Taylor Wallace

DAYEATER: “Between the Otherside” [PREMIERE]

Who says psych-rock can’t come with badass near rock-opera harmonies? Austin’s DAYEATER certainly doesn’t. And throw in some power pop? Honey we are off to the stratosphere courtesy of an 80s He-Man cartoon-style music video.

Jesse Lee fronts the trio, pulling off riffs that give two handed-players a run for their money. Lee’s power on the axe and mic is matched by rhythm section Chris Brockett and Tom Jackson. It’s a tour de force that ebbs between full adrenaline and hellish harmonies.

Hello, Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Aerosmith can take a break. We’ve got a new theme song for the Rock n Roller Coaster.

You can celebrate the release this Thursday night at Vinyl Beauty Bar on E. Cesar Chavez.

Ley Line: “Agua Do Mar”

The ladies of Ley Line are back, baby, and they’re looking forward to bringing us a string of reunion shows this April. To get us excited, they’ve announced their Live at the Pershing EP (out later this month) and gifted us “Agua Do Mar,” their take on the Brazilian folk song “Memorias do Mar,” an ode to sailors that as Ley Line’s Kate Robberson puts it “represents the constancy of memories amid the turbulence of life.” A perfect tune to represent the quartet coming back together.

A long-standing favorite of Ley Line’s live shows, “Agua Do Mar” starts slow while Emilie Basez’s nimble guitar fingers create intrigue. The song builds layer-by-layer with a direct trend to the building energy that leads to a groovy, folksy romp that I believe even the Brazilian sailors of yore would deem a bop. And stand-up bassist Madeleine Froncek’s solo is the icing on the cake. It’s a true showcase of everything you love about the quartet: harmonies, hip-swaying grooves, and transportation to another part of the world.

Nilsa No One: “Lucid Dream”

Austin-bred songwriter and guitarist Nilsa grew-up in the throws of the local punk and metal scenes, but Nilsa, like the rest of us, contains multitudes, so she’s brought in rhythm section Jesse Maciack and JJ Pereira to become Nilsa No One, blending the rawness from her nurturing with her haunting vocals and emotive contemplations that come naturally.

In “Lucid Dream,” she speaks to her personal struggle between trying to maintain the bigger picture and just living her life and finding the peace and harmony between the two planes, a constant struggle a lot of us relate to. She’s cracked what I like to call our Significant Insignificance. And when Nilsa’s joined by her own harmonies, you feel that moment of revelation right there with her, somewhere deep in a dark, covenly forest.

“Lucid Dream” is on the Cracks In the Pavement EP, out now. Check out their EP release show this Saturday at Hole in the Wall.

Schmiddy: “Nebula” (ft. Andyah)

Austin beatmaker Blake Schmidt has released a string of instrumental mixtapes under the moniker Schmiddy for the last three years, all the while working towards something more comprehensive. Schmiddy’s background in composing for short films in college for grades to composing hip-hop tracks for fun has led him to last Friday: the release of Schmiddy’s debut album Lightning In A Bottle. The album is not only a showcase of Schmiddy’s brand of beatmaking and production, but of his talent for sourcing and matching the right vocal talent for each track and creating something true to his background: cinematic.

“Nebula” features Nairobi-based artist Andyah as vocalist and co-writer. Her vocals are light but rich, working in tandem to the movement of Schmiddy’s groove. Think of a camera slowly panning down a bolt of layered red velvet with an intoxicating fire burning in the background. And it’s that right kind of spicy that makes you want to sensually slow dance, even if just to yourself in the mirror.

Okonski: “October” [PREMIERE]

Okonski is another beautiful project born from the Durand Jones & Indications house with pianist Steve Okonski at the helm with support from fellow Indications Aaron Frazer and Michael Montgomery on drums and bass. Together the trio takes all of the jazz elements of Durand Jones & the Indications and puts them front and center, letting the songs take as little or as much structure as he (or perhaps the keys themselves?) please. After nearly two years, Okonski returns to us like a wanderer returning to their village, wiser, more lived, and with Homer-level volumes of tales.

The new single from Okonski’s upcoming sophomore album Entrance Music evokes Willie’s arrangement of Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies.” It’s laid back, beautiful, and effortless. And with a small, solid melody paired with the rhythm section as an anchor, Okonski is free to play and flourish around it, briefly returning to home base before taking off yet again like another chapter of the wanderer’s tale.

