star-telegram.com: Entertainment

A Texas two-step, from dark to light: New CDs by Burnett, Old 97's

Tue, 13 May 2008 07:13 CDT

By PRESTON JONES

The dark-hued, densely layered solo work of T Bone Burnett is about as far afield as one can get from the comparatively cheerful oeuvre of the Old 97's, yet both are very much products of their North Texas environment.

Burnett doesn't hang around Fort Worth too often these days, while the Old 97's remain an integral part of the Dallas scene. In each case, these artists are pulling from the bewitching tangle of influences that indelibly mark the songs crafted by Texas artists -- a little rock, a little country, a little psychedelia and a dose of anguish, just for good measure -- and they've fashioned records that hit you in very different but equally exciting ways.

Tooth of Crime, Burnett's follow-up to his acclaimed 2006 comeback, The True False Identity, is a violent, foreboding companion piece to playwright Sam Shepard's 1972 work of the same name, described as a verbal battle between two musicians to determine who will occupy the rock 'n' roll throne and billed by Burnett as a "theater piece in which characters sing, rather than a musical." An important distinction, as none of these songs has the feel of prototypical Broadway power ballads.

Throughout his solo recording career and his lauded work as a producer, Burnett has excelled at creating and sustaining moods -- it's his trademark, one springing to florid life on Crime. The twisted, tense soundscapes grab hold from the unsettling opener, Anything I Say Can and Will Be Used Against You, extending into the funereal Dope Island, a sinister track aided greatly by frequent Burnett collaborator Sam Phillips.

A long-gestating project that Burnett spent close to a decade assembling, the apocalyptic Crime explodes like a fever dream but lingers on the margins of your mind. It's a tour-de-force of style and substance, reinforcing Burnett's standing as one of music's most essential talents.

By comparison, Blame It on Gravity, the first new music from the Old 97's in four years (following 2004's Drag It Up), is a sun-dappled antidote to Burnett's ominous sketches. These 13 tracks, produced by local whiz Salim Nourallah at his Pleasantry Lane Studios in Dallas, capture Dallas' native sons in all of their messy, glorious unpredictability, veering from the pulse-quickening pop of lead single Dance With Me to the mournful, alt-country brilliance of the Murry Hammond-fronted Color of a Lonely Heart Is Blue.

Rhett Miller and the fellas are in fine form throughout; age has simultaneously sharpened and sweetened the Old 97's, making the band paradoxically seem like raw veterans. It's a fine balance, one that the 97's pull off beautifully.

Download these: Burnett -- Kill Zone; Old 97's -- Color of a Lonely Heart Is Blue

T BONE BURNETT

Tooth of Crime

**** out of 5 stars

OLD 97's

Blame It on Gravity

*** out of 5 stars

MORE CD REVIEWS

ROCK

Death Cab for Cutie

Narrow Stairs

**** out of 5 stars

Unfairly glossed over as part of the sensitive-dude-rock crowd, Death Cab for Cutie made the leap to the majors in 2005, bringing heightened expectations and pressure to transition from critical darlings into moneymaking mainstream successes. The resulting disc, Plans, filtered out a lot of the dark edges and raw emotions that make Death Cab so fascinating, but those quirks are back in full force on this, the band's sixth studio album overall. Jitters handled, Ben Gibbard and company make these Stairs worth the climb, with bold, devastating tunes packing the heft and power of great art.

Tuesday gets smart with 'Geek' finale

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:39 CDT

By ROBERT PHILPOT

American Idol and Dancing With the Stars are the behemoths tonight, but it's on the more ratings-challenged -- and frankly, more enjoyable -- Beauty and the Geek that you'll find a North Texan with a chance of winning the big bucks.

