Staff Photo by Blair Jackson: Randall and Benjamin Shreve and gearing up for a much-anticipated collaborative project.

Benjamin Del Shreve and Randall Shreve are at it again with a collaborative project temporarily titled The Brothers Shreve. Although the brothers were both contributing members of GS Megaphone, the band that got the brothers’ musical career in the national limelight, this is the first time that both Benjamin and Randall have shared the front-man position.

In the band that would eventually become GSM, Randall was a participating song writer, but was in the back on the drums. Benjamin was very supportive of his brother’s music, but he only joined the band when — with no previous musical experience and half-jokingly — he offered to replace the band’s flaky bass player.  The first time he held a bass, a friend explained to him which direction on the neck was up, which was down, and told him, “If you find the wrong note, the right one is in one of those two directions.” After some lineup changes, Benjamin took over the lead vocalist position and, before GSM’s final round of shows, he took over on guitar too.

After the dissolution of GSM in 2003, both brothers pursued music separately. Benjamin toured in the U.S. and Europe before landing in Florida and eventually bringing his band to Fayetteville, where he established himself in the local music scene.  Since 2003, Benjamin has recorded a total of nine unreleased albums. He is considering releasing the albums in 2012, but he still refrains from performing solo shows. He says providing atmosphere music in a coffee shop or bar was making him “mad” at his guitar.

Currently, the Benjamin Del Shreve band is currently working on their third release, “You Need Want”, which he describes as being his “lyrical epitaph” and having more of an “old school” sound.

Randall found himself in a few places before settling in New York where he met Timothy Grace, who has played with Randall as the SideShow’s piano player. After Randall released a solo album, the two were pulled to Fayetteville because of the local music.

Randall admits that he wasn’t ashamed to ride his brother’s coattails; although that hasn’t been the case for some time.  Benjamin, who had lived in Fayetteville for four years, helped his brother by setting up shows, promoting to his own fan base, and relaying venue and radio contacts.

After Randall released “The Entertainer” in 2008, he began fronting Randall Shreve and the SideShow, which released “The Jester” only a couple months back. Randall also has a new solo EP recorded with a target release date in the spring.  He describes the feel of the record as “mainstream, stripped down, sweet music” with mostly “love and heartache songs.”

Although the brothers weren’t planning on their joint effort manifesting this soon, at the insistence of their friends Ty Edwards and Ry Reeves, they conceited to prematurely kicking off this project with a show that took place last Saturday at Rouge on Dickson.  The Shreve brothers were joined by bassist and drummer from the SideShow, Geoff Baker and Zach Reese, respectively.

Also featured were many guest appearances, namely, Robert Geiger and Jonathan Holder from Benjamin Del Shreve and Timothy Grace from the SideShow.  With only a handful of 12-hour-long rehearsals under their belts, the show consisted of a wide variety of covers, from Roy Orbison to Nazareth to Dwight Yoakam, and only a few originals. Randall says they started with mostly covers “thinking it might spur direction” for the brothers’ collaboration.

“There has never been a feeling of competition,” says Randall about the brothers’ music. Instead, each pushes the other into stretching his musical boundaries. In The Brothers Shreve, Randall is taking on more lead guitar than usual and finding comfort outside his traditional vaudevillian style — which reached new heights Randall’s last project, the SideShow.

Benjamin is nailing harmonies and learning to voice again, setting aside his “rougher the better” approach in his normal vocal style. All the while, his expanding ability at guitar leads to a much more athletic and colorful contribution to the project.

There appears to be no ego thrown in the middle as they both work to make the other a better musician. This was evidenced during one rehearsal as The Brothers Shreve were working on a bluesy jam song. They swapped orders without reproach; and it was their combined effort that ultimately produced a better song.

Benjamin says, “[I’m] pretty stoked to play with my brother,” and that couldn’t be more obvious in the supportive dynamic of their relationship on and off the stage. This is one musical endeavor for which fans of both artists have quietly waited for a long time. Now, they just have to be patient enough to see how the sound of The Brothers Shreve will develop in the coming months. For more info, check out bdsband.com or randallshreve.com.

Courtesy Photo: Catch the Vore CD Release show at Rogue Pizza Cafe this Friday Dec. 16.

The fourth, independently-released and self-financed album from metal trio Vore, “Gravehammer,” certainly takes a minute to grow on the non-avid listener of metal music. Rest assured, this is more than just unintelligible growling over heavy distortion and seemingly never-ending double bass. The precision of musicianship is something at which to awe, but this album is definitely not for the typical music connoisseur.

The overall mixing, mastering and clear recording is what sets this band apart from all the other garage metal bands — you know, the ones you would make a noise complaint on if they were to practice on your street. Unlike most of today’s metal, “Gravehammer” is sludgy in sound and tempo and often very straightforward, leaving behind any attempts to branch into other musical genres. This album flaunts itself as a straight-up metal album, and it succeeds.

The deep, guttural vocals of singer/guitarist Page Townsley, are reminiscent of any Cannibal Corpse album; take your pick. The rhythm guitar tracks, in spite of being accented with many frills and well-executed lead-in riffs, become a monotonous cycle of excessive palm-muting and furious tremolo picking as the record progresses.

