Bon Iver. Tame Impala. Bright Eyes. Despite not taking the eponymous route, all three started off as a single singer-songwriter’s efforts and have since expanded far beyond their individual founders. Because even if you’re the chief writer, some of the best ideas simply come from a fresh set of ears, right? Which reminds us of another not-so-solo act smack dab in the the Lone Star State: Music of 25.

Music of 25 is a manifestation of handpicked talent on behalf of former San Antonian/current Austinite Travis Pope. It’s been a decade since Music of 25’s humble origins of ad-hoc ideas scrawled onto cocktail napkins and receipts. But by opening up the project to a revolving door of killer players from Central and West Texas plus Southern Louisiana five years down the line, Music of 25’s matured elegantly with the indie rock energy that can only come from heartfelt, in-person collaboration.

So while yes, clearly these things take time, sometimes the wait between initial inspiration and final tracking is too painful to sustain. This takes us to Music of 25’s three-song EP, Messy, out tomorrow. And though a turnaround from the fledgling sketches of Spring 2022 to the NOLA-based trio recording sessions last fall might not sound all that accelerated, we applaud the release’s title for embodying that bit of a rush to capture greatness. Yet we must confess that the quality of content on Messy is anything but.

We’ll pop in the music video for Messy‘s centerpiece “GS Feels” when it formally rolls out tomorrow, but for now, get Messy this Monday with the EP opener “ME”. The honey-sweet arrangement oozes through sophisticated section changes, incredible instrumental interplay, and a highly dynamic hook, not to mention an extended jam-out bridge that tastefully breaks up the tune’s first half from its last. What more can we say other than that “ME” might be just for you.

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