Watching the forthcoming DVD release of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York, I realized how deeply engrained every nuance of the performance-- from the most casual stage patter to the most insignificant non-verbal utterance-- is in my memory banks. Don't get me wrong, Unplugged is a great record. But for one of the first times in my life, I could feel the power of nostalgia working, too. No wonder the baby boomers are always forcing the stuff on us: Nostalgia feels awesome. And kind of unsettling, too.

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth probably know what I'm talking about. Directed by Carlos LaRotta for Birds on Fire, this video for the Austin seven-piece's "It's Not the Heat, It's the Humidity" recreates Unplugged with two Kurt Cobains, two Dave Grohls, two Pat Smears and one Krist Novoselic. "I guarantee you I'm going to screw this song up," Kurt 1 goes, as if about to play Nirvana's cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World", but then Kurt 2 clears his throat and we're plunged into thrashing, stomping, Cretaceous-period carnage.

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth released an EP, Snacks, last year on Emperor Jones and have an album planned for next year. This track comes from forthcoming Cardboard Records compilation Love & Circuits (from Aa to Zs), set to feature Matt and Kim, Best Fwends, Parts & Labor, Oneida, and Trey Told 'Em, among others. Most people don't own it.

Austin Chronicle

Maxin and Relaxin (Furniture)

Just in time for fall, the Awesome Cool Dudes harness their sub-platinum pop instincts to take us on a Casio-flavored beach party weekend. Maxin and Relaxin cooks with über-sleek synthetic sunshine channeled through Lambda Lambda Lambda's musical number in Revenge of the Nerds. Opener "LOL" surfs an irresistible synth-pop hook designed to make people fall in love and/or buy clothes with oddly placed zippers. Then "Rainbow Cattle Company" pays homage to the gay disco cowboy aesthetic before giving a karaoke-style shout-out to the B-52's. The Dudes get their freak on convincingly with "Clap Clap," a house party starter exhorting us to "live big like it's 1980," while "Longhorn Cheese" mashes up antiquated techno-pop with spazz-punk vocals to grand get-up effect. Perhaps the most ambitious song here is "Van Halen," which features a thrifty horn-and-string arrangement that lifts its organic funk groove off the ground. Although the Awesome Cool Dudes are constantly picking up and then quickly disposing of disparate slivers of pop culture detritus, Maxin and Relaxin never hits the stall point. True to their name, ACD leave behind an awesome mess.

Schmat Records

Slam Dunk Contest

I bet these guys get a lot of opening statements in reviews that read something to the effect of, "The Awesome Cool dudes... they're awesome!" Well, I guess that's not far from the truth as far as producing innovative music that lives somewhere in the dusty realm of Brian Wilson outtakes with later day saints Beck, Beulah and The Apples in Stereo. Just when these effervescent Austin, Texas musicians have got me believing they're living in an Elephant Six playground with a song like "2 Chair", they throw in a strange rappity rap number like "Tall Green Grass". I know nothing about rap, but this switchup was really weird in good way. And so goes pretty much the remainder of this head spinner of a disc, entitled Slam Dunk Contest.

"Poopy Finds Heartache" gets back to sounding mellow like Mark Linkous or F.M. Cornog but is immediately trounced upon by the 70s R&B experiment"Great Afternoon". Later, "Geniuses vs. 86 Mets" brings out the 80s guns sounding like Devo crossed with The Pulsars. Awesome Cool Dudes are like a rapper trapped inside a country folk musician trapped inside Elton John trapped inside a recording studio on Mars. They remind me of those nested wooden Russian Dolls. Man, there's a lot to digest here, probably more than I can do justice with a short review. Merits 3rd, 4th, and even 5th listens. Just trust me when I say your boredom will NOT be a factor here.