THREE SONGS: AUGUST

Once a month, we like to take a moment and highlight three songs from local bands that have ear wormed their way into our brains. While we normally try to highlight some lesser known Denton bands, August has been a big month for music releases. Below, we take a listen to the likes of Midlake, Bad Sports and Botany. Read on for weekend tunes!

Which long standing Denton band is regarded as the most revered? Has any sort of committee decided this yet? We’re not sure if it’s supposed to be Midlake, Brave Combo or The Baptist Generals. Either way, “Antiphon” is Midlake's first foray back without longtime vocalist Tim Smith.

We remember once hearing Denton elder statesman Dave Sims discuss the state of Denton music in 2010, explaining that post Denton’s folk-explosion, the current trend was to find a a sound of a certain era and to finetune said sound to the point of perfection. Midlake has a history of doing just that. Sometimes it works in their favor. Other times, it doesn’t. Their last album divided many American critics right down the middle (those unshaved Europeans seem to think the ‘Lake can do no wrong). That said, Midlake has long been drastically changing their sound in between albums. The Trials of Van Occupanther was mutually agreed upon to be the best Fleetwood Mac album since Tusk. The Courage of Others from 2010, had Midlake evoking a different 70's sound with shades of Neil Young shining through.

The album release dates above show just how meticulous Midlake can be. They take their darn sweet time in between albums, fine tuning everything and hanging out in their studio. It pays off with “Antiphon.” With the departure of Tim Smith, Eric Pulido has taken on vocal duties. The change might not be noticeable to many listeners. The vocal harmonies carry the song throughout, but they eventually get the spotlight stolen by drummer McKenzie Smith’s ramshackle swing throughout the tune. While psychedelia is yet another new guise for Midlake to squeeze themselves into, we find it to suit them well.

Speaking of finding a dormant sound and reviving it well, local ne'er-do-wells, Bad Sports, seem to be doing pretty well in the national music scene lately. Spin is currently streaming their new album in it’s entirety and they’ve had tracks highlighted on both Pitchfork and MTV.com.

The trio has infiltrated the punk scene of DFW and pretty much dominated it for about half a decade now. We remember watching them tear apart a couch at some Dallas Observer show at least four years ago. Since then, they’ve gone on to join the likes of Marked Men, Mind Spiders and other North Texas punk royalty on the excellent Dirtnap Records out of the Pacific Northwest. This might be their crowning year, with their forthcoming album, Bras, looming on the masses.

Most of Bras finds Bad Sports sporting their garage rock moniker well, but this album shows quite a bit of growth. Some songs show hints of the Stones while some even remind us of AC/DC. As with Midlake above, we're once more finding an older sound and aping it to the point of perfection.

Above you’ll find “Get You,” the first track off of their upcoming album and a song which MTV calls this summer’s punk rock answer to Robin Thicke’s "Blurred Lines." We’d be hard-pressed to disagree. This tune is tight and focused, with guitar licks and hooks aplenty. Both tunes sound vaguely threatening to women, too. How did that become this summer's theme? 

While we still bemoan the quiet fading away of Denton band, Sleep Whale, we’re happy to see that they acted as somewhat of a launch pad (maybe raised bed garden?) for several other entities that are still creating great tunes in the same vein. In June, we applauded the recent work of Paul North who was a part of that clan. This month, we’re highlighting a song from Botany, the brain child of vicarious Dentonite, Spencer Stephenson. After Sleep Whale, Stephenson gained some good cred through his work under the Abacus moniker. We’re not sure exactly what precipitated the name change - Botany’s sound isn’t far from what we heard with Abacus, but we’ll take these tunes however we can get them.

Anchor starts out sounding a little like a Tycho song, however, once the song finds it’s foothold (which happens about :45 into it), it becomes a beast of a different nature. The song certainly leaves you wanting to listen to the rest of the album.

MR FARRIS GOES TO CITY HALL: AUGUST

The Hive will be aiming to 'blend better' with it's surroundings and adopt a sign similar to the Victoria Station sign across the street. 

While it may still be pretty darn hot out, it seems that the summer is winding down and this sweet city of ours is gearing up for the arrival of students old and new. Luckily for us, our very own Mr. Farris has been hiding out in City Hall air conditioning, staying cool, eating donuts and keeping up with the goings-on of fair Denton. 

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We know it's beating a dead horse y'all - but back in angled parking is a super hot topic. The city has asked the engineers to look at cities that have tried out back in angled parking and then reversed it. What would it cost if we wanted to revert back to normal parking again because some people can't handle steep slopes, or just backing up in general? We guess it's a good thing to know why some cities have reversed their decision to have back in angled parking. We certainly don't want to waste a ton of time and money on something we won't be happy with a year later. 

