SXSW2024: Recap

 Friday March 8

@Hilton
Ransom Brothers
Restos

Monday March 11

@GSD&M
Texas String Assembly
Magna Carda w/ Grace Sorensen
Winona Fighter
Shane Smith and the Saints

Tuesday March 12

@Ray Benson's Birthday
Madam Radar
Shakey Graves
Asleep at the Wheel w/
Jack Barksdale
? (Star of new Eddie Cochran movie)
Wonder Women of Country

Wednesday March 13

@Paste
SNACKTIME-(High Noon outside)
Friko (High Noon indoor)
Smut (High Noon outside)
Holly Macve (Coral inside)
Arny Margret (High Noon indoor)
Sinkane (High Noon outside)
Coach Party (Agave outside)

@Taquero Vaquero
Good Looks

@Side Bar
Near Beer

Thursday March 14

@Luck Reunion
Jobi Riccio
Rett Madison
Mali Velasquez (partial)
Proxima Parada (partial)
OGI
Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country
Tyler Halverson
Kade Hoffman
Harper O'Neill
Durand Jones
Zella Day and Chaparelle
Walker Lukens and The Texas Gentleman with guests (Texas Wild)
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes and Lucius
Tyler Childers
Red Clay Strays
Willie Nelson and Family

Friday March 15

@Punch Bowl Social
David Forsyth
Altameda

@Parish
Kiwi Jr.
BALTHVS

@High Noon
The Deslondes

@Coral Snake
Fust

Saturday March 16

@Mohawk
Lo Moon

@Cheer Up Charlie's
Marem Ladson
Friko
Bloomsday
voyeur
Squirrel Flower

@CBoy's
Billy Allen and the Pollies
Barfield, the Tyrant of TX Funk

SXSW2024: Winona Fighter

We may see them tonight. It's a trio out of Nashville.  The lead singer is originally from Boston. Chloe Kinnon is the lead singer (and also the drummer?) who goes by Coco.  Here's an article about her fight with Chronic Lyme Disease she's had since she was 9.  

She played in multiple bands and formed this band with the addition of a guitarist and bassist (who she just married).  They just signed to Rise Records (part of BMG/Warner Records) so expect big things. 

They're playing all over SXSW this year.  

In the vein of Paramore and No Doubt. poppunk.  

Here's their new single: "I'M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE"

This was probably my favorite.

SXSW2024: Altameda

I stumbled on this band thanks to OperationEveryBand. So good. They're out of Toronto but originally from Edmonton.  Per Wikipedia:

Altameda is a Canadian folk-rock and alternative country duo, consisting of singer-songwriter Troy Snaterse and drummer Erik Grice. They are most noted for their 2022 album Born Losers, which was a shortlisted Juno Award nominee for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2023.

They play Friday at 2pm at Punch Bowl Social (522 Congress) and 5pm at the Fairmont (not full band). The Fairmont may be that hotel happy hour thing. They also play Saturday at 3pm on Rainey St.

"Dead Man's Suit" is nice. 

They were here last year for SXSW and did a Jam in the Van live taping. It's worth a listen.

This is great.

SXSW2024: Tomato Flower

 Playing Saturday at Meanwhile Brewing at 12:50pm (After Allegra Krieger and before Fust) is this band out of Baltimore. Theyr're also playing a lot of other day parties. This article says:

Tomato Flower is the Baltimore-based experimental pop outfit composed of Austyn Wohlers, Jamison Murphy, Mike Alfieri, and Ruby Mars. Although they each share different musical interests, their collaboration prioritizes the sort of artistic synthesis that’s hard to resist, a blend of free-flowing experimentation and pop hookiness that often takes years to master. 

Their first album has not come out yet but they've released some singles from it.

"Temples of the Mind" is one of those. 

Here's another.

 

SXSW2024: Allegra Krieger

Playing Friday at 2pm at the High Noon indoor stage. She's also playing the High Road Touring Showcase which has almost every buzz band at SXSW playing it.

Aquarium Drunkard says:

New York’s Allegra Krieger has had quite the year. The cosmic folk artist released her fourth studio album, I Keep My Feet On The Fragile Plane, in July via Double Double Whammy. Across its 10 tracks, Krieger sings measured soliloquies recounting her memories, observations, and curiosities straddling the mortal and divine. Finger-picked guitars float like sunlight, illuminating forgotten corners of the universe where Krieger finds inspiration. 

"Nothing In This World Ever Stays Still" is nice. 

 This is really good.

SXSW 2024: Fust

Must-see alert. Need to put this on our list. Playing at 6pm Friday at the High Noon outdoor stage for Paste.  Stereogum named them one of the best new bands of 2023.  Alt-country. This article says:

The musical project — helmed by Duke Ph.D literature student Aaron Dowdy — includes collaborations with some of the state's most acclaimed young musicians, like Indigo De Souza and MJ Lenderman

Here is their last album on Bandcamp. "Evil Joy". The bio on bandcamp says:

Fust is a songwriting project of Aaron Dowdy, carried out with friends Frank Meadows, Avery Sullivan, and John Wallace. It began as a home-recording attempt for Aaron in 2017, self-releasing seven four-song EPs on Bandcamp before it shifted to a live group. The four had played together in a combination of different bands for over a decade in Virginia and North Carolina. This permutation formed in 2018 in Brooklyn where they all lived at the time, meeting in Gowanus to play the lonesome, somewhat hopeless songs as quietly as possible—or as the group would call it, evilly, as it seems a violation to play gently songs of wrongdoing and despair. But Fust is also interested in these themes and moods as tropes, embracing the melodrama of country music, especially the idea that life isn’t adding up to much, or that one’s goodness isn’t being put to use. Fust—the word for the mildewy smell that lingers on unused things—is now based in Durham, North Carolina, and Evil Joy is both their record label debut and the group’s first recordings together.

His new album is here.  Here's an interview with him.

"Genevieve" is great. Right up our alley.

This was wonderful. 

 

SXSW2024: Waterbaby

Playing Friday at 4pm at High Noon outside for the Paste party. She's also playing the KUTX morning session. The Guardian calls her One to Watch.  It says:

Halfway between Big Thief’s folk reveries and SZA’s gossamer indie-R&B lies Kendra Egerbladh, the Stockholm-based, Sub Pop-signed artist making music as Waterbaby.

"911" is nice. 

This was my favorite.

