OUT THIS WEEK
Tinnarose, “My Pleasure Has Returned” (Nine Mile). Most everything about what Tinnarose does feels of a place and time that’s out-of-sync with the here and now, and that’s a big part of what makes their work intriguing. From the swirling melodic soundscapes that recall 1960s psychedelia, to the trippy early-Macintosh-esque special effects in their video, to even the font of the song list on the back of their CD that screams 1970s, Tinnarose feels like a lost relic from the late 20th century stuck in a post-millennium world. No surprise, then, that track two of their new album is titled “The Mammas and the Pappas”; the song may not actually be about that classic California hippie band (with slightly different spelling), but the reference must have been intentional. Still, as much at their style may be a throwback, this is original, newly written material, highlighting the fruitful collaboration between singer Devon McDermott and guitarist Morris Ramos. The songs benefit a lot from lush arrangements that include sweeping swells from the Tosca Strings plus accents of horns and woodwinds. Release show Oct. 14 at Barracuda. Here’s the video for “Love Is for All”:
Jon Dee Graham, “Knoxville Skyline” EP. Five new songs from the longtime Austin rocker and singer-songwriter sway strongly toward the personal. The lovely “Dan Stuart’s Blues” is an alternately humorous and profound spoken-and-sung letter of respect to an expatriate fellow traveler, while the hard-driving “Shoeshine Charlie” is a heartfelt paying of respects to the late Continental Club patriarchal figure. “Ballad of Barbara and Steve” is a romantic wandering tale that could be either fiction or fact, though in keeping with the spirit of the EP, I’d bet on the latter. Bookending the disc are a couple of the universal-truth declarations that Graham has always nailed: “Careless Prayer” — “sometimes the answer turns out to be no” — and “(Things Might Turn Out) Right.” From start to finish, a perfectly constructed half-album. Release show Oct. 14 at Continental Club. Here’s a live version of “Shoeshine Charlie”:
Shawnee Kilgore & Joss Whedon, “Back to Eden” EP. Following up last year’s full-length “A Long and Precious Road,” Northwest transplant Kilgore presents six songs that resulted from an unlikely songwriting partnership with renowned TV writer/director/producer Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Toy Story”). Curious collaboration aside, the songs and sound are of a piece with her previous folk-rock recordings; Whedon doesn’t appear as a musician, but among the contributors are illustrious Nickel Creek fiddler Sara Watkins, who plays and sings harmony on the leadoff track, “Unforgiven.” Kilgore and Whedon will appear together at the release show Oct. 14 at the Highball. Here’s the track “Three Legged Dog”:
Walker Lukens, “Never Understood” EP (Modern Outsider). Playing regularly in Austin clubs with his band the Side Arms, Lukens has been on local most-likely-to-succeed lists for the past year or so. This four-song disc, recorded at Jim Eno’s Public Hi-Fi studio, feels like an exercise in overload, as the arrangements often are so dense that there’s little room for the music to breathe. And while Lukens clearly has a commanding presence, the abundance of musical talent on display here feels like a sprawl in search of a focus. In-store Oct. 14 at Waterloo Records, release show Oct. 14 at 3Ten. Here’s the video for “Lifted”:
Freerunner, “The Logic We Don’t Understand.” Ten new tracks from the pop-rock duo Matt Live and Todd Siff, produced by Keith Gary and with contributions from members of White Denim, Polyphonic Spree and Grupo Fantasma. Release shows Oct. 15 at Indian Roller, Oct. 16 at Sahara Lounge and Oct. 17 at Empire. Here’s the track “Into Forever”:
ALSO OF NOTE
Paul Cauthen, “My Gospel” (Lightning Rod). Roots-rock singer-songwriter Cauthen resides in the Metroplex now, but he made waves during his Austin days with Sons of Fathers. He’ll be back in town for a couple of appearances to support this auspicious solo debut, which highlights his richly resonant vocal presence. In-store Oct. 16 at Waterloo Records; playing Oct. 25 at Stubb’s (opening for Elle King).
COMING SOON
OCT. 21: “Highway Prayer: A Tribute to Adam Carroll” (Eight 30), in-store Oct. 26 at Waterloo Records with James McMurtry, Gordy Quist (from Band of Heathens), Jamie Lin Wilson, Noel McKay & Brennen Leigh.
OCT. 21: Kevin Fowler, “Coming to a Honky Tonk Near You.” Playing Dec. 30 at Wild West Cedar Park.
OCT. 21: Hickoids, “The Out of Towners” (Saustex).
OCT. 28: Bonnie Whitmore, “(Expletive) With Sad Girls,” playing Nov. 10 at One-2-One Bar.
OCT. 28: Croy & the Boys, “Hey Come Back,” release show Oct. 29 at Hotel Vegas.
OCT. 28: Brownout, “Brown Sabbath, Vol. 2,” release show Oct. 29 at Scoot Inn.
NOV. 18: KP & the Boom Boom, “The Brave.”
NOV. 18: Churchwood, “Hex City.”
NOVEMBER: Jonathan Terrell, “Color Me Lucky” EP.