Although the overall technique is impressive, the guitar solos seem formulaic — almost as if the obligatory “metal solo” is as far as it goes. For as good as Townsley is at shredding, there should be a lot more going on. “Gravehammer” would feel more complete with a lot more layering.

I think Jeremy Partin is talented enough to be following along with the rhythm guitar’s tremolo picking and filler licks, but with the deepness of the guitar and the brutality of the drums, the bass tracks are largely hidden, except for a few standout moments in “The Claw Is The Law” and the opening of “Doomwhore.”

Drummer Remy Cameron adds to the impressiveness of this three piece band by delivering a solid, precise performance while blast-beating through rhythm heavy tracks.
For any metal aficionado, “Gravehammer” is nothing new or progressive. Even though the album is well-done in numerous aspects, it’s all been done before. So, before buying this, go have a few drinks and join in with the headbangin’ at the album release show at The Rogue on Friday. Doors open at 9 p.m.

Courtesy Photo: Mash-up artist Girl Talk (Gregg Gillis) performed at Dickson Street Theater last Friday at a surprise show.

Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, recently crashed the Fayetteville nightlife scene. In conjunction with Axe body products, the artist played a free last-minute show that was hyped up to the very last second via social media and a sno-cone mobile that distributed tickets.

Girl Talk’s current sound is a kind of Franken-pop product that blends a medley of pop genres into beat-driven dance music. Since the beginning of his musical experimentation, Gillis has approached his music with a type of mad scientist mentality, dissecting songs, lifting layers and reconnecting the pieces to suit his fancy. (It’s aliiiive!)

In a phone interview Friday, Gillis explained that once upon a time he was part of a very avant-garde music community. Sampling pop songs originated, not in conjunction with the party scene, but as a stand against the underground resistance to mainstream popular music. Gillis began experimenting with mash-ups that pieced together different elements of pop music with the intentions of “pissing off the underground.”

“There was a large divide between the underground and the mainstream,” he explained. “I was part of a confrontation with the underground idea that ‘pop is evil.’”

Girl Talk’s first album, “Secret Diary,” is a far cry from the most recent release. The album, which was released almost 10 years ago, was recorded to sound like a skipping CD. The songs are overloaded with low budget synthetic effects and are underpinned by popular rap beats, rock riffs or standout lyrics. Gillis admits that this album is “difficult to listen to.”

Accessibility and popularity have never been a top priority for the artist. His focus is, instead, on what is most interesting for the project. The former engineer explained, “I never intended for this to be a career.” Touring half the year with a live stage is more than he ever imagined, and though he said he is content with his current success, he also said there will come a day when he will want to stop touring.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Gillis had just woken up, and said he was recovering from the night before. He listed his pre-game rituals as eating a bowl of cereal, taking some vitamins and loosening up. Anyone who has never been to a Girl Talk show may ask, “Why does a DJ … ahem, excuse me … mash-up artist … need to loosen up?”

The answer to this and other questions have the same answer. (Why does he wear a sweatband across his forehead? Why does he wrap his laptop in Saran Wrap? Why does he, inevitably, emerge at the end of the show wearing less clothing than when he began?) It’s all because he works his ass off behind that laptop, and it’s a hot, sweaty job.

Girl Talk’s musical project isn’t limited to digital track surgery, but extends into the arena of performance, making his show something to enjoy visually and aurally. Gillis triggers every sample live, with the intent of creating something the audience can watch. The process also makes each live show an original act as an ongoing musical project that is constantly being reworked and evolving to suit the artist’s tastes, the crowd’s responses and the click of the mouse.

Gillis explained that his tendency to shed clothes is part of his stage performance. With no fan base and no production elements, Girl Talk has used stripping and crowd surfing as a method to entertain his audience since his early days. “I try to lose my mind every night,” said Gillis. “It’s a battle of craziness. If you’re not with us, I challenge you to go with us. If you’re with us, I challenge you to go further.”

With popularity has come more stage production, which could also be considered more ammunition in the “battle of the craziness.” At the Dickson Street Theater on Dec. 2, production was amplified with balloons, confetti, custom lighting, dancers and toilet roll guns. “It’s been a long time since I’ve ended a show in my underwear,” Gillis said.

Gillis said his joint venture with Axe, during which he will perform shows in eight college towns, has allowed him to play the smaller, more intimate venues, while incorporating the big stage production of larger venues. For Gillis the idea was to “barely scale it down and force it into a smaller setting.” He also mentioned he enjoys playing larger shows, but “there’s something special about seeing every person’s face.”

Axe’s marketing approach to the concert has proven highly effective, creating a buzz bordering on hysteria in some instances. In Tuscaloosa, when it was rumored that Girl Talk would be handing out tickets in person, things got a little chaotic. Gillis described the scenario: “Hundreds of kids, police cars, people running through red lights.” Let it be noted this was not a simple response to a free show, but to the possibility of meeting Girl Talk in the flesh.

For Girl Talk, face time with his fans is important, which is why you’ll see (at least) a handful of fans dancing behind him at his shows. By inviting people on-stage, the artist incorporates an intimacy that is often absent in large live music sets. “Interaction is easy and it means a lot to the fans,” Gillis said.

Offstage, Gillis hones his live set list and conceptualizes new albums. “I work every day,” he said and described his life as “working doses of both worlds” which includes both wild nights on the road and days of meticulous trial and error of meshing samples.
So what’s next for Girl Talk?

