G.R.i.D. (Get Rich in Dallas)

Jason MacNeil, Billboard.com contributor, named The Hourly Radio’s History Will Never Hold Me as the top album of 2006 in their critics picks. Admittedly, I so did not like the CD when I very first heard but it’s grown on me and I can’t get enough of Closer. Well, the rest of the songs too but that’s my fave.

Congratulations guys! Here are the rest of his picks and you can check out the others picks here.

1. The Hourly Radio, “History Will Never Hold Me” (Kirtland Records). Texas outfit’s debut features fantastic songs, great hooks and no dull moments.
2. Keane, “Under the Iron Sea” (Interscope). Darker than album one but just as stellar with “Try Again” and “A Bad Dream.”
3. Tom Petty, “Highway Companion” (American Recordings/Warner Bros.). Yet another taken-for-granted gem in a catalog of songwriting gold.
4. Primal Scream, “Riot City Blues” (Columbia). Music-mixing mad hatters get back to Stones-y basics.
5. Vince Gill, “These Days” (MCA Nashville). Axl Rose will release a similar amount of material … by 2057.
6. Ron Sexsmith, “Time Being” (Warner Music Canada). Slight departure for the underrated musician, with the same excellent results.
7. James Dean Bradfield, “The Great Western” (Sony BMG). Solid solo album for Manic Street Preachers frontman will hold most over until band’s next release.
8. Calexico, “Garden Ruin” (Quarterstick). Branching out into a slightly rockier format does wonders for fine band.
9. The Black Keys, “Magic Potion” (Nonesuch). Seedy, sparse, bluesy, fuzzy and great!
10. Sloan, “Never Hear the End of It” (BMG Music Canada). Adventurous 30-song release touches on both the old and new.

Carlin from Callithump reminded that some fave bands from the Metroplex are now based out of Austin. Well, we’d prefer them here but I guess we can’t hold all the good music here. She also mentioned that the Austin Chronicle’s music poll is up and going which gives said bands a chance to be voted on. This is what she says:

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Don’t forget to vote in in the Austin Chronicle Music Poll. A couple of Callithump artists now have Austin as their primary residence. Please consider voting for Cartright & Prayer for Animals. Thanks!

-Carlin w/ Callithump, LLC

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I guess it’s ok if us non-Austin peeps vote. Why not?

K-DUX will return to the air after their holiday break on January 16. You know them, Richland College’s web radio that was so kind to have me on last fall. Well, they are back with an official lineup of shows. I’ll be waiting to have my Sarcasm Orgasm again. And I must say, I’m fairly impressed with the last show’s name. Keep an ear out for:

* Arts Poetry & Hip- Hop Hour

* Tale It Straight Hour (tale?)

* Etc

* Discombobuland

The K-DUX Crew

Bands, musicians, promoters - send ‘em your stuff. They are working to increase their library and I keep buggin’ them about highlighting the local music scene. Help ‘em out.