austin music

Katherion: “Roses and Daisies”

Song of the Day is finally back from a much-needed break! And as a token of appreciation for everyone’s patience in the interim, we’ve got some great new picks to catch y’all up on, one of which made an inaugural streaming appearance just last weekend.

We’re talking about Katherine Yuna, also known as Rion Reed, but best recognized by their stage name amalgamation Katherion. This Houston native with growing Austin exposure has been singing their whole life and penning tunes for the past decade, but didn’t unlock and realize their true form as Katherion until a semi-recent, life-changing experience in guided psychoactive therapy.

True to their handle (pronounced “Kath-e-Ryan”), this project provides a healthy balance of masculine and feminine, spiritual and emotional, and sonically speaking…indie and alt-rock. In fact, ahead of their upcoming debut album 33, Katherion teamed up with indie-alt-rock innovator and Song of the Day favorite Walker Lukens to co-produce the record’s lead single, “Roses and Daisies”. So before we’re blessed with the full bouquet of unbridled acceptance on 33 later this Fall, which’ll also include the sophomore single “Thank You” in about a month’s time, bask in the refreshing fragrance of “Roses and Daisies”, whose authentic aromas alternate between vulnerable solo verses and defiant double-tracked choruses. By the time you get across the bridge and into the final hook, you’ll better understand Katherion’s admirable mission of empathy, uplift, and humanity’s mutual bonds, no matter how you identify.

Lunar Gold: “Low Light”

Even though it’ll always be a nightly main attraction, the moon’s also been a hot topic thanks to recent international missions, both successes or failures. But of course, for every state-funded effort, there’s a private space venture in the hands of a billionaire. Which begs a question. Once corporations capitalize the moon, how much of its resources will be scavenged for profit?

We can only speculate about what prized minerals will define the next era of mining, so for now, let’s just focus on Lunar Gold. An endeavor captained by Austin singer-guitarist Jason Morris, Lunar Gold specializes in a dark ambient sound that captures the emptiness of outer space and the loneliness of a largely-untouched surface, whose distant glow ironically affords Earthlings some comfort among the cosmos. Lunar Gold’s still-slim online discography is split between Bandcamp and Spotify, but as we learned with last week’s super moon, good things come to those who wait.

Case in point, ahead of a live set 11PM next Saturday at Stubb’s indoors (with free admission to anyone holding a Local Natives wristband), Lunar Gold’s gifted us the luminous new single “Low Light”. “Low Light” effortlessly passes through rocky phases of prog and psych thanks to Morris’ glorious, reverb-glazed falsetto and his backing quartet’s unified precision despite a challenging, zero-gravity tempo. It’s a dimmer glimmer that beats the hell out of this treacherous Texas sunshine and gives a whole new meaning to moonglow. So rather than let the remainder of the work week eclipse your prospects for next weekend, fade your troubles away in just under five minutes with “Low Light”.

Lion Heights: “Cool & Easy”

Here in the Lone Star State, the authentic “tropical” experience is pretty much limited to South Padre Island, about a six-hour drive from our city limits. But despite Austin’s central location, when it comes to less land-locked sounds (chiefly reggae), we’re actually pretty lucky to have strong local institutions; The Flamingo Cantina’s remained a major draw for fans of the genre since 1991, Austin Reggae Fest since 1994, and in terms of adjacent interests, we also have a relatively lenient (okay, decriminalized) herbal culture compared to our more conservative county neighbors. So it’s not a big shock that reggae acts like Lion Heights claim Austin as their creative den, especially considering their incorporation of “outlaw” (a term typically associated with Texas country rebels like Willie and Waylon) into an otherwise-idiosyncratic Caribbean style. A decade back Lion Heights crawled out as a cub with their debut EP Survival of the Richest, but really roared with higher production value and a vast cast of collaborators on 2021’s Blank Check Riddim. And with the release of the extensive 46-minute False Reality this past April, Lion Heights has clearly worked their way up the food chain to become one of Austin’s finest reggae ensembles. But what’s the point of making it to the top if you’re just gonna ride recent accomplishments? On that note, Lion Heights dropped their eight-track Not Done Fighting Riddim last Friday, a feature-filled pride that showcases Lutan Fyah, Chuck Fenda, Alan Moe Monsarrat, and more. Sure there are some explicit sensi-bilities with opening titles like “Herbsman” and “Love Marijuana”, but by and large this new record (true to its title) champions fist-in-the-air civil disobedience and resilience in our modern era of working class oppression. And fun fact: Lion Heights shakes off their regular crepuscular schedule for an afternoon show 3PM this Sunday at The Far Out Lounge ahead of a regional Texas-Florida tour later this month. Even if the triple digits in the forecast convince you to stay home, you can still counter our painfully noticeable lack of coastal breezes with a tune that instills a chill you just can’t kill, “Cool & Easy”. From its introductory timbale fill and guitar skank to its final full-band chord, “Cool & Easy” (featuring duo Roots Revealers) is like a coconut cocktail you can take anywhere with you; to work, to your home stereo, and of course…if you’re willin’…to the beach.

