2007 in review: Orlando Music (Orlando Weekly)

Things I liked this year:
Maybe it’s because I wind up drinking too much when I go see them or maybe it’s because they play the best kind of punk rock – the straight-to-the-point, fists-in-the-air kind – but whatever the reason, the Attack warm my wrinkly old heart. The video they did for ‘Time to Collect’ is possibly the best video ever made.

“Incest, schmincest. There’s a reason I asked Bao Le-Huu to write for Orlando Weekly back when I was music editor: The guy is a great writer who cares about – and understands – the local scene. He also puts forth a valiant effort to spotlight said scene’s better components. The Bao Show, his semi-regular series of shows held at various venues, is Good Orlando Bands 101.

“My ‘retirement’ show – this little party I threw for myself upon leaving the Weekly – was, if I do say so myself, not too shabby. From the opening acoustic set (and comedy) of Bloom’s Devin Moore straight through the barnstorming closing by the Legendary JC’s (with great performances by the Attack, the Country Slashers and Matt Butcher in between) it was a hell of a Monday night at the Social.

“For the record, the first time I was exposed to garage pop band Tres Bien’s greatness was at the Back Booth, and not on America’s Next Great Band. For the record, they’re completely awesome.

“I got my review of Spacebar’s new album wrong, and this is my humble attempt at a mea culpa. Our Fight is the best pop record to come out of Orlando in 2007.

“Here are my 12 favorite local CDs of 2007, in alphabetical order:”

The Attack: self-titled demo

The Country Slashers: Love, Lost & Found

History: Ghosts in the City

Jeanie & the Tits: “Slut Fame” 7-inch

Khann: Tofutopia

Kingsbury: The Great Compromise

The Legendary JC’s: Open Day and Night

Mumpsy: Sings Those Golden Hits From the Misfits

Spacebar: Our Fight

The Sugar Oaks: Red Grapes in the City

Summerbirds in the Cellar: Druids

various artists: Stone Soup Compilation

First appeared in the Dec. 27 issue of Orlando Weekly.

The edited version that appeared in Orlando Weekly did not include the below copy that was part of my original draft. I think it’s pretty easy to understand why.

The Ugly
The Cutthroats I thought that, after seeing Generation play the Florida Music Festival oh-so-many years ago, I would never see a band approach a similar level of misguided awfulness. With the Cutthroats, I can say I’ve seen a band actually surpass it. While Generation was convinced they were the reincarnation of Pearl Jam, the Cutthroats seem to think they’re the Cult, when in fact, they’re closer to (in the words of a friend who witnessed the same amazing/awful show I did) Spinal Tap’s “Jazz Odyssey.” It’s not so much that these guys are terrible musicians – though they may well be – it’s just the all-out cluelessness of their approach. A drum solo in the Back Booth? Turning “The Immigrant Song” into a 15-minute jam? A none-too-sexy singer writhing around as if anyone in the crowd wants to squeeze his lemon? Selling bandanas? (OK, I bought three, but still.) Paleo-rock is usually aces in my book, but these guys put my Priestess-calibrated bullshit meter on high alert. Definitely worth seeing though, if only for the comedic value.

This part was also excised and did not appear in print. I’m not really sure why.

Asha Bhosle at UCF Arena The queen of Bollywood playback singers performed in Orlando. Needless to say, I was pretty excited. Even more exciting? This show helped me figure out that there’s a theater in town (Touchstar Southchase) that plays new Indian movies.