Jack Anderson

Glass Mansions: “Standing O”

Back at the turn of the millennium it was a pretty interesting phenomenon seeing the label “alt-rock” dominate genre preferences. Now, immersed in the status quo of DAWs and MIDI arrangements a full generation later, we’ve come full circle with “alt-pop”. So if you’re on the prowl for the top purveyors of alt-pop right here in Austin, have peek into Glass Mansions. Made up of vocalist/percussionist/sampler Jayna Doyle and synthesist/guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Blake Arambula, this two-piece definitely ticks a box for member efficiency. In the half decade since breaking ground on Glass Mansions, the pair’s atemporal open house of synth-driven, rock-grounded, dance-adjacent tastes has landed their tunes on MTV, Netflix, and Bravo. And in the live realm, Glass Mansions has glistened onstage alongside Phantogram, Robert Delong, and Young the Giant across Warped Tour, SXSW and beyond. Amongst all that applause and exposure, Glass Mansions has gleaned how to please listeners of all kinds. But as a female-led project, even Glass Mansions has unsurprisingly been smudged by institutionalized oppression. So today, a week out from their free Beach Fossils after show next Friday at The Mohawk, Glass Mansions has pulled the curtain back on their latest music video. Between its news footage, stacked-tv overstimulation, and undeniable crossover appeal, “Standing O” may make you wanna rip your monitor right out of its socket…at least wait ’til you give Glass Mansions a follow.

Arya: “i’d rather lose you”

No matter the kind of creative, a hard pivot takes a lot of guts. Be it George Carlin dropping “straight” in favor of “straight up” or Danielle Ponder leaving her legal firm to focus on her pipes, those risky shifts can end up being unique, life-changing gifts. Among the more recent entries into that roster? Serbian national Arya.

You see, Arya spent about a decade and a half back in Belgrade behind a Baby Grand; ten-plus years of classical piano coupled with a Bachelor’s in Jazz. Yet despite becoming a certified ace on the ivories, the fulfillment of contemporary innovation wasn’t exactly there.

Now, as Austinites, we won’t claim that it was the Live Music Capital that turned Arya into the rising star she is today. However, it was Arya’s move to Texas that coincided with her 2019 debut EP it wasn’t love. That record introduced the world to a daring, new, and authentically-emotional pop-R&B voice, no doubt well-informed by her mastery of jazz and classical theory. On top of all that talent, she seems like an outstanding human being as well! Arya’s last single, “Bed”, came alongside her “Better Every Day” merch line, which donates proceeds directly to Austin’s beloved SIMS Foundation.

Arya’s been plugging away at her debut visual EP Insides, but with 2022 quickly coming to a close, she’d be remiss if she didn’t go out in full R&B-stunner style. At 7:30PM tonight at Pedernales Station, Arya unfurls the live rendition of her latest single “i’d rather lose you”, with tattoos by Slowpoke Marfa, free drinks, and more. Can’t make it? No problem. The heavenly piano chords, angelic vocals, and soaring synth bass of “i’d rather lose you” are enough to make you pray for more right away.

Dog Beach Rebels: “Company”

It’s post-election Wednesday, and after the extremely close results of our gubernatorial race, there are a lot of folks feeling their fur mussed up to say the least. But no matter who’s at the top of Texas politics, at least for right now, Austin is still the Live Music Capital first and foremost. So if you’re itchin’ for a reggae-alt-rock escape right here in the city limits…pile in, pooches; Dog Beach Rebels will be tossing us all a post-election bone this weekend!

With nearly five (human) years under their collar, Dog Beach Rebels’ breed of all-things reggae has only become more brindled. Whether it’s with ska, jam, rocksteady, psych, dub, or straight up roots, Dog Beach Rebels proudly struts it all like the multi-genre mutt they are. This Saturday they’ll be dropping their sophomore studio EP Just Enough, with a release show 9PM Friday night at Flamingo Cantina. So become DBR’s latest fan right now with the previously-unheard EP opener off Just Enough, whose steady skank and spacious arrangement will make you want to stay in close “Company”.

Rest in Power, Takeoff

In this relatively somber episode of The Breaks, Fresh and Confucius reflect on the untimely passing of Migos co-founder Takeoff. But a bigger, two-part discussion lies behind all the fond memories. What does this mean for the longevity of hip-hop artists and why are white people so quick to scapegoat the genre when tragedy strikes?

