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August 2, 2019

Cross Record: “The Fly”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

Remember our February 2016 Artist of the Month, Cross Record, the brainchild of Dripping Springs vocalist Emily Cross? Cross Record’s dark, unapologetic brand of indie introspection first started turning heads with their debut Wabi Sabi, an album that rooted the group as a haunting ensemble unafraid to defy expectations.

But in those three years, Cross Record has undergone some significant lineup changes and a major career shift, most notably the frontwoman’s newfound role as a death doula. These experiences with departure, mortality, fear, and separation had a notable impact on Cross, who releases her third and self-titled album today. There’s a lot to digest with Cross Record, and to get you in that ghostly, almost fatalistic, Kafka-esque mood, make way for “The Fly”!

February 23, 2016

This Song: Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater // Cross Record

This Song

By: Elizabeth McQueen

Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg grew up listening to his parent’s classical music and white bread pop. Then he heard Vic Chesnutt. In this episode of “This Song” you can hear how  Chesnutt’s “Big Huge Valley”  helped him realize there was a whole world of music bubbling beneath the mainstream. Plus, he makes the case that  Nina Simone is the “best popular musician of the 20th century, and maybe the 21st century too.”

Then Emily Cross of the KUTX Artist of the Month Cross Record  describes the effect Imogen Heap’s“Hide and Seek” had on her while her partner, Dan Duszynski, explains how King Tubby expanded his ideas of what music could be.

Listen to Shearwater’s Studio 1A performance

Listen to Cross Record’s Studio 1A performance

Listen to Cross Record’s MyKUTX guest DJ set

Subscribe via iTunes or Stitcher to get the new episodes of  “This Song” delivered to you as soon as they come out.

Listen to the songs featured in Episode 28 of “This Song”.

August 12, 2024

What we learned from new Uvalde school shooting records

Texas Standard

By: David Brown

The city of Uvalde releases a trove of records from the Robb Elementary school shooting after pressure from the media. What are we learning?
As tensions escalate in the Middle East with Israel anticipating a strike from Iran or its proxies within days, how could this affect Texas, its role in oil exports and prices? Matt Smith, energy analyst at Kpler has more.
Across the Permian Basin, the discovery of plugged oil wells breaking down and leaking.
All aboard? Amtrak set to restore Gulf Coast train service.
Plus, 41 Texans have picked up medals in the Olympics and U.S. women’s soccer brings home the gold after beating Brazil.

January 23, 2024

John Saunders and Irv Cross (Ep. 8, 2024)

In Black America

By: John L. Hanson

This week on In Black America, producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. presents a look back at the state of African American presence in sports broadcasting, presenting interviews recorded in 1987 with the late John Saunders and Irv Cross, pioneering sports analysts who at the time were the only African Americans on nationally televised sports programs.

October 5, 2023

‘Good Night, Irene’ follows a courageous woman’s story in the WWII Red Cross

Texas Standard

By: David Brown

It was the second hottest summer on record for Texas, but is it safe to ask if it’s over? What to expect as a cold front pushes into Texas. Matt Lanza of Space City Weather with a look at whether today marks a turning point.

Gun violence numbers are changing how many feel about safety in a North Texas suburb. KERA’s Caroline Love with more from Allen.

Google launches an effort to combat spam, but will it work? Tech expert Omar Gallaga with more.

A border bottleneck raises red flags as Texas ramps up truck inspections.
And a Texas Book Festival preview with the author of ‘Good Night, Irene’.

September 29, 2023

Why homeschooling is on the rise across the ideological spectrum

Texas Standard

By: David Brown

Sean Theriault of UT-Austin with a look at why government shutdowns have become so common, and what needs to happen to avoid another come Sunday.

The summer of 2023 was the second hottest on record in Texas. But for renters, air conditioning isn’t legally required — at least not everywhere in the state.

Over the past couple of years, there’s been a shift in the way that many Texans school their kids, with more folks opting for homeschooling – for reasons that span the political spectrum, or lie completely outside it.

Writer Andrew Leland on losing his vision and the struggle to understand the changes, as told in his new memoir, “The Country of the Blind.”

August 16, 2019

What Is Your Wish?

Austin Music Minute

By: Laurie Gallardo

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.

