This episode is all about our listeners. We asked what they thought we should do to support the Austin Music Scene, and they answered! Plus, you’ll learn about one listener who started a business to employ Austin musicians — the Handyband Collective.
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Small Engine Fire: “Ruin Everything”
Between the 30th anniversary of the Waco siege and the tragedy that just occurred on the border, the word “fire” might understandably turn some Texans off right about now. But for those who continue to rock out through the pain of the world’s ongoing, encircling dumpster fire…this one is for you.
It comes courtesy of sanguine sweetheart Ray Garza, whose effortless guitar and calculated vocals have become a staple of Austin outfits like Lola Tried, Space Tan, and his previous passion project, Poly Action. But just as Poly Action was picking up traction at the turn of the decade, the pandemic put an instant damper on PA’s momentum. Like countless others, the isolation and uncertainty of the subsequent lockdown left Garza feeling stuck in a rut. Historically an unapologetic upbeat pop-punk-rock lover, Garza surprised himself when he shed his typical humor-hinged defenses in favor of slower tempos and more fragile subject matters.
Fortunately for us, those tunes haven’t sizzled out into an ash pile. Instead, Garza’s internally-torching originals have rung the bell on his latest endeavor, Small Engine Fire. With Small Engine Fire (which features alum from Space Tan and Bogbody) Garza finds a safe haven to unspool those anxieties and insecurities with quirkily-human indie rock. And following their first-ever live show shortly after Free Week, Small Engine Fire has recently signaled the drop of a debut album sometime this year.
The quartet just lit the wick on that record with a solemn scorcher of a lead single, “Ruin Everything”, a slow-burning indie rock inferno stoked by infectious embers of instrumental interplay and subtle dynamic shifts. So if you’re planning out your weekend, consider showing some support for Small Engine Fire’s single release show 10PM this Sunday at Hotel Vegas followed by A. Sinclair and Rusty Dusty. If not, just toss on some headphones, throw “Ruin Everything” on repeat, and keep watching the world burn, baby.
Confession & Song: Matthew Logan Vasquez – “Untouchable”
Matthew Logan Vasquez creates a song about a rich boy in west Texas who seems to get away with everything…including homicide. In Part 1, you’ll hear the confession and the song. Tune in for Part 2 to hear an interview with Matthew.
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.
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Andy Aylward: “No Surrender”
Whether its a stubborn molecule of toxic masculinity, a frank reflection on the fragility of life, or just a brash rock ‘n’ roll stereotype, “getting soft with age” is an oft-repeated adage, especially in the world of music. In the decade-long natural maturation of tastes between one’s preteens and post-grad explorations, there can be an almost parodic adrenaline-and-amp-addicted attitude that prefers to “die young” instead of “grow up”. And while claiming a traditional genre like folk is “hard” in contrast to say…punk rock sounds a bit silly, of course it’s all in the ear of the beholder.
For London-born, Washington, D.C.-raised, and Austin-based songwriter Andy Aylward? A steady progression into soft-folk-rock hasn’t curbed any of the observational petulance of his adolescent punk days nor the nihilism of his post-college psychedelic experiences. Now whisked in the relative wisdom of his thirties, Aylward does make a conscious effort to eschew overt pessimism from his originals. But as heard on Andy Aylward’s 2019 solo debut Sometimes Rain, neither interjections of hope nor gallows humor mask the beautifully bleak honesty of his folksy poetry.
Riding off a historically wayward relationship with cheap wine, bygone breakups, and the cross-country moves that eventually brought Aylward to Texas, Remember Me Like Birds On The Wind doesn’t relent an inch away from Andy’s intrinsic earnestness. These eight introspective, sparse arrangements were mixed by Fruit Bats/Kevin Morby producer D. James Goodwin for a minimalist affair that features The Cairo Gang’s Emmett Kelly, Stephen “Sweet Baboo” Black, and Captain Beefheart’s J.T. Thomas. Last Friday, ahead of Remember Me‘s April 25th release date, Aylward unleashed the album’s lead single that syncs up J.T. Thomas with trumpet-for-hire Paul Brandenburg for a jaunty jangler that just doesn’t give up, “No Surrender”.
