Cover Story
The Next Fun Fearless Female Rock Star
Austin’s now generation comes of age in Suzanna Choffel
Mack Attack
Last (or at least largest) words on BCS controversy written in the sky
Governor KBH?
Texas senator sets up exploratory committee for 2010 elections
Credit on Tap
Local water utility improves bond status
The Lineup
Recommended music for the week of December 5-11
Dunbar Strikes Again
Board of Education member has book out attacking public education
Luxe, Yet Practical
Giving toiletries for the holidays
808 Heartbreaks
Kanye West’s latest is lukewarm
New Photo Gallery!
The Chrontourage photo gallery gets a facelift!
Aztex Ally With Rayados of Monterrey
Austin Aztex form an alliance with a Mexican first division team, and more
Prop 8: The Musical
Allies rally around a musical cause (and Jesus)
Not The Same Ol’ Ho Ho Ho: Round Two
More Christmas discs to slip
Combs on Waste-Cutting
Comptroller says, take care of the pennies, and the multi-billion dollar budget takes care of itself
Britney Watch ’08
Fame is wasted on the famous.
Hopson Holds On
Jacksonville House Dem increases margin slightly in recount
Cops Say Legalize It
New report from drug-reform cops with the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition says the time is right to legalize — and regulate — drugs
Mortal Music
Tom Moon has some recordings he would like you to listen to
UPDATE Ghost of a Chad
Recounts and court cases proceeding in last two House races
Nobel Son
In this dark comedy, Alan Rickman plays an egocentric chemist, who makes life even more miserable for his family once he wins the Nobel Prize and his son is kidnapped.
It’s a Family Affair
Sharing Thanksgiving with relatives at Texas Stadium one last time
Holiday Dessert Contest Winners Recipes Revealed
Two winners of Faraday’s Holiday Dessert Contest share their winning recipes
On the Frontera
Puppies, South Padre, and more from the front
Texas Gets ‘Stooped’: Look It Up!
Stoop (verb): to be beaten by a lesser opponent due to a bureaucratic decision
Burning Down the Ags: Is It Ever Enough?
Thanksgiving = turkey, then football, then shopping
Improv for Evil
‘You’re a loose cannon, Cochise!’
The Hightower Report
Monsanto’s Latest Biotech Miracle; and Spread the Wealth, Rebuild America
Texas Platters
San Saba County … Though Cheating Was Never an Option (Wagonmaker) Austin’s finally given birth to the who’s next on its songwriter roots trail paved by kitchen-sink bands such as Shearwater, Okkervil River, and Li’l Cap’n Travis. With its third disc, … Though Cheating Was Never an Option, San Saba County takes a giant step…
Texas Platters
Matthew Ballard Midnight Drive Matthew Ballard’s second disc features Austin’s A-list sessionistas, and as they always do, Redd Volkaert, Cindy Cashdollar, Paul Pearcy, and Eleanor Whitmore improve everything they touch. Unfortunately, try as he might, Ballard can’t help but sound like a second-rate version of Charlie Robison. The only bright spot, “A Day Off,” finds…
Austin on Broadway: More Shooting Stars Than Ever
There have never been as many Austinites in Broadway shows as there are now
Go Go Gadget
The season’s best tech toys
Texas Platters
Jason Boland & the Stragglers Comal County Blue (Apex) Jason Boland’s had his share of struggles, from a severe battle with the bottle to his recent vocal surgery, so when he sings of a rough, raw hope on songs like “Bottle by My Bed,” it cuts deep with genuine experience. The Okie turned Texan’s fifth…
APD Scores Low on Police Lineup Procedures
The Justice Project cites police department shortcomings when it comes to eyewitness identification of suspects
Twilight
One is human and the other’s vampire: What’s a pair of young soulmates to do?
Arthouse Emergency Relief Fund: Giving More Than Thanks
Help Arthouse help artists unable to make art owing to a health crisis or disaster
Out of the Dustbin, Onto the Web
The Texas Archive of the Moving Image launches a new preservation initiative
Texas Platters
Exclamation Love; Don’t Be Shy; Velvet Sky; My Barn Having Burned, I Can Now See the Moon
Darwinists Attack!
The State Board of Education doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘separation of church and state’
Australia
Baz Luhrmann teams with fellow Aussies Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman for this romantic action-adventure epic.
The Common Law
Child support – How Much Will I Pay?
Film News
The Texas Motion Picture Alliance pushes an ambitious new incentives bill, to be sponsored by Rep. Dawnna Dukes
Texas Platters
By Any Means Necessary, Baron Grod, [Firelung]
AISD Finance Chief Heads to Dallas
Larry Throm jumps out of the frying pan and into the fire
Four Christmases
From the director of the hit documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters comes this holiday-themed romantic comedy that stars Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn. Opens Wednesday.
