Mousetrap circa 2013, from left, Colby Starck, Patrick Buchanan and Craig Crawford.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

In this week’s column, Mousetrap’s back. You can read it in the current issue of The Reader, online here, or what the heck, read it below:

Over the Edge: Mousetrap’s Back, but Don’t Call It a Reunion

For regular readers of this column, a quick synopsis of who/what is punk rock band Mousetrap:

To use the word “seminal” to describe their impact on the Omaha music scene would be an understatement. Almost every significant Omaha band I’ve interviewed — whether they play punk, hard rock or even singer-songwriter stuff — has name-checked Mousetrap as an influence. That includes all of Saddle Creek Records’ most successful acts.

At the band’s core are bassist Craig Crawford and frontman/guitarist Patrick Buchanan. Their hey-day was in the ‘90s, when they released a couple 7-inch singles followed by their debut full-length Cerebral Revolver in 1993; the follow-up, Lover, in ’94, and their final album, The Dead Air Sound System, in ’95.

How to describe their music? It’s loud, but not macho or “tough-guy” or anything like today’s corporate metal goon-rock bands. Instead, the music is bitter and angry. Its anger is channeled more toward themselves than whatever situation Buchanan and Crawford are howling about. Actually, it’s more pain than anger — not a broken-hearted pain, but an exposed nerve physical throbbing abscessed tooth sort of agony — bright red and pulsing.

Mousetrap’s abrasive, acidic rock is not for everybody, in fact, it’s not for most people. After years of touring — a rarity for local bands in the early ‘90s — Mousetrap eventually faded away by the end of the decade.

And then seemingly out of the blue — the band played a pair of reunion shows at The Waiting Room in 2009 and 2010. And now their back again, but this time it’s different. Mousetrap intends to become an active band, or as bassist Crawford put it, “We’re a functioning band that plans to put out a new album by December.”

Crawford talked via Skype last Saturday in the band’s Chicago practice space. Also on the video-chat were frontman Buchanan, looking as sinister as ever with his mane of black, tousled hair, and new drummer Colby Starck.

Starck, a former Lincolnite who you may remember from such ‘90s bands as Pablo’s Triangle and Roosevelt Franklin, has lived in Chicago for about 12 years, where he made acquaintances with Crawford. He says Mousetrap’s first 7-inch “Wired” b/w “Train,” released on the late Dave Sink’s One-Hour Records, continues to be his favorite single.

“I’ve been a fan for a long time, and Mousetrap has always had trouble with drummers,” Starck said. “Whenever I saw them, I always said, ‘That should be me up there.’” And now it is.

Buchanan wanted to make sure I mention that former drummer, Mike Mazzola, who played with Mousetrap at the reunion shows, is a great drummer and a good friend and that the switch to Starck was a scheduling thing.

“It totally made more sense to have Colby come in because he can invest more time in the band,” Buchanan said. “We want to make this a living, breathing, fully operational band and that requires more time and commitment.”

Becoming a “real band” had been the plan back in 2010, but it obviously never happened. Shortly after the holiday reunion show, Buchanan, who works in advertising, got a job offer in Miami. “It’s the nature of the ad business, if you want to get yourself a raise, you have to move to where the job is,” he said. But it didn’t take long for Buchanan to realize that Miami is “kind of a shithole.” When he got another job offer back in Detroit, he took it. And as soon as he got back, he called Crawford and got the ball rolling again.

By the way, Buchanan said despite the city recently declaring bankruptcy, Detroit isn’t a bad place to live. “I actually love it,” he said, “and I love that the media is so harsh on it. It’ll keep all the hipster douche bags away.”

Back to our story. Detroit is an easy drive to Chicago, which allows the band to get together over the weekends. Word of this reunion leaked back in March. Since then, the band not only has been getting Starck up to speed on the band’s back catalog, but writing new material, including one new song that will be performed at Friday night’s show at The Waiting Room, and Saturday night’s show at The Chesterfield in Sioux City.

Buchanan said Mousetrap’s new material is “pretty dark.”

