Laurie Gallardo

The Nude Party initially got the party started (see what your AMM host did there? no? okay…) in 2012, when they got the band together in a dorm at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. After moving into an old lake house, the mighty sextet starting having nightly jams in the basement. Yes, the band name comes from playing sans threads, and they kept that name after getting some gigs around town. However, clothing was needed for those public performances, so…

Before he was drumming for The Black Lips, Oakley Munson saw the guys play in Charlotte and really dug what he heard, so much so that he recorded/produced their first EP, Hot Tub, the stuff of legends in all its raw glory – and apparently no longer available because The Nude Party wasn’t too crazy about it. It wasn’t long after that when Munson produced The Nude Party’s self-titled full-length debut, which got them noticed even more.

Granted, it’s been a jolting experience going from playing clubs with hardly any to no people at the shows to opening for the likes of The Arctic Monkeys and ol’ Jay Dubbya on his solo tour, but what a hell of a ride, and the adventure continues. No, they did not play in the nude in KUTX’s Studio 1A today, though…that would’ve made for some interesting radio history.

Don’t miss The Nude Party tonight at Antone’s, 305 E. 5th St. Doors open at 7 p.m., and Louisville three-piece Boa starts the show at 8 p.m. So recommended it hurts.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Bill Callahan’s voice has an extraordinary presence.

That’s one way of putting it. Or…mesmerizing. Mere words don’t suffice. The fans will understand.

Perhaps on most of the Smog albums, or within the folds and winding paths of his solo work (Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle for one reference, to be sure), Callahan’s voice has been one of infinite solitude. Yet those deep, serious and warm tones weave reflections on things like domestic bliss, love and even letting go on the captivating Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest. And again, Callahan tells his stories like no other, which is part baritone commanding your attention and part shy/retiring matter-of-fact understatement.

Get the album. Now.

As of this writing, there are still a few tickets remaining for tonight’s performance at Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto (tomorrow is sold out). Doors open at 8 p.m., and opener Jake Xerxes Fussell gets the evening started right. Very recommended.

-Photography by Jorge Sanheuza-Lyon for KUTX.

You’ve had to have seen Mike St. Clair before. If you’ve caught shows by Okkervil River, The Polyphonic Spree, White Denim…your Austin Music Minute host can go on and on with all the names, right up to a performance with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, for crying out loud…then chances are good you may have noticed St. Clair in all the brilliant madness. Multi-instrumentalist, composer, all of the things, St. Clair’s talent keeps him in demand for damn good reason.

But take heed of St. Clair’s own creation, Pocket Sounds, an outstanding project as both solo performance and collaborative effort involving several other impressive musicians in the ATX scene. From the excellent EP You Are Not Alone to this year’s instantly addictive Radio Song  cassette release, Pocket Sounds reigns as a unique pop experience. Catch Pocket Sounds’ residency show tonight at Hole In the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe, with The Pendulum Hearts and Willy McGee sharing the bill.

The music starts at 9 p.m. So recommended.

-Photography by Julia Reihs for KUTX.

No two ways about it. Corey Baum gives it to you straight, with no interest in small talk. In other words, the Austin-based songwriter has no time for b.s.

His band Croy and The Boys‘ new LP, Howdy High Rise, just released on Spaceflight Records, delivers true blue country with a bite – that’s a sharp eye, sharp wit, and equally-sharp delivery. Baum calls out the challenges and injustices most of humanity faces in day-to-day existence, in the ATX and beyond. And Baum doesn’t hold back – which is why it’s so damn good.

Wouldn’t have it any other way. Soak it all in when you see Croy and The Boys at their album release show tonight at Sam’s Town Point, 2115 Allred Dr. Lew Card starts the evening early at 7:30 p.m., followed by Croy and The Boys at 10 p.m., and Ramsay Midwood at 11:30 p.m. So recommended.

-Photography by Michael Minasi for KUTX.

You obviously don’t need convincing if you heard their performance in KUTX’s Studio 1A this afternoon. You heard for yourself. Seratones is owning it.

