Each Friday, we bring you reviews of 10 recently released CDs done in 10 words each:

Steve Morse Band Out Standing In Their Field — Dixie Dregs/Deep Purple guitarist releases entirely instrumental solo work.

Self-Evident Endings — Minneapolis trio sounds like Fugazi meets math rock… not bad.

Kill Paradise The Second Effect — Electropop duo creates… it’s more crap with too much Autotune.

Switchfoot Hello Hurricane — San Diego rock quintet releases its seventh full-length album. (At Amos’ Southend on Dec. 3.)

Jerry Douglas Jerry Christmas — Mostly instrumental album has traditional songs played on the dobro. (At Neighborhood Theatre on Dec. 6.)

The Sons of Hercules A Different Kind of Ugly — Texas garage rockers bring forth plenty of raw punk energy.

Snowbyrd Diosdado — A couple new ones, but mostly unreleased, genre-defying tracks.

Picture Me Broken Dearest, I’m So Sorry — Screamo rock EP by teenagers fronted by Gregg Allman’s daughter.

Kam Moye Splitting Image — Artist formerly known as Supastition releases album under new name.

The Penelope(s) Priceless Concrete Echoes — French electropop duo combines indie and techno…kinda gothic too.

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Here’s a list of the winners from last night’s Awards show:

Lifetime Achievement Awards — James Foxx, James McGill
Special Recognition — Al Gardner, NC Music Hall of Fame, Jared Stamey, Jody Sullivan, Julia Dixon
World Music Artist — Tsunami Wave Riders
Blues Showcase – Donna Duncan
Country Showcase – Jeff Luckadoo
R&B Showcase – Ida Divine
Hip Hip Showcase – McKeve
Breakout Band – Lyra Shines
Gospel Showcase – The Jones Brothers
Rock Band – Simplified
Jazz Band – Groove Masters
Female Vocalist – Julia Bullock (Lyra Shines)
Male Vocalist – Clee Laster (Simplified)
Music Publication – The Carolina Promoter
Radio DJ – Divakar
Producer’s Choice – Dre Money
Marching Band – Harding University High School
SonicBids Country – CiCi Jansen
SonicBids Pop – Matt Annecharico
SonicBids R&B – Cagle & Nash
SonicBids Jazz – Daniel D
Recording Studio – Studio East
Small Music Venue – Puckett’s Farm Equipment
Charlotte Festival – Blocktoberfest
Singer/songwriter – Bobby Ray
DJ- Club – Mike Soden
Junior Pop Artist – Jaz

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Joy was an understatement when I pulled a poorly taped together package out of the mail Thursday.

Inside that box and literally wrapped up in a napkin was my missing BlackBerry I thought I’d never see again but that euphoria quickly subsided as I began to take inventory on what I’d received in the mail from a small North Carolina town.

All my pictures, ringtones and most importantly, music, were gone! Not just wiped from the system but replaced!

What kind-hearted monster would do this? Have the decency to give my BlackBerry back that they attained under unknown circumstances but send it back as a shell of it’s former self.

Gone were the entire discographies of Nas, Outkast, Jay-Z and The Roots, in was The Spinners, Mtune, Dionne Warwick and Aaron Neville?

I’m all for “Juicy Fruit,” and the subsequent hit “Juicy” by Biggie sampled from the same song, but damn! Surprisingly intact, the A&T fight song.

I have nothing against Peabo, Atlantic Starr, Natalie Cole, “big” Luther or the Chi-Lites, but I’d rather hear the The Cool Kids or Dilla beats when I’m wandering around the grocery store.

What makes things weirder are the songs that surprisingly survived the mass destruction. What music head makes an effort to leave Gucci Mane and Wacka Flocka Flame’s mixtapes intact but adds gospel like Donnie McClurkin and Fred Hammond to the mix? Were you going to put “Bricks” on a playlist right next to “Never Would’ve Made It?”

I’m not knocking his choice in music just the fact that dude deleted my gems for it. Whether it was mixtapes or tracks from local artists and producers, unfinished beat sketches by people trying to get my opinion on them or underground albums I can’t get my hands on anymore and that’s what sucks the most.

But hey, at least Moms just got a whole lot of new music to compliment that Prince on her iTunes.

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According to pollstar.com, Alice in Chains will be performing at The Fillmore Charlotte on March 2, 2010.

No official word has been sent out yet, nor information about tickets. Stay tuned.

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Neko Case w/ Deer Tick
Knight Theater
Nov. 18, 2009

The Deal: Neko Case zips through 22 songs during Charlotte concert, brings along Deer Tick.

The Good: The night opened with a 40-minute set by Rhode Island country-rockers Deer Tick. With a Cobain-esque growl in his vocal, singer John McCauley entertained with his songwriting as much as a few onstage antics — a series of broken guitar straps, a few beers consumed and the admission of being “high… … … on life.”

Neko Case hit the stage 10 minutes before 9 p.m. on her way to rolling through 19 songs during her set which ended around 10 p.m. She kicked off the show with “Things That Scare Me,” before drawing a round of applause at the opening notes of “Maybe Sparrow.” Her red hair flowing in a tangled mess, Case was laid back for the duration of the evening as her backup singer/harmonizer/co-hort, Kelly Hogan, made most of the small talk between songs.

Hogan’s voice added the right depth to the songs as Case continually changed up guitars — she was surrounded by six of them — or went without. Artwork of a large owl “held up” a screen where various videos played throughout the show — most of which fit the song at the moment.