“It’s driven by the type of vibe that you hear when you listen to Iggy Pop’s The Idiot album, which is the greatest nighttime album ever made,” he said. “Let me explain it in less specific terms: Mousetrap of 1993 was a sawed-off shotgun. Mousetrap of 2013 is more like a sniper rifle. The stuff we’re doing isn’t less violent or abrasive, just extra concentrated.”

Both Crawford and Buchanan said there’s a void for their style of aggressive music. “The formula (in pop music) in the last year has been bands saying, ‘Hey, Ho.’” Crawford said. “I don’t see a lot of bands with balls.”

“You see a lot of dudes with beards strumming acoustic guitars wearing vests and suspenders, old-timely clothes like a frontier pioneer guy,” Buchanan added. “I feel like what we’re doing is pretty fresh right now because it’s not what’s happening. There’s a lot of dance-y electronic music and softer indie-rock stuff, but there’s not a lot of loud, aggressive rock music that’s not metal. There has always been an anti-social streak to us in a musical sense; we’ve always been dark and confrontational, that’s the music we want to make.”

And if no one likes it?

“It doesn’t really matter if not a single person buys our next album,” Buchanan said. “We make music the way we want to make it. We’ve always been musically very selfish. We’re going to do whatever we want to do. If you like it, that’s awesome. If not, there’s the door, get the fuck out.”

Mousetrap plays Friday, Aug. 16, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple Street, with Ron Wax and Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship. Tickets are $8, the show starts at 9 p.m.. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com

Over The Edge is a weekly column by Reader senior contributing writer Tim McMahan focused on culture, society, the media and the arts. Email Tim at tim.mcmahan@gmail.com.

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And yet another Mousetrap interview right here at hearnebraska.com.

And here’s Mousetrap doing “Superkool” at The Waiting Room in 2010, via the YouTube.

Friday night’s show at TWR should be epic.

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In case you’re wondering what the boys in Criteria have been up to, check out their just-released Love Drunk video for yet-to-be-released song “This Reign Is Ours.” Heavy riffage. Lots of exciting woodworking. You get the idea. BTW, Criteria will be playing the local stage at Saturday’s Maha Music Festival. Get your tix right here and get ready to rock.

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Finally, Omaha’s No. 1 broken-hearted troubadour, John Klemmensen, is getting ready to hit the road on a tour that takes him to the West Coast. The only thing he needs is gas money. And that’s where you come in.

Check out John Klemmensen’s Kickstarter Campaign, where he’s trying to raise a measly $500. Prizes include a candle-lit bubble bath drawn by John himself as he serenades you with one of his slow, sad, sexy ballads…. j/k.

“j/k” stands for Just Kidding. Though John might want to consider adding it to the list. It’s got to be worth $50…

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Nits and notes…

If you missed Destruction Unit when they blew through O’Leaver’s a few months ago, you’ll get another chance. The band is slated to play at Middle House (across the street from The Brothers) Sept. 4. The Arizona band made the “Live List” of the best live acts in the new issue of Rolling Stone, along with other garage acts like Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney. Check out their latest stream below:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/103155428″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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Chapel Hill Post punkers Polvo have a new album coming out Oct. 1 on Merge called Siberia. I’d forgotten all about these guys.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104273830″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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Of Montreal is headed back to The Waiting Room Nov. 2. The band has a new album coming out on Polyvinyl Oct. 8 called lousy with sylvianbriar. Check out the first leaked track below:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/89649772″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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What else…

BELLS≥, Solutions, Silence or Affirmations (self release, 2013)

Do you remember Jawbox? If you were a fan, you may want to check out BELLS≥ Solutions, Silence or Affirmations (self-released). Info: “Former Jawbox drummer Zach Barocas, guitarists Stephen Shodin (Blood City, Coup Fourre) and Chris Ernst, cellist Gordon Withers (Office of Future Plans, et al.) and producer/bassist J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels, Office of Future Plans) have created an album marked by its heft and grace. D.C. bass duo Argos contributed basses on “Promenade.” Tom Broucksou (Chumps, Gung) will handle bass duties live and moving forward.” The whole album is being streamed on their bandcamp page, here. It’s worth checking out.

