The thunderous four-piece Aubrey Hays Band, led by none other than its titular member, just released her first single, "Isn’t It Enough." Produced at King Electric Studios by engineer/producer David McDonald, the song is an ethereal, vulnerable glimpse into a tender heart, one unsure of where she stands in her lover’s life, and even more unsure of her own sense of belonging. Despite its angst-ridden subject matter, "Isn’t It Enough" shimmers with an ineffable feeling of hope, as if, just maybe, things are going to be okay.

Hays’ voice is an instrument unto itself, full of rich, varied tones, technical dexterity, and bursting with emotion. As a singer and a songwriter, she’s prolific, and a force to be reckoned with on the Austin indie scene, and beyond even that, soon enough. Listen to the single below! – Ethan Ames

On the short, sweet "Leawood Street," Lady Chops & The Goddamn Jam paints a rich picture of a childhood summer day about town. Lead singer Bethony Nichole’s lyrics are an idyllic series of vignettes: descriptions abound of magnolia trees, gravel underneath one’s feet, pressing one’s hands into wet concrete and wearing overalls. For the most part, the song is refreshingly devoid of overt angst, instead focusing on the images and sensations that comprise a child’s experience of her world. The song brings the listener back to a place of innocence and simplicity. The only moment of mature reflection is the refrain: "I want to be a someone some day." It’s a feeling most of us can relate to, one that catches up with us into adulthood before we’re ready to realize that that someday is now. The song is still a heady, delightful portrait, and the instrumental prowess of Lady Chops’ full band serves to enhance this sensory experience without calling much attention to itself. 

Lady Chops is playing at Whip In on February 15th, with support from the folk stylings of Much 2 Much and the debut of the new indie-rock band Tish. – Ethan Ames 

Photo credit: David Brendan Hall

Austin’s indie-folk quartet Much 2 Much just wrapped up their November residency at Swan Dive last Thursday evening. The lineup was a female-centric smorgasbord of intricate harmonies, instrumental versatility and head-turning musical approaches. 

The first act of the evening was a duo set by two of the women of Ley Line, Emilie Basez and Maddy Froncek. The duo played soft and slow, but with raw power and a unique emotional intensity that kept the inhabitants of Swan Dive silent and attentive as ever. Basez and Froncek effortlessly exchanged duties on acoustic guitar, banjo, upright bass and percussion, seamlessly shifting between songs without missing a beat. Their set included originals, some sung beautifully in Portuguese, and covers by artists such as Gillian Welch. 

Much 2 Much – fronted by Erin Thelen and Angie Holliday – took the stage next. With fluttering, ethereal harmonies and concise songwriting, Much 2 Much are masters of dynamics and catchy hooks. Thelen and Holliday are each proficient at guitar and keys, and both bring different methods to their instruments, so no single song sounds quite alike. Backed by a powerful rhythm section consisting of Tyler Irvine on drums and Alex Browne on bass, Much 2 Much plowed through their set with smiles and fervor to an uproarious crowd.

The last act of the evening was the trio of Allysa Grace Music. Grace’s music is an intriguing blend of jazz, soul and prog-rock, with songs that often descend into what feel like free-form jams. Grace’s stage presence is strong, and she addresses the crowd with an affable ease that belies the complexity of her music. In a town filled to the brim with guitar players, it’s refreshing to see a band without guitar. Instead, Grace’s keyboard is the centerpiece instrument, with bassist Ben Bradshaw often taking lead excursions on his five-string bass. 

You can catch Much 2 Much at The Lodge and Tavern in Wimberley on December 22nd. Listen to a live version of "Footsteps" below! – Ethan Ames

Austin’s Thanks Light has released a charming new music video for "Little Pink Fluffy Clouds." It’s a colorful and creative compliment to the song’s jangly, indie-rock vibe, with chord structures and tones reminiscent of bands like Wilco, Why? and Pavement. The video is entirely composed of DIY stop-motion animation: figurines and shaving cream dance and swirl around the screen, while fridge-magnet letters and Lite-Brite spell out the song’s lyrics. It’s clear the indie quartet had fun with the video, and the fun is contagious. Check out the video below! – Ethan Ames

Thanks Light : : Little Pink Fluffy Clouds : : from Enjoy Eyes on Vimeo.