The nearly sold-out show enjoyed every moment of Case’s first performance in the Queen City. She closed the evening with a three-song encore including a cover of The Shangri-Las’ “Train from Kansas City.”

The Bad: Deer Tick’s moments of grandeur with harder rocking songs would have been more fitting at Snug Harbor, The Milestone or even the Visulite rather than the seated confines of the Knight Theater. Even McCauley admitted that it was weird being the only people standing up, aside from the “ushers and usherettes.”

The Verdict: Case proved why she’s been the “critic’s darling” for years and it’s about time that others started to catch on. Once again, the Knight provided the perfect forum to showcase vocals and let Case’s poetic lyrics make their mark.

Setlist
Things That Scare Me
Maybe Sparrow
People Got a Lotta Nerve
Fever
Hold on, Hold On
I’m An Animal
Middle Cyclone
The Pharaohs
Polar Nettles
Deep Red Bells
A Widow’s Toast
Margaret vs. Pauline
Prison Girls
The Tigers Have Spoken
Favorite
Alimony
That Teenage Feeling
This Tornado Loves You

Encore
Vengeance Is Sleeping
Star Witness
Train From Kansas City

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Tonight, at the Knight Theatre, is Neko Case. Check out the story by John Schacht here.

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We all love free events, and even more so good, free events. That’s where Neighborhood Theatre and The Rat’s Nest come in. This Friday, – during NoDa’s Gallery Crawl – the music venue and the vintage shop located in the heart of NoDa partner together to present a free music night, dubbed “Rat’s Nest Harvest Hoedown.” Enjoy live performances by bands like Bill Noonan & the Barbed Wires, Brandon Kirkley, The Loose Lugnuts, and The Pistoleros — let’s just hope no actual rats are there. Free. Doors open at 8 p.m.; Show starts at 9 p.m.

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Here’s a quick list of some of the new albums hitting store shelves today:

Kris Allen Kris Allen

Norah Jones The Fall

Adam Lambert For Your Entertainment

John Mayer Battle Studies

Paul McCartney Good Evening New York City

Them Crooked Vultures Them Crooked Vultures

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Lyle Lovett and his Large Band Lovett, always a favorite of the critics, is touring on the strength of his piping-hot, new Natural Forces, which is more of the same for the tall, cool drink of water: namely, melancholic mid-tempo heart-bruisers with a thread of the existentially absurd running through them to remind us that we shouldn’t take anything too seriously. He’s beginning to get his just desserts as a catalog artist, which is nice. What’s nicer is Forces is more than a worthy addition to his already teeming panoply of platters. Belk Theater (Timothy C. Davis)

Lucero Ramblin’ Roadshow & Memphis Revue The erstwhile Memphians’ newest, 1372 Overton Park, sees their already bustling countryfied sound served up with a side of sweet soul gravy with the inclusion of horns on a number of tracks. What’s more, it works: The band has always tended toward the anthemic, and the muscle-bound (if not Muscle Shoals) brass allows the band to somehow sound even more stripped-down. Which is not to say slick – think early Springsteen, where you could almost smell the streets that the Bard of the Boardwalk so lovingly described. Singer Ben Nichols is a worthy successor to the Boss’ poet/populist throne, and, the band’s sometimes-tight-assed fans be damned, this might be his most cohesive extended narrative yet. With The Dirty Streets, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm. Visulite (Davis)

Adam Arcuragi Touring behind his recent countrified release, I Am Become Joy, Arcuragi’s music is cousin to the sad-eyed folk and country rock of fellow travelers like Mark Kozelek and Damien Jurado. These shimmering songs feature gentle, minor key jangle with a slight twang, the occasional well-placed horn and string section, and literate narratives with a vaguely religious undertow. Arcuragi’s a published poet and playwright, so this ain’t the usual “I got hammered last night cuz you left me and now I can’t pay the rent” fare. With Japan’s Uzuhi, Self-Evident and Summer Night Shade, all part of Customer Appreciation Night, meaning … no cover, ya cheap bastards. Milestone (John Schacht)

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The Deal: Beyonce’s long-awaited (well, by somebody) music video version of the song “Video Phone” — from her still-kicking album I Am … Sasha Fierce — debuted on MTV this morning.

The Good: I know, I know: Beyonce is a substance-less pop star. True. But, damn, the woman sure does look good. And in this video, she does more poppin’ and shakin’ than almost anything else I’ve ever seen her do. Not exactly a step forward for mankind, but — still — nice to look at. Just sayin.’ This time around, Beyonce also decided to trade in her nearly trademarked leg-baring leotards (see “Single Ladies,” “Diva,” “Halo,” etc.) to sport a daring, African-inspired (?) two-piece number. But, don’t fret — the leotards are there … in multiple colors, too. Oh, and I thought it was interesting the way men were somewhat objectified by being shown, for the most part, as faceless/headless bodies.

The Bad: Why exactly was Lady Gaga in this video? Her voice adds nothing to what was actually a pretty mediocre song. And the dance sequence with Beyonce and Lady Gaga? Hey, Gaga can’t keep up with Beyonce’s poppin’ and shakin.’ (But, then, who can?!) On top of that, Gaga looks a little emaciated next to the more athletic B. Regarding other aspects of the video, what’s up with all the guns? Not sure what that has to do with a video phone.

The Verdict: Hey … if you like looking at Beyonce, you’ll dig it.

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