Hip Hop Facts fills you in on plenty of Migos trivia plus Paul Mooney’s role on In Living Color.

Just in time for Election Day, Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion pleads rappers to stay directly out of partisan politics…lookin’ at you, Killer Mike.

Lastly, Confucius Reads the News about Elon Musk’s Twitter changes, Drake & 21 Savage’s new collaboration, and the latest punches from Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice Roberts.

Hot Flash Heat Wave: “Trippy Luv”

Seasons are quickly shifting, and not just with the weather. We’ll be wrapping up the 2022 season of Song of the Day on Friday, December 16th, winding down this year alongside fellow KUTX creation Song Confessional. If you’re not hip to Song Confessional‘s concept, here are the basics. Volunteers come clean about an incident in their past, and an eclectic net of musicians turn those anonymously-recorded anecdotes into original pieces of music.

Back in late May, Song Confessional‘s summer mini-season closed out with some seriously salacious details; that triple-X tryst in turn inspired “Trippy Luv”, an ethereal, effects-drenched psych-pop-rock adaptation from Hot Flash Heat Wave. But with their Song Confessional episode now far off the radar, (and “Trippy Luv” officially out as a standalone single last week) the San Francisco trio is soon set to embark on a month-long national tour, mainly clinging to the West Coast.

Seven sweltering years of DIY chemistry under their belt, Hot Flash Heat Wave is certain to make the absolute most out of their upcoming time on the road. Sadly, though, there aren’t any tour stops here in town. However, as home to mesmerizing icons like Sir Douglas Quintet, Janis Joplin, Explosions in the Sky, and others, Austinites ought to admire how well Hot Flash Heat Wave flips some pseudo-sixties psychedelia into the timeless piece of indie prog-rock ingenuity that is “Trippy Luv”.

Souls Extolled: “Just Dreams”

On behalf of KUTX, here’s a confession of sorts: we could lean a little more on the heavier stuff. And I’m not saying that just because I’m rocking the long, windmill-ready thrash hair right now. There really are some sensational prog metal (or at least hard rock-adjacent) songwriters sprinkled across Austin. Exhibit A: Souls Extolled. This three-piece exercises a regiment of all kinds of stuff; indie, alternative, grunge, ska, and punk have all been on the platter since the group’s inception in 2019. Souls Extolled plans on springing right into 2023 with their next full-length MMXXII or “twenty twenty two” phonetically. The record is set to drop on New Year’s Day 2023 and as such, Souls Extolled is expected at venues across the country over the next few weeks, with a tour kickoff 8PM tonight at The Mohawk (ahead of The Dead Coats at 9 and The Holy Death Trio at 10). Can’t convince your ear drums to bear the Atlas task of a full in-person set? No problem. Just stretch out into the aether with MMXXII‘s incandescent and honestly almost-operatic eleventh offering, “Just Dreams”.

Surf Curse: “Self Portrait”

Reno, Nevada…not typically a place thought of as a hub for water-sports. And maybe that’s the point; between the desert flora and the arid atmosphere, it’s almost as if someone laid a pox on “The Biggest Little City in the World” for aquatic fanatics. A Surf Curse, if you will. For nearly a full decade, Surf Curse has been tearing up waves of indie rock, pop, punk, and psych. Developmentally, the once-duo has recently doubled into a quartet, expanding their coast of cross-genre grains and performance capabilities. Those new additions have culminated in Surf Curse’s fourth full-length Magic Hour, recorded at the one-and-only Electric Lady Studios. Surf Curse has already caught a steady current of streams for Magic Hour and now, after wrapping up the European leg of their latest tour, they’re bringing the sorcery down to Austin. Surf Curse performs both tonight and tomorrow night (sold out) at The Mohawk, but if it’s just not in the cards for you, fire up the surreal nightmare-fuel within “Self Portrait“‘s music video.

