Song of the Day

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July 15, 2022

Guma: “Driving the Highways of Texas”

By: Jack Anderson

At KUTX, we know we’re far from the only radio station in town. And if you’ve done your fair share of channel surfing, you might’ve come across another fine listener-supported frequency, KOOP 91.7FM. For the past half decade KOOP’s been home to Small Cool World, a 90-minute weekly freeform show hosted by T.J. Masters. But like me, T.J.’s not just a DJ; he’s a musician first and foremost. As such, that ongoing stint at KOOP has overlapped with Masters’ moonlighting – a genre-divergent project called Guma. Guma evokes the same daring variety that makes Small Cool World a great listen, as already heard on two eponymous offerings (from 2016 and 2019, respectively) and A List of Sightings, which just came out this February. But apparently one record’s just not enough for T.J. in 2022, who today announced his fourth full-length, Workingman’s Guma. Even though we’ve already come to expect a Weird Al-level set of skills from Masters in terms of genre-specific recreation, WG‘s lead single definitely shifts those talents up a gear. You’ll be able to catch some of the new stuff from Guma along with Dan & Christy Foster and Sarah Barlow on Wednesday, July 27th at Sahara Lounge for Lonesome Nights – presented by KOOP and Thundercloud Subs. By that time you’ll already have a bold country addition to your commuting playlist; while the late Molly Ivins once said, “the key to happiness in Austin is to never, ever drive on I-35″, Guma opts instead to open up the throttle and roar past traffic hazards like if Roy Orbison was a modern-day tailgater on “Driving the Highways of Texas”.

Episodes

October 4, 2024

Tish: “Burning Up”

We’re barely a week into October, everyone’s spooky season decorations are going up, excuses to miss Thanksgiving are already stewing…and we’ve still got highs in the 90s here in Texas. Autumn is a bit ablaze. Just goes to show you that life’s a…Tish? At least, Tish is a big part of life for one particular […]

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October 3, 2024

Ram Vela & the Easy Targets: “Life Is Rigged”

Everyone benefits from the empowerment of self efficacy. And nobody wants to scrape by each day facing a sealed fate. Those truths must have at least subconsciously fueled the landmark success of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which endures as a surprisingly hopeful narrative despite its status as a relentless “hard R” sci-fi action flick. But […]

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October 2, 2024

Lindsey Rose Black: “One Of Your Girls” [PREMIERE]

As we noted yesterday, it shows real strength to unearth the passion of a certified classic by revitalizing it with a version well outside its initial genre. So we do have another cover today, but this one belongs much more to a contemporary catalogue. Which is frankly a great strategy for appealing to…shall we say…less […]

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October 1, 2024

Ramiro Pinheiro & Rodrigo Balduino: “Moon River”

No matter how much of an “instant classic” it may have been when it first dropped, after a half century of air play, most people feel like they’ve heard certain songs ad nauseam. That is until you hear a fresh take on it. And we’re not just talking about slapping some drums or a new […]

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September 30, 2024

Breathing Space: “WASTING”

Whether it’s the inevitable return from a much-needed vacation, spying some inspiring light post-wrestling with depression, or just the routine changing of the guard between Sunday scaries and Monday blues, the addled and anxious of us can always appreciate an extra minute or two to block everything else out and just breathe, hopefully with a […]

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September 27, 2024

Next of Kin: “Jekyll & Hyde”

Alt-country trio Next Of Kin is a new project out of Austin that is bringing cult country back to the local music scene with the premiere of their first-ever single, ‘Jekyll & Hyde’, coming out on streaming platforms today, September 27th. The trio of Caelin, Lili Hickman (of Flora and Fawna), and Madison Baker has […]

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September 26, 2024

A Band Called Ma: “Walker”

Austin-based shoegaze duo ‘A Band Called Ma’ is back and better than ever with the premiere of their latest single ‘Walker’, coming out on streaming platforms on September 27th. The unique two-piece comprises Austin Barker and Domonic Sena, who have been making music together under the project ‘A Band Called Ma’ since the beginning of […]

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September 25, 2024

Suzanna Choffel: “Get Out”

Austin-based singer-songwriter Suzanna Choffel brings relateable emotion and vibrant energy to her latest single, “Get Out,” off her upcoming album Bird By Bird. Known for her genre-blending sound and raw lyricism, Choffel uses this track to dive into the pressures of her modern life—parenthood, relationships, and career struggles—all while trying to maintain a sense of […]

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