Sunday Morning Coming Down: Ryan Thomas Becker; While everybody’s rehashing, shake things up

Ryan Thomas Becker @ Dan's Silver Leaf

(ed. Every Sunday (more like some Sundays)  we’re going to have a long form  article which investigates some odd piece of culture that’s been intriguing one of us. This is of course one of those.)

By Melissa Crowe

There is an overwhelming amount of energy flowing into the North Texas music scene this year. What with the buzz about NX35, secret shows I wish I could reveal and the albums due out in the coming months, we’re really off to a bang. Of the excitement, don’t be surprised to find one name repeated over and over and over: Ryan Thomas Becker.

The somewhat-homegrown musician, hailing from Highland Village just down the road, contributes to a handful of bands in the area includingEaton Lake Tonics, The Slow Burners, Sunday Drive, and his own RTB2, just to name a few. Last month, he released his latest solo project, an album by the name of Neighborhoof, which came out just as Eaton Lake Tonics and The Slow Burners both released albums all the while holding down his full-time job at the TWU library. Sound exhausting?

Busy as he is, Becker found time to meet up with DBB at Jupiter House to talk about his start in songwriting, philosophies on creating music and how he would rather unbalance the equation than push the envelope. You can see Becker in Dallas at Trees on Thursday and The Cavern on Friday. If you’re in Denton, wait for the $6  Saturday show at Hailey’s withRTB2, Luna Matto, PVC Street Gang and Come on go with Us.

Interview: Murray Lightburn of The Dears

After their break out performance at 2004’s SXSW The Dears were one of the new wave of Canadian bands poised for a huge breakthrough in the U.S., following their performance they immediately hit the road, releasing two albums in their wake. As the fans moved on to other “sounds” and the critical love waned, the band kept moving forward losing some members, getting new members, and once again garnering critical praise with their latest effort Missiles.

To be honest the show I was most looking forward to this week was their headlining set at Hailey’s set for Saturday, and when I found out I would have the opportunity to ask front-man Murray Lightburn a few questions before the band got to town I was ecstatic. During the interview we covered everything from the current media coverage of the Swine Flu outbreak, the critical response to the bands latest album , Lone Star beer, and the joys of having a bike while your on tour.