Song of the Day

Song of the Day > All Episodes

March 2, 2023

Trumpeter Swan: “American Dream”

By: Jack Anderson

Remember What Made Milwaukee Famous? Along with Spoon, The Octopus Project, and Explosions in the Sky, WMMF helped to hurl Austin’s explosive mid-2000s indie rock scene into the international zeitgeist. But with the exception of a brief 2019 reunion, What Made Milwaukee Famous has remained largely dormant since the release of You Can’t Fall Off the Floor in 2013. Fun fact: that was right around the same time that WMMF co-founder/multi-instrumentalist Drew Patrizi doubled down on another indie rock endeavor – Trumpeter Swan.

Although the then-fledgling project recorded their 2010 debut here in Austin, Trumpeter Swan only released Listen For The Clues after Patrizi’s northward migration up to New York. And after 2013’s The Magnitude of Now, Trumpeter Swan seemed to be flourishing in their nest near the Big Apple, accruing acclaim left and right for their still-limited studio output. Yet in the decade that’s followed The Magnitude of Now, Trumpeter Swan (like WMMF) has been noticeably mute.

Thankfully, Trumpeter Swan didn’t drift too far into the mythos of their eponymous waterfowl, because after repatriating back down to ATX mid-pandemic, Patrizi decided that Trumpeter Swan was still far, far away from their final performance. Last October Trumpeter Swan evened out their discography’s flock formation with their third and most sophisticated, layered, and nuanced full-length to date, Fast We Fall. And now, as we approach SXSW, Trumpeter Swan is once again on the wing with a handful of local live gigs. Trumpeter Swan plays 9PM this Saturday at Hole in the Wall opening for Fun Haunts and Gentlemen Rogues, Friday, March 17th at Vortex for a free SXSW Day Party and Thursday, March 30th opening for Futon Blonde at Chess Club. So even after all these years seems like Patrizi’s living his best life possible, the “American Dream” as it were…which is a pretty fitting title from a band named after America’s heaviest bird, not to mention an instant indie pop-rock earworm.


Episodes

February 13, 2025

Tommy Francisco: “Tommy’s Groove”

Even a piping hot bowl of tokontsu ramen can’t fully shake-off today’s bone chill, but maybe the headspace of partying on a yacht in Mallorca can. Austin native Tommy Francisco hit the scene in 2020 with “Fever,” giving him an international audience and proving his ability to blend his Latin and Indigenous backgrounds into a […]

Listen

February 12, 2025

Serebii: “Verrans Corner”

Auckland, New Zealand’s Callum Mower, known as Serebii, has always focused on pushing forward. Forward musically, forward personally, and now, forward into naked vulnerability.   Serebii’s upcoming album Dime finds Mower at his most vulnerable. Historically, Mower has relied on his mastery of instruments and production with others, namely fellow New Zealander Arjuna Oakes, but […]

Listen

February 11, 2025

Slept All Day: “Asteria”

Austin duo Slept All Day may be new on the scene, but don’t sleep on them. Together, the two create moving soundscapes a la Bonobo and Washed Out. And they use their vocals as an element of the scape instead of its driving force. And despite the electronic instrumentation and vocal effects, the music is […]

Listen

February 10, 2025

Middle Satre: “Corrupted (Uncorrupted)”

Welcome! Today’s theme is vision and reimagining. After spending a childhood in Salt Lake City, Hunter Preuger moved to Austin to sow oats with his project Middle Sattre. The project quickly expanded into a six-piece…and then an eight-piece, and a year after the release of their debut album Tendencies, the experimental folk outfit returned to […]

Listen

February 7, 2025

Death Palmz: “IL2H2LU”

I’ve heard your week’s woes, I know it’s been one, so Aunt Tay is here to deliver a little Friday elixir to shift you into weekend mode as you get ready to burn rubber in the parking garage. Austin’s Death Palmz is another project from Exotic Frutica, and if you’re familiar with the punk band, […]

Listen

February 6, 2025

Scott Collins: “Aphophenia”

Austin singer-songwriter Scott Collins has been ever-evolving in both songwriting and sound and now he’s started leaning in more to letting himself define his sound, branching out and seeing what feels right. His 9th EP And All This Happened serves on the title’s promise: it’s all happening. But the early 00’s indie sound is still […]

Listen

February 5, 2025

Small Engine Fire: “Good Old Day”

Who said that energy and introspection can’t co-exist? It wasn’t me. And it certainly wasn’t Small Engine Fire. The new Austin band is made up of members of Lola Tried and Quiet Company, and together they create something a little nostalgic, like taking a ride out to Wilco with your Grandaddy. Small Engine Fire throws […]

Listen

February 4, 2025

Her Mana: “Oh This Moment” (ft. Sarita and Gene Evaro Jr.)

We love a side project, don’t we? Especially when ace collaborations are involved. For a couple of years, Ley Line’s Emilie Basez and Kate Robberson have been creating music as a Her Mana, honing an even earthier and more ethereal sound with the same incredible complex guitar noodling, harmonies, and wide range of world instruments […]

Listen