“I have a lot of songs I want to sample,” he said, “and that list grows faster than I can get to it.”

As far as process goes, sometimes he hunts for a particular sound (like ’80s synth pop), or something clicks when he hears a song while grocery shopping, or he revisits old samples that couldn’t be used in previous albums or sets. As far as success goes, Gillis is content where he’s at, but as far as the music, fans can expect to see “more complicated, more involved music,” that is an art form first and a profession second.

Ricky Black AKA Domewrekka is a "ridiculously nice guy" who helped pioneer the dubstep scene in Northwest Arkansas.

By Blair Jackson
TFW Editor

Ricky Black is a local DJ who specializes in dubstep, a genre that has led the trend in the underground electronica scene for the past two years. Under his stage name, Domewrekka, Black has spent seven years perfecting his craft, building a fan base and making plans. This year has held some major milestones for Domewrekka, and he has even bigger plans for 2012.

Black’s passion for electronica started with the club and festival scene.
“I liked to go to parties and dance,” he says. “I liked it so much, I listened to it all day, every day, and all different kinds.”

Eventually, Black’s passion for music evolved into a curiosity about the actual process of meshing beats. He began watching DJs as they worked and started asking questions.
In 2004, Black returned from a pawnshop with a set of turntables. He was set up within two hours, but it took him four years to land a gig.

“You don’t just learn to beat match and have doors open up,” he says.
Beat matching is the process of matching up the tempos of two different songs, by speeding up or slowing down the track in order to provide a seamless transition between tracks.

“My job is to make sure the music doesn’t stop,” Black says.

And Domewrekka does his job. During a tag-team set between three DJs at Fix Lounge on Nov. 30, the music never lost its pulse — and oh, what a pulse it was. At 140 beats per minute, the tempo of dubstep runs at almost twice the pace of the human heart, and of course, it isn’t as regulated.

When he’s in the DJ booth, Domewrekka serves as the connecting point between the crowd and the music. The success of a DJ relies heavily on the ability to read the mood of the crowd, not only to give the fans what they want, but also to show them something new and exciting. Domewrekka’s rise to popularity can, in part, be attributed to the rise of dubstep, which is his specialty.

One of the unique aspects of dubstep is the sense of the unpredictable. Standard time signatures are interrupted by drops, wobbles and tempo changes. A variety of synthesized sounds, vocals and even acoustic instrumentation are woven into the tapestry of the sound, making it what Black calls, “a smorgasbord of all genres.” The effect of the music is the ultimate mash-up, a type of organized chaos composed of samples, modulated beats and synthesized sounds. From beginning to end, a single dubstep song offers a multi-dimensional experience.

It was the intensity of dubstep that inspired Black’s Domewrekka name.
“I play the hardest kind of music,” he says. “It’s the kind that twists you, takes you on a ride. It’s a head-trip.”

Paring down electronic music into different genres is tricky business. Trance, house, dubstep, drumstep — the categories are based on the technical variants of the songs. For example, drumstep is classified as 170 beats per minute. Drum and base, or D&B, has the same BPMs as drumstep, but has half the snare. Black says all DJs are doing multi-genre sets.

Staff Photo by Blair Jackson: Local dubstep DJ Domewrekka set the mood at Fix Lounge last Wednesday.

“There are so many new genres,” he says. “The sound is constantly evolving.”
As for being a well-known local DJ, Black calls himself a D-list local celebrity, saying “I’m not an Arkansas Razorback player or anything.” For Domewrekka, meshing tracks is a passion, not a full-time job. He also moonlights as a stage technician. During the day he is a full-time father to his two young children, Koa and Maddox, and often spends time playing with the dogs or throwing a flying disc around.

Black’s growing list of achievements offsets his humble self-representation. In the past year, the DJ has opened for Bassnectar, played a set at Wakarusa and organized an outdoor festival. Domewrekka admits he was nervous playing at the larger venues, but says he looked out at the crowd to see his friends and was encouraged.

Another factor behind Domewrekka’s rising success is his unique relationship with his fans, whom he considers friends. One such friend, Shammy Starbrite, remembers when Domewrekka was banned from George’s for playing dubstep a few years back.

“That was when dubstep first hit the scene,” Starbrite says. “It was a little grimier and dirtier, and a lot more underground.”

Earlier this year, at Domewrekka’s Galactic Butterfly Festival, Shammy and her husband Chroma were married on-stage. Domewrekka officiated the wedding as a minister of the religion of womp (dubstep), and the two traded candy rings as a token of their love.

Now, there is evidence of mainstream acclaim for a sound that was once an exclusively underground phenomenon. Skrillex, a dubstep artist who was recently nominated for five Grammy awards, has become the first DJ artist to ever be nominated as Best New Artist. On a local level, Starbrite notes there has been a growing fascination with dubstep within the festival scene for the past few years. “A lot of people started recognizing dubstep because it started happening everywhere.”

Domewrekka says his sets are designed to create a “hard, heavy energy that gets your blood

Staff Photo by Blair Jackson: Dancing to dubstep is a rising trend in itself. At the most advanced levels, robotic pop-and-lock movements are paired with the acrobatics of break dancing.

flowing.” Dancing to dubstep is a rising trend in itself. At the most advanced levels, robotic pop-and-lock movements are paired with the acrobatics of break dancing. For fans with less skill, there are no stigmas on the dance floor. Dancing to dubstep is all about having a good time.

