austin music

Fort Never: “Take A Look At Us Now”

You might’ve seen recent headlines about Fort Hood changing their name to Fort Cavazos. Which, apolitically speaking, is fascinating because there was also an outfit right here in town under the same name who pulled pretty much the same move almost a decade back. But even before the Austin trio formerly known as Fort Hood adopted a new handle, the idea of rebranding amidst disappointment was already ripe in their minds. You see, before vocalist Chantell Moody moved to Austin, she felt emotionally destitute in Des Moines. Although she traveled light when relocating to the Live Music Capital, a set of pipes just as immense as her heart helped her achieve frontwoman status with The Digital Wild. After linking up with producer Timmie Rook, the pair began collaborating as Fort Hood and relaunched themselves as Fort Never with the recruitment of drummer Deano Cote in the mid-2010s. In the Fall of 2017, The three-piece dropped their debut 8-track Home, a garrison of Portishead-esque trip-hop, electronic dub, lo-fi folk and experimental arrangements in the vein of tUnEyArds. At the turn of the 2020s, Fort Never unfurled a pair of singles, the second of which enjoyed a Mobley remix in 2021. Well last weekend, Fort Never came strutting out of the portcullis with an absolute beauty. Sounding like Citizen Cope on a double dose of dopamine, “Take A Look At Us Now” (alongside its music video) wows with a languid boom bap beat, calm yet confident piano chords, pensive guitar, strings that give “Bitter Sweet Symphony” a run for its money, and a masterful vocal performance rivaling that of Roses Gabor all in just under five minutes.

Henry Invisible: “Dance Music Saves” (feat. Bernard Purdie)

For die-hard Steely Dan fans such as myself, the name Bernard Purdie is instantly recognizable; he invented the Purdie shuffle! So for someone that so casually blew the perfectionist minds of Becker and Fagen with his rhythmic genius back in the late ’70s, Bernie’s bar for collaborating is obvious purdy high. Which brings us to Henry Roland. Historically billing himself as Henry + The Invisibles, Roland semi-recently dropped the “backing band” portion of his handle in favor of something that better represents his one-man multi-instrumentalist endeavor, Henry Invisible. On top of his repertoire as a master singer, bassist, guitarist, and Native Instruments extraordinaire, one of Henry Invisible’s biggest assets is his ability to make seamless loops on the fly, a testament to his talents in keeping time and inherent understanding of groove building. Henry’s virtual weekly “Lovestream” kept us affable company at the start of the pandemic, and fortunately for us, those dozens of original jams have been taking shape as fine-polished studio singles. These days, with the mainstream resurgence of house music, we take the “four-to-the-floor” bass drum on the downbeat/hi-hat on the upbeat disco drum beat for granted. But when someone who essentially invented that style enters the studio with a young blood like Roland, all the life and nuance comes bounding back. With Purdie’s presence, “Dance Music Saves” is just that: pure disco-funk music in its fittest form, complete with the classic accouterments like gliding falsetto strings, simplistic lyrics that become hypnotic chants, stank face-inducing slap bass, sexy electric piano chords, and of course, those driving drums. Catch all that and more in person at Henry Invisible’s Friday residency at Meridian, kicking off this weekend.

Black Sheep Optimists: “Questions and Lies”

Our Saturday night specialty show The Breaks does a great job of highlighting Austin hip-hop. But naturally, stuff is bound to slip through the cracks, especially when it comes to events before broadcast. That brings us to Austin three-piece Black Sheep Optimists, who’ve been bending genre norms since the start of the pandemic. The trio dropped their debut EP Book One in that uncertain summer of 2020, a four-track tour de force of trunk-rattling ’90s-style beats, rapid-fire rhymes that seamlessly tie braggadocio and introspection together, and two top-tier collaborations from right here in our local community – with KUTX favorites Kalu James and Jackie Venson.

Subsequent BSO singles have veered into more modern sonic territory, with a higher level of production to match their earnest ugly-duckling-turned-alpha-underdog aesthetic. But the spirit of collaboration is still alive and well, as heard on last September’s joint with Kaylin Karr “Lost Boys” and a new single that just came out today. For the latter, the fellas have teamed up with certified Austin shredder Matt Muehling for a four-and-a-half-minute mad dash ahead of BSO’s upcoming sophomore record Book 2.

