Music Around Town, Tuesday: Laura Cantrell, Handsome Charlies + Ghostland Observatory, Karaoke at the Peacock

· Laura Cantrell performs two nights of her signature blend of country and folk at the Cactus Cafe. Her third album, Humming By The Flowered Vine, finds the Nashville-born singer again exploring themes of heartache, unrequited love and bittersweet nostalgia. "Letters", her cover of an old Lucinda Williams song, is particularly touching. As is "Khaki & Corduroy", which recounts her experience moving to New York and trying to find her way - she further articulates this in her biography:

This one draws from a specific time and place for me personally: New York in the mid-eighties when I first moved here to attend college. It’s really not about anything more than remembering people that you knew in school, little details that stay in your mind about old friends that you don’t see anymore. It’s also about the relationships from that time of your life that are so powerful; and, even though they usually don’t last, their memories are still very strong and will sometimes take you by surprise.

Cantrell will be making a host of appearances around town these next two days:
Tues 11/8 - Austin TX - KGSR-FM - Live on air, 3 PM
Tues 11/8 - Austin TX - Cactus Cafe - with Hayes Carll
Weds 11/9 - Austin TX - KUT-FM - Taped performance, airdate tba
Weds 11/9 - Austin TX - Waterloo Records - in-store performance, 5 PM
Weds 11/9 - Austin TX - Cactus Cafe - with Hayes Carll

· A few genres away and halfway across town, there's the hotly anticipated CD release party for the Handsome Charlies at Emo's. A while back, we got our grubby little hands on Gentlemen Never Tell, their new album put out by local indie label I Eat Records, and it's been in heavy rotation in our car ever since. Crediting a vast assortment of musical influences that includes the Happy Mondays, Radiohead and Prokofiev, the Handsome Charlies play a uniquely visceral mashup of fiesty pop/rock ballads. We should also mention that they're from Sydney, and yes, they have the hot accents to prove it.

Also playing at Emo's tonight are Lord Henry, Ghostland Observatory, and The Unbearables, plus a special set by DJ Erin - in other words, it'll be a night of sweaty, sexy dance-your-ass-off fun.

· And if you're more inclined to be the rockstar yourself, considering heading eastward to the Peacock, where the hilariously named Jarvis A Tablespoonfuls and DT Magee are inaugurating a new weekly Karaoke night. Word of advice: if the scruffy bartender inside absolutely insists on busting out his funktastic dance moves before finally making you a drink, kick 'im in the teeth! Because while admittedly adorable his antics may be, we just hate it when something comes between us and our vodka sodas.

· There is, finally, a free show happening at Church of the Friendly Ghost: Ink, Tacks, The Boy Disaster, Mike Tamburo (NYC), Sparrow House and Fires Were Shot. That's about as much info as we know about it, but the flyers sure look pretty.

Starts at 8pm.