Solo Solo: “No Sleep”

Boy, there’ve been a lot of new Austin acts popping up in 2022. And while artist multiplicity has made gatekeeping and curation a bit more complicated than it was in the pre-DAW era, we still try our best to show off up-and-coming artists around town. Yet our airwaves simply cannot catch everything. That’s why Song of the Day is here to play a little heavy rotation safety, this time on behalf of Solo Solo. Solo Solo is fraternal collaboration front and center; their lifelong bond as brothers slipstreams seamlessly into this synth-injected indie rock project. Their studio singles are still limited as of yet, but considering the standalone caliber of “No Sleep” (not to mention a well-designed character-and-car-driven music video), AND the fact that their next single “Pure Graffiti (Instrumental Version)” is already available for pre-order…seems like Solo Solo’s set to take several more big steps in the near future.

WhooKilledKenny: “Teach Her the Game”

Our Saturday night specialty program The Breaks does a great job of highlighting hip-hop from the heart of Texas. But with an increasing number of émigrés ditching the Lone Star State for greener pastures out West and elsewhere, The Breaks simply can’t catch everything. Because of that, today we’re spinnin’ some new stuff from native Austinite WhooKilledKenny, who currently calls Los Angeles home.

As a die-hard South Park fanatic, it’s hard not to react, “you know…they; they’re…they’re bastards…” when you see that handle. So when you hear the militant discipline within this mid-twenties vocalist (and learn that his namesake actually stems from a potential lawsuit on behalf of Kenny G), you can tell WKK’s flow is no joke. Following up his 2021 debut No Refunds, WhooKilledKenny coasted in halfway through October with his sophomore five-track Strictly Business. Sonically it’s a far cry from EPMD’s ’88 debut, but its consistent themes and production style provide for a similar, seminal experience.

Hot off Strictly Business, WhooKilledKenny has been popping up on Spotify advertisements around Austin, almost as a sort of homecoming. If you want to show some love for a fellow Austin native (wherever you may be), toss a like onto one of Strictly Business‘ centerpieces (and music videos), the R&B-rap winner “Teach Her the Game”!

Cappin’ for Unhinged Creatives

Kanye West has made more than his fair share of outrageous headlines this past week, leading Confucius and Fresh to wonder…why continue to cap for unhinged creatives past their point of no return?

And when it comes to the current generation of younger rappers who seemingly can’t dress themselves, is it generational taste, or just objectively gaudy?

Hip-Hop Facts features tidbits on DJ Premier, Lil Jon, and Frank Ocean plus anecdotes on 8 Mile, Men in Black, and more.

Fresh’s latest Unpopular Opinion makes it clear: put Nicki Minaj alongside her rapper peers instead of atop the pop pedestal.

Finally, Confucius Reads the News on Steve Bannon’s prison sentence, Nick Cannon’s latest kid, Elon Musk’s Twitter purchase, and Rihanna’s new single.

Grandma Mousey: “Freaky Face”

Among the many personality types out there, those whose favorite holiday is Halloween are the ones I prefer to keep close. So if you’re like me and want to get the most brimstone for your buck on October 31st (despite celebrating Halloween year-round), welcome Grandma Mousey into your nightmare. This indie rock trio’s been trickin’ ‘n’ treatin’ around Austin since 2019, their grab bag now filled to the brim with the sweetest morsels of jazz, psychedelia, prog, and more.

Coming off this Spooky Season, Grandma Mousey is set to play 10PM Friday night at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard, along with openers p.s. feels, Lady Chops and the Goddamn Jam, and Bridey Murphy. And right in time for All Hallow’s Eve, Grandma Mousey’s given us an extra piece of shoegaze flair to help get into character for your costume. Just don’t come crying when you can’t take the “Freaky Face” off…

Torre Blake: “Back To You” (prod. Megz Kelli & Jim Eno)

Way back in March we helped to introduce Project Traction, a mentorship program from engineer extraordinaire Jim Eno designed to level the playing field for women and non-binary creatives in the world of production. Well, Project Traction’s got a new batch of tracks, the first of which is a real groove seducer.

About-town Austinites (and loyal fans of The Breaks worldwide) can vouch for the powerhouse passion bestowed in R&B stunner Torre Blake, while local hip-hop connoisseurs will testify to Megz Kelli (of Magna Carda)’s polymath magnificence. But can you imagine what it’d be like if they put in time together at Public Hi-Fi?

It’s not just the stuff of dreams; today Project Traction proudly unveils the latest Jim Eno co-production. Entitled “Back To You”, this one-of-a-kind collaboration captivates straight from the first drum fill. The ensuing synth-guitar sensuality, reverb’d up vocals, coquettish keys, and guest rap verse could easily make high-collaboration stalwarts like Quincy Jones quiver in joy.

