Song of the Day

We’ve been hitting that new Devon Gillfilian album Time Will Tell pretty hard this year and for good reason: it’s catchy, soulful, and sometimes downright cinematic. When he came through Studio 1A earlier this month and his touring pianist Jay Blaylock was already poised at our Steinway, our Assistant Program Director Deidre Gott had a request: could they grace our audience with the album’s…

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Halloween is 9 days away (but who’s counting?) and today’s Song of the Day, “Marionette,” will certainly put you in the mood. Sophie Seng, Austin-based singer and saxophonist, tells the story of the struggle for freedom and its subsequent constraints through the perspective of a marionette puppet. The vivid imagery of a marionette finding its footing, paired with Seng’s rich contralto over…

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Nashville duo Materializer take listeners on a seven-minute-plus journey with “Unwind,” a heavy, psychedelic track that knows when to pull back and when to hit hard. Built around shifting guitars, hypnotic drones, and melodic vocals, the song moves between brooding tension and explosive riffs without losing its sense of atmosphere.

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Former KUTX Artist of the Month Chief Cleopatra is back with their first single in two years. Following in the footsteps of 2024’s pop-forward “Cold Dancer,” the group continues to toss aside their laurels, instead pushing deeper into more experimental territory in their most collaborative song to date. “Waves” is a pinnacle of art-pop, evoking the energy of artists like Lana Del Ray and…

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Since we last touched base here with Austin’s Late Wife, the band have been riding that “cream rising to the top” high. They’ve opened for …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, performed at this year’s Tiny Desk Concert tour’s Austin stop, and they’ve been spinning around the KUTX airwaves, all leading-up to the release of their debut album Body. The final single from the album is a dark…

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“It’s Already Over” was inspired by LeTrainiump’s struggle to find his footing in Austin. After feeling like an outsider, his daughter reminded him to let go of the little things and to move forward. That simple moment became the heart of the song: Life moves minute by minute, and sometimes you just have to stop dwelling in the past.

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Today’s Song of the Day comes from Indiana’s Houndmouth. “Heavy Eyes” is a rootsy, blues-soaked rocker that reflects on the people you meet and the stories they leave behind, with its easygoing groove and gritty vocals.

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Flutes. Falsetto. Phantasmic. That’s London trio Night Tapes in a nutshell. What began as late night jam sessions between housemates has evolved into hundreds of millions of online streams, journalistic praise, and global festival slots, including the illustrious “get them in the door early” slot at this year’s ACL Fest. Night Tapes brought their ethereal blend of trip-hop, shoegaze…

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Austin post-punk-injected electronic duo Almost Heaven exemplify “fresh nostalgia.” The duo made of Stefan Barraza & Jaelyn Valero have become increasingly ubiquitous since the release of their Raw Cranium EP back in January, leading to ample spins on the KUTX airwaves and an ACL Fest debut this past weekend, firing up and electrifying the Tito’s tent. They stopped by our backstage tent to perform…

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We caught Jess Williamson backstage at Austin City Limits for a live performance away from the mudslides. This Texas-born, LA-based artist brought her warm voice and indie folk/alt-country sound to the tent with an acoustic rendition of “Goodbye to All That” from her upcoming record, “A Mile South of Heaven,” which releases tomorrow. If you loved hearing her live performance, don’t miss out…

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Palace stopped by the KUTX tent at ACL and performed their song “Kid.” A dreamy, guitar-driven track that balances hazy textures with a strong melodic pull, “Kid” has a nostalgic quality without feeling stuck in the past, making it the perfect feel-good song.

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Ascending us from the muddy muck of the ACL Fest grounds to the astral plane is Portland dream pop duo New Constellations. Childhood friends Harlee Chase and Josh Smith popped by our backstage tent to grace us with an acoustic rendition of “Hotblooded”: a heavy-hearted meditation and reckoning from Chase written in 2021 following a traumatic brain injury sustained by her then-boyfriend and the…

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Another ACL Fest means you’re getting LOTS of exclusive live performances captured backstage in our pop-up tent, and we’re kicking it off this year with one from right here in Austin! Elijah Delgado has been performing for years, culminating in the release of his debut EP in 2021, which catalyzed his steady rise in the Austin music scene. His self-coined indie-rock lullabies blend lush textures…

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While our heads over here are preoccupied with our own back yard, shout out to ACL, I want to take it to Montreal for some spooky, mood setting dark synth jams to start October right. Das Mörtal just released this track on September 30th, and it’s so head boppingly good. Best paired with Erie weather patterns and an admiration of vampires.…

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New York duo Fatales blend dreamy vocals, rock guitars, and cinematic Western influences on “Voices.” Kaelin Kost’s soft delivery contrasts with David Pattillo’s bigger guitars, creating a really cool tension between fragility and force. Think Fleetwood Mac meets dream-pop meets a classic Western.