So shear into the weekend with “Questions and Lies” and take part in the Black Sheep Optimists’ flock this evening at The Hive off Menchaca if you can. “Q&L”‘s live instrumentation gives its looping drum break a ton of extra weight, deft flirtations with vocal effects pump up the already-lurid lyrics, the chorus is nothing short of epic, and Muehling’s nimble guitar work will have you making some serious stank face throughout. Just don’t flatline til the tune’s over.

Sidney Scott: “Maybe You Were Right”

Historically, a native Austinite status set you on an accessible, auspicious trajectory towards making music. But of course, as tech culture eclipses the “weird” Live Music Capital character that Austin’s clung on to since the ’70s, it just doesn’t happen as much any more. So while simply being born within the city limits isn’t enough to guarantee the songwriter’s lifestyle, having musical parents sure as heck helps. See: Sidney Scott. Raised by a professional singer and a professional woodwind player, Sidney’s childhood in the Scott household was always chock full of good tunes. So when Sidney started discovering her own pipes, her folks weren’t necessarily looking to maintain a family legacy in music…but they certainly weren’t hypocrites either; they encouraged Sidney to follow her own passion, and we’re awfully glad they did. In 2021 Sidney Scott shared a pair of standalone studio singles, showing off her proclivity for soul, jazz, folk, and blues, not to mention an incredible grasp on vocal performance. Today, as part of her patient plans to drop her debut EP tentatively in 2024, Sidney Scott gives us a sneak peek at her unique hybridizing process. What began as an iPhone voice memo attempting to capture the best of both Brandi Carlile and Lake Street Dive was fully fleshed out by seasoned Austin producer Ray Prim and a form-fitting four-piece backing band. This latest original is a sensuous piece of gospel-soul that from its first organ-vocal unison through its sparkling firecracker choruses, billowed arrangement nuances, and Shirley Bassey-meets-Amy Winehouse final falsetto vibrato, years from now, when looking back at those of us who recognized Scott’s promising potential, might just make you say “Maybe You Were Right”

Genuine Leather: “Tear It Down”

When the handle “Genuine Leather” first catches your eye, a number of potentials present themselves; like Genuine Leather could easily be the name of a Kiss-era glam metal outfit, a bunch of Ramones-esque punks, a Berghain-inspired Western European dance DJ, or even just a dusty posse of country cowboys. Well, consider those expectations subverted, ’cause Genuine Leather is actually the alias of Austin-based lo-fi synth-pop multi-instrumentalist producer Chris Galis. Born to a Fort Worth community where commercial rock radio was king, Galis only got into more adventurous acts like The Beatles and Radiohead when he started studying jazz bass and classical music in college. By the time he founded Genuine Leather after graduation in 2011, Galis’ instrumental expertise had broadened out to synth and guitar, and his pop music vocabulary had expanded from Wilco and Prince all the way to Talking Heads and Tears for Fears. Gen Leath’s ability to contextualize those Gen X jukebox hits within a modern lens has allowed Galis to tan adjacent hides (be they indie rock, post-punk, or folk) into well-fitted, genre-defying garments across three EPs and three full-lengths. Well, hot off being signed to a London label and having already shared two singles in 2023, Genuine Leather is gearing up for the release of their fourth EP, Genuine Pleasure, out later this Fall. As heard on February’s “Promises” and April’s “Even If I Could”, Genuine Pleasure gels effects-filled synth pop together with ’70s yacht rock guitar and some f***ing killer contemporary flavors. Today Genuine Leather lends us the third of Genuine Pleasure‘s six songs, “Tear It Down”, a Tame-Impala-meets-Toro-Y-Moi wrecking ball of psych-pop. Bookended by long-swelling, heavily-modulated synth chords, “Tear It Down” creates a must-hear atmospheric foundation before pulling the rug out and letting loose with some of the slickest pop-rock we’ve heard come out of Austin in a minute.

Dad’s Home: “Automatic Reply: No Thanks”

Ever since punk rock took off in the late ’70s, it’s expanded and matured into a ton of subgenres. Its kiddo pop-punk, on the other hand, is more like a Lost Boy from Neverland; it never grew up and that’s the way we like it. So when we look at the robust roster of pop-punk acts right here in our city limits, it fills us with a one-of-a-kind juvenile joy.

