austin music

Allwax: “Waves”

Heads up. Because our amazing multi-media team has been collecting so many great pop-up performances at ACL Fest, we’re gonna be sharing some of those with you over the next couple weeks. But before we dive in, we’d be remiss if we didn’t shine the spotlight on a fresh local release, no ACL tie-in necessary.

And that comes courtesy of Austin two-piece Allwax. Like plenty of other projects from the past half decade, Allwax was born out of the pandemic and the plethora of creative free time that initially came with it. Once they solidified their sleek shoegaze-slathered dream pop style, Allwax started off strong on streaming with five standalone singles in their mere first official year. And although the duo’s discography is still exclusively singles (which are now dropping about twice annually) Allwax’s sonic brand has remained crazy consistent without getting stale at all.

Case in point, ahead of an appearance later this month at The Mohawk on the 22nd opening for French Film, Allwax wheeled out their latest installation “Waves” last Friday. Less of an all day beach party banger and better suited for a coastal convertible cruise, “Waves” has the essential echoes of Summer we’ll need til Texas finally reaches Fall temperatures: a subdued-but-driving rhythm section, effects-drenched guitar, a refreshing sans-drums outro, and Besty Leidal’s reverb-soaked siren singing – all layered together so naturally you’d guess they were mixed together by the tides themselves.

Tish: “Burning Up”

We’re barely a week into October, everyone’s spooky season decorations are going up, excuses to miss Thanksgiving are already stewing…and we’ve still got highs in the 90s here in Texas. Autumn is a bit ablaze. Just goes to show you that life’s a…Tish?

At least, Tish is a big part of life for one particular group of Austinites. What started out as a sweetheart deal between Ethan Ames and Erin Thelen a half decade back has since rounded out into a four-piece thanks to the addition of AJ Audain and Tyler Rusin. Needless to say Tish has influences galore across their personnel’s varied backgrounds, but we’ll go ahead and put them somewhere around the intersection of indie rock and soul pop.

And this year Tish is finally ready to dish out their efforts onto streaming with the release of their debut studio album early next month, corresponding with an LP release show on November 3rd at Hole in the Wall that’ll be joined by Cash Grab and Foxglove. If you’re trying to stay as far away from ACL this weekend but still want to get out, check out Tish for a single release show 6PM tomorrow night at Knomad alongside openers Tiny Specks at 4PM and Ivy Mine at 5PM. And if you’d prefer to stay a slave to the precious A/C without ever stepping foot outside, go ahead and set your senses aflame with the record’s lead offering “Burning Up”. Evoking the nostalgia of that ’90s tightrope of grunge, alternative, and pop (complete with guitar distortion and unconventional vocal harmonies), “Burning Up” torches with airtight instrumentation, clever section segues, and overall just a ton of heart that leaves us eager to hear more.

L.C. Franke: Soundtrack For These Moments

L.C. Franke talks about embracing the darkness as inspiration, how it’s sparked his own creativity, and how darker things can be more intriguing – for better or worse.

(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org.

Credits:
Host, Creator, Producer: Laurie Gallardo
Editing and Mixing: Jack Anderson
Original Music: Rene Chavez
Photo and Video: Michael Minasi
Art: Dave McClinton

Ram Vela & the Easy Targets: “Life Is Rigged”

Everyone benefits from the empowerment of self efficacy. And nobody wants to scrape by each day facing a sealed fate. Those truths must have at least subconsciously fueled the landmark success of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which endures as a surprisingly hopeful narrative despite its status as a relentless “hard R” sci-fi action flick. But as we’ve hinted at, you don’t need to be Sarah Connor going up against Skynet to appreciate the importance of altering a timeline.

Heck, with their latest single even Ram Vela & the Easy Targets have revealed themselves as optimistic revisionists. Over more than half a decade purveying power pop and alternative rock, the Austin quartet’s rarely strayed from themes of modern disenfranchisement, tough truths, and reality-aware humor. So if you feel the “no fate but what we make” principle of T2, you’re gonna love “Life Is Rigged”, on speakers, headphones, or in person for the single release show 8PM tomorrow night at Chess Club following openers Flags at 7PM.

