by Hilary Stohs-Krause
PINK NOISE: A signal or process with a frequency spectrum in-between white noise and red noise. In pink noise, each octave carries an equal amount of noise power.
Are you involved in a show, project or band that you'd like to see included here? Let me know at xrated@hearnebraska.org.
PICKS OF THE WEEK – COMING SHOWS – DID YOU HEAR?
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PICKS OF THE WEEK
* signifies from out of town; bold signfies the band has at least one female member
Thursday, Feb. 16
*Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps w/ Midwest Dilemma and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns at O'Leaver's, 1322 Saddle Creek Rd. in Omaha, 9:30 p.m.
Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps is one of my favorite groups – but the Minneapolis indie-folk band hasn't gotten much Nebraska love their first few times in town, unfortunately. Clawfoot House had a good showing last summer, but visits to Lincoln and Omaha in the fall were under-attended.
Consider this a friendly nudge in the right direction. Their music features clever yet emotional songwriting, strong hooks and catchy tunes – and I think it's high time we adopt Caroline and her crew before they decide the meager crowds (and by extension, Nebraska) aren't worth their time. And with supporting acts like Midwest Dilemma and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, the timing couldn't be better.
(You can catch a taste of Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps today, Feb. 16, from 1:05 to 3 p.m. on the X-Rated: Women in Music radio show, streaming live at kzum.org.)
Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps:
All Young Girls Are Machine Guns:
Friday, Feb. 17
*Leslie and the LY's w/ *Pennyhawk And *Ramona & The Swimsuits at the Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. in Omaha, 9 p.m.
I really can't do better than Leslie's own lyrics: "Wearing gold spandex pants / I made a hip-hop album / and when I dance and play / all the children sing my songs." Sweaters. Gems. Iowa. Rap. Sparkles. Mmm-hmm.
Leslie and the LY's:
Pennyhawk:
Ramona & The Swimsuits
Wednesday, Feb. 22
*Tennis w/ Betsy Wells at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. in Omaha, 8 p.m.
By now, you've probably heard the story – two crazy kids from Colorado fell in love and sailed around the world. (Or, at least, the North Atlantic coastline.) They came home, wrote an album's worth of music with titles like "Cape Dory" and "Seafarer," and stars were born.
Enchanting, friendly, bouyant – Tennis will offend no one, but the music's earnest charm is undeniable, and comparisions to the Beach Boys are unavoidable – and apt. The group released their second album on Tuesday.
Tennis:
Tennis – Pigeon from Scott Laidlaw on Vimeo.
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Here are some shows in the next few months that you'll want to get on your calendar early:
March 23 – The Mynabirds w/ Big Harp at the Waiting Room
March 25 – Eliza Rickman w/ Amy Schmidt & The Restless Things and Daniel Dorner at Duffy's Tavern
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New bands on the scene:
Black Cohosh: Featuring Nick Svoboda (bassist from The Betties), his sister and her partner, Black Cohosh is "dark western" or "cowboy metal," according to Svoboda. I'm more inclined toward the former description, based on the two demo tracks they sent my way. They're playing Feb. 26 at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St. in Lincoln, with Bol'd Crow (awesome all-lady appalachian folk) and Shipbuilding Co. for an Occupy Lincoln benefit.
The Electroliners: Featuring Travis Sing (of All Young Girls Are Machine Guns), The Electroliners is a new Omaha band "rocking your face off with old style country western. Deep fried and smothered in gravy and heartache." Lead singer Stephanie Krysl's full-throated voice is like a honky-tonk Jenny Lewis. Not sure when their next show is, but you can watch a live video on Facebook.
The Age of Strange (formerly Paper Seahorse): Fronted by woman-about-town Dana Marie, I first caught this group last weekend at Lincoln Exposed – and as one fellow downtowner put it, "Wow. I had no idea she could sing!" Listen to tracks from the four-song EP they threw together.
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Hilary Stohs-Krause is seriously considering getting a Great Pyreneese. She gets her local music fix through HN and as a cocktail waitress at Duffy's Tavern. For more on Nebraska ladies making music, tune into the "X-Rated: Women in Music" radio show every Thursday from 1:05 to 3 p.m. CST at 89.3 FM KZUM in Lincoln or streaming live at kzum.org. Find it on Facebook at facebook.com/xmusicnebraska.