Embodying that theme of youth is Austin quintet Dad’s Home. Although its five members had already cut their teeth in groups like Quiet Company, Kingsley, Cruiserweight, and Closet Drama, Dad’s Home didn’t kick off until last summer. Following the concrete-scuffed footsteps of their pop-punk forefathers, Dad’s Home dropped their delightfully-uncouth debut EP My Sitcom Life on New Year’s Eve, almost as a resolution to keep following their favorite genre’s fast and fun formulas.

But since punk depends most on its live performance aspect, Dad’s Home riles up some more of that paternal testosterone with a show 9PM this Thursday at The Mohawk along with Bad Lives, Space Tan, and Midcard. The occasion? “Automatic Reply: No Thanks” – an emotional rollercoaster over perfect palm muting, superb group vocals, insane drum fills and a sense of instrumental unity which reminds us that being loud doesn’t signal a lack of taste.

KindKeith: “EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE” (feat. 8bit_gf)

Happy Pride Month! As an advocate, it’s beyond encouraging to hear so many openly Queer Austinites sharing their art, spreading the love, and scoring pretty good opportunities here in our fair city. In that respect, we’ve got a live show recommendation to kick off June in proper form. It comes on behalf of singer-producer KindKeith, who first emerged with their 2019 single “Veronica’s Mom”. KindKeith’s sound has since matured over the course of two EPs and one full-length, cementing a genre-fluid, drizzled-in-synth style that sits somewhere between Thundercat and SiR. Picking up where last summer’s DON’T TALK TO ME >:( left off, KindKeith recently teamed up with Austin’s 8bit_gf for kind of a sonic curveball compared with prior expectations. While 8bit_gf’s debut streaming single “4NG3L W 4 9UN” basks in between hyperpop and drum n bass and KindKeith’s last EP leans on laid back grooves, “EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE“ cranks the beat repeat effect way up to carve a glitchy niche outside KindKeith’s trademark R&B. The pair celebrate with a release show tomorrow night at Swan Dive; 8bit_gf gets it started at 9:30 followed by Yonah B and EddieAngel before KindKeith wraps things up just after midnight. Til then, enjoy the start of June with a tune inspired by mutual early-twenties struggles with sexuality and gender identity. Between its unorthodox triplet percussion, 8bit_gf’s pitched up pipes and some extra glittery guitar that engorges before grinding the whole song to a halt, “EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE” is a modern waltz of frustration, revelation, and acceptance.

American Dreamer: “Medicine Hat”

We all know that Austin’s far outgrown its once humble status as a cool college town. So with the current tech culture/Live Music Capital dichotomy, it’s no wonder we also often overlook institutions right in our own backyard. But we can’t forget about the Butler School of Music at UT Austin, which attracts, molds, and produces a ton of talent. For instance, there’s Austin folk quartet American Dreamer, who first met as grad students at Butler and began collaborating in the mid-2010s. With collective decades of formal training under their belt, this festival-proven four-piece builds on an already impressive ability to play off one another, leading to nuanced in-the-pocket arrangements that just keep getting better and better. Although their 2016 debut Restless Nights may have explored harder, more modern regions of Americana rock, 2018’s Go Where You Go and subsequent singles, ripe with themes of travel and nature, champion our continent’s rich roots music history. With American Dreamer’s upcoming third full-length, the songs steer further away from percussion than ever before, giving us some of the band’s most transportive and string-rich tunes to date, as already heard on 2023’s “Little Bird”, “Railway Bound for Mercy”, and “Heaven’s Child”. American Dreamer drops July 14th with a release show that same evening at the 04 Center and the record’s final lead single “Medicine Hat” (though lyrically pining over a missed loved one) will take you straight to the porch of a rustic Alberta cabin thanks to wanderlust-inspiring chords and a wilderness-thick dynamic range embedded in synchronous instrumental interplay and blossoming vocal harmonies.