We could totally see “Life is Rigged” playing over the end credits of T2 in an alternate, carefree timeline where James Cameron grew up as a West Coast skater. But T2 tie-ins aside, “Life is Rigged” is rich with that late ’90s/early ’00s intersection of angst, disillusionment, and pop culture references, aided in no small part by killer performances from each of RV&ETs four players, especially those full chorus “HEY”s in the hook.

The religious backdrop surrounding debate over migrant aid

Looking for zingers in last night’s vice-presidential debate? You might come up short. What does it add up to just five weeks out from Election Day?
We’ll talk with a Texas-based political expert about what may be the last real faceoff between Republicans and Democrats before the presidential election.
A rocket attack on Israel and vows of retaliation against Iran. UT-Austin’s Jeremi Suri on a new chapter in a widening Mideast conflict.
Also, in our series on the nexus between politics and religion, how some in the Texas GOP, who often cite their own faith to push policies, have come after faith-based groups helping migrants.

Lindsey Rose Black: “One Of Your Girls” [PREMIERE]

As we noted yesterday, it shows real strength to unearth the passion of a certified classic by revitalizing it with a version well outside its initial genre. So we do have another cover today, but this one belongs much more to a contemporary catalogue. Which is frankly a great strategy for appealing to…shall we say…less adventurous listeners who fall in love with one streaming giant of a song, play it to death, and become curious to hear a different take on their favorite earworm.

That brings us to multi-instrumentalist-producer-singer-songwriter Lindsey Rose Black. Raised in Fort Worth and currently splitting time between LA and ATX, Black first caught our attention with her 2022 debut Subterra, an EP that showcased her Tex-ified art-pop-meets-indie-rock sound and delightfully down-to-earth attitude. Sure, Black’s discography’s been a bit lacking since then, yet rest assured, she’s got a ton of new original releases on the horizon throughout the rest of this year and extending into the next.

That said, Lindsey’s kicking off the streak with a sapphic spin on Troy Sivan’s smash hit “One Of Your Girls”. Just like how Aretha Franklin took Otis Redding’s “Respect” and flipped it into a endearing anthem of women’s empowerment, LRB’s version of “One Of Your Girls” is less a shallow lyrical gender swap and more a dream-pop powerhouse that’s perfect for Southern queers, especially the gay ladies. Preferences and orientation aside, anybody can appreciate the subversive positivity of this Texas-bred revisionist rendition, carried immensely by Lindsey’s calm-but-confident and thoroughly impressive pipes.

Breathing Space: “WASTING”

Whether it’s the inevitable return from a much-needed vacation, spying some inspiring light post-wrestling with depression, or just the routine changing of the guard between Sunday scaries and Monday blues, the addled and anxious of us can always appreciate an extra minute or two to block everything else out and just breathe, hopefully with a vital reset on the horizon.

But even if you’re cool as a cucumber all year round, we can’t recommend Breathing Space enough. Comprised of Maura Dooley and Emi Salinas, this Austin-via-Houston two-piece has been parsing out the finest elements of dreamy lo-fi for more than half a decade now. Breathing Space was a godsend when they first hit streaming just before the pandemic, and their modern, alternative meditations quickly became an essential part of our COVID routine thanks to a fairly routine single release schedule. And while the duo’s maintained that regimen, they’ve continued to push the boundaries of their sonics. Chiefly in terms of how upbeat can you turn it up with disco-funk elements until you kill the chill (think August’s “DREAMING’S EASY” and Fall 2022’s “GOT IT BAD”) and how mellow can you make things before it’s just plain bleak?

Especially with the latter, that line remains to be drawn in the sand. However, last Friday Breathing Space did blow us away with what may be their slickest production to date, “WASTING”. A relatively simple composition (characterized by a brief runtime, repeated lyrics, and barely more than a pair of chords to alternate between), this intersection of trip hop and alt-R&B expands a surprising amount on behalf of careful vocal layering, sultry saxophone, sneaky sampling, and beautiful bass work.