Songwriter and powerhouse vocalist A.J. Haynes is at the helm of this awesome multi-talented Shreveport outfit. And, while the band has roots in rock and punk, there’s now an injection of unmistakable classic soul – as in, Motown/Stax/Daptone-level soul. It may well have been the band’s time touring with the late great Charles Bradley that inspired Haynes to connect with a stronger soul side, and rightly so. But there’s an overall mixture of all these styles that make it distinctly Seratones.

Do not miss Seratones show tonight at Stubb’s indoor venue, 801 Red River. Doors open at 9 p.m., and the music kicks off with Austin artist Lainey Gonzales. So very recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Your Austin Music Minute host was struck by the backstory of Houston ambient/experimental duo Twin Lovers‘ self-titled release. Its waves of darkly atmospheric dream pop unveil something…eerily cybernetic pulsating at its core.

Melissa Jean and Markus Cone have described their LP, released earlier this summer, as being loosely based upon the unsettling dystopian vision of Philip K. Dick‘s award-winning 1974 sci-fi novel, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said. The story is one classic example of a common theme underlying much of Dick’s work, exploring what defines reality – specifically, personal identity. What was once a normal, everyday existence might reveal itself to be a surreal, nightmarish scenario, fueled by something external – and often sinister.

(And down the rabbit hole your AMM host went…)

Twin Lovers performs tonight at Hole In the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe, sharing the bill with ATX bands Mother Water House and Vegetable Kingdom. Perhaps…just perhaps, each would feel right at home on a brilliantly bizarre reimagined Blade Runner soundtrack – circa 1982, thank you very much. Or, perhaps you dream of electric sheep?

The music starts at 9 p.m. Very recommended.

-Photography by Phil Ford.

Naturally, this show is one your Austin Music Minute maven would be all over like a hardcore nerd.

Japanese trio BORIS is legendary. Performing together since 1992, they’re considered pioneering artists in the realm of heavy rock soundscapes. And really, the description “heavy” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Expect a new double LP from Boris, LOVE & EVOL, set for release October 4th (and this is where your AMM host gets extra giddy) on the Third Man Records label. The band is reissuing their albums Akuma No Uta and Feedbacker on Third Man, as well.

Triple the badass? Yes. See BORIS this Friday night at Barracuda, 611 E. 7th St. Uniform opens the show. This one comes very recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Serving up a mix of lo-fi melodic punk, rock and pop on tonight’s bill of Austin bands at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River. That includes today’s AMM featured artist, Have To Have, who just released their debut album Obscuriosity last May; sweet dealings in an alt.-rock/grungepop vein courtesy of Housewarming; and blues-fueled rock brought to you by Merciful Heavens.

Doors open at 9 p.m. Dig it. Recommended.

-Photo of Have to Have courtesy of the artist.

The AMM has this pick for your garage psych fix. Austin outfit Semihelix, led by front woman Geannie Friedman and featuring Joe Pannenbacker and Valdemar Barrera, headlines a Monday-night bill tonight at the Mohawk, 912 Red River, on the inside stage.

The line-up also features a set by the Grady Philip Drugg Band, and garage rockers The Naked Tungs. Doors open at 8 p.m. And it’ll kick the Monday blahs right to the curb. Recommended.

-Photography by Mike Manewitz.

Since the official citywide declaration of their very own day in Austin in 2013, ATX hip-hop duo Riders Against the Storm dedicated RAS Day to giving back to the Austin community. From this came the creation of the annual RAS Day Festival, a celebration of  music, creativity and diversity.

Once again, the festival features another outstanding line-up of artists, including Leikeli47, The APX (“F.Y.G” is the track on today’s Austin Music Minute, featuring Zapp), Madison McFerrin, the one and only Miss Lavelle White, DJ Eye Q, Eimaral Sol, M3CCA, and of course, Riders Against the Storm.

The word is out. This is the party, the vibration, the BIG celebration. Doors open at 5 p.m. at Empire Control Room, 606 E. 7th St. Recommended.

-Photography by Michael Minasi for KUTX.