Oh Yes, It Will Be Strange

There’s a lot to be said about tonight’s bill at Hotel Vegas, but to put it succinctly, it’s gonna be a night full of weird…

After dropping their first and only single in two years last Halloween, self-described “ghoul-pop, dork wave, unicorn-twee” trio Stretch Panic went for a short hibernation. They return tonight to soak the crowd in their known brand of cartoonishly caped, rainbow-colored songs about demons, monsters and blood. They’re joined tonight by Space Heat whose recipe calls for 3 parts synthwave to one part experimental and garnished with post-punk; freakpop outfit Strange Mother fill out tonight’s line-up. Whether you revel in the weird or are looking to take a step outside your musical comfort zone, this show tonight at Hotel Vegas on East 6^th will satiate your off-beat appetite. Check out songs from tonight’s line-up below!

-Taylor Wallace

Jangle, Jangle, Y’all

Bring on the Tuesday Night Shoegaze and indie buzz. Sounds good, right? Well you can get warm, fuzzy heaps of it tomorrow night at Cheer Up Charlie’s. An all-Austin bill brings in the jangle and gaze with Slideshow, a 3-piece who’s soft, full, fuzzy sound weave ethereal vocals with hints of nimble guitar hooks. Joining them are the Freakout, who are best described as Beat Happening with a feedback pedal. Young June round out the bill, brining more of the great, chilled out indie attitude. The bedroom, jangle-pop show happens tomorrow night at Cheer Up Charlie’s on Red River. Check out songs from all three bands in their Bandcamp hyperlinks or below!

-Taylor Wallace

Rounding Out Free Week 2020

Here we are, the last 2 nights of Free Week. No time to waste! You wanna know who to go see, this weekend so let’s get to it.

Starting with tonight, Cheer Up Charlie’s on Red River sports an all-punk line-up featuring Big Bill, Borzoi, and Blood. Away from downtown over at Dozen Street on 12^th and Chicon, Erica Michelle, Sex Pump, and Cosms share the bill with JD Pinkus of the Butthole Surfers. And way away from downtown, the Far Out Lounge and Stage hosts a full-on indie night with Batty Jr., Lolita Lynne, Half Dream, and more on South Congress near Slaughter Lane.

Moving on to Sunday, the final day of Free Week 2020, Mohawk Indoor has up-and-comers Sadie & the Ladies joined by Lord Friday the 13^th and others, while 2019 KUTX Artist of the Month the Infinites play with Chronophage, 2069, and Samson next door at Cheer Up Charlie’s. And over on East 6^th, Hotel Vegas rounds out Free Week with an indie bill full of heavyweights with Half Dream, frosty palms, Hong Kong Wigs, and Semihelix. AAAAAAND there we go, the tail end of Free Week 2020. Enjoy your weekend of free musical discovery, and remember, if you aren’t digging what’s going on on stage, go next door to another free show.

-Taylor Wallace

Free Week on A Friday Night

Photo by: Gabriel C. Pérez

Free Week Day 2, and it’s Friday night; let’s dive right into some show recommendations. Down in the Red River Cultural District, you can enjoy a proper rock show with Otis the Destroyer, Go Fever, Lola Tried at Cheer Up Charlie’s, and others, while Empire Control Room hosts another night jam-packed with hip-hop artists tonight featuring The TEETA, Deezie Brown, J Soulja, and Cece Hustle just to name a few. Both stages at Mohawk embrace a bona fide Tolkien Tribute night with Being Dead, Magic Rockers of Texas, Thor & Friends, and, of course, Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band. Stepping away from Red River and East of 35, Hotel Vegas brings the Riot Grrl energy with Mean Jolene, Nevil, Leather Girls, and Pinky Ring and Wet Dip. Get a taste of all of these artists and everyone else playing Free Week in our Spotify playlist below.

-Taylor Wallace

New Year’s The Other Style

Happy New Year’s Eve and happy last day of the decade!!! If you’re looking to make last-minute plans to ring in the new year in the thralls of live music, I’ve got you covered. Here are the Austin Music Minute’s New Years’ Eve Show recommendations!

Sacramento’s !!! headline the show at Empire Garage on Red River with Austin acts TC Superstar and Zettajoule opening the wall-to-wall dance party. Ghostland Observatory and Golden Dawn Archestra do up the Moody Theatre in an explosive way only they could pull off, lots of musicians channel their favorite musicians of the 1950’s with a night dedicated to the year 1959 at Hotel Vegas on East 6th, also East of 35 Horror Glam Diva Caleb DeCasper is putting on a jazz lounge act along with Groove Think, Urban Heat Island Effect and others at Dozen Street on 12th and Chicon, and just North of downtown at the good ol’ Hole in the Wall you can find Ladyfang, Megafauna, Darkbird, and Flora and Fauna.

