Boys and Girls, by Alabama Shakes

Get a copy of this CD as soon as you can.

Wait, let me change that. Get two of them, and send one to me. Liz bought a copy and gave it to me, but I’ve barely heard the thing, because she took it back. Now she keeps it in her car. It’s all she listens to anymore.

Once you hear it, you’ll understand. This is good stuff. Imagine Janis Joplin dancing her way through the greatest hits of Carole King, backed up by the grungiest backing band in Motown. Playing a set in the middle of a muddy swamp.

It will make you real happy.  You may already be familiar with their first single, “Hold On”. It was Grammy-nominated for the Best Rock Performance of 2013, and the band was nominated as Best New Artist. For once, the attention is deserving. They haven’t been doing their thing for long, but already they’re kicking big ass.

There’s no telling where they’ll go from here, but at the moment they’re red hot. And here’s the good news: they’re coming to Houston in June for Free Press Summer Fest. You’ve still got time to learn the songs, but only if you start now.

So get the CD. And while you’re at it, get tickets for Summer Fest. Liz and I will see you there. She’ll be the one singing along. I’ll be the one wishing I knew the damn words.

www.alabamashakes.com

www.fpsf.com

Free Press has finally released its lineup for Free Press Summer Fest!

If you follow us on Twitter or listened to our Podcast this week you know we have been waiting very (im)patiently for the release of the lineup! It seems there is something for everyone on the bill. Below are some of our choices for who we are excited to see. You will catch us front and center at plenty of these shows at the park.

Liz:

On the podcast this week I talked about feeling cool riding around listening to Alabama Shakes so I might have let out a little ‘eee’ when I saw them on the list! Catch me front and center there for sure. I’m also more than excited to see Of Monster and Men, The Head and The Heart, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals [catching a theme here :)]. On the other end Devin the F’n Dude and Macklemore x Ryan Lewis!

Jessica:
Stooges- IGGY POP! WE’VE GOT IGGY POP!!!!!
Alabama Shakes- We’re in the big time!
Gogol Bordello- Is this real life?!?!?!?
Grace Potter & Ume- CHICKS! I love chicks that go real hard on stage and both of these leading lady bands do. Very excited to see them both!
Passion Pit- Who wouldn’t be happy to see the hipster happy song company? I really like Passion Pit and am glad they’ll be here!
Geto Boys- Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.
BASSNECTAR- They have been on my musical list of things to get to know so I will do that and have the chance to see them live this summer. Double win.
The Head and the Heart- Along with the previous, I am just thrilled to get to see this band live and get to know their music.
Postal Service- Above anything else at Summer Fest this year I am OVER THE f@$%^& MOON FOR POSTAL SERVICE!!!!! I love them and I’m going to scream sing every song so no one stand next to me. I fell in love with Postal Service at an adventurous time in my life and it was a kind of sound track to a good time with my friends. Lots of fun and funny times,memories in general, that played out to these songs and it makes me happy. I cannot wait!!!!!

Matty:

I’m a big fan of Cat Power, but I’ve yet to see her in concert. I don’t know if she’ll be solo or with a backing band, but either way, I will be there, getting high.

I didn’t even know Gogol Bordello was still performing! I will be watching from a safe distance. If I get drunk enough, I may venture near enough to the stage to be knocked over by someone even drunker than I (or someone much more energetic than I plan on being). If I happen to be on mushrooms, I’ll be all in. I may even wind up on stage long enough to be thrown off.

By the way, I don’t do drugs.

And of course, Alabama Shakes. I’ll be there, but I don’t know if I’ll be singing along. I would love to sing along, but I haven’t learned all the songs yet, because Liz is holding the CD hostage in her car. She claims to have bought the CD for me, but I haven’t heard it since she got hold of it.

I still have my fingers crossed for My Morning Jacket. I will happily settle for Jim James.

Jodi:

I am fucking amaze-balls excited to see Postal Service, Passion Pit and Chairlift!!!!!!!!!!  I fucking love them! Yeeeaaaaahhhhh.

Austin band Good Field recently released their debut album, and we have the new single for you.

‘Tell Me Ida’ is available for download here. It’s a very pretty song, driven by a clean acoustic guitar and featuring a Mario Brothers-style organ dancing around the edges. According to writer and lead singer Paul Price, ‘Tell Me Ida’ was inspired by watching film footage of his grandparents from the Fifties. “Something about seeing them so young made me wonder what courtship was like back then,” he says.

It’s a classic theme, but with a different feel. The lyrics speak of the simplicity of courtship. She liked his suit, the song says. Next thing you know, they’re buying a house. The complexity of the song comes from Price’s vocals, which have an echo of magic sadness about them, the nostalgia of folklore rather than the insecurities of youth.

