Married duo The Mastersons recently returned to live in Austin after a stint as New Yorkers – and we are sure glad to have them back in town.  Members of Steve Earle’s band, they have miraculously found time in between tours to craft their own excellent brand of alternative-roots rock. Their latest album Good Luck Charm is now available via New West Records. Check out the video to their single, "Closer To You" below. – Jonathan Konya

Austin’s cosmic roots troupe Wild Bill and The Lost Knobs are set to release their new album The Show on September 20th. The new LP features 11 tracks of laid back south Austin style jams – the perfect soundtrack for beer sipping or pool dipping with your pals. Extra cool points: the band paid for the album recording costs entirely with saved up gig money, showcasing the latest in crowd-funding trends: working hard for your art. Check out the video for stand out track "She Don’t Say No" below. – Jonathan Konya  

Started as an Austin duo of Alton Jenkins and Bill Kenny in 2012 Future Death have developed into a foursome with the addition of bassist Jeremey Humphries and vocalist Angie Kang. Still a young band, the foursome has nailed the whole art-rock-trash-punk band vibe they are going for. Their debut LP ‘Special Victim’ came out in May and was recorded in a funeral home turned studio – maybe that’s why it sounds so spooky. Slightly reminiscent of Karen O, Kang’s punkish yelps and sweet voiced chants are challenged by the noise of clashing guitars and drums. Future Death have an upcoming Fall tour and, if you wanna headbang along to the noise-punk band in person, they’ll be playing Sect One in Austin on Friday, September 26. – Allison Mayoral

“Basketball Shorts was born out of a passion for rocking hard and drinking lots of Lone Star.” This, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call the makings of a true Austin party band.
Basketball Shorts come alive on stage with head-banging anthems designed for having a sweaty ball. Inspired by everything from hard partying to pizza to Forrest Gump, the trio’s songs are peppered with quips, adding to those good time party vibes.
A band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously? That’s a band you can really get down with.

If you love rocking hard and Lone Star, then check out Basketball Shorts’ saccharine new single “Candy Boys” via Austin label, Fleeting Youth Records. – Gillian Driscoll

Bands we follow from their first show often hold a special place in our hearts.  Even more so if they turn out to develop into something as great as Modrag.  Bragging rights aside, we’ve loved Modrag from the start.  They are an all hands on deck sort of outfit.  The controlled chaos element of the psych-rock spectrum and that rare case when a band has just the right mix of influences and modern creativity.  

The songs of Ron Davy, Cliff Real, T.L. Ford and Tom Hartman are no doubt torchbearers of the small town garage rock of the 60’s but no band gets out of the 21st century unscathed by modern influence.  When it comes out the other end for Modrag it sounds like Lonlilust (featured below).  What sounds to us like Iggy and Suicide left the space echo running.  They’ve been busier than ever in the past few months touring and playing around Austin in what is quickly becoming the predominant scene of our city.  Friday night the fellas play at the famous Continental Club to what will no doubt be some very surprised tourists and die hard fans alike.  

There aren’t many bands playing within the genre of Experimental Post-Mayan music.  Call it a niche. Whatever the guys from Modern Medicine want to call it, we like it.  I can’t say it’s easy to find out much about these elusive characters but their confidence and patience on what we have heard are not indicative of someone who doesn’t know their way around a recording studio.  The slow and steady sermon of Holy Roller has the mark of veteran craftsman.  We’ll keep an eye out for them and you can vote for Modern Medicine for Artist of the Month on our new poll.  

This Friday, Cheer Up Charlie’s is hosting a show of some of The Deli Austin’s favorite local bands, all leading up to the release of the new EP from Hikes.  Hikes came on our radar last year after the release of what looks like the most fun video shoot of all time.  Do yourself a favor…

HIKES / Like Ripples / OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO from Lobo Sucio Creative on Vimeo.

