Recommended

edited by Raoul Hernandez

ALL STIFF JAWBREAKERS

Emo's, Friday 10 -- Sunday 12

Three consecutive nights of bands who hit all facets of this reinvented animal known as "punk." Friday, Philadelphia's Stiffs, Inc., go straight for the Buzzcocks with that positively ska bounce, while All, on Saturday, tear like hardcore rabid dogs, trying to burn the whole joint down. Finally, Sunday brings S.F.'s Jawbreaker (seen above), who are finally receiving some well-deserved recognition with their DGC debut Dear You, where the punk ethos informs the melancholy pop that lies in the shadow of guitars and reverb. Barking as openers are their label mates, That Dog, who snap kinda Letters to Cleo-ish.

S.F. SEALS, FIVE-EIGHT

Electric Lounge, Friday 10

While Polly Jean Harvey and those Hobokenites in Yo La Tengo get all the press for their post-Feminist electro-folk stylings, S.F.'s Barbara Manning is still squeezing every drop of melody from her acoustic and wringing that estrogen-enhanced emotional quirkiness from her S.F. Seals. The result is a slice of Matador heaven in the guise of Truth Walks in Sleep Shadows, and a rare tour for a high priestess of the movement. Louisiana's answer to Hüsker Dü, Five-Eight, open.

DEL, CASUAL, PEP LOVE

Catfish Station, Friday 10

Hot on the heels of the packed Souls of Mischief show comes another hefty Heiroglyphics entourage. This one is comprised of both veterans (Del and Casual are major label artists), and younger members on the come-up (Pep Love and DJ Biz have added flavor to almost every Heiroglyphics record to date, and did extensive work for the Extra Prolific record). This crew goes way back so they know how to blow up a spot. As the fountain of Heiro's initial flow, Del has, of late, made albums with his cousin Ice Cube's Street Knowledge Productions, shifting back to a more microphone, turntable-oriented free-style, with his posse of Bay Area lyrical talent.

-- Ben Plimpton

BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO

Antone's, Friday 10 & Saturday 11

If you missed Steve Riley at La Zona Rosa because of low temperatures or Bob Dylan, let Buckwheat Zydeco remind you how it's done to a squeezebox during hot Cajun madness. Two nights of swamp music and the swamp's Antone's.

CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY ORCHESTRA

Waterloo Ice House 6th, Saturday 11

Sensational new talent, blower Ephraim Owens and beater Brannen Temple, combine forces with sensational veteran talent in Tina Marsh, John Mills, and Martin Banks for another rally of the Endangered Music Society. Austin Jazz at its pinnacle.

LEGENDARY PINK DOTS

Back Room, Saturday 11

Like a BÖC gig at Sneakers, hard to know how many original members you're getting these days, but if it's even a couple of the original Dots, this could be good. Dutch industrial-goth Syd Barrett wannabes, the Legendary Pink Dots were once the weirdness of the day (early Eighties). And now? Good question. Necrofix open.

SCHWAGGERT

Hole in the Wall, Monday 13

By Monday night the Cowboys and 49ers will have already squared off, but Frank, Al, and Dan will be calling yet another football game, which will have the regulars over at the Hole hootin' and hollerin'. Afterwards, the groovemeisters in Schwaggert start rockin' rootsy and eliciting some hootin' and hollerin' of their own for a little ol' band from Austin that's getting national attention for their backwoods, tavern sound.

BRUCE ROBISON, MOONSHINE WILLY

Continental Club, Wednesday 15

One of a handful of bands who stood out on Bloodshot Records' hell raisin' CD comp Insurgent Country Vol. 1, Chicago's Moonshine Willy are just that; insurgent country. Sounding much like Seattle's Picketts, the Willies are a twin fiddle band with jitterbugging rhythms, unisex hillbilly harmonies, and swing, baby. They're in the insurgent country town; let's see how they fare. Bruce Robison proxies for the aforementioned local scene. Heroes of the West open.

DANCE HALL CRASHERS

Electric Lounge, Thursday 16

First thing that strikes me about the Dance Hall Crashers bouncy little Lockjaw record is that it was mixed by Jerry Finn, who mixed Dookie, produced Pennywise and Rancid, and is currently at work on the Magneto record. Second thing is how this Berkeley sextet sounds like a punk version of Moonshine Willy (see above) or a ska version of Southern Culture and the B-52s. Major-label punk boys Waterdog support and New Orleans hard-alt rockers Lump open.

RUBBERBULLET, PORK

Flamingo Cantina, Thursday 16

Led by Beth Clardy and manned at the guns by two guitarists, Dallas' Rubberbullet are a moody L7, and an interesting match with the ladies of Pork and their ever-louder, tighter crunch. Openers Tallboy, meanwhile, are just a bunch of pissed-off guys that'll kick you just because you're looking at 'em. ALSO PLAYING

Friday: Wayne the Train, Teisco Del Rey, Flipnotics; Blues Traveler, G. Love (Austin Music Hall -- two nights)

Saturday: Horsies, Catie Curtis, Cactus Cafe

Sunday: Sixteen Deluxe, Hole in the Wall

Monday: Sarah Elizabeth Campbell, Artz

Tuesday: Voodoo Glow Skulls, Liberty Lunch; Tab Benoit, White Rabbit; Rugburns, Electric Lounge

Wednesday: Maryann Price, Elephant Room

Thursday: Fugazi! Liberty Lunch