Heartless Bastards: “Black Cloud” (Live In Studio 1A)

A few years ago, I had my windows open in my apartment on a nice, quiet spring night. All of a sudden, the Heartless Bastards’ “The Mountain” filled the room. The band was playing Stubb’s that night, and the sound seemed to carry all across Austin. Their music is custom-made for these kinds of open-air moments, whether it’s with thousands of fans or barreling alone down a Texas highway.

This year’s Restless Ones, the Bastards’ fifth album, is another excellent collection of countrified, muscular rock and roll. But beneath the swagger, frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom pens really open-hearted lyrics. “There’s no use trying to be what you want me to be,” she sings on “Black Cloud,” a lesson we can all forget, even the lead singer of a badass band. For over a decade, Heartless Bastards have stayed true to their core, and it’s paying off with the best music of their career. Download a Studio 1A version of “Black Cloud” below.

–Art Levy

Subscribe via iTunes or Stitcher to get the KUTX Song Of The Day delivered to you daily.

Support KUTX’s ability to bring you closer to the music.

Donate Today