Max Fite: “Night Owl”

Beginning with his 2016 debut LP Shake It on Down, Los Angeles singer-guitarist Max Fite has been magnifying in on a mighty fine line of hard rock. This magnum force has already toured alongside legends likes of Puddle of Mudd, Johnny Thunders, Social Distortion’s Mike Ness, Blondie’s Clem Burke, and oh yeah, even Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock. Fite’s singles just seem to keep getting meatier and meatier, fitting for an artist whose upcoming LP is entitled Night Owl. This nocturnal beast features Queens of the Stone Age drummer Joe Castillo and Eagles of Death Metal bassist Dave Catching, making for the meanest parliament of owls you’ve ever heard. So keep your ears peeled for Night Owl in the near future, and open up the throttle like a blazing red ’65 Skylark tearing ass across the desert on the record’s title track, whose magnifique music video just touched down below.

Abraxas: “Fuji”

Although you probably didn’t get a personal calendar notification about it, today is in fact Public Radio Music Day. Admittedly, that may not sound as appealing as say…”Pet A Puppy September” or “Free Drugs Friday” but in its third commemoration, we’re celebrating unity among public radio music stations, artists, and fans to highlight the contributions of public radio to local and national noncommercial music. With that mouthful out of the way, let’s hear something brand new. If you’re a fan of both Los Bitchos and Night Beats, this ought to pique your interest. Former Los Bitchos member/co-founder Carolina Faruolo and Night Beats frontman Danny Lee Blackwell recently linked up for a cross-continental partnership that they call Abraxas. Authentic to their handle, the power duo’s been building a mystic universe of World-inclusive psych-rock soundscapes. You’ll spot constellations of Anatolian-funk, first-wave reggae dub, tropicalia, soul, cumbía, doo-wop, and R&B throughout Abraxas’ horizon-spanning style, which soon descends out of orbit above Monte Carlo. After a ton of transatlantic trading of ideas, this kaleidoscopic roulette of Latin-inspired psychedelia finally comes to streaming and vinyl this Friday. As magnificent as its namesake, Monte Carlo takes you on a globetrotting trek across a dozen originals, for a mountainous, dissociative experience like you’re peaking on some high-powered stuff…all within the confines of your mind and headphones. So get your set and setting in order before Friday, and get your bearings in Monte Carlo with the hazy vocal harmonies, brindle brass chords, and a gorgeous percussion gallop on the LP’s exotica-tinged tenth track, “Fuji”.

Foxxy Moron: “C’est La Vie”

Your support makes a lot of things possible for us here in Public Radio. One of the coolest of which is our ability to keep a finger on the evolving pulse of Austin music, be it from decades-old artists or brand spankin’ new ones. On that note, you might’ve made a few memories with Austin indie rock quartet Mohawk Bends over the years, but did you know that fronting singer-guitarist Chris Michael just launched a solo project?

Borrowing from the brash, quasi-nihilistic attitudes of Britpop legends James and Arctic Monkeys, Michael’s self-deprecating endeavor Foxxy Moron blurs the boundaries between classic acts like Oasis and contemporary innovators like California’s Young the Giant. Shades on and a full glass in hand, Foxxy Moron’s already nailed “the look”, with his debut single doing the rest of the heavy lifting; touting dynamic tom rhythms, a virtuoso vocal range, kickass guitar work, and hints of a perhaps not-so-legitimate UK accent, “C’est La Vie” is certain to skyrocket Foxxy Moron across the pond and well beyond.

Commercialization vs. Culture

Inspired by yet another Rolling Stone article, Confucius and Fresh kick off this week’s episode with a discussion on how Hip-Hop’s increasing commercialization affects its cultural relevance.

As the Nicki v. Cardi spat continues, the fellas talk up the importance of women in Hip-Hop, especially when it comes to lyrical effect on men.

Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion suggests cities ought to stop “adopting” artists as their own asset, before Confucius Reads the News about Kanye West and Parler, Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program, and Jay-Z’s Bacardi lawsuit.

