Jack Anderson

Monsoon: “Don’t Move”

Back in the ’80s, groups like R.E.M., The B-52’s, and Widespread Panic turned the quiet college town of Athens, Georgia into a hub of alternative music, a legacy that’s since continued with of Montreal, Drive-By Truckers, and Neutral Milk Hotel. That spirit of indie culture is still alive and well today, as made clear by groups like Monsoon. Shortly after dipping their toes in the water with their 2015 debut album Ride A’Rolla, the then-duo trickled into the mainstream, thanks to a song placement by Toyota during the 2016 Super Bowl. But just like the rapidly changing winds of a seasonal storm, Monsoon shied away just as quickly as they’d arrived. Fast forward to last year. With the addition of bassist Roan O’Reilly, Monsoon reunited as a trio and began tracking their latest LP, Ghost Party. Ghost Party dropped in mid-late February, and Monsoon wraps up their two-month national tour next weekend. It won’t take much for Monsoon’s idiosyncrasies across music videos and original tunes to sweep you away into fandom, so plant your feet in the sand if you must when you check out one of Ghost Party‘s most sophisticated specters, “Don’t Move”.

Golden Hornet: “Bless Isomer”

Although we’ve had clearly defined political boundaries since 1836, there’s still an inseparable culture between Texas and Mexico. Whether you call it Tejano or Texican, it’s a give-and-take social process within which Austin’s Graham Reynolds has found a golden opportunity. Graham and the Golden Hornet team have already applied rock production techniques to classical arrangements and recordings for decades, but their latest endeavor, MXTX: A Cross-Border Exchange might be their biggest idea yet; MXTX features forty different artists, twenty Composers and twenty DJ-Producers, half from Mexico, half from Texas. What started with building up an open source audio sample library has finally finished with the fourteen trailblazing tracks of MXTX, but apparently these pocket symphonies aren’t a studio-exclusive experience. MXTX makes its live concert debut 8PM tomorrow night at Waterloo Park as part of Fusebox Festival and Frida Friday ATX. The event is free and open to the public, with plenty to see and hear from 4PM all the way until 10PM, so join in with the rest of Golden Hornet’s collective nest tomorrow at Waterloo and cross the border out of the work week with “Bless Isomer”.

Taylor Rae: “Never Gonna Do”

The vast majority of musical artists are plagued by their influences; either there’s a huge disparity between their sound and that of their role models, or its a cookie-cutter copy of their sound. But when you end up with something new that still has subtle hints of those inspirations…that’s what separates the milquetoast many from the truly talented. Take a listen to Taylor Rae, whose inspirations include Steely Dan, Bonnie Raitt, Simon & Garfunkel, Carole King, Jewel, and Sheryl Crow. Despite that hodge podge, Rae’s style comes across more like a blend of Grace Potter and Norah Jones. Since moving from Santa Cruz to Austin in 2018, this singer-guitarist has charmed listeners and show-goers alike with her sophisticated take on jazz, blues, folk, and rock. Last year she proved her wisdom beyond her years with her debut LP Mad Twenties, and this Sunday at 7PM she’ll tote some of those twelve tracks onstage at The Ballroom, along with Sneaky Peaches and the Fuzz. So while we navigate our own Mad Twenties of a pandemic decade, keep Taylor Rae’s most charged songs in tow, especially her dynamic, harmony-heavy folk-rock fulmination, “Never Gonna Do”.

PM Warson: “(Don’t) Hold Me Down”

Englanders raised after the tides of New Wave had waned and while the turn-of-the-millennium indie rock boom began to quiet down might’ve gravitated more towards the music of the midcentury. That’s exactly what happened with singer-guitarist PM Warson, who, after a stint as a full-time touring musician, has since settled nicely into a ’50s/’60s R&B-soul aesthetic. Backed by a chorus of women singers and a horn section, Warson’s debut album True Story was cut straight to tape, giving the ten vintage-style tracks an extra sense of authenticity. This year Warson dropped a new single (“Leaving Here”) that ventures into early garage rock territory, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t highlight True Story‘s crown jewel, “(Don’t) Hold Me Down”.

Robin Mordecai: “Caroline”

It’s been three quarters of a decade since Austin songwriter Robin Mordecai shared his last EP Here Goes Something, but fortunately for us he’s finally got another album coming out this weekend. True to its title, Portraits features five succinct snapshots of fictional personalities anchored in ’70s/’80s-style pop rock, not unlike The Cars or Tom Petty. This lyrical gallery showcases Mordecai’s multi-instrumental mastery across drums, bass, keyboard, guitar and vocals, with additional polish from producer David Messier and Same-Sky Studio engineer Andre Catave. Robin Mordecai plays 8PM tonight at Geraldine’s and 10PM at Saxon Pub on Tuesday the 26th so see him in person when you can. In the meantime, find your favorite character on Portraits and let these narratives spin with the record, beginning with album opener “Caroline”, co-written by Jeff Plankenhorn.