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Finally, in this week’s column, answers to what’s happening with the bees. I’m not talking about a band called “the bees,” I’m talking about the insect. Have you noticed that there aren’t any bees anymore? One of the area’s per-eminent exports on bees explains what’s happening and what we can do about it. It’s in this week’s issue of The Reader or read it online right here.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Let’s see, The Faint are playing in Lincoln tonight, Conor’s got a show in Omaha and Tim Kasher just announced a new album and tour.

What year is it, anyway? 2013 or 2003? Is it going to be like this in 2023?

Back to reality. The Faint are doing a one-off show at The Bourbon Theater in Lincoln tonight and last I heard tickets were still available for a mere $20. The scuttlebutt is that the band has been in the studio recording some new material. Will they play any of it tonight? Opening is Digital Leather (which means Todd Fink will be pulling double duty) and the always entertaining Touch People (Darren Keen of TSITR fame). If you’re in Lincoln and you’ve never been to a Faint concert, you owe it to yourself to experience the sights, the sounds, the smells.. Starts at 9.

Tonight also is Night 2 of Conor Oberst and the Tennessee Valley Authority (I keed… Mystic Valley Band) at The Slowdown. Kevin Coffey has a review of last night’s show right here so you can get an idea what you’re in for, that is if you have tickets. Like I said yesterday, it’s been sold out forever. Show starts at 9 with two openers.

As for Kasher, his latest news (new album/tour) made the digital pages of Brooklyn Vegan this morning (right here). And who, exactly, is this Laura Stevenson who will be joining him for part of the tour?

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The Waiting Room just released its August calendar and it may be the lightest month for out-of-town bands in memory. I see only two shows “of interest” for the entire month: Appleseed Cast Aug. 7 and Mousetrap Aug. 16. The rest of the dates are filled with well-worn locals (lots o’ Benson bands) and bar promotions. One Percent has been known to add last-minute shows to TWR calendar, so that could change.

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In this week’s column, a look at my sinuses and a you-are-there report on… the neti pot. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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Finally, an interesting piece this morning in Dangerous Minds (here) where they reprint an infamous letter to Nike complaining about the use of the Beatles’ song “Revolution” in a Jordan shoe commercial. The text of the letter is, indeed, spicy. Like DM said, music in ads these days is just another revenue stream for artists and a way to get their music broadly heard without a resource like radio (which never was a resource for indie artists in the first place). That wasn’t the case in the ’80s…

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Oh what the hell: From the Lazy-i Vault, July 31, 2003:

Live Review: The Good Life / Minus the Bear – July 31, 2003

I showed up just in time to miss Luigi Waites. The 200 or so on hand (I’m guessing here) were still buzzing about his set. Someone told me they’d never heard applause like that at Sokol Underground — a nice tribute to one of Omaha’s legends.

Now I know why Minus the Bear has the rep for being a “math rock” band, but I guess I never really noticed it listening to their CD. Now it’s painfully obvious why having seen them perform live. Don’t get me wrong, I like “mathy” music, and these guys certainly have all the requirements for that label — intricate time signatures, dollops of syncopated rhythms, multiple time changes within songs, and so on. The crème de la crème is the band’s guitarist — a dead ringer for a young Nick Nolte, he plays using the “touch” method, where he fingers his chords with his left hand and pokes the strings with his right, a la Eddie Van Halen (but not nearly as fast or flamboyant). His guitar mimics what you’ve heard on later King Crimson albums — repeated almost piano-like tonal circles that add as much rhythm-wise as musicwise. Unfortunately, really good math demands strong melodies to remain interesting. About four songs into their set, their music began to blur and get a bit tiresome. The last two songs were easily their best — one shifted from a down-low ambient thing to a rock mantra, the other was more typical of their style, and happens to be the best song on their new CD. The finest moments came when they gave their keyboardist room to stretch out, adding texture and ambiance to the usual stuttered proceedings.

The Good Life at Sokol Underground, July 30, 2003. Photos by Leann Jensen.

