Love Austin Music Month

Lola Tried: “Degrader”

If Mama tried to steer you right, Lola Tried is here to steer you wrong. So very, very wrong. Known for masterfully blending the emo hooks of teenage Millennial yore with garage and power-pop sensibilities, the group has always been like the adult charcuterie board to pop-punk’s Lunchable.

After nearly a decade under those influences, Lola Tried comes back with “Degrader,” a raw departure from slick hooks and curled-lip lyrics. In fact, the curl has widened into something purely guttural, and the corner of Lauren Burton’s mouth is leaking venom-laced blood. And trust me, she’s not looking for a handkerchief.

This evolution of Lola Tried is as dark in tone as it is clear in direction. They’ve shimmied right over the awkward stage partly due to founding members Burton and Ray Garza bringing Gianni Sarimento and Austin Norman into the fold to fully actualize this new sound. The subject matter of “Degrader” is dark and regrettably relatable. It’s brave and powerful; two things that have always been part of the Lola Tried DNA.

“Degrader” is from Lola Tried’s upcoming EP, out later this year. You can celebrate the song’s release tonight at Chess Club with Stella and the Very Messed and Housewarming.

Valley Flower: “Run Buddy”

Rolling into Austin like a quiet, yet alluring fog from the Midwest and Appalachia is Valley Flower, a groovy bluegrass quintet that brilliantly weaves in those regional influences to offer something a little different to the stalwart, homegrown scene here in Austin. And 2024 was very fertile for Valley Flower. They opened for several national bluegrass/folks acts, held a residency at Sagebrush, played festivals, and had songs featured on some of Spotify and BMI’s most coveted playlists.

“Run Buddy” finds the string band putting a little alt-country veneer on their bluegrass soul, and it suits them well. The self-produced EP shows the band is a true ensemble: every layer is distinct and each instrument has a voice.

“Run Buddy” is from their self-titled EP, out tomorrow. You can see Valley Flower at their EP release show this Friday at Sam’s Town Point.

Yahtzee Brown: “Take It Back”

I know you’re already fantasizing about your first road trip of 2025, so here’s a new add for that tried and true playlist.

Austin’s Yahtzee Brown takes a myriad of inspirations to create his own brand and generation of country-psych, or what I prefer to call Cosmic Country. And while the songs of Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons bring us back, Yahtzee Browns moves the narrative forward in time, writing songs that speak to a generation who thought “born post-9/11” defined them…until the pandemic happened to rock their formative years. Freshman year of college on ZOOM from what should now be your old bedroom? No gracias.

“Take It Back,” gives us a peek into Yahtzee Brown’s inner monologue, perseverating on a relationship that’s run its course. And isn’t that something we all inevitably do when we have nothing but ourselves and the road?

“Take It Back” is from the album You Got This, out now.

Skateland: “Postcards” (Recorded Live in Studio 1A)

As Love Austin Music Months enters the home stretch, let’s visit a recent Studio 1A from an old friend. Skateland played our Free Week Show in 2023, and the next month he was our Artist of the Month ahead of his debut EP New Wave Revivial. In the almost two years since, he’s played SXSW each year, made an impression on the LA music scene, enjoyed attention from national publications, and opened for Foster the People last October for ACL Nights. And all the while, he’s been a PhD candidate here at UT. I know, right?

Skateland returned to Studio 1A earlier this month to perform songs from his sophomore EP Joyce Howell, How Are You? And I’ll say this: he’s really mastered how to bring the bedroom sound to a full crowd. He brings his behavioral psychology expertise to “Postcards,” a reflection on screen-focused bad habits as experienced and empathized by the general human condition.

Joyce Howell, How Are You? is out now.

Kirk Smith: “Julian”

Kirk Smith has been kicking around Austin and our airwaves for some time, and last Friday he released “Julian.” “Julian” opens with a melancholy, bossa nova shuffle, setting the stage for a worried heart. But it’s not love, it’s sadness for someone you watched from afar decades ago. Lamenting the tale of a John Bender or Daniel Desario-type, seemingly addicted to making every wrong decision with the rest of the world only seeing a lost cause, or as Smith deems it, a “Golden Fool.” But the reality is this is a person who has fallen through the cracks and deemed defective before they could drive a car.

The story in the present day brings us up-to-speed with the titular Julian, a barfly regularly being swatted out of establishments and now perpetually on the road, never easy to nail down. It’s a beautiful ballad that pairs well with a chilled glass of Zevondel.

“Julian” is on In Waves, out now.

Parker Woodland: “The Reckoning (Last Sunset Remix)”

We’re halfway through Love Austin Music Month, so let’s check-in. How have you shown your love for Austin music so far? If you’re feeling behind, fear not, here are two opportunities to get your live music fix pronto.

Austin power trio Parker Woodland have never shied away from expressing their discontent with the world, sometimes incorporating church chorus-inspired harmonies to drive home that things like faith and disappointment aren’t mutually exclusive.

But their latest single is a far darker feat than the trio’s archives. The well of patience is gone as are the days of politely appealing through simple humanity. The die is cast, and the reckoning demands answers and change.

you see Parker Woodland twice this week: tonight at their Hotel Vegas residency show at 6PM with trio Brian, and this Saturday night at the 11^th Annual Sonic Guild Ball at the Long Center.