Pair that with what is some of the most heartfelt and ambitious music coming out of Austin and needless to say, we’re excited to hear the new record. It’s a long night of music and DJs starting with Nathaniel Red and sets from Chipper Jones, Big Bill, Happy Hell and Young Tongue.  All great bands and an amazing, eclectic line-up of local talent.  Get there early and stay late.  

Originally based in Brooklyn, Wildcat Apollo have come to call Austin home as of recent. Formed in 2012 and spending most of that time honing their sound and craft quietly in a Bushwick basement, the band is on the verge of having Austin claim them as one of their own.  The self-titled LP has warranted much attention with it’s lush, psych-pop sensibilities strewn over vocalists; Cat Tassini and Taylor Eichenseer’s seraphic cadence.  While not much is known about the group here in Austin, they are already making a name for themselves nationally by recently winning the Rock Category Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition for Session II of 2013 with the winning track “Colorado” featured below.  Wildcat Apollo is also set to appear on several dates of the Warped Tour, June 13th – June 19th and here in Austin at Holy Mountain June 29th. – Michael Maly

Come tomorrow night, Pollen, the  trio of Andy Palmer, Maud Morgan and Ben Hirsch will be releasing their first EP of their brand of politically charged art punk. Youthful and full of urgency, the four song, self-titled EP draws heavily on the influence of proto-punk avant-gardists like The Feelies as much the next generation of indie vanguardists a la Yo La Tengo.  In that tradition, Pollen achieves an impressive blend of humor, rhythm and brevity, pop sensibility and dissonance.   Following the reemerging trend of cassette releases, the new EP will be available on tape tomorrow night at 1401 Astor Place.  Pollen will share the bill with last month’s Artist of the Month poll winner Those Howlings.   

Making a name for yourself in the crowded ranks of the Americana/Country scene isn’t an easy task in Austin.  With great acts like Leo Rondeau, Crooks, Mayeax and Broussard, Mike and the Moonpies and dozens more playing weekly and filling The White Horse regularly for years now, it’s refreshing to see new names and great new bands finally getting attention.  Harvest Thieves are just one of the many great bands to recently break out but they aren’t exactly new on the scene.  Lead singer, Cory Reinisch and bassist, Dusty Meyer also front the group Guns of Navarone, who have made their own mark around the city for the last four years.  The group is releasing a 7” split with Minneapolis singer, Sam Cassidy June 5th at Holy Mountain with a great bill of heavy hitters and two amazing songwriters, Ben Ballinger and A. Sinclair.  

Chipper Jones consists of friends James Lambrecht and Charlie Martin. Together, they create melodic, mostly instrumental songs reminiscent of Delicate Steve. James contributes a few vocal accents here and there, but the focus lies on the diverse and dulcet tones that emerge from drums, guitar and a touch of synthesizer.

The pair recently released the ten song EP Two Rooms, recorded in two days at Big Orange Studio. The album consists of live recordings – the band’s primary focus, plus five improvised sketches, highlighting how good this duo can be in the moment. “Sketch Five: Two Rooms Live” at almost 11 minutes, really lets you dive deep while the soundscape “Wild Senna” at just over a minute, shows off Chipper Jones’ playful, experimental side. The pace really picks up on “Scout” which inspires, at minimum, foot tapping if not full on groovin’.

Give Two Rooms a listen and get lost in the melodies.  – Gillian Driscoll 

MARYANN went through plenty of changes musically and in personnel before they came to be the group that released Wylie, their latest and most imaginative venture to date.  However, anyone interested in watching a band progress and come into their own amidst the daunting influence of the canon of western music, needs to look no further then what MARYANN has transformed into through the past four years.  When you consider the group once known as Maryann And The Revival Band has dabbled in Americana, Country, Power and Baroque Pop with the same energy and unique approach they brought to their latest Nilssonesque compositions, it’s less important what genre the members of MARYANN fancy themselves and more relevant how concise and genuinely they shape their songs.  The new LP is an amalgam of everything we’ve come to expect from a small group of Austin bands that don’t allow genre to define them and another reason why the emerging pop scene in Austin is becoming more interesting by the day.