Song of the Day

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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.

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Kid_Wy: “See About Me”

Well, well, well…we’ve arrived at the last Song of the Day before our brief winter break. But it’s not just the final feature of 2024; it’s also a poignant conclusion to my regular tenure. Yep, after seven long years and 1,725 of these, it’s time for me to step down from Song of the Day and set my sights on some other things here at KUTX. So although you won’t have to suffer through my ad nauseam alliterations and predictable puns nearly as much moving forward, rest assured that Song of the Day will remain alive and well as a carefully-curated resource for musical discovery. In that spirit, we’re wrapping up this year with just one more premiere. And from a real man about town, no less. Historically Wyatt Corder‘s been known as the frontman of Big Wy’s Brass Band, a horn section member of The Watters and Flyjack, and a trusty trumpet-for-hire heard on recordings from KUTX heavy rotation artists like BLK ODYSSY, Abhi the Nomad, and CAPYAC. But we gotta give Wy special kudos for kicking two more of his eponymous projects up a notch recently. See, back in September Corder helped corral the first single from Allisen & The Wy’s Guys onto streaming. And this weekend Wy concretes another COVID-era creation of his with Kid_Wy‘s debut studio offering. It’d be irreverent to call Kid_Wy anything less than an Austin supergroup; keyboardist KindKeith, Mamalarky drummer Dylan Hill, Nané bassist Scott McIntyre, and sax extraordinaire Renuka Jayasinghe support their fearless leader in pursuit of a psych-rock style they’ve dubbed “sunshine pop”. Ready to bundle up in this weather? Kid_Wy gets cozy with a single release show 8PM tomorrow night at Hole in the Wall alongside Batooter and Mockjaw. As for the tune itself, “See About Me” is nothin’ but good vibes from the get-go and all the way through four and a half minutes of nuanced psychedelia. It radiates against a crystal clear mix (I love the way the xylophone, synth, and keys float on top of a traditional rock trio arrangement), adept instrumental interplay, and a soulful chord progression that’s coquettish, sentimental, and mellow as hell. Safe to say we’re seeing good things in Kid_Wy’s future. As for yours truly – Jack Anderson? Guess we’ll just have to wait and…see about me.

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Sloppy Scales: “Sweet Baby Jesus”

After spending twelve straight hours in an international airport, I can authoritatively say that we could use a few more new Christmas originals to give all those timeless classics a much needed rest. Seriously. You can rework “Holly Jolly Christmas” into reggae, Western swing, or house, but it doesn’t change the fact that at some point in the repetition, those melodies cross the threshold from charming familiarity to mentally degrading. And who better to help tip the scales than Sloppy Scales? Tomorrow the Atlanta-based satirist shares his debut full-length This Machine Mocks Fascists: The Sloppy Scales Songbook, a nine-tune collection that clowns the nation’s far-right. Through infusions of Latin, blues rock, and countrypolitan formulas (on top of the obvious Woody Guthrie folk influence both lyrically and sonically) this society-scathing LP is better suited for Arthur Fleck than for Paggliacci. So if you need some satire to spike your Yuletide spirit and spruce up your seasonal playlist, brings gifts of gospel, calypso, and soul to the manger with “Sweet Baby Jesus” – a brassy, percussion-driven, and hook-heavy slice of vapid midcentury spirituality.

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Erin Ivey: “I’m in Awe”

A lot of intergenerational discourse about age and beauty got brought up because of The Substance this year. Ya know, out with the old and in with the new by rule of sex appeal. And the way some of these fresh-faced artists skyrocket to half a billion streams seemingly overnight based on Tik Tok clout…it’s hard to shake the preconception that even the music industry is a young gals’ game. But you don’t even need a sense of sight to recognize meaningful songwriting and a keen ear, both of which naturally develop over a lifetime of formative experiences. You can see where this is going, but rest assured, we’re respectfully shying away from the words “old” and “older” as best we can. Because like haulin’ out a holiday basket of assorted, exceptionally-aged fine wine, this Thursday the 04 Center hosts Merry & Bright: Wavemakers Holiday Concert and Market supporting women over 40 in the music industry that boasts a lineup of Lurleen Ladd, Suzanna Choffel, Wendy Colonna, and today’s spotlight Erin Ivey for an evening of guaranteed great music. Concerning Erin, it’s been well over a decade since dropping her robust solo debut The 11th Floor. But she’s kept that infectious indie folk infatuation well-fed with the recent release of “Christmas on the Southern Plains” to stuff your yuletide stocking, not to mention her sixth full-length Souvenir from mid-November still piping hot. Created in the aftermath of a cancer diagnosis and a Christmastime surgery, the record’s deceptively simple; the fairly straightforward arrangements almost make light of Ivey’s impressive vocal performances (post-op ability aside) and champion the album’s theme of perseverance in a tastefully subtle way. In that vein, all ten tracks are “awesome” in the original sense of the word, so check out the LP in its entirety. Or just jump to the proof we point to now: the penultimate memento off Souvenir, “I’m in Awe” that not only sounds like Erin Ivey hasn’t missed a step post-health-complications but indeed that she’s stepped up her game on the whole.