There is something unmistakably devastating about a kind of beauty that leaves one unsettled, unnerved. This is one of the only ways your humble Austin Music Minute host can describe the music of Cross Record.

Austin-based songwriter, vocalist, musician and death worker Emily Cross has a key to unlocking depths that are rarely visible from the surface. Your ears and mind are compelled to dive into the darkest waters to explore difficult emotions, or the oldest lessons rarely learned the first time around. But you’re drawn toward it, a singular truth to haunt you forever, even if it fades over time.

Before embarking on a September tour, Cross Record performs on an outstanding double bill featuring another much-beloved AMM favorite, Lomelda, tonight at Radio Coffee and Beer, 4204 Manchaca Rd. The music starts at 8 p.m. Very recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

In a nutshell: The vibe at the Tavern at Eberly, 615 S. Lamar Blvd., is gonna be elevated in a slightly different direction this evening. Typically a hot spot for cool jazz sets and slightly mellower fare, the Eberly space will be jumpin’ with the infectious grooves of one-man funk/soul band Henry + The Invisibles.

This is one of those outstanding artists you need to catch live for the full experience. There’s a badass Studio 1A performance that proves it, you know. The music starts at 7 p.m. Don’t miss out on this dance party. Recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

This is the way to see a movie, kids. You bring your blankets, head out to the lawn at The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr., and get treated to some awesome live music before the screening starts.

That’s the kind of chill vibe that the Long Center, Do512 and Alamo Drafthouse have in mind when they present Sound and Cinema, the summertime film series that also features a live performance by Austin’s up-and-coming music artists. Doors open today at 6 p.m., and starting at 7:30 p.m., longtime Austin Music Minute fave Walker Lukens takes the stage with his band. Then, around 8:45 p.m., it’s a screening of the 1999 rom-com flick Ten Things I Hate About You.

Admission is free. And nothing beats an excellent set of grooves before the movie. So recommended.

-Photography by Julia Reihs for KUTX.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a “school night”…whatever that’s supposed to mean. This Tuesday is hoppin’ with all manner of great shows, including the one you’ll find tonight at Hotel Vegas, 1502 E. 6th St.

Making the scene all the way from Melbourne, AU, it’s rowdy rabble rousers Drunk Mums invading the space, along with two super cool ATX bands – mighty rock ‘n’ soul outfit The Reputations and trash garage rock duo Teenage Cavegirl (“Area 54” from the album Candy Cigarettes is featured on today’s AMM).

You’ve got all the punk, all the rock, and all the badassery. Get in touch with your primal side. Doors at 9 p.m. Recommended.

-Photo of Teenage Cavegirl courtesy of the artist.

In today’s adventures in music-listening, your Austin Music Minute humbly presents exhibit A: Sidney Gish‘s deviously delightful No Dogs Allowed (2017), her second independently-released full-length LP.

Why “devious,” you ask? It’s a compliment. In addition to Gish’s superb musicianship, with her mastery of infectious hooks and bubbly melodies throughout, there’s a marvelous self-deprecating humor illuminating the experiences and challenges of a 20-something mind. It’s the lyrics sung in a seemingly plaintive tone – but not quite plaintive…maybe varying degrees of insecurity? – that makes it laugh-out-loud funny at times, and it’s fantastic.

Treat yourself by catching Sidney Gish tonight at Barracuda, 611 E. 7th St., on an excellent bill featuring ATX bands Why Bonnie and Space Heat. Doors open at 7 p.m. Recommended.

-Photography by Hester Konrad.

Taylor Wilkins is feelin’ all the feels over “Shaker #42,” the latest single by his band Otis Wilkins, or whom your AMM host refers to as Otis the Destroyer‘s alter-ego of sorts.

Produced by Walker Lukens, featuring vocals by Sara Houser (Löwin) and Jane Ellen Bryant, with Jud Johnson on drums and engineer/mixer James Westley Essary on bass, the new tune owns this classic rhythm-and-harmony vibe spanning the decades, from ’50s bit o’ doo-wop rock right on through to late ’70s/early ’80s ELO magic.