The Hive, the future larger scale venue of former 35 Denton director Kyle LaValley has been granted funding for the facade of the building. So where you'll eventually be lined up waiting to getting in with your will-call tickets, you'll be standing underneath a sign that should be sort of matching the Victoria Station Apartments sign - so they can blend into the neighborhood. Fun fact: one of the partners of the Hive, Melissa Northern, is the former mayor of Flower Mound. 

Speaking of facade updates, we've sort of complained in the past about the insane orange color that went in over Beth Marie's and Mad World Records. This is why: the guys over at Atomic Candy just updated the paint on their building and it looks fabulous. It blends in well, the colors look great, and the paint job seems flawless. Take note folks. This is what a good paint job looks like. Get with it. 

On the subject of signs, Subway still hasn't changed their sign. From what we understand, it is still going to be switched. We just don't know when. At least all of the weary travelers can find themselves a five dollar foot long without trying to hard though, right? 

Don't worry kids! 7-11 is not - we repeat - not going in on the square. Well, not for now anyways. They were in talks to occupy the Radio Center Building on Hickory.  Apparently the building they were trying to go in has floors that couldn't support the Slurpee machines, the coolers to hold the Monster drinks and the taquito heating mechanisms. The cost of ripping up and replacing the floor just didn't make sense for those corporate dollars. Apparently those Slurpee machines are really heavy. Who knew? We're not complaining. Now, rumor has it that a very mysterious but very high end restaurant will be occupying the space instead. We'll believe it when we see it. 

It is not only the year of the themed restaurant, but also of the shabby chic store. Shop the Barn has opened next to Banter, a very long and winding store full of shabby chic, found furniture and antique wares. We are liking the selection over the Mini-Mall for sure, and we highly recommend taking a gander onto the back porch and picking up a tractor stool or two. Speaking of shabby chic, Boyd Girls/Vintedge (formerly on Oak between Recycled and Oak St. Drafthouse) has closed shop and leaves us wondering what will happen to that amazing green house right there on Oak. What are your predictions? 

The DCTA will be naming the Downtown Denton A-Train station after Eulene Brock, one of the former mayors of Denton. We're a pretty big fan of Eulene, she's done some mighty fine things for Denton, and are thrilled that she'll be honored in such a monumental way. 

BACK IN THE DAY: THE PRAIRIE MATCH MYSTERY

CA Williams

Boy howdy, summertime in Texas can get hotter’n Hades back-forty, as any neighbor can tell the uninitiated. Even though we’re currently enjoying pretty tolerable evenings, Denton has a history forged in disastrous fires on the Courthouse Square (which nearly or partially burned down more than a dozen times in its early frontier days). One of those blazes played a dramatic role in the 1860 “Texas Troubles," sparking secession with the Civil War Confederacy. This may have turned out quite differently had folks listened to the detective work of one of Denton’s founding fathers, Charles Alexander Williams.

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As a remote frontier outpost, the township of Denton consisted of split-rail log structures that an errant spark could quickly whip into an apocalyptic tinderbox. Pioneer Charles Alexander Williams, who moved to Texas from his Arkansas Territory birthplace in 1852 and auctioned the original town lots in January of 1857 as sheriff, knew a thing or two about the hazardous necessities of fire on the frontier. Williams had been among the Old Alton founders who ceremoniously burned the prior courthouse in a celebratory bonfire when the county seat relocated, he owned his own dry goods store, and as County Sheriff he was often the investigator of frequent fire outbreaks. That was the case when an epically devastating fire on the Denton Square helped spark the notorious Texas Slave Panic of 1860, which most historians agree would play a decisive role in Texas joining the Pro-Slavery South, only two short years after Texans had elected Houston and several other pro-Union candidates to office.

Its hard to overstate the intense political tensions within Texas in the years leading up to the Civil War. The explosive national debates over slavery were made worse by the relentless drought and crop-withering heat wave that scorched the South that summer with temperatures over 100 degrees. That prior October, John Brown’s slave insurrection on a Harper’s Ferry armory in Virginia had narrowly failed, leading some Texas towns like Dallas to expel traveling abolitionist preachers from the sweltering state whose population by then was 30% slaves. It was July 8th of 1860 when all hell broke loose, as a sudden morning fire quickly engulfed downtown Dallas, leaping from one dry wooden building to the next until it had destroyed most of its business district. That same day, near-simultaneous fires razed a store in Pilot Point and devoured the west side of Denton. Starting in Smoot’s Dry Goods on the southwest corner of Denton’s downtown square, fire quickly spread to adjacent buildings and ignited 25 kegs of gunpowder in a gargantuan explosion that showered down burning debris. News travelled pretty slowly in those days, but the story spread like political wildfire as it was discovered that similar fires had occurred in several other towns that very same day. It was the excitable editor of the burned-down Dallas Herald, pro-seccessionist Charles Pryor, who sent letters to numerous political connections and other newspaper editors insisting that these fires were a coordinated pro-abolitionist conspiracy to lead a violent state-wide slave uprising. “Each county in Northern Texas has a supervisor in the person of a white man” with “each county laid off into districts under the sub-agents of this villain,” Pryor detailed from his unidentified sources and without a shred of evidence; “Poisoning was to be added” against slave owners and their wives, and “the young and handsome women to be parceled out amongst these infamous scoundrels.” 