“I enjoy seeing everyone having a good time,” Black says. “When people are dancing, they aren’t thinking about anything.”

After seven years, Black says he is beginning to understand what makes up the backbone of a solid dubstep song. In order to be considered for the Wakarusa set, he was required to create an original track.

“I’m such a perfectionist,” he says. “It took me 15 tries just to get it perfect. Sound engineering is no joke.”

The song, entitled “Wrekkarusa” can be found on soundcloud.com.

Producing an original sound is the next step for Domewrekka. He has ideas for original tracks and is preparing to release at least four EPs in the spring of 2012. For DJs, booking shows is where the money is, and Black is hoping to become a full-time DJ. With an original sound, Black says more shows will come.

“Everyone wants to get paid to do what they love,” says Black, whose ideal show would be in the United Kingdom, the birthplace of dubstep.

George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville: Randy Rogers Band

JJ’s Grill, Fayetteville: Darren Ray

JJ’s Grill, Rogers: TJ Scarlett

Mojo’s Pints and Pies, Fayetteville: Two & 1/3 Men

Pesto Cafe, Fayetteville: Sarah Hughes

Rowdy Beaver, Eureka Springs: Karaoke with Tiny

Smoke & Barrel Tavern: Many Mansions

FRIDAY

Arsaga’s Crossover, Fayetteville: Waoka

The Bayou, Rogers: The Larry’s, Steppin Stones

Downstream Casino, Quapaw, OK: Earl & Them

George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville: George Porter Jr. of the Meters

Greenhouse Grille, Fayetteville: Grazzhopper

JJ’s Grill, Fayetteville: Joe Giles & the Homewreckers

JJ’s Grill, Rogers: Jason Strode

Mojo’s Pints and Pies, Fayetteville: Loose Change

R.O.T.C. Grill, Fayetteville: Bramhall Bros. & The Blues Band

Rowdy Beaver, Eureka Springs: Art Bently

Rowdy Beaver Den, Eureka Springs: Cathead Biscuit

Rowdy Beaver, Fayetteville: Catfish Jackson

Ruth’s Chris, Rogers: Jovan Arellano

Smoke & Barrel Tavern: Guta

SATURDAY

Downstream Casino, Quapaw, OK: Torn, Sweet Trouble

George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville: Chasing Pictures, Day After Mourning, Very Special Guests

JJ’s Grill, Fayetteville: Brian Odle

JJ’s Grill, Rogers: Ocie & the Heartstrings

JR’s Lightbulb Club, Fayetteville: BRONCHO, The Holy Shakes, Memphis Pencils

Mojo’s Pints and Pies, Fayetteville: RJ Mischo

Rogue, Fayetteville: Dreamfast video shoot

Rowdy Beaver, Eureka Springs: One Night Stand

Rowdy Beaver Den, Eureka Springs: Smith & Reed

Rowdy Beaver, Fayetteville: Art Bently

Smoke & Barrel Tavern: Daikaiju! with the Voyageurs

UARK Ballroom, Fayetteville: Fayetteville Jazz Collective

SUNDAY, NOV. 20

Common Grounds, Fayetteville: Jones and Leah

Copeland’s, Rogers: Claudia Burson Trio

Emelia’s Kitchen, Fayetteville: Drew Packard and Friends Jazz

George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville: John Ervin

Greenhouse Grille, Fayetteville: Beth Stockdell

Pesto Cafe, Fayetteville: Shannon Wurst

MONDAY

JJ’s Grill, Fayetteville: Will Gunselman

JJ’s Grill, Rogers: Jeff Fox

The Perk, Fayetteville: Open Acoustic Jam

Pesto Cafe, Fayetteville: Darren Ray

TUESDAY

JJ’s Grill, Fayetteville: Jeff Fox

JJ’s Grill, Rogers: Russ Hutchison

Mojo’s Pints and Pies, Fayetteville: Nate Hancock

Pesto Cafe, Fayetteville: Jed Clampit

WEDNESDAY

Greenhouse Grille, Fayetteville: 3 Penny Acre

Iron Horse Coffee House, Rogers: Rogers Jazz Society

JJ’s Grill, Rogers: Ashley McBryde

Jose’s, Fayetteville: Karaoke

Smoke & Barrel Tavern: DJ Mixx Tenn

THURSDAY, NOV. 24,

THANKSGIVING DAY

Venues

Arsaga’s Crossover, Fayetteville: 527-0690, The Bayou, Rogers: 246-9337, Common Grounds, Fayetteville: 442-3515, Copeland’s, Rogers: 246-9455, Downstream Casino, Quapaw, OK: 918-919-6000, Emelia’s Kitchen, Fayetteville: 527-9800, George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville: 442-4226, Greenhouse Grille, Fayetteville: 444-8909, Iron Horse Coffee House, Rogers: 631-9977, JJ’s Grill, Fayetteville: 443-0700, JJ’s Grill, Rogers: 372-4460, Jose’s, Fayetteville: 521-0194, JR’s Lightbulb Club, Fayetteville: 444-6100, Mojo’s Pints and Pies, Fayetteville: 935-3459, The Perk, Fayetteville: 856-6382, Pesto Cafe, Fayetteville: 582-3330, Rogue, Fayetteville: 571-5200, R.O.T.C. Grill, Fayetteville: 521-2674, Rowdy Beaver, Eureka Springs: 253-8544, Rowdy Beaver Den, Eureka Springs: 363-6444, Rowdy Beaver, Fayetteville: 287-4227, Ruth’s Chris, Rogers: 633-8331, Smoke & Barrel Tavern: 521-6880, UARK Ballroom, Fayetteville: 582-0400.

