Song of the Day

Song of the Day > All Episodes

September 12, 2024

Rett Smith: “Stop Signs”

By: Jack Anderson

For well-established acts, keeping faithful to the formulas that first made ’em famous is often the key to longevity. We’re talking AC/DC, legacy acts that dare not alienate longtime fans by trying to fix what ain’t broke. But the big difference between AC/DC back then versus now is how frequently they put out new material. Yeah, for up-and-comers cranking out at least one studio album a year, staying in just one lane ain’t exactly a great strategy.

Like check out Rett Smith, who flexes the nexus between Austin and Nashville. His post-covid discography alone (of one release per year starting in 2020) speaks to Rett’s relentless work ethic. So with that impressive volume of work already under his belt in such a short time, weighing in on the steady shift towards “shoegaze-icana” isn’t necessarily a threat to Rett’s brand at all. No, we welcome the move for its variety, innovation, and evasion of letting Rett’s style get stale.

Sandwiched right in between a free Waterloo Records in-store performance 5PM today and a headliner show 9PM this Saturday at The Mohawk alongside Travesura, tomorrow we receive Rett Smith’s fifth, A Weighted Remorse, in its entirety. And to help give the LP its official green light, “Stop Signs” (and yet another abstract Super 8 music video that evokes the psychedelic side of “Old Austin”) ought to halt any RS haters dead in their tracks. Revving through tremendous dynamic range in just over two minutes, “Stop Signs” is the hard rock equivalent of alternating a souped up muscle car between peeling out and slamming on the brakes while commuting from a love making session to a late night dive bar gig. So just make sure you’re at least attempting to obey traffic laws when blasting Rett’s latest in your car stereo.


Episodes

October 10, 2025

Lucius: “Mad Love” [Backstage at ACL Fest]

Lush melodies, decadent fashions, and a good hang to boot. L.A.’s Lucius is no stranger to the KUTX airwaves or Studio 1A, and we always get excited with antici….pation. And they delivered. Not only did they stop by to hypnotize us with a deeply lovely performance of “Mad Love,” a song from the group’s eponymously […]

Listen

October 9, 2025

Luna Luna: “Call Me Up” [Backstage at ACL Fest 2022]

We’re smack between ACL weekends, rolling out all kinds of nifty gifties for you from social media content to amazing performance photos to videos and free downloads of our backstage performances. Today, we take a look back at one of our favorites with an artist you can see live next week. Austin’s Luna Luna is […]

Listen

October 8, 2025

The Heavy Heavy: “Happiness” [Backstage at ACL Fest]

For the last five years, UK duo the Heavy Heavy have been dancing through our airwaves with their retro-inspired brand of indie rock, injecting modern hooks and riffs with harmonies that sound positively Woodstock. We played several songs from the duo’s 2024 album One of A Kind, and they stopped backstage at ACL Fest to […]

Listen

October 7, 2025

Clover County: “Sweetest” [Backstage at ACL Fest]

A.G. Schiano is Clover County, an Athens, Georgia-based project that was largely chiseled and polished on the road while touring with acts like Lord Huron and Shakey Graves. Going through your twenties is like encountering constant change with a seemingly endless number of metamorphoses as you really cement who you are and what you’re all […]

Listen

October 6, 2025

The Animeros: “Gózalo” [Backstage at ACL Fest]

Band plays SXSW, the right person catches their set, and the big ball starts rolling. And while that treasured dream has largely been lost to obscurity, merely existing in the whispered annals of Live Music Capitol lore, Austin’s the Animeros are smack in the throes of living it. Their blend of Colombian, Mexican, and West […]

Listen

October 3, 2025

SOB & the Dangs: “I Don’t Mind”

It’s Friday, I think five planets are still in retrograde, so let’s all take a breath and let out a big ol’ “GOT DANG!” And now let’s get to the real danged thing. Stacey McCann leads the Austin blues-funk group SOB & the Dangs (and the SOB is for StaceOnBass thank you very much!). McCann’s […]

Listen

October 2, 2025

Warmduscher: “Midnight Dipper” [Live In Studio 1A]

For ten years, London’s Warmduscher have been tantalizing audiences with their raucous brand of post-punk, weaving throbbing guitar melodies with elaborate stories about ridiculous run-ins with characters of all stripes. It’s like getting a dive bar soundtrack to the best stories you’ve heard from your favorite regular. Despite ten years and five albums under their […]

Listen

October 1, 2025

Kelly Willis: “I Don’t Care”

Kelly Willis has been a stalwart of Austin’s country and Americana scene for decades, so it’s no surprise to find her on Grey DeLisle’s new project: IT’S ALL HER FAULT: A TRIBUTE TO CINDY WALKER. For the compilation, Willis chose the 1955 tune “I Don’t Care,” written by Walker and Webb Pierce, that spent 12 […]

Listen