The full length album Awaken from Parallax is available now on all streaming platforms. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Hailing from the Air Capitol, Wichita Kansas, Parallax is here to disrupt traditional sound of modern heavy metal with their distinctive mashup of chaotic yet atmospheric Groove, Hardcore, Tech, Death, Alternative, and Nu-Metal. Their newest release Awaken, is a concept album about one’s descent into evil and madness. The character finds himself infected with a demonic parasite that brings about the destruction of planet Earth. The full length album was self-produced, recorded, and mixed by guitarist Jason Catlett and Parallax at Magnitude Creative Recording Studio in Wichita, Kansas while mastering duties were handled by legendary mastering engineer, Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New York. Alan is known for his work with the bands Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Converge, and Mastodon. (Parallax, 2021)
** Parallax has just announced a brand new live show date. They will be playing at The Cotillion in Wichita, KS on Thursday August 26 supporting Trivium along with Revisionist. Tickets are on sale now here.
The band will follow up the December 2020 release of Awaken’s heavily streamed lead off track “Hands” with the premiere of their anticipated music video for the official second single, “Esoteric” on July 30, 2021. The full length album, Awaken from Parallax is available now on all streaming platforms.
Since forming in December 2015, Parallax has released 3 EPs, including 2016’s In The Path Of A Cannibalistic Galaxy and 2018’s Disease & Disposition. In late 2019 the band signed with Fine Swine Records and began working on their newest album, Awaken.
Legendary producer David Ferguson steps out of the control room and up to the microphone to make his own album Nashville No More. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
David Ferguson’s name frequently comes up when one starts to dig into who is behind Nashville’s most revered recordings of the last 40 years. A Grammy Award-winning recording engineer, studio owner, video game soundtrack composer, and collaborator with the likes of Johnny Cash, John Prine, and Sturgill Simpson, there is one title Ferguson has never been called until now – a recording artist. That is all about to change with his upcoming, star-studded release on Fat Possum Records, Nashville No More. Out September 3, Nashville No More finds Ferguson—better known around town as “Fergie”—exiting the control room and entering the spotlight with a self-produced, ten-song collection that will erase any doubt about his lack of history as the name on the marquee. (Fat Possum Records, 2021)
This is no greenhorn debut album, but a long-marinated and much-awaited reveal of a warm and familiar voice of a generation. Fans were recently treated to the first track from Nashville No More, the sweet fiddle and steel waltz of “Knocking Around Nashville.” The Pat McLaughlin-penned song has swirled around in Ferguson’s mind for a couple of decades now. “I’ve known this song since I recorded the first demo on it in the mid-90s,” he says. After his famed studio, The Butcher Shoppe, closed in 2020 when the entire property was sold, the weight of the song grew in Ferguson. “It just seems to become more relevant with every day that passes.” Fans can hear “Knocking Around Nashville” now at this link and can pre-order or pre-save Nashville No More ahead of its September 3 release right here.
The company Ferguson keeps on Nashville No More speaks much more highly of him than written words in promo materials can. Bluegrass power couple Sierra Hull and Justin Moses lend their voice and instrumental prowess to album closer “Hard Times Come Again No More” and reigning Americana queen Margo Price jumps in on the country-meets-bossa nova feel of “Chardonnay.” But it keeps going beyond those featured tracks—the entirety of Nashville No More’s roster is A-lister after A-lister. Bluegrass fans will easily pick out the playing of Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Béla Fleck, Ronnie McCoury, and Tim O’Brien, to name a few, and the more guitar-minded will catch the six-string picking and strumming of Dan Auerbach, Mark Howard, Billy Sanford, and Kenny Vaughan. Add in Nashville studio greats like Russ Pahl on pedal steel, Sam Bacco on percussion, Mike Rojas on keyboards, and Mike Bub and Dave Roe on bass, and the end result is a mutual admiration society of taste and respect not equaled in most Nashville recordings of today. All of those instruments and all of those people are in turn enveloped by Ferguson’s resonant baritone singing his favorite songs and the results are breathtaking.