Geoff Bradford: “UFOs”

Although our neighbors in New Mexico get a lot of alien-centric attention thanks to Roswell, the mystique of the “Marfa Lights” has made Texas a destination for extraterrestrial enthusiasts. And when it comes to “visitors” here on Earth, singer-bassist Geoff Bradford definitely qualifies; with a youth divided between New York City, Western Europe, West Africa, and South America and an ongoing love of travel, Bradford has a knack for making contact. Here in Austin he’s begun to make a name for himself with his eponymous songwriter project, having released his first two EPs, Texas Psychedelic and Seven Fat Years, in 2021. Geoff Bradford broadcasts his otherworldly talent once again on his upcoming third EP, where he’ll keep psychedelia close at hand while exploring depths away from his standard jazz-pop formulas. You can encounter Bradford 7:30pm next Wednesday at Sahara Lounge and 5:30pm the following Monday at Central Market North Lamar, so treat Geoff Bradford’s latest single like with the monolith from 2001, and let the banging beats and ominous spoken word of “UFOs” catapult you into the stratosphere.

Ladyfang: “Sidewalk”

It’s almost been a full decade since four glam rockers got together and started their Austin-based indie-alt-pop-rock affair A Case For Brooklyn. That baby tooth of a band name fell out in 2016 and has since been replaced by a more permanent handle: Ladyfang. Ladyfang’s also maintained a high standard of songwriting, giving us bite-sized singles one at a time rather than jawbreaking records full of fluff. On their latest single “Sidewalk” (produced by Chris “Frenchie” Smith at The Bubble) Ladyfang harnesses a Four Loko’s worth of rage fuel with an aggressive instrumental bridge that’d blow away most ’80s metal bands. So get ready to rock out with these cultured cuspids 9PM tomorrow night at ABGB along with Being Dead. Just don’t get lost in the sauce and slink your bones off on the sticky asphalt.

The Lonesome Heroes: “Cloak And Dagger”

Compared to other genre pairings, indie and country typically don’t get corralled together, but they’ve made for some successful formulas in the past, perhaps most notably with Band of Horses. A good representation of those crossroads here in Austin is The Lonesome Heroes, a “cosmic Americana” quartet whose cornered their sunny, acoustic sound over three full-lengths and one EP since 2006.

For their fourth LP, Rise & Fall, The Lonesome Heroes returned to Jim Eno’s Public Hi-Fi studios, where a new batch of tunes was mixed by Brad Bell and produced by steel guitar master Gary Newcomb. Rise & Fall drops June 24th, and The Lonesome Heroes play at White Horse with Croy & The Boys and Jake Penrod on Thursday, April 21st ahead of a May residency at Lustre Pearl South. Marvel’s Morbius hasn’t been staking their desired box office numbers and maybe it’s best to give some attention to a homegrown vampire story instead. So sink your teeth into the music video for today’s clandestine indie-meets-country cadence, “Cloak And Dagger”.

Sneaky Peaches and the Fuzz: “Footsteps”

When your debut single harvests one-and-a-half million streams on Spotify, you must be doing something right. Take for example Austin trio Sneaky Peaches and the Fuzz, whose hook-driven drupes have catapulted them into international indie pop recognition. These surreptitious freestones are all still college-age, but clearly each member’s got a lot of talent within their creative pits. Sneaky Peaches and the Fuzz have four shows coming up this month, Thursday, April 28th at Far Out Lounge, Sunday the 24th at the Red Poppy Festival in Georgetown, Easter Sunday at Spiderhouse, Friday the 15th at Hudson’s in Dripping Springs, and this Saturday at Planet Rock. So just like the Kim family in Parasite, make the most out of Sneaky Peaches and the Fuzz as they continue to leave their indie pop imprint with standalone singles like “Footsteps”!

Tody Castillo: “Landlocked”

If you were a regular in the Live Music Capital during the mid-late-aughts, you may remember the name Tody Castillo. Castillo self-released his eponymous debut in 2004 as well as his sophomore Windhorse in 2009, but he’s since shied away from the studio, at least on the surface. Turns out…that’s no longer the case.

After thirteen years of studio silence, Castillo returns this Friday with Old Rodriguez. With themes of fatherhood and familial lineage, Old Rodriguez is a major mark of maturation for Castillo and on top of that earned wisdom, Tody’s talent is matched by production from Grammy winner Steve Christensen, who’s worked with Robert Ellis, Khruangbin, Steve Earle, and even Paul McCartney. And thanks to the help of his first-ever label (Strolling Bones), Old Rodriguez even includes an option for an autographed colored vinyl. Between Castillo’s captivatingly mellow vocals and infectious acoustic guitar, the ten originals on Old Rodriguez total up to a tranquilly soothing experience. So with Ukranian borders still dominating headlines, take a load off by entering Tody Castillo’s headspace with the idyllic licks and tragic fiction of “Landlocked”.

