Song of the Day

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August 17, 2022

Exotic Fruits: “Panda Vision”

By: Jack Anderson

Aside from poignant politics, pulsating synths, and plenty of fuzz pedal, it’s not all that easy to define post-punk. Even when you dive into the minutiae of music glossary terms, there’s still a sprawling spectrum of post-punk ranging from angular, analogue noise to straight up digital bass and beats. Fortunately there are also forays like Exotic Fruits, who give you a little bit of both. Singer-guitarist Jon French and drummer Aaron Gilligan formed the fore core of Exotic Fruits as a Seattle indie rock duo in 2009, and since moving down to Austin they’ve ripened nicely into a six-piece. With six performers? You can pretty much fill every position on the post-punk playing field. And you can harvest a piece of Exotic Fruits’ eclectic energy 10pm tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas with openers Cosmic Chaos and Nemegata. Until then, beat the heat with EF’s latest single “Panda Vision”, a spasmodic post-punk explosion that tackles climate change.

Episodes

January 16, 2023

Fantastic Negrito: “Highest Bidder” (Acoustic)

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! In commemoration of nonviolent protest, overcoming societal struggles, community engagement, and voicing our dreams, today we’re putting the focus on Fantastic Negrito. Born just 74 days before Dr. King’s assassination, Xavier Dphrepaulezz spent his teens witnessing Black oppression firsthand while selling drugs and toting guns in Oakland at the […]

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January 12, 2023

Why Bonnie: “Apple Tree”

After enough time in a live music hub such as ours, one of the most satisfying things to see is when local acts join forces, hit the road together, and take the nation by storm. Want to bear witness yourself this weekend? You’re in luck! As part of our 10th Birthday Concert Series, this Sunday […]

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January 11, 2023

Alex Gaw: “Something Behind”

It’s not really an industry secret that some of the very best songwriters are the most patient ones, the ones who soak up a ton of pre-existing stuff before ever playing their first note. And needless to say, if you’re close to the Live Music Capital of the World, you and your creative sponge are […]

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January 10, 2023

Sugar Purr: “Other Heart”

As we hit double digit days in the new year, it’s worth mentioning that in the past week and a half alone, a bevy of superb songs have already sweetened the deal for 2023. And there’s proof in the purring! Roughly one year after premiering a triplet of live performance videos on YouTube, Austin quartet […]

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January 9, 2023

Best Fern: “Before I Go”

I’ve talked plenty before about my affinity for ambient music. So when those healing frequencies are made more accessible through pop production techniques, it’s absolutely an attention-getter. And if there’s one pair from North of the Border you ought to keep on your ambient pop radar, it’s unmistakably Best Fern. Built from the ground up […]

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January 6, 2023

Barb: “Liar”

We hint quite a bit about the significance of risky pivots. Of course, as casual listener-observers, we usually only see the success stories, not the hurdles to get there. But when someone does pull it off, it’s incredibly satisfying to see (and hear). Which brings us to Barb. Born Barbara Klavin, this Austinite spent her […]

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January 5, 2023

Lost Weekend: “Soft, Summer Rain”

For much of the English-speaking world, the genre we call “New Wave” can be pretty easily categorized. However it’s worth noting that this late ’70s/early ’80s post-punk pop movement wasn’t actually the original “new wave”. That title goes to the little ’60s Brazilian post-samba sensation known as “Bossa nova“. Of course, the very best Bossa […]

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