Song of the Day

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Song of the Day Podcast

The KUTX music team looks high and low for songs and artists that should be on your radar. It's a no-frills showcase for some of the great music that comes through the "live music capital of the world." Join us to discover new music and revisit some old favorites -- one song at a time.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Kolumbo: “Spin the Bottle”

    For a lot of people with contemporary tastes, exotica only equates to easy listening. Understandably so, since in the modern era it may strike first time listeners as muzak, elevator vapidity…jazz sans soul. But when you strip those biases and revisit the movement that began with the likes of Martin Denny and Les Baxter, you can better appreciate the transportive power of exotica. It’s right there in the name: “exotic”. So while coastal folks are flush with the everyday magic of an oceanside breeze, palm trees, and three hundred and sixty days of perfect weather, we’d argue that city slickers get the most value out of exotica. At least it seems like that’s what first got Dallas-raised keyboardist-composer-arranger Frank LoCrasto craving something a bit more Bohemian to break out of the urban mindset, which lead to re-christening himself Kolumbo. Now based out of Brooklyn, Kolumbo introduced us to his tropical twists with his Summer 2022 debut Gung-Ho. It sure wasn’t easy wrangling about a dozen musicians together during the pandemic, but if exotica truly was easy, you’d hear a lot more of it, right? Now, as summer makes way for the fall, LoCrasto proves once again that Kolumbo isn’t just a seasonal excursion. And that’s on behalf of Kolumbo’s sophomore followup Sandy Legs, out this Wednesday. Before we get to spin the LP in full, Kolumbo’s getting the symphonic jazz pop flirtations started with “Spin the Bottle”. Beachside vibes from its first downbeat, “Spin the Bottle” speaks an awful lot for an instrumental. So if you’re dreading this next work week and need a mental vacation wherever’s most convenient for you at the moment, kick off your shoes, close your eyes, imagine digging your toes into some beige grains, and shut everything else out while Kolumbo takes you on a midcentury style tropical tour.

  2. 6 DAYS AGO

    When Saints Go Machine: “Chainsaw”

    There’s probably a big chunk of Texas choosing not to think about the word “saints” after last weekend. But even Cowboys fans can agree that a quality chainsaw is a great way to start carving into the weekend. I mean, chainsaws have been a state pride since 1974, right? So if you’re overdue for some Danish pop, dig into When Saints Go Machine. Throughout all their pop trials, the Copenhagen three-piece has kept from getting cornered in any one sub-style, be it classic club, hip-hop, or post-punk. But a dip into their discography quickly tips you off to one consistency; what these Danes have been doing for a decade and a half now is a strictly digital endeavor. That in mind, this morning WSGM hit the world with somewhat of a surprise: the trio’s introductory experiment in acoustic equipment. Alongside “Trying”, which is a real trip of its own, “Chainsaw” comes off awfully organic compared with all the project’s prior outings. But somewhere between the liminal, strobing solitude of its visuals and the fresh perspective on WSGM’s secret formulas, it almost feels like a sin for Saints to have waited this long to “get real” with it.

    3 min

  3. 19 SEPT

    The Jaws of Brooklyn: “Litebringer”

    We don’t really put stock in the idea of “talent by association”. Sure, we’ve witnessed plenty of attempts to pivot from a successful group into a profitable solo offshoot. But if they didn’t have the spark to start with, they won’t have much to bargain with on their own. And on the ongoing collaborative level, when one player reaches a certain tier of talent, they rarely lower the bar in terms of the artists they surround themselves with, let alone their choice of creative clientele. Now bear with us as we break down a bit of history here. Alabama Shakes hires Ben Tanner as a touring keyboardist. Tanner helps Alabama Shakes secure the 2018 Grammy for “Best American Roots Performance”. Then, just last year, Tanner does it again by snagging “Best Roots Gospel Album” for co-producing, engineering, and mixing Echoes of the South by Blind Boys of Alabama. In between it all, Ben continues to prove himself as not just a prized player, but a prolific producer with a musical Midas touch. So for Ben to bring an out-of-state group of relative-unknowns to his Muscle Shoals studio and bang out their debut? Sure says a lot, doesn’t it? The group in question is The Jaws of Brooklyn, who as you might’ve guess are from…Washington?! Yes, we got our first feel for this Seattle septet from their aptly-titled Summer 2022 full-length The Shoals. And sure, while Tanner did put a proper polish on it, but a firm grasp on the classic garage-soul-rock sound (complete with ’60s-style girl group gusto) was clearly ingrained in J.O.B. from the get-go. Now, following the fickle affair that is swapping out frontwomen, The Jaws of Brooklyn are back at it with Gretchen Lemon in the lead singer slot. And with Alabama Shakes acolytes Shannay Johnson and Karita Law also returning to Tanner’s auspicious Muscle Shoals recording space, The Jaws of Brooklyn have cranked out a dozen-plus new tunes, soon to be split across two EPs. The first one drops next April, (when J.O.B.’s stint at SXSW 2025 will still be fresh in memory), and we got a taste of that latest batch this morning with the record’s lead single, “Litebringer”. By hinging on a hefty mix that’s instantly evocative of golden age Alabama Shakes, (snappy percussion, full house vocal harmonies, gritty garage guitar tones, and all) “Litebringer” has our mouth watering for what’s to come from The Jaws of Brooklyn, no matter what they sink their teeth into next.

