The last day of January 2013 saw the David Thomas Jones "Comfort Creatures EP" release party form up at Holy Mountain, where Scan Hopper started it off right with a blazingly-good (albeit admittedly unrehearsed) set.

The tough task of following up that jam was left to uber-gigged Les RAV, who obliged (and then some) with Lauren Bruno's matchless vocal chops; backed, improbably, by harp and violin.

David Thomas Jones played bass during these sets, but now shifted to center stage for this, the main attraction, with his Watch Out For Rockets crew.

At which point the alluded-to Cosmic Intervention took place, with his guitar alternately screeching sweet rock goodness and going insanely mute.

You would think that frustration would rule the day - Turns out Jones' car gave up the ghost on the way to the show, thus confirming suspicions that Other Forces were working mischief - but Jones soldiered on, abiding in true Dudeist fashion, whipping his unruly guitar into submission whilest belting out his numbers with conviction.

All in all, put another notch on the David Thomas Jones belt - Fighting cosmic intervention for the sake of rock. And coming out on top, with an excellent show.

Release 1 - Creationists are having a full-on coming out party for their latest release, Ἁγία Σοφία, this Saturday, 1/26/13, at Trailer Space Records.  To be escorted by Dikes of Holland, Coma in Algiers, and Kingdom of Suicide Lovers.  Need more details??  Go here

Release 2 - David Thomas Jones is throwing down a release party for "Comfort Creatures" (which we called "...arguably, the best indie alt rock record of 2012.") at Holy Mountain next Thursday, 1/31/13.  To be accompanied by the three bands he performs with, Watch Out For Rockets, Les Rav, and Scan Hopper, with End Wave ending the soiree.  And as an added treat, the Austin Chapter of Dudeism will be abiding at a priest ordainment booth.  Or not.  More details here.

Catch - From the "You mighta missed this one" department - Perennial local favorites The Sour Notes went on tour last year, and all we got was this sweet mini-documentary.  Check it out:

Then they re-issued "Last Looks" and made a new music video for the title track.  Nice:

So with another week of Christmas standards left to endure and, if you're like us, they're starting to become wearisome.  It's not too soon to want something new, Christmas-music-wise, is it?

Will "relatively new" do?  Released in '10, Watch Out For Rocket's "13 Days of Christmas", like the holiday it professes to celebrate, stands the test of time, growing better with age.  A genre variety pack of 13 pop-rock numbers from the prolific David Thomas Jones, done up in lofi style for your season celebratory pleasure.  From the hard-rockin' ("13 Days of Christmas", "Hey Now (Merry Christmas)", "Fly Reindeer Fly" ) to the jazz-ish ("Hey Mr. Snowman"), the psychedelic ("Eggnog N Incense"), the pop ("Drummer Girl", "Upsidedown Xmas Tree", "Merry Christmas Baby"), and even a touch of acoustic folk-ish ("Santa quit yer foolin' around"); nothing says Holiday Cheer quite like this collection.  

Before you go out on that sleigh ride, snatch up your favorite holiday beverage and give "13 Days" a spin.

I realize how much of a hipster this is going to make me sound like, but David Thomas Jones is the best new indie act off the block and he hasn’t even released an album yet. I know, I KNOW. But Jones’ new single “Our Lives” and his wide accretion of musical projects is well worth the premature praise and, more importantly, your time. While being the front man for the immensely entertaining and immensely lo-fi band Watch Out For Rockets, Jones has played drums for The Murdocks, played bass for Scan Hopper, and is currently co-producing Les Rav’s fourth record. Such a hardworking and talented individual should not go unnoticed. His new single sounds like The Talking Heads mixed with The Drums - if only David Byrne weren’t so disappointed with humanity in general. Its rhythm is energetic and the backup vocals are charming to say the least. Jones has shown that the typical indie dance song doesn’t have to be maddeningly unintelligent. - Taylor Browne