ATX Spotlight: Gustave Ochoa

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Per discussions with lots of pals in the music community here in ATX, it’s often easy to get bogged down with the current state of scenes and styles – rock, shoegaze, gimmicks, and what have you. While combing through it all, often it is a welcome change to find an artist who can cut loose from the norm and get back to true songwriting at its core. Really, that’s what Austin has always been about.

If you are yet to know the name, my pal Gustave Ochoa looks to carry on that great legend and mystique of Texas songwriters with his new debut solo EP Highwire. With his lyrics and style, Ochoa is clearly gifting us with a small glimpse into some of the things he holds most dear and closest to his chest. I have always found some of the best and most classic singer/songwriter moments come in those moments of personal vulnerability. You gotta check this one out below or over on Spotify. Stay tuned for heard rumors of more to come.

Jeanines Share What’s Lost Single

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Strange that I made a Jeanines allusion in an earlier post, and here we are with another track from their forthcoming LP…which makes today all the better. This song starts with a solid stomp from the drums, letting the track establish some sturdy footing as it soars into pristine pop perfection. Alicia’s voice is just a sparkle of sunshine, and even as she delivers the monosyllabic “la la la” you can’t help but swoon before the sheer magnificence. It’s brevity is my only complaint, as a song executed this wonderfully should be on repeat for the rest of the day. How Long Cant It Last is out on June 27th via Slumberland Records.

Whitney’s Playland Return with Long Rehearsal

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Upon dropping their debut LP, Whitney’s Playland received a lot of buzz around the softer indie rock scene. They took some time off, regroup, rest the soul and now they’ve returned with a full band effort for their newest EP. If you’ve been following our site, you’ll notice some similarities to the crisp jangling pop of acts like Jeanines (who also have an LP on the way), though Inna Showalter’s vocals have a sunnier disposition in this presentation. It’s brief and charming, bringing in a breezy bop to your midweek listening rotation. This is just another example of the exciting stuff coming this summer from Dandy Boy Records; it’s out on June 20th.

New Single from Seedbed

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While I missed the early single from Seedbed, I’ve long been a JJ Posway supporter, as I’m sure he knows, so this new project is really exciting. There’s still remnants of his last project Scooterbabe hanging out, but perhaps that’s what I hear in the vocals, being familiar with Posway’s voice over the years. What I love is how he’s the master songwriter, but branching out to find friends that fill in the spots perfectly, like the female foil in this song, building in the perfect contrast. For some reason, and maybe it’s because I was talking about them earlier, this tune kind of has a faint American Football blend to it, if they were more romantic and willing to be expansive. Stalemate is going to be a lot of people’s favorite record, dropping June 27th via Tiny Engines.

Retail Drugs Sign to Angel Tapes

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If we were to make a collection of panic-attack induing tape recordings I would imagine we’d find room for this new Retail Drugs track. The New York outfit have signed on with Angel Tapes, a subsidiary of sorts for Fire Talk Records, so you know the vibe can be trusted. This one works you into a frenzy rather quickly, with a synthesized drum loop pushing the pressure before a growling guitar comes hurtling towards the listener. It only seems to anger the beat, as it seemingly ramps up its own rush to the finish line. The vocals are buried deep, adding to the layered grumble of the tune. Excited to see what the future holds here.

Little Mazarn Share Dark Pleasure of Endless Doing

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If you’re willing to step outside of the traditional cycle of indie rock, you’re going to find some of the most charming music lurking, like Austin’s Little Mazarn. In the band’s latest track, it’s almost stripped down to the barest essentials, operating with keys and Lindsey Verrill’s narration; I admit to taking Lindsey’s voice for granted, as her musicianship has always shined, but it’s a sparkling gem here. Influenced by an omnipresence of horses over the year or so during the album’s writing cycle, Verrill was able to tie the gentle treatment of the animal into a metaphor for how we treat ourselves, being sure to take great care without letting our minds “stray off into the wild fields of social media and scroll.” The group will release Mustang Island on June 20th via Dear Life Records.

Don’t Worry Drop Unbelievable

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When you listen to Don’t Worry, you’ll realize that sometimes great songs supersede genres and hype, letting you settle down and just enjoy a really great time. Their latest single has some nods to modern indie, with some UK pop punk attitude thrown in for good measure, but ultimately listening through it just made me feel really fucking good. When that line of “it won’t take long/keep on writing songs” hit, it just made me remember how much human strength and determination can help us overcome obstacles and reach our goals. Grateful for musical moments like those, and songs like this; look for their new record Idealism on July 18th via Specialist Subject Records.

 

Ryli Return with Come and Get Me

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I love Yea-Ming Chen (musically, don’t get weird!), whether she’s covering the Velvet Underground, fronting the Rumours, or the springier side of pop with Ryli; the latter is where we have her popping in today, as the the band have just announced Come and Get Me, featuring this delight below. You can certainly hear all sorts of indiepop nods noodling about in this tune, though the interesting thing is how much springiness the rhythm section gives the track; it creates this almost danceable sound amidst a wall that feels like the noisier version of any number of great girl groups. If you’re not tapping your toes and grinning ear to ear, then we can’t help you any more. Unless, you grab the new LP before it drops on June 27th via Dandy Boy Records.

New Jam from Adrian Quesada (and Hermanos Gutierrez)

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I love how far reaching Adraian Quesada is willing to go as he pushes towards the release of Boleros Psicodelicos II; he has worked with pop stars like Cuco and now pulls in Hermanos Gutierrez on his latest track, illustrating his aim to shine a light on artists and music alike. But, where the early two singles had vocals fill your speakers, this one is purely instrumental, taking a little bit of the soulful Latin style and knitting into the fabric of Spaghetti Western structures. The adaptation is light, with these little notes kind of popping while the guitar operates with its lonesome weeping; there’s even this sort of haunting ambiance floating across if you listen in real closely. Remember, the new LP is out on June 27th via ATO Records.

Altai Shares Like You Need It

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There has to be something magnificent in this day, as I’ve got a slew of moving tunes right off the bat to keep you glued to your listening, and Altai is the perfect way to open it up. In the first moments, you can feel the guitar notes hanging beautifully, matched by these pristine vocals; I would have happily lived in those early moments, but the song had more in store. The minute mark builds in this dreamier guitar, albeit for a moment, building the tension as the song sets up to complete soar and burst at 1:35. When those drums kicked in, my mind was blown and I drifted off perfectly into this realm of pop magic that I might never escape. Keep an eye out, as they have their debut record coming real soon!

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