Stuff to watch or record

American Idol: With Rockwall's Jason Castro getting eliminated last week, it's down to the earnest David Archuleta, the rocking David Cook and the sleeper candidate Syesha Mercado, who has come on strong in recent weeks. 7 p.m., KDFW/Channel 4

NOVA: This week's entry, A Walk to Beautiful, is an award-winning documentary about rural Ethiopian women trekking to the country's capital, Addis Ababa, for treatment of obstetric fistula, a childbirth complication that makes them outcasts in their own villages. 7 p.m., KERA/Channel 13

Beauty and the Geek: It's the season finale, and Dallas "geek" Matt Carter and his "beauty" partner, Leticia Cline, have made it to the final three. They've had strong chemistry throughout, but will tonight's "blowout fight over one geek's affection" have something to do with them? 7 p.m., KDAF/Channel 33

Dancing With the Stars: This week's results show presents R&B star Omarion and the Macy's Stars of Dance paying tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller with a medley of that classic album's songs. 8 p.m., WFAA/Channel 8

Frontline: David Breashears, who made the popular IMAX film Everest, goes back to the world's tallest mountain for Storm Over Everest, about a 1996 storm that trapped three climbing teams on Mount Everest. 8 p.m., KERA/Channel 13

Work Out:Star-Telegram pop culture critic Cary Darling alerts us to the fact that last week's blowout between gym owner Jackie Warner and trainer Brian Peeler has led to a petition to cancel the show at www.thepetitionsite.com. At press time, there were 400 signatures out of a goal of 20,000. Looks like more people need to get exercised. 9 p.m., Bravo

Women's Murder Club: At press time, the future of this freshman drama was uncertain, but things should become more clear when ABC announces its fall schedule today. For now, it's the season finale, with Lindsay (Angie Harmon) putting everything on the line to catch a serial killer. 9:02 p.m., WFAA/Channel 8

DVDs

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:39 CDT

'Untraceable'

An enjoyable nasty, brutally efficient mash-up of The Silence of the Lambs, Saw and CSI, Untraceable introduces us to Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane), a widowed single mother and FBI agent in Portland, Ore., who investigates cyber crimes. Jennifer's work nights are usually spent busting identity thieves or Internet sex predators. Until, that is, her boss hands her a note asking her to investigate a site called KillWithMe.com. Jennifer discovers live streaming video of an adorably fluffy white kitten, immobilized on a glue trap, slowly dying. The kitten turns out to be a prelude to a unrelenting bloodbath. The Web site's proprietor next begins targeting human victims, innocent men who are rigged up to elaborate torture systems. The twist is this: The more people who click on the Web site, the speedier the execution takes place. In a culture that relishes watching death and dismemberment, KillWithMe.com is an overnight smash. Lane maintains her dignity, beauty and grace, which is no easy task, and the rest of the cast consists of generically likable types, such as Billy Burke, who plays the police detective assigned to help Jennifer, and Colin Hanks (son of Tom), who plays Jennifer's partner and good friend. The thrills this new movie offers may be cheap, but they're served without fuss or fat. It's genre moviemaking the way it is supposed to be done.

-- Christopher Kelly

This edited review was first published in its entirety in Go! on Jan. 25.

DVD extras: Limited extras include filmmaker commentary and four behind-the-scenes featurettes on the making of the film, the cast and crew, the devices used and the makeup and special effects. The Blu-ray release also offers storyboards, production pics and making-of footage.

-- Todd Camp

(2008, R, $29)

*** out of 5 stars

ALSO NOTABLE

The Great Debaters (2007, PG-13, $30-$33) *** out of 5 stars

Denzel Washington directs and stars in this stirring true story about an inspirational professor (Washington) teaching the art of debate to students of an African-American college in Texas in 1935. The film follows the four members of his assembled debate team as they struggle through life in a racially divided South during the Great Depression. Washington is strong, as always, as is Forest Whitaker as Washington's father. Seeing the two of them together on the screen is worth the rental price alone. Extras include director commentary, deleted scenes, documentary on the original debaters and several featurettes.

-- Todd Camp

Mad Money (2008, PG-13, $30) ** out of 5 stars

This lightweight heist comedy about three cash-strapped women (Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes) who plot to steal old cash marked for shredding, actually plays better on the small screen. And as many Americans are finding themselves increasingly light on funds, it comes across as even more relevant now. The three also exude a lot of onscreen chemistry that only makes you wish they'd have chosen something a little more substantial in which to team. Extras include a director's commentary as well as a fairly by-the-number making-of featurette.