SXSW2024: Shower Curtain

 Playing Friday at 12:40pm inside High Noon at the Paste Party.   This site says:

In 2018, Shower Curtain was born as a solo project of Victoria Winter in Curitiba, Brazil. Since then, it’s become a quartet based in Brooklyn, New York. They have several EPs under their belt.

This article says:

Since 2021, they have become a staple within the New York City music scene, known for their pop sensibilities layered with sludgy guitars, harkening back to their 90s shoegaze and slowcore influences.

"You Make Me Feel" is nice. 

This is their latest.

SXSW2024: Britti

Breakout alert. Friday at noon at the Paste party. She inside at Coral Snake.  Those are the Paste Sessions filmings. Per this site:

Singer-songwriter Britti — born Brittany Guerin in Baton Rouge; reborn in and proudly repping New Orleans now...Emerges From Obscurity To Shine on Dan Auerbach-Produced Debut.

She's also doing the ACL Radio morning show, the BMI Songwriters breakfast, and a showcase at Stubb's (that includes Black Keys).

Here is "So Tired" from her CBS Saturday morning taping.

"Keep Running" is really good.

This has the Yola sound from her debut album. I think we're going to have to see her live.

SXSW2024: The Lostines

 Playing at 6pm Wednesday at the Paste Party inside of the High Noon. This site says:

If there’s a Valentine’s Day dance in heaven, The Lostines are the house band. Superimposing Everly Brothers-style harmonies atop lilting guitar and doo-wop-inspired instrumentation, Camille Wind Weatherford and Casey Jane Reece-Kaigler transmit messages of disillusionment, enduring romanticism, and tenacious hope.

Named after a river in the duo’s native Oregon and cultivated in the New Orleans DIY scene where the pair met, The Lostines’ chemistry is both forward-looking and a throwback, born of seemingly disparate aesthetics — classic country, Louisiana dance hall, mid-century girl groups. 

"West Texas" is them live on a porch in New Orleans. Looks fun. 

They only have one song on their Youtube page and is was just released.  Here it is:

 

SXSW2024: Bathe Alone

 Playing at 4pm at High Noon outside Wednesday. Her Bandcamp says:

Bathe Alone is the dreampop solo project of multi-instrumentalist Bailey Crone based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Bailey plays everything from drums, guitar, bass to vocals on the project and aims to create songs you can "lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling to."

She's playing a lot of parties all week. 

"Missionary Ridge" is good.

 This has 13M streams on Spotify but it's only 1:20 long. It's the lead-int to "Decades and Dreams" on her album.

SXSW2024: Mali Velasquez

Playing at 3:20pm Wednesday at High Noon (Paste party) inside.  This article says:

 When Nashville-based singer-songwriter Mali Velasquez traded her Texas panhandle home for the verdant foothills of Tennessee, she did so with a newfound perspective that mirrored her environment, culminating in the lushly raw edge of her folk-rooted indie rock. Wistfully openhearted and incisive, Velasquez tips the fulcrum between reflection and remedy with melody-forward unction and lyrical tenderness.

Since it's inside she may just play solo.  

"Clovers" is good. 

 I like her. May have to look to see her with a full band. She plays Far Out Lounge April 6th opening for A. Savage. We'll be out of town.

SXSW2024: Bodega

Playing at 2pm at the Paste Party (Coral Snake outside). This is a band out of NYC that plays post-punk.  I liked what I heard. The other option is Arny Margret, a folk singer from Iceland.  I like her sound (KEXP full performance here) but it's inside at High Noon so the noise from the bar and the industry people chatting could make it difficult to hear her.

"City is Taken" is good. Reminds me of Blondie.

This is good, too.

SXSW2024: Smut

Paste came out with their day schedules. Man, I've got work to do. They are in two bars with 4 stages this year: High Noon (same as last year) and across the street at what is now called Coral Snake. 

This band plays Wednesday at 1:20 at High Noon on the outdoor stage. I liked that setup.  It's a 5-piece originally from Cincinnati but now out of Chicago. They also play Friday at 13th Floor probably around noon.

Pitchfork says:

Carefully parsing the nuances of shoegaze, dream pop, and alt rock, the Chicago quintet’s second album amounts to a rigorous study of 1990s guitar sounds.

"Let Me Hate" is good. 

This was my favorite.

SXSW2024: Chance Emerson

Playing at Yeti on Friday at 3pm after wilt and before Zach Person is this band formed at Brown University. Per the college website:

Brown University senior Chance Emerson first arrived on campus in August 2019 with a couple of suitcases and a to-do list. 

A singer-songwriter and guitarist since his early teens, he’d already released his first EP as a junior in high school. But his boarding school was light on musicians to collaborate with — there were only a handful of bassists and drummers, and none of them were playing indie folk.

“As soon as I got to Brown, my goal was to start a band,” Emerson recalls. “I’d been itching for it for so long."

He formed a band and now they're at SXSW.  

"How Can I" is indie folk.  Toe-tapping festival music.

This is his most streamed song.

SXSW2024: Kassa Overall

 KUTX names this artist One To Watch. Jody Denberg says:

Kassa Overall has the jazz chops: he studied at Oberlin, was a gigging musician in New York, and had a stint as the drummer in Jon Batiste’s band on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. But it’s Kassa’s combination of jazz with hip-hop production that sets him apart.

He plays Saturday at 2:30pm at Cheer Up Charlie's.  

Here's his NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

This is his most streamed song. It's also the last song on the Tiny Desk Concert.

SXSW2024: Shannon and the Clams

This band is all over the place this year.  They play Waterloo Wed. at 5pm, SXSanJose, Paste, and the White Horse Sat. at 4:30. Per Wikipedia:

Shannon and the Clams is an indie garage punk quartet based in Oakland, California. Known for a vintage sound that incorporates elements of doo-wop, classic R&B, garage psych, and surf, Shannon and the Clams has drawn comparisons to both Buddy Holly and 1960s girl groups.

They've been around awhile but this last year brought about major trauma and change with the band. According to this article:

 In August 2022, Shannon Shaw’s world was turned inside out. With mere weeks to go until their wedding, the singer’s fiancé, Joe Haener, died in a horrific car accident in front of his family’s vegetable farm in Oregon. It was a devastating loss that hit Shannon & The Clams with cataclysmic force. .. From the shock and trauma of that tragedy comes Shannon & The Clams’ latest album, The Moon Is In The Wrong Place, a powerful exploration of loss, time, love, and resilience that stands as the beloved garage band’s most ambitious, emotionally searing recording to date. 

