Best new bands: The Frames sell out stadiums in Ireland, but Border Radio never gave them the time of day until they blew us away at two different showcases. Color us converted. We laughed and cried during lead-singer Glen Hansard's anecdote about buying his high-school girlfriend, a Cure fanatic, a burial plot for Christmas. Despite being discovered by song doctor Linda Perry, English alt-country newcomer James Blunt merits the hype--imagine Ryan Adams if he weren't such a spoiled brat. (It's tough, I know.) Aberfeldy are a poppy five-piece from Edinburgh so adorable they prompted one colleague to declare, "Twee is the new punk-funk." The disquieting, bare-bones folk of Columbus, OH ensemble the Black Swans deserved much better than an 8:00 p.m. Saturday slot at a noisy Sixth Street meat market.
Old favorites: Jo Walston of bluegrass hellions the Meat Purveyors spent half their blistering set ranting about how she'd gotten laid good the night before, ending a year-long dry spell. Before the show, she chided her bandmates for running off to accompany Japanese ukulele duo Petty Booka later. "Please," she said, caressing her voluptuous frame, "they'd need at least three little Japanese girls to replace me!" Jon Langford of the Mekons (assisted by Sally Timms and violinist Jan Cook) served up his life's story in a humorous, two-part multi-media performance, "The Executioner's Last Songs," at the Austin Museum of Art.
Disappointments: The 1:00 a.m. set by John Doe on Thursday, celebrating his new Forever Hasn't Happened Yet, was well worth a cab ride. But special guest Exene Cervenka, the Baby Jane Hudson of punk rock, derailed the night's momentum as she croaked half-hearted harmonies on X's classic "White Girl." The week's biggest bummer? Nobody thought to host a Nicolai Dunger kissing booth for charity. Between his blue eyes, blond stubble, and pinstripe jacket, the Swedish troubadour had everyone, regardless of gender or preference, feeling frisky.
Surprises: Lyle Lovett, who strolled past us on Friday morning, looks way better in person than his publicity photos. Calexico brought Neko Case, Dunger, and members of the Cowsills out for a rousing rendition of Love's 1967 psychedelic classic "Alone Again Or" during their Friday-night blowout. Spoon's Britt Daniel tossed a cover of "Up-Wards at 45°" by Julian Cope into his short set at the Wednesday afternoon wedding reception for former Austin scribe Jason Cohen.
Gossip: The Flaming Lips are in negotiations to turn Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots into a Broadway musical. Even weirder: Seattle's own Jesse Sykes has been asked to sing on the next album by doom metal greats Sunn O))).
Confidential to Easy Street's Matt Vaughn: Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick died in 1971. Honest. What you saw was a drag queen.
