Song of the Day

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January 4, 2024

Nova: “Bird in the Hurricane”

By: Jack Anderson

Just like a ragtag team of survivors, when you find the perfect pack for your project, playing without them is like taking an axe to the face. So sure, choir singer and solo veteran Nova Barton has strong enough chops to create and command attention all on her own, as heard on her 2021 debut Novaville. But despite maintaining her project Nova‘s eponymous/mononymous status, the backing band of UT buddies she recruited in support of Novaville was just too killer to keep out of the studio the second time around.

Now we dawn on NovApocalypse, Nova’s sophomore LP that’s set for release this April. With the full four-piece of friends in tow, Barton’s already restorative and poignant songwriting (no doubt informed by her music therapy studies) takes a meteoric ascent with wider-than-ever arrangements. And thematically, NovApocalypse is set to sound sort of like if Towns Van Zandt wrote The Road instead of Cormac McCarthy, crippling isolation, excessive blood spurts, rampant deception and all.

While the storm of NovApocalypse is still a few months out, Nova kicks off the cataclysm with a single release show 10:30pm this Saturday at Captain Quackenbush’s Soundscape following openers Hover at 8:30 and Boomershack at 9:30. That single? “Bird in the Hurricane”. Ideal HBO intro credit material from its first guitar strums, “Bird in the Hurricane” soars with pizzicato plucks, light treading percussion, serene string harmonies, grounded bass, atmospheric and Barton’s moody, multi-tracked vocals that collectively “carry the fire”, no matter how bleak the future may look.


Episodes

June 24, 2026

Restos: “No Cigar

Austin’s Restos turn close calls and near misses into an indie-rock anthem on “No Cigar.” With jangly guitars, a driving rhythm, and just the right amount of grit, the track captures the feeling of chasing something that’s always a little out of reach—and having a good time anyway.

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June 17, 2026

QUENTIN: “LUCY IN DISGUISE”

Austin artist Quentin celebrates identity, self-acceptance, and the city that helped shape them on the upbeat new single “Lucy in Disguise.” Inspired by the iconic South Congress costume shop, the song pairs bright indie-pop energy with a sense of nostalgia, while the self-directed video turns Austin into a dreamlike backdrop where memory, transformation, and home […]

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June 16, 2026

Grandmaster: “Feel It Coming” [Live In Studio 1A]

Austin’s most musical intergalactic cult and former Artist of the Month are back with their third annual Grandmaster Gala at the State Theatre this Saturday. Their sound defies both space and time, so it’s fitting that we’re rewinding it back to their Studio 1A session from February, where they performed tracks off of their second […]

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June 10, 2026

Cast Iron Shoes: “Little Bird”

Austin’s Cast Iron Shoes song “Little Bird” is written around themes of borders and escape. It carries a sense of longing and resilience that feels deeply personal. Inspired in part by growing up in a trailer without electricity or running water, the song turns hardship into something hopeful, pairing vivid storytelling with a warm, wandering […]

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June 3, 2026

Day Friend: “Street Light”

Austin-based garage rock band Day Friend lean into something more expansive on “Street Light,” blending their psychedelic punk roots with a growing pull toward indie rock and alternative textures. The track marks a clear genre shift while keeping the loose, lived-in energy that defines their sound.“Street Light” centers on that tipping point where responsibility starts […]

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May 27, 2026

Sadie Fine: “Just Drive”

Sadie Fine blends indie pop and dream pop into something that feels both intimate and cinematic with “Just Drive.” The production is soft and atmospheric, creating a late-night feeling that perfectly matches the song’s emotional weight. Lyrically, it captures the need to escape your own thoughts for a while — not necessarily to find answers, […]

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May 26, 2026

Sierra Velez: “Lovin’ On Me”

Self love and Afro-carribean beats – what else could you want from a summer anthem? Sierra Velez, a newcomer to the Austin scene originally from New York, is dedicated to transport listeners to a tropical getaway. This song is sure to make you feel much closer to the ocean rather than the rivers and lakes […]

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May 20, 2026

CHROMETONGUE ft. Primo the Alien: “Cool Girl”

Primo the Alien and CHROMETONGUE bring the cool girl energy on their new release “Cool Girl” — a perfect mix of polished and slightly chaotic. Huge synths, slick production, and the kind of energy that makes you want to drive a little too fast at night. It feels icy while still being fun, and every […]

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