Walker Lukens: “Man & Wife”

As a commemoration of factory personnel, harsh conditions, and tumultuous union strikes, Labor Day often loses its meaning for all the folks just enjoying a Monday off. But a century-plus later, we can still take a moment to appreciate some less-industrial aspects of life that often get taken for granted. For example keeping up a clean, appealing appearance usually takes a continued concerted effort, and once those looks help you land a partner for life, the work doesn’t stop; it’s a real labor of love to keep a marriage going strong past the initial honeymoon phase. Keep those in mind as we commend all the hard work Walker Lukens has done over the years. He’s elevated himself from mere multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter to a monolithic must-have producer-for-hire here in Austin, not to mention a concept-driven creator who’s helped mastermind the Song Confessional podcast and the vast Texas Wild collaboration. Still, seems like Walker’s got an undying hunger (and somehow enough time) to make great tunes on his own accord. On that note, this Friday Walker Lukens finally unleashes his fourth full-length Accessible Beauty, self-produced and recorded at Lukens’ Paradise Lunch recording studio. He’ll be taking these eight mellow originals on the road for a week-long East Coast tour in October ahead of three Central Texas shows in mid-December, including “The Last Walt” December 15th at The Paramount as part of KUTX’s 10th Birthday Concert Series. But even though the locals will have to wait a while to catch the new Walker live, Lukens was kind enough to toss us some early access to Accessible Beauty with the LP’s latest and final lead single. A spiritual sequel-of-sorts to this April’s “The One Who Loves You”, “Man & Wife” keeps the affection flowing with shimmering synths, vocal harmonies that weep with reverb, and a hard-rocking hook that gives this multi-coupling of sounds some tasteful dynamic range. So consider celebrating Labor Day with a spell of spontaneous romantic gestures that’ll reaffirm the work you’re willing to put into a relationship (be it currently in existence or a dream for the future). And even if you’re single by choice and plan on keeping it that way, the soft, mature sensuality of “Man & Wife” will make your inner beauty feel sexier and more readily available then it’s ever been on a Monday.

The Dead Coats: “Reach”

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.

Mamahawk: “Fighter Jet”

As a war wages in Ukraine, aspects of the military industrial complex are front and center in the news; with each international donation to the effort, headlines interject model names right into casual lexicon, so presumably the layperson now knows the difference between a Leopard 2 and an F-16. And while the four members of Mamahawk haven’t necessarily shown off that knowledge of hardware specifics, when it comes to combatting crappy music, they’re a major aggressor. After a modest immobilization with their 2015 self-titled debut, Mamahawk really brought the offensive to a brink on “Brain Invaderz!” an operation that earned them the rank of KUTX’s August 2018 Artist of the Month. Their sophomore six-track of the same name came in hot the following February, and this past April Mamahawk showed that they’re still on the wing with “Walk in the Fire”. Well the spacey rock squadron might as well’ve teamed up with Skunk Works, because their latest doesn’t just buzz the tower; it throttles up to the stratosphere for aural superiority. On “Fighter Jet”, Mamahawk cuts the afterburners and coasts at a slower tempo than we’ve heard from them recently. That said, “Fighter Jet” delivers an massive payload in just four minutes, thanks to a Tomahawk missile’s-worth of jazz-prog key chords, laser-accurate delayed-out electric guitar slides, long bass tones that capture that high-altitude hum, plus a canopy of crisp drums and clean vocals. Catch the full sortie midnight tomorrow night at Sagebrush along with openers Aubrey Hays at 11PM and Sammy G at 10. Til then, quit the habitual bitchin’, strap in, and set course for a relaxing Labor Day weekend.