"Ozma" is one of their older songs. 

"Bean Fields" is a newer one.

This is the title song of their new album. It's really good. The album doesn't come out until May 10th.

SXSW2024: BALTHVS

 Music in the vein of Khruangbin. Per this site:

 BALTHVS, the Bogota, Colombia based psychedelic funk trio was formed in the countryside while the group waited out the 2020 pandemic. The band was escaping the city during uncertain times and according to Balthazar Aguirre “we wanted the music to meld with the peaceful environment surrounding us at that moment”. Alongside Aguirre (Guitar, Vocals) the band consists of Johanna Mercuriana (Bass, Vocals), and Santiago Lizcano (Drums, Vocals).

It also says:

 Known for their dynamic and electrifying live performances, BALTHVS has become synonymous with energetic shows and captivating improvisations.

Could be worth checking out. They play Parish on Friday at 4:10pm before Black Angels (could be crowded). They also play a few other shows but they're not biking distance (Far Out Lounge, Meanwhile Brewing). I'll keep them on my radar.

"Got Caught In Amsterdam (Arc de Soleil)" is good.

Here's a full live set.

This is a nice tune.

SXSW2024: wilt

 This L.A. band is playing the Paste party as well as Yeti on Friday at 2pm.  The SXSW website says:

In the year since releasing their debut single, “gwen,” wilt has gone from relative obscurity to one of the buzzier bands coming out of Los Angeles.  The LA-based outfit counts Radiohead, Hole, Weezer and Alex G among its influences, and dynamic front-woman Chelsea's vocal prowess and vibe have drawn comparisons to Hayley Williams, Debbie Harry, and Joan Jett. 

Here is "gwen".  

Guitar rock. "Moved Along" is pretty good.

This was probably my favorite. I do like her voice.

SXSW2024: Cosmo Pyke

Wednesday at 2pm at the British Music Embassy is this musician from England. This site says:

Peckham’s very own Cosmo Pyke, a multidisciplinary artist known for his unique blend of indie, jazz, blues, and hip-hop...

Apparently he's big in Europe. He's headlining shows and has sold out Paris, Copenhagen and Amsterdam so far.

"Chronic Sunshine" has 42M streams on Spotify. It has a reggae beat.

"Curser's Lament" is a nice mellow tune.

This was probably my favorite.

SXSW2024: Corridor

Waterloo just released their in-store schedule.  Definitely starting Wednesday off with Kathleen Edwards.  

Friday at 1pm is a band out of Montreal.  Per Wikipedia:

Corridor is a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, consisting of vocalist and bassist Dominic Berthiaume, guitarist Julian Perreault, guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Robert and drummer Julien Bakvis, with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Samuel Gougoux in live performances. The first francophone band ever signed to the influential indie label Sub Pop, they are most noted for their 2019 album Junior, which was a longlisted nominee for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.

"Topographe" is good. Throwback to the 80s indie sound. Strong similarities to Animal Collective, too.

Here's a live performance at KEXP. 

This is good.  Indie rock similar to Real Estate. Catchy.  Definite Television influence, too. Could be a fun way to start Friday.

SXSW2024: Sugadaisy

Another band playing Wednesday at CBoys. They play at 2:45pm before Michigander. They are also doing the ACL Radio morning show.  This bio says:

Zach Littleton and Johny Lovan have been aware of each other’s existence since third grade in Bowling Green, Ky. — after all, Littleton “dated” Lovan’s sister in that era “mostly because we were both big redheads and everyone said we should,” he recalls. It took many years for them to start making music together, and even longer for them to realize they worked best as a duo, but since 2016, Sugadaisy has quietly built a substantial fanbase by simply being its weird, wonderful selves.

 Weird and wonderful is a good description of their sound.  "Everything Happens Fast" is a good example. Melancholy lyrics but happy tunes.

This is similar. Lyrics are bittersweet but poignant. Good beach tune.

SXSW2024: The Pink Stones

Alt-country out of Athens, GA.  They're on New West Records and are playing Wednesday at Colton House Hotel (S.Congress next to the Autozone). No times yet. They also play at 7pm Friday at Still Austin and Saturday at Sagebrush. All pretty far away.  They are also opening for Nikki Lane (tour not SXSW).

"Who's Laughing Now?" is catchy.

Speaking of Nikki Lane, she duets with them on this song.

SXSW2024: Lamont Landers

This singer out of Alabama is playing CBoys Wednesday at 4pm and is also playing SXSanJose and the ACL Radio Morning Broadcasts. Some pretty good gigs.  According to this article:

He’s signed on with premier booking agency High Road Touring, whose roster includes the likes of Wilco, Phoebe Bridgers and Graham Nash. Landers also acquired management, in the form of Tom Gimbel, the recently departed general manager of iconic PBS live music series “Austin City Limits.”

That's some serious backing. Most everything I've found is covers. For example, "Love and Happiness" and "Use Me" from Live at the Apollo.

The article says he has recorded an EP but it hasn't been released yet. No date was given.  

This is his latest single. It's also a cover.

SXSW2024: Alisa Amador

Playing at 1pm Wednesday at the Yeti HQ. She won the 2022 NPR Tiny Desk Contest.  do512s bio says:

The winner of the 2022 NPR Tiny Desk Contest, Alisa Amador’s music is a synthesis of the many styles she’s voraciously absorbed: rock, jazz, funk and alternative folk, all wrapped in the spirit of the Latin music she grew up with. NPR's Cyrena Touros calls her “a pitch-perfect rendition of my wildest dreams,” and NPR's Bob Boilen calls Alisa "a powerful voice whose tender performance commands attention and fosters connection." Alisa has opened for such artists as Brandi Carlile, Lake Street Dive, Madison Cunningham, Watchhouse, Hiss Golden Messenger, and countless others. Alisa's soulful singing, poetically incisive lyrics, and syncopated rhythms are likely to make you cry, laugh, and dance all within one set.

Wikipedia says:

Amador is the daughter of Latin folk musicians, Rosi and Brian Amador of the band, Sol y Canto. At age five, she began performing as the band's backup singer on tour. She studied abroad in Argentina. In 2018, she graduated from Bates College with a Bachelor of Arts degree

"Timing" is nice. Reminds me of Lake Street Dive.

