Song of the Day

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May 23, 2023

The Sextones: “Without You”

By: Jack Anderson

Whether or not it’s a frequency bias we picked up within the past few weeks, we’ve been loving this recent resurgence of retro soul. And for those who’ve been following that particular trend, you probably already know that Monophonics frontman Kelly Finnigan is a leading voice in this genre renaissance. Today, however, we’re not talking about Kelly’s pipes. Instead we’re letting Finnigan’s production skills shine alongside some fellow vintage soul savants.

Enter Reno four-piece The Sextones. What began as a mutual infatuation over ’60s-’70s soul and a clever fetishization of a family surname has, since the release of The Sextones’ 2017 debut Moonlight Vision, excelled exponentially. And while founding guitarist-vocalist Mark Sexton and bassist Alexander Korostinsky also moonlight an intrinsically-cinematic style through Whatitdo Archive Group, The Sextones instead adhere to a sextant of truly classic R&B-soul songwriting. In doing so The Sextones have earned the professional respect of Finnigan, and subsequently, the caress of his keen ear for their upcoming sophomore full-length.

That LP Love Can’t Be Borrowed drops September 29th, and each lead single (now half the album’s ten tracks) eases us closer to settling the debt and resetting a heritage for the next generations of retro-soul curators. Between the interpersonal simplicity of its title, call-and-response, unison-to-harmony vocal structure, razor sharp rhythm section, vibrant brass and beguiling ivory chords, “Without You” sounds just like an analog-tracked Stax standout or a Motown mainstay remastered for the modern era.


Episodes

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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April 28, 2025

Kelly Finnigan: “Keep Me In Mind” (ft. Renaldo Domino)

Last year, Monophonics bandleader Kelly Finnigan released his second solo album A Lover Was Born, a stellar study in psychedelic soul extending cleanly from the classic Monophonics sound. A song that didn’t make it onto the album was “Keep Me In Mind,” a smooth soul bop featuring Chicago soul legend Renaldo Domino. While most of […]

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April 25, 2025

Queen Serene: “In A Rut (I’m Stuck)”

Austin psych-rock group Queen Serene was conceived during COVID when former Naked Tungs guitarist Sarah Ronen began writing her own music following the band’s dissolution, but soon realized she preferred creating in a group. Now the group is filled out with Charlie Cassells, Dave Pohly, and co-songwriter Galceran. Queen Serene’s sophomore album 2 feels out […]

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April 24, 2025

The Bug Club: “Better Than Good” [Live In Studio 1A]

Welch trio The Bug Club have been continuing the traditions of garage rock since 2016. Short, punchy songs with humorous lyrics and catchy hooks bulk out the group’s discography, and under the freewheeling rollicking is an understated seriousness to their musicianship. Aside from the wild wall of sound that makes the trio sound like a […]

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