The Best Around: “Lie to Me”

When decades of dominos fall before some of your finest work, it’s hard not to feel like fate led you to this moment. Just look at Austin songwriter Camron Rushin, whose grandfather worked with Lefty Frizzell producer Jim Beck way back in the ’50s. Within Rushin’s generation, there’d been about a ten-year-long break between artistic projects, but once he started sharing sketches with multi-instrumentalists Todd Pruner and Jon Merz at the start of the pandemic, the foundation was laid for The Best Around. If you couldn’t guess from the trio’s handle or their cutout ransom note/collage visual aesthetic, they’re not brazenly boasting about their abilities; they’re more navigating life like triplet Daniel-sans perfecting their musical martial art one waxing tune at a time. In wearing belts of both performer and audience member, The Best Around show up to the ongoing competition that is our Live Music Capital with a diverse style of art-rock. Last Friday The Best Around rolled out their ninth studio single total and first of 2023, one that features harmony vocals from Emma Kate, percussion from Josh Halpern and mastering from Cacophony Recorders’ Erik Wofford. A melancholy masterpiece from its first downbeat through its pre-chorus falsetto and cosmic Americana instrumental bridge all the way to its concluding chord, “Lie to Me” might honestly be The Best Around’s very best to date.

Bourgeois Mystics: “Gentrification of Planet Earth”

One of the biggest obstacles to a longstanding passion project is that when you get sidelined by the harsh realities of life, sometimes it’s too tough to keep creating. And amidst skyrocketing housing costs coupled with the deficit of live opportunities in the immediate aftermath of COVID, actively gigging with a band while living within Austin’s city limits simply isn’t the way it was ten years ago.

That brings us to Bourgeois Mystics, an art-funk hip-hop collective who first got together in 2014. Amplified by each individual opulent alter ego, this eclectic sextet has spent the past decade wowing crowds with high-energy, theatrical performances and upbeat originals that steer way clear of taking themselves seriously. Yet in 2023, splitting the bill six ways with some members already residing in satellite cities, the actuality of exorbitant rent prices and getting the gang together in one room is nowhere near as feasible as it used to be.

As such, Bourgeois Mystics have made the tough decision to go on indefinite hiatus. But as an Austin staple with as lively as theirs, of course they’re going out with a bang. This weekend Bourgeois Mystics release their second (and for now, final) full-length Gentrification of Planet Earth. While Gentrification finds the semi-fictional figures on 2017’s Eureka! now transformed into hideous Kafka-esque monsters and cartoonish song titles replaced with thematic, feature-laden fireballs, the zany energy that makes Bourgeois Mystics so great is well intact. The LP drops on Friday and Bourgeois Mystics commemorates the end of this era with a farewell show 9PM that same evening at The Parish with openers Lena Luca and Cilantro Boombox.

So while you plan out your pre-game for Gentrification of Planet Earth, dig into the album’s title track, one that sounds like Technotronic, !!!, and The B-52’s split a sack of high-grade salvia, downed some disco biscuits, and giggled their way into this fine-tuned piece of “funk-n-gunk” greatness. True to its name, “Gentrification” districts this three-and-a-half minute dance mania off into clearly defined individual sections for the funkiest piece of gerrymandering you’ll hear this year.

Tina Piranha: “A Budding Interest in Treason”

The power of lyrical impact can be timeless, but as great as words over melody can be, there’s a whole different appeal to sans-lyrical explorations. For example, when added onto styles like funk or soul, the genre modifier “cinematic” usually tips listeners off to a strictly instrumental experience, where the lack of lyrics not only allows extra space for meditation, but also opens up your imagination to fill in the blanks – be it with visuals, Rod Serling-esque internal monologue, or just abstract emotional reactions to exotic sounds.

A top notch purveyor of such is Austin’s Tina Piranha, whose eight-player appetite chomps out the rarest bits of ’60s soundtracks, Turkish psychedelia, Ethiopian jazz and beyond into accessible, bite-sized soul tracks. Last year Tina Piranha teamed up with Grammy winner Beto Martinez to record and mix the octet’s debut EP Komissar 13, the ultimate horn-heavy score for any wannabe jet-setting G Men with too many jazz cigarettes on hand. This year, in an effort to change up the sonic scenery, Tina Piranha’s joined forces with Quiet Company’s Matt Parmenter, who’s already ushered in four new singles within the past five months.

