Song of the Day

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October 3, 2022

Alex Williams: “Old Before My Time”

By: Jack Anderson

Here in the U.S., we’ve enjoyed nearly a century of transcontinental and interstate routes, thanks to our highway system. Because of its introduction amidst advents in recording technology and decades-long development alongside advances in songwriting, tunes about cruising have taken American artists pretty far. And everyone’s got their favorite so no need to list ’em all out here. That said, the point of a good road playlist is to pack too many tracks in so you don’t have repeats, right? With that in mind, today we introduce you to a must-have piece of musical migration, courtesy of Indianapolis singer-guitarist Alex Williams.

With the release of his 2017 Nashville-produced debut Better Than Myself, Williams seemed like a shoe-in successor to the Outlaw Country throne. But the following five years of touring and temptation eventually influenced Williams to shy away from a bandana-bound sense of recklessness and write a new batch of horizon-affixed, road-weary personal reflections. The result, Waging Peace, is set for release on October 21st in the thick of a national tour. This dozen-track trek evokes everyone from Jerry Reed, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and The Allman Brothers all the way to Texas treasures like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, boldly opening up a throttle of cross-genre twang. So buckle up for Waging Peace‘s release Friday after next, and rev up for a practice run right now with the LP’s latest Haggard-esque trailblazer, “Old Before My Time”!


Episodes

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May 16, 2024

Stephanie Rodd: “Stronger Than Ever”

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Wild Wren: “I’M A BIRD”

Back in the day, if you were to walk around downtown, you’d hear one predominant sound spilling out of at least every other 6th Street venue: blues rock. But as the landscape of the “Live Music Capital of the World” has evolved and diversified, frankly, so has the state of blues rock itself. And if […]

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May 14, 2024

Genuine Leather: “Getting Used to the Feel”

For a lot of self-made bedroom producers, lo-fi isn’t just a creative choice; it’s a necessity. Yeah, not everyone has the technical prowess, access to equipment, or funding to match the pristine masters of their commercial radio contemporaries. But when lo-fi folks like that gain the resources to make the leap up, it’s hard to […]

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May 13, 2024

Big Bill: “Emotions”

If you’ve kept posted on Austin quartet Big Bill, you know they’re in somewhat of a post-pivot position. Yeah, after years of establishing their space in the oddball-deadpan-art-punk sector, Big Bill pulled off a risky switch to more of a ’90s-style indie rock sound with their Summer 2022 full-length Public Freakout Compilation. And while we’d […]

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May 8, 2024

Honey Luck: “Red Line”

Summer’s just over a month away. And with the birds and the bees still bringing new life into Spring, it’s a great time to appreciate fresh acts. So let’s stick a dipper into one of the latest projects to come out of Austin, Honey Luck. This Americana trio was born out of an auspicious meeting […]

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May 8, 2024

Jomo & The Possum Posse: “La Quinta”

Short-term shelter ain’t just part of a discreet routine for affairs and flings. Naw, as an integral piece to any touring musician’s itinerary, lodging has found a cozy place in the songwriter space, ranging from themes of post-breakup lifelessness (“Heartbreak Hotel”), raunchy encounters (“Chelsea Hotel #2”), and tour torpor (“Holiday Inn”) to whatever the hell […]

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May 7, 2024

Steel Gemini: “Only Freak”

If you’re a fan of that synth pop section of indie electronica in the ilk of Goldfrapp, Grimes, and CHVRCHES…there’s a relatively recent artist right here in town that’ll absolutely scratch that itch. And that’s Steel Gemini, the Austin-based project of singer-songwriter-producer Joy Baldwin. Ever since her December 2022 debut, Baldwin’s been a real joy […]

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