After A Fashion
Your Style Avatar finds a pirate photographer in the boudoir
TV Eye
Jack Bauer’s back, and, boy, is TV Eye glad
Texas Platters
Lucas Hudgins The World Left Is Mine (Texas Jamboree) Honky-tonk can’t shuffle anymore effectively than it does behind Lucas Hudgins. The local songwriter’s sophomore album is as authentic as they come, dripping regret with each beer and turn around the dance floor. Hudgins’ voice is the main draw, deep and trembling and so smooth as…
School Boundaries: Please All, Please None
Another map emerges in building enrollment for new middle school
Transporter 3
Jason Statham returns for the third venture in this action series, which is surprisingly better than you might expect.
Event Menu
Nov. 27-29
Arts Review
Different Stages has fun with Shaw’s dissection of the institution of marriage
Texas Platters
Volume One: Texas Rock, Blues & Folk; Volume Two: Texas Country & Americana
ECT Envisions the Legislative Session
Will the Lege grant more regional planning authority to local communities this time around?
Fear(s) of the Dark
This French anthology of six short animated films, which are thematically linked by their dark tonalities and stirrings of dread, has greater appeal for animation buffs than horror hounds.
Food-o-File
The Chronicle archives are historical snapshots, Faraday’s announces Holiday Baking Contest winners, and more
Arts Review
A.R. Gurney’s play about a man and his dog is fun but makes a mess of its message
Texas Platters
Paul Minor The Marfa Project (Minor Productions) For his second solo album, local everyman Paul Minor headed to Marfa with a satchel full of melancholy turns of phrase and a brood of musical all-stars, including Marfa City Council member and El Orbits frontman David Beebe on drums. Minor tries on an array of voices over…
Reefer Madness: The DEA’s Dopiness
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is blocking North Dakota farmers’ right to grow industrial hemp
The Dukes
Character actor Robert Davi directs and co-stars with Chazz Palmintieri in this movie about a former doo-wop group that tries to recapture its glory days.
Coconut Bliss
Skip the sugar crash and dairy congestion, and head for the frozen treats aisle for Coconut Bliss
Arts Review
A hearty mix of Central Europe-inspired music with transcendent violin work
Texas Platters
Jonathan Terrell Trials and Stimulations Born and bred in the East Texas town of Longview, Jonathan Terrell seemingly has roots music in his blood. Trials and Stimulations may be only his second effort, but its 14 songs span a lifetime of stories well told. Taking his cues from the likes of Townes Van Zandt and…
Not in My Graveyard: RAMP vs. Covenant Presbyterian
One woman’s battle with a church to preserve a Central Austin cemetery
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
This celebratory documentary skips briskly over the 60-plus-year career of one of jazz’s pre-eminent and most original singers.
Liquid Assets
Thanksgiving is one of the best times of the year for wine-and-food pairing
Day Trips
J P Seven Christmas Trees is known for being a good distance out in the country and for having wonderfully fragrant and thick trees
Texas Platters
Will T. Massey Wayward Lady Creating a political album of lasting impression is an exercise in balance, disgust, and defiance, vitriol and honesty existing in equal measure. While Massey certainly has plenty to protest with Wayward Lady, he largely subscribes to a policy of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Effectively stark with subtle…
The Cable Channel Shell-Game Shuffle
The FCC is investigating Time Warner; African-American weekday news anchors are few and far between
Clash of the Titans:
These two long-lasting treats make a comeback
Gay Place
Send Barack Obama a postcard!