With that rapid of output, Tina Piranha’s definitely far from having their fill for 2023, so keep your ears peeled on your preferred streaming platform. ‘Til next month’s meal, go ahead and take “A Budding Interest in Treason”. Just don’t let your boss catch you working on your midcentury espionage spec script.

Space Trayn: “Red Lipstick”

When a budding band is high off their own early momentum…at least not in an overt back-patting way or one in which they take themselves way too seriously…the grinning can get contagious. Take for example Austin three-piece Space Trayn, whose nuanced brand of ’70s-inspired funk-jazz-rock stations itself somewhere between Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan. Chiefly conducted by singer-guitarist Jerome Vivino, with Justin Murawski and Nané veteran Jordan Espinoza coupling behind, Space Trayn’s debut 2021 EP Not So Fast rode the rails of classic soul and soft yacht rock with four cars of genre bending tones.

On Space Trayn’s sophomore follow-up We Have Lyftoff (produced and mixed by Austin treasure Chris “Frenchie” Smith), the trio beams full steam ahead at an even higher octane; these five jet-fueled originals cross tracks of ’90s-alternative, psychedelia-drenched jams, turn of the millennium indie rock and even some Parliament-adjacent prog-disco, complete with some mind blowing solos just before the record grinds to a halt. We Have Lyftoff dropped at the tail end of April, but if you’re looking for a good time this evening, even after blasting the new Space Trayn at volume 11, you’re in luck. Space Trayn takes the stage at 10PM tonight at The 13th Floor, preceded by Elijah Delgado and followed by Upper Level Lows at 11PM and Polarizado at midnight. So in the spirit of these fun-lovin’ buds, come as you are and settle in for a great time. But if you wanna be extra, let Space Trayn doll you up before you drop out with the classic psych rock crimson of “Red Lipstick”.

Glass Mansions: “Nearsighted”

As temps heat up across Texas, a sun-soaked lethargy is sure to overshadow any idealized productivity. And it seems like a lot of acts have recently been seizing the day by releasing their roadmaps for the rest of the year. So let’s go ahead and add a danceable data point to our early album detection system. It’s an open house from Austin alt-pop duo Glass Mansions, whose banging electronic beats and ardent vocals (courtesy of frontwoman Jayna Doyle) provide a clean contrast to the pair’s smoky, high octane live performances. The pair’s transparent passion balances out beautifully with their opaque take on opulent electro-pop, and visually, their synesthetic aesthetic is a glistening finish. But back to planning things out in advance…we’ve gotta give credit to Glass Mansions for their forethought in releasing a transitory piece that bridges the gap between last year’s “Standing O” and their upcoming 2023 EP. A gorgeous cacophony of color haunted by Doyle’s tortured, ghostly apparition, the music video for “Nearsighted” is definitely the best way to absorb Glass Mansions’ latest gift. Strictly on the sonic front, the industrially processed sub bass, reverb-drowned snaps, and sinister synth arpeggiator provide the perfect bed for Doyle to belt the hell out vocally.

Flora & Fawna: “Costume Party”

Now that COVID-19’s no longer deemed a public health emergency, the fog of the past three years has begun to dissipate, and memories of the “before times” don’t seem so distant now. Like, remember when KUTX named Austin duo Flora & Fawna as our September 2019 Artist of the Month? We made a real airwave darling out of the pair’s debut single “Slow Burn” throughout the fall, but by the time Flora & Fawna was gearing up for their first official SXSW appearance, well, a little global pandemic stole their thunder. In the spirit of their handle, Flora & Fawna kept their creative ecosystem thriving by focusing efforts on a sophomore follow-up to their eponymous debut EP. That essence of growth despite a harsh environment couldn’t have been fostered as well as it has without the help of multi-instrumentalist-producer Misha Hercules, who’s worked with everyone from Kendrick Lamar and Jungle to Maggie Rogers and Steve Lacy. An ongoing work in progress under the veil of quarantine, Flora & Fawna balanced out their studio time with some impressive appearances – hitting some hometown milestones with both ACL and SXSW last year, not to mention supporting slots alongside Son Little, Thievery Corporation’s David Garza, and even Harry Styles. Well, finally, after all on-stage and in-studio flourishing, Flora & Fawna’s next EP is set to see the light of day in 2023. In light of its Halloween-evoking title, the record’s third lead single “Costume Party” just touched down with care-free summer-luvin’ goodness. It encapsulates taboos you only witness at such masquerades, like the one-of-a-kind kismet of catching Dracula swapping spit with Wonder Woman or a Squid Game security guard starting a drunken spat with Ted Lasso. Specifically, “Costume Party” relives a forbidden kiss with a past fling, and in doing so channels the flirty dirtiness of Charli XCX or Carly Rae Jepsen. So whether you use it to make amends with your own missteps, or just want something you can both blast with the top down and dance ’til your pores are drenched, “Costume Party” is ready for your RSVP.

