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Zakoor: “Chloe”

SXSW starts tomorrow and with how much is happening in person, it’s more-or-less back to its pre-pandemic state. That’s a huge contrast to 2020, when SXSW’s cancellation presaged the past two years of quarantine guidelines, in-person precautions, and varying techniques of social distancing. That same March singer-songwriter John Zakoor took the immediate impacts of COVID as a cue to split from New York City and seek refuge with family here in Austin.

Within months Zakoor began collaborating remotely with drummer Bryan O’Flynn on new music and by the end of 2020, Zakoor had released two EPs, One and Take Off Your Jacket. If you thought adjusting to work meetings over Zoom was a hassle, try writing an album over email and text. On their upcoming full-length Life Cycle, Zakoor once again examines life in a global pandemic while injecting elements of ’90s grunge and ’80s pop. It’s a little less bleak than Take Off Your Jacket or One, and embodies a bit more mature optimism over these ten new tracks. Life Cycle drops on May 6th and you can walk Zakoor’s tonal tightrope early with their meditation on memory, longing, and being on the brink of loss – “Chloe”.

Light Wheel: “Found”

The bond between singer Tyagaraja Welch and producer Evan Dunivan has only seemed to get stronger and stronger, having started off as strictly friends before becoming songwriting partners almost a decade back. With the addition of bassist Michael Sanders and drummer Ethan Yeager in more recent years, that Welch-Dunivan core has expanded into the boundary-challenging rock quartet, Light Wheel. Light Wheel’s first foray came in 2019 with the release of their debut full-length See Through, though the group’s maintained transparency that they’re best enjoyed live. While we wait for the next batch of Light Wheel gigs to safely roll out, the quartet’s been quietly refining their indie rock sound. They’ll be further exploring the spectrum of psychedelia and prog on their sophomore album that recalls the same lush warmth of See Through. Today the first single from that sophomore record, “Found”, has finally seen its way to the surface; its haunting vocals, eerie acoustics, and intricate rhythms will hypnotize you with their heart and dynamics even after several re-listens.

What Mayor Adler has to say about the Live Music Fund

Hear what Austin Mayor Steve Adler has to say about the history of the Live Music Fund, why he raised concerns about the Live Music Fund Event Program, and what he thinks should guide the conversation moving forward.

Rad Gnar: “Buddha”

When you name your band after two monosyllabic slang words, you know it’s gonna be good. Case in point: Rad Gnar, whose members overlap with those of Basketball Shorts, Big Bill, and Breaklights with more than a decade of live show experience. Rad Gnar reels in the space between indie and punk and keeps their brand of rock as high octane as possible with every given opportunity. Rad Gnar’s style of music is best enjoyed in a live setting, where electricity reciprocates onstage and into the crowd. Fortunately for us, Rad Gnar’s got a couple of non-South By South West gigs over the coming days. You won’t need a badge or wristband to see them this Sunday at Volstead Lounge nor next Thursday at Hole in the Wall, where they’ll be tearing into their new EP Dead Strings. At three tracks totaling just over ten minutes, Dead Strings is a well-packaged quick listen, perfect for your lunch break, commute, or just whenever you need to spaz out to some lively rock. So find your own personal favorite from this concise collection, but Song of the Day recommends the shortest, sweetest, and arguably most salivating song, “Buddha”!

Nnedi Nebula Agbaroji: “How High” (prod. Emilie Basez)

You may have already read into Project Traction earlier today, but if you haven’t, here’s the gist. Producer-Engineer Jim Eno of Spoon and Public Hi-Fi Studios is tapping into his resources at hand to diminish the frustrating imbalance between men and women behind the board. The stats are pretty telling – women only represent under 10% of engineers and producers in the music industry – but Eno’s initiative puts his diverse rolodex to good use.

On Project Traction, Eno pairs one Austin producer-engineer with another rising Austin songwriter, for a total of eight female/non-binary-led collaborations. You’ll hear familiar Austin icons like Gina Chavez, Mariclaire Glaeser, and Sara Houser translate their prior studio experiences into these recordings. With its launch so close to International Women’s Day, Project Traction has a big potential to level out gender disparity in the studio and make the most of these infectious new tracks. First out of the gate for Project Traction – Ley Line guitarist-vocalist Emilie Basez teaming up with Nnedi Nebula Agbaroji (of Trouble in the Streets) for their retro-style synth-pop single, “How High”.