Wendy Colonna: “Inspired”

Concerning attempts to beat the heat, we’re guessing all Texans are giving it their best shot right about now. And huge kudos to the creatives making content that at least invites a cool mindset, even if we’re physically still melting.

In that vein, we especially appreciate Louisiana native Wendy Colonna for returning a favor to her current HQ. See, Colonna moved here to Austin at the turn of the millennium pretty much immediately after soaking up the beloved Barton Springs ambiance. And since embracing our city limits as her home, Colonna’s become a staple of the local scene thanks to her luscious soul-informed vocals, eagerness to form new bonds, and undying enthusiasm to collaborate.

Speaking of the latter, for her next collection The Paradigm Project, Colonna recruited some of Austin’s finest both for the in-studio arrangements and live performances. The roster includes The Belle Sounds frontwoman Noelle Hampton, Willie Nelson collaborator Matt Hubbard, and horn section leader Kevin Flatt, all of which you can see share the stage for a double single release show 7-10PM this Thursday at The Pershing alongside Suzanna Choffel, whose also a contributor to this Central Texas supergroup. So while Barton Springs remains the only public pool with a price this summer, Colonna looks back at two decades-worth of memories filtered through Edward’s Aquifer with “Inspired”. The music video puts you right on the waterfront, availing the rest of your senses to cool down with this heartwarming, horn-driven, Hampton co-penned piece of blue-eyed disco, no hula hoop required.

Hot Boys and Girls

Fresh and Confucius talk about the impact that this year’s record heat is having on live music in Austin. Then, inspired by Asian Doll’s comments about not wanting to rap at 30, they debate the merits of older rappers.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about how Andre 3000 lived in Austin, why Dr. Dre turned down opportunities to work with Michael Jackson and Prince, what Missy Elliot song contains Beyoncé’s first solo outing and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that people don’t actually separate the art from the artists, but instead just decide what bad behavior they will or won’t tolerate.

Confucius talks about Trump’s mug shot, the recent Republican Party presidential debate, the Biden Administration’s new student loan repayment plan, and more.

B.R. Lively: “Hope in My Heart”

With the oppressive heat and an especially tantalizing 24-hour news cycle, it’s worth taking a moment or two to just breath. So while neither we nor the artists we curate can claim to be mindfulness experts, we feel like today’s feature is pretty fitting for anyone in need of a mindset shift. It comes courtesy of Austin multi-instrumentalist-singer-songwriter Bryan Richard Blaylock (better known as B.R. Lively), whose well…livelihood….lies roughly within the boundaries of folk, outlaw country, southern R&B, and jazz. Lyrically Lively derives a lot from literature, but rest assured, his tunes aren’t so high brow that they’re inaccessible to the layperson. Lively first crested over the horizon with his debut Into the Blue in 2017, and tracked a companion piece fast in the aftermath. Well after nearly a half decade of solo touring across the US, Lively’s back in Austin and eager to unleash those counterpart recordings from their hard drive confines. Where Lively considers Into the Blue as an introspective, melancholic inhale, his sophomore follow-up People completes the process of process aural respiration with an exhalation of poignant wisdom, emotional growth, and realistic optimism; a Yin to Into the Blue‘s Yang. Lively takes the stage next Tuesday at High Noon for the People release show alongside Lola and returns the following Tuesday with Brothers of Mercy. But with scant chances of rain between now and then, let’s leverage those aspirations with “Hope in My Heart”. Co-produced by Band of Heathens collaborator Gordy Quist, mixed by Robert Ellis/Khruangbin engineer Steve Christensen, and arranged by string-and-horn visionary Thomas Avery, the sense of space, level of polish, and discipline of performance on this waltz are all nothing short of jaw-dropping. And as auspicious as it is awe-inspiring, “Hope in My Heart” will reward you with the essence of its title whenever the bleakness has got you feeling meek.