Lyrically? If you’ve been drooping on a throne of complacency and medication, these two queens may just put that reign on a platter and help you rejoice at the beheading of any bad habits or lingering shortcomings.

Next of Kin: “Jekyll & Hyde”

Alt-country trio Next Of Kin is a new project out of Austin that is bringing cult country back to the local music scene with the premiere of their first-ever single, ‘Jekyll & Hyde’, coming out on streaming platforms today, September 27th. The trio of Caelin, Lili Hickman (of Flora and Fawna), and Madison Baker has been in the works since March 2023. What started as a fun collaboration session quickly became a serious project when they discovered just how unique their harmonies can be.

At the start of Next Of Kin, each member was also pursuing their independent projects and endeavors, leaving Next Of Kin as simply a way to decompress and make music with other respective musicians. Almost instantly, they discovered their different perspectives and genre backgrounds created a strong sound of alternative country with a hint of indie-folk twang. Despite this project being in its beginning stages, their ability to emotionalize storytelling has already gained them a loyal following across Austin, Texas.

Their press release describes their sound, as “as if The Chicks and Maggie Rogers had a brainchild.” With their eccentric lyricism and scarce mix of genres, Next Of Kin’s “Jeckly & Hyde” is a strong foundation for what tone this brand new project will set. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ live tonight at Continental Club, and keep an ear out for ‘Next Of Kin’, because this is just the beginning.

As of today, ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ is officially out on all streaming platforms. Be sure to check out their show tonight at Continental Club! With a great lineup including Shannon McNally @9:30pm, Next of Kin @11pm, Buffalo Hunt @12:30am.

A Band Called Ma: “Walker”

Austin-based shoegaze duo ‘A Band Called Ma’ is back and better than ever with the premiere of their latest single ‘Walker’, coming out on streaming platforms on September 27th. The unique two-piece comprises Austin Barker and Domonic Sena, who have been making music together under the project ‘A Band Called Ma’ since the beginning of 2023.

They are known around the Austin-scene for bringing a unique perspective to their songs; drawing inspiration from physical surroundings. We see this firsthand in their 2023 single, “Mountaintop” which bridges the relationship between natural environments and self-identity. Nonetheless, they are known to connect the gap between actuality and nature, as their Spotify bio says, “The project is heavily inspired by the vast alien landscape of Big Bend.” With their metaphor-filled lyrics and unique music-making process, this new project is a force to be reckoned with.

Influenced by Alex G, Radiohead, and other Alternative-Rock icons, ‘Walker’ does a phenomenal job of honoring the important aspects of the genre while paving their own eccentric path. With divine harmonizing and a strong instrument presence, A Band Called Ma knows exactly what direction the new music is going in, and “Walker” is nothing short of inspiring.

Be sure to stream ‘Walker’ on 9/27 and don’t miss their single release show tonight (9/26) at Hotel Vegas! They will be on at 11, following Lookalike at 9:30, Hanover at 10:15, and Futon Blonde at 11:45.

Suzanna Choffel: “Get Out”

Austin-based singer-songwriter Suzanna Choffel brings relateable emotion and vibrant energy to her latest single, “Get Out,” off her upcoming album Bird By Bird. Known for her genre-blending sound and raw lyricism, Choffel uses this track to dive into the pressures of her modern life—parenthood, relationships, and career struggles—all while trying to maintain a sense of self.

But, “Get Out” doesn’t stray away from what Suzanna Choffel has always aimed to emulate. In fact, like any insightfully charged musician, her journey as an artist has always been tied to her personal life. Since her last album, Hello Goodbye, recorded while she was pregnant with her first daughter, Choffel’s experiences now as a mother of two have reshaped her perspective on songwriting. Balancing family, a music career, and hosting her own radio show on Sun Radio in Austin, she brings a matured yet still playful sound to Bird By Bird.

