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Archives for February 2020

Riptide

Love Austin Music Month, presented in partnership with the City of Austin Music and Entertainment Division, the Austin Music Foundation and KUTX 98.9, is a month-long friendly reminder to support our local musicians. And of course, that includes going to shows! This is where your friendly neighborhood AMM steps in to present today’s recommendation, world jazz ensemble Atlas Maior, bringing a superb mix of progressive jazz, harmonies and melodies with Middle Eastern, Latin American and Indian sounds.

Don’t miss Atlas Maior’s performance this Thursday night at Stay Gold, 1910 E. Cesar Chavez. The show kicks off at 10 p.m. It’s the perfect spot for an intimate performance by endlessly unique band of collaborators. Very recommended.

-Photo by Micah Stackhouse Photography.

Texas Standard: February 19, 2020

Democrats duke it out over who’s best to battle John Cornyn: Bob Garrett of the Dallas Morning News will join us with the takeaways from debate night. Plus, the one presidential candidate striking fear in the hearts of some Texas democratic politicos. Here’s a hint: he’s a democrat. Also, using federal gun laws to help battle domestic violence. Plus a new report on widespread flaring in west Texas: how bad is it, and will it lead to tightening regulations? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Sarah Harmer: “St. Peter’s Bay”

Ontario’s Sarah Harmer celebrates her fiftieth birthday this fall, marking a little over three decades of introspection, songwriting, and performing. She got her start at seventeen as a recruit for Toronto alt-country group The Saddletramps and by the turn of the millennium Harmer had made a humble solo debut with Songs For Clem, followed by the commercial outbreak You Were Here.

Jump another ten years ahead, when this multiple Juno Award nominee had further formalized both sound and following, and had begun to divide her time between multi-instrumental composition and passionate environmental activism. Though, since then, it’s been relatively quiet for Harmer…until now. On the upcoming LP Are You Gone, Harmer enlisted the help of Marcus Paquin (whose production credits can be found amongst Local Natives, The National, and Arcade Fire) to co-produce this dark, twelve-song meditation on nature and humanity. Are You Gone proves that, for Harmer, the last decade was less a vacation from music and more a reflection on life’s fickle ways and a fresh catalyst for pushing her lyrical style. Are You Gone is just a couple days away and you can get started early with the album opener, “St. Peter’s Bay”!

–Photo: Vanessa Heins

Austin Round the World

The Love Austin Music Month celebrations continue at KUTX with a big shout out to a nonprofit near and dear to your Austin Music Minute host’s heart, Project ATX6. It’s a local nonprofit that selects six Austin musicians each year to travel round the world to share their music on an international level.

After recently returning from performing at the Jai Thep festival in Thailand, members of Project ATX6 will perform an intimate show tonight at the Museum of Human Achievement, an art and performance space at 3600 Lyons Rd (78702). The line-up, presented in part by Austin artist Jonas Wilson‘s label Mr. Pink Records, features Urban Heat, with Jonathan Horstmann; and a solo set by Leslie Sisson of Moving Panoramas. (Altamesa had to cancel tonight, unfortunately, due to illness.)

Doors at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Donations accepted all in support of Project ATX6, and your Austin Music Minute maven is the emcee. Recommended.

-Photo of Jonathan Horstmann by Kate Blaising.

Jack Sheldon

In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about the life and career of Jack Sheldon, a bebop trumpeter, singer and actor, who voiced beloved characters on Schoolhouse Rock. Blumofe also discusses how Sheldon’s work serves as a reminder of the endless opportunities in life.

 

 

Texas Standard: February 18, 2020

As Bloomberg surges in the polls, his Texas strategy draws national attention, as another billionaire bets on Texas as a turning point. Our conversation with Tom Steyer on how the former hedge fund manager is pitching himself as an outsider here in the Lone Star State. Also on this first day of early voting, long time democratic members of congress from Texas facing challenges from progressives, in a fight for the soul of the party. Plus religious tattoos: new research suggests they’re making a distinctive mark. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Casie Luong: “Easy Lately”

When it comes to high standards, Mother Falcon doesn’t just let any old fledgling into their collective nest. There’s no exception to the rule when it comes to Austin-based songwriter Casie Luong who, in addition to her virtuoso piano and vocal skills, has become an integral part of the annual Mother Falcon Music Lab as an instructor.