Long, Williams & Co. storefront 1900-ish

Predictably, here’s where things became ugly as hysteria turned to terror. Soon, newspapers, politicians, and partisan newsletters were fanning fearful suspicions into a full-blown public panic. By July 31, The Houston Weekly Telegraph crowed “an outraged country demands the blood of the murderers… Let the whole people organize for protection and vengeance!” Before the end of the summer, an epidemic of Texas fires in several counties and towns were being attributed to this slave insurrection conspiracy as paranoia created investigatory “vigilance committees” in every community in the state. Countless slaves were whipped or tortured by their slaveowners into confessing names as rumors wildly circulated, and a flurry of vigilante lynchings were meted out on mere suspicion alone of abolitionist sentiments. The Gainesville Hangings are still today barely discussed in polite company since the mob justice of kangaroo juries killed as many white unionist neighbors as “guilty” slaves, and few likely recall how the decomposing bones of a lynched anti-slavery minister were displayed on downtown Ft. Worth rooftops as a macabre warning of any who would oppose their new law forbidding public discussion of any possible causes for these fires other than abolitionist arson. Despite Governor Sam Houston’s pleas for reason from citizens and accusations of political demagoguery by his seccessionist opposition, Texas voted to seceed from the United States in March of 1861 to join the Confederate South.

Williams' theory on the Prairie Match fires - and early Denton County Sheriffs 

But what were those alternate explanations for the fires? Denton County Sheriff C.A. Williams duly investigated the terrible fire and concluded that arson was not likely. Most Dentonians were at a Sunday religious meeting when the fire broke out but, when some early responders arrived to form a bucket brigade, the abandoned storefronts were curiously still locked tight (There’s actually a dispatch from Otis Welch praising the women of Denton who bravely prevented further destruction as most menfolk were tending their ranches!). Williams also learned from a colleague in nearby Lebanon that several Collin County residents had actually witnessed a fire spontaneously start near a storefront window display of “Prairie Matches,” a newfangled phosphorus-tipped and hard-to-extinguish fire-starter that was being stocked in these same dry goods stores where most fires originated. With this corroborating data echoed from several other more level-headed investigations into the record-breaking 110’ heat, and with a MacGuyver-like curiosity for the truth, this Sherlock Holmes of Denton conducted a few experiments with the matches in his own dry goods store and discovered that indirect heat was indeed sufficient to ignite a Prairie Match. Williams later recalled to the Denton Chronicle in May 1894, “there is no doubt in my mind but what the fires were all caused from the matches exploding by reason of the extremely hot weather.” Case closed, right? Unfortunately, as the mass hysteria took hold of conspiracy-minded Texans beyond dissuasion, proponents of Williams’ “Prairie Match hypothesis” were dismissively accused of being unpatriotic abolitionist sympathizers, or worse… ended up at the end of a lynch rope. Still today, historians hotly debate how or whether the Prairie Match Mystery might have changed the role of Texas in the Civil War, even as it offers somber if timely lessons for our own troubled times of contemporary political terror.

The Williams Family Store (now the storefront of Barefoot Athletics) 

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Back In The Day is an ongoing contribution from Shaun Treat. Treat is an assistant professor in Communication Studies at the University of North Texas and founder of the Denton Haunts  historical ghost tour. He has written about numerous local places of note and various large personalities on the Denton Haunts blog. In addition, Treat says he is forever indebted to the work of the fine folks of the Denton County Historical Commission and local keepers of history such as Mike Cochran and Laura Douglas at the Emily Fowler Library for their tireless work in helping preserve Denton’s intriguing past.

LYRIC LEAK: SHINY AROUND THE EDGES

Interview by Harlin Anderson, Photo by Stanton Stephens  

photo by Stanton Stephens 

We recently sat down with urban planning expert and general man-about-town, Michael Seman, to discuss his band, Shiny Around the Edges, specifically their haunting song, Robinwood Must Burn. Between finishing his doctoral studies, contributing to The Atlantic: Cities, and his work at the Center for Economic Development and Research, Seman is a very busy man, so we were understandably thrilled at the chance to chat with him about one of Denton’s most unsettling rock songs.

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This song has a decidedly mysterious, sinister feel to it. Are we dealing with something supernatural – or some vile charlatan?