Nashville No More Track list: Four Strong Winds Boats to Build Fellow Travelers Nights With You Looking for Rainbows Chardonnay Early Morning Rain Knocking Around Nashville My Autumns Done Come Hard Times Come Again No More
Rising Appalachia channel rush of inspiration on surprise new release The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are stewards for their earth and its peoples as well as musicians. Framing their foundation of traditional American music with West African n’goni and Celtic-Irish fiddle, Rising Appalachia have landed on something that has the potential to grow its own roots, rather than leaning on one particular past—folk music from different corners of the world all working together as one, used as a sharpened tool for cultural and environmental preservation and education. Their most recent album, Leylines, has been a defining record for the sister-led band, garnering praise from a wide swath of critics and solidifying their place in the greater Americana musical movement. (Rising Appalachia, 2021)
BrooklynVegan called “Speak Out,” one of the album’s standout tunes featuring Ani DiFranco, “an appealing dose of fiddle-fueled folk and close harmonies.” NPR praised album closer, “Resilient,” as an “uplifting, original folk anthem” and Rolling Stone called their sound “protest music for the modern age bolstered by delicate, skillful musicianship and otherworldly vocal harmonies.” On May 21, Rising Appalachia surprised fans with the release of The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know, a full-length album of new music dreamt up and recorded simultaneously after having not seen each other in over 10 months. This new collection of nine songs is abstract; a concept album which the band calls “the most dynamic fun we have ever had in the studio.” Rising Appalachia—Leah Song, Chloe Smith, Biko Casini, Arouna Diara, Duncan Wickel, and David Brown—removed themselves from the outcome, let the songs lead, and were rewarded with a gorgeous snapshot of not just the music, but the time and circumstance that forged it. Fans can stream or purchase the entirety of The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know right now at this link.
The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know Track list: Catalyst Ngoni Silver Tempest Lost Girl Top Shelf Clay Keep Going Depth
The Briscoe’s Sculpture Garden at night. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
Summer fun takes on a Hollywood flavor as the Briscoe Western Art Museum showcases the cinematic art and storytelling of the Western. From an actual red carpet, velvet ropes and the unmistakable smell of popcorn to film clips rolling throughout the exhibition, the Briscoe transforms into a 1960s movie theater for its new exhibition, Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western, now at the Briscoe until September 6, 2021. To add even more blockbuster fun to the exhibition, the museum is hosting a stellar line-up of programming and events to further bring the Hollywood Western to life. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)
Summer of Cinema Events Line Up:
Trivia with a Western Twist Wild West Trivia at the Briscoe Friday, June 11, 7p.m. – 9 p.m.
Enjoy a fun night of Western trivia and test your smarts at the Briscoe’s first Wild West Trivia Night. Bring your friends to create a team or join a table of soon-to-be-friends and test your Western smarts. Teams will revel in some friendly competition to score prizes while enjoying food, beer, and wine under the stars in the McNutt Sculpture Garden. Gather your posse, grab margaritas from La Gloria’s margarita truck onsite and see who ends the night still in the saddle, with the top three teams taking home prizes. Participants must be 21 to attend. Tickets are $10 for members, $25 for future members, and include two drink tickets.
Popcorn, Beer and Cinematic Art: Summer Film Series
Perfectly paired with the exhibition, the Briscoe’s popular Summer Film Series returns with an eye toward the West. The Summer Film Series features an iconic film on the third Sunday of each summer month, with Briscoe guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson introducing each movie and explaining how it relates to Still in the Saddle. Nelson, the guest curator of Still in the Saddle, is a historian of American cinema and culture, film programmer, museum curator, and media commentator, as well as the Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah and the author and editor of numerous books and essays on Western cinema.
Each film is free with museum general admission and as always, museum members enjoy the museum and movie for free. Briscoe Summer Cinema passes include three films for $25 or enjoy all five films for $50 and receive an individual museum membership, granting you unlimited access to the Briscoe’s exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Tickets are available online, while Summer Cinema passes are available by calling 210.299.4499.
Father’s Day Special “Little Big Man” Sunday, June 20, 1p.m.
Bring Dad to an afternoon at the movies with a Texas twist: a side of barbecue and whiskey. Father’s Day is Locals Day at the Briscoe, where all Bexar County residents receive half off of general admission. Enjoy the museum and the movie for $6. Treat Dad like a king with a free whiskey tasting from Ranger Creek Whiskey and free Ranger Creek Beer, perfect to wash down the fantastic barbecue onsite. Then enjoy the 1970 classic, “Little Big Man”, the story of Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, telling the tale of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.
“True Grit” Sunday, July 18, 1p.m.
Grab a beer with The Duke and enjoy 1969’s “True Grit”, where John Wayne’s performance as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn earned him an Oscar. Popcorn, candy, and free beer from Ranger Creek, alongside fantastic food truck fare, make it a perfect way to enjoy a classic.
“The Long Riders” Sunday, August 22, 1p.m.
