Since 2010 rolled around, local bands (and those with ties to the area) have kept the new music coming at a furious pace. The discs pile up faster than I can spin 'em, but here's a look at six new albums, birthed by musicians from the 817, worth your time and money.
Cadillac Sky, Letters in the Deep
On the surface, a record of such nuance wouldn't necessarily (or logically) seem to have anything to do with Dan Auerbach, one-half of punishing blues-rock adventurers the Black Keys. Yet Auerbach produced this full-blooded demonstration of Cadillac Sky's faculty with mood. Letters in the Deep, recorded with minimal overdubs, evokes in places a minimalist My Morning Jacket. Fort Worth native and lead vocalist Bryan Simpson's gritty tenor anchors these 17 tracks, which blossom beautifully. Deep suggests that this 7-year-old outfit is just warming up. (www.cadillacsky.net)
Great American
Novel, self-titled
This Fort Worth trio (vocalist/guitarist Will Gillham, bassist Rob Caslin and drummer James Lassen) approaches punk ferocity from an off-kilter angle, infusing its thrash with an erudite sensibility. GAN also tosses a little backwoods weirdness into the mix -- Gillham's vocals have a distinctive twang, suggesting a Southern-fried Joe Strummer. There's hardly a dull moment throughout this self-produced debut (although the sludgy, ominous Shaking does take things down a notch), making this Novel worth perusing. (www.myspace.com/greatamericannovelband)
Jefferson Colby, Semantics (Metaphysical Mood Music)
Some bands take their time between albums, but not Jefferson Colby. The Fort Worth trio -- vocalist/guitarist Danny Mabe, bassist Jeff Moore and drummer Matt Mabe -- has cranked out its second record of 2010, following January's Octopus. The three-piece puts a premium on instrumental ruckus, delivering a surprising amount of noise for just three people. Lyrics feel almost like an afterthought, swept aside by powerful, tooth-rattling musicality (see: Zero Zilch Nothing or Earth Juice). There's an undeniable streak of raw, '70s-era rock coursing through these 14 songs. (www.myspace.com/jeffersoncolby)
Keegan McInroe, From the Wall and in the City
On the heels of his 2009 solo debut, Mozelle, singer-songwriter McInroe's sophomore effort -- the "spirit" of which McInroe says first began taking shape during the "fear and loathing of the W. Bush years" -- bursts with ambition. With 15 tracks, nearly 30 guests (everyone from Michael Maftean and Ginny Mac to Daniel Katsuk and Justin Pate) and impressively dense compositions that don't collapse into chaos, From the Wall and in the City is a rootsy epic. It's not an easy album to wrap your arms around, but McInroe rewards patience with his keenly felt songs and deliberate pace. (www.keeganmcinroe.com)
Left Arm Tan, Jim
From the opening notes of this Fort Worth's foursome's freshman full-length, you can see the prairie dust whistling past an open car window as it blasts down a wide-open highway. It's modern country music, sure, but the kind that understands that gloss is useless. Vocalist/guitarist Troy Austin, drummer Tim Manders, bassist Kirk Richardson and guitarist/keyboardist Daniel Hines collaborate on the songwriting, which would be right at home in heavy rotation on CMT. Proceeds from each CD sale "buys a child a pair of shoes through [North Carolina-based charity] Samaritan's Feet," according to Hines. (www.reverbnation.com/leftarmtan)
Sean Russell, Mystery of the New
A number of faces from the local scene have been drafted to help singer-songwriter Sean Russell realize his latest record, Mystery of the New, which follows up 2004's To This Point. Among those enlisted to help the North Richland Hills-reared artist's vision: Todd and Toby Pipes, Taylor Tatsch, Calhoun's Tim Locke, and Taylor Young of the O's, each adding texture to these dozen tracks. But for all the extra hands on board, it's Russell who stands alone. His grasp on plaintive pop songs is firm, but on tracks like the sparkling Vivian, Russell shows us he can let loose when he wants. (www.reverbnation.com/seanrussell)