Evergreen: “Step”
Since our late great radio icon John Aielli passed away, KUTX’s airwaves have largely veered away from classical music. But some of the best things about classical music are its timeless universality, its enduring ability to be adapted, and its ripe potential for renewed relevance post-re-interpolation. That’s also is a big part of what drives Austin multi-instrumentalist/instructor Evergreen, whose traditional cello upbringing and intrinsic understanding of the classical “language” had earned her spots onstage alongside Father John Misty and The Eagles by her mid-twenties.
As with the third stream movement of the 1950s, Evergreen especially seems to enjoy taking a revisionist approach to classic compositions, ditching strict tempo instructions in favor of moment-to-moment nuance, and letting centuries-old leitmotifs bask in new contexts. For her upcoming debut, Delicious Vignettes of Recent American Kind, Evergreen dissembles Antonin Dvořák’s “American String Quartet No. 12” and splits its bits across five infectious neo-classical sketches. That, on top of an ample cast of collaborators, an indie folk original, and a Joni Mitchell cover closing out the album, Delicious Vignettes is pretty much the exact level of classical-inspired eclecticism that Aielli so adored.
Today, before Delicious Vignettes drops on Friday, we took a “Step” closer to the LP with a stripped-down duet between nylon guitarist Chris Melas and percussionist Charles Godfrey. A delightful dance of flamenco rhythms and Latin jazz, “Step” feels like a great way to start Spring.
Geto Gala: “Sumn’ to Say” (Live at Scholz Garten)
After years of supporting Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd individually, it’s beautiful watching them both earn exponential exposure with this hip-hop/R&B phenomenon that is Geto Gala. The latest phase of a fruitful friendship, Brown and Lloyd had already shared a fair amount of stages together pre-pandemic before capitalizing on their bar-trading chemistry with their eponymous February 2021 studio debut. Alongside its delightfully-southern Chopped and Slowed counterpart, The Geto Gala EP probably played a part in Brown and Lloyd separately scoring their first official ACL Fest sets last October, where informal versions of the full Geto Gala band ended up backing each solo performer.
Between then and now, the Geto Gala gang’s apparently upped their game for a whole gauntlet of live gigs, at least based off the applause they garnered last Thursday morning when they transfigured our Scholz SXSW space into the Geto Garten. With a set that’d make Big Pokey proud, and a crowd that was happy to “fifth wheel” alongside the band, Geto Gala sure as hell had “Sumn’ to Say” at SXSW. We’re just hoping our invitation’s still good for the next Gala.
The Bright Light Social Hour: “Not New”
Typically around the tail end of SXSW music week, there’s a lot of local magic. It could be Bill Murray hopping behind a dive bar and serving up whatever he wants, or a relatively undiscovered up-and-comer getting an unexpected big break. But today we’re talking about the Austin representation, something that can get easily eclipsed by all the international faces at SX.
Now, we here at KUTX have gushed again and again over The Bright Light Social Hour, which makes sense since they’ve been with us even before the start of our call letters. So rather than recap what makes ’em so great (like their continuously progressing sound and willingness to team up with fellow Austinites), let’s just jump right into what Bright Light’s got in their limelight.
This morning The Bright Light Social Hour announced their fifth full-length Emergency Leisure. Down to its Slow Rush-reminiscent title, it seems like TBLSH is taking a sweet-yet-sinister Tame Impala daytime disco/indie-psych approach. But true to the Bright Light’s nature, Emergency Leisure isn’t just a full-band vehicle for one singer-songwriter (looking at you, Kevin Parker); instead its a seamlessly collaborative exchange perfected over nearly two decades of playing together that translates in-studio just as well as it does onstage.
For a taste of the ladder, check out The Bright Light Social Hour 8PM this evening at Parlor & Yard, 1AM late tonight at Parish for the Mint Talent Group official showcase, or 5PM Sunday at Rustic Tap. As of now, Rustic Tap looks like Bright Light’s last local gig until after Emergency Leisure comes out August 2nd, when the group hits the road on a three-plus-month tour. And while all that may sound like short notice, you gotta remember who we’re dealing with here; The Bright Light Social Hour always comes in cool and calculated, even when they drop Emergency Leisure‘s lead single like some high-powered blotter paper as they did this morning. Alongside its music video, “Not New” will knock you back with its driving-but-subdued sonics that are almost too cool to party to. Almost.