Motenko: “Lifted”

Here at KUTX, we’ve never been shy about our love of Wild Child; hell I myself even played a show or two with ’em back in the day. But while lead singer Kelsey Wilson often steals the spotlight (and deservedly so), there’s no sense in denying the vast talent toted by each individual member. Among the masterful many is keyboardist-vocalist Micah Motenko, who on top of touring alongside Wild Child and Jade Bird, also moonlights as frontman and chief composer for his mononymous quartet Motenko. Meshing the best retro-soul bits of Muscle Shoals and Motown with modern pop and R&B, plus some impresas of Mac DeMarco and Steve Lacy and Motenko’s eponymous 2020 debut EP’s received nearly a million streams on Spotify alone. On the technical side, Micah’s dexterity has turned him into a two-time Austin Music Award nominee for “Best Keyboardist”. Well, with the release of a pair of singles last summer, some of Wild Child’s road-wise shine must’ve rubbed off on Motenko’s songwriting, since they now seem like they’re breaking out of their “safe” formulas in favor of “riskier” structures and arrangements. In fact, Motenko recruited some of Sir Woman’s awesome entourage to provide backing vocals and fill out the arrangement on their latest single “Lifted”. On top of that, Motenko teamed up with Twin Shadow producer extraordinaire Austin Smith to punch up this already-rich piece of tip-top soul-pop into pure perfection. Fingers crossed that “Lifted” gets the live treatment when Motenko plays midnight next Wednesday at C-Boy’s Heart & Soul with openers Madison Baker at 10PM and Skylar Rose Wilson at 11PM. So if you woke up tired and hazy this morning and but don’t want to get drunk off the strength of your own will for Thirsty Thursday, the melodica cocktail that is “Lifted” will definitely help you grapple with your own motivation.

Jane Leo: “Wow”

A lot of rising acts have made their way into the Austin pop culture lexicon since the pandemic started wrapping up. But one of the most memorable new names actually comes from two familiar favorites joining forces. We’re talking about our March 2023 Artist of the Month Jane Jane Leo, formed by Jane Ellen Bryant and Daniel Leopold using the Sofi Tukker approach to their band handle.

This power pair popped up in the summer of 2021 with their single “Tell Me (I’m on your Mind)”, making a compelling first impression with what’s still their most-spun track to date. After coming out of the gate big and bold, these art rock wonder twins compiled their introductory batch of originals into an eponymous debut full-length this past February. Since then we’ve basically been begging for more from this power duo, and boy did they deliver last week.

On Friday Jane Leo issued us to the kickass opening chapter for their next album with “Wow”. Packing wonky, high-octane energy into two-and-a-half minutes, “Wow” could easily become a companion piece to the chart-topping tunes of Post Malone and Tiesto bearing the same title and near-identical durations. Tomorrow Jane Leo jumps onto their inaugural national tour alongside Cannons, one that”ll swing by Austin on September 20th at Stubb’s and October 6th at ACL Fest. But today the big news is the amazing music video for “Wow” that flew in this morning.

In it Bryant and Leopold heed the call of a conspicuous red hotline, snap on the spandex, and transform into unconventional-yet-competent caped crusaders that give the Justice League a run for their initials. So behold JL’s superhuman abilities of pedestrian protection, fire extinguishing, and…vacuuming? It’s a vibrant divergence from their typical high contrast black-and-white “neon noir” visual brand that’s as playful as it is punchy. On top of that, every shot in this convivial sprint is so much of a treat that you can easily find a friend or five that’ll love it. Who knows? You might just end up recruiting your own set of aural Avengers that uses “Wow” as their anthem to assemble.

The Lennings: “Secondhand”

For all the singer-songwriters who think they’re hot shit and want everyone to know it, there are just as many who’d prefer to lay low and essentially keep their craft to themselves. Among those who fall in the latter category? Guitarist-vocalist Jason Silverberg.