Then came The Good Life. Clearly a bit rusty from not having played live for four months, they impressed with their new material. Kasher is beginning to remind me of Lloyd Cole, both physically and musically. I’ve come to the conclusion after hearing the new stuff that I really don’t like Black Out that much. The Black Out songs performed were such a stark contrast to the poppy new material, there’s no question that the band is going in a different direction with the next disc. It’s downright bouncier than anything they’ve done before, and to complement it, they even rearranged some of their older material.

The lack of drum machine was an interesting change. On the first song, drummer Roger Lewis played bongos while multi-instumentalist Ryan Fox sat behind the trap set. Sometimes the new arrangements sans machine didn’t work. For example, the electronic drum static on “A Dim Entrance” was replaced with what was essentially Kasher rhythmically scratching on his guitar. The transition to the song’s main melody was harsh and disjointed and they dropped the song’s pretty piano line. But other times, you couldn’t tell you were missing anything without the electronic drums.

A highlight was a cover of The Faint’s “Worked Up So Sexual” that was interesting in its downcast interpretation. I don’t know if it worked or not, but it was certainly unique. When the band wasn’t bouncing with the new stuff, they played mostly downstyle, quiet, slow numbers that highlighted the new sexy spy guitar parts that were quite pretty. But the person standing next to me in the audience got so downcast with all the low-tempo stuff that dominated the middle of the set that he left!

Anyway… I know I’m being rather obtuse describing their new material. The opener did remind me of early Lloyd Cole, with Kasher singing lyrics that described the first day he met a new girlfriend to the last day he saw her. One song sounded exactly like a Neva Dinova number thanks to the morose spy guitar line, while another toward the end of the set felt like a latter-day Elvis Costello song. Kasher’s new stories have more detail and clever lines and seems less self-defacing than earlier Good Life stuff (again, Black Out) that seems more like a cry for help.

If what I heard last night is any indication, their next CD will easily be my favorite, a good rebound from the moribund songs on Black Out, yet even more poppy than what we got on Novena on a Nocturn. In other words: I smell hits! As always, everything they do is a stark contrast to Kasher’s other band. Whereas I thought Black Out seemed headed toward Cursive territory, these new songs couldn’t be further away on the spectrum. This is Kasher at his tuneful best.– July 31, 2003

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Wayne Brekke in his Tiki Bar studio.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This week’s column talks about the 200th episode of the Worlds of Wayne podcast, of which host Wayne Brekke asked me to be the special guest, just like I was for episode No. 100. I also talk about the film 20 Feet from Stardom (which is now playing at Film Streams), the state of rock music, Thom Yorke and Spotify. Through it all, Wayne provides the obligatory realistic counter-point. You can read the column in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here. Go there now and read it. GO!

Speaking of Worlds of Wayne, that 200 episode also went online this morning right here at the Worlds of Wayne website. Take a listen, because I very likely won’t be as I have this crazy phobia about hearing my own recorded voice. I don’t think scientists have come up with a name for that condition (yet). Interestingly, I also don’t like looking at photos of myself. Scientists call that “self-loathing.”

Luckily, Wayne doesn’t suffer from either malady. The Reader column captures what Wayne and I talked about before the “tape” started rolling. After he hit the “record” button, we chatted about why he started Worlds of Wayne, what he gets out of it, and the ups and downs of doing interviews.

Among his favorite WofW moments are talks with Ace Frehley of KISS, psychic Kelli Miller and the many live performances captured in studio. The worst moments center around technical glitches, like his interviews with Billy Ray Cyrus and Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to hear what happened (but it underscores why I’ve rarely recorded my interviews of the years).

Worlds of Wayne enjoys a healthy 3,000 downloads per month, Wayne said. The production is a labor of love rather than a search for profit (kind of like Lazy-i). I suspect I’ll be in his studio again for Episode 300 and beyond.

“Everyone seems to want to be on the show,” Wayne said. “I’ll do it until no one wants to be on it anymore.”