-- Todd Camp

Youth Without Youth (2007, R, $30) *** out of 5 stars

Francis Ford Coppola's return to filmmaking after a 10-year departure makes for a strong return to form for the right discerning audience. The story centers on an elderly professor (Tim Roth) whose aging process is reversed and whose mental capacity is increased after being struck by a bolt of lightning. Shot on HD cams, this incredibly dense work may leave casual viewers in the dust, and the director does tend to go off on tangents, but it's fascinating stuff nonetheless. Bonus features include Coppola's engaging commentary and three featurettes on the making of the film, the score and the makeup.

-- Todd Camp

THIS WEEK'S RELEASES

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:39 CDT

CDs

Pop/rock

Sarah Bettens, Shine

Ryan Cabrera, The Moon Under Water

Jason Mraz, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

We Are Scientists, Brain Thrust Mastery

Jazz

Bill Frisell, History, Mystery

Simone, Simone on Simone

R&B

Keith Sweat, Just Me

DVDs

Movies

A Raisin in the Sun

Graduation

Botched

Sinatra

Blind Eye

The Cottage

Cover

Burnett enjoying a sonic boom

Mon, 12 May 2008 04:38 CDT

By PRESTON JONES

The man born Joseph Henry Burnett -- better known as T Bone -- has been busy the last few years.

The Fort Worth-raised Burnett earns his keep as an in-demand, award-winning producer; before 2008 is done he will have worked with John Mellencamp, B.B. King, Elvis Costello and the Who.

"I've been working hard, man," Burnett says, laughing.

He's also touring with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, whose stunning collaboration Raising Sand was one of 2007's best records.

When the 60-year-old Burnett is not putting his stamp on the work of others, he finds the time to further his own recording career. His latest solo effort -- the dark, cerebral Tooth of Crime -- hits store shelves Tuesday.

The Star-Telegram talked by phone to Burnett, who was in Chattanooga, Tenn., a stop on the ongoing Raising Sand world tour (which will bring him close to his old stomping grounds July 7, with a gig at Grand Prairie's Nokia Theatre). He chatted about Tooth of Crime, his musical background and his quest for "pure sound."

You worked on Tooth of Crime for several years -- can you take me through the project's origins?

I wanted it to somehow be of a piece with the [Sam Shepard] play it came from. Hopefully, it tells a little bit of the story. ... I think it was about '96, Sam called up and said he'd re-written the play and wanted me to write some new songs for it. I moved to New York for four, five months and worked with Sam. ... Things kept getting moved around [and] by the end of the process, I had a lot of material recorded but there was nothing cohesive about it, so it took 10 years of going back and sorting through things.

What do you feel you bring to the table as a producer?

I bring a lot of experience, I have to say. I have absolutely the best sound team in the world, by light years. It's like [the TV series] Monster Garage, we can take anything and make it sound like anything. ... These guys work so hard -- not that I don't work hard [laughs] -- and I've tried to make records myself, so I can empathize with what they're going through as artists.

With all the various projects you're involved in, what is it exactly that you're looking for?

These days, I've gone into a world of pure sound. With Robert and Alison, what I was looking for [was] what we could do with their voices. They obviously have two of the great[est] voices of anybody living -- they open their mouths and the sounds they make are so evocative and chilling, really, I knew I had these extraordinary instruments to front the thing. ... Also, I've been reacting to digital sound for 20 years -- I've just begun to really conquer it. Digital sound has been problematic, because it was a massive downgrade from the analog sound we had previously.

So is it fair to say that atmosphere is a crucial element for you?

I would call it "place." I wouldn't use the word "atmosphere" exactly, but the answer's yes, atmosphere's completely important to me. When I'm listening to a piece of music, I want to feel like I'm sitting in the room with the musicians, and I can almost see where I am and I can see them [and it] evokes some sense of place.

Speaking of "place," a lot of musicians are returning to the lost art of cutting albums live. As a proponent of the practice, are you glad it's coming back?