January 11, 2024

Futon Blonde: “Goodbye, Goodbye”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

An obvious understatement, but music’s taken some huge leaps in the past century-plus of sound recording. So while the simple lyrical structures and repetitive chord progressions of pioneers like Robert Johnson or Lead Belly may seem laughably basic to some nowadays, that’s only because we’ve become spoiled by one integral element – the groove. In the modern era, ranging from pop to hip-hop, rock, and beyond, lyrics and chords alone don’t cut it; you gotta put the hook in listeners with an infectious groove. And although one could argue that indie rock is one of the least groovy genres, the mere presence of a groove separates the best from the rest.

For examples of such right here in Austin, we can fall back on Futon Blonde. Initially framed around songwriter Janson Sommers, Futon Blonde’s since gone on to quadruple their groove capacity thanks to fellow songwriter-vocalists Mark Webb (lead guitar) and Ben ‘Beng’ Goodman (bass), not to mention drummer Steve Zamora. Now in their tenth year of the affair, Futon Blonde’s cushioned their groove-dominant formulas around funk, alternative, and psych rock over tours, EPs, and one full-length. And as they kick off a second decade together, the Futon’s converting once again – this time with streaks of 2010s R&B.

Bouncy bass lines, soulful vocals, smooth six-string, and a plethora of pulsating percussion choices permeate throughout Futon Blonde’s next EP Multiplier. It’s certainly a departure from last Spring’s Something That We’ve All Experienced Together Before, and even more so from 2019’s Uppercut, but based on the latest batch of tunes (mixed by Loma/Cross Record collaborator Dan Duszynski), we sure as hell aren’t complaining. So especially since it’s that time of year everyone turns a new leaf, instead of succumbing to couch lock, catch Futon Blonde 8PM tonight at Hotel Vegas for a single release show with openers Hex Boyfriend at 7PM. The new single in question? “Goodbye, Goodbye”, which, as you might’ve guessed from its title, was inspired by the end of a relationship. On top of some tasteful drum programming steaming up the background, sensual rhythm guitar cutting through like a butter knife, baby-makin’ bass, plus the usual gusto of luscious lead guitar and grounded percussion, Webb crushes vocals on this expansive original of his. In other words “Goodbye, Goodbye” bids farewell to that old fling and says “hello” to this new era of groove for Futon Blonde.

February 15, 2022

Good Looks: “Vision Boards”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

With South By South West 2022 just a month away, the “must-see” previews are beginning to pop out. And if you’re the type that prefers to soak up as much Austin music as possible during SX, you’ll want to check out the Keeled Scales official showcase on March 17th at Cheer Up Charlie’s. Among the roster of great talent on the bill that includes Sun June, Katy Kirby, and Lunar Vacation is indie four-piece Good Looks, founded by South Texas singer-guitarist Tyler Jordan after a bold stint of 6th Street busking.

These poltically-minded Replacements-esque rockers enlisted producer Dan Duszynski (who’s worked with KUTX favorites Cross Record, Jess Williamson, and Loma) to help realize Good Looks’ debut album, Bummer Year, out April 8th. Good Looks is currently taking the record on the road for the Midwest leg of a two-part national tour. So if you like arid indie rock atmospheres and a healthy amount of tongue-in-cheek lyrics, make some room in your collection for Bummer Year and its head-bobbin’, “yeah”-inducing sophomore single, “Vision Boards“!

January 20, 2022

Love Austin Music: Good Looks

Austin Music Minute

By: Laurie Gallardo

We’re steppin’ up to represent with Love Austin Music Month, a friendly reminder to show love for your favorite Austin music artists. Today’s Austin Music Minute presents a new favorite making their debut on Keeled Scales, Good Looks. Led by vocalist Tyler Jordan (Tyler Jordan and the Negative Space) and longtime collaborator Jake Ames, the band worked on their new LP Bummer Year with producer Dan Duszynski (Loma, Cross Record), set for release April 8.

Featured on today’s AMM is album opener “Almost Automatic,” officially out with a single release show tomorrow night, Friday Jan. 21, at Hotel Vegas. The line-up includes Pelvis Wrestley and The Juniper Berries. Check the venue for COVID safety protocol, and remember to bring your mask.

December 13, 2017

Jack Wilson: “In My Way”

Song of the Day

By: Taylor Wallace

Photo by William Barton

Austin native Jack Wilson, despite a four-year rest since his last record, has built a reputation that’s kept his name buzzing around this city (you may have heard of a little South Austin gem called Radio Coffee & Beer). Now a full-fledged father and steady business owner, Wilson makes his return to the stage backed by his third album, Kami, Coming to Get Me. Largely inspired by fatherhood, Wilson plays with a number of sounds throughout the record, reflective perhaps of the mix of sounds and emotions that accompany new parenthood.