Quentin And The Past Lives: “I Am The Gun”

We’re in the final seven days of Love Austin Music Month and in the home stretch ofATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person, which features this year’s roster fromAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program. Quentin And The Past Lives especially shines among ADP 5’s Class of 2022, thanks in no small part to the canned heat unleashed by The Past Lives’ eponymoustattooed and often half-nude frontman,Quentin Arispe. The group’s got some exciting opportunities coming up, including a SXSW appearance and a Half Time performance for MLR Austin in late May. But before you catch Quentin And The Past Lives in person, trot along to the alt-rock-soul trigger discipline of “I Am The Gun”!

TV Temple: “Wild”

With freezing temperatures in the forecast and the trauma of last year’s statewide blackout all-too-fresh in memory, many Texans just want to fast-forward to sandier summer times. Well, at least in the musical world you can do just that with Austin “beach-alt” duo TV Temple, who’re still in the standalone single phase of their career. As such, the sunny indie-psych-rock that characterizes “beach alt” is largely undefined as of yet, and”Wild”, the second of TV Temple’s two tracks on ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person, definitely lets a little more loose than its predecessors.

Natalie Price: “Butterfly”

At the top ofLove Austin Music Month we re-introduced you toAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program and their new compilation ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person. ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person features a dozen original songs from six Austin artists, including indie-pop/Americana-folk aficionado Natalie Price. This guitarist, vocalist, and kalimba-enthusiast began to seriously forge her songwriting path with 2019’s Through the Fog and has clearly matured even more in the short time since then. That sense of progressive metamorphosis is hopefully a longstanding trend for the burgeoning singer and her blossoming career, so enjoy some new Natalie Price at no cost (while you still can) with “Butterfly”!

Sun June: “Reminded” (Live in Studio 1A)

COVID-19’s omicron variant quickly curbed some of the Live Music Capital’s winter highlights – high profile New Year’s Eve shows, an overflow of talent throughout Free Week, and the long anticipated return of music to KUTX’s beloved Studio 1A. But especially with the recent foggy mornings and freezing temperatures on the horizon, we’re just thankful to share some sultry summer heat from Austin’s Sun June.

Sun June stopped by Studio 1A in early December, right aroundthe same time that the quintet released the deluxe expanded edition of their LP Somewhere. They’re starting off 2022 strong with a multi-month three-leg national tour with support from Daphne Tunes (fronted by featured guitarist Santiago Dietche), a co-headline tour with Katy Kirby, and supporting Shakey Graves, including an appearance on Sunday, February 6th at Empire Control Room alongside Little Mazarn. With uplifting chord structures and earthy arrangements (including Somewhere (Expanded) exclusive “Reminded”) Sun June’s Studio 1A set is absolutely phenomenal.

The Whitmore Sisters: “Superficial World of Love”

At just past the halfway mark forLove Austin Music Month we should recognize that not every Austinite stayed in town for their latest releases. Case in point: Austin’s Bonnie Whitmore, who after a string of successful solo albums, joined her older sibling Eleanor in Los Angeles to realize their folk project The Whitmore Sisters. And after years apart, their shared sororal energy and equal-but-opposite worldly experiences have swirled together beautifully for the pair’s debut LP Ghost Stories. Ghost Stories is out this Friday and The Whitmore Sisters hit the road for a supporting international tour at the end of the month, though they’ve already globe-trotted plenty in the emotional landscape from the sounds of “Superficial World of Love”!

Anastasia Hera & The Heroes: “Like I Am”

Anyone who’s heard Anastasia Hera can tell that she’s a big proponent of Black activism, making her a prime candidate for the spotlight on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This native Austinitecemented her charismatic sense of verbal cadence early on by memorizing King’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech at a young age, andin 2015 Hera founded CAKE, a non-profit that empowers girls and women interested in musical performance. Anastasia Hera & The Heroes shared two new singles as part ofAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program and their 2022 compilation ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person including a luminous piece of R&B-funk perfect forLove Austin Music Month,”Like I Am”.

Nemegata: “Te Vi”

Houston trio Khruangbin’s been getting a lot of kudos for their blend of world music and ’70s-style psychedelia, but Austin three-piece Nemegata and their own timeless sound may very well become their nemesis. Nemegata makes extensive use of Spanish and Muisca in their tracks and effortlessly alternates between neo-traditional rhythmsand effects-drenched psych-prog-rock, as heard on their 2020 debut LPHycha Wy, produced by Beto Martinez. The banddropped their live album Changua Sessions, Vol. 1 last year andjust played at Empire Control Room with Superfónicos, but as Nemegata climbs the ranks of must-see Austin acts, their latest achievement is landing inAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program. Nemegata’s shared two new singles for ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person, so celebrate Love Austin Music Month with the truly eclectic ingenuity of “Te Vi”.

