Jack Anderson

The Watters: “Life As A Dream”

We’ve all experienced impostor syndrome in one way or another. For musicians, it typically comes in the form of filling a bill considered “out of their league” or trying their hand at a style that’s not as rehearsed as the rest of their repertoire. But you’ll never know unless you try, right? Because that’s exactly what happened with Austin Americana-blues-soul-rock outfit The Watters. Daniel and Jenna Watters live within walking distance of The Far Out Lounge, whose doors opened at the top of the pandemic. When Far Out put out an open call for a “Sunday Jazz Brunch”, it stirred something in The Watters; as unapologetic lovers of New Orleans Dixieland and stride jazz standards like “Ain’t Misbehavin'”, they certainly seemed in touch with those sought-after sensibilities. And since having a horn section is half the battle for most jazz bands, why the hell not? Needless to say, those Sunday Jazz Brunches went off without a hitch. As such, the Watters’ tides have turned towards the incorporation of jazz, a shift that heavily influenced their latest EP Mellow. With their idiosyncratic blues-soul still front and center, jazz masterfully interjects itself within these four rousing originals. But you’ll also hear flourishes from the swingin’ ’60s sound on Mellow‘s sophomore offering “Life As A Dream”. Either way, as is usual with The Watters, it’s best experienced live. So catch The Watters 10:30pm tomorrow night at The Continental Club along with Wrongbird for the Mellow EP release show and get lucid with the sensuous psychedelia of “Life As A Dream”.

Michael Paul Lawson: “Lucille”

Now this is purely anecdotal, but it seems like there’s an awful lot of traffic between Austin and New York. Must be something about a cross-metropolitan cultural exchange between the Big Apple and the Live Music Capital…Whatever the weather, one peripheral instance of that migration pattern graciously gifted us singer-guitarist Michael Paul Lawson. Lawson’s parents split up in his infancy, which provided a calm climate in Central New York but a sense of adventure during trips to Austin. After a rousing post-graduation respite in Virginia, Lawson decided to record his 2019 debut Some Fights You’ll Never Win down here in ATX, where he’s since immersed himself in our alt-country/Americana scene.

True to its title, Michael Paul Lawson’s upcoming sophomore full-length Love Songs For Loners leans on character-driven narratives and classic country conventions. That said the eight-track still packs a palette of dusky folk, even including a tip of the hat to late legends John Prine and Justin Townes Earle. Love Songs For Loners comes out on October 7th, and if you need some company between now and then, catch Michael Paul Lawson 7PM next Tuesday for a free concert at Meanwhile Brewing. Feel free to mingle with new and old fans alike; you may even meet a fellow loner like the cigarette lover depicted in today’s laid-back country-rocker, “Lucille”.

Swiss Banks: “RIP”

When I was a kid first getting into music, R.E.M. was the second band whose discography I completely explored and absorbed. Because of that, their ’83 debut Murmur has always held a special place in my heart…but boy would I not be capable of covering it. Which between myself and Austin’s Swiss Banks makes one of us. Swiss Banks was born between guitarist Lane Fielder and singer-songwriter Adam Buhrman, who initially linked up under the pretense of re-interpolating Murmur. From there on it didn’t take long at all for the two to plunge face-first into the pantheon of post-punk and art-glam-rock greats like David Bowie, The Smiths, Joy Division, and The Cure. When they recruited percussionist Joey Alves, the trio began performing as “Hippo”. But after drawing direct comparisons to their ’80s influences along with contemporaries like Interpol, Swiss Banks retreated to Buhrman’s home studio to reinvent their style.

Today, Swiss Banks has finally re-surfaced with their inaugural single. Despite its title, “RIP” is just the beginning for Swiss Banks rhythmic, goth-instilled, retro sound, which you’ll hear more of on their upcoming eponymous introduction, produced by Modern Medicine collaborator Carey McGraw. So strap yourself into the time machine, set course for forty years back, and try not to let “RIP” lay your workweek motivation to rest.