And often with big changes like these, sometimes a break from routine is needed. Knowing this, Choffel reached out to longtime collaborator Davíd Garza to help produce the record, who recruited a dynamic rhythm section featuring drummer Amy Wood and bassist Sebastian Steinberg, known for his work on Fiona Apple’s GRAMMY award-winning album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Not to mention, the album also features a dash of Austin with guest performances from local friends Adrian Quesada, Carrie Rodriguez, and Elias Haslanger.

The collaboration brings a driving, percussive intensity to “Get Out” while somehow still maintaining a graceful balance with her folksy highs and lows. To bring more of a personal touch to the album, Garza, who’s also a new father, suggested turning the song’s final chorus into more of a celebratory moment capturing the cathartic release that “Get Out” represents.

The Midnight Stroll: “It Ain’t Worth a Dream”

When in Austin, you’re bound to run into some cross pollination among bands. For Austin-based duo, The Midnight Stroll, this is nothing short of the truth. Featuring the frontman of Ghostland Observatory, Aaron Behrens, and musical jack-of-all-trades, Jonas Wilson (Heartless Bastards, Urban Heat, Black Angels, and more), their latest and 3rd, upcoming single, “It Ain’t Worth a Dream”, explores the hardships of new beginnings through the eyes of an American immigrant wondering if the reality of it all is worth the cost of his dreams. What someone might not expect though is how the band expresses their sentiment through grungy shoegaze guitar hooks and Grouplove x AC/DC vocals.

After almost a decade since their second album Western Static, it’s clear to hear exactly where the duo is heading with their upcoming album, Humans Scheme and Headphones Dream, debuting next month. With a little touch of hair rock and dash of multi-track tape recorder effects, the duo’s sound sets them apart from local bands, including their other projects. But despite having to wait a bit longer for the full album, It Ain’t Worth A Dream makes its radio debut TODAY and will be available to listen to tomorrow.

Gypsy Mitchell: “Drive By”

We’ve been gabbin’ a lot about the retro soul renaissance lately…so much so that y’all must be getting pretty sick of reading about it. But what comes after soul? That’s right. Funk. And boy oh boy do we gotta have that funk here in Central Texas.

So with our scopes still set on the Lone Star State, let’s talk Gypsy Mitchell. This Dallas-born singer-songwriter-guitarist-arranger’s had a jam packed journey over the years; he founded gospel funk outfit The Relatives when he was just seventeen, went on to provide six-string for blues legend Buddy Ace in the ’80s, and has played alongside the likes of Little Milton, Johnny Taylor, and Joe Simon. Safe to say, Mitchell’s got an impressive resumé.

These days your best bet to catch Mitchell in person is here in Austin haunting venues like Antone’s and C-Boy’s, but it’s only been within the past year that Gypsy’s shifted gears towards a solo career. Like a fine wine freshly cracked from a well-aged cask, Gypsy Mitchell dropped the introductory “Movin’ (Down the Highway)” last December and teamed up with Houston institution Paul Wall this January for “I’m Still Standing”, all ahead of his debut Love Is…Infinite, out October 25th, with a release show to follow November 15th at Antone’s alongside Egyptian Lover.

And the LP’s latest lead single “Drive By” is joined by a music video that shows a whole lotta love for Busty’s Bar & Jukebox, making it a must-view for motorheads who haven’t made that pilgrimage yet. Bold talk box toggles the ignition on this soul-funk-rocker, chock full of psychedelic lights, classic cars, grins, and tabletop performances. And in light of the video’s charmingly low-budget production, the tune itself is a rich testament to Gypsy Mitchell’s status as a class act as it cruises through bluesy grooves, gospel-style group vocals, virtuoso instrumental riffs (thanks in no small part to longtime collaborators Zach Ernst (guitar) and Matthew Strmiska (percussion) of Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears), and commanding vocals.

In other words, we sure as hell hope Gypsy doesn’t put things in park anytime soon.