That’s not going to be anytime soon, especially considering the cavalcade of stars who showed up for his “open call,” which you’ll hear on Pt. 2 of Episode 200, online soon…

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BTW, I ended up not going to Speedy Ortiz last night due to a very early wake-up call this morning and fear of feeling like a total loser walking into West Wing alone. I need to find someone to go to these shows with me.

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I don’t need anyone to go with me to tonight’s show at O’Leaver’s because everyone already will be there. The headliner: Bloodcow. The openers: Minneapolis bands Birthday Suits and Buildings, and Omaha’s own PRO-MAGNUM, $5, 9:30 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Lincoln band Tie These Hands announced today that their 2011 Japan-only release, Come On (Kilk Records) will be self-released stateside Aug. 6. Check out the album’s title track, recorded live at the KZUM studios June 30, below.

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In the column, remembering local golf legend Tom Sieckmann and touring the city’s finest 9-hole muni’s. It’s in this week’s issue of The Reader, or read it online right here.

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The folks in Icky Blossoms have been on the Twitter talking up their new high-tech lighting rig they’ll be rolling out for the first time tonight at their O’Leaver’s debut. Three new IB songs could also be debuted tonight in what is sure to be a sweat-soaked, drunken nightmare of a show that you won’t want to miss.

Tonight’s show, btw, is an Eyeball Promotion (discussed here earlier), and also is the record release party for rock band Places We Slept. OWH‘s Kevin Coffey has some data on that band here. The only thing I know about them comes via their Bandcamp page, and the attached Vimeo video for “Sewage Bay Atlantic” (below). Rounding out the bill is Chicago band Outer Minds (HoZac Records, FDH). The stinky, sticky fun begins at 9:30 p.m. and will cost you $5 (as per usual).

“Sewage Bay Atlantic” – Places We Slept from Emma Penrose on Vimeo.

Also tonight, surf rock legend and Dick Dale returns, this time to The Waiting Room. Opening is Huge Fucking Waves. $20, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Steve Pedersen, left, and Tim Kasher of Slowdown Virginia circa 1993.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A little bit of catching up on a rainy Wednesday…

Our old pal Jake Bellows (originally of Neva Dinova fame) was a featured artist on rollingstone.com’s “Download of the Week” last Thursday. The site featured track “I Know You,” off his upcoming Saddle Creek Records debut New Ocean (out in August). Quite a sonic upgrade from Jake’s solo acoustic and low-fi tape recordings, but still the same fine songwriting.  Check it out.

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The latest release from Kronch’s Trout Tune archives is a performance by none other than Slowdown Virginia. The performance was recorded April 12, 1993, at the Howard St. Tavern (RIP). We all remember the line-up, right? Tim Kasher on guitar and lead vocals, Matt Maginn on bass and vocals, Steve Pedersen on guitar and Casey Caniglia on drums. It’s Kasher as you’ve never seen him before, and likely never will again. See below. What else does Kronch have hiding in his video attic?

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In this week’s column, the final chapter in the 4-part “house saga” wherein I discuss the pains and pleasures of a massive home remodeling. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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There have been a couple secret/special shows the past couple days, neither of which I attended — Cursive at O’Leaver’s Tuesday night and the band that supports She & Him last night at Pageturners. Ah, in the old days I might have made it to both, but lately it’s become too much of a struggle to attend weeknight shows and then get up the next morning at the crack of dawn.

Anyway, if you missed She and Him’s band last night, you can catch them tonight at Harrah’s Stir Cove, where the full band (including both She and Him) will be performing. Opening are local heroes Tilly and the Wall. Tickets are $35, and the show starts at 8.

Also tonight, at The Waiting Room, Well Aimed Arrows headlines a show that also features up-and-coming punks The Dad (Unread Records) and Co-Axed (no idea who this is). If the weather holds out, this will be another opportunity to ride my bike to Benson. $7, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Great Wad at CWS 2012. Here it comes again…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I told you reception was going to be spotty this week. I made a quick overnight trip to NYC. Only one celebrity sighting: Joe Perry of Aerosmith and his entourage walking out the elevator at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square, and based on the scowl on his face he hadn’t been “living it up” while going down. No Steven Tyler to be found. BTW, Perry is a tiny little man, which supports my theory that all major celebrities are wee.