See, Silverberg launched his solo-endeavor-turned-full-band project The Lennings in the mid-aughts right here in Austin. Heyday highlights include The Lennings’ 2007 debut Big Beige Car, whose ten tracks have collectively racked up hundreds of thousands of streams, and their 2011 standalone cover “You’re the One That I Want”, which earned placement in NBC’s Parenthood soundtrack and nears nine million spins on Spotify alone. And yet we haven’t hardly heard a peep from The Lennings since the winter of 2012, when they dropped their sophomore full-length Inside.

Well it turns out that Silverberg shelved that indie-folk foray at the turn of the 2010s but scrapped the sabbatical when he returned to writing and recording at the start of the pandemic. A decade removed from previously-persistent studio output, this new iteration of The Lennings dodges doggedness in favor of a slow, steady, and cinematic approach. Yep, beginning with “New Year” (appropriately issued on January 1st, 2022), The Lennings is now a sporadic multimedia endeavor, where each sparse single release is served up alongside a visual counterpart. And today The Lennings officially set the pace with the second installment of this contemporary era, “Secondhand“. Lyrically, it chronicles a wallflower grappling with prolonged eye contact, casual conversation, and the very circuitry of time itself. Visually, it’s a largely over-the-shoulder perspective that tails a hooded introvert’s cross-Austin expedition. Sonically, it walks a tightrope of ’90s alt-folk with a beautiful blend of acoustic and electric guitars, balanced out with Silverberg’s soothing, multi-tracked vocal harmonies.

Altogether? “Secondhand” stops time for almost three minutes with a masterfully melancholy depiction of social awkwardness.

Lizzy Lehman: “Technicolor Love”

This past year our airwaves have been kind to Benjamin Violet (better known as Pelvis Wrestley) and S.L. Houser. We only mention that because this upcoming weekend, we’ll get a chance to hear an album with imprints from both, one that comes from Lizzy Lehman. This Austin-based singer/guitarist/synth player first popped up on streaming a whopping decade back, on their 2013 debut eight-track A Place I Know You’ll Love. Lehman’s been a live mainstay ever since, but with the exception of a turn-of-the-pandemic team-up with Jinx McGee and a contribution to Project Traction last May, their studio output’s been relatively sparse. However, in the spirit of collaboration that surged throughout those last two standalone singles, soon Lizzy Lehman returns bolder than ever before with the help of a few friends. This Friday Lizzy Lehman unleashes a collection of eight outspoken queer anthems, featuring instrumental and vocal contributions from the likes of Benjamin Violet and S.L. Houser (the latter of which handles production as well). As such, Technicolor Love makes itself accessible to a full spectrum of orientations with a real rally for resilience, meaning all are welcome to attend the release listening party 7-9:30PM Friday night at BLK Vinyl. Today, Lehman kindly lent us a vibrant first look at Technicolor Love with the LP’s title track and lead single. Even if you identify as a surly boy or a dainty girl, you’ll appreciate the succinct two-minute strive for variety on “Technicolor Love”. Because with a chorus as catchy as this one, inclusion has never sounded better.

Queen Serene: “Isengard”

The “dog days” of summer formally ended last Friday and fall doesn’t officially start until late September…so with consistent triple digit temps determined to become that weekly standard, I can’t be the only Austinite who’s stopped checking the ten-day forecast. But that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize this period typically associated with seasonal transition, which among other things, continues to provide auspicious pivots for singer-guitarist Sarah Ronan.

Ronan’s origins can be traced to Tallahassee a decade back, where she and two of her college chums co-founded an indie garage rock project that evolved into The Naked Tungs. The Naked Tungs found their footing in Austin as a four-piece just before dropping their debut EP Hear It Calls in the summer of 2017 but fizzled out after “Give Me Back My Man” in September 2019. COVID soon saw Ronan quartered away and recording solo in her bedroom, and post-emergence she recruited Naked Tungs’ drummer to supplement these new tunes with percussion and synth. With the subsequent addition of bassist Dale Pohly and guitarist-vocalist Matt Galceran, Sarah Ronan finally ascended the throne as Queen Serene.

Queen Serene shared their inaugural pair of studio singles right around this same time of year back in 2021 and by last fall’s Levitation Fest, the quartet’s shoegaze domain helped them claim a supporting slot for Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. Well now that we’re once again at that seemingly-magic time of year, Her Majesty Serene’s droning, angular monarchy makes another bold appearance.