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Paper Sister: “Brain Drain”

Post-punk and shoegaze are both sure things when it comes to instant moodmakers. But when paired with chilly weather, overcast skies, and everyone in long sleeve fashion better fit for Portland or Seattle…yeah it definitely hits differently. And if you’re itching for that brisk mix of nippy napes, visible breath and a feast of fuzz for your ears this week, we’ve got good news. There’s a new sibling in town: Paper Sister. Inspired by Pumpkins, PJ Harvey, Pixies, and a plethora of other ’90s alternative darlings, this Austin four-piece contextualizes those decade-defining influences against a idiosyncratic backdrop of latticed guitar layering and effects-engulfed vocals for their own reimagining of the Lollapalooza ’94 sound. And though as of this publication, we only have one studio single from the quartet, it’s enough to prove that Paper Sister’s setting themselves up to be a formidable act rather than flimsy one. Fortunately though, Paper Sister is promising the release of more singles across the upcoming Winter season going into next year. So while you could just stay at home and patiently await the next pressing from Paper Sister, you could also see their latest set live at a show 10PM tomorrow night at Hotel Vegas opening for The Distraits at 10:45 and Silver Hour at 11:30 and another one this Saturday at Knomad. Need the fuzz right now? Well, since your mind may still be scrambled from the weekend, go ahead and put it into prime post-punk shoegaze shape with the beautifully-bleak downtempo mid-fi magic of “Brain Drain”, a three-minute distorted drone that gives us a great glimpse of our footwear while we bob along and obey the beat with an occasional sway of arms.

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Barb: “beside you (so boring!)”

Everyone’s unfurling their year in review and from what we’ve seen so far, the past twelve months have been pretty productive across the Live Music Capital! Case in point: Austin’s Barbara Klavin, AKA Barb. We’ve brought up Barb a couple times already, so you might already know the lowdown. But since it’s been a bit since we touched base, we’ll catch you up the big year that Barb’s had. Not long after the release of her debut EP Vintage Love last September, Barb hit a few impressive milestones for someone who’s still an up-and-comer; she played The Drop In at The Long Center, played a festival out in sunny San Diego, and completed her very first tour. And on top of those live accomplishments (plus a promising 2025 that includes a New Year kickoff January 23rd at Hotel Vegas and an opening slot for Max Frost at Scoot Inn in March), Barb padded out Vintage Love and her 2023 introductory singles with another split trinity of studio tunes. Building on the already sunny sounds of July’s “Just Say So” and August’s “Lately”, this morning’s “beside you (so boring!)” is alt-pop perfection plain and simple, punctuated by Klavin’s inspiring vocal performance, punchy-and-percussion-driven production, and as always, six-string licks that just absolutely rip.

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rrunnerrss: “Get Me Out Of Here”

In a lot of ways, Texas is a top tier U.S. state. There’s great food. H-E-B. Beautiful parks with a variety of landscapes and wildlife. H-E-B again. That distinct Southern hospitality you don’t notice until you’re gone. But even if someone’s lived in the Lone Star State their whole life, being a Texas resident in 2024 has literally become unsafe for some. Ya know, the whole metaphor of Austin as the “blueberry in the tomato soup”. So especially post-election, plenty of progressives have piped up that their time to leave Texas (if not the US on the whole) is now. We’ll get back to that in a moment. Because even though the Turkey Trot’s now a full week behind us, today we’re talking about rrunnerrss. We won’t shy from labeling rrunnerrss as a supergroup, considering that founding songwriter-composer Michael Zapruder (who sports an impressive resume on his own) rounds out this quintet with Austin veterans that have backed Adrian Quesada, Roky Erickson, Polyphonic Spree, Bill Callahan, White Denim and beyond. And together they’ve led a genre-melding marathon of North African Desert Rock, psych, and freestyle guitar since 2021. So although Zapruder left is currently living in California due to Texas’s draconian policies, that transition didn’t put a damper on the band’s creative passions; Zapruder still slides back into Austin for live shows (including as part of triple single release show 8PM tonight at the Mohawk alongside an acoustic performance from Parker Woodland and Booher) and coordinated the recording of rrunnerrss’s debut self-titled album. Sonically, rrunnerrss covers a 5K of musical territory while thematically reflecting sentiments of self-exile, adversity, and advocacy across nine tunes. And those themes are perhaps most outspoken on the LP’s latest lead single that dropped this morning, “Get Me Out Of Here”, a somber, slow, and sweet piece of acoustic folk rock that almost recalls the poignant magic of Paul Simon’s early solo stuff.

