Cory Graves
Lil Ronny MothaF Gets Some Beyonce Love, Leon Bridges Gets Tiny and Problem Dogg Has Problems.
Not long ago, we made mention of Don Henley's upcoming solo record — his first in 15 years — and the fact that North Texas mainstay Chris Holt (The Slack, OLOSPO) is a featured player on the disc.
As it turns out, the relationship goes a bit deeper than just a one-and-done session player thing. Not only did Henley return the favor, turning in some backing vocals on Holt's upcoming solo record, but we've also spotted Holt playing guitar in The Eagles drummer's latest music video — which you can catch below — and in Henley's first-ever Austin City Limits taping.
Speaking of cool pairings: Leon Bridges will be opening for Pharrell Williams on Saturday, September 26, as part of Apple Music's star-studded, 10-day music festival at London's Roundhouse, which will be streamed live via Apple Music.
Bridges was also the subject of the latest Tiny Desk Concert from NPR's All Songs Considered. Writes that program's Bob Boilen about the video, which you can find below: “We probably should have shot this Tiny Desk Concert in black-and-white. Listening to Leon Bridges, I hear a sound with its heart and soul rooted in 1962. There's purity in his soulful voice that's unadorned, untouched and unaffected by 21st-century pop.”
Also getting the visual treatment this week was St. Vincent, who is the star of a new four-minute mini-doc for Nowness that's set in rural Texas. Equal parts artsy and goofy, it may or may not give you any new insight into the ubiquitous Ms. Clark, but it's a pretty and well-done, if an all-too-brief clip just the same. Here's that one.
Another act getting into the moving pictures game this week is Arlington's Pentantonix, which released a video for the first single from its upcoming self-titled debut record. Known almost exclusively for its a capella arrangements of pop songs, the group is setting out to further prove it also boasts some original writing chops with this new record. Before that album drops on October 16, you can watch the new video below.
Similarly, Jonathan Tyler premiered a new music video for his “Everything Was Cool in 2002” single earlier today via Paste. Directed by Steve Visneau, the clip for the Holy Smokes cut was filmed at the Modern Electric Sound Recorders studio owned by Visneau's old Trainrobbers bandmate Jeff Saenz. Check it out below, then head over to Paste for an interview with Tyler.
The Dallas hip-hop scene, meanwhile, was all up in Philadelphia's business this past weekend at Budweiser's Made In America music festival. For starters, the Sarah Jaffe and Symbolyc One collaboration The Dividends performed at the damn thing. Perhaps even cooler, though? During her headline performance, Beyonce scored one of her dance breakdowns to Dallas rapper Lil Ronny MothaF's new MykFresh– and Yung Nation-featuring “Circle” single.
Per GuideLive, no one in Lil Ronny's camp has any idea how Beyonce found the song. Weird! But you can watch the video for the single below just the same.
Yet another locally-tied act earning some national shine this week was Dallas doom metal outfit Dead to a Dying World, which earned an 8.2 review from Pitchfork for its just-released sophomore effort, Litany. Writes that publication's Grayson Haver Currin in his review: “These six deliberate pieces commingle melodrama and momentum, horror and hope, pulling the listener along like some tight-wire suspense flick.”
And lastly, before moving on to some of this week's new releases, a quick update on last Thursday's Vaughan Brothers Art Project fundraiser at the Kessler Theater: After heading into that event with about one-third of the final funds needed to bring a Vaughan brothers statue to Oak Cliff, that concert and auction helped push the project up past the 75 percent mark. To stay updated on the project's progress, or to make a donation, head here.
As for some new tunes, Dead Flowers isn't likely to put an end to its frequent comparisons to The Replacements with the release of latest single, “Dying in the Streets,” which is perhaps the band's most overtly fist-pumping nod to the Minneapolis alt-rock heroes yet. You can stream that sucker below, and celebrate its release this Friday, September 11, at Lola's and then the following night at Three Links, before the band leaves on a Northeast tour the following week.
Another new tune comes from Larry g(EE) and his Affections backing outfit, which made good on their promise to release a new song the first Friday of every month through the end of the year. Like last month's kickoff to the series, “Find Your Way to My Heart” is available to download for free. Stream and/or grab it below.
And finally, Denton's Problem Dogg played what potentially might be its last-ever show last Thursday, September 3 at Abbey Underground. That showcase saw the band's mics and stage lights cut off by a supposedly angry sound guy four minutes into its set. He then cut them off entirely ten minutes later. Thankfully, because of the Internet, you can catch the entire 14-minute debacle below.
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