Clarence James

Clarence James: “Freedom Comes”

Following all the cranberry sauce, stuffing, and more, the post-Thanksgiving digestion period can be plenty liberating. But even with the knowledge that everyone’s still full and high on family time (be it for better or worse), Austin singer-guitarist Clarence James has just come out of the kitchen with a double dish of socially-conscious soul, courtesy of his new two-track EP.

But despite James’ jazz-adjacent vocals and tender guitar work, this pair of self-produced originals is far from just comfort food; they instead recreate experiences of racial profiling and “driving while Black” in the opening track and champion for nourishment through unity in the George Floyd protest-inspired closer “Freedom Comes”.

Riders Against the Storm: “Flowers For The Living” (feat. Clarence James)

Whether you’ve attended those legendary Body Rock ATX dance parties, celebrated the official RAS Day (August 29th), or seen their name pop-up on KUTX’s playlists, chances are you’ve heard of Riders Against the Storm. Since their 2013 eponymous EP, this eclectic hip-hop duo has continued to defy any expectations of the genre by incorporating a variety of worldly sounds, most recently on this year’s feature-stacked full-length Flowers For The Living.

These three-time Studio 1A performers and previous My KUTX hosts take the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Stage 1:30pm this Friday at Austin City Limits Music Festival, so in this proverbial calm before the storm, you can bloom alongside the boom on Flowers For The Living‘s title track!