The most recent album by The Old 78’s, “The Women Wear No Clothes At All,” is as lively as it is old-timey. With a vast array of banjos, including a cello banjo and a banjo mandolin, some ragtime fiddlin’ and the occasional baritone saxophone or clarinet, this album is an attention grabber throughout. A playlist full of rags, stomps, reels, jigs and even a march leaves you wanting more from these talented multi-instrumental musicians.

The duo at the heart of The Old 78’s is Curly Miller, a well-seasoned fiddle and banjo player, and Carole Anne Rose, a banjo player with a style all her own. Joining Miller and Rose for the first time are Ray and Melanie Palmer. Mr. Palmer dons the banjo mandolin and occasional fiddle, while Mrs. Palmer favors the reeded instruments and an occasional cello banjo. This is the second collaborative effort by The Old 78’s; the first being with Fayetteville local, Clarke Buehling. There are only a few tracks on “The Women Wear No Clothes At All” that include vocals. One of which, the title track, stands out due to Miller’s fiddle playing dynamic that borders on ferocious. He adds a new dimension to the old-time fiddle and banjo tunes of late 1920s. The stompin’ bassline and claw-hammer technique fills this CD with Rose’s pleasantly unique style like in “Maybelle Rag.” Another honorable mention is the album closer, “Hora de Mana,” a traditional Romanian tune that is haunting enough to let you drift into a three minute a day dream, enjoying the sounds of an era before electric guitars, credit cards and global warming. The Old 78’s are a great part of Northwest Arkansas’ music scene and their newest release will surely please even the toughest critic. So, everyone grab your stompin’ boots and get to knee slappin’ for the CD Release Party at the Greenhouse Grill on Dec. 4.
Check their website for more information, www.theold78s.com.

Candy Lee, the voice of the folk jazz band Candy Lee and the Sweets has returned to Northwest Arkansas to kick off her tour of the Southern states.
After a solo tour last summer, the singer/songwriter/artist is settling into a routine at her new home in Jacksonville, Fla., and is planning a new album.

“I am really super excited about coming back to Fayetteville,” Lee said. “It’s my favorite place in the world.”

Lee’s fragile, folksy voice (with a tone that rivals Leslie Feist) skips across notes like stones in a brook.

The music of her most recent album, “The Gate,” bares simple lyrics, three-part harmonies and upbeat tempos that blend into playful, sweet melodies that often border on soulful.
The album is a record not only of Lee’s music, but also of her personal journey through spiritual and philosophical revelations.

Music, according to the artist, is also her preferred method of introspection.
“Music is the most important thing in my life,” Lee said.

“It’s a really good way to explore what’s on my mind and get it out there. And to relate with other people because I find that that’s really powerful. It’s really cool to connect with people on that level. That’s what I like about writing about such personal things.”

Described as “children’s songs for adults,” Lee uses simple lyrics to explore the complexities of the human experience. Drawing inspiration from Friedrich Nietzche, Edmund Burke, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, and even from her own experience in the restaurant industry, the album is Lee’s autobiographical exploration of some of humanity’s most personal and unifying questions.

“It’s been said in different religions, in Christianity for example, ‘Become like a child,’” Lee said.

“In order to learn anything, you have to step back into a childlike perspective where you’re able to learn and see the world in a way that’s fascinating. Kids have this wonderful joy and excitement with the world around them, because it’s new and things are happening everyday.
“We become jaded as adults and think there’s nothing left for us to learn, but if you step back into that childlike perspective you learn not only to be humble but to learn new things everyday.”

Lee took her vision a step further with the album artwork. Illustrated as a children’s storybook, each page depicts a variety of scenes — from islands, to caves, to dragons — all of which feature a cartoon Candy Lee.

The simple, soul-baring songs of “The Gate” are captivating in quality and messages, but fans can expect a completely different experience live.

On the album, there are layers of synthesized strings that have not yet found a place on the stage, and depending on the show, you can find Lee solo with a guitar or backed up by her band, The Sweets.

Lee says the highlight of her homecoming will be playing with her band again. “They’re some of my best friends,” she said. Comprised of Jennifer Graham (bass, vocals), Emily Jenkins (vocals), Dan Dean (djembe and percussion) and Warren Dietzel (mandolin), the Sweets met through mutual friends and contacts in the Fayetteville music scene. “It came together piece by piece,” Lee said. “It was a nice organic type of thing.”

In Jacksonville, Lee is waiting tables and playing venues in hopes of breaking into the local scene. With her second tour under way, and a new album in the works, her hometown fans can rest assured that they will be hearing more from Candy Lee.

As far as future plans, Lee says she would like to “go all the way with it.”

She dreams of touring full time and opening for bands, such as the Avett Brothers, The Decemberists and Sufjan Stevens.