Here's her full Tiny Desk Concert.

Here's the song that won the contest.

 

SXSW2024: Vision Arcade

Playing 3pm Wednesday at the Yeti flagship. Mostly rock bands there today. This is a band out of Austin. On do512 they describe themselves as:

We are an alternative rock n’ roll band composed of four high school friends from Austin, Texas. We formed in 2018 after realizing we each had a common passion for creativity, songwriting, and music. 

 "Weight of the Feeling" is a nice ballad.

They have been playing regularly around town at Parish, Empire, Antone's, Mohawk, and Spiderhouse. 

"Hey Honey" has a Gotye feel.

Here's their latest video.  

SXSW 2024: Being Dead

The last band preview for the Cheer Up Charlie's Saturday party. Phew. It's a local Austin trio that has been getting lots of hype and a strong following. Their record release show at Sagebrush sold out. 

Pitchfork says: 

Surf-rock riffs, oddball humor, and warped Americana storytelling define the Austin band’s raucous debut...If Being Dead have a signature sound, it’s anchored in the sun-kissed harmonies and high-octane riffage of surf rock. 

They say: "The shoplifting fantasy “Muriel's Big Day Off” abruptly segues from rollicking acid-pop harmonies to a smoky jazz-pop interval and back."

If the lineup is in order then they will be the closers for the day. Could be a fun way to end the day.

"Daydream" has some good shots of boating on Lake Austin.

This is a total 60s throwback.  It's good. The video is odd.

SXSW2024: Bloomsday

 Another at Cheer Up Charlie's on Saturday. Paste says:

Bloomsday is the project of Iris James Garrison and Alex Harwood, who met in the New York DIY scene several years ago. Their Bandcamp describes their sound as “soft enby rock,” and “soft” is a key word for the quality of their vocals, as well as for their content.

They were here for SXSW last year and I previewed them but we didn't get to see them. 

I had "Phase" in the last preview. I described it as indie folk.

Here's another of theirs. It's nice.

 

SXSW2024: Horse Jumper of Love

 This band out of Boston is playing Cheer Up Charlie's on Saturday and the Paste party.  Pitchfork says:

Since 2013, Horse Jumper of Love have been a comforting outlet for the heart-on-sleeve compositions of singer-guitarist Dimitri Giannopoulos...The band’s latest release strips back its sound to meet a slack current. Recorded in the Catskills over five days in 2021, Heartbreak Rules is a mini-album that, save for a brief piano part in “Chariots” played by Margaris, separates Giannopoulos from his bandmates for the first time in a decade. Backed solely by co-producer Bradford Krieger, he returns with a muted collection that taps into the strengths of the band’s earliest material.

It says "At the band’s live shows, audience members sway side-to-side, caught in a state of hypnosis."

 "I Poured Sugar In Your Shoes" is catchy. His voice reminds me of Andy Partridge.

This is a really good song.

SXSW2024: Marem Ladson

 I'll keep going with Cheer Up Charlie's Saturday bands.  Per her bio:

Marem Ladson is a 22 year old Spanish-American singer/songwriter. Blending lyrical, introspective songwriting with a folk pop edge, her music is both intimate and powerful.

Born in 1997 in Galicia, Spain, to african-american father and Spanish mother, she grew up between New York and Galicia. Ladson relocated to Madrid after living for a while in Houston, TX. Her songs and looks honor her American heritage and the diverse sounds she heard while growing up. Citing influences from Mazzy Star to Joni Mitchell, Ladson’s strong command as a vocalist and often folky electric guitar skills set her as one of the most promising artist of the Spanish indie scene.

This article says:

 At the heart of Marem Ladson's music lies a profound exploration of her multicultural identity, skillfully intertwining her distinctive approach to introspective songwriting with elements drawn from folk, pop, and traditional Spanish music. 

"Rayo de Luna" covers the folk and traditional Spanish music side.

This is nice. It's her pop side.

SXSW2024: Native Sun

 More from Cheer Up Charlie's Saturday. This bio says:

No conversation about New York City rock’n’roll is complete without Native Sun. Fronted by Colombian-American songwriter Danny Gomez, the band makes cathartic and timeless songs that are undeniable. Along with drummer Nico Espinosa and bassist Justin Barry, their livewire local gigs are simultaneously welcoming and rowdy and it’s made them a can’t-miss fixture of city nightlife.

 This article says:

 You can hear influences from Rolling Stones to The Stooges to The Beatles’ Revolver across its six tracks of fuzzed-out guitar, swirling psych-rock melodies, heavy riffs, and snarly vocals. 

 "Sister" has a T-Rex feel.

"There's Revolution" is a head-banger. Ear plugs necessary.

This kind of reminds me of Jake Bugg.

SXSW2024: Voyeur

Another band playing at Cheer Up Charlie's Saturday.  This band has even less music out than Villagerrr.  This article and interview with the band says:

No doubt, Voyeur is a New York City band. Lazovick is a filmmaker who used to make music under the name Sitcom, and Freedberg also plays in Porches. Singer and clarinetist Sharleen Chidiac is a choreographer and one of the founders of the East Williamsburg performance space Pageant. Bassist Joe Kerwin is known for both booking shows and writing about them. 

It’s hard to say all that much about a band that has only played a handful of shows and hasn’t even released an EP. Judging from what I saw and heard that night, though, Voyeur seem ready to pick up the ball and run with it. 

They only have one video but released an EP that's on Spotify. Probably a little louder than you'd like. 

"Clue" has Sex Pistols sound. I like the bass in it. 

"Daffodils" reminds me of The Replacements.

Here's their first single. It has a mix of Joy Division and Strokes. 

SXSW2024: Villagerrr

The more bands I listen to on the Cheer Up Charlie's Saturday party the more I love the lineup. If we don't have another place to go we may want to head there early and stay all day.

I can't find much about this band but I like really like it.  His Bandcamp page says:

the solo project of Mark Scott. Sometimes other people help.

I did find a PR page that says:

2022 marked an exceptionally prolific period for Scott. He released three albums, Brain Pain, Ohioan, and Like Leaves as well as an EP, Something or Somewhere Else. All of these releases were quiet uploads on Bandcamp and streaming services, but as he started to perform these songs live they began to resonate beyond his circle. 

