Song of the Day

Song of the Day > All Episodes

July 21, 2023

Alex Ward: “Blazing”

By: Jack Anderson

This past week we’ve praised those with consistent release schedules. But today’s spotlight takes it to a whole other level. See, Alex Ward‘s not only the bassist for acclaimed Austin punk rock outfit Animals on TV. He’s also amassed tons of solo tunes over the past decade and a half. The first phase of Ward’s discography came in 2018 and 2019, but as with countless others, hit a period of “radio silence” when the pandemic rolled on through. Well, unwilling to let this ever-growing treasure trove of tunes collect dust on his home hard drive, Alex picked up where he left off in February and went full speed ahead, dropping a new single every Friday, seemingly with no stop in sight. This impressive series spans far across a spectrum of genres, all the way from synth pop and ambient to hip-hop and indie rock, where Ward’s multidisciplinary talents shine over a myriad of production styles. And kudos to Alex for recognizing when a song simply doesn’t need vocals and entrusting the intrinsic power of a great instrumental, like the short-and-sweet but super badass “Blazing”, which just came out this morning. At just a hair over one minute, “Blazing”‘s oblique synth swells steer this vignette straight into electronic dance territory, grounded by some really tasty bass work, as is the standard for Ward.

Episodes

May 5, 2024

Jana Mila: “Somebody New”

In an environment as dense and competitive as Americana, a unique set of lens can really help you stand out. But if that habitat appears even remotely unnatural to others, every little bit of local color improves your odds of surviving in the long run. Meet Jana Mila. Mila’s Amsterdam upbringing was spent in the […]

Listen

May 2, 2024

Mikky & The Doom: “Garbage, USA”

In most situations, if you got it, flaunt it. But in an industry that demands infinitely more from your ears than from your eyes, if the hottest person on the planet doesn’t have the pipes to match their looks, they probably don’t have a shot at succeeding as a singer. So let’s talk newcomer Mikky […]

Listen

May 2, 2024

Henry the Archer: “ViolinT”

If this late Spring’s got your spirits shook up and you’re looking for some renewed motivation to tend to your garden (be it literal or figurative), we’ve got a DFW act that’ll make you go hard in the yard. And that’s on behalf of singer-guitarist-keyboardist R. Hennessy, AKA “Henry O”, who’s been hitting the mark […]

Listen

May 1, 2024

Emily Shirley: “Morning Light”

It’s the classic end to an encounter. You meet someone new. Sparks seemingly fly. You have fun for a night. But when you wake up ready to tell your new boo you’d like to see ’em again…they’re long gone. Hell, and in the modern era, that might all happen on just on an app alone. […]

Listen

April 30, 2024

Grandmaster: “Castle Door”

Watch out, Golden Dawn Arkestra…there’s a new costumed collective in town, and they’re hunting for for fresh converts! But instead of frenetic Afro-inspired dance grooves, these fanatics have so far stuck to the slower side of ’70s-style jazz funk rock; think War whisked together with Steely Dan. Not that you’d be able to tell from […]

Listen

April 29, 2024

Trip Cigs: “Comeback Kid”

When a seasoned musician wades out of their genre comfort zone, you love to hear it. Because the technical expertise, jam stamina, and songwriting skills are already in place, but opening the gate to different inspirations and influences is always a welcome breath of fresh air. So let’s talk Rod Gator, who – as you […]

Listen

April 24, 2024

Viben: “Pablo Picasso”

Lyrics are a fickle field. You can be wordy as hell, hoping that at least one line sticks in listener’s minds. Or, you could just loop the hell out of some barebones sentences – guaranteed to have a lot more hypnotic staying power through sheer repetition, especially in the realm of dance music. Now let’s […]

Listen

April 24, 2024

Rett Smith: “Sunsets”

In terms of musical association, at least outside the world of film soundtracks, U.S. southwestern scenery often gets associated with country. But there’s a certain psychedelic quality to our regional deserts that we just love to see artists embrace. Folks like Rett Smith, based here in Austin, but bred out of West Texas, so you […]

Listen