Song of the Week: “Break Bones” by Wild Child

On October 2, one of my favorite Austin bands to see live—Wild Child— released their third album, “Fools.” When you live in a city like Austin, a city that prides itself on being the live music capital of the world, it’s rewarding to be a part of it. I love playing shows in Austin, and I love, love, love going to see shows.

When I first moved back to ATX a few years ago, I went on a show-going bender, watching a gig every night of the week, sometimes even jumping to more than one show if I could afford it. Standing on concrete for that many hours, night after night, actually started giving me back problems! One of the first bands I fell in love with during this heyday was Wild Child. They danced. They laughed. They played raucous songs that made everyone in the crowd start dancing and laughing, too. I’d be at a show alone, and I couldn’t help moving my body when they played. I was broke. I didn’t know what I was doing with my life. But listening to their cello, and their fiddle, and their harmonies made me happy.

January 13, 2015September 3, 2015

Song of the Week: “Tempter” by Violents

Drums thick with hi-hat and a syncopated rhythm come in without preamble. Layered on top is an airy, distant voice singing lightly above the drums. The voice weaves in and out and up and down, creating a melody that will continue throughout the entire song. After this melody is repeated twice, there’s a shift. The drums become tamer. A synth starts repeating a steady counterpoint to the vocals.

December 16, 2014September 3, 2015

Song of the Week: “Drown” by Marika Hackman

The first sound you hear is an odd, discordant synth. It scoops up into a strange sustained chord, drags it out, keeps holding on to it even when you think the song should break or turn into something else. Finally, when things are feeling the weirdest, a delicate acoustic guitar enters.

November 18, 2014September 3, 2015

Song of the Week: “A Formal Invitation” by Cold Specks

This song is from Cold Specks’s recent album Neuroplasticity. There’s something mystical about it. Partly it’s her vocals, which are borderline monotonous but changing and sweeping up into a vibrato-laden falsetto at the last second. Or how she hits a surprisingly low harmony at the end of a phrase.

November 4, 2014September 3, 2015

Song of the Week: “Loner” by Sucré

Sucré is the solo project of Stacy DuPree King, who plays keys and is one of the main vocalists in Eisley. She’s from East Texas, which is where I spent a good chunk of my childhood. Plus, I’ve been listening to her make music for ten years, so all of her work has a special place in my heart.