Until then, you can catch her this weekend at the Greenhouse Grille. If you can’t make it to her live show, be sure to check out her website candyleemusic.com, where you can listen to her entire album.

By Mihke Chanay
TFW Contributing Writer

The Dex Romweber Duo is one of the greatest bands that you have probably never heard of. They are playing on Friday at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville.

Courtesy Photo: The Dex Romweber Duo is a brother/sister duo featuring Dex on guitar and vocals and Sara on drums. (No, they didn't copy the White Stripes — they actually influenced them.)

As such, I was awarded the privilege of talking to Dexter Romweber over the phone this past Saturday morning about music, the Internet, touring and Jack White.

The duo features Dex Romweber on vocals and guitar along with his sister Sara Romweber on drums. Sara was a founding member of Snatches of Pink back in 1985. And unlike some other groups that claim to be related, they really are siblings. When I asked about the dynamics of playing music with a family member, Romweber said it’s good, calling his sister, “the most gifted drummer I’ve ever played with. She practices all the time.”

The pair have been covering a lot of ground around the country since releasing their second album, the rockabilly/surf/nightclub tinged “Is That You in the Blue?” in July. The show at George’s is the first night of a two and a half week eastern U.S. tour, including a week’s worth of shows with The Meat Puppets, the Phoenix, Ariz., cowpunk band.

Romweber first started playing actual shows when he was only 13. Eventually he and Crow Smith formed The Flat Duo Jets, and they crisscrossed the land and played just about anywhere they could. Now in another duo and once again playing everywhere possible he says, “I think of what, of all people, Linda Ronstadt said about needing to get on stage even when I shouldn’t be there. I think about some of my heroes like Benny Jay, Jimmy Page, or Patsy Cline, you know, what they did and had to do.”

In fact, Romweber’s been rocking long enough that his music has been cited by current artists like Cat Power and Jack White as a major influence. “That’s great if they get something out of it. But it’s not something I’m really aware of,” he says. “As musicians, we all draw from each other anyway.” Jack White has invited them along for some gigs like recently opening for rockabilly/country icon Wanda Jackson. White’s also recorded and released more of their music, like the single “The Wind Did Move” and a full concert. Plus he’s beginning to reissue some of The Flat Duo Jets’ earlier out of print albums on his Third Man Records.

When I asked him about his thoughts on illegal downloading and file sharing, Romweber said, “Computers and the Internet have revolutionized our lives in so many ways that I don’t really think about it like that. I never made that much from my record company anyway. In one night I’ll be lucky to make as much as one person would pay for one ticket to see something like Metallica. I just figure if more people hear it, that’s a good thing.”

As far as what the immediate future holds for Romweber and his sister, he said, “It’s feast or famine right now. Sara has said that touring bands are dying. With gasoline prices rising, it’s harder for bands and fans to make it to shows. Money is tight, it’s not like I’m still 18. Now I’ve got a mortgage to pay.”

Courtesy Photo: The Dex Romweber Duo's latest album. It's so indie, you'll need to pick up a copy in person at their show at George's this Friday.

“Is That You in the Blue?” is a great record. It’s all right if you don’t know anything about The Dex Romweber Duo. This is your chance to acquire and appreciate everything you’ve been missing. Cycling through genres with ease, the brother/sister combo sounds like everything that’s been absent from live rock and roll for too long. There’s a feeling that this is what music could and should be, and you’ll probably wonder why you’ve never heard of them before.

Recorded in longtime friend Rick Miller’s (guitar and vocals for seminal swamp rockabilly outfit Southern Culture on the Skids) home studio in North Carolina, the album was finished in about 2 weeks. The duo blends amazing originals with phenomenal covers while hosting a number of guest musicians. One of many standout tracks, “The Death of Me,” was actually written for the band by Django Haskins, with Haskins also contributing a haunting slide guitar part.

You need to see this band if only to experience rock and roll at it’s finest. Don’t forget to lay down some of your hard earned dollars for some merchandise, especially hard copies of the albums themselves (unless ordering them online directly from Bloodshot Records), as this is the kind of band that’s so indie that you’d have to do some serious searching to find them anywhere else.

See them at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville on October 29.

By Blair Jackson
Editor

Photo By Blair Jackson: Grayson VanSickle's fingers fly across the banjo strings in a blur, but he knows exactly what he's doing.

Mountain Sprout lives up to its claim as a “hillbilly music machine,” churning out tunes that portray the backwoods adventures of illegal drugs, lots o’ beer, kissin’ cousins, and redneck hippies. With a banjo, a fiddle, an upright bass, a guitar, and four fine sets of facial hair, Mountain Sprout is everything an Ozark Mountain band should be.

After listening to their recordings, I had the overwhelming impulse to see the band live. Whether urged by subliminal messaging or good music, I braved the winding highways, fought motion sickness and paid five bucks for three hours of parking to see Mountain Sprout in all their bearded glory.

“Welcome to our hangover,” frontman Grayson Van Sickle quipped through the mike, holding a beer and cigarette in either hand while his banjo rested in his lap. Around him, the rest of the band was busy, plugging in wires and tuning their strings. The stage of the New Delhi Cafe is made of stone slabs like those found in cabin fireplaces, and church pews with red cushions fill half the room. Behind the pews, the room opens up to the street, allowing passersby and those sitting at the sidewalk tables to watch the show.