Inesse: “On My Way”

Outside of theater, choir’s typically stereotyped as the vehicle for churning out stars of the next generation. Which makes sense, since it gives you all the essentials to become a singing sensation: allowing harmony to become a natural instinct, blending your voice convincingly alongside others (even in chorus), and most importantly for future potential, maximizing those big solo moments.

So we don’t exactly need to digress when introducing y’all to Austin-based vocalist Inesse Chichou, better known by her mononym Inesse (and that’s “E-ness” for uninitiated). Inesse began climbing the creative ladder through choir, and following a pivotal performance at Carnegie Hall under choral legend John Rutter, broke that focus to recenter on her solo prospects. In that realm, Inesse’s full-bodied, effervescent, and inherently feminine style falls somewhere between Jazmine Sullivan and Alicia Keys, all the while differentiating her voice from the rest by leaning on the exotic, traditional, and often dark Arabic elements of her Moroccan upbringing.

And after her October 2023 debut, Inesse has been putting the work in for 2024; following up four luscious standalone singles, Inesse dropped her freshman collection It Was Good…While It Lasted just a couple weeks back. Revolving through six cylinders of seductive originals (each produced by a different collaborator), It Was Good…tears down the gate between turn-of-the-millennium megastars and modern era heavyweights for a thoroughly unrestricted R&B-soul experience. Yeah, even though Latin R&B is a Goliath of the industry right now, the acoustic guitar-coated EP ender “On My Way” is a little less Latin American and a lot more south of the Mediterranean. “On My Way” instills a certain sense of sultry urgency, all anchored by GRAHAM.‘s gripping beat that drips with swagger, co-writer Elijah Ford‘s cohesive contributions, and of course, Inesse’s immaculate vocal intervals.

Female Gallery: “Simon Says”

Scrolling through social media, watching ten-second clips of people’s little circus acts in the comfort of their own natural habitats…it can sometimes feel like a human zoo. So while we’ll never fully encourage those vapid grasps at short-term stardom, anything that detracts from the oversaturated landscape of bland masculinity in the entertainment sector’s worth the price of admission, right?

On that note, today we’re taking a gander at Female Gallery. The Austin-based four-piece sources their rock-meets-dance (dare we say indie-post-punk?) sound from the likes of Paramore and No Doubt all the way to Pink Floyd. But in terms of Female Gallery’s overall brand, the pairing of Queer identity with Latinx roots almost speaks louder than their literal influences.

And after starting off strong with two back-to-back introductory singles in Spring 2022, Female Gallery’s feel-good energy’s set to score the quartet a new force of fangirls with their upcoming debut EP Best Friends Together Forever, dropping just before Halloween ahead of a namesake tour next summer. As if to put a collective foot down proudly declaring their diversity against cis-heteronormativity, Female Gallery pulled the curtain on their latest, “Simon Says”, last Friday. An uptempo, reverb-washed original that effortlessly shifts gears throughout a sophisticated sequence, this four-and-a-half minute affair’s gonna make you forget all about following the leader and instead will get you fueled up to become BFTFs with Female Gallery six weeks from now.

Allisen & The Wy’s Guys: “Tell Me (Like A Man)”

If you’ve seen Big Wy’s Brass Band, then you’re already hip to the spark that is multi-instrumentalist Wyatt Corder. Furthermore, you’re probably familiar with the fact that Wy’s got high standards for the folks he plays with; if he hand picks you as a performer, it’s a real privilege…especially when it comes to pulling off Amy Winehouse covers.

This is where singer Allisen Hinojosa comes in. Corder and Hinojosa first met as DJ colleagues at KVRX, shared interests in the vintage blues-soul section, got together in 2021 to jam a few times, and soon found success with their Amy Winehouse tribute Back to Black. Back to Black’s still alive and well, but the pair have also begun channeling their chemistry into an original project, aptly titled Allisen & The Wy’s Guys.

The two best bets for which venues you’ll catch Allisen & The Wy’s Guys? C-Boy’s Heart & Soul (where they play 6:30-8:30PM every Thursday this month) and the Continental Club, where they’re staging a two-night takeover. Tonight it’s Back to Black at 11:30PM after openers The Point at 10PM and tomorrow it’s Indoor Creature opening up at 10PM followed by Allisen & The Wy’s Guys at 11:30PM for a single release show.