Buenos Diaz: “The Name of The Game”
Artist multiplicity is a big part of what draws people to Austin, and definitely not just during SXSW. But especially in the midst of SX, it also behooves many to diversify their performances and mix up their on-stage exposure. And for Buenos Diaz singer-guitarist Nick Diaz, that’s “The Name of The Game”.
This week Nick’s rockstar aura glows across several acts and venues; he’s spending much of it as a six-string-for-hire with his NYC friends Lizzie and the Makers, balancing the rest out between solo and full band sets. Lizzie and the Makers play 8:45PM tonight at The Dizzy Rooster, at Blind Pig 10PM tomorrow and 10:15PM on Wednesday, and 10PM this Friday at Saxon Pub. As for Nick, he’s going solo 5PM tomorrow at Mañana and 1:30PM on Wednesday near the Taco Deli at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.
But bringin’ it back to Buenos Diaz, the full band hops on right after Lizzie and the Makers 11PM on Friday at Saxon Pub before a show 6:30PM next Wednesday at Lustre Pearl South and 10:30PM next Sunday at Long Play East. Under Nick’s direction, Buenos Diaz blew us away last August with their LP Cocaine Queen, but when you spin this hard-rocker you can tell right away that it’s best enjoyed live. So catch Nick in any capacity this week if you can, because playing at the biggest international music festival right in your own backyard? That’s “The Name of The Game”.
Who wants to meet up tonight?
What Touring is Like Now
Musicians talk about what it’s like to tour on this side of the pandemic. You’ll hear from Jane Ellen Bryant and Daniel Leopold of Jane Leo, Eimaral Sol, Blakchyl, Matt the Electrician, Ali Holder, Sean Michael Giddings, Scott Collins + Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes of the band Quasi.
Passiflora: “SOMS”
Next week is South By South West, which means it’s been three whole years since SXSW 2020’s abrupt cancellation marked the beginning of our ongoing COVID climate. Of course, we now recognize several silver linings, mainly the sudden abundance of free time to follow through with unrealized creative projects, some of which haven’t been heard until now.
Take for example Austin trio Passiflora. Passiflora’s first root came from a cross-pollination of genre interests between guitarist Rudy Durham, singer Lauren Harris, and drummer Raul Luevano sometime under the veil of the pandemic. What sprouted as an experiment in hybridizing indie, R&B, and jazz has since bloomed into a collective one-of-a-kind passion project. Their style reminds us of turn-of-the-millennium neo-soul innovators like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, albeit with an extra jazzy sense of adventure, manifested as time signature changes, enthralling chord progressions, and killer polyrhythms.
For their appropriately-named debut EP eponymous, Passiflora brought The Point bassist Jack Montesinos into the mix, and dang does he fit right in the pocket. eponymous is out this Friday, Passiflora performs at Continental Club Saturday, March 25th, and today they pass along the album’s final lead single. Acronymized as “SOMS”, “Sun on my Skin” begs to be enjoyed under brighter skies by basking in dreamy keys, breezy drum brushes, and, of course, Harris’ siren singing that heralds the start of spring and’ll subconsciously make you want to put this “f***ing record on repeat”.
Artist Interview: Ley Line – “The Call”
Ley Line – the multilingual folk band from Austin, Texas – creates a song based on a compelling and complex love story. In Part 1, you heard the confession and the song. In this part, Walker talks with Ley Line about the confession and how it inspired their song “The Call”.
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.
Coy O Té: “Never Enough”
As much as I miss seeing Walker Lukens & The Side Arms dominate marquees and show bills across town year-round, it’s been really neat watching Walker evolve from a frontman of many hats to a straight-up behind-the-scenes producer. In doing so, Walker’s been able to lend his idiosyncratic sense of sonics and production techniques to artists who might not necessarily have the ear to take their own tunes to the next level. Case in point: Austin’s Brett Hammann, better known by his stage name Coy O Té.
