Latest PHX Dish

Here's how our local music scene works: For some inexplicable reason, during the early winter months when we're enjoying our best climate, not a whole lot goes on musically. Maybe bands are clocking in a lot of time visiting with their snowbird relatives. Then comes spring break, and BOOM! -- the mad rush is on to get local CDs released before the summer, when nothing much happens in a more crippling and profound way. Phoenix rock almost runs analogous to network TV's rating sweeps weeks. There are no nail-biting cliffhangers here, no surprise twists and (almost sadly for yours truly) no outright gut-wrenching disasters. In an age where anyone with a G4 and ProTools can sound moderately capable, you have to dig deep and listen multiple times before the painstakingly unacceptable and the truly accomplished emerge. But I wouldn't recommend it. Luckily, there are other more rewarding distractions to occupy your time.