As soon as everything is ready, one of the band members says over the mic, “OK, that was exhausting. Let’s take a short break.”

Photo by Blair Jackson: Daniel Redmond lays down the rhythm on his upright bass.

Though it’s not necessarily a part of the music, the foot stomp technique is an essential part of Mountain Sprout’s live experience. On stage, VanSickle stomps his heavy work boot and fiddler Blayne Thiebaud stomps-shuffles in his flip-flops. Sitting in the front row pew, I tap my knee-high boots, and it seems like the entire audience is keeping time.

In between songs, the band members joke with each other and the audience. “I think I overdressed for the occasion,” says VanSickle, who is wearing khaki work pants with holes at the knees, a look that displays the long underwear underneath. “Thermal underwear? C’mon, really?” he laughs. Mountain Sprout is anything but timid when it comes to self-deprecating humor, and bolstered by a good-natured humility — developed through years of playing on the streets, sleeping on couches and smoking behind trash bins — even the most vulgar of songs has a copacetic ring to it.

Photo by Blair Jackson: When Blayne Thiebauld gets going on the fiddle, the crowd can't help but get down.

Most of their songs poke fun at the lives of rural Southerners and habits that most church-goin’ folk would frown upon. No topic is taboo for the band, which features songs about camel toes and incest as well as cocaine and meth. On the other end of the spectrum, “Into the Sun” is a semi-serious song that covers social topics like pollution, greed and corruption. Most tracks, however, are about drinking beer and smoking pot and just having a time that is good, though debatably innocent.

The stories behind Mountain Sprout’s music are Arkansan through-and-through, but none of the band is originally from the Natural State. VanSickle and Thiebaud relocated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Redmond is from Tulsa, and Adam Waggs (guitar) grew up in Illinois. “We’ve always been Arkansan at heart,” says VanSickle who says he appreciates the slow pace of Eureka Springs.

The band’s newest album, “Refried: The Best of the Beans” is a compilation of the most well-received songs from the three previous albums, re-recorded to include Redmond, who replaced Melissa Carper on the upright, and to explore a new production concept. VanSickle says the goal was to record in a laid-back environment — somewhere between a studio and a bar. To accomplish this “front-porch feel,” the band partnered with David Singleton, and used a mobile studio to record the album from a cabin buried deep in the Ozarks. The CD release party is being held at George’s this Saturday.

Like any good string band, the melodies will get your feet tapping and your hands clapping; and the simple, witty lyrics make a good time even better.

Photo by Blair Jackson: Adam Wagg the young, goodlookin' heart throb of the group tunes his guitar before the show.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without asking about beard maintenance. VanSickle, who has the longest beard, said it has been two weeks since he’s trimmed, and though I’m skeptical about how truthful this statement was, it may cover mustache maintenance. For Blayne, it’s been a year. Redmond says he trims his beard quite often. Waggs on guitar, says he hasn’t cut his beard in “four or five years.”

With “Refried” complete, the good ol’ boys of Mountain Sprout are gearing up for a November tour with Splitlip Rayfield and the Legendary Shack Shakers. In addition to their annual 200 shows, the band is beginning work on a fresh album, which is projected for release in March 2012.

By Mike Chanay
Contributing TFW Writer

Wow. Nirvana’s mega-popular second album “Nevermind” is 20 years old. Where has the time gone? It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that my older brother gave me his used-up cassette copy of that album, complete with a baby’s penis on the cover. Our mother was so proud to see her sons bonding over something. After all, there were 13 years between us, and since he was already out in the world, we didn’t see each other much.

I grew up in a small and very isolated town in southwestern Colorado on the border of the desert and the Rocky Mountains. There was one small record store in town, and though they would sometimes be willing to special order items, they were mostly forced to stock what would sell — what had always sold in that town — bad country and worse country. As a bonus, there were only two radio stations in town that didn’t play country: an oldies station that played mostly 50′s music, and a right-wing talk station. Though “Nevermind” came out back in 1991, I wasn’t really aware of Nirvana until the end of ’92. A friend of mine mentioned them to me and let me borrow his copy, which I dubbed and soon began listening to nonstop. For me, they opened the door to what I consider to be good music. Or at the very least, decent music.

Before I started listening to Nirvana, I had really just started my habit of amassing music. I only had a few purchased cassettes, most of them were just badly recorded off of the radio, complete with DJ blabber and ads. Despite getting a boom box with a CD player for Christmas a couple years before, I only had two CDs. My tastes ran the wide gamut from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles soundtrack and Phil Collins’ “No Jacket Required.” From Aerosmith’s “Get Your Wings” to the late great Michael Jackson.

So by the time I was into Nirvana, all the other great music of the early to mid-nineties was starting to get popular enough for even my little town to hear about it. And my music tree finally started growing. Any album I liked always lead to another. As I look at my current collection, I can connect almost every single one of them back to Nirvana using some kind of a musical Kevin Bacon game. Nirvana changed everything for me.

Not too long after my brother’s gift of said “Nevermind” cassette (the first official copy I had owned), Mr. Cobain was dead and Nirvana, as an actual band, died just as fast as they had been born. The day his body was found, I remember watching MTV at my piano teacher’s house while I waited downstairs for my lesson to start. They were playing the Unplugged special which I had never been able to watch, due to my parents not wanting to pay for cable (and being too honest to steal it). During the first commercial break, I saw Kurt Loder somberly repeat what had already been announced earlier in the day. I remember that it didn’t really sink in for awhile. I had really just found out about these guys and all of a sudden they were gone.

