Indie

Madison Baker: “WANNABE”

It’s New Music Friday. It’s time to pump some fresh life into your playlists so let’s get straight to it; there’s new stuff from an awesome Austinite and a Howdy Gals-presented release show this weekend to boot. Both of which you might’ve already caught wind of through yesterday’s Austin Music Minute.

Yep, it’s Madison Baker, the sultry songwriter who first cut their teeth with classic country and R&B covers in rural East Texas. For the past half-decade-plus, however, they’ve settled nice and naturally into Austin’s abundant indie-alt-pop atmosphere and earned a respectable following on streaming starting with 2019’s “Champagne Shine”. Outside of the solo front, it’s the beginning of a bold new era for this intimate mood-maker as they launch their “cult country” trio Next of Kin next month with the three-piece’s debut single.

And while Next of Kin ticks the box for Baker’s country background, their newest standalone is a real return to form in terms of their R&B upbringing. Instantly entering the ranks of wonderful “Wannabe”s right up there with Spice Girls, GloRilla, and Megan Thee Stallion, Madison Baker just shared “WANNABE” ahead of a single release show tomorrow night at Antone’s alongside our January 2023 Artist of the Month Skateland and The Past Lives. You’re gonna wanna be there, no doubt. Can’t make it? Well, you can still admire the intricate arrangement on “WANNABE”, one that inspires awe with all-too-relatable relationship turmoil, drum fills that hit you right in the feels, sophisticated chord changes, haunting vocal harmonies, and a ton of other nuances that make “WANNABE” a ripe candidate for repeat listens, well after you’ve already memorized the biting lyrics.

So the next time someone realtively-ill-suited behind the mic brags that they’re a sensational singer, you might wanna politely point to this one and say, “you’re just a Madison Baker wannabe”.

TIGERS EYE: “All We Ever Know”

Earlier this year we helped introduce the world to Austin’s TIGERS EYE and today we’re keeping the marble rolling with their latest. To recap, this Austin four-piece is the passion project of frontman Jeremy Baker, an ex-pat of California’s Cydeways and a recent transplant. TIGERS EYE only made their streaming debut this past March, but in the short time since, have earned their stripes when it comes to stalking the grounds of indie, psych, and surf, all of which capture the silky lustre of their namesake.

If you’re eager to get some Eastside action ahead of the weekend, catch TIGERS EYE 10:45PM tonight at Hotel Vegas alongside Jenny & the Jetts at 10PM, Daymares at 11:30PM, and Killer Kaya a quarter past midnight. The occasion? TE’s third official single as part of the band’s full unreleased eleven-track album, “All We Ever Know”. Between the tune’s anthemic lead guitar riff, verses that slink through the intersection of upbeat and mellow, and choruses so smooth it almost hurts, it’s gonna be tough to break contact with TIGERS EYE’s newest chuff.

And as for the show tonight? Go get ’em, tiger.

Deer Tick: “Sacrosanct”

When it comes to asking about major milestones like birthdays and anniversaries (whether it’s a piece of media, a pet, or a friend’s kid), sometimes the answer leaves you thinking, “it hasn’t been that long…has it?”. Well that’s exactly what went down when we recently realized that in 2024 Deer Tick is officially two decades old.

Yes, just like other early-mid-aught memories that feel like they just happened yesterday, we’re amazed that the passion project of these Providence rockers is nearly of legal drinking age. To clarify, we’re not saying anything like “ew these dudes are old and irrelevant now”. No. Quite the opposite. Instead, we’re pleasantly impressed with the endurance of these indie alt-Americana darlings and their ability to try out fresh formulas and latch onto new listeners while maintaining much of their signature, twang-adjacent sound – particularly if you keep major musical migrations of the past twenty years in perspective.

