Dallas Observer Music Awards Pre-Game Shows - “Best Act in Town”

by Cindy Chaffin of Life Outside The Bubble

Here's the first installment of the "Preview the Dallas Observer Music Awards Nominees" series. Click here to cast your vote!

Part 1 - "Best Act in Town"

The nominees are:

Boys Named Sue

Rolic'n Frolic'n old-school Country music-makers who often get over-served at Adair's and have been known to unashamedly hit on your daughters.

"As the self-proclaimed "Best Band Ever," the Boys Named Sue have yet to play for a crowd that they could not win over. While playing the music that folks like to hear, or "the Hits" as they like to call them, these beer swilling, Tuaca shooting ruffians have been known to melt a face or two in the crowd." Looks like these boys will be tough to beat.

Click here to listen to "Juke Joint Medley"

They have one of my favorite website intro pages EVER - Click here

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Happy Bullets

Quirky, poppy, loads and loads of fun...look, all I can say is...this is one of my favorite bands ever. I love 'em like chocolate.

"The Happy Bullets are nothing less than a sunny yet deliciously weird pop band. These euphoric and whimsical popsters got their start from the union of singer/songwriters Jason Roberts and Timothy Ruble in 2003."

"Their obscure yet similar album collections brought them together, and the collaboration quickly led to recordings being passed around among friends. Since the recording of their first record, The Vice and Virtue Ministry, they have turned a two piece home collaboration into one of the most energetic live performances ever witnessed..."

Now I don't want to frighten you, but there are many unexplained phenomenons surrounding this band, including the one

Click here to listen to "The Vice & Virtue Ministry"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Radiant*

I met Levi Smith of Radiant* like...gosh...it was Rahim Quazi who introduced us after an OhNO! show at Trees. OhNO! has been broken up for what..3 years or so? Anyhoo, Levi placed a burned copy of the band's (then) upcoming album, The Sound of Splitting Atoms in my hand that night, which I listened to all the way home from Deep Ellum, all the next day and the day after that and the day after that...infinity. I still never tire of that album. Radiant* is dreamy, poppy, shoe-gazey, goodness. I love 'em.

"Symphonic rock with an honest perspective is the secret to Radiant's ability inspire an upraise within a listener's soul. Globally spun and indirectly borrowing from genres of Euro-rock ,indie pop, and shoegaze has formulated a sonically divine sound for the band."

Click here to listen to "The Way You Make Me Feel"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Record Hop

What can I say? I love this band too.

"A four piece supernova of massive noise and memorable melody, Record Hop delivers intense aural gratification without the cookie cutter sensibilities so common in Popular Music, ca. 2006."

I think that paragraph sums 'em up well. I've never seen a Record Hop performance I didn't like...not ever

Click here to listen to "Giant Babies"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sorta

Sorta was one of the very first local original bands I found out about way back when I starting getting to know the local music scene. Again, you can't ever go wrong with this band. Their excellent combination of Alt.Country, Roots Rock, Pop-Rock all fuses together to bring the listener nothing short of pure enjoyment.

There hasn't been a Sorta song that I haven't loved, nor a Sorta performance that didn't leave me wanting more. But the one below is on my list of top favorite songs ever.

Click here to listen to "85 Feet and Falling"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So as you can see kids; this votin' thing is harder than it looks. Next-up - Part 2 - "Musician of the Year"...stay tuned...

Click here to cast your vote!