His new album doesn't come out until March 22nd.  He has a few other albums on Bandcamp.  It looks like Darling Records signed him and is releasing his latest album.  They also are re-releasing an earlier album Like Leaves.

"See" is a nice song.

This song is great:

 

SXSW2024: Squirrel Flower

Breakout alert. Another band playing both the Saturday Cheer Up Charlie's day party and the Paste party. Per Pitchfork:

For the past few years, Ella Williams has been relentless. The Massachusetts-born, Chicago-based songwriter released her debut album as Squirrel Flower in 2020 and then, after contracting COVID and recovering, recorded and released a follow-up in 2021. Last year, she gathered enough material for a self-produced EP. For a young musician—Williams is 27, and started recording music when she was 18—such a sustained level of output could be exhausting, in many senses of the word: It might lead to burnout, or empty the reserves of what she has to say. But on Williams’ new record, Tomorrow’s Fire, all that effort has only intensified her ambition. It’s a beautiful, searing record in which Williams channels listlessness and desperation into sweltering, explosive rock songs.

It says her latest album was "made with a sharp studio band, including MJ Lenderman (we saw him open for Plains), storied Asheville collaborator Seth Kauffman, and members of Bon Iver and the War On Drugs".  Quite an all-star lineup.

They say "When a Plant is Dying" is

a slow-burning ode to perseverance under grueling conditions, features a full minute of guitar solos that burn bright with indignation and pent-up frustration. 

It would fun to see that live. Great song. 

For a catchy indie rock song she's got "Intheskatepark"

This reminds me of Aimee Mann.

SXSW2024: Meagre Martin

Another band playing both the Cheer Up Charlie's show on Saturday and the Paste party.  Per this article:

Based in their current home of Berlin, Meagre Martin are a three-piece band formed around the songwriting of Boston ex-pat, Sarah Martin. Since relocating to Germany in 2017, Sarah recruited bandmates Max and Freddy, and Meagre Martin quickly established themself on the city’s vibrant music scene.

In it they mention as influences Fleetwood Mac, Big Thief, Snail Mail, Cate Le Bon, Mac Demarco, and Lomelda, just to name a few.

"Mountain" is a nice song. It reminds me of Ratboys especially towards the end.

This reminds me of Real Estate.

SXSW2024: Teethe

The Saturday Cheer Up Charlie's lineup just came out. It's the Winspear and POND Creative party which usually has great artists.  They have Friko and Wishy who I already previewed. I liked both of them. 

This band is out of Denton and plays Slowcore music. Super mellow.  They are also playing the Paste party.

"Moon" is trippy.

This is their most streamed song.

SXSW2024: Brainstory

 Yeti came out with their day schedule. Wednesday at 4pm is this band originally out of Railto, California but now in L.A.  Do512's bio says:

Brainstory is a tale of brothers bounded by blood, by fate, and a small town with nothing to do. Brothers brought together by some unknown magic that would set them free to create, to sing, and to play a music of the soul. To open a window of truth in a world of auto-tuned hamburger egos. To forever be pushing long hair out of their eyes as they explore the cosmos beyond the hot, dusty, world in which they’ve dwelled. And what a universe it is. One part Jazz and one part Psychedelia, with a whole lotta Soul put in the middle. Add some Hendrix and Mayfield, some Bossa, and some afro-latin groove and you’ve got the right idea. Pure fun-love-exploration music.

Throwback 60s sound. "Dead End" is smooth except at the end of the video. Prepare to mute.

They're also playing Austin Psych Fest in April.

 

SXSW2024: David Shaw

Playing the Bloody Mary Morning party as well as the Paste party. He's the lead singer and founder of the Revivalists doing a solo thing. 

"Heavy Soul" is pretty good.

He just dropped this 11 hours ago. Called "Alabama", the chorus is "Alabama you're breaking my heart."  Very timely.

This is a nice solo acoustic tune.

SXSW2024: Beharie

Soul/pop/folk from Norwegian singer/songwriter Christian Beharie. He's playing both SXSanJose and the Paste party.  He has opened for Leon Bridges and is compared to Frank Ocean in this article. 

"We Never Knew" is a toe-tapper.

"Oh My God" is a folk/Americana tune with the pedal steel. Nice.

May want to search him out.

This is good. The chorus reminds me of Bill Withers.

SXSW2024: Searows

 This artist is playing the Paste party but not sure what day. His online bio says:

Searows is the indie-folk project of Alec Duckart (he/him), a Kentucky-born, Oregon-raised singer-songwriter and guitarist.  His debut album, Guard Dog (released September 30, 2022), was written, recorded, and produced by Alec alone, on a glitchy old laptop, with GarageBand, between his 21st and 22nd birthdays.  

Paste says:

As Searows, Alec Duckart serves as a brilliant reminder that young people are looking for beautiful earnestness, for representations of emotions that both go beyond the surface and treat the surface with the care it needs. 

He has opened for Ethel Cain.

Dreamy folk. 

"House Song" has 22M streams on Spotify.

Definite Phoebe Bridgers vibes

SXSW2024: Forest Claudette

 One more playing SXSanJose. Signed to Warner Records.  This article says:

Before Melbourne-based R&B artist Kobe Hamilton-Reeves became Forest Claudette, they went through a number of different personas. The son of two classically trained, professional musicians, they grew up with music all around them and always knew it was their calling. But who they wanted to be in that space wasn’t as easy to identify.

The Claudette moniker's inspiration:

Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old Black woman who, in racially segregated Alabama in 1955, refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white woman. Nine months before Rosa Parks, Colvin was convicted of resisting arrest, and put in jail as an adult for her actions.

"Creaming Soda"  was their first single. Smooth R&B sound.

"Violence" is worth a listen. 

This was probably my favorite.

SXSW2024: Cardinals

Another band playing SXSanJose.  They are also playing the Irish Breakfast Friday at 2:55 at Flamingo Cantina.

This NME article says

 Cardinals’ palette – halfway between the atmospheric bluster of Echo and the Bunnymen and the scratchy indie of Yo La Tengo.

"Roseland" is good. This article compares it to R.E.M. I hear some The Smiths in there as well. Or the Kinks. Definitely throwback rock.

"The Brow" has the Echo and the Bunnymen sound. I like it.

This is their new single. Indie rock. Catchy. 

SXSW2024: The South Hill Experiment

The Mohawk Friday show was just announced. It will be crazy (BLK ODYSSY and Shakey Graves).  This band is playing at 3pm (apparently indoors so also crazy) but they are also playing SXSanJose.  