-Taylor Wallace

New Year’s Eve KUTX Style

It’s the day before New Year’s Eve, and if you’re sure you want to go out, and you know you want to ring in the 2020’s KUTX-style, but haven’t quite figured out where this Austin Music Minute is here to help. Here’s a rundown of ALL the NYE shows being presented KUTX 98.9.

If you want to keep away from downtown, Radio Coffee and Beer off Ben White and Menchaca host an eclectic mix of sounds with the Deer, Middlespoon, and Bayonne’s Roger Sellers. Just outside of town, Carson Creek Ranch hosts a swanky gala with Grupo Fantasma and Superfónicos to raise money for the Nobelity Project’s work in Austin and Latin America. KUTX and Antone’s present A Night on Fire featuring Tameca Jones, Magna Carda, and Sam Houston and Blk Odyssey. And finally, Delta Spirit returns for their first show in four years, commanding the Mohawk stage and joined by PR Newman and Glass Grapes. And there ya have it; all your New Year’s Eve options for ringing in 2020 with KUTX.

-Taylor Wallace

Moving Forests and Sour, Naked Buffalos. Wait, what?

Photo by: Juan Figueroa

There’s always a good reason to go out and catch a show, and many-a-time a single show holds several reasons within itself. Tonight the good energy overload happens at Cheer Up Charlie’s on Red River. The Sour Notes celebrate the release of their new single “Gold,” self-proclaimed Mud-folk outfit Lord Buffalo awaken from hibernation, and the Naked Tungs and Royal Forest round out the bill leading up to the night’s headliner. Moving Panoramas return from the road for their last show of the year. All of the love goes down tonight at 8 at Cheer Up Charlie’s on Red River. Check out live videos from tonight’s line-up below!

-Taylor Wallace

Latin Sounds in Far Out Places

Iffin ya haven’t heard, a new venue popped up in far South Austin this year. What used to be a small, hole-in-the-wall bar that served as the last stop for bikers on the way to San Antonio decades ago is now The Far Out Lounge: a sick, down-to-Earth bar and venue near South Congress and Slaughter Lane. Covert Curiosity Founder Lawrence Boone curates a variety of sounds down in this new South Austin haunt, and tonight the line-up is steeped in Latin sounds. Latin psych-rock band Los Alcos shares the stage with Nemegata, who bring their own blend of cumbia, psych, and desert blues. The night kicks off with a DJ set by Group Fantasma, Brownout, and Money Chicha founder Greg Gonzalez. The fun begins at 8 tonight at The Far Out Lounge in South Austin. Get a taste of what your soul and zapatos de baile are in for below!

-Taylor Wallace

Dressy-est Your Bessy-est

Photo by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon

Hotel Vegas has become Austin’s reliable dive bar for touring cult-music stars (Thee Oh Sees and Mark Sultan AKA BBQ most recently), and their latest bill to bear this distinction happens TONIGHT as the East Side mainstay welcomes Denver’s Dressy Bessy bringing their bessiest-brand of indie rock. Joining them are Austin’s Lola Tried, Sailor Poon solo project Whit, and Poly Action. Let your rock n’ roll feathers fly loud and proud tonight at Hotel Vegas on East 6^th. Get a bit o’ rock ‘n’ roll kick from the rest of tonight’s bill below!

-Taylor Wallace, Weeknight Host

Dinner Time with Creatures, Chaos…and the Ladies

If you’re looking for a little musical dopamine to pick you up from the midweek slump, Cheer Up Charlie’s has a blend of sounds tonight to help get you through. Stopping for their Austin date on tour are Atlanta indie rockers Dinner Time, joined by Austin’s Indoor Creature, Cosmic Chaos, and Sadie and the Ladies serving-up everything from synthpop to garage rock and more. Doors open at 9 for this show tonight at Cheer Up Charlie’s on Red River. Get a little bill sampling below!

-Taylor Wallace, Weeknight Host

Do you Fux With the Tux?

It’s only Tuesday, but it’s time to party like it’s the weekend–and to be fair, maybe Tuesday is your weekend….The dynamic duo of Mayer Hawthorne and producer Jake One return to Austin tonight as the slick dance duo Tuxedo. They bring their disco-funk sounds to Empire Control Room & Garage tonight on Red River at 7th. Doors open at 6 for this night of sweaty-but-formal fun. No pressure, though! Tuxedos not required, but boogies shows encouraged! Shuffle-step-ball-change and Charleston all the over there.