Sharing its title with the obsidian Tolkein-esque stronghold and complemented by a music video looks like it was shot by Andy Warhol in the heyday of CBGB, “Isengard” goes hard. So ahead of Queen Serene’s single release show 8PM tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas ahead of Holy Wave at 9PM, crank the gain, don the shades, and get to shoegazin’.

SATALiGHTS: “Sirenas”

If you’ve kept a close pulse on the local circuit the past half decade, you’ve probably already got SATALiGHTS on your radar. But even if you haven’t, the title of their 2017 debut Post-Bedroom Rock ought to tip you off to their genre preferences, at least historically. We say that because although this multi-national quartet’s orbited around post-punk, shoegaze, and alt-rock, SATALiGHTS have recently changed course.

See, ahead of their upcoming third full-length Veluga, SATALiGHTS kicks off the scuffed converses of shoegaze and shuffles into some slick electro-cumbia botas on the LP’s lead single, “Sirenas”. An outlandish piece of nautical mysticism and cultura mexicana, this locally-sourced siren song leans on the earnest reverence and playful pageantry of Dia de los Muertos for an eccentric reflection on the inevitability of death.

So before Veluga breaches on November 7th, try and count all the locations you recognize in “Sirenas”‘ music video and keep up with the nameless narco’s almost-aimless gyrations as you follow along (trust us, it’s easy enough). It’s a minimalist visual journey for sure, but it does an amazing job of complementing the hypnotic simplicity of “Sirenas”‘ Latin sonics. All in all, with this new south-of-the-border direction, we sure wouldn’t mind riding shotgun with SATALiGHTS all summer long…to the mercado, the chatarrería…or just a for a quick dip in the kiddie pool.

West 22nd: “Sweet!”

If this intense summer heat is starting to fry your synapses and your mind is in need of a holiday…but you don’t really have time on the calendar or money in the budget for proper R&R, there’s a broad sonic convoy right here in town that’ll take your brain places, for sure. We’re talking about Austin quintet West 22nd. Based on the campus-adjacent coordinates in their handle, you can probably guess where West 22nd got their start. But it’s worth mentioning that the five members have home state backgrounds ranging from Georgia to California, a critical piece of West 22nd’s “cross-country road trip” aesthetic within their indie-folk-rock excursions. For those staying connected with the Live Music Capital from outside the city limits, let West 22nd take you All The Way Home this Friday with their debut EP that shares the title. For the locals, West 22nd commemorates the occasion with a release show 8PM that same evening at Mohawk indoors alongside Daydream Twins, Knox Write, and Sounds by Moonbby. And for everyone, West 22nd simmers and shimmers on All The Way Home‘s latest lead single, “Sweet!”. Simple kick drum and snare rim, easy-strolling bass, and soft-swaying six-string warm this arrangement up before impassioned pipes bring this thing to a peak, but the inter-instrumental energy across this relatively complex song structure is really what escalates “Sweet!” past vapid and saccharine and into satiating and sanguine.

CLUB COMA: “Collage”

If you’re a fan of Boyfrndz, Stiletto Feels, and Ume, chances are you’ll love CLUB COMA. Featuring seasoned veterans from all three, this Austin supergroup-of-sorts builds bops that hop around retro French flourishes, all things rock n roll, and experimental pop. An early recording of that killer combo piqued the interest of Spoon’s Jim Eno, who eventually decided to apply his Midas touch production to CC’s self-titled debut album, and boy is it a beaut.

Released just last weekend, this eponymous eight-track explores a ton of sonic territory, and showcases some incredibly inventive songwriting that’ll lock you in for the not-so-long haul. Safe to say, the seven originals are the star of the show, but we can’t overlook the ingenuity of the clever James Gang interpolation “Collage” that kicks of CLUB COMA‘s final act.

So before you catch CLUB COMA 10:45PM this Thursday at Hotel Vegas alongside openers Megafauna at 10PM and closers The Well at 11:30PM, de-fumigate that weekend brain fog with a hyper-modern jolt of James Gang that may eventually eclipse the ’69 original with its ambitious and auspicious acoustics.