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Souls Extolled: “Gold”

That early-’00s indie punk rock sound shaped by heavyweights like Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes is still pretty dang popular. Just listen to some of the most-streamed rock artists these days and you can clearly hear the reverence. That said, it’s not too often that those newer acts actually invite nuance into their originals; it’s all kind of the same ole formula from twenty years ago. It’s a shame, because there’s a ton of potential there. And given that we’re nearly a full generation removed from the style’s origins, we’re optimistic that there’ll be some fresh takes in the near future. Now there is a group here in Austin that shows promise for those explorations: Souls Extolled. Born out of a desire to imbue indie rock with ska, punk, and psychedelia, this power trio’s refined their own distinct version of indie punk over the past half decade and three full-lengths. But even by the band’s standards, their brand still hasn’t quite been perfected yet. That all changes with the release of Souls Extolled’s semi-eponymous fourth LP soulsex, out January 2nd. With the help of producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith, Souls Extolled pushes past their usual comfort zone to revisit their roots in an indie-avant-garde lens and cuts out any fat to expose the group’s core energy, making this record the best representation of their unique character to date. And for those in need of some millennium-era nostalgia that glistens against modern light, get in gear for soulsex with the album’s final lead single “Gold“. Sporting an arrangement that refuses to grow stale between its anthemic stop-and-start bookends, “Gold” sheds the too-cool-for-school attitude of Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes in favor of authentic and invigorating alt-punk passion. So go ahead. Be judgmental. Because we all know it kicks some serious ass.

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The Grapes & Friends: “Christmas With My Baby”

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are behind us and Cyber Monday is here. And in terms of the latter two, most of the shopping does happen online these days. But if you did pop into a store or two since last Thursday, you’ll agree: if it wasn’t already by the moment Halloween ended, Christmas music is king for the next three weeks. So as much as we crave some quality Klezmer, we gotta hop on the Yuletide bandwagon and toss y’all a few fresh seasonal originals to stuff your stocking. And there’s not really a better way to kick off that holiday spirit than with The Grapes & Friends. The genre-spanning Austin supergroup septet has become a cherished live Christmas staple over the past decade and a half, and for the last ten of those years The Grapes & Friends have only enriched that reputation with a release regimen of one new tune each December. One glance at today’s date tells you all you need to know; The Grapes & Friends have officially entered Holiday mode. Yes, ahead of their 12th annual Christmas Extravaganza at Hole in the Wall this Saturday, The Grapes & Friends have gotten into a clinch with their inner Grinch on “Christmas With My Baby”. With a big cheerful opening (that sports sleigh-bells from the jump), there’s a surface level similarity to what you’d hear on those dime-a-dozen corporate major-key inoffensive Christmas rock playlists. But by the time you get to the first chorus it’s like hearing St. Nick up on the housetop; Christmas is real, and there’s some real soul, passion, and ingenuity to The Grapes & Friends’ songwriting, even if the lyrical protagonist of this latest one is somewhat of a soured, romantic Scrooge. And especially if you’re spending the upcoming holidays solo, you won’t feel so alone with this Huey Lewis-inspired piece of seasonal solidarity that glistens with killer production, outstanding performances, and an arrangement that only a Grinch could scoff at.

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Finally no intros

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Jpisel

They finally got rid of the dude screaming about tacos of Texas at me every 3 minutes or less.
This is awesome 👏🏼

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Hdaisy2020

Great job bringing these back thank you! 😁🫶🏼👌🏼
We heard you!

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KUTX 98.9

After reading the complaints about too many promos, we cut them by more than half. If you hear one at all, it’ll be at the beginning of a song only. KUTX is a public radio station so we do have to find ways to make what we do (play awesome music and support those artists) possible. Thanks for listening and supporting the Austin Music Experience. Enjoy the tunes!
Good music too much talk

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PAK manza

The adds between all songs make it hard to listen to.