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Hot off a recent apperance in an Allstate commerical and ready to make their ACL Fest debut next weekend is Austin Latin R&B quintet lluvii. The new single “Junii (llámame)” encapsulates the group’s genre-inclusive sound, this time blending R&B, jazz, and pop that climaxes into a psychedelic trancendence, creating a well-layered, acid-laced fusion, like making curried chickpea nachos or putting…

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The new one from nu-Disco aficionados CAPYAC may be a fall release, but at least here in Austin, it’s more like a last hurrah of a summertime poolside track. And a note to your summertime crush. Smooth and low-key, but incredibly bright and upbeat, CAPYAC once again delivers another instant playlist add.

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Austin band Wild Heaven’s “One to Go” dives into the noise that can build up in our heads, from media and the internet to other people’s expectations. The song started with a guitar riff before a circular bass line brought everything together, eventually building into a chaotic outro of layered guitars and megaphone vocals. It’s a pretty fitting soundtrack for trying to tune everything else out.

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After the success of her EP’s and rotation on Sirius XM, Mexico City-born, L.A. based singer Andrea Bejar is releasing her debut album In Bloom. Bejar’s music is an ethereal chimera of her Mexican roots and American influence, putting a lush, pop veneer on boleros, or, in the case, of today’s Song of the Day, a slight subversion of the tradition. “Te Vas A Arrepentir (Don’t Hurt Him)” is about the…

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The new album from Leander singer-songwriter Shannon Hudson, Cross Stitch, finds him plugged-in. Electric guitars are center stage this time for an album poignantly built around the dissolution of communication, the self-fulfilling prophecy of isolation it creates and perpetuates, and a reckoning with the state of our country and the atrocities wherein. “Black Roses” hits on this last point: a…

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Austin-based bassist and Americana songwriter Ruby Dice brings some true Texan honky-tonk vibes with soulful vocals in her new track “Dress To Impress.” Austin legend Shinyribs opens this track to add old-school sizzle. You can find this song on her new album, Take Me Back, which came out two weeks ago today.

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Our Artist of the Month, Grocery Bag, is blowing in the wind to big places! After starting in West Campus, they’ve gone on to tour with bands like the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – and they’re just getting started. Tomorrow, they’re taking the stage at Levitation Festival at the Far Out Lounge. Later this month, they’ll perform at a KUTX-supported show at Meanwhile Brewins, and in October…

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London band Hazy Waters takes on the feeling of being stuck inside your own head with “Take Me Home.” The restless alternative track circles around recurring thoughts, the urge to wipe the slate clean, and trying to find a way out of the same mental loop. It’s that feeling of running in circles, hoping the next time around will somehow be different.

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You’ve spent a year working on an album. Finally, it’s a wrap, and being in the studio is the farthest things from your mind. And what happens? You’re struck with inspiration to write new music, so it’a back to the studio you go. Such is life, and such is the case for New York’s Closeby.” “No Troubles Left At All” is a deft coalescence of lush pop songwriting with college indie rock attitude…

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Our ship has landed on Evil Island. The locals are made-up by members of the Blood Brothers, OFF!, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, and Glassjaw, and their culture is centered around what they call the Death Cultt, a satirical critique on consumerism and the corporate chokehold in the modern age. “T-Hexx” is all about the guitars; it’s abrasive, spazzy, layered, and will have you…

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Austin-based musician Roger Sellers has spent more than a decade creating richly layered electronic pop as Bayonne, building expansive songs from live percussion, piano, synths, field recordings and intricate loops. Bayonne has brought his immersive live show to Austin City Limits Music Festival, Bonnaroo and SXSW, and was named Best Electronic artist at the 2026 Austin Music Awards.

