Blogcritics Author: Tamara Dwyer

Book Review: The Forgotten Man - A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes

Tamara Dwyer — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:15:41 EDT

An introduction to "Why Monetary Policy Matters" for those of us who might not have considered this question before the current economic downturn.
Earlier this year, when we were still picking candidates for each presidential party for the 2008 election cycle, I picked up a copy of The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes. The chapters are long, longer than the hour of reading I aspire to each evening, and dense, sometimes full of mathematical comparisons that...

Music Review: Drew Smith's Lonely Choir - Drew Smith's Lonely Choir

Tamara Dwyer — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 10:36:06 EDT

Layers original lyrics with lush pop arrangements to produce a classic studio album, one designed to be listened to end-to-end.
Sometimes lost in the roots-rock, alt-country sound that has come to typify Austin music is a handful of very, very good pop bands with chart-topping success, such as Spoon and Fastball. Such a band is Drew Smith's Lonely Choir. Smith is a self-described disciple of '70s pop, a sound that -- on his new album -- is freshly updated and...

Music Review: Chuck Prophet - Soap and Water

Tamara Dwyer — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:48:29 EDT

Chuck Prophet's newest offering provides good clean summer fun with a thumping pop beat.
The latest release from Chuck Prophet, Soap and Water, is full of good clean summer fun. The album opens with a thumping pop beat that plays well over the hum of the car's engine, and lyrics to sing out loud after a long day at the water's edge: I like the way you freckleI like the way you peelI love to see your hair in a messAfter the...

Concert Review: Alejandro Escovedo At Continental Club, Austin, TX

Tamara Dwyer — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:50:26 EDT

The audience response is huge, and the temperature in the room rises ten degrees due to the energy of the applause.
It's Thursday night, at the Continental Club, and the air-conditioning is struggling to keep up with the hot June night and the constant stream of people through the door, coming in hours early to get a spot for Alejandro Escovedo's midnight show. It is the first night of a multiple-day CD release party celebrating the release of Real...

Book Review: Hooked - A Thriller About Love And Other Addictions by Matt Richtel

Tamara Dwyer — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 04:43:21 EDT

Hooked is a good read for a comfy chair, or a great beach book away from worries and work.
The subtitle of Hooked: A Thriller About Love And Other Addictions leads us to expect a thriller that meets the classic definition, or at least the one found on Wikipedia: "Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes..."Hooked starts with bang and the action kicks in, as the hero rushes out of a...

Always Something New At The Vintage Continental Club

Tamara Dwyer — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:10:56 EDT

There are bars with music, in the corner, part of the background. At the Continental Club, music is front and center.
South Congress Avenue slopes gently downhill, in a straight line, to the front door of the Texas Capitol building. The oldest buildings are downtown near the Capitol; every few blocks the buildings are a decade or so newer, until you reach brand new malls on the current outskirts of Austin. The Continental Club is thirteen blocks south of the...

News: Celebrating at the Scoot Inn

Tamara Dwyer — Sun, 8 Jun 2008 22:36:03 EDT

One of Austin's old beer joints is the scene for the June M & S Showcase and Mother Truckers' CD release party.
Sitting outdoors, drinking cold beer, and listening to music. The early summer months of Texas the high temperature flirts with the low side of 100 during the day. In the evening, a breeze picks up and the 75 degree night is perfect for outdoor events.Driving along East Sixth Street, I heard the music long before I found a street that didn't...

Wyldwood House Concert Series Opens

Tamara Dwyer — Mon, 2 Jun 2008 17:10:46 EDT

House concerts offer a relaxed and intimate way to experience music and learn about an artist and their music.
The sun is slowly setting, families are settling into blankets and lawn chairs. Musicians are setting up speakers on the back deck of a low ranch home of Texas limestone. About 60 people have gathered tonight for Suzanna Choffel, joined by Eldridge Goins on drums. The fourth show in the fourth season of the Wyldwood house concert series is about to...

Finding the Best of Texas Music Traditions: An Impromptu Jam in Shiner, Texas

Tamara Dwyer — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:51:31 EDT

Sometimes great Texas music finds you in the most unexpected places.
On the day my boyfriend and I visited Shiner, Texas, 17,000 cases of beer rolled off the assembly line at the Spoetzl brewery. The hospitality suite allowed us four small plastic cups of beer; after that, we were on our own. We knew there was more beer to be found nearby. Where is the Friday night scene in this small town of just over 2000...