Everything we do is like that. When I was a kid, there was a place out on the Jacksboro Highway called the Skyliner Ballroom that Jack Ruby owned. I used to go out there and hear music -- that's where I first heard music. I heard Ike and Tina Turner out there recording live. It was deeply arousing, to say the least. One of the things I realized is that the sound of that room affected me so profoundly that every record I've made since has essentially been trying to reproduce the sound I heard at the Skyliner back in 1963 or whatever.

After all you've accomplished, what keeps pushing you forward?

I'm still on this quest -- this sonic quest to find the grail -- to find the thing, to make the record that does for me or does for other people what hearing Jimmy Reed did to me when I was 15. [American painter] Barnett Newman said "Time washes over the tip of the pyramid." I want to make things that sit right on the very tip of the pyramid.

You, too, can play 'spot the pop singers'

Mon, 12 May 2008 04:37 CDT

By ROBERT PHILPOT

American Gladiators returns and several other series have their season finales on a night notable for all the pop singers turning up in acting roles.

Stuff to watch or record

Who Wants To Be a Millionaire: The Colony's Janelle Newland goes after the big bucks today, and she's not the last North Texan we'll see during the next couple of weeks. 3 p.m., WFAA/Channel 8

Bones:American Idol gets a few plugs (it's like it's on the same network or something!) as Idol alum Ace Young plays a singer who suffers a fate far worse than being voted out of the competition. Fellow Idol grad -- and former University of North Texas student -- Brandon Rogers also appears, and Burleson's Kelly Clarkson gets name-dropped. 7 p.m., KDFW/Channel 4

American Gladiators: A new series of the revived-and-breathing-well competition begins, with the challengers including Dallas' Jeff Davidson and his wife, Ally, who auditioned without Jeff's knowledge. On their wedding day. While wearing her bridal veil. Can we just have a reality show about their house? 7 p.m., KXAS/Channel 5

Antiques Roadshow: The series begins a three-part stint in Las Vegas, where some drawings by Woody Guthrie get appraised. 7 p.m., KERA/Channel 13

Gossip Girl: Dallas-schooled singer Lisa Loeb appears in this episode, but really, it's all about whatever nastiness Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg) can get up to next, isn't it? 7 p.m., KDAF/Channel 33

How I Met Your Mother: Britney Spears reprises her guest role as Abby, the awkward assistant of Ted's girlfriend, Stella (Sarah Chalke, who unfortunately doesn't appear in this episode). And if you've seen the promos, you know that Abby's alliance with smarmy Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) goes further than either expected. 7:30 p.m., KTVT/Channel 11

House: Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst appears as a bartender in the first half of a two-part season finale in which House (Hugh Laurie), seriously injured in a bus crash, suspects that there's a medical reason the crash took place. 8 p.m., KDFW/Channel 4

American Experience: A series of presidential profiles continues with the two-part FDR: The Center of the World/Fear Itself. 8 p.m., KERA/Channel 13

Samantha Who? In the season finale, amnesiac Sam (Christina Applegate) finds herself getting closer to Todd (Barry Watson), who was her boyfriend before the amnesia got in the way. 8:32 p.m., WFAA/Channel 8

Medium: The season finale includes unforeseen events for Allison (Patricia Arquette), hubby Joe (Jake Weber) and Devalos (Miguel Sandoval). For a show about a psychic, this series sure has its share of unforeseen events. 9 p.m., KXAS/Channel 5

The Hills: It's the third-season finale of the show that made me officially aware I had moved into an older demographic bracket. Hills-oriented programming peppers the MTV schedule before and after the finale, as well. 9 p.m., MTV

Sex: The Revolution: VH1's latest epic documentary spends four nights talking about sex, baby, and how attitudes have changed since the 1950s. 9 p.m., VH1

CSI: Miami: Tom Sizemore guest-stars as a private investigator who causes big problems for Horatio (David Caruso) and his team. I sense a stare-off! 9 p.m., KTVT/Channel 11

The Bachelor: London Calling: The season finale comes down to Matt picking between Chelsea and Shayne. 9:02 p.m., WFAA/Channel 8

Today's Agenda: Mayfest (Grand Prairie), Kimbell after hours, Girls' Choir concert

Sat, 10 May 2008 10:40 CDT

Start your day ...