The song is somewhat based on a short story one of my classmates wrote while I was participating in fiction workshops at UCLA. She was the wife of a Japanese businessmen who was “stationed” in Los Angeles while working his way up the ladder in Japan. She perfectly captured living in Palos Verdes – a wealthy enclave of Los Angeles that in some ways never left the mid-60’s – and playing bridge with her “friends,” who were the wives of other businessmen in the same situation. The wives operated on a very strict, sometimes brutal social hierarchy. The story was a pitch-perfect rendering of what happens when a microcosm of forced friendships meets ambition, manipulation, and free time. If you are a fiction writer, it was one of those rare times in a workshop when everyone just sits there and basically tells the writer, do whatever it takes to keep writing… you’ve pretty much got it figured out. Unfortunately, she left the class shortly thereafter because her husband was transferred back to Japan. I somehow lost the story in moving and have no idea whatever happened in her life after that. The song is part of a cycle I wrote concerning Denton, which is mostly on our album Denton’s Dreaming. When we first moved here, we were living in a horrible house on Robinwood that we rented sight unseen. Not the best place to be sorting though the experience of moving from Los Angeles to Denton, which is a fairly stark transition. I was having… and still do… very vivid dreams of Los Angeles – the “presence” in the song. I often thought about that story and the ocean, surfing, the canyons, the hills, the lush vegetation that enveloped our neighborhood, etc… while at the same time making really great new friends in Denton. The song is a direct product of that time.

We’re fascinated by the stanza: “spoon bending, afternoon, sub atomic, landslide lips.” It feels very Soviet Union. What can you tell us about it? 

You are correct about the USSR influence. That line references espionage and research into mind control techniques and ESP during the cold war, all of which is now detailed in a new documentary focusing on Uri Geller; bridge is often played in the afternoon; and some may find another’s lips the start of a landslide they can’t see or quite escape.

“Robinwood Must Burn” is so full of vivid imagery, it begs the question: What makes a great song – inescapable imagery or a good story?

Ideally… both. For example, I’ve listened to Neil Young’s “Thrasher” for years enjoying the imagery until Sean Kirkpatrick of Nervous Curtains pointed out to me that the song is a scathing critique of Neil’s time spent in CSN&Y; now I appreciate it on two levels. One of my all-time favorite songs is “Midnight” by Ice-T. It tells the story of a car chase through the streets of Los Angeles with a thick geographic specificity that envelops the listener as if watching it on the screen. All songs operate on multiple levels, it is just in how or if the writer chooses to reveal those levels.

With an ever evolving – and exceptionally talented – lineup, how does Shiny go about the process of crafting songs to fit each new album?

The songwriting process has generally remained the same in every permutation of the band. Jen or I will bring a song to practice pretty much fully formed structurally and then the others will find their place in it. Why this has worked for so many years is that A) we only involve friends whose artistic vision we are already fans of, and B) the caliber of those artists is so incredibly high that we implicitly trust the choices they will make and give them absolute freedom to do so – wise advice from Brave Combo’s Jeffrey Barnes. We have played with saxophonist Mike Forbes the longest and he is not only a great player but helps with arranging as well. You can hear his influence on The Night is a Disco compared to Holy Roller, which explored a different direction courtesy of Ed and Josh who went on to join Neon Indian and Justin from Geistheistler and Notes from Underground.

How do you get into the mindset to write something so damn eeire? It’s so unlike the personalities that make up Shiny.

It never occurs to me that things I write are eerie or dark until someone mentions it. For example, the song, “Queen of Sonoma,” also from Denton’s Dreaming has the line, “Drain my glass… insects in my hair.” More than once someone has remarked how unsettling that is, but if you’ve spent any time in places like Minnesota or Pennsylvania where there are these really annoying little black flies that are like big, aggressive gnats, you’ll know that in the summer time at dusk it is not uncommon to have insects in your hair after a friendly croquet match and a round of cocktails.

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Robinwood Must Burn 

One who burns petals
Up on the cliffs
With the women
Year of the Ram

Sign language 
Covered by the waves
Whispered warnings
Setting in the sun

There is a presence here

Spoon bending
Afternoon
Sub atomic 
Landslide lips

One who burns petals
Up on the cliffs
With the women
Year of the Ram

There is a presence here

Liar liar liar

Liar liar liar

We hope every Dentonite should get the chance to share a cold beverage with Michael Seman at some point and converse on an array of topics ranging from New Balance shoes and classic hip hop to college football and the wonders of bright orange pants. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon, or wind down a night after a mind-blowing Shiny Around the Edges show. If you haven’t experienced either, your social life may need an adjustment. 