And there’s ample evidence beyond Deer Tick’s big list of upcoming headliner tour dates. Just look at Contractual Obligations, album number nine that rolled out a little under a month back. Collating the eight absentees from last June’s Emotional Contracts, Contractual Obligations proves that for Deer Tick, even the stuff that initially ended up on the cutting room floor is worth well more releasing to the masses, and not just as shoddy demos. If you haven’t yet heard Contractual Obligations, we won’t hold you to it (at least not in a binding way). But we do insist you spin the EP opener and lead single “Sacrosanct”. Because on top of the high probability it’ll entice you to enjoy the remainder of the record, the sheer quality of “Sacrosanct” makes us reflect on its titular descriptor in a different way; Deer Tick, seemingly determined-as-ever, is simply too vital for the state of modern music to upend anytime soon.

mr.kat: “SAW III”

Pop culture references in lyrics. True, they’re most abundant in hip-hop where wordplay is king. But no matter what genre, and honestly no matter the overall song topic, hearing an interjection of media consumption really grounds things in reality. It’s candid. It’s unpretentious. It’s relatable.

Following that cold open, we find ourselves in good company with mr.kat. What started off as the solo sadgirl endeavor of singer-guitarist Kat De Leon has since evolved into a quartet, and more recently a three-piece. Considering mr.kat’s debut single only dropped back in 2022, the indie garage pop outfit’s decidedly still in their kitten phase. But in 2024 mr.kat has been cooking! Err…making biscuits.

After their debut EP I’ll Make It, I Always Do from January and March’s devilish standalone “Sandbox Love”, this morning mr.kat dragged “SAW III” onto streaming. This mid-fi masterpiece is bookended by some seriously sinister tape crackling and sprawling with audio verité (organic mouth clicks intact), but production techniques aside, “SAW III” is actually one of the sweetest things mr.kat’s ever released (in this case, more like freed from a cell). Because there’s no better way to beat the blues of unrequited love quite like some good old fashioned torture porn, right?

Former Houston police chief speaks out about ouster

Today in Houston, one of the first speeches by the new presumptive Democratic nominee for president, though not formally a campaign speech. Vice President Kamala Harris delivering the keynote to the American Federation of Teachers meeting in Texas’ biggest city.
Also in Houston, a former police chief alleges he was pushed out to bury a department scandal.
With more frequent extreme weather, Texans are worried about keeping the lights on: Californians? Not so much. What we might learn from their experience.
And you’ve heard “Hooray for Hollywood,” but what about Waco? Lights, camera and all the action on today’s Texas Standard.

Big Bill: “Emotions”

If you’ve kept posted on Austin quartet Big Bill, you know they’re in somewhat of a post-pivot position. Yeah, after years of establishing their space in the oddball-deadpan-art-punk sector, Big Bill pulled off a risky switch to more of a ’90s-style indie rock sound with their Summer 2022 full-length Public Freakout Compilation. And while we’d never go so far as to call our bbs in B.B. “inoffensive”, the exploration of indie does add a sense of mass accessibility to Big Bill’s idiosyncratic, off-kilter aural antics and intoxicating melodies.

So given their ongoing path in that same direction, we’re already drooling over Big Bill’s upcoming third LP Strawberry Seed. See, in carving out a more “mature” niche in indie rock, Strawberry Seed actually seeks to emulate the childhood nostalgia of a kindergarten art project – less the acceptance of anxiety in adulthood and more the abstract incipience of early, blissfully unaware expression. In that pursuit of fuzzy warmth, Big Bill’s included backup singers, acoustic guitar, synthesizers, and piano to their traditionally straightforward punk arrangements.

We won’t be able to harvest the fruits of Strawberry Seed until it hits streaming June 14th, the same day Big Bill plays a free in-store performance 5PM at Waterloo Records. But if you want to get an early taste, Big Bill’s set to share some samples 9PM tonight at The Mohawk as part of a big bill that also includes Tied Up and Gustaf. And if you want to blow your mind with how much Big Bill’s sound has evolved, fire up “Emotions” – which is decidedly less like Suicide and more akin to The Black Keys trying to out-weird The Minutemen. It’ll leave you feeling a way for sure.

