Song of the Day

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October 24, 2024

Beth Lee: “Another 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”.


Episodes

May 6, 2025

Daily Worker: “Delmar Overload”

Despite only releasing music since 2019, Austin indie rock outfit Daily Worker seems to be taking a page from the Robert Pollard and King Gizzard book of prodigious releases. The group, helmed by Cotton Mather guitarist Harold Whit Williams, has released over a dozen album in just six years. Not surprising when you’re not only a musician, […]

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May 5, 2025

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Austin duo Pendulum Hearts take over stages with their blend of Western Swing and rockabilly, filled-out by a rotating cast of characters to round out the rhythm section and sprinkle in soloists. The beat of Pendulum Hearts comes from guitarist and vocalist Chase Risinger and fiddle player Tony Perez. They’re sweat-inducing, boot-scooting live shows are […]

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May 2, 2025

Penny & Sparrow: “Ketamine” (ft. Tobe Nwigwe)

UT Austin alums Andy Baxter and Andy Jahnke have been releasing music together as Penny & Sparrow for a decade. Revered for their poetic lyricism and ability to pull off acoustic gems and electronic meditations masterfully on the same album, Penny & Sparrow continue that tradition on their current album Lefty. An ambitious, twenty-song release […]

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May 1, 2025

Melanie MacLaren: “Get It Back”

Nashville indie folk artist Melanie MacLaren has garnered praise for her music all across americana outlets. In just three years, she’s released dozens of songs and several EP’s and live tracks. Her warm, effortless vocals tend to be just one of the many patterns running through her tapestry of many orchestrated layers. Not shying away, […]

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April 29, 2025

M. Ross Perkins: “Spiritual Kick”

Dayton, Ohio’s M. Ross Perkins has an affinity for blending 60’s British Invasion music with the sounds of American pop standards with just enough of a contemporary veneer to let you know the sound is an homage to the time, not a hint to its release date. His third album What’s the Matter, M Ross? […]

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April 28, 2025

Kelly Finnigan: “Keep Me In Mind” (ft. Renaldo Domino)

Last year, Monophonics bandleader Kelly Finnigan released his second solo album A Lover Was Born, a stellar study in psychedelic soul extending cleanly from the classic Monophonics sound. A song that didn’t make it onto the album was “Keep Me In Mind,” a smooth soul bop featuring Chicago soul legend Renaldo Domino. While most of […]

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April 25, 2025

Queen Serene: “In A Rut (I’m Stuck)”

Austin psych-rock group Queen Serene was conceived during COVID when former Naked Tungs guitarist Sarah Ronen began writing her own music following the band’s dissolution, but soon realized she preferred creating in a group. Now the group is filled out with Charlie Cassells, Dave Pohly, and co-songwriter Galceran. Queen Serene’s sophomore album 2 feels out […]

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April 24, 2025

The Bug Club: “Better Than Good” [Live In Studio 1A]

Welch trio The Bug Club have been continuing the traditions of garage rock since 2016. Short, punchy songs with humorous lyrics and catchy hooks bulk out the group’s discography, and under the freewheeling rollicking is an understated seriousness to their musicianship. Aside from the wild wall of sound that makes the trio sound like a […]

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