austin music

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.

Tender Wolf: “Good Day”

The dog days formally end this Friday, but each triple new digit forecast says otherwise. So while we approve of any and all forms of aestivation throughout this enduring inferno, we’re pretty blown away by all the projects that’ve premiered throughout this historic summer. One perfect example from right here in Austin? Tender Wolf. Founded by singer-guitarist J. Summar, cellist Courtney Waldron Daehne (both of Milktoast Millie & the Scabby Knees), Moving Panoramas/Sanco Loop drummer Phil McJunkins, and Schatzi bassist-vocalist Chris Nine, Tender Wolf began their languid bay back in June with their debut single “Piccadilly”. We’re not mussing up the four-piece’s fur when we say that they’re still in a pup stage, but between “Piccadilly” and Tender Wolf’s sophomore follow-up that just dropped last weekend, their brilliantly bleak folk-rock originals are plenty promising enough to make us want to get in good with the pack. So before the quartet takes the stage 8PM next Friday at Captain Quackenbush’s along with Bridey Murphy, let Tender Wolf take a bite out of your summertime blues with “Good Day”. Orchestral-grunge verses rev up to big impact choruses, but the real star of “Good Day” is its instrumental interplay; deft snare brushes and agile acoustic guitar riffs paw around steady cello swells, pizzicato plucks, and a minimalist bass line, creating a cozy foundation for those featherweight vocal harmonies.

Tobias Lund: “Hurts Just A Little”

This past Monday we premiered something from Norwegian producer-arranger-composer Morten Martens, and his project Les Imprimés. Well, not even a full week later, we’ve got another new Scandinavian tune for you. But unlike Martens, this Nordic songwriter lives right here within the Austin City Limits.

We’re referring to Tobias Lund, who moved here from Copenhagen last year. Sure, the migration was primarily in pursuit of a law degree, but once Lund acclimated to “the Live Music Capital of the World” culture, he quickly felt his artistry ascend to an even higher level. Like anyone with good tastes, Tobias Lund draws a lot from Stevie Wonder’s iconic style of jazz-soul, but you’ll instantly recognize the modern influence of pop-R&B innovators like Eloise and Mac Ayres.

Today, Tobias was kind enough to give us an early listen to his debut studio single, “Hurts Just A Little”, and boy are we glad he did. At a hair over three-and-a-half minutes, “Hurts Just A Little” kicks off with erotic key chords and Lund’s passionate pipes before graduating up to a brilliantly simple drum beat, staccato six-string rhythms, backup call-and-response harmonies, clever bass lines, a couple synth stabs for good measure. Once you’re past the lush choruses, falsetto flourishes, cool-as-hell guitar solo and rousing trumpet riffs, you’ll feel lovey dovey for days to come. All in all? It’s an outstanding first entry into Tobias Lund’s discography, and we frankly can NOT wait for more of this Dane’s dashing and jazzy soul-pop dalliances.

A Band Called Ma: “Mountaintop”

The days of flipping through the dictionary to help decide on a new band name are long gone, and not just due to digitization. No, even amidst exponential artist multiplicity, a good chunk of modern music makers have a penchant for near banal minimalism when it comes to titling their projects, even if it makes them nigh-unfindable at first. But of course, for every Q there’s a …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, and just some great sweet spots in between. Like earlier this year, Austinites Dominic Sena and Austin Barker wheeled out their Big Bend-inspired two-piece MA with “CALL”. But they quickly discovered that even with modifiers like “band” “music” and “Austin”, that MA was virtually unsearchable online. Since then they’ve wisely rebranded themselves as A Band Called Ma, and yes, it’s like A Tribe Called Quest, you say the whole thing. Don’t worry though, Barker and Sena still nurture future-nature sounds in the ilk of Alex G, Radiohead, and Brian Eno in their Daytime Moon home studio. And there’s plenty of proof in the pair’s third recording of the year “Mountaintop”, which just dropped this morning; sultry acoustic riffs softly expand against spacious percussion, ethereal electric guitar, and multi-tracked vocals for a real triumph that peaks with poignant spoken word and soaring saxophone before a splendidly steady descent.