Jordan Hasto: “Blood Red Moon”

For many artists, you can pretty much determine their main influences based on a cursory first listen. Safe to say though, it’s much more stimulating when you can’t quite crack the code, only figuring out the formula when you learn about the musicians’ role models, like the last piece in a puzzle. That’s been our experience thus far with singer-guitarist Jordan Hasto, who’s settled pleasantly after moving from Philadelphia down to Austin. With the exception of Philly soul, it’s not that easy to pinpoint Hasto’s style. But according to the man himself, his composition conventions draw from a Venn diagram of John Mayer’s songwriting, Marvin Gaye’s vocals, and Jimmy Page’s guitar. In mid-August Jordan Hasto dropped his third studio single, “Blood Red Moon”, a retelling of a (thankfully) failed train-side suicide attempt whose catchy indie-soul shuffle’ll leave you eager for more.

Susannah Joffe: “In Your Room”

College years are often the most formative for young musicians who are eager to break out of the rigidness of academia and into the boundless world of “adult” songwriting. And typically it’s not until after graduation that these creatives can fully re-commit to their craft and progress their inventiveness. People like singer Susannah Joffe, who just graduated from UT Austin. In addition to the new degree under her belt, Joffe’s also got nearly a million streams for this February’s The Punch EP, not to mention sold out headliner shows and opening appearances for Mattiel, Geese, and Japanese Breakfast. Joffe’s radiant rock and picturesque pop already offer a colorful cross-indie concoction, so fingers crossed that this is still just the tip of the iceberg in terms of quality and output. Susannah Joffe opens for Cali four-piece Sun Room on Thursday, September 8th, 8PM at Empire Control Room and releases a self-directed music video for her latest single soon. Until then, enjoy the intimate imagery and impressive implementation of dynamics (far surpassing anything you’d hear from a “bedroom producer”) on “In Your Room”.

Jeremy Nail: “Open Door”

Yesterday we celebrated the intrinsic ingenuity of human creativity, but we didn’t touch on one of the most important aspects: writing your way through trauma. It’s a healing property that goes all the way back to the ancient storytelling tradition of African percussion, but for Austin-based singer-guitarist Jeremy Nail, the weightiest wounds were his 2012 cancer diagnosis and subsequent amputation of his left leg. Nail worked through that pain on his 2016 Alejandro Escovedo-produced LP My Mountain, after which he seemed to hit a new stride. However, as with the rest of the world, Nail was confronted by the uncomfortable isolation and disquiet left in COVID’s wake. Because of that, Jeremy Nail’s created yet another piece of fulfilling folk therapy for his fifth full-length, Behind The Headlights. Behind The Headlights heralds the importance of being in the moment, giving yourself space to be alone with your thoughts, reflecting over loss, and planning for the future. The album rolls out next Friday, the same day that Jeremy Nail performs in-store at Waterloo Records. He’ll also be playing Saturday the 27th at Cactus Cafe with opener Kevin McKinney. But before you dive right back into live music, heed Nail’s mission to improve mental health with the soothing respite that is Behind The Headlights‘ serene central bulb, “Open Door”.

RLTVS: “New Orleans”

Here’s the biggest understatement you’ll read today: creativity is an incredible human asset. We reach into the aether and pull out something that previously didn’t exist. But in the eyes of consumers and curators alike, that’s only half the battle. For them, bringing the abstract into fruition as a tangible, easily-accessible document is what separates the thinkers from the makers, the hypotheticals versus the heard treefalls. At the end of that discourse, though, we all know that you simply can’t rush greatness. Which brings us to Bill Mullarky.

For the past half decade Mullarky’s tinkered around town with a few different versions of his full band project RLTVS (pronounced “relatives”). Yet in light of an ample track record of live shows, RLTVS hasn’t ever put anything “on wax”. Until now. After years of careful retooling, RLTVS released their debut studio single “New Orleans” at the start of August. Just like the pidgin melting pot to which it pays tribute, “New Orleans” boils spices of dance, folk, funk, electronic, and avant-garde together into an intricately affectionate piece of correspondence from the “Live Music Capital” straight to “The Paris of the South”.

Exotic Fruits: “Panda Vision”

Aside from poignant politics, pulsating synths, and plenty of fuzz pedal, it’s not all that easy to define post-punk. Even when you dive into the minutiae of music glossary terms, there’s still a sprawling spectrum of post-punk ranging from angular, analogue noise to straight up digital bass and beats. Fortunately there are also forays like Exotic Fruits, who give you a little bit of both. Singer-guitarist Jon French and drummer Aaron Gilligan formed the fore core of Exotic Fruits as a Seattle indie rock duo in 2009, and since moving down to Austin they’ve ripened nicely into a six-piece. With six performers? You can pretty much fill every position on the post-punk playing field. And you can harvest a piece of Exotic Fruits’ eclectic energy 10pm tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas with openers Cosmic Chaos and Nemegata. Until then, beat the heat with EF’s latest single “Panda Vision”, a spasmodic post-punk explosion that tackles climate change.