Anyway, I’m back just in time for your weekend update.

The College World Series begins tonight, which means a deficit of shows at The Slowdown for the next 10 days as Robb, Val and Jason crank up that money-printing machine they keep in the secret basement beneath the “big stage” along with the white tents and giant “We’re No. 1” foam fingers. This is, indeed, the harvest time for Slowdown, but for us poor music fans it’s just a worn patch in the road as the only thing playing on their stages for the duration of CWS is cover bands.

This should be an even-more profitable year for the Saddle Creek moguls as they just opened their new bar right across the sidewalk from Slowdown in the old American Apparel space, called The Trap Room. It’s just a bar, kind of like how Krug Park (across the street from The Waiting Room) is just a bar (i.e., no live music, just booze). I’m dying to check it out, but not this weekend.

So with all the focus on downtown baseball-wise, the focus shifts as it always does to Benson and O’Leaver’s.

Speaking of O’Leaver’s, Omaha’s finest music dive bar has a scorcher tonight. Lawrence band Hospital Ships headlines. The band, which features Taylor Holenbeck (Appleseed Cast, Old Canes), has a fine indie rock album just out called Destruction in Yr Soul on Graveface. Opening is fellow Lawrence-ites Cowboy Indian Bear and our very own Cooper Lakota Moon (of Dim Light). $5, 9:30 p.m.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/92012072″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Also tonight, Rogue Wave returns, this time to The Waiting Room, with local folks Field Club. $15, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at everyone’s favorite casino (Harrah’s Stir Cove) it’s Silversun Pickups with Joy Formidable. 8 p.m., $35.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s a mini Lincoln invasion at The Waiting Room with noise band Masses and Life Is Cool. Canby opens. $7, 9 p.m.

O’Leaver’s has more live music Saturday night with The Debts (Unread Records) and Plant Parenthood (No idea who these folks are, but I support their pro-leaf position). $5, 9:30 p.m.

Did I forget something? Put it in the comments.

Oh yeah, I did forget one thing: This week’s column looks at Benson’s Louis Market / Bar property, its potential development and why Bensonites might want to think real hard before they drive it away. It’s in this week’s issue of The Reader or you can read it online right here.

Have a good weekend.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

In this week’s column, a review of River’s Edge Park (during Playing With Fire). The size, location, set-up could change the area’s live music landscape. Read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

One addendum to that review: Part of the Monday event was supposed to be a “Food Truck Festival.” By my count, there was only six vendors there (if you count two ice cream vendors). Not much of a festival. Why this part of the event fell through the cracks is anyone’s guess, but maybe the storm had something to do with it. Omaha (or CB) needs a real Food Truck Festival. Maybe Maha will fill that order.

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Tonight at Slowdown Jr., electronic dream-pop one-man band Indians (4AD Records) headlines with See Through Dresses (Sara Bertuldo of Millions of Boys). $10, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Hear Nebraska’s Lincoln Fund Drive is today.

A couple things to consider as you decide whether to give to HearNebraska.org during the organization’s Lincoln pledge drive…

Yes, the Omaha fund drive isn’t until next week, but for every $10 you give to this one, your name gets dropped into a “virtual hat.” And if your name is drawn from that “virtual hat” you’ll win a custom turntable valued at $2k. For all you lame-o’s that don’t have a turntable, here’s your chance to finally get with it, and for you hipsters who already have a turntable, well, once you win this one, all you’ll need is a microphone to fulfill Beck’s “Where It’s At” dictum.

For you musicians out there who could give a shit about turntables, consider this:

Not only is Hear Nebraska’s mission entirely to support your artistic endeavors, but unlike some local charitable organizations that are always mooching you for free performances, HN does what it can to compensate bands who take part in activities like the upcoming “Hear Nebraska at the 1200 Club” concert and the “Hear Lincoln concert series.”