Pale Dian: “Misanthrope”

Back in my day if you wanted to be one of the first to lay eyes on a new music video, you basically had to stay locked onto TRL. And if you wanted your music video to get played, you probably had to have an industry contact in the early internet era. So no disrespect to Carson Daly, but our ability to showcase Austin visuals freely is all thanks to you.

And since our Fall Membership Drive steers near to Halloween, skies are grey and pallor is back in seasonal fashion. Which brings up to Pale Dian. Spearheaded by visceral vocalist-synthesist Ruth Ellen Smith, Pale Dian purveys a Post-Punk-meets-Shoegaze style that’s been deemed “Nightmare Pop”. Since their 2016 debut Narrow Birth, these bleak dissociations have trickled across time and genre, in way where a Roy Orbison collaboration with Cocteau Twins wouldn’t be unheard of.

Like a double-exposed dream dipped in desire and doused in delight, Pale Dian dropped their sophomore follow-up Feral Birth yesterday. The band celebrated with a record release last night at Hotel Vegas two weeks before their upcoming appearance at the Galveston Art Festival. But you won’t need to make a beach trip to enjoy Pale Dian’s off-kilter optics; today they’ve unleashed a one-of-a-kind counterpart to Feral Birth. Animated by longtime Richard Linklater collaborator Wiley Wiggins (Dazed and Confused, Waking Life, etc.) “Misanthrope” will momentarily transport you out of the beginning-of-week mindset so you can turn on, tune in, and drop out to watch reality melt.

Redbud: “Kin”

If you’re an outdoorsy Austinite, “Redbud” ought to inspire idyllic images of the not-so-remote isle well within our city limits. But in fact there’s also a blossoming Austin quartet who goes by the name Redbud, helmed by the magnificently-melancholic singer-songwriter Katie Claghorn. Claghorn launched the project as means of self-expression in the early pandemic era, but the Unknown Mortal Orchestra-meets-Hiatus Kaiyote overtones were simply too tempting to keep cooped up to herself.

Redbud’s bloomed into an atmospheric four-piece, whose upcoming EP Long Night ensures a psychedelic and soulful panorama of meditative originals. You can catch Claghorn performing solo today at French House’s Fall Harvest Benefit before their full-band release party this Sunday at Hole in the Wall, with another one November 5th at the same spot (along with our September 2017 Artist of the Month Duncan Fellows). So what do you say? Want to get in good with the Redbud family? Well then fire up “Kin” in the player below and bless ’em with a follow on your preferred streaming platform.

Danielle Ponder: “Someone Like You” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

It’s the first day of our Fall Membership Drive and the final day of sharing our ACL Fest Pop-Up performances…so we saved the best for last. True to her surname, Danielle Ponder has no holds spending time deep in thought. In fact, that introspection somewhat recently led her to an objectively risky shift – leaving the financial security of life as a lawyer to pursue her dreams of becoming an R&B-soul “songstress”. From where we’re standing, seems like that decision’s paid off plentifully. Ponder put her potent vocals on display with her mid-September debut full-length Some Of Us Are Brave before blowing the top off the T-Mobile Stage last Sunday at ACL. Danielle kept the momentum barreling with a broken-down six-string-and-singer arrangement of “Someone Like You” for our multi-media team…an intimate gift we now extend to you.

iLe: “Traguito” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

Although much of it might’ve been spent on the couch streaming Hulu, we feel like one of the brightest highlights of ACL Fest Weekend One was Adrian Quesada’s Boleros Psicodelícos. And that’s mainly thanks to the sheer quantity and astonishing caliber of international vocalists who flooded the forty-five minute set Saturday afternoon on the Honda stage…one of which helms Boleros Psicodelícos‘ album opener and KUTX airwave darling “Mentiras Con Cariño”.

Born Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar, San Juan singer iLe has been inching her way into international awareness since adopting her mononymous handle back in August 2015. Her 2016 debut LP iLevitable earned iLe a Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and went on to win Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. iLe’s 2019 follow-up Almadura racked up its own Grammy nomination right around the same time she went on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk and collaborated with Bad Bunny on the protest song “Afilando los cuchillos”.

And just a couple weeks ago, on the verge of her third full-length Nacarile, iLe treated us to “Traguito”, the record’s lead single whose studio version features Chilean icon Mon Laferte. Nacarile drops on Friday, iLe is confirmed for SXSW 2023, and “Traguito” awaits you in the pop-up video below.