Song of the Day

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February 23, 2024

Silver Skylarks: “Power Moves” (feat. Adrian Quesada & US!)

By: Jack Anderson

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: we’ve been loving the recent ride of this retro soul-funk renaissance, especially with so much dynamite coming right out of the central state area. And today a new name emerges within that ongoing saga of nostalgia: Silver Skylarks.

Fly like the birds, and slick like the cars, Silver Skylarks is the DFW duo comprised of songwriter Danny Balis and producer Jeff “Skin” Wade, born from early pandemic demos. Taking cues from the ’70s vinyl rarities that crate diggers crave, Balis and Wade have been steadily elevating those ten demos into Silver Skylarks’ debut LP The Number One Set and Sound – out May 3rd.

But the pair didn’t go it alone. Instead they called up some of the best session players they’ve met, plus a few superstars to really spice things up. On top of the mix that includes Large Professor, Robert Ellis, and The D.O.C., Silver Skylarks also tapped into some outstanding Austin talent; Uncle Roy & Spice, the Austin vocalists better known as US!, lends their pipes to the record’s Side A closer “Power Moves”, while Adrian Quesada commandeers the six-string. The result is a progressive groove that’d quickly catch Roy Ayers’ ear, complete with horn swells, Coffy-esque vocals, and an intoxicating breakbeat-indulging bridge, that all just scream to be played over some sassy vigilante’s intro credits.


Episodes

November 4, 2024

Deer Fellow: “Shock Value”

Demanding attention. Acting erratically. Stirring the pot just to start some shit. We’ve seen plenty of all that int the lead up to this election, but truth be told, for some people, that’s just part of their hardwired human nature. At least that’s the inspiration for the latest single from Deer Fellow. This Austin duo’s […]

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November 1, 2024

Cilantro Boombox: “Best Shoes” (feat. Jake Lloyd)

It’s a new month. It’s new music Friday. And there’s a fresh collaboration out that’ll really spice up your playlists. One that marks the welcome return of Cilantro Boombox. See, the genre-bonding octet formally entered the Austin scene a dozen years back with their eponymous debut and followed it up a half decade later with […]

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October 31, 2024

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards: “Trepanation”

Happy Halloween! We’re hittin’ this hallow-day with…Hans Gruber and the Die Hards?! Wait a minute, haven’t we already decreed that the iconic Bruce Willis/Alan Rickman action comedy is a Christmas staple? Well…whatever. What we do know for sure is that this Austin five-piece has spent the past decade funneling their passions into all things punk, […]

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October 30, 2024

Social Dissonance: “Nightstalker”

For a ton of creatives, Halloween is little more than an autumnal gimmick, an excuse to break from the regular programming and indulge in the creepy, macabre, or unnerving. For others though, the elements of Spooky Season might as well be part of the daily routine three hundred and sixty five days straight. And you […]

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October 29, 2024

Ben Brown: “Until the Dead Rise”

Everyone’s favorite holiday is rapidly descending upon us, and we’re commemorating the occasion by counting down to All Hallow’s Eve with some of the spookiest stuff the city’s had to offer over the past month or so. And we’ll start with Ben Brown, a decade-and-a-half veteran of the local scene who’s historically shared the spotlight […]

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October 28, 2024

_cheetahcheetah_: “shanti b”

It’s official. There’s another supergroup in town. And this kitten’s got claws! We’re talking ameowt _cheetahcheetah_, a rising endeavor that features Live Music Capital veterans from A. Sinclair, BOOHER, Mean Jolene, and Other Vessels. _cheetahcheetah_ has spent this past summer gigging around town and showing off their brilliant spotted patterns of modern art rock, which […]

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October 24, 2024

Beth Lee: “Another Day”

When you’re going through the motions, relying on routine thought loops, and not taking “carpe diem” to heart, life can feel like it’s the same sh*t, different day…over and over again. But bless yourself with the small gift of variety every once in awhile, and you’ll soon find that you’re thriving rather than just surviving. […]

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October 22, 2024

Hayden Butler: “Old News”

Feeling comfortable can quickly devolve into a dangerous game. One weekend you decide to kick back and relax with a six pack, then the next thing you know you’re stuck in a daily routine of gettin’ smashed and trashing your home. Yeah, substance abuse and addictive tendencies aside, that “recliner decline” is a slippery slope […]

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