Upper Level Lows: “She Got Style”

Now I don’t want to jinx the elements, but with only one triple digit high in the forecast for this week, it seems like we might finally be cooling down just a bit. So if you’ve been in sweaty solitude and need to take advantage of this (presumably brief) seasonal respite, we’ve got a couple of live show recommendations for the funk rock enthusiasts out there. Austin quartet Upper Level Lows has only been around for a couple years, and released their debut EP The Void last September. Now, just under a year later, ULL’s feisty live performances have elevated considerably, with new material landing soon on the band’s upcoming sophomore album. If you want a sneak peak of the latest stuff, you can catch Upper Level Lows 9:15PM tonight at Far Out Lounge with openers Concrete Shoes, Space Trayn, and BChenz or 6PM this Saturday for a free show at Oskar Blues Brewery. And if you’re still not sure what to expect genre-wise…shred along with the psych-prog-disco-funk-rock shifts of “She Got Style”.

Phil Hurley: “Failing Heart”

In the state of contemporary recording, session EPs are a pretty refreshing concept. By limiting yourself to one space and removing any access to punch-ins, session records evoke the “one-take” magic of century-old methods, back when capturing an authentic live performance was the industry standard. Phil Hurley‘s experienced the best of both, having tracked with the likes of Fountains of Wayne and Lisa Loeb in Seattle before moving down here to Austin, where he’s had no hurdles acclimating to the “Live Music Capital”, thanks to the past dozen years of gigs with South Austin Moonlighters, Stonehoney, Gigolo Aunts, and Jimmy LaFave.

But as Hurley discovered, the one flaw with live recordings is that if you lose one element, you lose everything. His latest EP was nearly unrecoverable after a hard drive crash, and only dubbed The Firebird Sessions after a couple of music miracles brought it back out of the aether. The five-track came out in the dog days of mid-July, just in time to kickstart our country spirits back into action. And if you need to get the blood flowing diving back into the workweek, check out “Failing Heart”; it recalls the arena-ready pop-rock of ’80s-era Yes or Blue Öyster Cult, albeit with the distinctive Southern flair of Hurley’s Herculean pipes.

Daniel Tashian: “Night After Night”

In 2019 I got a big kick out of Kacey Musgraves’ “Album Of The Year” Grammy acceptance speech for Golden Hour; it was so heartwarming to see a future country superstar acknowledge her trustworthy team, whose efforts took a record with little hype or radio recognition all the way to the top. And if you watch that video you can see one of Golden Hour‘s finest contributors, co-writer/co-producer Daniel Tashian tuxedoed front and center. Although you might not have detected Tashian’s behind-the-curtain talents until that televised moment, he’s also written for legends like Lee Ann Womack and Emmylou Harris, sung alongside Patty Griffin and Rita Wilson, and even co-composed a full album with Burt Bacharach.

In terms of strictly solo output, Daniel Tashian started off strong in his late teens with his T-Bone Burnett-produced 1996 debut, Sweetie. And yet, in the subsequent two-and-a-half decades of top-tier collaborations, Tashian’s never taken a complete co-composer approach to his own material…until now. Back when Tashian’s father Barry was a member of Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, he probably never imagined that his son would eventually team up with fellow former bandmate Paul Kennerly, but 2022’s proven that nothing is truly off the table. As such, today Daniel Tashian announced his next full-length Night After Night, written entirely with his childhood hero Paul Kennerly, and set for release on September 23rd. The album cover makes it seem like Daniel knocked out Night After Night moments after the 2019 Grammys, but rest assured, a ton a patience and planning went into this Americana-country LP. And with a little over a month until release day, it’s easy to nestle right into Night After Night‘s head-noddin’ lead single and title track.

Takuya Kuroda: “Midnight Crisp”

It’s been almost a full decade since I graduated college, and I’d like to think that those I haven’t kept up with remember me for my two biggest creative endeavors at the time: playing trumpet and producing jazz-sampled hip-hop beats. I only say that because it seems like a pretty cool combo that I’ve sadly shied away from in the past few years. However if you are on the hunt for that unique pairing, look no further than Kobe Japan’s Takuya Kuroda. It took little time for Kuroda to cement himself in Brooklyn’s bustling jazz scene, where he eventually linked up with legends like José James and DJ Premier (who later recruited Takuya as a centerpiece for The Badder Band).

