Song of the Day

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January 30, 2020

Ariel Abshire: “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”

By: Jack Anderson

Going all the way back to her childhood, Nederland native Ariel Abshire has had an almost-offensive comfort in and command over classic country. Ariel’s since settled right here in Austin, where she’d already cut her teeth onstage at iconic venues like Broken Spoke and Cactus Café and where she continues to slay it as a singer-songwriter. With a voice reminiscent of Brenda Lee, a flawless sense of pitch, and a lighthearted style of lyrical sarcasm, Abshire’s vocals are instantly evocative of midcentury pop, but lately she’s been crankin’ out tracks that sound more like Katy Perry than Skeeter Davis.

Get ready for some aggressive modern pop, both onstage around town and on Abshire’s upcoming fourth full-length, but don’t be too quick to discredit her country roots, considering she just released an impressive cover of  a Kitty Wells 1952 hit – “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”


Episodes

May 15, 2024

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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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 […]

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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 […]

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