jim eno

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.

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.

Torre Blake: “Back To You” (prod. Megz Kelli & Jim Eno)

Way back in March we helped to introduce Project Traction, a mentorship program from engineer extraordinaire Jim Eno designed to level the playing field for women and non-binary creatives in the world of production. Well, Project Traction’s got a new batch of tracks, the first of which is a real groove seducer.

About-town Austinites (and loyal fans of The Breaks worldwide) can vouch for the powerhouse passion bestowed in R&B stunner Torre Blake, while local hip-hop connoisseurs will testify to Megz Kelli (of Magna Carda)’s polymath magnificence. But can you imagine what it’d be like if they put in time together at Public Hi-Fi?

It’s not just the stuff of dreams; today Project Traction proudly unveils the latest Jim Eno co-production. Entitled “Back To You”, this one-of-a-kind collaboration captivates straight from the first drum fill. The ensuing synth-guitar sensuality, reverb’d up vocals, coquettish keys, and guest rap verse could easily make high-collaboration stalwarts like Quincy Jones quiver in joy.

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”.

72 Hours In Newport – Wild Child “Going In”

Episode 4 of “72 Hours in Newport” features Austin-based indie pop band, Wild Child! In this episode our confessor tells us about meeting her long lost half-brother at a party in high school. (Oh, she had no idea he even existed beforehand.) Later, Zac and Kelsey Wilson of Wild Child discuss how boring the ‘end of the world’ is, finding her voice in multiple musical projects, and building community around her.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Subscribe