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Harlin Anderson is the underground BBQ champion of Denton, Texas. When he's not digging through crates of vinyl at Recycled Books or Mad World Records, he can be found manning the smoker on the back patio at Dan's Silver Leaf - or wherever there are hungry musicians. His lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three furry children: Earl, Jake, and Nanette the Pocket Beagle. He prefers to stay comfortably within the Denton city limits at all times.

MR. FARRIS GOES TO CITY HALL: JULY

The new rooftop patio going up on what will soon be the home of Lone Star Attitude. 

Denton has had new restaurants either under construction or opening left and right constantly for the past few months. We're loving all of the new concepts and menu ideas people keep coming up with and bringing to town. Whether its a new food truck or a tequila bar, we're just happy to see new businesses opening their doors, adding to the tax base and giving us more options for Friday nights. 

Of course, there is more than just new food happening in Denton County currently, and, thankfully, our very own Glen Farris has been nursing his meeting addiction to make sure you've got the 4-1-1 on what's happening around town. 

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The East Hickory Street Parking Plan is about to be underway. From Locust to Bell we'll be dealing with the joys of construction for several months. The good news is that all of the water and sewer has already been buried east of Bell. The bad news, though, is that the construction will still take at least six months to complete. Over that six months, we'll see street closures, detours, blocked off parking, messed up sidewalks, orange cones and plenty of barricades all over the place. Thankfully, it won't be in vain. The renovations will add tons of parking downtown, pedestrian-scale lighting, wider sidewalks, crosswalks across Hickory, park benches and some drought tolerant landscaping with rain collection and water storage to break up the concrete jungle of the parking lots. Start practicing your parking in reverse now folks (think South Congress in Austin). Once the construction clears, you'll have plenty of places to park on E. Hickory, but it will all be back-in-angled parking, so make sure your rearview mirror is in good, working condition. 

Speaking of things happening around the square, the giant bluebonnet clad trash compactors are getting a little makeover. Instead of generic scenes of the Texas prairie, we'll have a few more localized, artsy images for you to admire when you throw away your orange and brown Jupiter House cups. 

Remember when we talked about Lone Star Attitude adding a roof top patio, the old building next to Travelstead getting a new roof, and the forthcoming East Side Social Club getting an awesome patio? Well, it's all happening right now, folks. So, be careful to watch where you walk when you're strolling downtown, there are cranes overhead and they're carrying heavy stuff. 

After all of the hullabaloo in June, the Subway sign went through much of July unchanged.  Subway however, has in fact opened their doors to little fanfare or petitioning (at least from what we saw). We hear the new sign will be going up shortly. So if you're craving a $5 foot long, or just feel like you'd like to 'eat fresh' - you'll now have the chance to do so on the square. You also have the choice not to, and to instead choose to grab lunch from one of the many other restaurants on the square that serve up super fresh sammies. Have you tried Smiling Moose yet? 

 We've been awaiting it's opening for months, and after much trial and trepidation, Mulberry St. Cantina is finally open. While they had a few scheduling mishaps during their first week open, it's looking like a surefire place to hit up, post-work. Make sure to stop by (if you haven't already) and try one of their muy excelente tequilas on their cobra tap or one of the Mezcal Mules as you work on your horrible Spanish this weekend.  

Goldmine BBQ opened their doors at the beginning of the month. We stopped by and tried a few things. We'll do so again and hope to have a review in the future. Have you stopped by yet? What did you think?  

Coming soon is Last Drop Tavern and Irish Boozer. Guys, get ready. It's the year of the themed restaurant. Last Drop, we heard you were announcing a soft launch in early August. We'll be keeping up with your Facebook page for confirmation, but expect to see us there. We're ready to try out your wood-fired pizzas and old English style pub fare. 

All of that pizza and booze making you feel a little bloated? Don't worry. Twisted Bodies Pilates has joined the downtown family. So pack on the pounds now, and burn it all off by employing the newest fitness studio in Denton. Denton, does our blog look fat? 

3 SONGS: JULY

It looks as if we’re bringing out Denton’s heavy-hitters for the July rendition of 3 Songs. Not only do we have a new Sarah Jaffe tune (fresh off her score for a recent Pixar short), but we also have music from the likes of one of Paste Magazine’s Best New Bands of 2011. Oh, and a band called Grammar that most of us had never heard about, too. Read on!

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Sarah Jaffe - Defense

In the past few weeks, Sarah Jaffe has been releasing new songs like crazy. Aside from Defense above (and on Spin.com), the single, Satire, was featured on USA Today. Defense remains our favorite of the two.

Is Jaffe even considered “Denton” anymore, though? Last we heard, homegirl lives in Dallas now and we haven’t seen her scooter illegally parked in front of Recycled in a long time. She does still have that cool haircut, though (Jaffe did it first, Ms. Cyrus). That plus the fact that this song was produced by Midlake’s drummer and longtime Denton-mainstay McKenzie Smith make us think that it’s best to still claim her as “one of us” and give Defense a pass as local.

