25 February 16-22, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents developing unique brand strategies that in- clude custom-tailored music composition. His brand work is impressive, for sure, but perhaps what Loomis is most famous for is writing and producing Vanilla Ice’s first al- bum, To The Extreme. Nagella’s client re- sumé includes the likes of Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, J. Cole and many more. At 6,500 square feet, the space is massive and was designed to be a musician’s dream studio, complete with all the latest technol- ogy and equipment, three state-of-the-art studios and a two-story tracking room, all of which have been professionally designed and balanced by master acoustician Bob Ho- das. If the devil’s in the details, Luminous Sound might just be hell on earth (but, like, in a good way). Modern Electric Sound Recorders (Central Dallas) Artists who dig it: Reverend Horton Heat, Paul Cauthen, Old 97’s Primary genres: Rock, Country, Americana Arguably one of the best-known record- ing studios in the DFW area is the brainchild of Jeff Saenz and Texas Gentlemen ring- leader Beau Bedford. Modern Electric is a one-stop-shop of sorts for artists seeking songwriting coaching, engineering, produc- tion and recording. Over the years, they’ve made a name for themselves not just for a big-name client list but for the attention they give artists and their willingness to give back to the community. They know the dark side of the music industry, namely contracts that leave many high-performing artists trapped in unfair and predatory deals. So, after experi- encing this nightmare as an artist, Bedford was determined to help other artists avoid those pitfalls and better advocate for them- selves. Everything about Modern Electric is intentional, from the extensive, diverse equipment selection to the design and even the location at the former site of two of the biggest names in commercial jin- gles: PAMS Production and Thompson Creative. More than that, Modern Electric seems to speak to artists on a deep, more personal level in a way that immediately puts them at ease. As singer-songwriter Kirk Thurmond put it, “Modern Electric is sort of a Mecca for Dallas music. They’ve given us a place of expression, ful- fillment and belonging.” Niles City Sound (Fort Worth) Artists who dig it: Leon Bridges, Jake Pale- schic, Brody Price Primary genres: Blues, Rock, Americana You might have heard of Niles City Sound. The Southside Fort Worth studio shot to fame with its production of Leon Bridges’ debut album, Coming Home, in 2015. Built within a century-old warehouse, this state-of-the-art studio was founded by Chris Vivion and White Denim members Austin Jenkins and Josh Block, all of whom wanted to create a space that leveraged vin- tage equipment, like 70-year-old micro- phones, tape recorders and amps, into music production. Since Coming Home, Niles City has gone on to produce records for the likes of Na- thaniel Rateliff, Frank Turner and Odesza. Its efforts have been so successful that last year it launched its own record label, Niles City Records, which just launched its initial release, Win A Trip To Palm Springs! by Brody Price. Panhandle House (Denton) Artists who dig it: Josh Abbott Band, Norah Jones, Blake Shelton Primary genres: Country, Rock, Jazz Panhandle House has been around since 1997 and got its start by primarily catering to the Denton/University of North Texas mu- sic crowd. The studio really took off after producing the Eli Young Band record Jet Black & Jealous in 2005. Since then, the stu- dio has produced records for dozens of big- name artist such as Snarky Puppy, The Eagles and Whiskey Meyers, but that’s not all it does. The studio’s founder, Erik Herbst, said he’s worked closely with the UNT jazz and ensemble departments over the years, occasionally working with professors to in- corporate studio time for students into the curriculum. Panhandle House has an impressive equipment list, which includes a vintage Neve 1878 console—the piece Herbst cred- its for attracting Blake Shelton and his mother to the studio: “Blake Shelton has been in a couple of times to do vocals. He randomly found us on the internet when he was looking for a place to take his mom to do a duet. He found us, saw our gear list, knew his producer would like it, and booked it himself.” What else does Panhandle bring to the table? “We give a shit,” Herbst said. “We’re gonna take good care of you. We really pride ourselves in actually, really trying to find out what’s the best fit for you, because it’s not in- expensive to record, and it’s a passion that these artists are trying to get out there. I take it very seriously, not only to make something that sounds really great but that it’s what they want too.” Sunland Sound (Lochwood) Artists who dig it: Jack O’Neill (Jackopierce), Corina Grove, Taylor Young Band Primary genres: Indie Rock, Pop, Folk Rock J. Michael Smith has been making and producing music since he was a teenager. Over the years, he’s been a member of nu- merous DFW bands and supported other artists with his guitar skills, among them Madison King, Austin Allsup and Nelly Furtado. But as time went on, Smith’s love for production grew. So, when it was time for him and his wife to buy a house, he made sure it came with enough space for a studio — Sunland Sound. In 2016, Smith and his family moved into a Lochwood-area home that came complete with a detached mother-in-law suite in the backyard. From there, Smith was able to renovate and build-out a fully functional boutique production studio that’s big enough to track a full band, and offers modern and vintage sound equip- ment. When asked about the type of artists he typically works with, Smith said, “I like to say we’re genre-fluid here. Come one, come all. … It’s definitely not just straight-ahead rock, or country. We like to get a little weird over here, sometimes.” Hottest Latin aduLt CLub in daLLas! Free Menudo All Day Sunday Happy Hour Everyday 11AM-7PM hours: Sun-Thur 11AM-2AM // Fri-Sat 11AM-4AM 11044 Harry Hines Boulevard // (214) 206-3820 chicasbonitas.business.site