The Ghost Wolves: “End Of It All”

Elden Ring‘s been out for a week, so you may think already have a certain type of spectral canines on your mind. The Ghost Wolves, however, aren’t playing any games. This Austin two-piece has more than a decade of experience under their fur, having toured across the globe and landed their original music on programs featured by Netflix, HBO, and MTV. Together, guitarist-keyboardist-vocalist Carley Wolf and drummer-singer Jonny Wolf have played more than a thousand shows in every venue imaginable, even in spooky spaces dungeons and caverns typically fit for a traditional spectral haunt. On Tuesday The Ghost Wolves shared two new singles off their upcoming third full-length Never Die, out June 3rd. It’s definitely a departure from their previous stuff defined by guitar distortion and subdued percussion. But this dark, heavy material still conjures the same gritty, blues-adjacent noise-rock spirit that makes The Ghost Wolves so great. You can hear some of the new tracks live at a free, all-ages show 9PM this Saturday at ABGB along with Veronica Peach and you can get into Never Die early with the eery, organ-driven bounce of “End Of It All”.

Bruce Hughes: “What’s Inside Your Head”

For the vast majority of players, you genuinely can’t know how talented they are until you see them perform live. However that’s not the case with Bruce Hughes, who’s been a musical man about town for four decades. Hughes co-founded several Austin groups (including The Resentments – who play 7:30pm each Sunday at Saxon Pub – The Scabs, Ugly Americans, and Poi Dog Pondering), earned the distinction of Austin Music Awards’ “Bass Player of the Year” in both 2008 and 2015, and became the Musical Director for the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013. He’s also no stranger to the road life, having toured alongside Bob Schneider, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Fastball, Sly Curtis, and Jason Mraz.

So with a rap sheet that impressive, you can imagine how good Hughes’ solo stuff is. It’s been four years since he dropped his fifth solo album Christmas Street, but shook off any assumptions of having gone stale with the genre-spanning full-length Late Night Polaroids. True to its name, Late Night Polaroids is packed with sentimentality and nostalgia, not to mention some straight up sexiness. Case in point, one of Late Night Polaroids‘ most seductive snapshots, “What’s Inside Your Head”!

Frozen Orange: “Stream Of”

As we finally (fingers crossed) bid farewell to winter and invite some sunny spring weather into the Lone Star State, a bit of Frozen Orange sounds pretty satisfying right about now. Originally an offshoot of the Austin group Maryann, Matt Hudson and Evan Kaspar recruited AMA’s Blair Robbins and Poly Action’s Zane Frisch to record Frozen Orange’s debut EP travels in November 2018. With the addition of bassist extraordinaire Andrew Stevens, this five-piece isjust ripe enough to reap a new batch of their collective songwriting efforts.Frozen Orange’s sophomore record Sunshine marks a maturation of their indie-alt sound and understated, all-lowercase aesthetic while exploring themes of nostalgia, nature, and personal bonds. You’ll be able to bask in the rays of Sunshine soon, and today you can get a slice of that sonic citrus by dipping your toes into “stream of”.

Nané: “Buona Sera”

Anyone who’s ever had an in-depth discussion about performing and recording the music of others knows that covers can be a contentious conversation – especially when the new version is “too close” to the original. And although it’s hardly a rule of thumb, it seems like the older the originals or less-expected the genre swaps, the bigger the kudos from fellow creatives. Our January 2021 Artist of the Month Nané‘s had a knack for those hard left turns within their own songs, so it’s not a huge shock to hear that same innovation in a cover. This six-piece (who goes on national tour Tuesday after next) perused through legendary crooner Louis Prima’s catalogue and masterfully reimagined of his most iconic tracks”Buona Sera”, peppering in some infectious indie flakes that beg for seconds.

Grandma Mousey: “LOUDER”

With the popularity of acts like Greta Van Fleet, it’s pretty clear that people enjoy classic-style rock in the contemporary realm. But that doesn’t mean modern rockers need to double down on being derivative to get attention. Take for example Austin three-piece Grandma Mousey, who’ve patched a path between ’70s hard rock, ’90s alternative, and current flavors since spring of 2019. On top of their timeless style, Grandma Mousey keeps new fans of all ages from scurrying witheye-popping stage sets and an impressive balance of discipline and charisma. Grandma Mousey drops their EPWith Subtitles tomorrow and plays at the stroke of midnight tonight at Valhalla. Be sure to bring your earplugs because when GM plugs in it’s bound to get “LOUDER”!