“In My Way” makes use of “the white space,” stripping down the layers and letting the ones in place breathe and be heard. Wilson’s deeper drones are softened and complemented by another local favorite, Emily Cross of Cross Record. Even when the layers build on top of each other and the folk aesthetic blends with a bit of electric energy, every sound stands its ground, fitting neatly into its own place on the song’s sonic tapestry.

“In My Way” appears on Kami, Coming to Get Me, out Saturday via Banana Pop Records.

Jack Wilson Upcoming Events:

  • Performing this Saturday at Empire Control Room with Batty Jr. and Marijuana Sweet Tooth.
  • Playing live in Studio 1A Thursday (Tune in at 3PM)
  • Hosting My KUTX this Saturday at 6PM

 

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

December 5, 2024

rrunnerrss: “Get Me Out Of Here”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

In a lot of ways, Texas is a top tier U.S. state. There’s great food. H-E-B. Beautiful parks with a variety of landscapes and wildlife. H-E-B again. That distinct Southern hospitality you don’t notice until you’re gone. But even if someone’s lived in the Lone Star State their whole life, being a Texas resident in 2024 has literally become unsafe for some. Ya know, the whole metaphor of Austin as the “blueberry in the tomato soup”. So especially post-election, plenty of progressives have piped up that their time to leave Texas (if not the US on the whole) is now.

We’ll get back to that in a moment. Because even though the Turkey Trot’s now a full week behind us, today we’re talking about rrunnerrss. We won’t shy from labeling rrunnerrss as a supergroup, considering that founding songwriter-composer Michael Zapruder (who sports an impressive resume on his own) rounds out this quintet with Austin veterans that have backed Adrian Quesada, Roky Erickson, Polyphonic Spree, Bill Callahan, White Denim and beyond. And together they’ve led a genre-melding marathon of North African Desert Rock, psych, and freestyle guitar since 2021.

So although Zapruder left is currently living in California due to Texas’s draconian policies, that transition didn’t put a damper on the band’s creative passions; Zapruder still slides back into Austin for live shows (including as part of triple single release show 8PM tonight at the Mohawk alongside an acoustic performance from Parker Woodland and Booher) and coordinated the recording of rrunnerrss’s debut self-titled album. Sonically, rrunnerrss covers a 5K of musical territory while thematically reflecting sentiments of self-exile, adversity, and advocacy across nine tunes. And those themes are perhaps most outspoken on the LP’s latest lead single that dropped this morning, “Get Me Out Of Here”, a somber, slow, and sweet piece of acoustic folk rock that almost recalls the poignant magic of Paul Simon’s early solo stuff.

November 13, 2024

Maggie Rose: “No One Gets Out Alive”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

Itchin’ for a sentimental dish of Southern soul ahead of Thanksgiving? You’re in luck! We’ve got a member of Nashville country royalty gracing us with her presence in just a couple days.

Yes, we’re laying out a path of petals ahead of an upcoming appearance from Maggie Rose. It’s been a decade and a half since the Potomac-born singer-songwriter-guitarist first emerged as Maggie Durante and just shy of a dozen years since the debut LP that introduced her current handle. In that time, Rose has blossomed into one of Nashville’s finest, but her sound certainly isn’t restricted to country; Rose flourishes with pretty much any genre she touches, be it pop, R&B, funk, rock, folk, and beyond – a talent that’s earned her prominent placement on bills with Kelly Clarkson, Joan Jett, and Heart.

For her latest innovation (which has already scored a Grammy nomination for “Best Americana Album”), Maggie Rose commands a crossroad of soul and country, evoking the iconic ’70s-era Laurel Canyon sound on this April’s No One Gets Out Alive. In support of the LP, Maggie’s back on the road and touring these dozen new tunes across the US. So if you want to give Rose her flowers in person, stop by ACL Live at 3Ten 8PM this Friday to catch Maggie alongside opener India Ramey. And if you’re not familiar with the new record yet, go ahead and get started with the eponymous album opener. Because at a room-and-heart-filling five-and-a-half minutes that blooms with a wide dynamic range and an enormous orchestral arrangement, we’re betting “No One Gets Out Alive” from the full-length’s introduction without falling for what may be Maggie’s magnum opus.