By this point I was a full fledged teenager. To differentiate myself from all the other Mikes and Michaels, and to emulate my hero, I started spelling my name with an unnecessary “h,” because Kurt would spell his with an unnecessary “d.”

According to Wikipedia (I’m too lazy to do actual research), I exist along the cusp between Generations X and Y. And I was hungry for more of this music, this beautifully loud and disenchanted attitude emanating from the so-called Generation X. I was particularly drawn to the “grunge” scene simply because it seemed like the purest version of what Nirvana seemed to present. Soundgarden, The Fastbacks, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, The Gits, Green River, Mother Love Bone — all the “alternative” bands were finally emerging from relative obscurity. Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, Garbage, Butthole Surfers, Primus, Tool, White Zombie. The early to mid nineties were an amazing time for music, with Nirvana essentially opening the door for so many other great bands. Not to mention all the seemingly endless amounts of, for lack of a better term, copycats.

And I absolutely have to mention Nirvana’s two other studio albums, 1989′s Bleach and 1993′s In Utero. While nearly everyone liked Nevermind, or at the very least “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” not many seemed to care for, or even know about their first and last albums. They are both utterly fantastic records. Bleach already had it’s anniversary version and I can’t wait for a deluxe edition of “In Utero.” I really didn’t know what to think the first time I had heard either of them. Inevitably compared to “Nevermind,” they are both stranger, much less polished, and almost better off because of it. Tracks on “Bleach” are straightforward and heavier, while “In Utero” almost boasts of intentional sloppiness and noise. Truly great sounds for angst-ridden adolescents.

After high school, around the turn of the millennium, I managed to fulfill my one true goal of moving away from that town. I went to school in Tennessee, which made no sense with Nashville being the capital of all that country music I had grown to develop such an intense dislike for. So I obviously brought all of my music with me. I eventually discovered that many people didn’t really like Nirvana anymore. Kurt had been dead for around five years, and the peaceful sounds of “nu metal” had taken over rock music. While some of the music from the late ’90s was really, really good, a lot of it was not. Nirvana, once considered fairly edgy and loud, were already thought of by most as weak and fragile. I found a few kindred spirits who still thought Nirvana was cool, and they introduced me to even more worthwhile music.

College was where I got my first real taste of The Beatles, and where I developed an affection for The White Stripes. It was also when I started to understand the concept of a local scene. Being a college town, there were plenty of local acts and bands full of students and former students. Most of them weren’t all that great, but just to have it all in my backyard after growing up in the musical desert of my hometown was inspiring.

Eventually, after living in Tennessee for about four years, I felt stagnated. I wasn’t doing anything except working. So I up and moved to Seattle. I had never been, but some acquaintances from high school lived there and needed a roommate. I didn’t feel as if I had anything better to do, so I loaded my car with everything that would fit inside and left the rest in a storage space. I remember everyone in Tennessee saying, “I hope you like the rain!” though it seemed like it rained more in Tennessee than Seattle. Seriously. And once I got to Seattle all the locals told me that they just perpetuated the rain story to keep anyone else from moving there.

Even though I was 15 years too late, just being in the birthplace of “grunge” was refreshing. I finally felt a sense of being home. I finally heard all the music I had been listening to for years actually being played on the radio. During this time I discovered the amazing Stereolab, while the awesomeness of Mastodon was just starting to take hold. I was in a band and we played a few shows here and there before our inevitable collapse. It was such a cool feeling to know that so many of my musical heroes had played in and around the same city. We even covered a Nirvana song off of Bleach, “Mr. Mustache.” In fact, now that I think of it, nearly every band I’ve been in has covered at least one Nirvana song.

Now, living in Arkansas, and being reminded that my favorite band stopped making music over 20 years ago makes me feel old. But not necessarily in a bad way. I feel like the fact that the band who opened my eyes to what music could and should be (but usually isn’t) is finally getting some of the real recognition that they have always deserved. I almost feel validated because they are still being talked about this long after their much too short of a stay. I’m not so happy about the fact that Courtney Love is probably making way too much money off of these retrospectives, though I do feel that Frances Bean deserves any and all of whatever money may come her way. But in the end I don’t really care. I’m a fan, and I will continue to purchase and repurchase those three albums however many times they want to officially release them.

In the end the energy, and Kurt Cobain’s songwriting along with Krist Noveselic and Dave Grohl’s brilliant rhythm backings, made for some of the greatest music ever crafted. I have loved Nirvana for 20 years, and I will continue to love them until I reach the clearing at the end of the path. If I ever manage to spawn any progeny they will have to listen to my music, and we will more than likely start with Nirvana. Even their kids will have to deal with Grandpa’s loud music. More than likely I’ll be blindly driving down the sidewalk in my antique, gas guzzling, factory grey Pinto blasting the sweet sounds of “Rape Me,” “Negative Creep,” and “Territorial Pissings” when I’m 80. Or at least standing on my front porch, waving my cane at all the little whippersnappers running around in my lawn, and screaming, “Stay away!”