And the single in question is nothing short of awesome. Absolutely embodying the airtight modern flavors of Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse, “Tell Me (Like A Man)” is yet another benchmark of Austin’s overall progression from the “boring blues” of decades past to the slick, seductive soulscape it is today.

Rett Smith: “Stop Signs”

For well-established acts, keeping faithful to the formulas that first made ’em famous is often the key to longevity. We’re talking AC/DC, legacy acts that dare not alienate longtime fans by trying to fix what ain’t broke. But the big difference between AC/DC back then versus now is how frequently they put out new material. Yeah, for up-and-comers cranking out at least one studio album a year, staying in just one lane ain’t exactly a great strategy.

Like check out Rett Smith, who flexes the nexus between Austin and Nashville. His post-covid discography alone (of one release per year starting in 2020) speaks to Rett’s relentless work ethic. So with that impressive volume of work already under his belt in such a short time, weighing in on the steady shift towards “shoegaze-icana” isn’t necessarily a threat to Rett’s brand at all. No, we welcome the move for its variety, innovation, and evasion of letting Rett’s style get stale.

Sandwiched right in between a free Waterloo Records in-store performance 5PM today and a headliner show 9PM this Saturday at The Mohawk alongside Travesura, tomorrow we receive Rett Smith’s fifth, A Weighted Remorse, in its entirety. And to help give the LP its official green light, “Stop Signs” (and yet another abstract Super 8 music video that evokes the psychedelic side of “Old Austin”) ought to halt any RS haters dead in their tracks. Revving through tremendous dynamic range in just over two minutes, “Stop Signs” is the hard rock equivalent of alternating a souped up muscle car between peeling out and slamming on the brakes while commuting from a love making session to a late night dive bar gig. So just make sure you’re at least attempting to obey traffic laws when blasting Rett’s latest in your car stereo.

Mozworth: “Postcard”

Since the days of Thoreau, we’ve often romanticized the idea of a creativity-spurring wilderness retreat. That’s especially true of Justin Vernon’s illness-evoked cabin sanctuary that ended up being the backbone of Bon Iver’s 2007 debut. But the product in mind doesn’t always have to be so strictly transcendentalist (or even acoustic for that matter) for an “escape to nature” to yield quality results.

Cut to: Logan, Iowa, the stomping grounds of avid skater and ’90s rock connoisseur Michael “Boz” Bosworth. It sure seemed like Logan was the end all, be all location for Bosworth as he settled into a day job and family life…until he split from the routine and trekked out to an isolated cabin in McLouth, Kansas for some extended songwriting sessions. Just as Boz kindled the cabin’s sole source of heat – a wood stove – so did he stoke the flames of his first proper songs with primitive recordings.

A couple summers back, Boz moved down here to Austin and instantly fell in with the thriving music scene. After revisiting those early demos and recruiting a few like-minded musician friends to help flesh ’em out, Bosworth’s finally to share the cabin’s bounty under a new mononym: Mozworth. Mozworth is an amalgamation of Boz’s core interests: the independence so closely associated with skate culture and angsty energy shared by so many pre-millennium rockers…albeit textured by the mature lyrical reflections that could only come from civilization-removed meditations.

And the first polished piece from those cabin correspondences, “Postcard”, arrived in our collective mailbox today. Packaging everything we love about ’90s indie-alt-rock into a four-minute envelope, “Postcard” proudly puts Mozworth’s stamp on these nostalgic sounds, less of a “wish you were here” and more of a “can’t wait to show you more” ahead of his upcoming debut album.

Damascan Daydreams: “People” (prod. Oddmanrush)

Making memorable trip-hop’s not just a matter of slowing down breakbeats, and swapping out rap verses with some reggae-dub bass and exotic-sounding samples. No it’s a tricky tightrope that walks the thin line between sneaky and seductive, mellow and bangin’, and of course, hip-hop and psychedelia. And in our opinion, the tunes with women singers have shown a lot stronger of staying power.