The new release is paired with a special occasion. Tonight is Taylor Wilkins’ first time playing The Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave., with Otis Wilkins. Really, the first time playing there ever, and Wilkins couldn’t be more thrilled. His band shares the bill with fellow ATX badasses The Joe Jacksons, Altamesa and Hong Kong Wigs. The music starts at 10:15 p.m. Recommended.

-Otis Wilkins by Kate Blaising Photography.

Metaphorical fangs bared and claws out, Queue Queue steps in to show you a multi-faceted punk brilliance. Primal beats, wicked guitar shreds and sardonic wit come into play on the band’s thought-provoking summer release, Fang and Claw, a must-add to your collection of badass LP’s.

Better still, you can catch Queue Queue at their early show tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas, 1502 E. 6th St. They share the bill with fellow Austin outfits Semihelix and Prom Threat.

This would be the triple threat of ridiculously awesome. The music kicks off at 7 p.m. So recommended.

-Photography by Tristan Ipock for KUTX.

Perhaps your humble Austin Music Minute host missed out on an announcement, or just plain skipped the details. Then again, it would be just like Mike Harmeier to keep things on the down-low and concentrate instead on the work at hand, with no bragging and little fanfare.

Harmeier and his band The Moonpies created their beautiful, stunning LP, Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold, within the hallowed walls of Abbey Road Studios – the one and only Abbey Road, baby – with some assistance from the world-renown London Symphony Orchestra. The first listen will leave you completely blown away, proving once again that Mike & The Moonpies move above and beyond any confines of a dancehall country outfit, with a constantly-evolving sound that’s simultaneously classic and fresh. “”Every time we’ve taken a step forward, it’s a result of us refusing to become stagnant,” Harmeier says. “…Ten years into our career, we’re still finding our voice…and we’re realizing that maybe it’s not one voice, but a collection of voices.”

Hear the latest from Mike & The Moonpies at their release show tonight at the Mohawk, 912 Red River, on the outside stage. It’s another great line-up featuring Western Youth and Altamesa. The show gets going at 8 p.m. On the inside stage, catch Ego Deaf, The Big Fix and the mighty T. Englert, starting after 9 p.m.

All of this is so damn good. So recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Ain’t no triflin’ with this head cat. No sir.

Remember the name Danny B. Harvey. It’s an integral part of your rock ‘n’ roll history lesson. Ever since Harvey picked up a guitar at age 6, he was unstoppable. A renowned musician, producer and composer, Harvey has played with greats like Wanda Jackson, the late great Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead), Slim Jim Phantom, Levi Dexter, Johnny Ramone and numerous others, and is a founding member of what many have referred to as “Lemmy’s other band,” The Head Cat. Rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, gothabilly, fire and twang – Harvey does it all, and then some.

With a roster like this one, you can’t deny the greatness. Treat yourself tonight by catching Danny B. Harvey’s show at the Sahara Lounge, 1413 Webberville Rd. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with a solo piano performance by Henri Herbert opening at 8 p.m., followed by Harvey and Casino Frap at 9:15 p.m., and THUNDEROSA at 10:30 p.m.

Can you handle it? This one comes very recommended.

-Image courtesy of the artist.

Today, August 6th, would have been Elliott Smith‘s 50th birthday. The songwriter and multi-instrumentalist struggled with drug addiction and mental illness, both of which affected his work until his untimely death in 2003 at age 34.

Several music artists the world over, including many in our own city, continue to be greatly influenced by Smith’s intensely personal writing. Tonight, local musicians will pay tribute to the man and his music with a show at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River, that will also benefit the SIMS Foundation. SIMS is an Austin-based non-profit that provides access to mental health care for individuals working in the Austin music community.

This evening’s line-up features Moving Panoramas, Chris Simpson (Mountain Time, Mineral), Slomo Drags, Daphne Tunes, and members of Ama and Maryann. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with a suggested $5-$10 donation upon entry. Very recommended, and thank you for your support.