Takuya Kuroda just wrapped up Newport Jazz Fest and embarks on a month-long European tour in October. The occasion? Kuroda’s seventh studio album, Midnight Crisp. Like a soundtrack that switches between scenes of strutting, sensuality, and solitude, this sensational six-song collection comes out October 21st. So with a couple months to spare, feel free to step into the self-titled pseudo-’70s album opener, which just landed yesterday alongside the record announcement.

Rogê: “Pra Vida”

I’ve been taking Portuguese on Duolingo for the past year and am this close to earning my Legendary Purple Owl. So naturally I’ve been trying to show off that comprehension as much as possible. But with the exception of Michael Crockett’s Horizontes every Sunday from 7-9PM, we simply don’t have a ton of Brazilian music coming through the Austin Music Experience. That said, there’s a Carioca who recently made his way into the continental United States that could soon become a new personal favorite.

I’m talking about Rio de Janeiro’s Roger José Cury, better known by his stage name Rogê. Rogê spent years immersed in Rio’s nightlife refining his idiosyncratic style of Brazilian Soul and Samba Funk. That hard work soon heaved Rogê into a household name, thanks to a co-writing credit for Brazil’s 2016 Olympic Games theme music. In 2020 Rogê hit the road with fellow Carioca Seu Jorge for a U.S. tour, which ultimately got cut short due to COVID. But now that’s Rogê calls Los Angeles home, he’s begun what may be his biggest chapter yet.

Rogê’s debut American release (semi-eponymously titled Curyman) was created in deep collaboration with Budos Band guitarist/Menahan Street Band founder Thomas Brenneck, who’s lent his talents to Mark Ronson, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and the late legends Amy Winehouse, Charles Bradley, and Sharon Jones. According to o anúncio from esta manhã, Curyman comes out February 2nd, and Rogê has two gigs with Gipsy Kings next weekend in L.A.. But with summer in full swing, Rogê’s gone ahead and handed us Curyman‘s lead single, “Pra Vida”. Perfeito na praia or just in a mid-week mental resort, “Pra Vida” channels Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 with sandy acoustic guitar and breezy group vocals for an experience that’ll have you reinvesting in the magic of life, language barriers be damned.

What is the DJ’s Current Role in Hip-Hop?

Inspired by an onstage outburst at a recent Wiz Khalifa concert, Confucius & Fresh kick off this edition of The Breaks by reexamining the once-central role of the DJ in the context of contemporary hip-hop.

This week’s Hip-Hop Facts packs tidbits on 50 Cent’s “How to Rob”, Tupac’s relationship with Suge Knight, Akon’s use of onstage decoys, the 1995 Source Awards, and Rakim’s unlikely journey into becoming a rap superstar.

Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion suggests that despite surface-level appearances, Mase of Naughty By Nature is NOT a victim of Puff Daddy.

Lastly, Confucius Reads the News about the latest Monkeypox developments, Biden’s ongoing COVID tests, Alex Jones’ Sandy Hook trial phone fiasco, and the passing of KUT/KUTX legend John Aielli.

9m88: “Love Is So Cruel”

Ranging from Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA & GZA to Austin’s own Slothrust, the first step to truly appreciating an artist is knowing how to say their name correctly. So even though 9m88 may sound more like a robotic bounty hunter to a Native English speaker, when we loosely translate from phonetic Taiwanese, the actual pronunciation rolls off the tongue much more easily, “Jo-m-Baba” or “Joanne Baba”. With a voice like a Taiwanese Alina Baraz, 9m88’s jazzy spin on pop-R&B jostled listener expectations in the best way possible on her 2019 debut LP Beyond Mediocrity.

In the two formative years since then, 9m88’s entered her thirties and jettisoned some of Beyond Mediocrity‘s playful juvenescence in favor of a more mature mindset. To match that elevation, 9m88 recruited producers from across the globe to contribute to her sophomore full-length 9m88 Radio, which just came out yesterday. And just like a good station, it’s tough to pick only one bop off 9m88 Radio as a personal favorite, but the accompanying music video makes it easy enough to nominate the lush, Arthur Moon-produced banger “Love Is So Cruel”.

