When considering shows to check out it’s always important to keep in mind that Austin is a college town, and that there are scores of musical kids plugging in and making music. Really, hitting the student scene is one of the best ways to get your post-punk kick. One of its bands catching buzz lately there and on our poll is shoegaze quartet Hola Beach. 

The shoegaze quartet has just churned out a new EP, so check out the first track below. You can see them live at Spiderhouse Ballroom on the 19th, with Casual Strangers and Blackstone Rngrs. -Written by Marie Meyers 

Cory Kendrix is one of our nominees for the artist of the month (you’ll find the poll just to the right!). The Austin based hip-hop artist is among the ranks of several other talented Texans as part of the LNS Crew. 

On his list of influences: The Fugees, Nirvana, Tupac, and Frank Sinatra. You can be sure that Kendrix’s focus is moving hip hop into the future from a solid home-base of musical sensibilities. Check out one of his recent releases below and if you want to hear more, be sure to click the headphone icon in the poll to get to his mixtapes.-Written by Marie Meyers

Megafauna have been busy lately gaining speed. They’ve had a long string dynamic live shows, and the trio’s forthcoming album, Maximalist, has the right amount of grit and whip-quick guitar work from front woman Dani Neff to fill the slick 37-minute run time to the brim. Want a preview? Check out the album’s dynamic first single, “Haunted Factory”. I don’t see Megafauna slowing down anytime soon, and I hope to God they won’t. 
You can get Maximalist on the 15^th, but the album’s official release is part of the bill for the 101X Homegrown Live show, April 19th at The Mohawk. The all-ages event will serve as a benefit show for SXSW Cares and will also feature UME, Black Books, and Young Tongue. –Written by Marie Meyers

If you’re looking to dance, look no further than Flavor Raid. The Austin duo deliver hard thumping tracks with catchy and clever lyrics that guarantee a good time, be it out on the dance floor or at a house party.

While the synth beats definitely appeal to EDM ears, the Austin duo has way more going on than your typical EDM artist. Combining samples, vocals and instruments like trumpet and bass, Flavor Raid has a style that’s all their own.

Check out their recently released single “Dreams We Never Had” and be sure not to miss their next gig. If you’re looking to rage, Flavor Raid won’t let you down. -Written by Gillian Driscoll

Armed with little more than a couple of tracks recorded in their practice space and a few months of existence, Otis the Destroyer is quickly earning the attention of fans and media alike. Not to mention landing a month long residency at the Empire Control Room for the month of April taking place every Sunday. Being a fan of the Couch, it was an easy sell to investigate the latest project from Couch members Taylor Wilkins and Jud Johnson. Not long after the demise of The Couch, Wilkins  (guitar, vocals) Johnson (drums) quickly set out to work on this project with songs driven by a passion and love for loud rock-n-roll. Adding Nick Joswick and Anthony Rucci to the mix, Otis the Destroyer have an EP in the bag set for release May 22nd coinciding with an appearance at The Mohawk. A nickname given to a father, passed on to a dog, and now residing as a band name, let’s hope that the only thing that Otis the Destroyer destroys, is the myth that rock-n-roll is dead.

Catch Otis the Destroyer at Empire Control Room April 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th for a mixed bag loaded with local talent curated by the band. -Written by Michael Maly

 Through a whirling Teisco organ, fuzzy guitars, and echoing vocals emerges the amazingly mysterious psych rock five piece, Holy Wave.  Like something straight out of the 60s, the El Paso natives are channeling their Zombies-like approach and taking listeners through a labyrinth of experimental textures and sounds. From super chill tunes like “Do You Feel It’, to the busier “Psychological Thriller”, their latest album Relax pushes out to sea and invites you to lay back and enjoy the illusory ebb and flow. Holy Wave are touring up and down the west coast in April, returning home for Austin Psych Fest on Thursday, May 1st.  – Written by Jodi Lang

First, a note: I love SXSW. It’s important to the city and to entertainment, it brings plenty of new people and ideas, and as a music lover there are obvious perks. However, it’s also one week of the year that being a local doesn’t count, or help. There’s a new map to understand, new traffic to navigate, and new items on the list of priorities. Between working, entertaining out-of-towners, and making sure I was able to see the handful of visiting bands I was really excited about, it was next to impossible to track down many emerging Austin acts that I hadn’t already seen multiple times. All of that’s why for me, the most refreshing local music moment of SXSW was on Monday night after the festival had ended. I met up with some friends at Hole in the Wall for a casual St. Patrick’s Day celebration. We were all still exhausted from the week, so we sat outside to chat. We had reached a natural break in the conversation when someone opened the door and the sound of strings and a three-part vocal harmony drifted out.

Of course we all went in. By then the front bar room was full and my friends and I stood in a line along the back to take in The Bluebird Specials. The three-piece based in Austin was exactly what I needed. There was no giant hype for the show, no sponsorships, no fuss; just three women, their instruments, and their voices. The vocal harmonies were clear and beautiful, and they still had as much, if not more, fun onstage as most of the bands I had been able to see during the festival. Most of the songs fit classic country themes (whiskey was drunk, hearts were broken), but often enough it was more than that. All three women clearly just love to play, and that was more refreshing than anything else. That is my favorite thing about Austin: the laid-back take on classic Texan passion that pops up without pretensions when it’s allowed to. Somewhere close to the stage, a few people were two-stepping. Drinks in hand, my friends and I tapped our feet and bobbed along.