Wednesday Kid: “Like You Are”

Between everybody’s favorite TV goth girl and the beloved mid-workweek benchmark, the word “Wednesday” carries some pretty positive connotations. And even on “new music Friday”, every day of the week is Wednesday in one way or another for Houston-raised, Austin-based singer-guitarist Will Derden. See, this young up-and-comer’s been crafting his own unique style of indie and folk since the start of the pandemic, Derden’s senior year in high school. Now that he’s officially into his early twenties and quarantine conditions have been largely lifted, the world is Derden’s oyster, and he’s been reaping some impressive pearls with his project Wednesday Kid. Clearly comfortable in both a full band and solo setting, it’s pretty interesting to track Derden’s quick progression as a songwriter when scrolling through Wednesday Kid’s Instagram feed. And we already got a sense of that crazy good range on Wednesday Kid’s debut five-song EP from last March, Elephant. But today Wednesday Kid’s returned with something that hits a little harder than Elephant‘s minimalist folk-pop. The pairing of folksy vocals and jangly acoustic guitar is still intact, but now Derden shifts Wednesday Kid’s dynamics into a higher gear with a fresh foray into indie rock, “Like You Are”. We’re picking up strong Van Morrison vibes on this one, albeit with a sunny Central Texas twist that sounds good any day of the year.

Barb: “Someone Like June”

Hearing a fresh artist find their footing is a real joy. And with the recent launch of her mononymous project Barb Austin singer-guitarist Barbara Klavin’s been havin’ us gabbin’ over each new single. Sure, there are some obvious sonic similarities between January’s “Liar” and March’s “Don’t Call”, but spinning last September’s “Small Talk” back-to-back with last month’s posse cut “it’s alright” will tip you off to Barb’s palatial range and impressive progression over a pretty short period of time.

Since Barb’s already put the hook in us, we can’t complain about her coasting away from surf-inspired stuff and settling into more of an indie-alt space. Because in just a few weeks, that space finally gains a name – Vintage Love. This maiden EP arrives September 1st, right after SXSW 2024’s early entry deadline and about two months ahead of its final deadline for submissions, plus a release show at the Mohawk on Saturday the 2nd with Retro Cowgirl and Deer Fellow. We’ve got our fingers crossed that Vintage Love earns Barb the hometown recognition she so earnestly deserves, and our hopes high that the release reaps Klavin a whole new class of fans from far beyond the Austin City Limits.

So as we champion for Barb’s art to reach different places, you can get acquainted with Barb’s rad new sounds on Vintage Love‘s latest – “Someone Like June”. On this one, Barb and her backing two-piece stick with the songwriting formula of slick lead guitar licks, buoyant bass, and dexterous drums but amends it with sharp instrumental stabs and a half-time breakdown that gives “Someone Like June” some powerful variety. All that said? The undeniable star of the show is still Klavin’s distinctive dynamo pipes.

Ex Romantika: “Muevelo Ya”

Although self-sufficient prodigies like Henry Invisible do a damn good job of filling out a fiery funk set entirely on their own, it’s tough for any one-person performance to go toe-to-toe with with a full funk ensemble. And fortunately for us, the “everything’s bigger in Texas” philosophy applies to several stage-sprawling acts right here in Austin – which has become a fruitful haven for latin funk over the past decade and a half.

Like, check out Ex Romantika, who’ve been doing there thing since 2018. This high-energy collective doesn’t need to rely on theatrics to enhance their sound, yet their penchant for colorful attire does complement their vibrant, bilingual sound. Ex Romantika’s sensibilities really exploded on their 2020 debut full-length Latin Funk Konnection, an eleven-song collection of extended horn solo sections, impassioned group vocals, and just a ton of inventiveness.

For their latest single that dropped at the end of July, Ex Romantika issued a reggaeton-esque reproach over the 2019 El Paso mass shooting on “Muevelo Ya”, that in light of its heavy subject matter, is an instant motivator to move your body. And you can do so in person 11PM this Saturday at Swan Dive with openers Serumn (formerly known as Continental Drift) at 10PM and closers Big Wy’s Brass Band at midnight. Until then, fire up “Muevelo Ya” on repeat and shake your groove thang, no knowledge of Español necessary…unless you want the full societal discourse.