Like the eponymous critter sniffing out and snatching a nestled egg from the coop, Coy O Té started creeping up once Hammann dug up a set of demos he recorded in Nashville back in 2015. Rather than let them slip away into the aether, Hammann took those tracks straight to Walker Lukens and engineer Adam Mason to help groom Coy O Te’s coat in 2021, a process that’s led to Coy O Te’s debut EP, Chapter One: Randy’s Tavern, out tomorrow.
True to its title, Chapter One: Randy’s Tavern is an awesome first round of Coy O Té’s groovy western originals. And ahead of a trio performance next Tuesday at Hotel Vegas, today Coy O Te’s extended an invitation to join the pack early with Randy’s Tavern‘s final lead single. Following Walker’ Lukens’s signature formula of noncomplex vocal harmonies, reverb across the board, tasteful auxiliary percussion, and striking effects-drenched solo guitar, Hammann channels Division Bell-era David Gilmour as he questions a seemingly-insatiable canine appetite on “Never Enough”.
The Vapor Caves: “Sacrifice”
Happy Women’s History Month! If you weren’t already aware, over the past year Spoon drummer/Public Hi-Fi producer Jim Eno has been helping to write a new chapter in Women’s History through Project Traction. By opening the doors to Public Hi-Fi and offering a seat behind the board, Eno’s given female and non-binary musicians the skills and know-how to advance their careers and improve representation for their marginalized demographic in the production world.
Since finding its footing, this admirable experiment has also provided some unexpected pairings with remarkable results. And from the variety of sounds you can tell Jim’s mainly there to facilitate things rather than steer collaborations in any particular direction, which is awesome in terms of women’s autonomy in this male-dominated realm. But like mud-stuck tires, you simply can’t go full speed ahead to gain any real ground, which is why Project Traction’s singles have trickled out one at a time up until now.
At the end of next month, PT receives its first formal compilation, appropriately titled Project Traction Volume 1. It hits wax on April 25th, and limited vinyl copies will be available at Waterloo Records. Rounding out the first edition is a real retro-inspired dirty-disco/tech-house banger that takes cues from Teddy Pendergrass’ “You Can’t Hide From Yourself”, and was co-produced by The Suffers’ brilliant frontwoman Kam Franklin. Performed by the sensuously eccentric Austin funk-R&B duo The Vapor Caves, “Sacrifice” shoots you straight to the other side of the millennium at the crank of an LFO knob. The style is classic, but the mixing is modern, making “Sacrifice” a must-spin for your favorite funk-house playlist. Huge bonus points for live brass on behalf of The Suffers, minor 2nd chord modulations, clever clavinet, and some seriously commanding vocal phrases.
Trumpeter Swan: “American Dream”
Remember What Made Milwaukee Famous? Along with Spoon, The Octopus Project, and Explosions in the Sky, WMMF helped to hurl Austin’s explosive mid-2000s indie rock scene into the international zeitgeist. But with the exception of a brief 2019 reunion, What Made Milwaukee Famous has remained largely dormant since the release of You Can’t Fall Off the Floor in 2013. Fun fact: that was right around the same time that WMMF co-founder/multi-instrumentalist Drew Patrizi doubled down on another indie rock endeavor – Trumpeter Swan.
Although the then-fledgling project recorded their 2010 debut here in Austin, Trumpeter Swan only released Listen For The Clues after Patrizi’s northward migration up to New York. And after 2013’s The Magnitude of Now, Trumpeter Swan seemed to be flourishing in their nest near the Big Apple, accruing acclaim left and right for their still-limited studio output. Yet in the decade that’s followed The Magnitude of Now, Trumpeter Swan (like WMMF) has been noticeably mute.