Escape the August heat with an afternoon at the movies with 1980’s “The Long Riders”. Grab your brother and watch real-life brothers portray the Jesse James gang in a sympathetic portrayal of the brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge. Brothers James and Stacy Keach star as Jesse and Frank James; David, Keith and Robert Carradine play Cole, Jim and Bob Younger; Dennis and Randy Quaid play Ed and Clell Miller, and Christopher and Nicholas Guest play Charlie and Bob Ford.
“The Shootist” Sunday, September 5, 1p.m.
Close out the summer with John Wayne in his final film role in 1976’s “The Shootist”. Wayne portrays a dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity. Still in the Saddle closes on Labor Day and this last film of the summer series is a great way for a fantastic exhibition to ride off into the sunset.
Cinematic Books
Briscoe Virtual Book Club: “True Grit” by Charles Portis Tuesday, July 6, 6:30p.m.
The museum’s virtual book club will focus on titles that have become blockbuster movies including “True Grit” by Charles Portis in July, then “Blood Meridian” by Cormack McCarthy in September. There is no charge to participate in the book club.
An oasis of Western beauty just off the River Walk, the McNutt Sculpture Garden and the museum grounds feature 32 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. Inside the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic museum store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online. Per the latest CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests are welcome to enjoy the museum and Jack Guenther Pavilion without a mask. The Briscoe respectfully requests all non-vaccinated guests wear face coverings.
‘Death’s Embrace’ will be available on September 3, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Created in 2014, Malison is reaching the heavy metal community with clean vocals and a unique amalgamation of speed, shred, and harmony. The band released their first, self-titled album via the legendary Combat Records and embarked on a Southwestern tour in support. Since then, they have become a staple of San Diego metal shows and have toured the Pacific Northwest and Midwest. Malison is ready to release their second album featuring a stable and hungry line-up, as well as a new set of thrashing and melodic songs. Malison is Steven Rondina (vocals, bass), Mario Lovio (guitar), Nick Mafi (drums), and Eddie Spade (guitar). The new album ‘Death’s Embrace’ is slated for release September 3, 2021 via Metal Assault Records. (Malison, 2021)
A staple of the Southern California metal scene, Malison takes their compelling talents to new heights with the full length release ofDeath’s Embrace. Recorded at San Diego based Plaudit Studios, pre-orders for the new album will launch on June 11, 2021 along with the premiere of the music video for their lead off track “Reborn.”
Blending together the best elements of traditional heavy metal, thrash, power metal, and neoclassical shred, San Diego, California quartet Malison captures the energy and fury of their live show onto their newest full length studio album, ‘Death’s Embrace.’
Bosch’s seventh and final season will premiere all eight episodes of its final season on Amazon Prime Video. Photo: google
Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction. His works include The New York Times bestsellers, “The Law of Innocence,” “Fair Warning,” and “The Night Fire.” His books, which include the Harry Bosch series, the Lincoln Lawyer series, and the Renée Ballard series, have sold more than eighty million copies worldwide. Connelly is a former newspaper reporter who has won numerous awards for his journalism and his novels. He is the executive producer of Bosch, starring Titus Welliver, and the creator and host of the podcast Murder Book. The seventh and final season of Bosch is set to premiere on Friday June 25, 2021 on Amazon Prime Video. (amazon, 2021)
Bosch is a police procedural streaming television series produced by Amazon Studios and stars Titus Welliver as Los Angeles Police detective Harry Bosch. Harry Bosch is a fictional character created by Michael Connelly. Bosch debuted as the lead character in his 1992 novel “The Black Echo,” the first in a best-selling police procedural series, which now number 21. Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch is a veteran police homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department and was named after the 15th-century Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch. His mother was a prostitute who was murdered when Harry was a young boy and his father was Mickey Haller Sr., a defense attorney known for representing prominent clients. His half-brother is Mickey Haller, a Los Angeles-based defense attorney who made his first appearance in the novel “The Lincoln Lawyer,” which was made into a movie starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller.
In the books, Bosch served in Vietnam, but in the series, he is a veteran of the first Gulf War so that events can happen in the present day time, as they did in the books. I am a huge fan of Michael Connelly’s books and have read most of the Harry Bosch novels. It is always exciting to see a character you come to know and love from books on screen, whether they be movies of a series. I caught most of the first season and it stays close to the books’ storyline; I might even go back and binge them all before the final season premieres.