Buenos Diaz: “Cocaine Queen”

For anyone, it’s good to reflect on your goals and see which dominoes can teeter now towards great results ten years from now. And for someone as accomplished as Austin’s Nick Diaz, we’d be surprised if Buenos Diaz was far from what he first envisioned in Brooklyn back in 2010. Nick’s semi-eponymous lo-fi alt-pop project is a catchy testament to his chops as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and with BD’s upcoming full-length Cocaine Queen, Diaz performs on guitar, bass, keyboard, vocals, and percussion. Cocaine Queen was mixed by Houston engineer Dan Workman (whose repertoire ranges from Beyoncé to ZZ Top) and mastered by Grammy nominee Kevin Blackler, a perfect match for the level of talent displayed by Diaz across these ten new offerings. You can get acquainted with Buenos Diaz’s new mistress of addiction on August 5th, with two more singles due out over the next few months. Cocaine Queen’s title track dropped today, so bend the knee before your highness of inhibitions and rejoice in this glitzy, glam-rock-meets-disco-funk dance groove.

Lil Ripper: “Bubble Bubble”

Thanks to shifting social interests and categorical curiosity, we here at KUTX are now able to explore an entirely different product of musical appreciation. We’re talking about that vase-looking thing that sounds like a broken aquarium filter and tends to get used before throwing on Dark Side of the Moon or trekking out to ACL Fest. No, we don’t officially condone the use of tobacco or any other illicit substances but we also know our demographics. With that enticing odor of musty water in mind, we introduce the first-ever Bong of the Day, Lil Ripper. Lil Ripper may be a petite up-and-comer but we’re expecting some big hits from it in the near future. Lil Ripper’s not available in retail but don’t think we’re just blowing smoke. Instead, find a Lil Ripper near and dear to you and let it bubble you up into a higher plane. April Fools!

Factor Chandelier: “Insecticide” (feat. Eligh)

Down here in Austin we’ve got a lot of pride for our FC, but up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan a completely different FC commands an arena’s worth of attention. I’m talking about underground hip-hop producer Graham Murawsky better known by his handle Factor Chandelier. Between Murawsky’s contributions, collaborations, and compilations, it’s tough to pinpoint exactly how many records Factor Chandelier’s been a part of. But on the twentieth anniversary of Factor Chandelier’s debut album Time Invested, Murawsky’s just shared a big milestone.

Time Invested II captures two decades worth of FC’s stormy aural adornments with sixteen feature-laden bangers. Each featured emcee has their own style that complements Factor Chandelier’s diverse formulas, making each of these tracks truly unique. So find your personal favorite, but let me recommend the moody piano and Kendrick Lamar vibes of “Insecticide” featuring Eligh.

Mark Ghastine: “Did You Do the Math?”

Indie-jazz is a pretty accessible inlet within the bay that yacht rock usually drops anchor. And though the latter is trickier to define than the former, their currents and tides undeniably influence one another. You’ll hear that same fluidity in Mark Ghastine‘s budding discography, which so far consists of six standalone singles. They’re chock-full of effects-drenched, harmony-heavy vocals, satisfyingly mellow chord structures, and a soft ’70s-style sensibility, though you’ll occasionally get something more in line with the ’90s slacker funk of RHCP (see “Tell Me How I Feel”). This summer Mark Ghastine expands on that buoyant sound with his debut EP, and you can begin to tally up the talent of this singer-guitarist by working your way back through his singles catalogue beginning with “Did You Do the Math?”.

Antelope: “Silence”

With a genre as sprawling as indie rock, it can be tough to track down exactly what you’re looking for. But if you’re on the hunt for some vintage indie in the vein of Built to Spill, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr., you’ll want to check out Antelope. Not to be confused with D.C. post-punk three-piece of the same name, this Austin trio’s been grazing our town’s lovely dive bar grounds since their 2019 debut record The Archipelago EP.

Antelope’s discography is still limited, but what they have put out is an infectious testament to quality over quantity – each one of their tracks sounds like a commercial-ready “best of” and puts their predecessors in prime competition. Antelope releases their five-track beast of a sophomore, You Were Always Now, Thursday after next and plays at Hole in the Wall that same evening. So go make some noise for Antelope in person with the rest of their herd, and try not to fall in love with You Were Always Now‘s nuanced final single, “Silence”.