Artist Interview: The Tender Things – “One Like You”

The Tender Things cooked up a classic song based on reckless decision gone wrong. In Part 1, you heard the confession and The Tender Things’ live recording of “One Like You”. In this episode, when Walker talks with Jessie about the confession, how it inspired the song, self care, and a whole host of other fun stuff.

Got a story you want to confess and maybe have it turned into a song? Join the Song Confessional mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest episode, news, and the whereabouts of our confessional booth: https://songconfessional.com/connect.

Help us out! Rate the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Subscribe

Mass Minor: “Worthy”

Even though its initial ubiquity arrived in the late ’70s/early ’80s, synth-driven compositions, regardless of which decade they came from, continue to sound intrinsically futuristic. I mean down to the digital DNA underneath the instrument’s nuts and bolts, the synthesizer has always embodied a sci-fi aesthetic. Of course, nearly a half century down the line, even with astounding breakthroughs in MIDI technology, there’s a certain retro quality to pushing the synth front and center of arrangements, regardless of genre. As such, Austin’s synth scene is like a perpetual time machine, one that sends listeners back to the ’80s glory days of synth pop before hurdling them into the distant unknown. Within that crowd, we’re proud to have Mass Minor call our town home. Beginning with their 2020 debut LP Become Each Other, this trio’s top-graded a sense of timelessness through synth-pop, synth-wave, and electronic rock. They spent much of last year captivating crowds, including appearances at SXSW and supporting slots alongside our July 2022 Artist of the Month Urban Heat and Depeche Mode tribute project Strangelove. But in 2023, considering their rise amongst “uncertain times”, Mass Minor is set to beckon in the post-public health emergency era of COVID with a new piece of temporal exploration. For their upcoming sophomore full-length Mass Minor teamed up with Robert Plant/David Bowie producer Tim Palmer, with a release date set for later this year. Today Mass Minor emerges from their neon-bathed portal with the record’s lead single and their first studio since the turn of the decade. Kicking off with a Tron-ready arpeggiator, “Worthy” wheelies right past the competition with turbulent subdivisions, heroic vocals, and a whirlwind of a hook, which at just over three minutes, makes it an ideal choice for your next montage sequence, be it working out, working through personal stuff, or straight up saving the world. Is it f-ing not enough? Hell no. It’s beyond “Worthy”.

Wilson Marks: “Mother’s Day”

When it comes to songs about holidays (at least here in the U.S.), the most popular is of course Christmas, followed by Halloween, and perhaps…St. Patrick’s Day coming in at third? Either way, it’s a rarity to hear a “holiday” song that doesn’t lean into the Hallmark hokeyness.

But if there’s one thing that Wilson Marks does on any day of the calendar, it’s subvert expectations. On top of his life as an enthusiastic music educator and prolific sideman, this Austin singer-pianist-guitarist brought us two dozen genre-bending tunes through his first full-lengths, 2015’s What Was Made for Weathering and 2018’s Peregrine. By the time Wilson’s third dozen arrived in October 2020 with True Beauty Is in the Random, he’d established his own set of hallmarks: slick witticisms and lighthearted reflections on the flaws that unite us, instrumentation that’s carefully modified to capture a unique timbre, and an accessible style of pop that’s informed by folk and Crescent City jazz.

Marks and his backing band plan on releasing yet another full-length closer to the turn of Winter, padding out the inter-seasons with a more stripped-down EP. So with what may be your final reminder for Mother’s Day before the weekend, Wilson Marks shares one of his slinkiest singles to date. Rooted as always in true storytelling that doesn’t skimp on emotion, the simplicity and sincerity of “Mother’s Day” is shoe-in to mom’s heart, especially if she’s a fan of Graceland. And if you really want to wow her with a belated Mother’s Day date, consider taking her out to see Wilson Marks Trio live next Wednesday at the Elephant Room.