Free Week Is Upon Us

Photo by Gina A Sandoval-Garcia

Free Week 2019 is here! And while there is an average of umpteenth shows any given night, the Austin Music Minute is here to help you navigate it.

Tonight at Empire Control Room and Garage you can see the glampire vampire Caleb De Casper with Whit, the Reputations, and others; Stubb’s Indoors hosts sexy straightahead rockers Sharks in the Deep End and Belcurve; Swan Dive’s got the abrasive stylings of Ghost Wolves, Think No Think, Billy King and the Bad Bad Bad, and Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, while Cheer Up Charlie’s hosts a punk bill with Sailor Poon, Big Bill, and MAMIS, but the “hey get there early show” is at Mohawk with Ume backed by Darkbird, Cosmico, Shmu, TC Superstar, and Chill Russell. Check out our “KUTX Free Week 2019” on Spotify or check it out below!

Static Diary: “Phrase From Business”

Photo by Jenny VanDivier

It may seem strange that someone who has been composing music since childhood would wait so long into their career to release something under their own moniker, but Scott Danbom’s esteemed career has seen most of his talent channeled into working with artists like Sarah Jaffe and Drive-By Truckers, as well as being a member of Will Johnson’s yin and yang projects, the alt-country Centro-Matic and the much more subdued South San Gabriel. Danbom’s solo project Static Diary overwhelmingly leans towards the latter; more accurately, Scott Danbom creates moods. His ambient-centered sound uses traditional (and sometimes not-so-traditional) instruments to fill a space with a calculated atmosphere that also employs the blank space between to let each sound air out organically and unmarred. For his solo debut, Danbom brings out a toybox of sounds, taking each unique texture and conjuring it into a single cohesive metonymy of his being. “Phrase From Business” embodies all of this, recalls the vocal patterns of a Flaming Lips ballad, and throws in a little glockenspiel for ya too.

“Phrase From Business” appears on Static Diary, out July 27th via Goliad Media.

-Taylor Wallace// Host, Thursdays 8p-11p & Saturdays 2p-6p; Producer, Eklektikos with John Aielli

Frankie Simone: “Queer”

“Simone is a High Priestess of Pop: the stage is her pulpit, and her message of love and acceptance is universal.” That is undeniably the boilerplate for the force of Frankie Simone. In the thick of a self-made mission to create music befitting every type of human being, the Puerto-Rico born musician’s quest for total music inclusivity in partly fueled by her and her wife’s move to the diversity-lite Portland and their time spent finding their niche of people, which they eventually found in the city’s vibrant arts culture. Simone’s music transcends typical songwriting; let’s not kid ourselves, she’s an anthem writer. Her 5-track LOVE//WARRIOR EP is pop with a purpose, a stalwart champion of love, acceptance, and not just carving out your own place, but thriving in it. Sonically following suit with the rest of the EP, “Queer” is a righteous anthem for the community (and a delicious choice for July 4th), and with a sound that could easily top the Billboard 200, her songs have the capacity to traverse every demographic, leaking a not-so-subtle message to the ears of those who may still need a bit of coaxing to the idea of LGBTQ acceptance.

“Queer” appears on LOVE//WARRIOR, out now via Infinite Compassion.

-Taylor Wallace// Host, Thursdays 8p-11p & Saturdays 2p-6p; Producer, Eklektikos with John Aielli

GUM: “The Underdog”

Ahead of the release of his fourth solo album as GUM, multi-instrumentalist Jay Watson admitted that at this point, he doesn’t even pay attention to what kind of music he’s making, he just does it. Traversing a buffet of genres that serves-up everything from prog rock to disco, Watson seamlessly stitches them into Jay’s Psychedelic Dream Coat, allowing the trademark sounds of his other projects Tame Impala and Pond to spill over while maintaining his own flavor. Watson’s passive-if-not-self-deprecating modesty is noted in everything from his decade-long silent involvement with Tame Impala to the GUM discography itself, yielding names like Glamorous Damage, Flash in the Pan, and the current [the] Underdog, but the caliber of his psych-rock disco casts a shadow of irony across his effort to make incredible music under the radar. Give yourself some boogie-room for this one, chief.

“The Underdog” is the title track to GUM’s latest record, out now via Spinning Top.

-Taylor Wallace// Host, Thursdays 8p-11p & Saturdays 2p-6p; Producer, Eklektikos with John Aielli