Alabaster DePlume: “Now (Stars Are Lit)”

The term ‘avant-garde’ tends to get thrown around egregiously in the world of music, especially by up-and-coming acts who have yet to realize that their sound falls within more recognizable genres. So when an artist authentically encapsulates ‘avant-garde’ in a way that’s not just ‘weird for the sake of weird’, it can be pretty refreshing. To that point, saxophonist-poet Alabaster DePlume (the nom de plume of London’s Gus Fairbairn) continues to challenge the conventions of contemporary music in a way that’s astonishingly accessible.

Going back to his 2012 debut Copernicus – The Good Book of No, Alabaster DePlume’s carved out a sound that complements his own complex perspectives and used songwriting as nourishment to help himself (and others) get over whatever life throws at them. That tradition of healing and reckoning continues on the nineteen-piece epic GOLD – Go Forward in the Courage of Your Love, ADP’s upcoming seventh full-length that drops this Friday. Mapped out well before a single note was recorded, GOLD offers an experience that flows together thanks to Fairbairn’s poetic, omnipresent narration. Six of the nineteen tracks are already out, and are joined today by GOLD‘s final single, “Now (Stars Are Lit)”, a haunting instrumental that eerily illuminates vocals, sax, strings, and light percussion for one of DePlume’s most mesmerizing compositions to date.

Fantastic Negrito: “Highest Bidder” (Live in Studio 6A)

A lot of folks have used the pandemic to reinvent themselves, but sometimes reinvention is less of a choice and more of a necessity. Just look at Fantastic Negrito, who after a failed record deal and catastrophic car accident, spent four weeks in a coma that atrophied his body and maimed his guitar playing hand. But within the next three years, Fantastic Negrito had won the inaugural NPR Tiny Desk Concert as well as the “Best Contemporary Blues Album” Grammy for his debut LP The Last Days of Oakland. If there’s one thing Fantastic Negrito hasn’t struggled with, it’s sharing his brutally honest viewpoints with crowds of all kinds. He broke it down for our Studio 6A crowd last Saturday at SXSW on the verge of White Jesus Black Problems, out June 3rd. WJBP packs thirteen new tracks that cut deep with no sugarcoating, as heard in its lead single, “Highest Bidder”.

Linqua Franqa: “Gold Bike” (Live in Studio 6A)

Who says hip-hop can’t move a crowd at 8 in the morning? Definitely not Mariah Parker, the Athens, Georgia rapper-songwriter-activist who performs as Linqua Franqa. It’s been half a decade since Linqua Franqa shared their self-titled debut, which has been their sole full-length to date. But for good reason; they’ve been busy! On top of parenting, Parker’s been plugging away as County Commissioner in Athens, engaging the community, and true to their stage name, self-researching the heck out of linguistics. Between juggling all that, it’s nothing short of remarkable that Linqua Franqa’s managed to record their sophomore LP Bellringer, out April 22nd. This baker’s dozen of bangers doubles as a vehicle for Parker’s never-ending social commentary as well as an exhibition of their cutting-edge artistry. Last Saturday Linqua Franqa stopped by Studio 6A for SXSW and teased a few of Bellringer‘s lead singles. But they also kept the momentum going strong despite backpedaling to the album closer off Linqua Franca, “Gold Bike”.

Mattiel: “Whites Of Their Eyes” (Live in Studio 6A)

The first episode of Atlanta‘s third season just premiered last week at SXSW. But we had plenty of other Georgia-based acts in town to remind us that Atlanta isn’t just a hub for hip-hop. Take for example indie rock duo Mattiel, the mononymous brainchild of virtuoso singer Mattiel Brown and visionary producer Jonah Swiley. These two have quickly turned Jack White into an outspoken supporter and promoter, and after their 2017 eponymous debut, they’ve released a new EP or LP each year of the past four.

Leather dress and mesh shirt in tow, Mattiel brought some intensity to our airwaves last Wednesday for our Studio 6A SXSW broadcast. You can find the full video below, which features Mattiel passionately revisiting the very first track from their first record, “Whites Of Their Eyes”.

Sarah Kinsley: “The King” (Live in Studio 6A)

There’s an unsaid promise imbued in the term “alt-pop”; it’s bound to have many of the upbeat sonic qualities claimed by mainstream pop but its nuanced chord changes and introspective lyrical content may not appeal as much to the masses. That said, New York’s Sarah Kinsley could very well be on the fast track to superstardom. This singer-guitarist-producer began impressing a new batch of listeners with her performance prowess and songwriting maturity on her 2020 EP, The Fall. Last year she followed that up with her five-track The King, earning Kinsley millions of streams, especially for the record’s title track.

“The King” has clearly become a favorite of fans and Kinsley herself, considering she recently released a standalone live version. And to the good fortune of our SXSW Studio 6A crowd, Sarah Kinsley shared a bit of the crown with another regal rendition of that beloved tune.