    3 min

  4. 18 SEPT

    Gypsy Mitchell: “Drive By”

    We’ve been gabbin’ a lot about the retro soul renaissance lately…so much so that y’all must be getting pretty sick of reading about it. But what comes after soul? That’s right. Funk. And boy oh boy do we gotta have that funk here in Central Texas. So with our scopes still set on the Lone Star State, let’s talk Gypsy Mitchell. This Dallas-born singer-songwriter-guitarist-arranger’s had a jam packed journey over the years; he founded gospel funk outfit The Relatives when he was just seventeen, went on to provide six-string for blues legend Buddy Ace in the ’80s, and has played alongside the likes of Little Milton, Johnny Taylor, and Joe Simon. Safe to say, Mitchell’s got an impressive resumé. These days your best bet to catch Mitchell in person is here in Austin haunting venues like Antone’s and C-Boy’s, but it’s only been within the past year that Gypsy’s shifted gears towards a solo career. Like a fine wine freshly cracked from a well-aged cask, Gypsy Mitchell dropped the introductory “Movin’ (Down the Highway)” last December and teamed up with Houston institution Paul Wall this January for “I’m Still Standing”, all ahead of his debut Love Is…Infinite, out October 25th, with a release show to follow November 15th at Antone’s alongside Egyptian Lover. And the LP’s latest lead single “Drive By” is joined by a music video that shows a whole lotta love for Busty’s Bar & Jukebox, making it a must-view for motorheads who haven’t made that pilgrimage yet. Bold talk box toggles the ignition on this soul-funk-rocker, chock full of psychedelic lights, classic cars, grins, and tabletop performances. And in light of the video’s charmingly low-budget production, the tune itself is a rich testament to Gypsy Mitchell’s status as a class act as it cruises through bluesy grooves, gospel-style group vocals, virtuoso instrumental riffs (thanks in no small part to longtime collaborators Zach Ernst (guitar) and Matthew Strmiska (percussion) of Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears), and commanding vocals. In other words, we sure as hell hope Gypsy doesn’t put things in park anytime soon.

    4 min

  5. 17 SEPT

    Inesse: “On My Way”

    Outside of theater, choir’s typically stereotyped as the vehicle for churning out stars of the next generation. Which makes sense, since it gives you all the essentials to become a singing sensation: allowing harmony to become a natural instinct, blending your voice convincingly alongside others (even in chorus), and most importantly for future potential, maximizing those big solo moments. So we don’t exactly need to digress when introducing y’all to Austin-based vocalist Inesse Chichou, better known by her mononym Inesse (and that’s “E-ness” for uninitiated). Inesse began climbing the creative ladder through choir, and following a pivotal performance at Carnegie Hall under choral legend John Rutter, broke that focus to recenter on her solo prospects. In that realm, Inesse’s full-bodied, effervescent, and inherently feminine style falls somewhere between Jazmine Sullivan and Alicia Keys, all the while differentiating her voice from the rest by leaning on the exotic, traditional, and often dark Arabic elements of her Moroccan upbringing. And after her October 2023 debut, Inesse has been putting the work in for 2024; following up four luscious standalone singles, Inesse dropped her freshman collection It Was Good…While It Lasted just a couple weeks back. Revolving through six cylinders of seductive originals (each produced by a different collaborator), It Was Good…tears down the gate between turn-of-the-millennium megastars and modern era heavyweights for a thoroughly unrestricted R&B-soul experience. Yeah, even though Latin R&B is a Goliath of the industry right now, the acoustic guitar-coated EP ender “On My Way” is a little less Latin American and a lot more south of the Mediterranean. “On My Way” instills a certain sense of sultry urgency, all anchored by GRAHAM.‘s gripping beat that drips with swagger, co-writer Elijah Ford‘s cohesive contributions, and of course, Inesse’s immaculate vocal intervals.

