GOURDS AND MILES

Tony Peyser
Mirror contributing writer
  
   Gary Jules’ haunting “Mad World” is a cover of a 1982 Tears For Fears song from the 2001 soundtrack of the stylish indie film, Donnie Darko. In a twist of fate as stunning as some events in that movie, “Mad World” has become the #1 single in England. This proves long shots do come in and you never know what might happen to people I rave about in this column.
   Imagine The Band but with a Lone Star, knucklehead sense of humor. That describes The Gourds. Growin’ A Beard is a series of songs they did for a quirky and unusual documentary short about a beard-growing contest in Shamrock, Texas. This tiny town of around 2,000 is 60 miles from Austin, years away from its heyday and decades from the hubbub of modern life. The Gourds’ tracks are a sweet brew of rootsy and Irish sounds. (My wife called it Tex-Mick.) In addition to the soundtrack, you also get the documentary itself, which is like a segment from an early Errol Morris film. The Gourds do a melancholy cover of “Get Your Kicks On Route 66” which plays as director Mike Woolf takes his camera though some rundown parts of Shamrock. Not a lot of kicks left here but it’s a perfect match of music and film.
   The Brothers Figaro Orchestra’s Old Time Christmas got to me too late to be included on my suggested list for holiday albums but it’s still worth mentioning. Bill Bonk and Phil Parlapiano are session men who’ve played with folks like Aimee Mann and Susannah Hoffs. They’ve made an old school holiday album as if FDR was still having fireside chats in The White House. It’s so good you shouldn’t just play in December.
   Glamour Puss is a blues band from Canada who remind me of The Fabulous Thunder-birds from Austin. “Kitty Kitty” serves up a lively R&B groove and the deep, descending guitars on “Hollow Man” felt like Little Charlie & The Nightcats. “Maman Don’t Play No Zydeco” shows how The Great White North can musically co-exist with the Deep South. And Glamour Puss’ incendiary version of John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” proves that this decade-old band is just hitting their stride.
   Life Doesn’t Rhyme’s 20 Miles comes courtesy of Judah Bauer, the longtime guitarist for the Jon Spencer Explosion. If you like new school, no-nonsense rockers like The Black Keys and don’t change the dial when an old Stones song comes on your radio, this puppy has your name on it.
   Miles Of Music has Growin’ A Beard for $16.99. Amazon has Old Time Christmas for $14.99, Wire & Wood for 16.98 and 20 Miles for $15.98.
   *On Jan. 14, Eleni Mandell is at Spaceland. On Jan. 17, Carlos Guitarlos and Marcy Levy are at Harvelle’s. On Jan. 19, Rick Shea and Patty Booker are at The Cinema Bar and on the 20th at Crazy’s Jack’s.
   *In honor of Pete Rose, The Goofy Band Name Of The Week is … Compulsive Gamblers.