Tag: austin

Pleased to Meet You: Commercial Breaks

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The perks of running this old site for as long as we’ve been at it are that the world, particularly in the Austin scene, comes full circle. For instance, Commercial Breaks, a brand new band with a handful of kick ass demos to share features a couple of brothers, one who I taught…and who I later put out on vinyl when he played drums in Tres Oui. His little brother is part of Austin’s super rad Gus Baldwin and the Sketch, so you can kind of hear a recent history of Austin’s garage tendencies peeking through from behind the curtains, particularly in some of the great guitar wiggles. Obviously, there are some production touches, like the real drums Doran promised, but a song like “The Cloud” has the fuzziness and the pop gifts to whet my whistle! They’re playing their debut show on July 12th with Guiding Light here in Austin at Hotel Vegas! See you there!

Tearjerk Share Wind + Announce New LP

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This brand new Tearjerk track ran on our friend John’s 101X Homegrown show, so if you’re not listening there on Sunday, not sure what you’re doing with your time; the group also played our party with John that we throw as a kickoff to SXSW here in town back in 2024. And the good news is, the band have just announced their forthcoming LP, and in doing so, share this great new jam. There’s a little bit of a Texas country in the songwriting, straddling the country meets indie swagger, but its the vocal change at the first chorus that will have you locked in. It takes this steady stroll through the verse and bursts into higher range, illustrating just how powerful Vanessa Jollay’s voice truly is. Keep an eye out on this one, as the track comes with the announcement of And the Angels Whirr hitting this August.

Living Set Share The City is Right

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Over the last 15+ years of running this here little site, we’ve covered Quin Galavis in a lot of different ways, and been fortunate to do so. He’s one of the rare Austin artists that goes about his business in his own manner, like last year when he released Define Your Time in the form of a book. At the moment, he’s focusing on his new group, Living Set, and their latest single is phenomenal. The tune opens with this beautiful little indie rock riff riding hard, with Quin’s voice working atop; he’s got this little hint of a growl in his delivery that I totally adore. Things start to get really interesting after the 1.20 mark, where the tune embraces a heavy hand and unleashes a wall of noise. But, the group are careful not to entirely pull away from the pop sensibility, with the lightest little backing vocal adding in a textural melody. They go back and forth, back and forth, and every time that punch kicks in on the volume I crank it up a little louder…and I loved the ending fade. Such a great tune, and excited for more to come our way.

Show Preview: Artificial Go @ Chess Club – Tonight (6.9)

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Monday nights can be such a drag, but Chess Club is giving you the perfect opportunity to get out of your house and enjoy a sweet little rock n’ roll show. Cincinnati outfit Artificial Go are blowing into town on the backs of their most excellent Musical Chairs LP (Feel It Records), and they’ve made several lists like the Stereogum Best of 2025…in case that sort of thing matters. Musically, they’ve got a bit of Raincoats, a bit of New Zealand and a bit of Dry Cleaning, but all spun in a truly unique fashion that has this dad willing to leave the house on a Monday night. Bonus points for all the great openers like Wet Dip, Variety, and Guiding Light…all acts we’ve covered on our end. Doors are at 8 PM – $15. See you there!

Premiere: Harmony From Porcelain

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When some folks around here try to claim that the Austin music scene is “dead” or somehow “not like the old days,” I usually just respond that those people simply aren’t paying attention. As an example, locals Porcelain put out this amazing self-titled LP last year that totally rips and should have been seen on even more year ends lists. Making things even more exciting, the band has more new tunes planned this year, including this new track called “Harmony.” It will introduce itself with a pure force of energy, matching gritty vocals with a total alt-rock meets grunge feel. You simply must check it out below.

This song is part of a new single EP which is available for purchase this Friday, July 9th via fellow local label Todo Records.

Levitation 2025 Is Here

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If I’m being honest, Levitation might have outdone themselves this year, and with that, you better get your hands on tickets, as this one might be selling out. I mean, Pavement, Mastodon and TV on the Radio are the headliners…and that’s just getting the bill started. There are acts like Built to Spill and Brian Jonestown Massacre and UMO next on the poster. But, there is some new things rolling out; they’re changing their downtown home and returning a proper festival to Palmer Events Center…right near the grounds of the legendary Fun Fun Fun Fest, so we’ll be interested to see how it all lines up. Check out information and tickets HERE.

 

Whisper Share Cross Country

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The Austin music scene has ebbs and flows, with the most recent band to explode being our pals in Blushing. But, Whisper is a relatively new act to keep your ears upon, offering up a more modern take on the genre. They’ve painted the backdrop of their music with heavy washes of distortion and ambiance, using a lighter lead guitar to jangle and twist in the front, as if it’s operating on its own accord. Colton Eason’s vocals embrace the mellower intersection of where emo-ish sounds have come in, bringing in a hint of a “whisper,” if you will. It’s a rad little number, and one we hope you’ll give a chance as we await fresh hits from the group.

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.

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.

Dress Warm Share Louisiana Purchase

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I have been keeping a steady ear on Austin outfit Dress Warm, as they seem to offer consistently solid indie rock from within the confines of our city limits. Their latest single hits all the right notes, letting the song sort of move in and out, carefully crafting each step. Certain moments bring out the forceful rock side, particularly in the way the tune kicks off, though that blast subsides so the melodies can sneak into your earholes. When they let that guitar note sort of ring out in the front of the mix, then allow space behind it, the song completely lifts, even featuring some spectacular noodling to illustrate the group’s musicianship. Stream this ditty below.

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