In an ideal example of the “two heads are better than one” approach, dark dream pop singer-songwriter Damascan Daydreams recently teamed up with post-industrial multi-instrumentalist-producer Oddmanrush to create a sprawling, seventeen-minute exploration of that iconic ’90s style. Appropriately titled Archangel, these four originals capture that fall-from-grace vulnerability with a post-pearly gates perspective and ethereal-meets-sinister atmosphere.

In other words, it’s a awesome experience of flawed humanity best experienced front-to-back, or better yet, on-stage and in-person. So catch the pair performing later this fall on November 10th at Hotel Vegas and again on November 15th at DadaLab. And if you’re feeling a little gloomy going back into the workweek, let Archangel‘s sophomore song “People” put you in comparable, Portishead-esque spirits. A real achievement of minimalism, this downtempo trip-trop treat touts simple synth chord progressions, bare bones MIDI drum programming, and vocals that swerve between reverb-enriched and almost completely dry.

BOO85: “Retrograde”

You’ve heard the excuse before. Ya know, somebody spaces on a date, forgets to turn in an assignment, or otherwise just kind of has a minor misstep. What do they say after shrugging? “Sorry, man. Mercury must’ve been in retrograde.”

Sure, scapegoating the cosmos for your own shortcomings isn’t the most mature thing…but neither is naming your band BOO85. After kicking things off last Spring with their streaming debut “Just Friends”, this Austin-based all-girl alt-pop-rock project’s still jigglin’, gigglin’, and making great tunes through 2024. And today BOO85 rounds out the summer by completing the pair that began with this February’s “Heart“.

Coincidentally falling on another astrological Friday after last week’s “Like a Sagittarian Archer”, “Retrograde” sets the horoscope for your weekend with a headliner performance 9PM this Sunday at Sahara Lounge after openers Alexi 8Bit and Jay Wanderer. And this latest original racks up another bouncy bop to BOO85’s already-busty brand with carefree sonics like viscous vocals, a breakbeat-adjacent drum pattern, top-gear guitar and bass work, infectious effects, and sanity-demanding lyrics.

Motenko: “Free Yourself”

Here at Song of the Day, we’ve observed a resurgence of classic-style soul in recent years, and reported plenty on it too. As a matter of fact, when Sir Woman’s Kelsey Wilson came by KUTX a couple months back, we had to ask the genre authority whether or not she’s picked up on a retro-soul renaissance. The verdict? A resounding “yes”.

So it totally checks out that one of Kelsey’s Wild Child chums, keyboardist-singer Micah Motenko, is savant of Motown mimicry himself. Well, we should say Micah and his namesake Austin-based quartet Motenko, who’ve been masterfully sourcing inspiration from soul’s golden era for nearly half a decade now. Between their eponymous debut early on in the pandemic and last November’s What You Want, Motenko’s scored some pretty respectable streaming numbers, a trend we expect to continue with yet another fall release – that of their third EP To Grow, out next month.

This extended play foray finds Motenko further embracing the magic of modern production: emphasizing digitally layered multi-instrumentalism on one track before stripping down to an intimate keyboard-vocal duet the next. But the one that takes the biggest advantage of Micah’s vintage variety is the embodiment of a beautiful exchange with his late mother, the EP’s lead single “Free Yourself”. Butter-smooth singing, sultry guitar chords, slick bass work, and air tight drumming make the verses enough to get you feeling emotional, and the addition of falsetto vocal harmonies, soaring orchestral swells, and well-placed pizzicato plucks propel “Free Yourself” to a wholly empowering experience without overstaying its welcome past three fleeting minutes.

And before hitting the road for a Wild Child tour a couple months from now, Motenko makes an appearance 10PM this Saturday at Far Out Lounge in between openers Égaux sells at 9PM and closers Uncle Roy & Spice at 11PM and again Thursday, September 19th at Antone’s alongside Toubab Krewe.