We’ve come a long way since Jaffe’s early folk rock balladry that gained her primetime fame and nods from musicians such as Norah Jones. This new single is far from any of the songs we heard on Even Born Again. While many folks were left scratching their heads when Jaffe went electric with The Body Wins, the album was arguably still great. That said, it does look as if we are finally coming out of Jaffe’s Chris Gaines phase. A few elements seem to have stuck around. A slinky synthesizer, plenty of guitar noodling and a penchant for room ambiance are evident throughout Defense.

It’s difficult to really critique this song on the same level we’re judging other local songs. It’s arguably a great tune and we’re sure to listen to it plenty of times, but at the same time we do feel that sense of nostalgia for the sad, witty Jaffe of yesteryear. She does still have that haircut, though, so what’re ya gonna do?

If you were wondering what happened to Jaffe’s earnestness, Seryn might have absorbed it. Don’t click play above if you don’t want to feel introspective. These precious, bearded fellas (and lady) are pretty rooted in expressing their emotions.

Ivory Black, the first we’ve heard from their upcoming album (the first in two years) is much more mellow than much of Seryn’s previous work, and that works in it’s favor. We’ve lost the tantric-sex factor that made the all-chorus We Will All Be Changed a mainstay on KXT, but retained the harmony-filled “Whoooa” and “Whoooa-oohhh’s” that are so difficult to ignore.

Slide guitar, St. David’s-level reverb and rhythm that sounds like it came out of a Hawaiian drum circle might sound like odd bedfellows, but they all work together pretty well here. Our interests are definitely piqued for the upcoming album.

The first few minutes of this organ-laden second single from local weirdos, Grammar had us wondering if the hippies of Brightblack Morning Light had reunited under a new moniker in Denton, but then the arpeggios and overly-enunciated Thom Yorke vocals hit and we knew this was a different kind of beast altogether.

Grammar have apparently been playing together for the past few years, but have only recently started releasing music and we applaud whatever type of alcohol or social lubricant fueled that decision because we’re digging this. José meanders in and out of your speakers unexpectedly, riffing on an idea of a song with vague lyrics and pitter-pattering drums for a few minutes before blowing the entire thing out of the water with all sorts of flourishes of arpeggios and that great looped drum sample. 

DIME FEATURED ARTIST: CASSIE ARNOLD

Once a month, we partner up with Denton's local, handmade goods shop, DIME, to highlight an artist that is carried in their store. This month, we're chatting with Cassie Arnold about both her fun items for sale in the DIME store and her fine art work that she has on display in various art shows and galleries. Make sure to check out The DIME Store on South Locust, and read on to hear all about this month's featured artist.

The One with the Red Balloon

For this month’s DIME featured maker, we caught up with Cassie Arnold and her eclectic collection of found-object art. The DIME Store carries Cassie’s line of inventive fiber “creatures”, but this girl has so much more up her sleeve. Read on to learn about her handmade critters, unusual assemblages, and how she balances her two feet in the two sides of the art world: craft and fine art.

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Mr. Kitty 

What all kinds of work do you make?

From found object assemblages to hand knitted fibers, I dabble in a little bit of everything! I love the challenge of exploring new materials, and there’s nothing more thrilling for me than deciding whether I will work with clay, found objects, acrylic, or fibers for my next body of work. Storytelling is a key feature in my art, so whatever medium best narrates my experience at that time is what I use.

What draws you to the types of materials you use?

I’m a believer in second chances, so naturally I am drawn to all things rusted and worn. There’s something magical about breathing life into objects that would normally have been forgotten. I like to think of myself as a collector of “things,” and I love waiting for just the right moment when I can reuse an item and make it shine in a work of art.

What originally drew you to the overall "handmade" community?

I grew up in a big family full of writers, artists, needle workers, and avid crafters. By the age of five, sewing on a button was as natural as tying my shoes. I thank my mother for my love of creating because it was her who first taught me how to craft and sew. As an adult, I am not only drawn to handmade items but also the person who made it. I love hearing their story, learning where they came from, and discovering how they perfected their craft.

Miss Foxy 

What do you love about the fine art community?

That last word…COMMUNITY! I love being surrounded by unique, crazy, enthusiastic people who are lovers of life and art! It’s refreshing living in Denton where people not only respect the arts but support it as well.

How do you balance having one foot in the handmade market and one in the fine art market?

To be honest, I’m not quite sure I’ve found balance just yet! One day I wake up as, “Cassie Arnold: artist and sculptor,” and the next I’m transformed into a crafter, wanting to create something handmade for the sake of creation itself. The art world can be tricky. People tend to look at you funny when you say that you are an artist while knitting a baby sweater. “Handmade” is who I am at my core. It’s what originally got me curious about the arts and is the reason why I give support and have such respect for local people making and creating.

