Song of the Day

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September 1, 2023

The Dead Coats: “Reach”

By: Jack Anderson

The outrageous rawness of garage punk has always lent itself to gimmicks. But just because you incorporate a bit of stage antics into the routine doesn’t mean the music can’t carry weight on its own merit. Take for example The Dead Coats, forged by Lauren Warmer in Baltimore a decade back before moving to Austin in 2017. Once they re-tailored themselves into a quartet, The Dead Coats cranked out two fantastically-callous EPs towards the end of the 2010s. And just before the pandemic put a damper on the whole “Live Music Capital of the World” thing, The Dead Coats donned some oddly-prescient dress at Kickbutt Coffee – as nurses that transported Warmer’s living corpse onstage via bodybag. The following March The Dead Coats really caught ears with their debut full-length Big Wish, a record that earned them a sold out show at Empire, plus an Austin Music Award for “Best Rock Act” in 2022, and an induction into Austin Music Foundation’s 2023 Development Class. Since then we’ve just been counting the seconds until another new single; an era of anticipation that ended this morning. With the release of “Reach”, The Dead Coats kicks off the weekend 10PM tonight at The Far Out Lounge for the Virgo Zodiac Party. Doors are at 7, Shelly Webster starts it off at 8, followed by Moon Fuzz at 9, and Pinky Rings close it down at 11. But if Far Out Lounge is a just bit out of reach, you can still get riled up wherever you want in three minutes flat. An instant riot from its first guitar riff to its final chord sustain, “Reach” shrieks and shreds with a wailing vocal performance, pulsing power chords and bass accompaniment, gripping percussion fills, and a much-appreciated change of pace thanks to a half-time breakdown in its bridge. It’s the pinnacle of punk rock, plain and simple.

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May 8, 2025

Cactus Lee: “Rabbit”

Austin’s Cactus Lee could be described as merely a country artist, but to be truly accurate, it’s Texas country. Frontman Kevin Dehan, a lifelong fanatic and student of the Lone Star State’s tenured history of folk and country, has dedicated his music career to being a concrete contributor. In late March, Cactus Lee released their […]

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May 7, 2025

Girlpuppy: “I Just Do”

Atlanta indie rocker Becca Harvey AKA Girlpuppy has been through it, y’all. After getting off the break-up rollercoaster following a four-year relationship, she lays out her journey is an almost epistolary way, intimately detailing her process in a way that feels like she’s soundtracked her diary. But there’s plenty of resilience in her album Sweetness […]

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May 6, 2025

Daily Worker: “Delmar Overload”

Despite only releasing music since 2019, Austin indie rock outfit Daily Worker seems to be taking a page from the Robert Pollard and King Gizzard book of prodigious releases. The group, helmed by Cotton Mather guitarist Harold Whit Williams, has released over a dozen album in just six years. Not surprising when you’re not only a musician, […]

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May 5, 2025

Pendulum Hearts: “Cocaine Cowboy”

Austin duo Pendulum Hearts take over stages with their blend of Western Swing and rockabilly, filled-out by a rotating cast of characters to round out the rhythm section and sprinkle in soloists. The beat of Pendulum Hearts comes from guitarist and vocalist Chase Risinger and fiddle player Tony Perez. They’re sweat-inducing, boot-scooting live shows are […]

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May 2, 2025

Penny & Sparrow: “Ketamine” (ft. Tobe Nwigwe)

UT Austin alums Andy Baxter and Andy Jahnke have been releasing music together as Penny & Sparrow for a decade. Revered for their poetic lyricism and ability to pull off acoustic gems and electronic meditations masterfully on the same album, Penny & Sparrow continue that tradition on their current album Lefty. An ambitious, twenty-song release […]

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May 1, 2025

Melanie MacLaren: “Get It Back”

Nashville indie folk artist Melanie MacLaren has garnered praise for her music all across americana outlets. In just three years, she’s released dozens of songs and several EP’s and live tracks. Her warm, effortless vocals tend to be just one of the many patterns running through her tapestry of many orchestrated layers. Not shying away, […]

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April 30, 2025

Soccer Mommy: “Abigail” [Live In Studio 1A]

Nashville’s Sophie Allison has been releasing music as Soccer Mommy for almost a decade. Historically her albums are story-based outputs and we, the listener, are invited to have a sit and listen. Her latest album Evergreen however is simply a collection of great songs with some really great little surprises. “Abigail” is about the purple-haired, […]

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April 29, 2025

M. Ross Perkins: “Spiritual Kick”

Dayton, Ohio’s M. Ross Perkins has an affinity for blending 60’s British Invasion music with the sounds of American pop standards with just enough of a contemporary veneer to let you know the sound is an homage to the time, not a hint to its release date. His third album What’s the Matter, M Ross? […]

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