According to this article, it is two brothers originally from Baltimore but now in L.A. The name comes from the street where they live in L.A. 

This article states:

The Acheson brothers, Baird and Goldwash (aka Gabe) having previously worked on solo projects as well as studio collaborations with the likes of Brockhampton, Danny Brown and Arlo Parks, eventually decided to channel their creativity together for their own releases. 

It's review says their new album "lives up to its name, radiating a cosmic energy that immerses the listener in a dreamlike sonic landscape. The use of unconventional time signatures and ambient sounds showcases the duo’s prowess in creating a surreal auditory experience."

They also compare them to early MGMT.

"Chamelions" is quite psychedelic.

"Gabo's Last Resort" is much more mellow. Chillwave. Very KCRW vibe.

This is off their new album. It has a Poolside feel.

SXSW2024: Billy Allen + The Pollies

Southern rock/soul from Florence, Alabama. They're playing SXSanJose and at CBoys Friday at 5:15pm (after Tender Things and before Theo Lawrence). They recorded their album at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals and were produced by Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes).  This article states:

The Pollies’ previous credits include touring with Dylan LeBlanc and Nicole Atkins, records with guitarist Browan Lollar of St. Paul & the Broken Bones and the late Chris Porter, and backing gigs with John Paul White.

They heard Billy Allen performing in a bar and invited him to play. Soon they were recording and a new band was born.  

"I Thought You Wanted Him" has an Alabama Shakes sound.  Great song.

Expect big things.

This one starts rocking.

SXSW2024: Seafoam Walls

This band is playing SXSanJose but that's all I can find.  According to Pitchfork, they received a boost when Thurston Moore took an interest in them.  It says of the band:

 In a nod to bandleader Jayan Bertrand’s Haitian heritage, the Miami quartet self-classify their sound as “Caribbean jazzgaze,” a descriptor that might suggest something more visceral than what actually transpires on XVI. For the most part, Seafoam Walls’ songs present a serene swirl of enchantingly chill guitar lines, pitter-pattered drum programming, and Bertrand’s vaporous vocal melodies.

A mellow style that reminds me of Khruangbin. "Dependency" is nice.

"You Can't Have Your Cake and Ego Too (Happy Birthday)" is good, too.

This was their Tiny Desk Contest submission.  

SXSW2024: Sinkane

This is going to be one busy/tired man. He's playing everything: KUTX, Paste, SXSanJose, British Music Embassy and multiple showcases.

According to Wikipedia

Sinkane (born Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab c. 1983) is a Sudanese-American musician who blends krautrock, prog rock, electronica, free jazz and funk rock with Sudanese pop...Born to college professors in London, he lived in Sudan, then moved to the US when he was five, and lived for some time in Ohio. Prior to embarking on his solo career, he worked with Eleanor Friedberger, Caribou, of Montreal, Born Ruffians, and Yeasayer as a session musician.

This is the first I've heard of him but the song "How We Be" is 9 years old. It's good.

He did a Tiny Desk Concert six years ago. It says:

His band reflects his own love for music from around the world; you can hear a great New York jazz band in the rhythms of Sinkane, but you can also hear the influence of Bob Marley and the hypnotic repetition of Sudanese desert sounds.

He has a new EP with 3 songs out. This was the 1st single from it. Has a Marvin Gaye feel. It's really good.

 

SXSW2024: La Sécurité

Synth-pop out of Montreal. They're playing the KUTX morning show and a few showcases but no other days shows yet. This article says their sound:

takes obvious inspiration from new-wave and art-punk, dabbles with krautrock and post-punk, and occasionally flirts with egg-punk.

Catchy dance music. They sing in French and English. 

"Serpent" is in French.  I like the bass. It looks like the video was filmed at SXSW. You can see the Lone Star beer logos in the bar. I can't tell which bar, though.

"Hot Topic" is an interesting video and song. 

They remind me of Ladytron.

This was my favorite.

SXSW2024: Reyna Tropical

Playing the KUTX morning show Wednesday, KLRU Bloody Mary Morning on Thursday, and also SXSanJose.  It was originally two Mexico ex-pats now out of L.A. Do512's bio says:

"Reyna Tropical" is Fabi Reyna and Sumohair, they met for the first time in Nashville, Tennessee on behalf of Red Bull Music Academy's Bass Camp at Bonnaroo. They got into the studio the same day they met, recorded a track that would later inspire "Reyna Tropical". 

Now in L.A. but according to this Rolling Stone article:

Reyna is trusting herself and her own creative vision more than ever. In July of 2022, Sumo passed away suddenly at the age of 42. “The thing that helped me continue to move forward is to just continue to be me. People definitely lose themselves after something like this. And I feel like I did, too. Your whole system gets jumbled. You’re like, ‘What happened, where am I? Who am I?’ But grief isn’t just sad. It’s not just pain, it’s also creation. So I think grief is a powerful energy,” Reyna says. 

Of the music it says: " They have embodied the word tropical to its very core, with breezy beats, upbeat guitar riffs, and psychedelic  electro-cumbia sounds."

"Como Fuego" is fun. Good dance music. So is "Cartagena"

Here is one of the new ones. She wrote it after Sumo's death as a tribute to him.

SXSW 2024: SPRINTS

Hype alert. This band out of Dublin is getting all the big gigs and lots of buzz. They're doing the KUTX morning show and the Paste Party. They are also playing on Friday at 5:15pm at Flamingo Cantina for the Irish Breakfast party.

Post-punk. In this review of their album Stereogum mentions PJ Harvey, Pixies, Savages, and the Strokes. They say: 

the music breaks out into runaway-train mode: drums incessantly bashing, bass urgently rumbling, guitars ripping away at power chords so rapid-fire they seem like they might actually burst into flames. A lesser singer might sound like they’re barely hanging on when the songs rush forward so frantically, but Karla Chubb commandingly rides the wave, harnessing all that intensity in unrestrained howls and shout-along refrains.

Her voice reminds me of Courtney Barnett.

"Heavy" is face-melting. Mosh pit ready.

I like it but not your cup of tea. A band Rick McNulty would love.

SXSW 2024: Coach Party

Playing Friday at 5:20pm at the British Music Embassy as well as the Paste party (no day/time yet).  The Guardian says:

Poppy, witty and experimental, the Isle of Wight indie rock quartet are far more interesting than a cursory listen suggests.