Melotheory: “Breathe”

When you have roommates, at least good ones you get along with, group activities naturally arise around the house. For most folks, it’s watching TV, recreational smoking and drinking, or maybe the occasional board game. For musicians, however, having a practice space within eyeshot of your bedroom door is too good of a scenario to pass up.

At least that’s the situation that producers Patrick Insull and Austin Pedersen find themselves in; they’ve spent the past three years patiently penning in their apartment on behalf of their Austin quintet Melotheory. And who has a better insight into both blooming and wilting romances then your roommate? Maybe that’s why the sad boi aesthetic shines so bright on their debut batch of indie-rock love songs, which are genre dalliances themselves, albeit with disco rhythms.

This morning, ahead of a FREE release show 7:30PM tonight at the Cactus Cafe, Melotheory rolled out their eponymous debut full-length. At thirty-six minutes and ten tracks melotheory is a journey best enjoyed front-to-back, no doubt. That said, we also get why Melotheory chose “Breathe” as the LP’s lead single. There’s a serious Thomas Mars quality to the vocals , which quickly draws comparisons to everyone’s favorite Versailles indie rock revolutionaries. But where Phoenix flourishes with pop radio-ready, heavily gated, conservatively contained choices, “Breathe” maximizes their mix with stereo-sprawling selections over crests and valleys of dynamic shifts. Well…we’ve said enough. Time to exhale out of the work week and let “Breathe” do its thing.

The Lonesome Heroes: “Placebo Sun”

It’s nifty how different sorts of sporty recreation mingle with specific subgenres of music; think surf, skate punk, or yacht rock. But since you can also just longboard down the access road, sippin’ Ocean Spray to some classic Fleetwood Mac without a care in the world, the rules clearly aren’t hard and fast. What’s most important is the meditation in motion, a flow state inspired by the movement of the music itself.

So even though roller skating may be most closely associated to disco (at least historically speaking), there’s an Austin outfit putting those trucks on a whole new set of wheels. That’s The Lonesome Heroes, who’ve endured the rinks of the local live scene (and far beyond) for nearly twenty years now, weaving between the best parts of indie, country, and Americana. Most recently, this veteran quintet scored another milestone with their sixth LP Seasons Change, which has already racked up some impressive streaming numbers in the short time since its November release.

And in line with frontman Rich Russell’s decision to open up the record’s writing process to a few Austin friends, these hometown heroes are lookin’ a little less lonesome in the album opener “Placebo Sun”‘s new music video…as a matter of fact they rounded up a whole roller posse to kick off their boots and strap on some skates! To fully soak up the authentic cosmic Americana radiance of “Placebo Sun”, you’ll have to keep The Lonesome Heroes company 10PM tonight at Hotel Vegas ahead of Alien Eyelid at 10:45, Shinglers at 11:30, and Automatic Weekend half past midnight, no paddling, skiing or interstellar travel required…maybe just a show-stealing, shot-bombing pooch.

Voxtrot: “New World Romance”

Great Howl: “Violent Wind”

After an especially excruciating summer, the sound of strong winds this past week proved a symphony to our ears. Whether or not that cold front ushers in a full winter season, we’ve been blessed with a chilly aesthetic that’ll keep our spirits warm for months. Which brings us to a fresh Austin octet.

Founded and fronted by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Matt Mossman, Great Howl captures the best of indie, folk, chamber pop, and rock into a specific kind of soft intensity, almost like if Arcade Fire started crashing with Neutral Milk Hotel and decided not to check out. Less of a caterwaul and more of a mighty bay, we’ve already heard the first instance of Great Howl’s clever dynamics on their first studio single “Meet Your Maker”, released back in September. That tune not only introduced us to the eight-piece’s unique style, but also set the stage for their upcoming debut EP of the same name.