In conjunction with The Peach Truck’s visit, EVO will offer a Peach Cobbler Milkshake for $8 throughout the month of June. Photo: EVO Entertainment Group, used with permission.
This June, EVO Entertainment Group is ramping up its summer offerings with themed events, new and limited-time menu offerings and more in conjunction with this summer’s newest releases and flashback films. EVO guests can partake in onsite visits by The Peach Truck, celebrate holidays such as National Best Friend Day and Father’s Day with limited-time offers, or join in the fun at late-night and children’s-themed pajama parties. (EVO Entertainment Group, 2021)
June Happenings at EVO
National Best Friend Day: June 8, 2021
On National Best Friday Day (June 8, 2021), EVO Elevate Rewards members can enjoy a one-day, buy one get one free offer on all candy from EVO’s concessions. This is an in-app offer only. Available at all locations.
KidFLIX Summer Movie Clubhouse: Starting June 9, 2021
Kicking off on June 9, 2021 with Lego Movie, guests can enjoy kid-approved films every Wednesday at 10a.m. for just $1. Tickets are available for purchase weekly through August 11, 2021.
Peter Rabbit Kids Pancake Pajama Party: June 12, 2021
In celebration of the release of Peter Rabbit II: The Runaway, EVO Entertainment will host a special children’s pajama party at EVO’s Schertz, Kyle and Belterra Village locations. Participants will have a selection of pancakes to enjoy, as well as themed coloring pages and more. Tickets are on sale online.
Father’s Day at EVO: June 20, 2021
In honor of Father’s Day on June 20, 2021, EVO will offer 25% off pitchers of beer at EVO’s Schertz, Kyle and Springtown locations, as well as 25% off bowling games; discount is valid through in-store and online purchase. Offer is valid on Father’s Day only.
The Peach Truck: June 22, 2021
The Peach Truck is coming back to town. Pickups of peaches and other select items will be available on June 22, 2021 with pre-orders only. Guests interested in ordering for a June 22 pickup must place their order before June 17. Pickups will take place at EVO Kyle from 8:30a.m. to 10a.m. June 22, and from 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. at EVO Schertz on June 22. Anyone who purchases a box of peaches or products from The Peach Truck will receive a complimentary one-hour video game card to redeem at EVO Schertz or EVO Kyle. To place your order, visit The Peach Truck.
In conjunction with The Peach Truck’s visit, EVO will offer a Peach Cobbler Milkshake for $8, available through the end of June at EVO’s Schertz and Kyle locations.
Mean Girls Ladies Night Adult Pajama Party: June 25, 2021
On June 25, 2021, EVO will host a ladies night-themed adult pajama party in conjunction with Flashback Cinema which will feature a showing of Mean Girls. Guests can enjoy a special Adult PJ Party-themed menu, including Loaded Tater Tots, Beef Nachos, Pulled Pork Hot Dog, Adult Grilled Cheese and S’mores. Tickets available online.
EVO Entertainment Group® is an Austin based out-of-home entertainment operator comprised of a number of innovative brands including EVO® Entertainment, EVO® Cinemas, and EVO® Concerts. Since its launch in 2014, EVO® has gained a reputation as a leader in innovation, as well as one of the fastest growing independent cinema circuits in the country. EVO® Entertainment Group currently employs over 1,000 team members and entertains nearly 3 million guests annually.
Buyuchek joins forces with Los Askis on a norteño-Andean version of the beloved cumbia song “Cariñito.” Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Two-time Latin Grammy nominees Buyuchek continue to expand their repertoire and musical influences with the release of their new collaboration with the internationally renowned Los Askis, a norteño-Andean version of the beloved cumbia song “Cariñito.” (Buyuchek, 2021)
On this special occasion, Buyuchek delves into a musical fusion, exploring sounds beyond their typical repertoire and demonstrating that music has no borders. They join Andean–cumbia international Mexican stars Los Askis who blend cumbia with Andean music and pre-Hispanic musical elements.
Founded in 2012, Buyuchek is a norteño band from General Tehran, Mexico that has earned two Latin Grammy nominations (2019 & 2020) for Best Norteño Album. The band has quickly become fan favorites in both Mexico and the U.S. thanks to their collaborations with the 82-year old singer Irma Silva, aka La Abuela. She is both a vocalist and the grandmother of the leader and founder of the band, Jorge Loayzat.
