A more unexpected jolt from the rock N roll underground is damn near unimaginable, yet here they are: Texacala Jones and Annette Zilinskas, two of the very best chick singers from Hollywood's feverish swarm of early '80s provocateurs. Jones, with her walloping Horseheads, specializes in a delirious brand of lurching, roots-infused rock torment that even in the Blasters/Cramps/Gun Club context seems to reach a higher, stranger plateau of exotic rebel expression. While the Horseheads records never seemed to fully capture the band's unhinged stomp, it is their live show where the real action goes down—you never know what sort of madness she will indulge in, but Jones always comes up with something positively flabbergasting.
The less combustible—but by no means conventional—Blood on the Saddle are another perpetually intriguing act; their shadowy, propulsive mixture of raw punk and atmospheric traditional country distinguishes the band from the over-the-top antics of their fellow cow-punk travelers, and it is Zilinskas who makes all the difference. First introduced as the original bassist for the Bangs (which later became the Bangles), Zilinskas needed a band that gave her more room, and she found it with Blood on the Saddle. A vocalist capable of both soul-shaking volcanic power and tender, seductive subtlety, she routinely elevates their performances from drunken Saturday-night frolicking to an intriguing, artful display of rich, poetic communication. Zilinskas is a powerhouse, one who—shamefully—has never been given her rightful due, but with any luck, that's about to change.
Tex N the Horseheads with Blood on the Saddle at the Brigg, 17208 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, (562) 592-2200; www.thebrigghb.com. Sat., 9 p.m. Call for cover. 21+.