Produced by SMiiLE frontman Jake Miles, Meet Your Maker hits streaming December 15th, with a release show the previous evening at Swan Dive with Sammy G and Dog Island. But if you want to enjoy the weather as it stands right now, your best bet is to catch Great Howl 8PM this Sunday at Coral Snake, alongside Sad Pajamas, Gummy Fang, and Divine Calypso. Either way, Meet Your Maker‘s gale of a sophomore single (which just blew in this morning) “Violent Wind” will blow out any pre-existing earworms with four minutes of carefully subdued orchestral vigor that escalates from a slight breeze of trebly riffs into tempestuous hooks and a real storm of an instrumental outro before settling down with a lulling piano chord. Don’t batten down the hatches; just turn up your headphones and set “Violent Wind” to “repeat”.

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”.

Light Wheel: “Sudden Changes”

Last March we tipped you off about Austin’s Light Wheel, right around the release of their sophomore LP See Through. The Shining-level chemistry between producer Evan Dunivan and vocalist Tyagaraja Welch is still going strong, and still, according to them, best enjoyed live. Rounded out with a two-man rhythm section, Light Wheel continues to put a pretty bright spin on the indie rock genre, covering a wide spectrum from R&B and pop all the way to psych and prog.

Today Light Wheel rolled out their first single of the year, which despite the exigence of its title, is a charming four-minute slow burn. Like a rocky canoe through uncertain waters, “Sudden Changes” softly paddles with acoustic oars and sparse percussion strokes, all steered by by Tyagraja’s serene siren singing. So as us weekday workers transition back into Monday, soak up “Sudden Changes”‘s sonics and save ’em for when you need to ease into the next big shift in your life.

Skateland: “Wreck”

We’re still only in the first handful of days for 2023, and in the Live Music Capital of the World…you know what that means. It’s Free Week! And if you haven’t heard yet, KUTX has a locally-curated showcase coming up in a couple days. It’ll kick off 8PM this Friday at Cheer Up Charlie’s with a bill that includes Como Las Movies, Redbud, 10pmtoclose and Skateland. Born Dorian Williams II, this multi-instrumentalist/singer/producer came to Austin from Las Vegas in pursuit of a degree at UT. But as with many other young creatives, Austin’s artistic aura helped sway Williams to also cement a musical project of his own, Skateland. Skateland’s trucks balance between moody alt-pop and tranquil indie-shoegaze, like if St. Vincent and Weyes Blood were grinding rails and transferring pipes alongside Beach House and Alvvays in the same park. Sure, Skateland’s only got a couple studio singles out as of now, but both of ’em are sensationally mellow cross-genre bops. As such, Skateland put his formula right there in the title of his upcoming debut EP: New Wave Revival. We’re looking forward to more lyrical gloom, retro instrumentation, and proven pop production methods when New Wave Revival drops on February 16th, and during Skateland’s set 9:40PM on Friday. Just don’t let his latest Weeknd-esque earworm (and music video) “Wreck” wipe out your productivity this Wednesday.

Friend in Law: “Hold Out”

Way before Elon Musk or Joe Rogan moved here, I remember seeing a ton of bumper stickers and T-shirts with slogans like these: “Don’t L.A. my A.T.X.”, “Don’t Dallas My Austin”, and yes, even “Don’t Put Your Big ‘D’ in My Little ‘A’”. Now, I can’t recall the last time I saw one of those in person, and as a native Austinite, I’m cool with that! Because y’all, we simply wouldn’t have the melting pot that is The Live Music Capital without new locals sharing their art.

And although the thought of another in-law just days after Thanksgiving might make your heart skip a beat, I can assure you that there’ll always be a seat at Austin’s table for Ben Murray and his solo affair Friend In Law. See, Murray’s move down here nearly eight years ago was a critical first step in rekindling his teenage love of penning and performing guitar-driven tunes. Once COVID hit, Murray doubled down on his once-juvenile dreams of becoming a self-produced musician, an auteur in the vein of Kevin Parker or Mac DeMarco.