And on top of her semi-recent interest in acting, Luong’s blossomed into quite the solo songwriter and producer since the release of her 2015 EP Grow, venturing into soul, pop, and R&B considerably more than her MF chamber-folk bandmates. With the help of Moses Elias and Payton Long, Casie Luong just shared another groove-heavy single last week, one that’ll keep you wanting more and more from this up-and-comer: “Easy Lately”!

Snake Handler

You like the fire? Here’s the heat. This one’s burning just for you.

In conjunction with the City of Austin Music and Entertainment Division and the Austin Music Foundation, KUTX continues its celebration of Love Austin Music Month, a citywide campaign reminding music lovers to support Austin music artists. This evening, blues rock outfit Red On Yellow, featuring vocalist Bear Ryan leading the way, continues their Monday night musical residency tonight at Antone’s, 305 E. 5th St.

Ain’t messin’ around. Doors at 9 p.m., show at 10 p.m.

The music doesn’t just happen on the weekends; it’s every single night in the ATX. Step up and represent. Recommended.

-Photo by Stan Martin Photography.

The Hard Truth about Austin Hip-Hop

This week on The Breaks:

  • Confucius and Fresh break down the backlash to the Forbes article on Rad and Wane from The Hakone Agency.
  • They discuss the history of the Austin hip-hop scene and how it’s hidden from most of the city.
  • In his “Unpopular Opinion,” Fresh talks about how people use the word “gentrification” too loosely.
  • Confucius encourages people to show empathy and consider context for stories in his “Confucius Says.”
  • This week’s local song of the week is Chief Cleopatra’s “Gangstas in Love.”

Listen to this week’s episode of The Breaks

Listen on The Apple Podcasts App, Spotify or Stitcher

The Breaks are on every Saturday 10pm-1am on KUTX 98.9.
You can hear the latest full broadcast of The Breaks Saturday night show.

Hear the music from The Breaks played on their Saturday Night Hip-hop show

Texas Standard: February 17, 2020

More Americans potentials exposed to the Coronavirus coming to Texas. Amid concerns the disease could affect the Texas economy, we’ll have the latest. Also, some may think the opioid crisis is receding, Bexar county is stepping up efforts to help treat those with addictions. We’ll hear why. And The Trump administration calls for additional millions for quantum computing…what does it all add up to? A Texas expert does the math. Plus the story behind Cird City Texas… all four of them. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Click-Clack: “Luke Cage” (prod. White Jamal)

Whereas other metropolitan harbors of hip-hop tend to have a unified sound, be it with Chicago’s soul-R&B, Atlanta’s sultry trap, East Coast grit or West Coast funk, the steadily developing Austin scene is much more easily defined by its major players rather than any genre descriptors. Take for example native Austinite lyricist Eric Mikulak, who’s become town-renowned under the name Click-Clack.

On top of a robust (though largely non-streamable) discography, Mikulak’s definitely put in well beyond the standard 10,000 hours for his craft, dating back even before his college days fronting alt-rap-rock outfit Karmatron. Decidedly not a stranger to the one-man-studio approach, Mikulak’s production skills (under the moniker White Jamal) are neck-and-neck with his rapid-fire lyrical abilities, having already produced beats for artists around the globe in addition to his recent endeavor as engineer mentee. It’s rare to catch this hermit onstage, but you can reap the latest fruits of Click-Clack’s labor with the baker’s dozen follow-up to Blue Eyed Black Boy: Songs I Don’t Hate. Keep an eye out for Mikulak’s name on production credits in the future and go straight to the crux of the new record with his self-produced “Luke Cage”!

Spencer Haywood (Ep. 11, 2020)

This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. presents a 2015 interview with ground-breaking and record-setting NBA legend Spencer Haywood. Haywood was inducted into The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2015.

In The Middle of The Night

At KUTX 98.9, this music love is 24/7, all year round. Can’t stop, won’t stop. But we’re also working in tandem with The City of Austin Music and Entertainment Division and the Austin Music Foundation for Love Austin Music Month, an important month-long reminder for ATX music lovers to support our local musicians!

Case in point: Tonight, A. Sinclair is taking over the room with a big EP release show at The ABGB, 1305 W. Oltorf. Today’s AMM featured the track “Weeds” from In the Middle of the Night, which you’ll recall songwriter/frontman Aaron Sinclair talking about during a recent visit with your AMM host on KUTX. And again, the band delivers an urgent emotional rush on the latest release, crackling with electricity (“Weeds,” “Fight About It,” “A Hundred Million Thousand”) and a surge of uncertainty surfacing (“Goin Out of My Mind”). Where to now, heart? It’s still the vast unknown, though the movement continues forward – for better or worse.

