Song of the Day

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January 17, 2020

Surf Rock is Dead: “Diabolik”

By: Jack Anderson

Reader discretion is respectfully advised for any hardcore Dick Dale (R.I.P.) fans, but rest assured, Surf Rock is Dead is just the name of the band.

Melbourne’s Joel Witenberg initially linked up with Chicago’s Kevin Pariso six years back, right around when they declared Brooklyn as their home base and sonically settled on a surreal ’80s reverbed-out version of post-punk and dream-pop. Following up their independently released EPs SRiD (2015) and We Have No Friends? (2017), these wave killers are planning on celebrating May Day with a fatalistic look back on loss on their debut full-length, Existential Playboy. Existential Playboy is out May 1st, and you can hang ten with these tidal reapers early with a melodic, shoegaze-influenced glimpse at how disorderly living situations can get in the Big Apple – “Diabolik”!


Photo: Shamshawan Scott


Episodes

November 11, 2026

May Sun: “So Sweet”

One might say that the beauty of Austin is the blending of cultures that takes place on its streets – and today’s Song of the Day, “So Sweet,” by May Sun, embodies that spirit. As part of a project supported by the Austin Live Music Fund, Sun, a classical pianist turned blues vocalist, teamed up […]

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November 9, 2026

Mari Fores: “Rio, Lua”

We’re off to Brazil! Rising singer-songwriter Mari Froes began sharing her passion for singing via a YouTube channel at 8 years old, uploading Brazilian covers of Amy Winehouse and Beyoncé. Fast forward to 2026: her debut album Esquino do Sol has garnered her international praise, an incredibly successful European tour, and a debut U.S. tour […]

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November 6, 2026

A Parent’s Project: “You’re Enough”

Children’s artists often walk a wobbly tightrope of producing songs that are attractive to children while remaining enjoyable to the parents who are also in the car. Today, we bring you a Song of the Day that we think checks both boxes: “You’re Enough” by A Parent’s Project. Landon Thompson from The Black and White […]

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November 5, 2026

Zoë Pete Ford: “Tattoo City”

If Chess Club and the Broken Spoke had a sonic baby, it would be Zoë Pete Ford. Splitting time between New York and Austin, Ford says she only needs a car and guitar, and everywhere is home, which manifests beautifully in her cross-country sound, something I’m calling “punky tonk.” Her new album Tattoo City comes […]

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November 4, 2026

Almost Heaven: “Fever Trying To Blow” [Live In Studio 1A]

Some songs can turn your day around, and “Fever Trying to Blow” by Austin’s Almost Heaven is one of them. This was the first song I heard from the band, and it’s stayed in heavy rotation ever since. I love how the song builds and moves between its sections without losing that infectious energy. It’s […]

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November 3, 2026

The Harms: “Tornado Row”

After more than a decade, Austin’s The Harms are releasing their sophomore album! Fronted by Austin music mainstay Chase Frank, the Beto Martinez-produced album is chock-full of earworms that splinter and showcase the wide world of psych rock. “Tornado Row” is a fun, hyped-up garage-surf tune with Frank’s harmonies adding an 80s Go-Gos like veneer. […]

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November 2, 2026

They Might Be Giants: “Get Down”

For music veterans They Might Be Giants, momentum is the secret sauce….or novel spice blend, attributing the “open-endedness” of their approach to the craft as the key to their continued popularity and intrigue after 44 years. Their latest album (and note: their 24th) The World Is to Dig is a largely upbeat- 18-track romp, bursting […]

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October 30, 2026

lluvii: “junii (llámame)” [KUTX Live At ACL Fest 2026]

As we round fourth base on October, we’re giving it up one more time for our Artist of the Month lluvii. The Latin pop/psych group made their ACL Fest debut at the beginning of the month, and they stopped by our backstage tent to delight us with a live version of the song we’ve been […]

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