Eugene Walter may have called Mobile "The Kingdom of the Monkey," but I am still forced to call it "The Schizophrenic City." Our weather is one on a long, personal list that leads me to this name. Lately, we have been living up to our local cliché "Don’t like the weather? Wait five minutes." Since we have been having unusually warm weekends, I’ve been doing what most people around here do when the weather is nice: heading over to the ESho.

<p><strong>Doctor, doctor give me the news</strong>

I’ve been hearing about Dr. Music for years now, and I was beginning to feel guilty about not patronizing this musical institution in Fairhope. In case you aren’t familiar with Dr. Music, it’s tucked away in the back of Over the Transom on N. Church Street. I must say that I was extremely impressed with the store and the selection. The whole place was a flashback to the days when Satori was exclusively a music store. Owner Wade Wellborn has both a nice collection of CDs and vinyl for the music enthusiast. The walls of the store are lined with off-beat vinyl covers with titles such as "Music for Hangovers," which features four ‘60s-era, nude women lounging lazily at a bar as a red-vested, bow-tied bartender serves them Mai-Tai’s and Singapore Slings. The CDs weren’t the only attraction. Wellborn also takes antique suitcases and converts them into guitar amps, which are quite attractive. Since purchasing custom guitar pedals handmade by local Clay Davis and his Rock and Roll Workshop, I have become addicted to custom guitar equipment. And the musical goodness doesn’t stop there, dear reader! On Jan. 19, Dr. Music will host an open mic and the release party for Deluxe Leisure Kings’ new CD. The night will begin with various writers and musicians blasting the crowd with their verbal and melodious talents. So, if you’re a writer or musician looking for an outlet, then this is the night for you. Following the open mic, Bayfest veterans Deluxe Leisure Kings will mount the stage for a debut of their follow-up to 2004’s "15 Minutes of Shame." Deluxe Leisure Kings’ sound is a flashback to the alternative sounds of the early ‘90s that put Athens, Ga., on the map. With clean guitars saturated in chorus and pristine vocals, Deluxe Leisure Kings are sure to bring the house down.

<p><strong>More musical meds</strong>

It wouldn’t be a groundbreaking statement to state that music has a mental effect on each and every one of us. It has been rumored that music "soothes the savage breast." It has also been rumored that while Hitler would give speeches, he pumped a low frequency bass under the feet of the crowd in order to whip them into a frenzy. The mental effects of music have been a heavily researched issue for many years now. Local psychology professor/researcher/guitarist Dr. John Kline has combined the theory that music affects the brain along with theories dealing with psychological conditioning in the creation of his debut CD "Instrumental Conditioning." Taking the title into consideration, it seems as if Kline wishes to instill certain habits or feelings with his music. It seems to having an effect on the critics. He has been recognized by Garagebands.com and compared to Steve Vai, Eric Johnson and Joe Satriani. "Instrumental Conditioning" is definitely a journey of the mind with Kline doing all the instrument arrangements. The CD begins with a series of Pink Floyd-esque chimes that leads into the appropriately titled "Wakey Wakey." This song has a Southern jam edge to it with his skips across the fret board. Some songs are mellow and have a New Age feel to it and will remind you of the days when Windham Hill ruled Sunday Jazz Brunches everywhere. The melodic guitars backed by keyboard are quite relaxing. “Salty Dawg” takes the listener into Texas roadhouse country with its bluesy riffs. It probably won’t be long until Kline is conditioning everyone with his music.

<p><strong>Down at Da&rsquo; Fish</strong>

Picklefish has long remained the epicenter of the LoDa Entertainment District. Locals and tourists alike have filled their tummies with their pizza and libations. This restaurant sometimes stays open to the early hours of the morning with each employee working their hardest to please the public and leaving very little time for them to recreate out of their workplace. The Picklefish staff decided that instead of going to the shows, they would bring the shows to them.
On Sunday, Feb. 5, the Mobile Underground’s favorite sons and Existing Records artists Fry Cook will rock out Picklefish. James, Jeff and Art have recently been signed to Trashcan Skeleton Management, who has been doing their best to keep them busy. Fry Cook has upcoming performances confirmed for Jacksonville, Atlanta, Auburn and possibly Austin. In April, Fry Cook hopes to tour out to California to give the West Coast a little of what has made them a local favorite. With their stage presence and impressive sound, I know it won’t be hard.

<p><strong>Benjy&rsquo;s back</strong>

The Benjy Davis Project will return to the Soul Kitchen Jan. 28 with special guest Sam Thacker. Since Soul Kitchen was becoming too big for their britches, Brad Young decided to move into bigger accommodations at the building that used to house Breakers Billiards, Banana Joe’s and Charm City. This should be music to their patron’s ears. With a favorite like Benjy Davis Project coming to town, they’ll need all the room they can get! The Benjy Davis Project is touring in support of their latest album "The Angie House." This new album is proving that BDP’s smooth, earthy style of rock and roll is still attracting fans. Songs like "Wait" has vocal qualities that will remind you of the Gin Blossoms but with an edge. This sound is brought out with an unspoiled guitar sound of electric mixed with acoustic. With his regular tour schedule including the Port City, it’s safe to say that this band has become a local favorite. Head down to Soul Kitchen and find out why.