Watch out, Austin – Much 2 Much is coming out to play. Originally born as a duo, Erin Thelen and Angie Holliday formed the band in 2015 during a trip to Asia, and has since taken Austin by storm as a four-piece. Their music is soulful and ethereal, full of evocative, intricate harmonies and fluid songwriting that hearkens to R&B, folk and jazz. The full band’s musicianship is a force to be reckoned with, and they’re guaranteed to move you. Don’t miss Much 2 Much at Mohawk on September 12th, with support from Pauline and The Seventh Circuit. Check out a live-in-the-studio performance of "Who" below! – Ethan Ames

The electro-pop trio of Culture Wars has released a new music video, "Bones." Although the band’s based out of Austin, the video was shot in Los Angeles. Directed by Phillip Lopez (Kygo, Cold War Kids), the video for "Bones" is vaguely post-apocalyptic, with much of it set in and around an abandoned bowling alley. The characters alternatingly wear gas masks, futuristic-looking helmets and cowboy attire (yes, sawed-off shotguns and pistols included). The video is several homages blended into one – "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Westworld" come to mind – and it effectively syncs up well with the doom-laced, electro-pop feel of the song itself. Check out the video for "Bones" below! – Ethan Ames

NYC’s Spritzer, the side project of Friend Roulette’s Matthew Flory Meade, is a band of skilled musicians who, refreshingly, don’t take themselves too seriously. The songs from their debut album, Love. Lies. Decay. have inflections of early-aughts indie reminiscent of Arcade Fire, but also sophisticated late ’80s/early ’90s pop like Prefab Sprout and The The. Songs like "Jean & Helene," whose video premiered a few days ago, are a rollicking ride, with relentless uptempo drums, reverb-laden vocals, and swirling synth lines that lend an air of the mystical to the already dream-like tunes. This is definitely a new NYC band to keep an ear on. – Ethan Ames

The New York synthpop duo Saint Marilyn has dropped a new EP called "Tangle." The duo of Saint Marilyn is comprised of Che Houston and Kevin Marksson, who began work on the album last spring as a deliberate departure from their existing drums-and-guitar arrangement. "Tangle" is synth-heavy and moody, with upfront basslines and battering-ram percussion anchoring celestial-sounding synth explorations. The compositions themselves are unconventional, hearkening to both disco and new wave, with extended instrumental sections throughout and Houston’s forceful-yet-ethereal vocals carrying the songs’ momentum. Overall, the sound of "Tangle" is a bold one, and it’s a success. Listen to "Matchless" below! – Ethan Ames

Forth Wanderers‘ new self-titled album, their Sub Pop debut, is symphonic and rollicking. The band’s songwriting duo – Ben Guterl on guitar and Ava Trilling penning lyrics – are perpetually in sync, despite often writing at a physical distance. The five-piece band’s members are rarely in the same place at once (they’re all college students in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Ohio, respectively). Despite this, their chemistry and synchronization as a band is abundantly evident on this release. "Forth Wanderers" is a triumph, bursting with angst and dissonance while maintaining an innate pop appeal. This album has something for just about everyone who has an ear for good songs – it’s bright and jangly at times, distorted and gnashing at others, and it always has something to say. Stream "Not For Me" below! – Ethan Ames

Sultry and confident, in their latest video for single DDT, New York’s alt-rock trio Uni makes good use of a mix of vaguely S&M imagery, glam-rock sartorial choices and the fetishization of all the iconography it portrays. The song itself is lumbering and heavy, with swelling organs, crunchy guitar riffs and powerful lead vocals by Nico Fuzz. Glam Rock had roots in NYC with the New York Dolls and David Bowie’s formative years; times seems ripe for a revival in the city. – Ethan Ames

In her new EP Kitsch II,  New York avant-pop artist Sur Back – real name Caroline Sans – deeply mines the esoteric, incorporating obscure facets of many different genres into the record’s four tracks. It’s part baroque-pop, part new wave, and extremely avant-garde. It’s sweet and melancholy, with unconventional string orchestration and an abundance of compelling, unexpected melodic twists. Listen to "Valentino" below and see them live at Baby’s All Right on Saturday June 2nd, opening for Chaos Chaos. – Ethan Ames

Lola Pistola – real name Arvelisse Ruby – is a force to be reckoned with. On her most recent release, 2017’s Curfew, Lola’s songs are brash, ballsy and seething, with abounding post-punk vibes. In her video for "Carroll St.," she paints a bleak picture of life in New York through a series of disjointed, vignette-like images of herself in various city locales: a dimly-lit music venue, the docks, a stark apartment inhabited by barely-clad sleeping men, outside a storefront gate. Her knowing smirk and unsettling visage, complete with death-like makeup and hypothermia-blue eyeshadow, pops through each mundane setting like blood seeping from pale skin. However, for all her brash tongue-waggling, Lola Pistola also dabbles in the subtly sardonic. On "Wild, Rich and Loose," she takes aim at idly wealthy lifestyles, croaking, "We’ve come to feed on open wounds/Take all you want/I’m wild, rich and loose." Lola Pistola is playing at Northside Festival on June 9th at The Knit. Watch the video for "Carroll St." below! – Ethan Ames