Most Popular
-
Doctors vs. Parents: Who Decides Right to Life?
Following surgery, Sabrina Martin's condition went south. And then, her family says, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital set about arranging for her demise.
-
Cleaning Up Foreclosed Homes After the Mortgage Crisis
Junk haulers expand their business in the wake of evictees leaving behind houses in terrible condition
-
Mental Anguish at Texas West Oaks Hospital
Go to this private psychiatric facility, and you might be helped. Or you might be shut in a room all alone and end up like Amanda, with a broken arm. Or dead.
-
Do You Have Multiple Personality Disorder?
Years after Sybil, the debate continues
-
Doña Rosita’s Jalapeno Kitchen and “Perspectivas: A Window into Their World”
A one-woman show and an art exhibit share the spotlight as part of the 2008 Texas Sor Juana Festival
-
Doctors vs. Parents: Who Decides Right to Life? (10)
Following surgery, Sabrina Martin's condition went south. And then, her family says, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital set about arranging for her demise.
-
Do You Have Multiple Personality Disorder? (7)
Years after Sybil, the debate continues
-
Mental Anguish at Texas West Oaks Hospital (7)
Go to this private psychiatric facility, and you might be helped. Or you might be shut in a room all alone and end up like Amanda, with a broken arm. Or dead.
-
Sitting Down with La Porte's Buxton (13)
-
Are You Hot Enough for Citizen Lounge? (18)
All This Useless Beauty
-
Sgt. Pepper at Discovery Green
-
The Houston International Festival Is Upon Us
-
Larry McMurtry and Willie Nelson in Houston
-
Last Concert Café
Hippie wolves haunt and howl at the former whorehouse
-
Pam Robinson Fights Back
-
It’s Time to Grow Up, I Think
09:54AM 05/14/08 -
Reverberations: Phenomenauts and Black Angels
10:54AM 05/14/08 -
Astros-Giants: Big Puma Takes It Easy, Only Gets One Hit
09:31AM 05/14/08 -
$13 at Café Rabelais in Rice Village
09:39AM 05/14/08
What we are writing about
- Altar Boyz
- Backroom at the Mink
- Cactus Music
- Chantal Akerman
- Continental Club
- Cuban immigrants
- Erykah Badu
- Frozen
- Houston art
- Houston local music
- Houston music stores
- Houston theater
- McGonigel's Mucky Duck
- Meridian
- Ornament as Art:...
- PlayStation
- Proletariat
- Roger Clemens
- Rudyard's
- Sig's Lagoon
- Sound Exchange
- southwest Houston
- Sugar Bean Sisters
- The Menil Collection
- There Will Be Blood
- Vinal Edge Records
- Walter's on Washington
- Warehouse Live
- Wii
- Young and Fertle
Recent Articles By Bob Ruggiero
-
Discovery Green Family Day
Downtown’s newest park opens today
-
Young Guns Amateur Cage Fighting
Real fighters bleed real blood in this no-holds-barred showdown
-
McCoy Tyner Trio
-
The Black Crowes: Warpaint
-
Shell Houston Open
Ready to hit some balls?
National Features
-
The Pitch
We (Heart) Matt
The Shawnee Mission East class of '08 loves its gay homecoming king.
By Jen Chen -
Broward-Palm Beach New Times
Things That Go Bump on the Flight
Something went horribly wrong on American Airlines Flight 48--and we've got the pictures to prove it.
By Ed Newton -
Seattle Weekly
Being Gary Busey
Everybody thinks Jeff Swanson is somebody famous. And he does nothing to dissuade them of the notion.
By Aimee Curl -
Cleveland Scene
The Artful Dodger
Women loved Zachary Coleman. And he loved their money.
By Lisa Rab
-
Marcia seems to be having something less than a ball here.
Details:
Subject(s): Howling Coyote, Peace, Love & BBQ, Marcia Ball
A stalwart specialist in Gulf Coast blues/R&B/zydeco, Marcia Ball is already familiar to Texas audiences for her clear-toned vocals and pounding piano — the imaginary musical daughter of Irma Thomas and Professor Longhair. And though she rarely deviates from her formula of mixing let-the-good-times-roll romps with plaintively romantic torch songs, she usually finds strength in that combination. Her music has long been a soundtrack for a lifestyle.
Still, this latest collection is a definite step down from recent efforts like Presumed Innocent and So Many Rivers for that very same reason: Marcia Ball is flirting — even dry-humping — with blandness. From the generic sounds and cookie cutter lyrics of "Party Town" (an affectionate if trite tribute to N'awlins), to the slow-paced tent revival tale of "Miracle in Knoxville," to the maudlin hurricane remembrance of "Ride It Out," it's just not Ball at her best. Even a duet with Dr. John on "I'll Never Be Free" sounds like the good physician of voodoo gris-gris is about to fall asleep. (Even by his occasionally narcoleptic standards.)
Not that there are no bright spots — the second-line feel and sax/guitar greatness of "Watermelon Time," the character sketch "Right Back In It" and the emotional ballad "Falling Back in Love With You" are all highlights. Unfortunately, Peace, Love & BBQ finds a Texas favorite in a bit of a creative rut, though most of her faithful fans won't necessarily know the difference. Time for that Freda & the Firedogs reunion album!