Thankfully, Trumpeter Swan didn’t drift too far into the mythos of their eponymous waterfowl, because after repatriating back down to ATX mid-pandemic, Patrizi decided that Trumpeter Swan was still far, far away from their final performance. Last October Trumpeter Swan evened out their discography’s flock formation with their third and most sophisticated, layered, and nuanced full-length to date, Fast We Fall. And now, as we approach SXSW, Trumpeter Swan is once again on the wing with a handful of local live gigs. Trumpeter Swan plays 9PM this Saturday at Hole in the Wall opening for Fun Haunts and Gentlemen Rogues, Friday, March 17th at Vortex for a free SXSW Day Party and Thursday, March 30th opening for Futon Blonde at Chess Club. So even after all these years seems like Patrizi’s living his best life possible, the “American Dream” as it were…which is a pretty fitting title from a band named after America’s heaviest bird, not to mention an instant indie pop-rock earworm.
Dream 2 Dream: “I Have Hope”
There’s a huge leap in time between Jan Hammer’s mid-’80s Miami Vice heyday and Kavinsky’s 2011 Drive soundtrack kickoff, “Nightcall“. Now, you could easily classify both under the”synthwave” umbrella and leave it at that, but after ingesting now-beloved pieces of media like Far Cry: Blood Dragon and Kung Fury, we’ve come to label that retro-futuristic fetishism and nostalgia for pre-internet MIDI/VHS artistic limitations (e.g. modern acts like Kavinsky) as “vaporwave”. Luckily, as the birthplace of Don Johnson’s daughter Dakota, that Vice-descended vapor has kept Austin synth-enthusiasts dewy, which is pretty damn nice.
In particular, four-piece Dream 2 Dream surfs a vaporwave aesthetic across coasts of indie, psych, and alternative; down to how they stylize their name and craft their pseudo-neon artwork, D2D deliberately pushes elements of late Cold War pop culture into their decades-crossed bops and iconography. And like a custom-tuned Testarossa of well-balanced talent, Dream 2 Dream revs off later this month on a West Coast tour.
But before they do, today Dream 2 Dream drops off their first of several singles for 2023, “I Have Hope”. Although it stays under a certain BPM speed limit, “I Have Hope” cruises through the night with massive drums, cinematic chord changes, impassioned vocals, crunchy bass, arpeggiated melodies, and a ton of reverb and delay across the board. Altogether “I Have Hope” maintains the solitary getaway driver mood whether you’re on the way to case a bank or just joyriding with your favorite “partners in crime”.
Confession & Song: Ley Line – “The Call”
Ley Line – the multilingual folk band from Austin, Texas – creates a song based on a compelling and complex love story. In Part 1, you’ll hear the confession and the song. Tune in for Part 2 to hear an interview with Ley Line.
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.
Pendulum Hearts: “Waiting”
Back in summer 2021, Dripping Springs trio Midland centered their sophomore EP The Last Resort with a pretty straightforward declaration: “It Takes Two to Two Step“. Now that may sound pretty redundant in the world of group choreography, but it’s also true in terms of a performers’ ability to inspire spontaneous dance. Without the help of loop pedals, a stripped down drum kit, or other one-man-band mechanics, solo troubadours are rarely capable of keeping a crowd in motion all on their own.
On the other hand, when the interplay of at least two musicians bounces off each other and onto the dance floor, that‘s how you get the energy going. And even after a half decade of gigging together, the core duo behind The Pendulum Hearts has kept the chemistry alive and pumped their passion into plenty of venues. Guitarist Chase Risinger and violinist Tony Perez flip the script on the leader-and-follower structure at the tip of a brim, a dynamic that’s allowed The Pendulum Hearts to pierce ears and move boots over Americana, Honky-Tonk, Western-Swing, and more.
Today, on the heels of their latest single and on the verge of a show at Love Supreme Pizza tomorrow evening, The Pendulum Hearts have released the visual counterpart to their relaxed waltz, “Waiting”. It may be a bit slower than what you’d expect based on how we’ve been describing them, but after watching the music video on your own, we guarantee you’ll want to partner up, grab hip, and live out that intimate moment you’ve been “Waiting” for.
Madison Baker: “U-Shaped Dent”
As we’ve come to expect in the Live Music Capital of the World, this past weekend once again treated us to a bevy of release shows. But among the many, one you might’ve missed came on behalf of Madison Baker, who, alongside our September 2019 Artist of the Month Flora & Fawna, Glasshealer, and Clover the Girl, scorched the Swan Dive stage on Friday night.