Originally from General Terán, Mexico, La Abuela grew up in poverty and in a male-dominated environment, which made it nearly impossible for her to follow her musical dreams. She spent the majority of her life as a seamstress, always singing along with her radio while working. La Abuela Irma Silva is also the niece of Eugenio Ábrego, accordionist and second voice of the legendary Norteño duet Los Alegres De Terán. The duet is one of the founding fathers of norteño music.
The name Buyuchek is a play on words of the International Büyükçekmece Culture and Art Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, where they performed. Buyuchek and La Abuela Irma Silva released their first collaboration album in 2018, titled Las Canciones de la Abuela. The album was conceived as an 80th birthday gift for Irma Silva and went viral, earning a Latin Grammy nomination and launching La Abuela’s new artistic career. The album’s music videos were filmed at Hacienda El Granjenal, where Irma Silva lived for more than 50 years.
MerleFest, presented by Window World, will take place September 16-19. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce additional performers for MerleFest 2021, which will take place September 16-19 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, Shovels & Rope, Balsam Range, Jim Lauderdale, John Cowan, Peter Rowan’s Free Mexican Air Force with Los Texmaniacs, Amythyst Kiah, Yasmin Williams, and Brittney Spencer will be joining the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These world-class bands and artists will join previously announced performers Tedeschi Trucks (Friday), Melissa Etheridge (Sunday), Mavis Staples (Sunday), LeAnn Rimes (Friday), Sam Bush (Saturday), Donna The Buffalo (all 4 days), Scythian (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances), and The Waybacks (Friday and Saturday). Additional artists scheduled to perform will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets will go on sale Thursday June 10, 2021. More information available online. (IV-PR, 2021)
MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the multi-day event. MerleFest is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects, and other educational needs.
MerleFest, presented by Window World, would also like to remind potential volunteers that the volunteer application period is now open and the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (CASC) is accepting submissions until June 15. Information on all of these can be found online.
Dallas Burrow’s new LP will be out July 23, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
A Texas-born Americana artist rooted in the tradition of his home state’s songwriting heroes, Dallas Burrow built a career on both sides of the Atlantic with his 2019 debut, Southern Wind. Recorded in Nashville, the album reached Number 25 on the UK Americana Chart and Number 4 on the US Alt-Country chart, paving the way for a string of cross-country shows alongside fellow road warriors like Charley Crockett. Dallas Burrow has built his own unique brand of American roots music. It is a sound rooted in folk, shaped by classic country, and heavily influenced by the Texan craftsmen who came before him. On July 23, he will be introducing a new side of himself on record, that of a newly sober man embracing the stability of fatherhood and family life. (IV-PR, 2021)
The full-length, self-titled album, Dallas Burrow, is a collection of songs about maturing and finding one’s path, recorded to two-inch analog tape by producer Bruce Robison and shot through with the rich storytelling, organic Texas twang, and authentic Americana that have all become Burrow’s sonic signature. Last week, Holler premiered the first single from Dallas Burrow, the groovy, slow-burn blues of “Born Down In Texas.” Holler praised the album’s old-school, straight-to-tape recording process, saying, “That live feel crackles throughout Dallas Burrow, which, when thread through Burrow’s singular voice, captures the humidity and haunts of the Texas countryside that formed him.” Fans can hear “Born Down In Texas” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Dallas Burrow ahead of its July release right here.
The result is a 14-song collection of western Americana, sung by Burrow in a voice that bears both the road-worn weariness of a lifelong highwayman and the fierce fire of a man reborn. This is an album about craft and conviction, from the moody western folk of the opening song, “Country Girl,” to the woozily gorgeous closer, “Outlaw Highway.” The latter track features lyrics written long ago by Burrow’s father, whose own songwriting helped lay the brickwork for his son’s career. Album highlights “Easter Sunday,” “American Dream,” and the anthemic “Independence Day” double down on that family theme, with Burrow nodding to his new role as a father and husband. Dallas Burrow is a celebration of fresh starts and new beginnings. Burrow is not cheating death anymore; instead, he is rediscovering a new way to live, with this self-titled album serving as the soundtrack.
Dallas Burrow Track list: Country Girl American Dream Born Down In Texas Easter Sunday Holy Grail Independence Day Look At Us Now My Old Friend The Shadow Father’s Son The Other Side Street Hustler’s Blues River Road Keep On Tryin’ Outlaw Highway
When Burrow is not making records or on the road, he is the owner and proprietor of the newly opened Redbird Listening Room in New Braunfels, Texas; an intimate listening room inspired by places like Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe and Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, TX, where Burrow and countless others cut their teeth.
SA Examiner 