledge of knowing how many people have come from Houston, and you are on a different spectrum now. You have people expecting more out of you.

EJH: Getting consistently booked into good places with good crowds. For us, we were “house bands” at two venues, but one wasn’t the best match for us demographically while the other wanted bands that play blues or yacht rock. We’d love to play venues where the crowd was more into the alternative music scene, but we’ve yet to find that place.

HC: What are some of your favorite local (and/or Texas) bands?

EJH: I adore The Wild Moccasins. They are, to me, one of the very best bands I’ve heard PERIOD. I’m also a huge fan of Girl in a Coma, and we’ve even got a pinky promise to open for them the next time they headline here in Houston. Tody Castillo‘s stuff is beautiful, and his music makes me feel inadequate as a songwriter.

GH: Girl in a Coma for sure!

JP: Wild Moccasins, Southern Backtones, Bright Men of Learning (who doesn’t love “Right On”?), Holy Fiction (I can’t stop listening to “Iron Eyes”), Tody Castillo, Arthur Yoria, and Pale. As a band, we LOVE Girl In A Coma.  Though their music does not influence the band, I personally enjoy the songwriting/storytelling of Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett, and Robert Earl Keen…and Spoon.

Thanks to Ninja First Class for taking the time out to answer these questions for Houston Calling.

Keep up with the band on FaceBook and ninjafirstclass.com.