How did you become involved with DIME?                                      

I heard through the grapevine about a lovely new space in Denton that supported local artists and crafters. Naturally I was intrigued, so my husband, my new baby and I stopped by one night to check it out. I instantly fell in love with the space and the curators. The DIME store is warm and cozy. It’s a space that invites you in like a best friend’s home and inspires you to rush back to your own home and create. After one talk with Miss Rachel, she investigated my work and invited me to be a part of their handmade “home.”

How does the Dallas art/handmade scene differ from the one in Denton?

To be honest, they are a lot alike. Both are all about endorsing local artists, promoting the arts, and bringing awareness to the community about the importance of supporting the handmade. Despite its size though, Denton keeps the small town feel that makes it easier to connect with the community and other artists in the area.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists who are looking to start a business or become an active part of the Denton creative community?

Don’t be scared to put yourself out there! Rejection is part of the job and being turned away doesn’t mean that your creations aren’t meaningful or special. I promise that even the most unique, unusual and creative works will find their perfect space eventually as long as you’re willing to take risks and be patient.

The collection series 

Simple Love'n (her) 

You can purchase Cassie Arnold's handmade fiber works (i.e. dolls and knitted pieces) at the Dime store or from her Etsy page. Her fine art pieces can be purchased at the Artisan's Collective in Dallas' Bishop Arts District or at local area art shows such as the Art Festival in Deep Ellum.

BACK IN THE DAY: THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Back In The Day is an ongoing contribution from Shaun Treat. Treat is an assistant professor in Communication Studies at the University of North Texas and founder of the Denton Haunts  historical ghost tour. He has written about numerous local places of note and various large personalities on the Denton Haunts blog. In addition, Treat says he is forever indebted to the work of the fine folks of the Denton County Historical Commission and local keepers of history such as Mike Cochran and Laura Douglas at the Emily Fowler Library for their tireless work in helping preserve Denton’s intriguing past.

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Facebook Francophiles may have mentioned that Bastille Day is upon us, but most of us are more likely to regard the Spanish and German influences as more distinctly Texas than the French. However, that wasn’t always the case and, if things had worked out a little differently in 1848, today’s Denton might’ve ended up eating a lot more escargot than barbeque if the French colony of New Icaria had lived up to its utopian promise.

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Before we jump into the French Icarians, first a bit of trivia to pull outta your hat for pals. Didja know that the territory comprising Denton County has been under six different national flags?! Yep, our favorite stomping grounds have at different times been part of Spain, France, Mexico, The Republic of Texas, the Confederate States, and of course the United States (twice). How’s that for political diversity? The French connection goes even deeper, since France was the first country to recognize the independent Republic of Texas between 1836-45 with an 1839 international Franco-Texan treaty and an official diplomatic attaché, Mounsieur Alphonse Dubois de Saligny, stationed in Austin. Not only that, but Texas had an embassy in Paris from 1842-1845 (as well as London), which you can still visit today at the Hôtel de Vendôme. Yeah, this lil’ tidbit blew our minds on our recent walkabout of Paris.

Yes, you can still visit the Texas Embassy in London. It's real. Look it up. 

Word has it, however, that the French ambassador to Texas didn’t hang around that much after a particularly close encounter with a Comanche arrow during one of the regular conflicts with disgruntled indigenous locals, but not every Frenchman was deterred. As teased by beloved Denton historian Mike Cochran, an 1848 settlement of French utopians briefly colonized an area near present-day Justin in Denton County until things badly broke sideways for our croissant-eating cousins. The French journalist, author, and visionary Communist rabble-rouser Etienne Cabet had amassed a huge following after publishing an 1839 novel, Voyage en Icarie, which set forth his concepts of utopian communalism in the years following the bloody French Revolution. With a fan base in the tens of thousands, Cabet aimed to make an actual go of such a utopian society of political and economic equality in the wild Texas frontier - at a decidedly non-Socialist pricetag of 600 francs per settler.

