Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World.
Every single night of the week, all over town, Austin reverberates with the sweet sounds of local music. To highlight some of the great local acts you should support, we frequently share a list of five bands you need to hear. Welcome to Volume 39.
To check out Volume 38, featuring Search Party, Kidlat, Ama, Rattlesnake Milk, and Twin Styx, click here.
- By Kelly McComas -
photo by megan baker
There's a breathless warmth in Socha's vocals that reflects the open honesty of her lyrics. This alt-pop soloist makes music that evokes dancing around your bedroom alone on a Saturday afternoon: teeming with genuine fun and tinged with something more complex. Maddie Socha's dreamy, nostalgic jams have been making the rounds through various Austin venues, and this summer will bring the release of her debut album Musings, where her voice is accompanied by locals Kinseli Jazz and Jim Hampton.
Named Best New Band in the 2018-19 Austin Music Awards, Black Pumas have classified their sound as "psychedelic soul". Singer Eric Burton and producer Adrian Quesada will release their debut LP as Black Pumas on June 21st. The duo have mastered a unique brand of funk, with Burton's timeless vocals soaring over unforgettable bluesy riffs and foot-tapping rhythms. You won't want to miss Black Pumas' summer 2019 tour.
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Remember Youth Lagoon? If you were a kid on Tumblr in 2012, you might. Bayonne's glimmery electro-pop contains the same ethos, but updated with 2019 grandeur. Roger Sellers' compositions sample field recordings for texture and imbue them with brightness and whispery vocals, a combination that leads to tracks that hum like spacious, summery breezes. Bayonne has made it to the festival circuit and will play Lollapalooza this August - catch him there or keep an eye out for this Austinite next time he comes home.
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Photo: Glaze Facebook
This band is one you'll need earplugs to properly enjoy. Glaze's post-punk sound fills a room easily and is reminiscent of shoegaze classics. Like all good noisy Austin bands, these guys are best enjoyed at a house show, but they've graduated to playing Red River venues and we are totally here for it. (Catch them on the stellar lineup at Bill Ball at Cheer Up Charlie's later this month) Warm sonic waves of fuzzy goodness and plenty of pedalboard action are in store for you at a Glaze show - take it all in and let your eyes glaze right over.
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Modern Medicine is one of those bands that just sounds like Austin. From the fuzzy guitar to injections of synth, their sound is original - but you can fall right into swaying to it. Carey McGraw's rich vocals climb over the textures of Modern Medicine's swelling sounds, creating a spellbinding musical experience. This is a band that wouldn't be out of place in a lineup with awe-inspiring indie like Band of Horses, but would also complement psychedelic grooves like those of Bright Light Social Hour (another Austin band you should check out, by the way).
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