Good Looks: “Vision Boards”

With South By South West 2022 just a month away, the “must-see” previews are beginning to pop out. And if you’re the type that prefers to soak up as much Austin music as possible during SX, you’ll want to check out the Keeled Scales official showcase on March 17th at Cheer Up Charlie’s. Among the roster of great talent on the bill that includes Sun June, Katy Kirby, and Lunar Vacation is indie four-piece Good Looks, founded by South Texas singer-guitarist Tyler Jordan after a bold stint of 6th Street busking.

These poltically-minded Replacements-esque rockers enlisted producer Dan Duszynski (who’s worked with KUTX favorites Cross Record, Jess Williamson, and Loma) to help realize Good Looks’ debut album, Bummer Year, out April 8th. Good Looks is currently taking the record on the road for the Midwest leg of a two-part national tour. So if you like arid indie rock atmospheres and a healthy amount of tongue-in-cheek lyrics, make some room in your collection for Bummer Year and its head-bobbin’, “yeah”-inducing sophomore single, “Vision Boards“!

Chief Cleopatra: “Fortuity”

For just over a week now we’ve graced KUTX’s airwaves with our February 2022 Artist of the Month Chief Cleopatra, the Corsicana, Texas-born singer-songwriter who conjures a seductive concoction of rock, psychedelia, and soul. That’s not to say that Cleo’s a complete stranger to KUTX, considering her appearances on The Breaks and genre-bending performance during their 2020 Summer Jam, both following the release of her 2019 debut EP. In the short time since then, Chief Cleopatra’s ascended to a higher plane, now harnessing even more impressive celestial interpretations. You’ll hear those refined spirits on Chief Cleopatra’s upcoming EP Luna, out March 4th, plus appearances from fellow KUTX favorites Curtis Roush and Jack O’Brien (ofBright Light Social Hour) as well as Song Confessional host/multi-instrumentalist/producer Walker Lukens. Hopefully you’ve already made acquaintances with Luna‘s lead single “Friends”, because the album’s sophomore offering “Fortuity” (and its music video, which just premiered over at Flood Magazine) is here!

Darkbird: “3-2-Wake Up”

Los Angeles and New York City are both considered major hubs for musicians to “make it”, and plenty of Austinites have made that move and never looked back. But for Kelly Barnes (who left L.A. after a dissolved marriage) and Brian Cole (who relocated from NYC after a house fire), the Live Music Capital of the World became a nest for their duo Darkbird. Cole and Barnes clicked creatively after finding one another through Craigslist, and together they’ve shared a series of singles since 2015. 2022’s set to be a big year for Darkbird, who just announced their upcoming EP Ballad of a Junebug, out April 1st, along with a release show that same evening at 3Ten. You can expect Darkbird to spread their indie-pop-rock wings more than ever before on Ballad of a Junebug, as made clear with the record’s lead single, inspired by a hypnotherapy session undertaken by Barnes, “3-2-Wake Up”!

Harry & Emmy: “Starseeds”

Bassist-guitarist-vocalist Harrison Anderson was a fairly common sight around town in the mid-2010s, performing with Austin groups SMiiLE and Dreamboat, and has since grown into a confident and charismatic solo act. As for singer-guitarist Emily Whetstone, she’s also enjoyed some stripped-down sets outside of her fronting/chief-songwriting role in Van Mary, whose track “Hug” has been a KUTX rotation favorite since it dropped. Well, after one fateful night of karaoke duets, these two star-crossed collaborators discovered an undeniable chemistry between them, and their eponymous duoHarry & Emmy was born.

Harry & Emmy ditch theBud Light pop-countrycommercialism in favor of some old-fashionedwell-whiskey twang. It’s as if the prime-era voices ofKitty Wells and George Strait stitched themselves together across the decades and harmonized without even trying. Their natural gravitation towards midcentury-style classic country has made for a rowdy residency at Hole in the Wall over the past weeks, but that’s all been a warm-up to Harry & Emmy’sfree indoor show 8PM tonight at Radio Coffee & Beer along with Batty Jr.. So don’t be cruel to Harry & Emmy as they mark the occasion with their first-ever studio single release, “Starseeds”.