The French Icarians excitedly depart to create utopia…

Negotiating a contract with the Peter Land Company for 10,240 acres near Denton and Oliver creeks, a group of around 69 colonists traveled to establish their utopia christened New Icaria, a far cry from the 20,000 solicited and million predicted by beloved leader Cabet from the comfort of his French chalet. These grumbling Icarians who arrived in February of 1848 must’ve smelled the snake oil once they showed up to find a checkerboard of unconnected smaller lots, difficult water access, and an unrealistic five-month timetable through summer to actually build the required living cabins to maintain the land agreement. Still, these plucky idealists rolled up their sleeves to bravely make a go of it as Cabet repeatedly promised 1,500 reinforcements to be imminent, and while Murphy’s Law then kicked-in like a vengeful ex-girlfriend. Not only was the rocky terrain completely unsuitable for cultivation, and they lacked the necessary equipment and livestock to harvest enough food, but within only a few months 12 colonists were dead and the rest incapacitated by malaria. Five then left the New Icaria colony before mid-summer reinforcements arrived, ten sick and immediately disillusioned Icarians, far short of the promised 1,500 so by the winter of 1848 the ragtag group of sickly utopians straggled out of Texas to rethink things in New Orleans over mint julips. When their fearless leader Cabet rolled into the Big Easy with 450 fresh recruits in January 1849, having high-tailed it from France after being thoroughly discredited and with more than a few folks maybe wanting to burn his house down in the second revolution, there was a rowdy squabble undoubtably laced with French profanity before 200 dystopians threw up their hands and returned to home soil. We hear tell some of Cabet’s remaining Icarian faithful ended up in Illinois or Iowa, which let’s be honest is its own punishment.

…and the Icarian ragamuffins limp out of Texas muttering a few choice words.

So what does this little tale tell us about those frontier pioneers and settlers of Denton who stuck it out to forge enduring communities in the Texas wilderness, despite constant challenges of crop-withering drought or fire, constant warfare with angry Native American raiding parties, and sparse resources that required more’n a little generous hospitality from neighbors? Well, aside from Texans being tougher’n bootleather and harder to kill than a bee-stung rattlesnake, maybe the lesson is that Denton’s cooperative “creative class” is no new development but instead a characteristic built into our community DNA. Still, a nice French restaurant wouldn’t be a bad idea.

MONTH IN REVIEW - JUNE

The new pedestrian bridge over Loop 288 opened up in June. 

We spent a lot of the beginning of the month talking about our friends over at DIME, and with good reason. Not only did they have another of their bi-annual Etsy Denton bazaars at the Greater Denton Arts Council building, but we also got a few words in with co-owner and operator, Shelley Vaughn. While there, we also managed to snag one of Mandy Cave's wonderful watercolor paintings of Denton. You can grab one at the DIME store Monday through Saturday.

Around the beginning of June, we got a visual harbinger that Subway was coming to the square in the way of a neon green and yellow sign on the Texas Building. We showed it to you guys and not only did we find out that our little blog has its fair share of trolls, but also that y’all had a lot to say about corporations and sandwiches. So much so, in fact, that the owners of the building decided to replace the sign. Most of y’all were still pissed by Subway’s mere existence on the square. We’re less than a month away from their planned opening date, so we’ll wait to see everything goes down. 

While y’all were busy yelling about that, we also found out that there’s apparently a class 3 firearms (read: machine guns and silencers) dealer that resides on Hickory St. across from Rusty Taco. While you may see a sign that says, “Storrie Parachute Works,” know that that is only a portion of the business that goes on in that building. So let’s try to keep the people who happen to be really upset about Subway opening on the square off of Hickory St.

That said, Rusty Taco opened in June and was almost immediately packed. Sadly, Rusty Fenton, the creator of Rusty Taco passed away from kidney cancer last week.  

With the help of local economic advisor and avid cranberry juice drinker, Mike Seman, and always-awesome Julie Glover, we also uncovered the mystery behind the “Bear’s Den” sign over by Siam Off the Square. The spot was owned by songwriter Clint Ballard Jr. who died back in 2008. He apparently hung out there and drank beer with his buddies. That’s probably what we would do, too, if we had written hit songs for The Zombies and The Hollies and owned a building.

We heard conflicting rumors about Tim Love’s new Queenie’s steakhouse doing “wonderfully” and that business has been going "very poorly.” While it’s probably still too early to tell, we sure noticed the gigantic red and white “NOW OPEN” sign on the front of the building. We’re also still waiting on Mr. Love to invite us over for that interview we set up with his managers back in March. While we’re on the subject, Love did just close down the TCU location of his Love Shack burger restaurant, leaving one last shack standing.

The pedestrian bridge over Loop 288 finally opened, and we ran 6 miles (3 there and 3 back) to check it out. Have y'all taken the newly extended trail for a spin yet?  

In addition, we checked out a bike safety course for kids, got the inside scoop on the forthcoming Goldmine BBQ, recommended some kid-friendly summer plans, shared some new songs from local bands, got pumped for another new DIY space (this time for musicians), talked to the folks behind Spiderweb Salon, and learned oh-so-much from Shaun Treat about the history of Quakertown Park. 

July should be an interesting month. The 4th of July celebration will be at Apogee Stadium this year, we'll see a couple of new businesses opening up and plenty of good shows abound. What are you looking forward to in July?