[Kill The Critic] The Independent Entertainment Blog [Film-Theatre-Comedy]

Crazy Country: Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band

You think you've got problems?

Room 710 Presents:
"New York City Style Country: Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band"
Thursday, September 28, 2006

Also Playing:

Little Aurora
Yellow Fever
Night Viking

ROOM 710
710 RED RIVER
AUSTIN, TX USA


(3 out of 4 Non-Pace Picante Sauce Bottles.)


The original title for this review - excuse me, preview - was "I'll Never Really Love Country, But These Crazy Guys Made Me Like It A Little More". But then I thought that was dumb and unsearchable on Google. Besides, I plan to post a link to this wonderful preview at my sister blog, diy-music, and want to seem professional.
Anyway...

Believe it or not, I've had a conversation about music with all five Windmill boys in Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band. (I'll mostly refer to them as CPMWB or Windmill Band from now on - to avoid a hand cramp.) Some of their musical influences may surprise you. I was pretty sneaky about it, pretending like I was some curious fan. But the truth is I just wanted them to admit that they loved Garth Brooks, or that annoying guy everybody thinks is hot (Kenny Chesnutt?), and were just waiting to sell out to a major label, move to Nashville and forget Austin and New York City. Then I could go back to hating country music (with the exception of the old classics). But they ruined my gameplan. I won't give away their secret loves, but I dare you to ask about their favorite bands at the next CPMWB show, this Saturday. (Not every influence is revealed on MySpace.)

I had never heard of experimental, New York City-style country until listening to The Lonesome Heroes at The Carousel Lounge last year. Now I can't seem to hear enough of yankee band leader Rich Russell's solo album Scattered Thoughts. I like to avoid making petty comparisons, but Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band seems a lot more experimental than the Lonesome NYC native. Maybe it's because CPMWB are mostly Texas born and raised good ol' boys. (No - they aren't like that other brand of salsa from New York City...) I suspect that Windmill Band's co-founder Dirk "Cavedweller" Michener spent enought time in NYC to learn that Nashville was full of crap. No offense to KASE, but if I hear anymore trite love songs with predictable, hum-drum melodies, I will shoot my radio and blame companies that own stations like theirs. I would have liked to been in that room with co-founders Michener and Travis "Bobcat" Catsull decided to form a country band and their chosen genre a little less boring. Yeehaw!

I guess I should describe the music now, to entice my reader to see CPMWB on a Thursday night, instead of getting drunk on Stone Lar beer and hitting on Mexican men outside an east side bar... The lyrics are crazy and all over the map - from white trash angst that avoid the country cliches of heartbreak and dying dogs, to poetical larks about familial ties. And it all seems to be done with a wink and a nod. And a middle finger.


Catsull & Michener: Not actual size.

And the melodies and harmonies are sweet. Those Windmill Band boys sure can sing. And somehow they get by without the electric gee-tar. While Catsull croons, Michener sings along and strums on his acoustic, amped of course; Reed Posey adds low-keyed harmony and occasional percussive charm, while Preston Dukes provides plunky hoedown bass lines from bass guitar. (No upright needed with this outfit.) The band recently added drums, courtesy of Tim "T.W." Bond, who completes the band's crazy, experimental fits. Some of my favorite songs in the CPMWB repertoire include include a fantastical yarn, "Gatlin Bros.", and the oddball "Finish Malaysia", which sometimes segues into "Airwolf" (which I've played on the radio twice already). The subdued mocking of "This Ain't California", and redneck goodie "Run, Johnny Run" are also standouts.

The music of Charles Potts Magic Windmill Band just works for me. I don't have a clever ending. I wanted to end with "And a middle finger", but I guess I ruined another blog. Darn it!

Just see the show, OK?

~ sayanythingrrrl

WOOPS!

I forgot some important band info:

Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band is:
Tim Bond - Vocals & Return of that ol' Boom Bap
Reed Posey - Vocals & Grit Spit
Preston Dukes - Vocals & Slap 'n' Tickle Bass Guitar
Travis Catsull - Vocals & Badass Aura
Dirk Michener - Vocals, Guitar & Macho Sweetness

Short Attention Span Bio: PAY ATTENTION, DUMMY! Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band plays New York City-style experimental country in Austin, TX. The band is named after an actual person they know and love who is a poet and landlord. WHAT IS THAT MAN'S NAME?

"Discography":

They have a 7" for sale - only $5.


CPMWB released an album in 2004 called Becky (above). It's still available on CD-R - also $5. They also have an obsolete cassette (2001?), all through Business Deal. Collect 'em all!

The Officially Dated CPMWB Web Site

The site they really use.

Someone recently informed me that I am a country music moron. I confused or combined the names of superstar Kenny Chesney with Mark Chesnutt. My bad.