Dena Hope: “Miss U”

Since 2019 Austin’s Dena Hope has been expanding on an eponymous solo synth-pop endeavor, which got its first leg up in 2020 with her debut EP In Transit. And while many synth-poppers out there tend to dabble with retro-’80s formulas, Dena Hope prefers to keep it more contemporary sounding and in line with her alluring vocal melodies. KUTX Presents Dena Hope alongsideHalf Dream and our 2022 Artist of the Month San Gabriel next Sunday at Far Out Lounge and even if you can’t make it out in person, you don’t want to miss out on Hope’s latest driving single, “Miss U”!

TV Temple: “June 3030”

Right around this same time last year, guitarist Ben Root and drummer Emma Berrigan had finally put their “beach-alt” sound as TV Temple on streaming platforms, making their eponymous place of worship easily accessible no matter the static. But instead of just feeding the figurative idiot box, this Austin duo’s chosen quality over quantity with a mere three studio singles to their name as of now. However that limited output’s made TV Temple a prime candidate forAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program and wouldn’t you know it – they’ve now got two new contributions toATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person. TV Temple’s first offering, “June 3030” will instantly transport you out of these chilly January days and right into a summer mindset with sunny strumming, tantalizing harmonies, countermelodies, and augmented alt-rock rhythms that’ll keep you on your toes – even ankle deep in sand

Anastasia Hera & The Heroes: “Illusion”

We’re already one week intoLove Austin Music Month but’ve only scraped the surface of ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person – the new compilation fromAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program. One of the more well-known contributors is native Austinite Anastasia Hera, whose early inspirations of ATCQ, Jay-Z, and MLK Jr. helped shape her verbal abilities and penchant for progressivism. Fast forward to the top of the last decade, when Hera released her mononymous debut Pretty Color Bad News and again to 2015 when she launched her female-empowering non-profit CAKE, showing off her polymath talents as an effortless R&B/Hip-Hop performer and as an organizer, respectively. These days Anastasia Hera’s got the support of her backing band The Heroes, who elevate her already-soaring vocals to an even higher plane and toss a little bit live funk flavor into the mix. Anastasia Hera & The Heroes find themselves in good company onATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person, which releases on vinyl later this year and features two incredible originals from Hera, including the synth-funk-soaked and harmony-heavy “Illusion”!

Deer Fellow: “For My Sake”

Going back to their 2016 debut single “Where I’ll Be”, guitarist-vocalist Matt Salois and violinist-pianist-vocalist Alyssa Kelly have been making listeners feel all warm and fuzzy inside with their project Deer Fellow. True to their name, this Austin duo’s shown a real camaraderie with the calming powers of nature thanks to an indie-folk-pop sound slathered in delicate harmonies, purposeful chord progressions, and sentimental subject matter. With the exception of last year’s Words Unsaid EP, Deer Fellow’s also proven a real mastery over standalone singles. And on a cold day like this in Austin we could all go for some of that warm and fuzziness. Thankfully Deer Fellow’s just issued “For My Sake”, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Erik Wofford and guaranteed to heat and heal you through a chilly weekend.

Pleasure Venom: “Severed Ties”

As the nation marks one year since a high-profile socio-political event,Love Austin Music Month continues with theAustin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program and one of our city’s most politically outspoken punk bands Pleasure Venom. Fronted by fierce vocalist and unapologetic lyricist Audrey Campbell, Pleasure Venom’s been seeping its way into all the sub-genres of punk rock since their 2016 debut EP Hunt, and landed the group a supporting spot on tour with ’90s rock icons Garbage.

Unfortunately Pleasure Venom’s had to pull their free week shows due to COVID-19, but with an abundance of societal fodder at her disposal, Campbell sure as hell hasn’t stopped writing. ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person features two new singles from Pleasure Venom(including the pace-shifting”Severed Ties”) that’ll assure you of their dynamic durability and take-no-guff discourse more than a half decade since their start.

Quentin And The Past Lives: “Friends”

As Love Austin Music Month marches on, we continue our coverage of Austin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program‘s new compilation, ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person, with Quentin And The Past Lives. Quentin’s eponymous quintet may be a relatively recent endeavor but their high-octane brand of funk-infused pop-rock (polished with plenty of harmonies, dynamic virtuoso vocals, and daring arrangements) has already scored the group sold out shows beginning in Spring of last year.

Quentin And The Past Lives performs tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas as part of free week and you can get amicable with this ATX Gen Next collaborator early with the first of their two new studio singles, “Friends”!

Natalie Price: “Tell Me”

Austin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program has just entered their fifth year and in honor of Love Austin Music Month they’re releasing their third record, ATX Gen Next: Adventures in Person – recorded at The Bubble and produced by Chris “Frenchie” Smith and Einar Pedersen. The album officially drops mid-January and the vinyl edition is out this Summer, but we’ll be featuring the compilation in full over the next few weeks, starting today with Natalie Price. Raised in a pious, almost-anti-music Dallas household, this self-taught singer-songwriter’s done a pretty bang up job of fulfilling her indie-folk-Americana dreams, having released her debut EP Through The Fog in 2019. Price’s bare arrangements of kalimba and vocals have always made for a gorgeous blend, but for her two tracks on ATX Gen Next, she’s got a full band to pack an even bigger punch, as heard on “Tell Me”!