Rooted in Murray’s ongoing DAW immersion, Friend In Law’s sonics follow a family tree of ’60s/’70s classics with contemporary limbs like pop punk knotted along the way. As of now, Friend In Law’s studio output is still fledgling. But when you hear how calculated each tone, note, and inflection is, you sure as heck won’t want to rush Murray’s progressing greatness. These things take time! And as heard on Friend In Law’s latest single, time can define people and places. As such, “Hold Out” is a triumph of triplet rhythms, a sanguine psych-shoegaze soundscape, and above all, an arresting piece of nostalgia.

Big Bill: “Humanoids”

Longtime fans of Austin four-piece Big Bill no doubt still feel the effects of their unexpectedly refreshing hard left turn earlier this year. For those out of the loop, midway through 2022 Big Bill released Public Freakout Compilation, chronicling the group’s shift from their once-signature ’80s-esque angular post-punk into lackadaisical ’90s-style indie rock. But the band’s collective larger-than-life, uncouth, and off-kilter personality still shines through the arrangements, lyrics, and now…visuals.

Like a star-crossed bastard child of Charles Schultz and Charles Bukowski, today Big Bill released the music video for PFC‘s third act-opener, “Humanoids”. Animated and illustrated by Pelvis Wrestley visionary Benjamin Violet, you’d have to be a real blockhead to not love the bleakness of this heartfelt Peanuts homage. Bonus points for an end-of-year reminder of how damn good this record is front to back.

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”.

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“!

Polock: “Amargo”

Beginning with their 2010 debut LP Getting Down from the Trees, Valencia quintet Polock (pronounced like the pop art painter) has historically penned all their songs in English, referred to by the group as the “language of rock”. That tradition was only broken last year with Polock’s bilingual full-length Romance, which also marked a further refinement of their unapologetic indie-pop-rock arrangements and irreverent lyrical themes.

It’s been a whole year since Polock’s last single – the Phoenix-evoking, Spanish-language “Mar Dorado” that ended up being the opening track on Romance. But now at the tail end of 2021, despite its bitter title, Polock’s got another super sweet one fresh off the presses – “Amargo” – that keeps in tune with their Phoenix-adjacent aesthetic but punches it up with trap-style 808 drums and bass.

Anand Wilder: “I Don’t Want Our Love to Become Routine”

Some of you may still be distraught over the 2019 disbanding of Yeasayer post-Erotic Reruns, but former core member Anand Wilder has come with a bit of good news. Wilder’s recently announced his upcoming solo debut I Don’t Know My Words for release early next year, in which Wilder reignited the self-imposed creative challenges of his childhood by performing and recording each and every featured instrument.

The announcement comes along two new tunes and a music video, both of which recall some elements of Yeasayer’s songwriting formulas, albeit in a slower, more retro-acoustic manner. This carefully crafted pair presents a ton of potential for Wilder’s solo endeavor, as he clearly knows what he’s doing on I Don’t Know My Words, especially with the psych-folk finishes on “I Don’t Want Our Love to Become Routine”!

Benjamin Lazar Davis: “Medicine”

New York’s Benjamin Lazar Davis already showed off his multi-instrumental indie pop chops on his 2018 debut Nothing Matters but in the three short years since then he’s leveled up even further. A proven mastermind of sonic choices and vivid, varied arrangements, Benjamin Lazar Davis released his eponymous sophomore full-length today, blurring the lines between the delicacy of Sufjan Stevens and the psychedelic boundlessness of Flaming Lips. Benjamin Lazar Davis is a carefully crafted ten-track testament to Davis’ inert songwriting intuition and faith in the collaborative process, with an extensive dynamic range that creates a one-of-a-kind listener experience. This LP is guaranteed to expose you to some of the most unique sounds of 2021, heard most compactly in “Medicine”.