Song of the Day

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July 22, 2024

Stalefish: “Becoming the Square”

By: Jack Anderson

If you’re into Japanese cuisine, you know the fresh fish is the best: the nigiri, the good stuff. And while we wouldn’t recommend going so far from fresh that you end up with surströmming, you don’t gotta be a skater to know that there’s a real appeal going for Stalefish.

Faithful to their name, Stalefish stakes the bays of ’90s/’00s rock that’s defined so much of skating culture. But the Austin six-piece does manage to keep those now-antiquated trucks nice and shiny for modern listeners by reeling in the best catches of modern pop techniques, not to mention cycling between three lead singers. But despite making their mark on the local scene with the release of their debut LP Stalefish Does America, the Texas sextet’s facing some trouble sticking the landing altogether – at least in person.

See, one third of the outfit’s splitting from Austin in the near future. But that didn’t stop Stalefish from seizing the moment and making the most out of their physical proximity while it lasts. To that effect, they’re releasing their sophomore album It’s All Down Here From Hill on August 9th. And following up late June’s lead “The Conversation’s Over”, last weekend Stalefish gave us “Becoming the Square”. It’s got that feel good turn-of-the-millennium love right from the get-go, but with the subtle addition of auxiliary percussion and keys plus a psych-out false ending before the real big finish, “Becoming the Square” reminds us why Stalefish stands out in the sea of otherwise blah alt rock.


Episodes

October 28, 2026

Masahiro Okamura: “A Wonderful World Of Death”

Tokyo-based singer-songwriter Masahiro Okamura explores the idea of finding peace in death on “A Wonderful World of Death,” a dreamy blend of dream pop and indie electronic. Featuring strings from Brooklyn-based violinist Pete Lanctot, the track is the focus song from Okamura’s debut album, Foehn

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October 27, 2026

Devon Gilfillian: “Time” [Live In Studio 1A]

We’ve been hitting that new Devon Gillfilian album Time Will Tell pretty hard this year and for good reason: it’s catchy, soulful, and sometimes downright cinematic. When he came through Studio 1A earlier this month and his touring pianist Jay Blaylock was already poised at our Steinway, our Assistant Program Director Deidre Gott had a […]

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October 22, 2026

Sophie Seng: “Marionette”

Halloween is 9 days away (but who’s counting?) and today’s Song of the Day, “Marionette,” will certainly put you in the mood. Sophie Seng, Austin-based singer and saxophonist, tells the story of the struggle for freedom and its subsequent constraints through the perspective of a marionette puppet. The vivid imagery of a marionette finding its […]

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October 21, 2026

Materializer: “Unwind”

Nashville duo Materializer take listeners on a seven-minute-plus journey with “Unwind,” a heavy, psychedelic track that knows when to pull back and when to hit hard. Built around shifting guitars, hypnotic drones, and melodic vocals, the song moves between brooding tension and explosive riffs without losing its sense of atmosphere.

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October 20, 2026

Chief Cleopatra: “Waves”

Former KUTX Artist of the Month Chief Cleopatra is back with their first single in two years. Following in the footsteps of 2024’s pop-forward “Cold Dancer,” the group continues to toss aside their laurels, instead pushing deeper into more experimental territory in their most collaborative song to date. “Waves” is a pinnacle of art-pop, evoking […]

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October 19, 2026

Late Wife: “Body”

Since we last touched base here with Austin’s Late Wife, the band have been riding that “cream rising to the top” high. They’ve opened for …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, performed at this year’s Tiny Desk Concert tour’s Austin stop, and they’ve been spinning around the KUTX airwaves, all leading-up […]

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October 15, 2026

LeTrainiump: “It’s Already Over”

“It’s Already Over” was inspired by LeTrainiump’s struggle to find his footing in Austin. After feeling like an outsider, his daughter reminded him to let go of the little things and to move forward. That simple moment became the heart of the song: Life moves minute by minute, and sometimes you just have to stop […]

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October 14, 2026

Houndmouth: “Heavy Eyes” [KUTX Live At ACL 2026]

Today’s Song of the Day comes from Indiana’s Houndmouth. “Heavy Eyes” is a rootsy, blues-soaked rocker that reflects on the people you meet and the stories they leave behind, with its easygoing groove and gritty vocals.

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