    3 min

  6. 16 SEPT

    Female Gallery: “Simon Says”

    Scrolling through social media, watching ten-second clips of people’s little circus acts in the comfort of their own natural habitats…it can sometimes feel like a human zoo. So while we’ll never fully encourage those vapid grasps at short-term stardom, anything that detracts from the oversaturated landscape of bland masculinity in the entertainment sector’s worth the price of admission, right? On that note, today we’re taking a gander at Female Gallery. The Austin-based four-piece sources their rock-meets-dance (dare we say indie-post-punk?) sound from the likes of Paramore and No Doubt all the way to Pink Floyd. But in terms of Female Gallery’s overall brand, the pairing of Queer identity with Latinx roots almost speaks louder than their literal influences. And after starting off strong with two back-to-back introductory singles in Spring 2022, Female Gallery’s feel-good energy’s set to score the quartet a new force of fangirls with their upcoming debut EP Best Friends Together Forever, dropping just before Halloween ahead of a namesake tour next summer. As if to put a collective foot down proudly declaring their diversity against cis-heteronormativity, Female Gallery pulled the curtain on their latest, “Simon Says”, last Friday. An uptempo, reverb-washed original that effortlessly shifts gears throughout a sophisticated sequence, this four-and-a-half minute affair’s gonna make you forget all about following the leader and instead will get you fueled up to become BFTFs with Female Gallery six weeks from now.

    5 min

  7. 13 SEPT

    Allisen & The Wy’s Guys: “Tell Me (Like A Man)”

    If you’ve seen Big Wy’s Brass Band, then you’re already hip to the spark that is multi-instrumentalist Wyatt Corder. Furthermore, you’re probably familiar with the fact that Wy’s got high standards for the folks he plays with; if he hand picks you as a performer, it’s a real privilege…especially when it comes to pulling off Amy Winehouse covers. This is where singer Allisen Hinojosa comes in. Corder and Hinojosa first met as DJ colleagues at KVRX, shared interests in the vintage blues-soul section, got together in 2021 to jam a few times, and soon found success with their Amy Winehouse tribute Back to Black. Back to Black’s still alive and well, but the pair have also begun channeling their chemistry into an original project, aptly titled Allisen & The Wy’s Guys. The two best bets for which venues you’ll catch Allisen & The Wy’s Guys? C-Boy’s Heart & Soul (where they play 6:30-8:30PM every Thursday this month) and the Continental Club, where they’re staging a two-night takeover. Tonight it’s Back to Black at 11:30PM after openers The Point at 10PM and tomorrow it’s Indoor Creature opening up at 10PM followed by Allisen & The Wy’s Guys at 11:30PM for a single release show. And the single in question is nothing short of awesome. Absolutely embodying the airtight modern flavors of Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse, “Tell Me (Like A Man)” is yet another benchmark of Austin’s overall progression from the “boring blues” of decades past to the slick, seductive soulscape it is today.

    3 min

  8. 12 SEPT

    Rett Smith: “Stop Signs”

    For well-established acts, keeping faithful to the formulas that first made ’em famous is often the key to longevity. We’re talking AC/DC, legacy acts that dare not alienate longtime fans by trying to fix what ain’t broke. But the big difference between AC/DC back then versus now is how frequently they put out new material. Yeah, for up-and-comers cranking out at least one studio album a year, staying in just one lane ain’t exactly a great strategy. Like check out Rett Smith, who flexes the nexus between Austin and Nashville. His post-covid discography alone (of one release per year starting in 2020) speaks to Rett’s relentless work ethic. So with that impressive volume of work already under his belt in such a short time, weighing in on the steady shift towards “shoegaze-icana” isn’t necessarily a threat to Rett’s brand at all. No, we welcome the move for its variety, innovation, and evasion of letting Rett’s style get stale. Sandwiched right in between a free Waterloo Records in-store performance 5PM today and a headliner show 9PM this Saturday at The Mohawk alongside Travesura, tomorrow we receive Rett Smith’s fifth, A Weighted Remorse, in its entirety. And to help give the LP its official green light, “Stop Signs” (and yet another abstract Super 8 music video that evokes the psychedelic side of “Old Austin”) ought to halt any RS haters dead in their tracks. Revving through tremendous dynamic range in just over two minutes, “Stop Signs” is the hard rock equivalent of alternating a souped up muscle car between peeling out and slamming on the brakes while commuting from a love making session to a late night dive bar gig. So just make sure you’re at least attempting to obey traffic laws when blasting Rett’s latest in your car stereo.

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About

The KUTX music team looks high and low for songs and artists that should be on your radar. It's a no-frills showcase for some of the great music that comes through the "live music capital of the world." Join us to discover new music and revisit some old favorites -- one song at a time.

Information

  • Channel
    KUT & KUTX Studios
  • Creator
    KUT & KUTX Studios
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2024
  • Episodes
    306
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 KUT & KUTX Studios | Moody College of Communication
  • Show Website
    Song of the Day

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