The occasion? Madison Baker’s latest single “U-Shaped Dent”, breaking a nearly two-year period of no releases. In contrast to the Beyoncé-esque trap and R&B drum programming that helped define Baker’s 2021 EP Boundary, “U-Shaped Dent” is a real endeavor into alt-pop; it sounds like Imogen Heap and Robyn hive-minded their vocal techniques into a relaxed-tempo Flight Facilities track. And although the single’s promotional photos find Madison rummaging through a junkyard, rest assured “U-Shaped Dent” salvages the crisp, clean production and feathery falsetto we’ve been missing since Boundary.
Madison Baker’s next listed gigs include an appearance at Planet K next Friday, March 10th and BLK Vinyl on Wednesday, March 15th, which ought to help you put a dent into your annual live show quota.
The Selfless Lovers: “So Far Gone”
When the phrase “piano man” comes up, we think of one song and one song only. Which is kind of a bummer, because there are some truly incredible performers who fit the bill here in Austin that frankly put Billy Joel to shame. Among the mightiest on the ivories like Red Young, Dr. Joe, and D-Madness, there’s also the relatively young Nik Parr.
The thing about Nik is that he’s not only mastered double duties on vocals and piano, he also manages to juggle some sax in there too, all without breaking a sweat. Along with his outfit The Selfless Lovers, Nik’s stayed up to par with Austin’s longstanding legacy as a hub for blues rock. But true to their title, The Selfless Lovers go above and beyond by touching on erogenous zones of classic soul, southern, and funk, positioning their style basically wherever listeners want it the most.
And although it may not sound as sexy as all that, The Selfless Lovers latest LP Promised Land stems from Parr’s mid-twenties post-stroke revelations. A spiritual reflection on the American Dream, Promised Land is best enjoyed front to back across twelve tracks in its 48-minute entirety. Parr promises a payoff if you do so, but if the live scene is more your vibe (which is good, since The Selfless Lovers average at about one gig every 2-3 days), you’ll want to take part in a live concert filming tonight at The Continental Club. Henry Invisible warms the crowd at 9:30, Isaac Sloane wraps things up at midnight, and The Selfless Lovers take the stage at 10:30PM. Need a solid commuting track to help you get there? No problem. Like a cut song from the original Miami Vice TV soundtrack, “So Far Gone” soars with yacht-rock keyboard stabs, jazzy chord changes, some nice disco drum upbeats, and oh yeah, an appropriately-’80s-style sax solo square in the middle.
promqueen: “Xí Xọn”
Last summer we treated you to a crispy trap-R&B collabo between Casie Luong and waverly called “blessing”. Rest assured, the second-generation Vietnamese-American songwriter and the Cambodian-born producer are still palling around Austin making great music together. And on that note, today, in the spirit of spring and new beginnings, the two team up to introduce a real smokeshow of a project, promqueen.
With waverly still planted in the producer’s chair, promqueen showcases a previously unrecorded talent of Luong’s: bilingual rapping in Vietnamese and English. It marks a new chapter in the pair’s shared mission to amplify Southeast Asian voices here in the states, allowing promqueen to reign in a Vietnamenglish court of cultural pride. It also reckons with Luong and waverly’s collective challenge of not quite knowing where to land in the Venn diagram of Asian-American identity. As a result promqueen presents an interesting trichotomy; although one of promqueen’s core values is natural authenticity, she sits atop a throne of carefully-concocted predominantly-digital instrumentals and hyper exaggerated character-driven imagery. But like bright lipstick against a pale complexion, that high contrast only makes promqueen’s wig-adorned aura of pizzazz glisten stronger.
This fierce, sexy, and verbally-deft belle of the ball breaks out her debut EP szn one in June, kicking off with a “must-see” event before the five remaining tracks trickle out like fashionably-late and outrageous red Tết envelopes. Fastened by saturated boom bass and tasteful 808s, “Xí Xọn” is an extra sassy first impression of promqueen and a tempting promise of what’s to come. Bonus points for the music video that puts you up close and personal with promqueen’s flamboyant makeup, rapid costume changes, and some twerk-adjacent dance moves that are much easier to learn than whatever the latest Tik-Tok routine is.