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Austin singer-songwriter Emily McLoud brings folk and Americana songwriting to stories of love, loss, family and change. “What Will I Do” takes on anticipatory grief, focusing on the everyday moments and routines that suddenly feel much more meaningful when you realize they could change. The album is out October 23, with an intimate release event happening October 29 at Smith’s private Austin…

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THE HOLE STORY IS POWERED BY AUSTIN BEERWORKS Magna Carda began as two college students trying to combine hip-hop production with the spontaneity of live jazz. Nearly fifteen years later, Megz Kelli and Dougie Do are still following that idea and their collaboration has grown into one of Austin’s most acclaimed hip-hop groups, blending Megz’s sharp, self-reflective rhymes and Dougie’s…

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New music from Geto Gala was literally on my 2026 New Music Wish List, and here we are. Jake Lloyd and Deezie Brown are back with the smooth and sexy “Playa Call”: thematically harkening back to seductive 90’s R&B hits…until we ge to the twist at the end. Hold up! We’ve been sucked in, the phone is lighting up, but we ain’t answering.

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Australian power-pop band The Summertimes is getting ready to release new music for the first time since 2023. “Save You Now” was officially released yesterday as the first single from their upcoming EP. This song was written to ask you one question: who is coming to save you, if anyone at all? Perhaps this track will lead you to ponder what you need saving from – or whether you need saving at all.

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Whereabouts, an Austin-based alternative indie-rock band that debuted earlier this year, is back with “Flashback,” one of their three single releases from their upcoming EP. This upbeat, energetic single touches on nostalgia and regret – a difficult balance for many artists, but Whereabouts brings them together like desert sun and sand. Lyrically, “Flashback” speaks of moving forward from the past…

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The Hole Story is powered by Austin Beerworks British singer-songwriter Jade Bird broke through in the U.S. in 2018 with “Lottery.” In this episode, she looks back at that song with a very different perspective, talks about the relationships and experiences behind her writing, and performs songs including music from her album, Who Wants to Talk About Love? A former Austinite…

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Country music legend Wynonna Judd is back with her first album in over a decade. On The Hard Truth, she collaborates with artists like Iron & Wine, the War & Treaty, and Patterson Hood. And despite her music never shying away from darker, personal themes, Judd says this new album may be her most honest. This album asked me to be brave enough to tell the truth—even when my voice shook.

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Hi you have reached Song of the day please hit one to hear the rest of this feature… Just kidding, but this next song discusses the frustration of making a call only to find a robot on the other side. While Oreaganomics is neither a spice nor an economic policy from the 80’s, they do bring lofi beats, psychedelic soul and commentary on modern life. All while staying anonymous during their…

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Austin’s BS comes in hot with “f1,” a fast-moving track that lives up to its name. Built on propulsive drums and sharp, forward-leaning production, the song feels like it’s constantly accelerating, carrying a restless energy from start to finish. It’s a short, sharp burst of momentum that doesn’t waste much time getting where it’s going. Catch BS performing “f1” at Hole in the Wall on August…

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The latest installment in Jim Eno’s Project Traction mentorship program (whose mission is to create a more gender inclusive audio production and engineering industry), comes from Fort Collins, Colorado. Songwriter Elka gives us “Husk”: a deeply intimate and reflective indie-pop track rooted in grief and dressed in effortless elegance courtesy of Project Traction member (and fellow Fort Collins…

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Releasing their self-titled debut album today, Austin’s A Band Called Ma is giving us our daily dose of nostalgia through the 90s-inspired rhythm guitar and abstract lyricism featured in their single “SALT.” This track was the last single released for the album, acting as the final taste of what’s to come from their self-produced and recorded album, three years in the making. If you like what you…

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Austin’s Dom Francis brings a hazy, rain-soaked feel to “Alligator Rain,” pairing a laid-back groove with a sound that feels a little strange in the best way. There’s a looseness to the track that lets the instrumentation breathe, while Francis’ vocals keep things grounded. It’s an easygoing listen with a little mystery around the edges.

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Austin’s Seth Celdrán brings a sharp, swaggering edge to “Stiletto,” a track that blends a driving groove with sleek production and plenty of attitude. There’s something effortlessly cool about the way the song moves, balancing its darker edge with a rhythm that keeps it light on its feet. “Stiletto” has just enough bite to make its mark without overdoing it. Catch Seth Celdrán at his album…

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The Hole Story is powered by Austin Beerworks* Long before Shakey Graves was filling theaters around the world, Alejandro Rose-Garcia was finding his footing at Austin’s Hole in the Wall, where an early happy-hour residency helped shape the artist he would become. More than a decade later, that connection remains. In 2026, Shakey brought his annual Shakey Graves Day celebration back to…

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