Kiko Villamizar: “Poncho”

There’s aninherently international quality to the original tunes ofKiko Villamizar, theMiami-born, Colombia-raised singer, songwriter, and gaita flautist who currently calls Austin his home. You might’ve caught Kiko’s My KUTX session a couple weeks back, seen him do stand-up around town, heard some of his contributions to Money Chicha’s latest record, or gotten wind of his annual WEPA Cumbia Roots Festival. But going back to that thread of “world music”, Villamizar’s soon set to release his third full-length Todo El Mundo – out February 18th. Recorded at his very own WEPA Recording Studios, Todo El Mundo showcases Kiko Villamizar’skiller vocals, vigorous compositions, and transcontinental vista of worldly influences. Villamizar was going to celebrate with a release show tonight at Antone’s, however that’s been postponed until next month. So whatever the weather (butparticularly in the midst of a winter storm), you can still simmer in the steamy crawl of one of Todo El Mundo‘s punchiest offerings, “Poncho”!

Live music doesn’t always pay the bills. So what else can you do?

In this episode, you’ll learn how much money the average Austin musician makes per gig, and why it can be hard to make a living playing live music.

Then you’ll learn all about an alternate revenue stream for musicians — sync licensing. Nathalie Phan, founder of SoundSync Music, will explain the ins and outs of sync licensing from an agent’s perspective and Austin rapper Tee-Double will walk you through the artist’s perspective.

During Nathalie’s segment you’ll hear the song “Black Tea” by Slug, Elijah Fox, Soul Food Horns and Yasper.

During Tee-Double’s segment you’ll hear “Caped Up” from his album Local Transplant.

Nathalie Phan is pictured in her home on Jan. 31, 2022, in South Austin. Michael Minasi/KUT

 

Hip-hop artist Tee-Double is pictured in his home studio on July 15, 2021, in Austin. Michael Minasi/KUTX

 

Guesthouse: “Mood #1: Red-Violet”

Though you may not have known him by name, you’ve almost certainly heard multi-instrumentalist Sterling Steffen play around town, be it with Mother Falcon, Sometimes A Legend, The Watters, Wild Child, or even Father John Misty. But outside of his status as a complete savant in the woodwind world, Steffen’s been preparing to unfurl a back catalogue of exotic beats with his solo electronic project – Guesthouse. Guesthouse’seponym came from his cramped Rosedale living quartersalmost a full decade ago, but only now with the additional engineering elbow room of his home’s garage studio has the project begun to take flight. You can expect lots of analog synth, unconventional-but-satisfying rhythms, some fascinating Foley work, and yes – even the occasional saxophone. So show some hospitality to Guesthouse today for the premiere of his driving debut single “Mood #1: Red-Violet”!

Roxi Copland: “House of the Rising Sun”

Under the Covers weekend is well underway and with only a few days left of Love Austin Music Month we’ve found a perfect intersection among those overlapping circles. Classically trained pianist-vocalist Roxi Copland has shown off her Americana-jazz-pop chops across town since 2012’s Pretty Lies and now – a full decade later – this Austinite’s announced a new five-song EP. I Come From Crazy was recorded at Austin’s King Electric Recording and is set for an April release. If you’re the jet-setting type you may very well catch Copland performing at Austin Bergstrom International Airport before then. But going back Under the Covers, today Copland’s treated us to a fresh take on a traditional folk song. Copland’s version of “House of the Rising Sun” may veer far from The Animals rendition we’re all familiar with but its tightrope walk between revision and familiarity (including lyricsmore faithful to the original) is a great reminder why this Austin artist should never be overlooked.

David Ramirez: “I Believe You”

Austin icon David Ramirez has been a major station staple of ours since KUTX’s humble origins. You’ve no doubt heard the Americana-connoisseur on our airwaves and we’ve had him in Studio 1A more times than we can count but the big news this week is the announcement of a new live EP.

Rules & Regulations not only marks the tenth total collection of songs from Ramirez but also the completion of a new challenge – recording and mixing six tracks to tape live in the studio with zero overdubs – all accomplished at Austin Signal in a mere two days. Hearing Ramirez in this new environment is already a treat and to top it off the special EP Box Set for Rules & Regulations also comes equipped with a coffee roast personalized by the man himself. Rules & Regulations is out February 25th and the album closer “I Believe You” (inspired by the Kavanaugh-Ford hearings) testifies to the top-tier quality of these previously unreleased songs.

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