Polarizado: “Twin Liquor On Sunday”

Compared with the political climate of our neighbors, Central Texas, and in particular, Austin, may seem like kind of a sect within the Lone Star State. And that’s not just a matter of being the “blueberry in the tomato soup”. It’s a reflection of our regional music styles as well. To an outsider, our ability to keep stately subgenres like Outlaw Country, Western Swing, and – right down to its name – Tex Mex – relatively contatined within our borders, kind of seems a little clique-y. That’s where multi-instrumentalist Felix Bergman comes in. See, before moving here from Oakland, Bergman bolstered his musical journey playing everything from guitar to keys and even trumpet across a ton of sounds – Latin jazz, glam rock, Blues, and hardcore punk to name a few. So after making his eastward migration, he quickly picked up on Texas’ location-tailored tastes, and wanted in immediately. With his project Polarizado, Bergman indoctrinates listeners into what he calls “Cult Americana” – solely outing himself as a non-native through earnest yet lighthearted observations only recognizable by “outsiders”. Later this year Polarizado follows up their 2018 eponymous EP with Welcome Back… due out August 3rd. Based on the record’s latest single, we’re looking forward to an indie-swamp-rock take on some of our not-so-treasured Texas customs, such TABC’s Bible belt tutelage on the short and sweet “Twin Liquor On Sunday”. Catch Polarizado ’round midnight next Friday at The 13th Floor alongside openers Elijah Delgado, Space Trayn, and Upper Level Lows, and fill a glass with your favorite beverage with this tune that sounds like a cocktail between CCR and Nick Waterhouse, albeit with some extra vocal grit.

Confession & Song: The Tender Things – “One Like You”

The Tender Things cooked up a classic song based on reckless decision gone wrong. In Part 1, you’ll hear the confession and The Tender Things’ live recording of “One Like You”. Tune in for the next edition, when Walker talks with Jessie about the confession, how it inspired the song, self care, and a whole host of other fun stuff.

Help us out! Rate the show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Subscribe

Evan Charles: “Low Road Runnin'”

With our ever-expanding skyline, congested traffic, and high urban density, living within Austin’s city limits can almost trick us into forgetting we’re in Texas. But a short drive out can quickly remind us of our immediate rustic surroundings – hill country, deserts, forests, lakes, caves, and more. So even in big metropolitan hubs like ours, the vastness and variety of the Lone Star State unsurprisingly inspires an abundance of nature-loving folk, cosmic Americana, and southern rock acts.

A quick glance at Austin outfit Altamaesa’s discography – The Long Ride Home (2016) and Idol Frontier (2019) – instantly tips you off to that specific sense of Southern wanderlust and bucolic storytelling. And maybe it’s that same spirit of adventure, coupled with his induction into Project ATX6’s Season Six lineup, that’s led fronting guitarist-vocalist Evan Charles to temporarily excuse himself from his chair at Altamesa’s high table and explore new opportunities as a solo artist.

In this endeavor, Evan Charles emerges as a reinvigorated raconteur, eager to lean into the timeless power of natural narratives with his upcoming debut album Between Two Worlds. Featuring titles like “Ask the Dust”, “Heavy Rains Back Home”, and “Horizon Line”, Between Two Worlds brings twelve trail tunes, countryside ballads, idyllic interludes, and miscellaneous ruminations into Mr. Pink Records’ Bastrop recording studio, with the full polished collection arriving later this summer. Evan Charles celebrates early with two local performances; a single release show 10PM this Friday at Hole in the Wall and again 8:30PM this Saturday at Continental Club for the Mr. Pink Showcase. If you can’t saddle up to either of those shows, open up the throttle with Evan on BTW‘s latest lead single, the briskly-whisked ranch-ready Americana yarn “Low Road Runnin'”. At just over three minutes, this fast-travelin’ track is a must-play for all types of settings: in your dust-rustlin’ truck, underneath those big and bright Texas stars, or just at home brewing your favorite morning roast.