Photo by Bryan C. Parker
Sweet Spirit is the KUTX Artist of the Month for May. You can find more features here.
A Giant Dog might be one of the best live acts in town, but Sweet Spirit is quickly gaining steam. Sabrina Ellis and Andrew Cashen stand tall in both groups, earning their punk rock bonafides with A Giant Dog while playing up their soul/pop side in Sweet Spirit. An early demo had the Austin Chronicle salivating last year, but the (relatively) cleaned up self-titled EP does better justice to the band.
Sweet Spirit snared local producer extraordinaire Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Heartless Bastards, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead) for the EP plus a forthcoming LP. On Sweet Spirit, the group whips through a fiery combination of garage rock, doo-wop, country, and ska, all anchored by Ellis’s commanding voice. The band’s strength is still the stage, where an added horn section blasts these songs to another level. Recent tours (and collaborations) with Spoon show they’re not just a local concern anymore, but you could tell that just from a few listens to their EP. “I’ve Made Up My Mind” stands out by perfectly demonstrating Sweet Spirit’s appeal: it’s loud, it’s fun, and it’s catchy as hell. Download the song below.
Catch Sweet Spirit at the ABGB on Saturday, June 6 and at the Continental Club on Thursday, June 18.
–Art Levy