Texas Platters
Cruiserweight Big Bold Letters (Doghouse) Local heroes Cruiserweight struggle with the challenge that’s faced posicore and emo bands for two decades now: how to indulge in sentimentality without coming off corny. Here, Cruiserweight’s strategy is to swing for the fences on the chorus, and they homer twice, with the crushing hooks of “Distraction” and “You…
Playing Through
UT’s Destinee Hooker is a dominating force on the volleyball court
Fruitcake
One light version, one dark
Off the Record
Facing charges by the estate of Don Walser, three local music entities declare bankruptcy even as Julian Koster spreads holiday cheer
Texas Platters
Todd Snider Peace Queer (Aimless) Todd Snider’s a misfit’s kind of misfit, and like his previous disc, The Devil You Know, his latest eight-song offering cuts biting satire into the truly poignant. “Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)” talks blues couplets over George Michael’s rhythm, and “Stuck on the Corner (Prelude to a Heart…
Point Austin: Giving Thanks
In a dark time, among us walk ordinary heroes
Mincemeat
Give this amazing, ambrosial concoction a chance
Getting Small
Austin’s Red Fly Studio puts things into perspective
Texas Platters
Caroline Casey & the Stringslingers This Broken Crown (El Toro) With her first album since the Casey Sisters’ Crazy Spree in 2002, Caroline Casey unloads juke-joint gold in her solo debut, like Loretta Lynn at her sassiest. “Blazin’ a Champagne Trail,” “Little Pink Mack,” and “Caffeine, Nicotine” roll with raucous twang, while “Used Wedding Rings”…
City Hall Hustle: Singing From the Hymnal
Library and music advocates still looking for official harmony
Sustainable Biodiesel: Made in Austin
How two guys are putting Austin on the biodiesel map � again
Making Mushrooms Dance
Gl33k’s audio geeks sound off on Mushroom Men
Texas Platters
Roy Heinrich All Night All Day (3H) Plying roadhouse rousers and pure Texas honky-tonk, Heinrich’s rough Cash-like bass drawl and sense of humor are thoroughly bred in the barroom. “Drama Queen” and “Too Much Whiskey” pack wry, bottom-of-the-bottle wisdom balanced by the political kick of “The American Wall” and “Yesterday’s News.” “Twenty Thousand Reasons” and…
Headlines
• Former Attorney General Jim Mattox, “the people’s lawyer,” passed away in his sleep last week. Mattox lay in state Monday at the Texas Capitol; funeral services were held Tuesday morning at the First Baptist Church Downtown. • Rhoda Mae Kerr has been confirmed as the Austin Fire Department’s first female chief. Ironically, the Austin…
Go Ahead – Judge a Book by Its Cover
Coffeetable books
Algae: Slime to the Rescue
A lot of folks are hoping a slimy green superhero called algae will emerge from its murky lagoon to help us defeat the dual threats of oil dependency and climate change. Many believe algae is the next-generation biofuel with the best potential to offset oil consumption, especially of heavy oils such as diesel and jet…
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Bagels from Egypt, beer bottles for Buddhists, and more
Texas Platters
The Dedringers Sweetheart of the Neighborhood (Dedcrow) Though the title puns the Byrds, the Dedringers’ debut LP opens with the Rolling Stones’ bruisin’ influence of “Sideman’s Blues.” The quartet rips a number of roots styles, crafting epic narratives that run through gritty Wilco-esque pop (“Tonight,” “Institution”), soft ballads (“Heart of Gold,” “Seven Days and Seven…
Naked City
News briefs from Austin, the region, and beyond
Video: Tuesday Night Biodiesel Meet-up
All kinds of Austinites are getting into biodiesel, and Dan Mottola’s short video, “Tuesday Night Biodiesel Meet-up,” introduces just a few them, including a Yellow Cab driver running his Jetta on biodiesel, a retiree fueling his Isuzu Coupe with straight vegetable oil, and a young dad using both biodiesel and waste veggie oil to run…
Texas Platters
KGSR Broadcasts
Texas Platters
Freddie Steady’s Wild Country Ten Dollar Gun (SteadyBoy) Freddie Krc’s take on country is predictably eclectic. Though moments such as “Times Are Getting Tough” and “Ballad of Clovis Morose” are hilariously twanging, Krc takes his primary cues from the Sir Douglas Quartet’s Brit-flavored Tex-Mex (“What’s So Hard About Love”) and Elvis Costello’s spin on Americana…
Res Publica
Give thanks, and do good: Nov. 27-Dec. 4
Beyond the Frame
Curator Elizabeth Dunbar likes art that punches through the gallery walls
Biodiesel: Frequently Asked Questions
What is biodiesel? Biodiesel is diesel fuel made from waste and virgin vegetable oils like soy, canola, cottonseed, and sunflower, as well as rendered animal fat – all chemically processed to be usable in unmodified diesel engines. How is biodiesel made? Biodiesel is produced through a refinery process called “transesterification,” which involves a reaction between…
Texas Platters
Ben Mallott Look Good, Feel Good Ben Mallott’s pearl snaps and patterned cowboy boots on the cover of his debut LP are a bit misleading. Although he’s backed at times by some solid steel and gently chugging rhythms, the Austinite’s propelled by his impressively soulful vocals. Opener “Heartbreaks” showcases an impressively subtle range, and though…
Texas Platters
George Ensle Build a Bridge (Berkalin) George Ensle calls himself a song painter, an apt enough characterization of his mood-set pieces and deft strokes of masterful picking. “Walkin’ Tall” opens on an infectiously easy back-porch ditty, matched by the loping “Circuit Preacher” and beautiful “Coming Back Around,” but Ensle also evokes darker hues with “Second…
Page Two: Lost in Space
Marking time with seasonal ghosts
Luv Doc Recommends: ‘JCVD’ Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving. What an awesome opportunity to sabotage the Rockwellian preconceptions of family and friends. If you’re full of loathing at the thought of this year’s Turkey Day being another endless, boring, bloated, recliner-bound football watching fart fest, don’t despair. You just need an attitude adjustment. You need to get on the right side of Thanksgiving.…
