Song of the Day

4,2 (94)
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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.

20 GIỜ TRƯỚC

Schmiddy: “Nebula” (ft. Andyah)

Austin beatmaker Blake Schmidt has released a string of instrumental mixtapes under the moniker Schmiddy for the last three years, all the while working towards something more comprehensive. Schmiddy’s background in composing for short films in college for grades to composing hip-hop tracks for fun has led him to last Friday: the release of Schmiddy’s debut album Lightning In A Bottle. The album is not only a showcase of Schmiddy’s brand of beatmaking and production, but of his talent for sourcing and matching the right vocal talent for each track and creating something true to his background: cinematic. “Nebula” features Nairobi-based artist Andyah as vocalist and co-writer. Her vocals are light but rich, working in tandem to the movement of Schmiddy’s groove. Think of a camera slowly panning down a bolt of layered red velvet with an intoxicating fire burning in the background. And it’s that right kind of spicy that makes you want to sensually slow dance, even if just to yourself in the mirror.
2 NGÀY TRƯỚC

Okonski: “October” [PREMIERE]

Okonski is another beautiful project born from the Durand Jones & Indications house with pianist Steve Okonski at the helm with support from fellow Indications Aaron Frazer and Michael Montgomery on drums and bass. Together the trio takes all of the jazz elements of Durand Jones & the Indications and puts them front and center, letting the songs take as little or as much structure as he (or perhaps the keys themselves?) please. After nearly two years, Okonski returns to us like a wanderer returning to their village, wiser, more lived, and with Homer-level volumes of tales. The new single from Okonski’s upcoming sophomore album Entrance Music evokes Willie’s arrangement of Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies.” It’s laid back, beautiful, and effortless. And with a small, solid melody paired with the rhythm section as an anchor, Okonski is free to play and flourish around it, briefly returning to home base before taking off yet again like another chapter of the wanderer’s tale.

4 phút
20/12/2024

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.

5 phút
19/12/2024

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.

2 phút
10/12/2024

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.

2 phút
09/12/2024

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.

3 phút
06/12/2024

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.

4 phút
05/12/2024

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.

4 phút

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4,2

94 Xếp hạng

Finally no intros

15/12/2021

Jpisel

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

20/08/2023

Hdaisy2020

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

20/12/2019

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

07/05/2019

PAK manza

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