In its infancy, the pummeling Sludge Metal of Black Cobra wasn't generated by a full-time "band." Instead, it was produced by two musicians working remotely from separate coasts, Jason Landrian and Raffa Martinez. That was a few years ago, but they have no plans of expanding past the current ranks.  

Thom and Greg Moore have done time in a number of worthwhile outfits (the former in Chicken on a Raft and Nedelle and Thom, the latter in Sandycoates and Owl & the Pussycat), but they clearly save their best efforts for their own project together, the appropriately bannered Moore Brothers. The Moores’ early work was more traditionally structured guitar/bass/keys/drum Pop/Rock, but around the time of 2004's 'Now Is the Time for Love' the sibs decided to strip things back to acoustic guitars and their otherworldly harmonic tenors, and that's when things got really interesting.   

Now in its 11th year, the Blues & Boogie Piano Summit features American specialists Lisa Otey (from Tuscon, Ariz.) and Barrelhouse Chuck (Chicago), plus Spain's Lluis Coloma. Organizer Ricky Nye, of course, also performs, while local musicians Brian Aylor (drums), Steve Perkakis (upright bass) and George Bedard (guitar) provide accompaniment throughout the night.  

In "Root of the Industry," the opening track on the June release 'The Holy Open Secret,' Hoots & Hellmouth makes its seditious tendencies clear. Take a listen to this Roots Rock group without inspecting the lyrics and you might figure that their country-fried acoustic work is moonshine-making music without any teeth to it. That's not the case.  

Perhaps the only show you can attend Saturday and not be encouraged to wear a costume, the annual BRINK New Music Showcase returns to the Southgate House Halloween night with three floors' worth of local band freshness. An attempt to spotlight the next crop of local music wavemakers, the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards-sponsored event has hosted scores of eventual big-shots in past years. This year features acts nominated for the 2009 CEA "New Artist of the Year."  

If you've never seen Chris Kittrell (aka "baby alpaca"), he's like this 7-foot-tall autoharp-wielding Ginsbergesque satyr who's on a personal mission to provide others with an auditory escape from the everyday as well as an outlet for creative collaboration and/or a skinny-dipping partner, all under the umbrella of his cuddly moniker.   

Cincinnati Indie/Post Rock trio Mallory returned to the local club scene several months ago after an extended hiatus, and this weekend the band celebrates the birthing of its long-awaited second release, '...Before It Grows.' The seven-track effort is the group's first since 2002. Their CD release show is Friday at the Southgate House. Opening will be All Night Party label comrades The Sundresses as well as State Song, The Sleeping Sea, e.p. hall, Animal Circles and Lifelike.   

Cincinnati Indie/Post Rock trio Mallory returned to the local club scene several months ago after an extended hiatus, and this weekend the band celebrates the birthing of its long-awaited second release, '… Before It Grows.'  

Just because Fran Healy and Andy Dunlop are out on an acoustic tour of the U.S. doesn't bode ill for the Scottish quartet Travis. In fact, after six albums and nearly 20 years, things couldn't be better.  

For the past five years, L.A.'s Tomorrows Bad Seeds have been honing their hard rocking version of Reggae, Metal, Punk and Hip Hop to increasingly loyal and exponentially larger audiences at home and around the country. Spicing Rock with island rhythms is certainly no new development, as they're the latest in a long line of Rock bands with an affinity for Jamaica's second favorite export (and working knowledge of the export in the No. 1 slot as well).