Song of the Day

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September 18, 2024

Gypsy Mitchell: “Drive By”

By: Jack Anderson

We’ve been gabbin’ a lot about the retro soul renaissance lately…so much so that y’all must be getting pretty sick of reading about it. But what comes after soul? That’s right. Funk. And boy oh boy do we gotta have that funk here in Central Texas.

So with our scopes still set on the Lone Star State, let’s talk Gypsy Mitchell. This Dallas-born singer-songwriter-guitarist-arranger’s had a jam packed journey over the years; he founded gospel funk outfit The Relatives when he was just seventeen, went on to provide six-string for blues legend Buddy Ace in the ’80s, and has played alongside the likes of Little Milton, Johnny Taylor, and Joe Simon. Safe to say, Mitchell’s got an impressive resumé.

These days your best bet to catch Mitchell in person is here in Austin haunting venues like Antone’s and C-Boy’s, but it’s only been within the past year that Gypsy’s shifted gears towards a solo career. Like a fine wine freshly cracked from a well-aged cask, Gypsy Mitchell dropped the introductory “Movin’ (Down the Highway)” last December and teamed up with Houston institution Paul Wall this January for “I’m Still Standing”, all ahead of his debut Love Is…Infinite, out October 25th, with a release show to follow November 15th at Antone’s alongside Egyptian Lover.

And the LP’s latest lead single “Drive By” is joined by a music video that shows a whole lotta love for Busty’s Bar & Jukebox, making it a must-view for motorheads who haven’t made that pilgrimage yet. Bold talk box toggles the ignition on this soul-funk-rocker, chock full of psychedelic lights, classic cars, grins, and tabletop performances. And in light of the video’s charmingly low-budget production, the tune itself is a rich testament to Gypsy Mitchell’s status as a class act as it cruises through bluesy grooves, gospel-style group vocals, virtuoso instrumental riffs (thanks in no small part to longtime collaborators Zach Ernst (guitar) and Matthew Strmiska (percussion) of Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears), and commanding vocals.

In other words, we sure as hell hope Gypsy doesn’t put things in park anytime soon.


Episodes

October 8, 2024

Chaparelle: “Bleeding Hearts” (KUTX Pop-Up at ACL Fest)

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October 7, 2024

Allwax: “Waves”

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October 4, 2024

Tish: “Burning Up”

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October 3, 2024

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

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October 2, 2024

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

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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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