November 6, 2024

Midnight Navy: “Solo Tú” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

ACL Fest 2024 already feels like a distant memory. But there’s one more pop-up nugget that we absolutely need to share in the name of Austin music. And that’s on behalf of Midnight Navy, the project of singer-songwriter/saxophonist/producer Francisco Jose Rosales.

Though Rosales first landed on streaming in 2018 with three standalone singles, Midnight Navy really began attracting a fleet of listeners with the release of last April’s De Melón EP, a fruitful six-song exploration of psychedelia, bedroom pop, alt-R&B, Latin indie, and Chicano soul in both English and Spanish. And Midnight Navy’s placement in prominent Austin festivals speaks to the success of De Melón; while Rosales e la familia appeared at ACL Fest the first Friday afternoon on the Tito’s stage, they’ve also been confirmed as an official act for SXSW 2025.

The big news this month? The release of De Melón (Deluxe Edition), which features a new tune that was tracked at Adrian Quesada’s Electric Deluxe Recorders. The Deluxe Edition drops next Friday, right before Midnight Navy embarks on their inaugural Texas tour – four stops across the Lone Star State including a gig Wednesday, November 20th at Empire Control Room alongside La Doña. But back to ACL Fest…several of our pop-up performances that were notably acoustic, bare bones, and frankly quite different from their studio counterparts. However can’t say the same for Midnight Navy; with bongos and cajon, they brought a previously-unheard sense of intimacy to the boda-inspired bolero “Solo Tú” – complete with electric guitar, bass, and keys (not to mention Rosales’ impeccable sax and vocals) for an arrangement that oozes amor.

October 24, 2024

Beth Lee: “Another Day”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

When you’re going through the motions, relying on routine thought loops, and not taking “carpe diem” to heart, life can feel like it’s the same sh*t, different day…over and over again. But bless yourself with the small gift of variety every once in awhile, and you’ll soon find that you’re thriving rather than just surviving.

And Beth Lee definitely knows a thing or two about changing things up; especially through her chapter as Beth Lee & the Breakups, the Houston-honed, Austin-based singer-songwriter has historically harbored a country-friendly sound. But more recent outings have found lee adopting a fresher genre backdrop, leaning further away from her twangy roots and Americana comfort zone and embracing more pop-adjacent formulas that pair the principles of ’70s/’80s/’90s sass with hints of modern indie rock. And with Cat Power/Jack White/Loretta Lynn engineer Stuart Sikes handling recording duties and Chuck Prophet percussionist Vicente Rodriguez returning to the producer role, Lee (alongside some of her Breakups bandmates) takes it even further in that new direction on her next full-length Hardly Matters, out tomorrow.

Despite the title, Hardly Matters is an optimistic if not surreal outlook on life in the Live Music Capital, something else Lee knows quite a bit about, even after a recent string of gigs across West Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and AmericanaFest up in Nashville. But that’s all been building up to the Hardly Matters album release show 6PM Sunday night at the Skylark Lounge. So if you’re eager to shake things up this weekend with some heartfelt hometown honesty, let one of Hardly Matters‘ more uptempo additions get you looking forward to “Another Day”.

October 22, 2024

Southall: “Scared Money”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

If you’ve been itchin’ to catch some good ol’ fashioned Southern rock reminiscent of Sticky Fingers-era Stones or classic Lynyrd Skynyrd, but don’t feel like you’re getting what you need from the local scene, this weekend you’re in luck. And that’s because Stillwater, Oklahoma six-piece Southall‘s gonna be swinging through town.

Despite releasing records together for nearly a full decade now, it’s only been a couple years since the Read Southall Band adopted the abbreviated, mononymous handle we know ’em by today. Still, the sextet’s one of the strongest purveyors of the red dirt sound (which started in their home state) this generation has to offer. For most of this year, Southall’s been struttin’ the stuff off their eponymous full-length re-brand from last September across the country (and Western Europe) as part of the Get Busy Tour.

After several sporadic stops spread out over the Lone Star State, the Get Busy Tour finally brings Southall to Austin – 7:30PM this Friday at Scoot Inn. And because nothing in life is free, complement Scoot Inn’s cover charge by paying dues to Southall‘s centerpiece heavyweight “Scared Money”, a Skynyrd-esque testament to the pursuit of the almighty dollar and making an honest living – be it in the garage, working your farm, riding in a firetruck, or on the road playing tunes with your best buds.

