A big
Alibi bear hug to everyone who came Downtown last weekend for
Spring Crawl 2005! Local bands played to packed houses and crowds were enthusiastic without getting too obnoxious. I thought the addition of a third all-ages venue was a nice touch and a definite step in the right direction. Thanks to the bands, clubs and crawlers for all your support. We'll see you in the Fall! … Congratulations to ex-Burqueños
Stoic Frame for hitting number one on the national Spanish rock alternative charts.
“Demonios del Asfalto” has enjoyed three weeks at the top, along with a video in heavy rotation on
MTV Español, which was filmed right here in New Mexico. Request more airtime by e-mailing mtvespanol@mtvstaff.com. … Dandee from
Lousy Robot was nice enough to swing by the
Alibi offices with the group's new CD,
The Strange and True Story of Your Life. The first couple of listens already smack of classic Albuquerque indie pop—quirky, mid-tempo tunes flushed out by keyboards and catchy hooks. Songwriter/vocalist Jim Phillips stylistically conjures up Frank Black and Blondie, but with less caffeine and a whole lot more self-deprecation. The album was produced by John Dufilho of
The Deathray Davies way down in Texas. All the more reason to order your copy today at www.cdbaby.com. …
A Hawk and a Hacksaw will debut their second album,
Darkness at Noon (The Leaf Label) on April 30 at Sol Arts, 8 p.m. AHAAH is comprised of Jeremy Barnes(Neutral Milk Hotel) and Heather Trost (FOMA), and backed by the Rumble Trio. This is going to be one of those rare nights to catch another creative force from Albuquerque before they get hugely popular and move to Seattle. From the snippets of MP3s I've managed to piece together,
Darkness at Noon feels like a slightly off-kilter ballet, or the wordless, crackling score to some strange and archaic French film. The arrangements are stormy and raw-to-the-nerve, with a percussive wash of twinkling bell tones. Spirals of tinny piano and klezmer-heavy accordion and violin make for an intense meditation on the past. It's all very Old World Jewish. If you can't secure a seat at this Friday's show, at least check out their website (www.ahawkandahacksaw.co.uk). It's like a wine-soaked fin de siecle arcade, complete with screeching electronic whirligigs and an interactive gallery of “tumescent bulbs.” Fabulous!