originally published October 17, 2007

Finally, finally it feels (a little) like fall. So let's just fall into the news, shall we?

Wires Crossed: Just to clarify to anyone wondering, Birds & Batteries, playing at Tasty World on Wednesday, Oct. 17, has nothing to do with local band Birds&Wire, playing at Flicker on Thursday, Oct. 18. Totally different bands, no relation whatsoever. In case you were confused.

Leapin' Lizards: The local popsters in Gemini Cricket are keeping busy. They report that they have been working on "refining" some older songs and working on newer tunes, too, for several upcoming releases. The band is also busy revamping its website, designing new T-shirts and working on an upcoming 7" split release with The French Toasts. Gemini Cricket next plays on Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Caledonia Lounge with Fairmount Fair, Titans of Filth and L.A. Tool & Die, and the band will have cassettes available in handmade cassette totes created by member Sara Tabb. Awww!

Expanded To Now Include Even More Proof-Ness: Local old-time string band Hawk-Proof Rooster is now a three-piece. The original duo of Charlie and Nancy Hartness is joined by flute and saxophone player Bill Oglesby. Good luck, guys!

Beat The Band, Buy A Bus: Athens-via-Ohio band Blue Flashing Light recently won a spot in this year's Austin City Limits Festival after a fan- and celebrity-juried competition chose the group as one of five winners in a contest with over 600 other bands. The band used its winnings from the competition and bought a sorely needed mini-bus that has been dubbed "Blue Flashing Lightning." Notably, Blue Flashing Light was the only non-Texas band to win a spot. Although the band's mainstream "alternative" rock sound is not one I usually go for, I must give absolute props to the dudes for always speaking so highly of Athens and our music scene. As newcomers to the scene, they seem to have a nice perspective on what so many old-timers take for granted. For more information, please see www.myspace.com/blueflashinglightemup, or catch the band at Nuçi's Space on Thursday, Nov. 1 with Allison Weiss.

Condition Critical: Athens rocker/ photographer Chris McKay has released the first new music in two years by his band Critical Darlings. The single song "An Uncertain Flight" was released a couple of weeks back and is listenable at the band's MySpace page. McKay says the b-side, "Something Unseen" (featuring David Bowie's longtime pianist Mike Garson) will be released in the coming weeks. Um, that's cool, Chris, but digital files don't have b-sides! The band's long-coming new album Satisfactionista will finally see release on Jan. 1, 2008. Until then, please see www.myspace.com/criticaldarlings.

So Close, Yet So Far: Compelling local band The Ginger Envelope will celebrate the release of its newest recording on Nov. 15. That night, the band will play a special show with Venice is Sinking at the 40 Watt and The Ginger Envelope will play two sets. The first set will most likely be the entire new album titled Edible Orchids, and the second one will feature even newer material and possibly an oddball cover or two. Please visit the band over at www.myspace.com/thegingerenvelope  and enjoy the tunes.

Third Time's The Charm: Newly reborn local label Kindercore Records (with which I occasionally do some minor work) has announced its newest project. See, back in the late 1990s, the label released the appropriately titled Kindercore Christmas and then Christmas 2. For this season, it'll release X-Mas 3: The War on Christmas!. Although the official lineup of participants has not been disclosed, it will include new and old Kindercore artists, as well as some other folks. For the apolitical and non-religious of you out there, don't worry - even though the title is humorously political, I can almost guarantee this album will have no religious themes on it. So, expect lots of snow, Santa and mistletoe. The compilation will be packaged with the second Kindercore comic book, which will feature art by Jesse Lockwood, Kindercore co-owner Ryan Lewis, Lauren Gregg, Craig Sheldon and Travis Fox, among others. The plan is to release the set in mid-November. For all other things, please see www.kindercore.com.

Crazy Work Ethic: Details on the new Drive-By Truckers album are starting to bubble up! Brighter Than Creation’s Dark is the name of the disc, borrowing a line from a song on the album called "Checkout Time in Vegas" penned by bandmember Mike Cooley. "We had the easiest time making this album, as it just came out as if it was totally meant to be this way," Truckers mouthpiece Patterson Hood writes on the band's MySpace blog. "No debates or even decisions to make, it all just made sense. Everyone shared the same vision and it came together like throwing pieces into the air and having them land in perfect place." Longtime Truckers artist Wes Freed will return to provide cover artwork; expect to see the 19-track album hit stores in early 2008. In related news, the impending Truckers album means that the release of Hood's long-delayed solo album Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs) has once again been pushed back, this time to late '08 or even early '09.

Well, I'm off like a dirty shirt. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. What burns never returns via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.

Gordon Lamb