They are signed to Chess Club Records (Wolf Alice, Jungle). 

"Be That Girl" is good. So is "FLAG (Feel Like A Girl)" Probably a little loud for you. Reminds me of Pixies.

This is their most streamed song. I like it, too. Catchy. I wouldn't mind catching their set.

SXSW 2024: Wishy

 This group out of Indiana is playing SXSanJose and the Paste party.  No days or times yet.  As Pitchfork says:

Singer-songwriters and guitarists Nina Pitchkites and Kevin Krauter went to the same Indiana high school but reconnected later, when Pitchkites moved back to Indianapolis, bonding over the Sundays and My Bloody Valentine...After releasing a self-titled EP as Mana earlier this year, the band—rounded out by drummer Connor Host, bassist Mitch Collins, and third guitarist and vocalist Dimitri Morris—changed its name to Wishy, signed to Winspear, and gained a sunkissed sheen thanks to L.A. producer Ben Lumsdaine.

Here's how the article describes their sound:

Paradise captures a uniquely Midwest approach to shoegaze, in which one’s vision is directed not down toward one’s shoes but up and out, at quiet skies and isolated fields surrounding small towns and cities where you might go hours without seeing someone outside their car.

"Donut" and "Too True" (Very good) are throwbacks for sure. Still good.

I liked this song. Right up my alley.

 

SXSW 2024: Divorce

The British Music Embassy came out with their schedule and this band is playing Wednesday at 5:20pm.  They're out of Nottingham.  As this article states:

The bandmates originally met at age 16 through the tight-knit Nottingham music scene.... The band’s vocals are steeped in nostalgic americana-folk, intertwined with unpredictable blues riffs and sarcastic British humour. Awash with satisfying harmonies (with whiffs of The Magic Numbers), their country-chamber-pop exudes familiarity and sophistication to soften that irreverent, punchy lyricism.

"Eat My Words" is good. Reminds me of Shakey Graves.  I listened to some of their other songs and they go all over the place. For example  "Sex & The Millennium Bridge" is more 80s rock ballad. Hence their outfits I guess. It's still good, though.

This is fun song about murder.

 

SXSW 2024: Jobi Riccio

 Third "Artist on the Rise" at Luck Reunion.  Signed to Yep Roc Records, here's their bio on her:

Born and raised in Morrison, Colorado—a tourist town in the foothills outside of Denver that’s home to Red Rocks Amphitheater—Riccio fell in love with country and roots music at an early age.

According to this article she attended Berklee College of Music, moved to Nashville, and won the Newport Folk Festival John Prine Fellowship which allowed her to make her first album. Not a bad start.

"For Me It's You" is a great unrequited love song.

"Sweet" is more uptempo. Good lyrics.

Here's the title song from her album as played on CBS Saturday Morning.  She's an artist on the rise for sure.  She's also playing SXSanJose but not sure what day.

SXSW 2024: Victoria Bigelow

Another Artist on the Rise at Luck Reunion.  According to this bio:

A singer-songwriter who crafts moody, alternative pop, Victoria started writing at the age of 12 in her native Marietta, Georgia after her mother bought her a cheap guitar. For years, she wrote and made the trek from Marietta to Nashville twice a month. It became clear it was time to make a permanent move and at the age of 15, Victoria and her family moved to Nashville. 

In the bio it states she had early success, then had to quit to enter a substance abuse program, then started her career again only to get pregnant and have a child.  Now she's maybe 29? and she's starting up again.

"Song for No One" is nice. So is "Oblivion".  She reminds me of a mix of Lana Del Rey and Mazzy Star. She did do a cover of "Fade into You". 

This was my favorite.

SXSW 2024: Lou Hazel

There are three musicians on the "Artists on the Rise" schedule at Luck Reunion.  Here's the first option. According to his record label's website:

Lou Hazel (Chris Frisina) was born in the rustic town of Olean, New York to a family of northeastern wiseacres and intelligent hillbillies who remain hell bent on living full, rich lives despite brutal winters in a persistent economic downturn. Runt of the litter, according to his only sister.  

"Claude the Armadillo" is good.

This is a nice song.

 

SXSW 2024: Tyler Halverson

 Last artist on the BMI showcase at Luck Reunion. According to this article he's originally from South Dakota but moved to Nashville and entered the songwriting program at Belmont University.  Since then he has signed with Atlantic Records. 

"Her" is pretty country but I like the mandolin and harmonica.  

"Tiffany Blue" is more mellow but it's good.

More harmonica on this song.

SXSW 2024: Harper O'Neill

 Another artist on the BMI showcase at Luck Reunion. According to her website:

O’Neill grew up in Dallas, TX, where her parents ran a household brimming with music. O’Neill’s mother shared her love of rock and pop acts like the Rolling Stones and James Taylor, while her father introduced her to a bevy of women songwriters, including Carole King, Susan Tedeschi and Bonnie Raitt. The pair’s tastes intersect when it comes to their mutual love for Texas country artists, like Hayes Carll, Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett. Both of her parents play the guitar and her sister sings choral music, while O’Neill first came to music as part of her school’s marching band, for which she played French horn and was part of the drumline.

She's now in Nashville. According to this article, she moved to Nashville after graduating from UT Austin with a degree in Advertising. In 2022 she was named the 1st place winner of the American Songwriter Song Contest. She also completed a tour alongside Ashley McBryde and Morgan Wade. 

"Guilty" is good. Pretty straight-forward country. 

"Over Me" is nice. More bluesy.

Here's what won her 1st place in the song contest.

SXSW 2024: Kade Hoffman

BMI has song-writer showcase at Luck Reunion with 3 artists. I assume it's a song swap.  The bio for this artist says:

From the plains of Colorado, Kade Hoffman brings a new voice to the contemporary Western lifestyle. His songs are rich in both tradition and the youthful adventure that is growing up on the range.

He sounds so much like Colter Wall. 

"7 an Hour" is good.

This is his most viewed song.

SXSW 2024: Swamp Dogg

 Last one on the Oh Boy Records showcase at Luck Reunion.  Wikipedia says:

Jerry Williams Jr. (born July 12, 1942), generally credited under the pseudonym Swamp Dogg after 1970, is an American soul and R&B singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. Williams has been described as "one of the great cult figures of 20th century American music."...Williams was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He made his first recording, "HTD Blues (Hardsick Troublesome Downout Blues)", for the Mechanic record label in 1954, when he was aged 12.