Janson Sommers: “Neon God”

Have you ever met an artist that has a bunch of wacky-sounding projects under their belt, only to discover that their eponymous material is the real off-the-wall stuff? Well that’s exactly what you get with Janson Sommers, who temporarily shelved his indie rock band Futon Blonde at the onset of COVID and released an electronic EP last summer under the moniker Dad Boy. But in the short time since then, Sommers has perfected his production techniques and re-surfaced once again as a sleek synth-savant.

So far, all three of Janson’s self-titled singles pack batshit beats and bass, not to mention an eloquent sense of melody and structure. The latest one finds Janson Sommers weaning off lyrics for a strictly instrumental venture, so if you’re in need of a new addition to your workout playlist or just want a two-minute respite from the real world, all you gotta do is approach the primordial altar and offer yourself to the “Neon God”.

Black Pistol Fire: “Bad Habit”

Despite being a lifelong city-slicker, as a native Texan there are certain phrases that tend to bring out my Southern drawl. And if I’m not watching my tongue, a phrase that always outs my accent is Black Pistol Fire…which is ironic considering the Austin-based duo originally comes out of Toronto. But between pair’s incontrovertible adoption of a dusty, Lone Star persona and a shared nationality that landed their last album, Look Alive a couple JUNO Nominations, Black Pistol Fire ignites the best of both worlds.

BPF also grinds the best bits of Delta blues, mid-century rock & roll, ’70s-era hard rock, and ’90s grunge then re-dispenses them as a refined, timeless and placeless powder. Today Black Pistol Fire loads up yet another round into their revolver of intense indie blues rock before embarking on a month-long U.S./Canada tour. The tour kicks off 8PM tonight at Emo’s alongside Denver trio Pink Fuzz and Black Pistol Fire brings the heat on that latest head banger, “Bad Habit”, no matter when or where you hear it.

Cash Grab: “Heart Attack”

Imagine someone recognizes the absurd amount of anxiety abound in our world and offers you a piece of consolation. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Well what if the entity extending said consolation was literally called Cash Grab? If it weren’t for the reassuring track record of Cash Grab frontman Eli Tidmore, I feel like more than a few red flags might pop up.

Fortunately, we’re not talking about Cryptocurrency or miracle dietary supplements; it’s just music, y’all. The Austin-based trio of Texas natives got together last summer and have since divided their energy between local gigs and studio time. Cash Grab minted their debut single last Friday, with the remaining supply of singles trickling into circulation later this year. And true to its title, “Heart Attack” palpitates with impressive punk rock prowess and will clear out your aural arteries in three minutes flat.

Personality Contest: “Would You Like to Know”

So often when we’ve heard someone say, “it’s not a popularity contest”, the opposite turns out to be true. But here in the Live Music Capital, it’s perfectly clear that having a larger-than-life persona and being in vogue will get you pretty far. Enter Austin four-piece Personality Contest, who’ve been curating a style of indie-psych-rock that reflects on existential dread, finding your footing despite neglect, and those special little moments sprinkled across life. This February the quartet recorded their debut four-track EP at The Bubble with the help of Chris “Frenchie” Smith. The record drops next month, and there are a couple of opportunities to catch PC live between then and now (Thursday the 18th at Electric Church and Friday the 26th at The Green Jay). The EP’s second single (and lyric video), “Would You Like to Know”, landed yesterday, offering a glimpse into Personality Contest’s poignant lyrics and soft-psych arrangements that respect instrumental interludes by giving them the space they deserve.

The Harlequins: “TIME”

Relationships of all kinds deserve commemoration. Whether it’s with romantic partners or creative projects, after the initial handful of anniversaries, every fifth one merits something grandiose. This year Cincinnati three-piece The Harlequins celebrate their first decade and a half together, with the most recent third of that period spent writing and recording their next album, fittingly entitled TIME.

TIME may be The Harlequins eighth installment overall, but it retains the wonky and angular indie-garage psych-rock that made 2009’s Baron von Headless a must-listen. And since it’s practically guaranteed that TIME Magazine‘s gonna name Volodymyr Zelenskyy as their “Person of the Year”, if you’re expecting a TIME-related surprise, you’d better mark off your calendar for the record release, September 2nd. So with exactly one month to go ’til TIME, and with the toppling trippy-ness of its lead single “The Tower” already becoming a beacon on streaming, today The Harlequins treat us to the album’s brilliantly languid title track – one that perfectly captures the temporal disjointedness of its subject matter.