If Buckner’s voice were a wine, it would be heavy with oak, and his instrumentation is also undeniably gnarled with country fundamentals, cutting a swath following the simplest path the way a river does. And yet, his vocals resonate with a shimmering, almost phosphorescent quality that rises above the workaday flesh of the very songs they narrate. more ›

Photos from Richard Buckner's performance Monday night at Mohawk. Photos by Rich Merritt If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Brief Austin resident and alt-country namesake Richard Buckner has had a career as tumultuous as it has been consistently rewarding. Making his mark with the appropriately-titled debut Bloomed in 1994, Buckner has outlived many of his No Depression-era singer-songwriter contemporaries, whose projects have either splintered, broken up, or just puttered out. After fruitful collaborations with like-minded musicians like Chicago stalwarts David Grubbs and John McEntire and a difficult spate with MCA records (who summarily... more ›

FRIDAY [30] music • The Skeletons at South Austin Speedshop (7pm) fashion/music • Couture de Amore with fashions by Loves, Mariessa; Stiletto Gold; Sea and Enemies; Amy Kline (Jewelry), and Clap!Clap!, Golden Bear, Haunting Oboe Music, The Valentines at The Parish Room ($10) music • Video/CD release for "The Projeckt" at Latitude 30 music • Bluebonnet Blues Festival, benefitting Historic Main Street Association of Marble Falls, at Marble Falls music • 3rd Annual Global... more ›

Seattle's Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter drew raves in alt.country circles for their 2004 album Oh, My Girl. They opened gigs for similar artists like Neko Case and Richard Buckner and seemed to have found a niche. That made listening to Sykes' newest Barsuk album Life, Love, Lust & The Open Halls Of The Soul awfully surprising. The twang is mostly gone, replaced by grittier singing, a dark but loose vibe reminiscent of... more ›

Fans of the indie-rock will find much to like in the latest concert update. Flying V lovers My Morning Jacket, the willfully obtuse Fiery Furnaces, and alt.country godfather Jay Farrar have each been added to Austin's fall music schedule. As we've mentioned, the sheer volume of shows is unprecedented, so get out and enjoy the fact that every band you like is coming to town in the next two months. Thanks as always to... more ›

As Elvis Costello might say, we just don't know where to begin. Even if you are skipping ACL, the fall is turning into a music wonderland. Acts of every genre and size are booking Austin's clubs up like there's no tomorrow, leaving music lovers with many questions on how to spend both time and cash this fall. Trust us, you can't see it all, so pick your favorites and buy tickets in advance to... more ›

MONDAY [1] [music] Islands, Why?, Cadence Weapon, Wilderneess, Year Future, Parts & Labor at Emo's (info) [art] Opening reception for hovel jumbles, with works by Paul Gigliotti at End of an Ear (Free, 6pm) (info) [music] Richard Buckner with Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices) at Cactus Café ($12, 8pm) (info) [film] The Boys of Baraka at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (info) [film] The Wild Angels at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm , $1) (info) [film] Anime Movie Monday... more ›