He was also a producer and songwriter:

 Later in 1968 Williams began working as a producer at Atlantic Records with Jerry Wexler and Phil Walden, on artists including Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles.

He says:

 I became Swamp Dogg in 1970 in order to have an alter-ego and someone to occupy the body while the search party was out looking for Jerry Williams, who was mentally missing in action due to certain pressures, mal-treatments and failure to get paid royalties on over fifty single records

In 2020, he released the album Sorry You Couldn't Make It, a country-styled record recorded in Nashville with producer Ryan Olson and musicians including Justin Vernon, John Prine, and Jenny Lewis.

"Lonely" has a nice beat. Justin Vernon was involved in production.

"Good, Better Best" is a toe-tapper.

Here's the one with Justin Vernon and Jenny Lewis.

SXSW 2024: Mick Flannery

More from Oh Boy Records at Luck Reunion. I guess I should know him. He's big in Ireland, his home country.  According to NPR:

Mick Flannery is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed songwriters and singers. The award-winning, double-platinum selling artist has released six studio albums, three of which reaching No. 1 status. His last offering in 2019 received high praise as his finest to date: ‘Mick Flannery has a voice for the ages, a complete Master of his craft’ cited Clash Magazine, whilst The Sunday Times said he “conjures up exquisite story-telling’. 

 According to this article he is the first international artist signed to Oh Boy.  

"The Fact" features Valerie June.

"I'll Be Out Here" is his most played song on Spotify.

This is off his latest album.

SXSW 2024: Emily Scott Robinson

More from the Oh Boy Records showcase at Luck Reunion.  She's from Colorado and signed with Oh Boy and released her first album in 2021.

"Let 'em Burn" was a song of the year nominee for Saving Country Music. Such great lyrics:

If you don’t recognise me when I come back around

It’s 'cause all the things I thought I’d be

Yes all the things I swore I'd be

I let 'em all burn to the ground

This is more uptempo.

 

SXSW 2024: Arlo McKinley

Part of the Oh Boy showcase at Luck Reunion. I've been wanting to see this musician for years. I hope he plays a whole set. He was the last signing by John Prine. His debut album (at 40 years-old) was voted best album of 2020 by Saving Country Music.  According to Wikipedia: "McKinley has shared stages opening for Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell, Justin Townes Earle, John Moreland, Jamey Johnson and more."

"This Damn Town" has a Jason Isbell feel.

Here's the title song from Die Midwestern. Will Sexton played on it.

SXSW 2024: Tré Burt

Oh Boy Records is bringing a group of their artists to Luck Reunion as part of a showcase. They are also touring the country before heading here. I'm not sure if they'll each get their own set or do a song swap on the same stage.  We'll see.

I'll do quick previews for each of them. Tré Burt was on the online Luck Reunion stream during COVID. He's originally from California. 

"Under the Devil's Knee" features Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell and Sunny War. Cool.

This song was on KUTX rotation.

SXSW 2024: Ogi

More from Luck Reunion.  According to Wikipedia:

Ogi Ifediora, better known by her stage name Ogi, is an American musician of Nigerian descent. rhythm and blues singer. She was born in 1997 just outside of Chicago and raised in Madison, Wisconsin.

According to this Billboard article she was a student at Northwestern and posted a cover of "Alright" which went viral. That led to her signing with Atlantic Records and now she's here. 

"Bitter" is good. So is "Envy".

Here's her first single.  Nice.

 

SXSW 2024: Nick Shoulders

 More from Luck Reunion.  Wikipedia says:

Nicklaus Robert Shoulders is an American country singer-songwriter from Fayetteville, Arkansas. After achieving local success with his punk rock band Thunderlizards in the early 2010s and playing harmonica and banjo with Shawn James and the Shapeshifters, in 2017 Shoulders began releasing country music as a solo artist.

Saving Country Music says:  "Nick Shoulders is the singing, yodeling, whistling, mulleted and mustachioed country music weirdo freak of our time."

"Rather Low" is one of his viral hits.  "Too Old to Dream" was his Tiny Desk contest submission.  Love his yodel. Same on "Snakes and Waterfalls". He's compared to Colter Wall.

This is a newer one. He could be fun live. I'd like to hear him yodel.

SXSW 2024: Rainbow Girls

 More from Luck Reunion.  According to Wikipedia:

Rainbow Girls are a three-piece singing group made up of Erin Chapin, Caitlin Gowdey, and Vanessa Wilbourn from the North Bay area of California. In the fall of 2018, one of their Facebook cover videos meant to promote a local show garnered nearly 7 million views. They immediately went into the studio to record a cover album, Give the People What They Want, which was released on February 22, 2019. Their viral video for the song “Down Home Girl” (originally performed by Alvin Robinson; other notable versions by The Rolling Stones, The Coasters, and Old Crow Medicine Show) also led them to be discovered by Madison House booking agency, as well as by manager Hannah Spero.

Here is "Down Home Girl". They are described as eclectic folk.

This song is more rocking. Funny lyrics.

SXSW 2024: Madi Diaz

Luck Reunion.  She played ACL in 2012 (my preview here) and was part of Riothorse Royal (SXSW 2016) who we saw open for Other Lives.  We've never seen her solo, though.  Since then she released a breakout album that saw her open for Waxahatchie, Angel Olsen, and Harry Styles. Damn.

She has a new album out and is getting the "Tonight Show" slots now. Here is "Everything Almost".

Here she is with Kacey Musgraves on "Don't Do Me Good".

This is from her previous album History of a Feeling. 

SXSW 2024: Evan Honer

 Luck Reunion. According to his website:

Evan Honer is a songwriter originally from Surprise, Arizona. Influenced by esteemed artists like Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, and Colter Wall, Evan has masterfully crafted a captivating blend of modern outlaw country, indie folk, and pop sensibilities. Despite only being 22 years old, Evan has garnered an impressive 50 million+ streams across platforms and currently is in the midst of recording of a highly anticipated new album and will be extensively touring as a 100% independent artist.

Here he is playing Tyler Childers' "Jersey Giant". Nice. 

"Mr. Myers" is a tear-jerker. Get out the tissues. The others songs I heard are equally as depressing. ("All I Ask" and "Brother") Here is one exception.