Look, eventually you’re going to book a show, cut a recording, start a new band, get busted for something you didn’t do, and you’ll want to get your story seen-read-heard by the music-loving world that follows Nebraska music, and it’s Hear Nebraska that’s going to help you do that. What’s it cost to hire a publicist? It’s nice to know you already have Hear Nebraska on your side.

And HN couldn’t have made it any easier. Just go to hearnebraska.org and fill out the “Donate Now” doohickey right on the homepage. Your donation TODAY will help HN get a share of the “Give to Lincoln” matching gift fund. Come on, you cheap-asses, do it.

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In this week’s column, those narcissistic Millennials. Is it me or does it seem like we see and  hear more about the young, hip people creating the companies than the companies themselves? Read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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Travelling Mercies, Motel (self release, 2013)

Listening to the new Travelling Mercies album, Motel… What would you call this… Country? Country Rock? Alt Country? Outlaw Country?

Despite its inherent twang-and-drawl it leans heavier to the right on the Rock needle. Usually. On the other hand, songs like the acoustic “Holy Mary” bend toward folk. Then there’s the weird-Hawaiian-flavored lap-steel Hank Williams-derivative “Million Dollar Recipe.” But for the most part, it’s foot-on-the-floor tractor-flavored rock like the relentless “Border Run” that rattles and crashes like a waltz in a hailstorm.

Throughout the recording is an overshadowing Christian lilt that’s not so much “preachy” as an acknowledgement by songwriter/frontman Jeremy Mercy that yeah, there’s a higher power and he may or may not pull his ass out of the shit the next time it lands there. Mercy is a storyteller, and without a doubt this is a story-teller album.

I bring this up because Travelling Mercies are headlining tonight’s relief benefit at The Waiting Room for those devastated in the recent explosion in West, Texas. Also on the dance care are Belles & Whistles, 24 Hour Cardlock and Stephen Monroe. Recommended donation is $5 (but you can always give more), with all door proceeds going to the McLennan County Salvation Army.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

With the excitement building like a firebomb for next Monday’s Thermals show at Slowdown Jr., the local media is dropping new interviews left and right.

The Thermals’ Kathy Foster.

The Reader‘s Chris Aponick has an interview with Thermals’ bassist Kathy Foster that recaps the band’s relationship with Saddle Creek and why they decided to go with Creek to put out their latest LP, Desperate Ground. Foster also talks about the genesis of the album’s creation, etc. You can read it online here.

OWH‘s Kevin Coffey also has an interview Foster that also talks about the band’s Saddle Creek history. You can read that one here.

I would have loved to find out why the band severed ties with Sub Pop and walked away from Kill Rock Stars — two labels that have similar reps as Saddle Creek (though Sub Pop is more established). Is there an advantage of being on one label vs. another? At this point in their career, do labels even matter? And why not try to self release? But maybe that’s too much “inside baseball.”

I’d also like to know what’s driving the band’s current direction. For that, go here to vulture.com, where you’ll find an interview with frontman/lyricist Hutch Harris, where he talks about Porlandia (“Portland’s had a lot of attention for a while but it hasn’t grown to the point where it sucks.“), love (“We’re not running from everyone, we are destroying the whole world. And to me that was really romantic.”) and, of course, war (“What people have to be most afraid of are other people, more than the weather, nature, animals. Men are the most violent, scariest things on the planet.”).

That’s the advantage of getting an interview with the person who actually wrote the lyrics — you get to find out what the record’s about. But as a long-time band interviewer, I know you generally don’t have a choice who you’re going to get to talk to, and if you’re in a small market like Omaha, you’re bound to get stuck with the bass player.

I miss doing band interviews. Unfortunately, I don’t have anyone to write them for anymore. Maybe I should just do them for Lazy-i?

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In this week’s column, why I skipped Comic Book Day (even though I love comics) and why the future of printed comics may be going the way of vinyl records. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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Two hot shows are on the docket for tonight that I talked about Monday:

Over at The Waiting Room it’s the return of Maps & Atlases. Opening is St. Paul band Young Man (Frenchkiss Records). $12, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, at fabulous O’leaver’s, Gordon plays with D.C. band Paperhaus. $5, 9:30 p.m.

I’m torn.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.