Ash and the Endings: “Squelching Sneaks”

Some of the most upbeat, major key arrangements in blues music can still back some of bleakest yarns, ranging all the way from heartache to institutionalized oppression. So even if the traditional scales and chord changes behind with this landmark genre may not appeal to everyone, its anguished lyrical standards will always present a primitive yet therapeutic option for an artist in pain, no matter their main stylistic preferences. Take for example relative newcomers Ash and the Endings and their eponymous frontwoman Ashton Chase, whose compelling contralto crosscuts between Patsy Cline, Dusty Springfield, and Karen Carpenter. This Austin five-piece offers up harmony-heavy alt-rock with cinereous traces of psych and indie, placing them approximately in the same pack as Dr. Dog, The Cranberries, and Paramore. And last June, Ash and the Endings’ debut self-titled EP showed off a ton of range on a seven-song set, illustrating a mastery over slow, fast, loud, and soft. But after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the opportunity to unabashedly share opinions on the poisonous patriarchy that permeates throughout the Lone Star State was too poignant to pass up for Chase. And what better avenue to express that than the blues? You’ll learn more about that inspiration in an upcoming article for Sidecar Junkaroo, but sonically, this follow-up to spring’s “Austin Flower Co.” hears Ashton’s typically tame vocals take on more of a tortured Janis Joplin-esque moan, similar to what we’ve already heard on “Shake Shake” and “Woman (It’s Up To You)”. Between that and its straight-ahead blues rock approach, “Squelching Sneaks” shows how capable this quintet is when it comes to expanding their idiosyncratic formulas to fresh-yet-familiar territories. And since we’d far prefer splashing in puddles over protecting paws from scorching pavement right about now, go ahead and lace up “Squelching Sneaks” and put it on repeat.

Marcus Morales: “Damned If You Do…”

For even some of the most talented, well-established artists, working with a new producer can really shed some divine light on sonics and take things to the next level. And there’s plenty of proof in today’s premiere from Marcus Morales. Both solo and alongside his backing band The Chorizo Grease All-Stars, this singer-guitarist has been developing his distinctive variety of ambient-psych-blues-rock and busting his hump here in Austin for the past decade and a half. Morales made his studio debut with two tunes in the summer of 2017, that, when paired together, really illuminate mastery over the light/heavy dynamic spectrum in Morales’ song structures and carefully orchestrated arrangements. That tasteful contrast really shined on Marcus Morales’ 2019 debut EP Bohemian Groove, albeit with a more-refined, harder-hitting sound. Recently, after flexing immense A Momentary Lapse of Reason vibes on last January’s “Headspace”, Marcus Morales has enlisted the help of producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith at The Bubble to glow up an already-great track. This precedes plans for a whole new string of singles on top of statewide tour stops and local residencies, all of which ought to feature Morales in top form. And today, Frenchie, Morales, and The Chorizo Grease All-Stars blew us away with “Damned If You Do…”, whose hard-blues-rock second-and-third act structure channels Johnny Lang, but whose processed lead guitar tones and sultry intro scream David Gilmour. As a result, this fine-polished psych-blues blend transcends decades and genre tastes for one of Morales’ strongest standalones to date. It’s not really a Catch-22; just go ahead and click “play” on “Damned If You Do…”.

Caravan Strange: “Samra”

SXSW attracts musical acts and fans alike from all over. As a result, curated regional/national showcases usually get a pretty big draw, usually with at least a handful of locals in attendance. Yet beyond that week-long whirlwind of global sounds, us Austinites can easily take our year-round resident international acts for granted. Sure, we’ve got our fair of “world music” groups, but their Central Texas “twist” typically appropriates the most exotic-sounding bits without representing the full cultural context. And sadly, outside of treasures like Flamingo Cantina and Sahara Lounge, these whitewashed pastiches often overshadow their more-authentic counterparts in terms of streaming numbers and live opportunities. Amid the more recent roster of “genuine” Austin world acts? Caravan Strange. This fresh-faced four-piece was co-founded by Cairo-raised guitarist-composer Moe Diab, whose Egyptian upbringing invites all kinds of North African sounds into the quartet’s bilingual, cross-continental formulas. Caravan Strange’s wacky cavalcade began in early 2021 with a real reggae banger that sets itself apart with prominent ethnic percussion and amazing Arabic scale melodies. And after a brief break, this odd convoy continues towards Bazaar Bizarre, the homophonic umbrella that several new tunes have been huddling under since April. Bazaar Bizarre‘s officially at five tracks now, each as nuanced as its predecessor. So start working your way back through Caravan Strange’s wagon train with the latest of two singles that dropped last week. Sporting some sweet Middle-Eastern-inspired MIDI tones, prolific instrumental riffs, and infectious call-and-response vocals, “Samra” also spoils us with some Walter Becker-esque guitar, almost like Steely Dan stepped into Caravan Strange’s oasis for the final thirty seconds.