With MayFest. No, not the one that was last week; the one in Grand Prairie, where environmentalism is the main draw. It's 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Kirby Creek Park, 3303 Corn Valley Road, Grand Prairie. Free. More at www.artsgp.com/MayFest.htm.

Then proceed to ...

The Kimbell Art Museum, where the periodic "After Hours at the Kimbell" hootenanny features art, food, cocktails and music by the Joey Carter Trio. 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. 817-332-8451; www.kimbellart.org.

... and finish with

The spring concert by the Texas Girls' Choir, across the street from the Kimbell, at Will Rogers Auditorium. 7:30 p.m. $8-$30. 817-732-8161; www.texasgirlschoir.org.

Have an item for Agenda? Send it to mlowry@star-telegram.com.

Hues without fumes

Fri, 09 May 2008 04:35 CDT

By JESSIE MILLIGAN

We opened the lids on six eco-friendly paints, the kind made with fewer dangerous chemicals, or at least less likely to emit them.

The good news: Some of these paints provide good coverage.

The less-than-perfect news: Some of them still smell.

Eco-friendly interior latex paints are those described as low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds). VOCs are chemicals that help cause the sharp smell of fresh paint. Mostly solvents, they can include formaldehyde, benzene and other compounds linked to ozone depletion. They can cause eye, nose and throat irritation; nausea and headaches; and trigger asthma attacks. Worse, some of the chemicals have been linked to cancer. And off-gassing -- the emission of VOCs from paint -- can continue even after it has dried.

In response to these concerns and stricter government regulations, many major paint brands have produced new formulas labeled low- or no-VOC, although some of these still may contain minute amounts.

The city of Austin's Green Building Program recommends always opening windows when painting, even with "green" paints.

Our test was not scientific. It consisted of one homeowner opening paint cans in her garage, sniffing the paint and trying it out on canvases. What she found is this:

It's worthwhile to get samples from several brands before you invest in paint. Quality varies widely.

Price isn't necessarily an indication of quality.

A paint labeled no-VOC can compare with or exceed the quality of paint labeled low-VOC.

Benjamin Moore's low-VOC Aura was clearly the best in this test, with great coverage, low drip and only a slight smell. Aura rated third overall for interior eggshell-finish paints in a March Consumer Reports test of traditional and eco-friendly paints. Aura is the most expensive of the six paints tested, and it's an exception: In this case, price did equal quality.

Yolo Colorhouse and Olympic Premium weren't drippy or streaky and provided good coverage. Both are labeled no-VOC.

Note: Colors and finishes can greatly affect how a paint performs. The paints used in this test were an eggshell finish, with the exception of Duration, which only is sold in flat, satin and semi-gloss. We tested Duration's satin finish.

Paint (in order of performance)	Price/ gallon	Color tested	Third-party certified	Odor in can	Consistency	Coverage	Where to buy
1. Aura (low-VOC)	$55	Soleil	Greenguard	Noticeable	Very creamy	1 coat over white, good coverage over color	Major Benjamin Moore outlets
2. Yolo Colorhouse (no-VOC)	$40	Water 07	Green Seal	Noticeable	Creamy	1 coat over white, good coverage over color	Kelly-Moore in Hurst
3. Olympic Premium (no-VOC)	$20	Soft Amethyst	Green Seal	Almost none	Some drip	1 coat with touch-ups over white, fair over color	Lowe's
4. Duration (low-VOC)	$42	Neighborly Peach	No	Very noticeable	Very little drip	1 coat over white, fair over color	Sherwin-Williams
5. The Freshaire Choice ( no-VOC)	$35	Rhythm of Red	Greenguard	Almost none	Low drip	2 coats or more over white, fair over color	Home Depot
6. Pure Premium (no-VOC)	$30	Pollination	Green Seal	Almost none	Some drip	Poor coverage over white and color	Pittsburgh Paints and Monarch paint stores