Best of Studio 1A from August 2016
8.11.16 Wye Oak – “Trigger Finger”
The duo, Wye Oak, have been around for a decade now and have never stopped expanding their sound and writing great songs. The group formed in Baltimore, Maryland, like many indie greats of the time (e.g. Beach House, Animal Collective), and have always pushed forward in their artistic styling, never sticking to a specific genre. The group is strongly rooted in the beautiful and entrancing voice of Jenn Wasner, but the duo have incorporated a large mix of guitars, synthesizers and drums across their records and songs.
Watch here on VuHaus
8.10.16 John Paul White – “What So”
Grammy award winning singer-songwriter John Paul White is gearing up to release his first solo album in almost a decade. New album “Beulah” debuts this Friday, August 19th on Single Lock records (Dylan LeBlanc, St. Paul & the Broken Bones), a label run by White, friend Will Trapp, and Alabama Shakes keyboard player Ben Tanner. The title of the record, Beulah, is a reference to a familial term of endearment used by White’s family growing up combined with the poet William Blake’s terminology for mindfulness and inspiration. Reflective of this duality, the album combines the comfort of southern soul with gothic rock ballads that are nothing short of spiritual.
Watch here on VuHaus
8.15.16 David Bazan – “Trouble with Boys”
David Bazan had already established indie rock tenure with his band Pedro the Lion years before he began his “living room shows” (which he still does today). Some musicians of his caliber may associate house shows with a darker, and hopefully never to be revisited time in their career, but for Bazan it seems the perfect venue for his uncomfortably intimate music. That is not meant as a knock towards the Seattle native–he just has a penchant for dredging up personal turmoils that some may not be brave enough to even tell close friends, let alone record them for thousands of people to hear. Bazan is a rare kind, whose music is startlingly sincere in a music world where degrees of detachment and cynicism are seemingly the only attributes one can possess.
Watch here on VuHaus
8.19.16 Portuondo y Ochoa – “Lagrimas Negras”
The impact of Buena Vista Social Club was unexpected and unprecedented. The project was originally birthed out of Ry Cooder’s trip to Havana, Cuba when he was sent to make a collaboration record of African and Cuban musicians. Unfortunately the African musician’s visas had not arrived, and so the plans changed to create a Cuban Son album. After getting together a large group of musicians (20 musicians are featured on the album in total), the whole album was recorded in only 6 days and the rest is history. The album’s success grew steadily by word of mouth, won a Grammy and was even turned into a documentary by German film directer, Wim Wenders. The album had an international impact and a re-introduced the significance of Cuban music. Portuondo y Ochoa, two of Buena Vista Social Club’s original members, continue to carry this spirit to new audiences.
Listen here on KUTX
8.18.16 Money Chicha – “Quiren Efectos” 
Listening to Money Chicha feels a bit like taking a hit of acid, downing a couple shots of Tequila, and hopping a plane to 1960s Peru. If that particular combination of drugs and time travel sounds even a little interesting, you owe it to yourself to spend some time with this unique Austin band. Nominally a mildly alcoholic beverage popular with workers across South America, Chicha became synonymous with a distinctive genre of music that mixes the distorted guitar sounds of American psychedelic rock with traditional Colombian cumbia. Now combine that heady brew with a little South Texas swagger and some bruising Latin funk and you’ll get a feel for Money Chicha’s music. Sounds pretty crazy, right? That’s because it is. It’s the kind of music that rewires your brain, awakens your spirit animal, and takes you places you’ve never been.
Watch here on VuHaus
8.24.16 San Saba County – “Advice (To A Graduate)”
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from the boys in San Saba County, but they’re finally back with a new record titled Fifth. Perhaps it’s a nod towards Big Star, or maybe its a declaration of the Austin group’s undeniable longevity. Since their beginnings in the early 2000’s, San Saba County have gone through a few transformations. Originally drawing from the spring of alt-country heroes like Gram Parsons and the Silver Jews on their debut record East Does It, but like their forefathers, they’ve never been comfortable staying in the same place too long.
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