Song of the Day

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March 25, 2025

Julian Neel: “Mermaid of the Rodeo”

By: Taylor Wallace

Austin’s Julian Neel grew-up in Lubbock surrounded at home by the music of artists like Joe Ely and the Flatlanders. Then he spent the last half of the 2010’s on the road with Molly Burch touring the US and Europe. All the while, he was fronting his own band, and he released his debut album Call the Mountain in 2020.

After years of getting his music thirst quenched, Neel filled his cup with the vines of entrepreneurship co-managing the popular Austin wine bar Lolo. But, two cups can be filled at the same time, and Neel has never stopped writing. What musician can?

Neel is back with the heavyweight-studded EP Gallery Show. Members of Chaparelle, Voxtrot and Tele Novella along with members of Weyes Blood, Devandra Banhart, and Tim Heidecker’s bands fill out the record. Neel at the lead takes us through a series of vignettes spanning a motely cast of characters and situations in a small, non-descript Texas town. Each story is given its due time as the EP maintains a leisurely pace, not dallying, but appreciating and exploring.

The characters exist somewhere between the Lynchian and Tarantino spheres, illustrating a place and time that seemingly only perfectly exists within itself, and we’re being treated to a peek inside.


Episodes

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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April 23, 2025

Roaring Sun: “View So Blue”

Austin’s Larry Llodra has fronted a couple of Austin groups including noise rock band UVH. Llodra’s new project Roaring Sun is a hard turn from the hard, fuzzy songs of UVH, opting for a bristly, folk rock sound. The debut album Turn and Wave is melancholic and tender, raw and unflinching. The project was born […]

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April 22, 2025

David Ramirez: “I Got People” [Live In Studio 1A]

After over fifteen years of making and releasing music, Austin’s David Ramirez considered hanging up his music career, but he rescinded that notion following the outcry from his fans and a prolonged tenure of soul searching. After all, when raw emotion and critical self-reflection are consistent tenants of your music, sometimes that process can feel […]

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April 21, 2025

Taylor Rae: “Cologne”

Austin singer-songwriter Taylor Rae released her debut album Mad Twenties in 2021, a release that led to a 30-week stint on the Americana radio charts and opportunities to hit the road opening for bands like the Head and the Heart and Band of Heathens. After a stretch of playing an average of 200 gigs a […]

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April 18, 2025

Kirk Smith: “Julian” [New Moon Remix]

Earlier this year, Austin’s Kirk Smith released “Julian,” a song about a perpetual miscreant making every bad decision and burning every bridge he crosses. While that version sported a bossa nova shuffle perfect for a dark lounge, he’s now paired with local producer Lars Goransson to remix “Julian” for a new crowd. The remix takes […]

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April 16, 2025

DUCKWRTH: “Toxic Romantic”

L.A.’s DUCKWRTH has an adept knack for genre-bending around hip-hop, indie, and electronic music, massaging whatever effect he wants to achieve into his mold. His hip, danceable midtempo grooves have landed him the opening spot on two Billie Eilish tours, his music has been in shows like Insecure and Bel Air, and his song “Start […]

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