A. Sinclair shares tonight’s bill with Tyler Jordan and The Negative Space, so you’ve got twice the badass. The music starts at 9 p.m. Recommended.

-Photography by Precious Parker for KUTX.

Magic (Music) Moments

Hearts in the eyes, and hearts all a-flutter… Of course KUTX is in love – with all this incredible music! And we’re here to remind you of the importance of supporting our local musicians. It’s the very root – the heart and soul, if you will – of why Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World, darlin’.

Here are just a few shows happening in our city tonight, perfect for your Valentine’s (or anti-Valentine’s) Day celebrations:

–Love and Giants (formerly The Cover Letter) share the bill with Harvest Thieves and Night Blooms at Barracuda, 611 E. 7th St.

–Caleb DeCasper‘s video release show at The Electric Church, 5018 E. Cesar Chavez St., with Halloween Party Music, Paper Sister and Friday Boys. Doors at 9 p.m.

-It’s MY CRUDDY VALENTINE, a big show at The Far Out Lounge and Stage, 8504 S. Congress Ave., with Megafauna, GOAT and your MOM, The Sour Notes, Voidstrider, Ole Creepy, and Color Candy. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m.

–Hey Cowboy has an album release show at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River, with Christelle Bofale, Lolita Lynn, and Houston-based singer/songwriter Teresa Vicinanza‘s musical project, Tee Vee.

–Rawk. It’s an unholy trio of the harder stuff with FOR THE LOVE OF ROCK at Spider House, 2906 Fruth St., with Transit Method, Chill Russell and RATS RATS RATS. (This show’s got yer AMM host written all over it…)

-An acoustic set by Wild Child at the Cactus Café. Doors at 8 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m.

-Longtime AMM favorite Christy Hays performs at The AGBG, 1305 W. Oltorf. The show begins at 9 p.m. (Tell Christy that the Austin Music Minute maven sent ya.)

-As featured on today’s AMM, Jonathan Terrell brings the love to The White Horse, 500 Comal, with Devin Jake, and Missy Beth and The Morning Afters. Music starts at 8 p.m. Raise a glass, love.

–Aquarius For Lovers, brought to you by The Watters and a bevy of friends at One-2-One Bar, 1509 S. Lamar Blvd.

–Jake Garcia takes a break from recording with The Black Angels to spin the baddest garage, freakbeat, fuzz, & psych at THE BIG BEAT Valentine’s Day shindig at The 13th Floor, 1812 E. 12th St.

KUT Weekend – February 14, 2020

The Austin City Council gets one big step closer to a sweeping overhaul of the city’s land development rules. Plus, delays in the Austin Police Department handing enforcement of rules governing loud music to the city’s music office. And a trip to the tiny West Texas town of Valentine. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!

Subscribe at https://weekend.kut.org

Texas Standard: February 14, 2020

A case of the novel coronavirus confirmed in San Antonio. Though the patient is quarantined, how do officials fight the spread of fear? We’ll explore. Other stories we’re tracking: is one of the most beloved and pristine corners of our state endangered by energy development? The conversation underway in Big Bend country. And the U.S. border patrol in the media spotlight. Are recent policies or the agency’s past more to blame? A new report suggests the latter. Plus the week that was in Texas politics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Squeaking And Slamming Screened Doors

This Typewriter Rodeo poem was inspired by a story shared by a Texas Standard listener. Share your ideas on social media or email TexasStandard@kut.org.

NEEDSHES: “Love”

I know what you’re thinking…really, Jack? A track called “Love” on Valentine’s Day? Well, that sentiment can just suck on a chalk heart because today’s tune is certainly not your run-of-the-mill “love” song.

Enter Uzbekistani multi-instrumentalist producer Otabek Salamov AKA Bek, who first conceived his manifold-driven project NEEDSHES almost a full decade back. With a combined encyclopedic knowledge of hip-hop blues, punk, funk, and soul, the three-piece offers tantalizing alternative rock reminiscent of mid-aughts acts like Coldplay, Jack White, and The Killers but not without its own modern idiosyncrasies along the lines of alt-J, Tame Impala, and Guster. In the short time since playing their first gigs, NEEDSHES has accrued quite the following across Europe and beyond, on the radio, in commercials, and in concert.

Today NEEDSHES brings a ton of warmth to the Moscow area and the world with their first and undeniably kickass single of the new year, “Love”!

–Photo: Yan Yugay

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