Picks to Click

It's a simple process, really, choosing "Picks to Click" -- Austin musical acts the Chronicle thinks deserve special attention during South by Southwest. While the paper's "Picks & Sleepers" (starting next week) highlight a handsome portion of the approximately 200 local acts playing the music conference this year, "Picks to Click" spotlight musicians we feel are riding a creative crest and thus have an excellent chance of reaping some of the many benefits that can be gleaned from the annual music industry assemblage. This year, the Chronicle features five local acts rather than our customary seven, because frankly, we've already written about everyone we like. The chosen quintet, then, Meg Hentges, Monroe Mustang, Ephraim Owens, Courtney Audain, and the Kiss Offs were fairly obvious, since we hadn't told their stories; in the case of Hengtes, a "P2C" in '94, an update was in order. Of course, there are 800-or-so stories of bands from around the globe who are playing SXSW '99 -- most of 'em valid -- but we like these five. That's why they're the Chronicle's "Picks to Click." --Raoul Hernandez