October 15, 2024

Chance Peña: “Blackbird” (KUTX Pop-Up at ACL Fest)

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

For a lot of major artists, ACL Fest is just another tour stop. For up-and-comers, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. But for those who overlap the brackets, the experience falls somewhere in between: somewhat routine, somewhat sentimental.

And we’re guessing Chance Peña lands in that final category. Depending on your age demographic, chances are you’ve already heard of Peña through one avenue or another. Nearly a decade back, Chance Peña caught widespread attention at the tender age of fifteen as a contestant on The Voice. These days, Peña pulls an impressive social media presence and colossal streaming numbers for someone in their mid-twenties.

Yeah, in between the release of his debut full-length Ever-Shifting, Continual Blossoming last month and his current headliner tour that’ll take him across Western Europe and Scandinavia, Chance Peña is pretty much on top of the world. However, we do feel like playing Austin City Limits the first Friday must have been a pretty big deal for a Tyler native, so kudos to the ACL coordinators for showing strong home state support for a young Texan on the up and up. And shoutout to Peña as well for paying that Lone Star love forward with a passionate pop-up performance of his ES,CB standout, “Blackbird”, recorded that same day.

October 4, 2024

Tish: “Burning Up”

Song of the Day

By: Jack Anderson

We’re barely a week into October, everyone’s spooky season decorations are going up, excuses to miss Thanksgiving are already stewing…and we’ve still got highs in the 90s here in Texas. Autumn is a bit ablaze. Just goes to show you that life’s a…Tish?

At least, Tish is a big part of life for one particular group of Austinites. What started out as a sweetheart deal between Ethan Ames and Erin Thelen a half decade back has since rounded out into a four-piece thanks to the addition of AJ Audain and Tyler Rusin. Needless to say Tish has influences galore across their personnel’s varied backgrounds, but we’ll go ahead and put them somewhere around the intersection of indie rock and soul pop.

And this year Tish is finally ready to dish out their efforts onto streaming with the release of their debut studio album early next month, corresponding with an LP release show on November 3rd at Hole in the Wall that’ll be joined by Cash Grab and Foxglove. If you’re trying to stay as far away from ACL this weekend but still want to get out, check out Tish for a single release show 6PM tomorrow night at Knomad alongside openers Tiny Specks at 4PM and Ivy Mine at 5PM. And if you’d prefer to stay a slave to the precious A/C without ever stepping foot outside, go ahead and set your senses aflame with the record’s lead offering “Burning Up”. Evoking the nostalgia of that ’90s tightrope of grunge, alternative, and pop (complete with guitar distortion and unconventional vocal harmonies), “Burning Up” torches with airtight instrumentation, clever section segues, and overall just a ton of heart that leaves us eager to hear more.

September 30, 2024

KUT Afternoon Newscast for September 30, 2024

KUT News Now

By: Juan Garcia

Central Texas top stories for September 30, 2024. This September has been one of the driest ever recorded in Austin. A deal between Baylor Scott & White Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas will keep health services in-network for thousands of Texas patients. Today is an Ozone Action Day. Attorney General Ken Paxton filed yet another lawsuit against the Travis County Commissioners Court. Delta Airlines is launching five new routes out of Austin this spring. Applications open tomorrow for the City of Austin’s first ever poet laureate program. U.S. News and World Report ranked Huston-Tillotson University as the number one private historically Black college and university in Texas.

September 27, 2024

A special broadcast live from the State Fair of Texas

Texas Standard

By: David Brown

Today we’re bringing you a special broadcast from the opening day of the State Fair of Texas in Dallas:

The fair’s storied history dates back to 1886. Karl Chiao, executive director of the Dallas Historical Society, shares more about its history, and the fair’s Karissa Condoianis talks about its future.

Big Tex is a cowboy icon – but did you know he started out as Santa Claus? The midway’s Rusty Fitzgerald shares the story of this Texas giant.

Bryan Berg, who holds four Guinness World Records for card stacking, joins us ahead of his performance at the fair.

Thousands of kids across Texas participate in the Youth Livestock Competitions at the fair. KERA’s Penelope Rivera reports on what drives their passion.

And: We’ll hear about running bumper cars and the family behind a 75-year-old food vendor.

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