In folk music, there’s a centuries-old tradition of using a song to tell a story. It can be a true story, a myth, or somewhere in between. This is the tradition that Austin singer-songwriter Alex Dupree taps into with his new album Thieves, out July 15 via Austin’s Keeled Scales. Outlaw characters populate his songs, on the run from the law and from themselves. The music is elliptical, patiently unfolding with help from Austin and L.A.-based musicians like Buck Meek of Big Thief, Aisha Burns of Balmorhea, and Tom Waits’ longtime drummer Stephen Hodges. Thieves is a generous album: towards its characters, towards the listener.
Dupree celebrates the album’s release with a show at the Mohawk on July 14. This week on My KUTX, he’s also our guest DJ. He describes himself as a deep, not broad, listener, playing favorite songs over and over until their secrets emerge. In his set, Dupree talks about why these particular songs still hit him after fifty or sixty listens, and it’s a joy to follow along. Hear Alex Dupree’s My KUTX on Saturday, July 9 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime at the top of the page.
Playlist:
- Laurie Anderson – “The Night Flight From Houston”
- Smog – “I Feel Like The Mother Of The World”
- Lucinda Williams – “Hard Road”
- Waylon Jennings – “Six White Horses”
- Max Knouse – “Fins”
- Adam Ostrar – “Take It Back”
- Linda Martell – “I Almost Called Your Name”
- Gillian Welch – “Wrecking Ball”
- Pete Dello & Friends – “It’s The Way”
- Hogman Maxey – “Stagolee”
- Bob Dylan – “Romance In Durango”
- Fox – “Out Of My Body”
- Arthur Russell, The Flying Hearts, & Allen Ginsberg – “Ballad Of The Lights”