Thank you, The Bluebird Specials, for helping bring my Austin back to life. You can see The Bluebird Specials TONIGHT at Ginny’s Little Longhorn and Mondays at Hole in the Wall. – Marie Meyers

Upon walking into Icenhaurer’s last Sunday evening, I found myself taken aback by the energy being emitted from the back patio. It passed through my ear canal, igniting an insatiable desire to jump, shout, and dance. The Nightowls’ front man, Ryan Harkrider, calls their sound a marriage of Soul with Motown, encompassing  jazz, blues, R&B, and pop. Covering greats such as Stevie Wonder, Al Green, and Otis Redding, these guys and gal are filling shoes and well.

Covers are not the extent of their nine piece repertoire, they also have an impressive list of originals such as their title track "Good as Gold", and "You Don’t Have to Worry (I’ll be There)". Good as Gold, the Nightowls debut 2014 album, is a must listen. Catch these guys live every Sunday at Icenhaur’s on Rainey Street. And if you’re here for SXSW, be sure to check out their first SXSW “Soulcase” March 14 at Icenhaur’s. -Written by Daniel Benjamin

This lovely septet have been a bit quiet in preparation of their new album, but now they’re picking up steam again. If you saw Little Lo play Lambert’s this past Saturday (March 1), you were treated to a sneak peak since they played the new release in full. Let’s hear it for more heartwarming tunes. As for everyone else, check out their latest single ‘White Fields, White Noise’ and enjoy the uplifting riffs. -Written by Gillian Driscoll

They won our Year End Readers’ Poll. You know them. You love them. And so do I. Here is my interview with Criminal Birds…

D: How did you guys come together?

CB: Three of the birds (Grahm Robinson, Taylor Dondlinger, Reggie Hastings) began playing together in high school and formed their first band together, Copasetic. After a year of struggling to find a competent and dedicated bass player the group disbanded in 2010 and reformed with the addition of bassist Gunnar Ebeling in 2011. The group is now known as Criminal Birds.

D: What’s the story behind your band name?

CB: One evening we were "brainstorming" what we’d like to call ourselves. In that process we came up with more jokes than actual names. A very close friend of ours blurted "Criminal Birds" and initially we laughed, thinking that was his input to the "Who Can Come Up With The Most Ridiculous Name" game. This story ends with a text telling him that the name stuck and us asking for permission to use it.

D: What’s your songwriting process like?

CB: Reggie is definitely the primary lyricist, but the music is totally collaborative. It starts in the jam room, typically with just one or two elements (bass & drums, etc.) Then we add layers, alter parts, and keep chipping away at it until we have a clear idea of what the song is or could be, and then we polish it. We like to keep the sounds fresh and ideas plentiful.

D: If you could tour anywhere, where would it be and why?

CB: Europe, no question.

D: Being from Denton, how did it feel to play in Austin for the first time?

CB: It felt a bit like home. The show was a success, we had an excellent crowd, saw some old faces, and met several new ones. It was also our first ever road trip with our new band wagon, so now it feels almost nostalgic to play in Austin.

D: There seems to be a burgeoning music scene in Denton, in your experience, how does it compare to Austin?

CB: In the past we’ve heard a lot of people try to put Denton and Austin in this sort of contest as if one is better than the other. Both scenes are teeming with talent, and have both produced numerous nationally and internationally successful acts, which to us speaks volumes. Naturally we tip our hats to our hometown, however the music fans and show goers in Austin have exceeded our expectations of the scene over the past year.

D: How stoked were you to hear you won our Readers’ Poll?

CB: Like any competition, we were excited to win, but we were especially pleased to win this given Deli Magazine’s track record and popularity. The credit really goes to our fans who voted and helped spread the word.

D: What’s on the horizon for Criminal Birds?

CB: We will be releasing our sophomore EP in April followed by touring. We intend to really focus on Texas this time around. Which means we’ll be stopping by to hang out with you guys quite a bit this Spring.

D: Long term goals and dreams?

CB: Like any aspiring musician, we’d all like to make the band a full time endeavor. Being able to book longer tours and eventually quit our day jobs is the main goal. Touring overseas would be pretty badass as well.

D: Anything else you’d like to say?

CB: Thanks to the reader for taking time and interest in us and what we do. Thanks to Deli and our fans for making this all happen. Just, thanks.

D: You’re welcome. Best of luck to you guys. — Interviewed by Charise Sowells

Indie pop quartet, The Laughing, deliver delightful grooves sure to put a smile on your face. Their sophomore release, Oscillation, contains melodic songs with carefully placed accents – think airy but bold. Take the track “Disappear”, you can’t help but feel liberated as you sing along with Logan Middleton while he repeats, “now I’m free”. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out their latest release, Oscillation. –Written by Gillian Driscoll

Rest easy Prog rock enthusiasts; Mount Pressmore is here to keep the artsy, jazz-fusion genre alive and experimental in Austin. After a year of examining and perfecting their songs, Pressmore’s album, Enjoy, was recorded over just three short days before being released last year. Keyboardist and vocalist, Thomas Shaw, takes pride in the accomplishments of his band, as well as his father, Robert Shaw. With 14 Grammy awards behind the famed conductor, it is no wonder that his son Thomas will settle for nothing short of perfection in one of the most difficult forms of rock and roll music. Listen to their epic single, ‘Trampoline’, for a very Yes-like symphonic masterpiece matched with some very David Byrne-esque vocals. –Written by Jodi Lang