It’s another banger out of the Austin music scene. This time, it’s Pretty Shitty, the punk rock outfit that’s ‘looking pretty and sounding shitty’ for rock and roll fans. Their self-titled EP is their second release, and it’s a power packed (albeit short) trip worth taking. Check it out, and keep an eye out for more from these guys in the (hopefully near) future.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged austin, chief, ep, pretty shitty, the doomsday device
The Exploded Drawing family has done nothing but wonderful things for Austin since appearing on the scene. The same goes with JuiceLand. When the two entities combined a few years back to create Exploded Records at JuiceLand, it was a culmination of wonderful that seemed like it would be a peak. Yet, somehow, the combined efforts has continued to grow and become greater than the sum of its parts, exploring all new realms. One of these realms has been the online radio/podcast market. With the constant influx of guests to Exploded Drawing and Exploded Records in-store performances, it’s no wonder that JuiceLand Music was born as a part library, part showcase for the wealth of talent associated with these ventures. The channel is 19 shows deep, and it’s all quality material. Do yourself a favor and take a deep dive.
-chief
Of all the Austin-based MCs and producers, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with the drive, vision and longevity of Tee-Double. Of the many hats he wears (cultural diplomat, business educator, creative advocate), the man still finds time to produce, write and engineer his own albums, adding to his vast catalog. Bless The Child E.P. finds Tee-Double really learning the limits of his studio, the newly crowned Teetopia. Breakbeat exploration is still used, but Tee has been throwing more and more live musical elements into his production, giving this album the sound and feel of a funk-band’s back-up. Add the natural dosage of lyrics about being hip to the business side of the game, the journey from where he came to where he’s arrived, and the inspirational messages he gives to listeners (artists and casual fans), this E.P. is shaping up to be one of the more important releases of 2017. Cheers to you, sir, and keep doing what you’re doing.
-chief
Mélat, the Austin-based self-proclaimed ‘eccentric soul of R&B’, has recently released a stunning music video for No Bad News, the final track from her latest album MéVen. The song is a beautifully presented inspirational statement on chasing your dreams regardless of obstacles, and the video compliments this sentiment brilliantly. Mélat is continuously shown as a strong, centering force throughout the video, and the literal demons used to represent the evils and shortcomings of the world contrast her brightness perfectly. The track, produced by The SevenTH, gives me Portishead feels in the best ways. Being introduced to her music last night at the live version of The Hot Conversation was a pleasant surprise, and I look forward to seeing her continue to excel in Austin music scene and beyond.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged austin, chief, mélat, méven, no bad news, the doomsday device, the hot conversation, the seventh
Alesia Lani has been a fixture on the Austin R&B scene for quite a few years, and it seems as if she has always had a goal to bring legitimacy to both her own career and the scene she represents. With the release of her latest single, Intentions, it seems that she has found a new focus on growing herself and her presentation as an R&B singer. Intentions has an air of maturity to it without seeming like it places her above anyone listening. It has a very direct message (say what you mean, do what you say), and it fits perfectly over standout production from Kal V and Jon Keyz. Add a wonderful guest verse from G-Jet, and you’ve got a radio-ready song that will hopefully make some positive noise for Alesia Lani.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged alesia lani, austin, chief, g-jet, intentions, jon keyz, kal v, the doomsday device
Even when folks have your back, it can sometimes be extremely easy to fall into a ‘me against the world’ mentality. Luckily, Lady Shacklin appears to not only disregard the feelings to shy away from that mentality, but she embraces it fully as she explores the feeling and tries to find a way through it to the other side of things. With a musical assist from DJ Gonz, and a visual assist from Jay Mackall of Grind District Entertainment, the video for Lonely World is a great reminder that we can make it if we try. Props to Lady Shacklin for hitting us with the Mary J. Blige vibes in this one as well.. Austin r&b is plentiful, but having someone with an edge on the scene gives the proper range and variety needed to keep the scene from getting stagnant.
-chief
Blastfamous USA is far from the first supergroup out of the Austin music scene, but they’re by far one of the illest and most promising musical connections the scene has seen in quite a while. NGHT HCKLRS and Zeale Rapz certainly did not need one another, as each of these particular musical projects has seen varied levels of success on their own. This go-round, however, is proving to be fruitful for all parties involved, especially Zeale Rapz, who was always clever with the wordplay, but is showing a completely genuine edge on these tracks that (in my opinion) has only been hinted at in the past. As with most banger EPs, I am certainly ready for what the full length project has in store… props to everyone involved in this project.
-chief
Summer may already be upon us, but that didn’t stop Austin-based producer Lord Meraki from blessing us with his Spring EP. Full of house and hip-hop infused, rhythm and synthesizer heavy beats, the Spring EP is a great summer companion.. that is, unless, there’s a Summer EP on the way. I wouldn’t be mad at that.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight
Tagged austin, chief, lord meraki, spring ep, the doomsday device
Bars, beats, culture and family would be key elements that describe Austin-based collective Mindz of a Different Kind (MDK). After a prolific 2016, the crew is right back at it with an EP for spring 2017. BORDERLINEZ finds the crew reaching out to non-Texas based producers, while at the same time turning the mirror inwards to reflect on their place in the grand scheme. A pleasant surprise of a project that slipped right by me, I’m happy that I did discover it eventually.. better late than never.
-chief
As many people know, the musical mural on 12th & Chicon in Austin has been buffed and replaced by the new ownership. While not a direct effect of gentrification (as some would have you believe), it is a sign of shifting cultural values in one of the last native-Austinite bastions of the city. This story was particularly heartbreaking because it affected a new friend, Chris Rogers (painter of several amazing J Dilla prints hanging on my walls). As a bonus, here is footage of him creating that wall…
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, Spotlight
Tagged austin, chief, chris rogers, the doomsday device
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 