Song of the Day

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September 5, 2023

Lion Heights: “Cool & Easy”

By: Jack Anderson

Here in the Lone Star State, the authentic “tropical” experience is pretty much limited to South Padre Island, about a six-hour drive from our city limits. But despite Austin’s central location, when it comes to less land-locked sounds (chiefly reggae), we’re actually pretty lucky to have strong local institutions; The Flamingo Cantina’s remained a major draw for fans of the genre since 1991, Austin Reggae Fest since 1994, and in terms of adjacent interests, we also have a relatively lenient (okay, decriminalized) herbal culture compared to our more conservative county neighbors. So it’s not a big shock that reggae acts like Lion Heights claim Austin as their creative den, especially considering their incorporation of “outlaw” (a term typically associated with Texas country rebels like Willie and Waylon) into an otherwise-idiosyncratic Caribbean style. A decade back Lion Heights crawled out as a cub with their debut EP Survival of the Richest, but really roared with higher production value and a vast cast of collaborators on 2021’s Blank Check Riddim. And with the release of the extensive 46-minute False Reality this past April, Lion Heights has clearly worked their way up the food chain to become one of Austin’s finest reggae ensembles. But what’s the point of making it to the top if you’re just gonna ride recent accomplishments? On that note, Lion Heights dropped their eight-track Not Done Fighting Riddim last Friday, a feature-filled pride that showcases Lutan Fyah, Chuck Fenda, Alan Moe Monsarrat, and more. Sure there are some explicit sensi-bilities with opening titles like “Herbsman” and “Love Marijuana”, but by and large this new record (true to its title) champions fist-in-the-air civil disobedience and resilience in our modern era of working class oppression. And fun fact: Lion Heights shakes off their regular crepuscular schedule for an afternoon show 3PM this Sunday at The Far Out Lounge ahead of a regional Texas-Florida tour later this month. Even if the triple digits in the forecast convince you to stay home, you can still counter our painfully noticeable lack of coastal breezes with a tune that instills a chill you just can’t kill, “Cool & Easy”. From its introductory timbale fill and guitar skank to its final full-band chord, “Cool & Easy” (featuring duo Roots Revealers) is like a coconut cocktail you can take anywhere with you; to work, to your home stereo, and of course…if you’re willin’…to the beach.

Episodes

December 10, 2024

Erin Ivey: “I’m in Awe”

A lot of intergenerational discourse about age and beauty got brought up because of The Substance this year. Ya know, out with the old and in with the new by rule of sex appeal. And the way some of these fresh-faced artists skyrocket to half a billion streams seemingly overnight based on Tik Tok clout…it’s […]

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December 9, 2024

Paper Sister: “Brain Drain”

Post-punk and shoegaze are both sure things when it comes to instant moodmakers. But when paired with chilly weather, overcast skies, and everyone in long sleeve fashion better fit for Portland or Seattle…yeah it definitely hits differently. And if you’re itching for that brisk mix of nippy napes, visible breath and a feast of fuzz […]

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December 6, 2024

Barb: “beside you (so boring!)”

Everyone’s unfurling their year in review and from what we’ve seen so far, the past twelve months have been pretty productive across the Live Music Capital! Case in point: Austin’s Barbara Klavin, AKA Barb. We’ve brought up Barb a couple times already, so you might already know the lowdown. But since it’s been a bit […]

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December 5, 2024

rrunnerrss: “Get Me Out Of Here”

In a lot of ways, Texas is a top tier U.S. state. There’s great food. H-E-B. Beautiful parks with a variety of landscapes and wildlife. H-E-B again. That distinct Southern hospitality you don’t notice until you’re gone. But even if someone’s lived in the Lone Star State their whole life, being a Texas resident in […]

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December 4, 2024

Souls Extolled: “Gold”

That early-’00s indie punk rock sound shaped by heavyweights like Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes is still pretty dang popular. Just listen to some of the most-streamed rock artists these days and you can clearly hear the reverence. That said, it’s not too often that those newer acts actually invite nuance into their originals; it’s […]

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December 2, 2024

The Grapes & Friends: “Christmas With My Baby”

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are behind us and Cyber Monday is here. And in terms of the latter two, most of the shopping does happen online these days. But if you did pop into a store or two since last Thursday, you’ll agree: if it wasn’t already by the moment Halloween ended, Christmas music is […]

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December 2, 2024

dan levine: “a-frame”

It’s #GivingTuesday and pretty much anyone who’s a non-profit is crawling out of the woodwork and trying to stir up some financial love. And of course as a community supported public radio, we could always use a bit of help. That said, the nice thing about tossing KUTX a couple bucks is that you’re also […]

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November 29, 2024

What Elephant?: “Made Up Words”

Thanksgiving’s behind us and Christmas is on the way, so ’tis the season for white elephant gift exchanges, right? And depending on you or your family’s level of southern drawl, if someone’s ever suggested “white elephant?” as the next activity, they may have inadvertently uttered today’s feature. Because unless it’s a drift-caught quip to “don’t […]

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