Song of the Day

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May 19, 2023

Space Trayn: “Red Lipstick”

By: Jack Anderson

When a budding band is high off their own early momentum…at least not in an overt back-patting way or one in which they take themselves way too seriously…the grinning can get contagious. Take for example Austin three-piece Space Trayn, whose nuanced brand of ’70s-inspired funk-jazz-rock stations itself somewhere between Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan. Chiefly conducted by singer-guitarist Jerome Vivino, with Justin Murawski and Nané veteran Jordan Espinoza coupling behind, Space Trayn’s debut 2021 EP Not So Fast rode the rails of classic soul and soft yacht rock with four cars of genre bending tones.

On Space Trayn’s sophomore follow-up We Have Lyftoff (produced and mixed by Austin treasure Chris “Frenchie” Smith), the trio beams full steam ahead at an even higher octane; these five jet-fueled originals cross tracks of ’90s-alternative, psychedelia-drenched jams, turn of the millennium indie rock and even some Parliament-adjacent prog-disco, complete with some mind blowing solos just before the record grinds to a halt. We Have Lyftoff dropped at the tail end of April, but if you’re looking for a good time this evening, even after blasting the new Space Trayn at volume 11, you’re in luck. Space Trayn takes the stage at 10PM tonight at The 13th Floor, preceded by Elijah Delgado and followed by Upper Level Lows at 11PM and Polarizado at midnight. So in the spirit of these fun-lovin’ buds, come as you are and settle in for a great time. But if you wanna be extra, let Space Trayn doll you up before you drop out with the classic psych rock crimson of “Red Lipstick”.


Episodes

May 2, 2024

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Henry the Archer: “ViolinT”

If this late Spring’s got your spirits shook up and you’re looking for some renewed motivation to tend to your garden (be it literal or figurative), we’ve got a DFW act that’ll make you go hard in the yard. And that’s on behalf of singer-guitarist-keyboardist R. Hennessy, AKA “Henry O”, who’s been hitting the mark […]

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Emily Shirley: “Morning Light”

It’s the classic end to an encounter. You meet someone new. Sparks seemingly fly. You have fun for a night. But when you wake up ready to tell your new boo you’d like to see ’em again…they’re long gone. Hell, and in the modern era, that might all happen on just on an app alone. […]

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April 30, 2024

Grandmaster: “Castle Door”

Watch out, Golden Dawn Arkestra…there’s a new costumed collective in town, and they’re hunting for for fresh converts! But instead of frenetic Afro-inspired dance grooves, these fanatics have so far stuck to the slower side of ’70s-style jazz funk rock; think War whisked together with Steely Dan. Not that you’d be able to tell from […]

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April 29, 2024

Trip Cigs: “Comeback Kid”

When a seasoned musician wades out of their genre comfort zone, you love to hear it. Because the technical expertise, jam stamina, and songwriting skills are already in place, but opening the gate to different inspirations and influences is always a welcome breath of fresh air. So let’s talk Rod Gator, who – as you […]

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April 24, 2024

Viben: “Pablo Picasso”

Lyrics are a fickle field. You can be wordy as hell, hoping that at least one line sticks in listener’s minds. Or, you could just loop the hell out of some barebones sentences – guaranteed to have a lot more hypnotic staying power through sheer repetition, especially in the realm of dance music. Now let’s […]

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April 24, 2024

Rett Smith: “Sunsets”

In terms of musical association, at least outside the world of film soundtracks, U.S. southwestern scenery often gets associated with country. But there’s a certain psychedelic quality to our regional deserts that we just love to see artists embrace. Folks like Rett Smith, based here in Austin, but bred out of West Texas, so you […]

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April 23, 2024

Ruel Thomas: “I Am Today”

Any profession requires quotas…whether that’s how many tickets you write or how many kids pass your class. And when music is your source of income, the obvious metric to measure by is quantity of shows played. But as with any creative endeavor, there’s an opportunity to move the needle in many directions, which makes “success” […]

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