This is fine.
SXSW is under way, with music pretty much in full swing now. But, we’ve got last interview to drop in your laps from our friends in Good Looks. We’ve covered several of the group’s singles from their forthcoming LP, Bummer Year, but here’s a closer look at the group, with a jam linked with our approval. Check out their SXSW dates after the interview!
Austin’s Good Looks will be releasing their debut album Bummer Year on April 8th, which surprisingly is only a month away. And today, the band shares the record’s title track, bringing out the best in Tyler Jordan’s songwriting. When it opens, I love the space the song takes, like a dark Texas night, with guitar lines sparkling like distant lights against the skyline. But, that leaves so much space in the lyrical delivery, and Jordan blows it out of the water, like old school folk troubadour; his voice sounds lonesome, like you’d expect from the song/album’s title, but it’s a fascinating performance nonetheless. Bummer Year drops via Keeled Scales.
New Austinite Matthew Davidson, aka Twain, has a new track out there, and with it, we can only hope that it signals a new LP on the horizon. There’s something special about Davidson’s songwriting, something that feels naturally cinematic in nature. Through the verses on this song, there’s something both wistful and spritely, setting up the vocal meandering of the chorus, where Matthew clearly flexes his voice for the audience. Honestly, his range is all over this track, stretching to his unexpected notes here, settling into angelic moments there, all letting us rejoice in his craft. This single is out now via Keeled Scales, so let’s hope we get something more real real soon!
Our friends in Good Looks have their debut LP dropping this April via Keeled Scales, and I’m definitely in love with their latest tune, in which singer Tyler Jordan tackles the concept of “structural limitations that make it hard to succeed in the music business.” I love the burn of the guitars on this tune, like kindling at first, sparking then launching this full fledged fire that lights up your speakers as it rocks on. Of course, Tyler’s voice is steadying things, calmly pushing the tune forward; his work near the 3 minute mark is one of my favorite moments in the song, so be sure you stick all the way to the end. Be on the lookout as the band are currently doing a quick run through the Midwest! Grab Bummer Year on April 8th.
We got some great music last week, either in single form, or in album form, so we’re grateful for last week. We collected all the jams from last week and put them on your doorstep in this light little playlist. We start off with the great new Say Eyed Beatniks tune, which incidentally is not called Hysterial Roosters, but rather “Hysterical Rooters.” Plus, our friends in Good Looks announced an LP with our other friends, Keeled Scales, so double win there. And, there’s a few jams from great records from Artsick, Good Good Blood and Jana Horn, so sit back and enjoy the day. P.S…I thought I was clever bookending it with Bay Area hits.
Austin’s Good Looks has been banging about for a few years now, but they’re finally ready to drop their debut LP, Bummer Year. On this first single you get Tyler Jordan’s drawl stretching across an expanse of West Texas, vast and open, with little behind it aside from a light light strum and cymbal. Suddenly, the bass and drums drop in and the song begins to soar, with Jordan’s vocals stretching even further in the chorus. Really, it’s all about the chorus throughout, pushing the band into a more traditional rock territory that bridges the band’s home state and the modern musical climate. Expect good things from Good Looks, with Bummer Year out on April 8th via Keeled Scales.
It’s been a few years since RF Shannon last graced us with a full length, and it looks like we’ll have to wait as the band are in the studio putting on finishing touches to the follow up to the excellent Rain on Dust. But, they’ve tossed out this new single to tide us over in the meantime, a brilliant mix between sea shanty and smoky barnstormer. Despite Shane Renfro’s tumbleweed-like voice rolling across the song’s horizon, there are a few moments when the spirit shines through like at the 1:38 mark where you get this slight chill running up your spine. Another striking entry into the band’s catalog, and just enough brilliance to hold us over ’til the new LP is ready. Oh, and hats off to Jordan Moser for the direction on the video, which features some really great visual images spliced with live band footage; the track appears courtesy of Keeled Scales.
Katy Kirby will release Cool Dry Place next week via Keeled Scales, but as we approach that date, there’s another single to share illustrating the range of the record. While “Traffic” gave us a playful pop side of Kirby, and the album’s title track was a little more expansive, this new one feels super intimate and personal. The song is all about Katy’s vocals stretching over a solitary piano line, solemnly addressing an unknown character. A close hear will hear a faint tinkering of what appears to be bells and out of tune strings, just filling out the little dark corners of the track, with every detail given full attention. I loved the tonal push around the 2:30 mark, where it feels like the recording was done in some old wooden cabin with a lone piano and a mic. It’s a beautiful addition to the forthcoming LP, which drops on February 19th.
Let’s face it…this is the year that Sun June goes big. We’ve long backed the band for huge things, and with Run for Cover in their corner (along with friends Keeled Scales too!), the expectations for the Austin quintet are super high! Luckily for you, they’ve got the music to back that up, as you can hear in the band’s final single before Somewhere drops in early February. For starters, this is probably my favorite vocal performance from Laura too; her voice has this graceful majesty that rides the crest of the song as the video courses through these nostalgic videos that resonate with the track’s lyrical content. A little over a month and you can grab the LP on February 5th.
The new Sun June is simply indescribable. I’ve attempted to pigeonhole it, make clever comparisons, express my initial thoughts…but for all that effort, I have no words. It’s like this magnificent quicksand; I’m watching myself sinking into an unknown abyss, yet as this song plays in the background, I’m not unhappy. In fact, this song feels like just letting things be. It has movement, thus the choreography, but at times, its so patient and unobtrusive that it just swirls about your head dizzyingly. Some songs are better left without my detailing; they speak for themselves. Look for Somewhere next February via Run For Cover/Keeled Scales.