Along with the release of their debut album, Good Field is embarking on a national tour, finishing next month at SXSW.

Find their website here, and be sure to check out the album on all online retailers and streaming services.

GOOD FIELD – Tell Me Ida from The Good Music Club on Vimeo.

First Order of Business:

Nada Surf is playing a show tomorrow at FITZ and they are giving away 2 tickets and a cd  exclusively to PrettyRiot readers! What cha gotta do is  Tweet this blog post and tag me in it @PrettyRiotHou! The first to hit my inbox will be the winner! Winners will be announced later today! On your mark, get set, GO!

Check out this video from their latest album:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

So the Houston Web Awards were great fun! AND look at me and good pal Bun B:

Read the story of how this all went down on the PrettyRiot Personal site. It’s a silly story really.

You know what else is happening this weekend? Tonight actually…

Austin band, T Bird and The Breaks will be at Continental Club.

This is how they describe their sound:

“With a sound that pulls from the origins of hip hop, the alleyways of the Crescent City, the grease and grime of an old-school soul review, and all seven of the deadly sins, the Breaks have developed into a locomotive; slowly pumping across America, leaving crowds drenched with sweat and walking funny the next morning.”

Wow! Let’s all go to that show!

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend!

XO,

Jessica

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

CLICK HERE to like Holy Fiction on Fbook.

CLICK HERE to listen to more Holy Ficiton

Go see Holy Fiction at The Houston Invasion at GypsyLoung 1504 East 6th in Austin during SXSW and sing out loud.

Happy Tuesday everyone! Don’t worry about cooking dinner cause it’s STEAK NIGHT at The Hideaway on Dunvale. Blues Jam from 9:30-1:30 and apparently the best steak night in Houston. Let’s all go find out!

Below, are photos from the past week. These pics are taken with the Retro Camera app for Android. Fake polaroids at best, yes everything MUST look vintage! Have a wonderful day.

Welcome to Monday. Bleh, yeah we know. So instead of writing a bunch of stuff to read I thought I could say it with pictures. So here are some interesting things I pulled from a cute lil blog called Fine Little Mess check it out if you get a chance. In the mean time try to possibly grab some inspiration from these photos to pull you through Monday. Oh come on it’s not that bad!

(How was cook-off? Did you make it to Mardi Gras?)

That’s right folks! The always entertaining Wild Moccasins are headin’ on out of the Lone Star State and plan on rocking all the way to the West coast and then back. They will be traveling with The Eastern Sea as well as The Wiggins!!!

This Friday night will be the tour kick off party at…

Walter’s on Washington

$5 at the door, all ages!

Be there or be square…..or maybe catch a show in one of these other cities: 

Jul 6 2010
Marfa, TX
Padre’s Marfa

Jul 7 2010    
Phoenix, AZ
The Trunk Space w/ Las Mudras & Kachina
   
Jul 8 2010
Long Beach, CA
The Prospector w/ Olivia Mancini, Brown and Blue, The Mates, & Summer Vacation    

Jul 9 2010
Los Angeles, CA 
Tribal Cafe w/ Wilderness, Summer Vacation, Perfect Future, & Reaching Away        

Jul 11 2010
Santa Barbara, CA
Presidio Motel w/ (our) Living Sacrifice    

Jul 12 2010
Santa Barbara, CA
Muddy Waters Cafe w/ Catwalk & The Spires    

Jul 13 2010    
San Francisco, CA
Viracocha w/ TBA    

Jul 14 2010
Oakland, CA    
WE Artspace w/ Gaze, B. Hamilton, & Mark Deutsch        

Jul 15 2010
Eureka, CA   
Lil’ Red Lion w/ Lacygne    

Jul 16 2010
Portland, OR    
Roadside Attraction w/ Run On Sentence    

Jul 17 2010
Olympia, WA    
The Red House w/ The Terrordactyls    

Jul 18 2010
Seattle, WA    
TBA w/ The Terrordactyls    

Jul 20 2010
Provo, UT
Muse Music Cafe w/ The Awful Truth & Longsleeves    

Jul 21 2010
Colorado Springs, CO    
The Rocket Room w/ TBA    

Jul 23 2010
Lincoln, NE    
Cultiva w/ TBA    

Jul 24 2010
Minneapolis, MN
Ballentine Hall w/ The Pomegrantes, One For The Team, & We All Have Hooks for Hands    

Jul 25 2010
Tulsa, OK   
Soundpony w/ Kite Flying Robot