Happy New Year! We’re back from a break and eager for a full 2024’s worth of new tunes and recommendations. But if you’re still easing out of 2023 and aren’t quite ready to squeeze Free Week into your post-work schedule, there’s a low-key live gig that may interest you.

It comes on behalf of Psychic Seatbelt, the project of multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Claire Hamilton, who first joined us in Studio 1A as part of Austin trio Queue Queue back in 2017 and has more recently provided bass for Thor and Friends plus Doom Dub. With Psychic Seatbelt, Thor Harris returns the favor to Hamilton by lending his talents on percussion and more, alongside Popper Burns’ Jake Lauterstein on co-composition duties, who also trades guitar responsibilities with Jon Sanchez. Together, the team made their debut with soft, dreamy dynamics on August 2021’s “Everything Comes for You”, following it up with last September’s witching-hour-ready anthem “330 AM”.

On the final day of last November, Psychic Seatbelt secured their discography for 2023 with the Hooky EP, a collection of five originals that’s truant from the overly-polished pop formulas of contemporary commercial radio. Instead, it taps into the off-kilter aural authenticity of Velvet Underground with delicate, minimalist arrangements without sounding too aloof. Buckle up for Psychic Seatbelt’s next gig 5PM this Saturday at Love Wheel Records and secure your self esteem in the New Year by reflecting on your inner bitch with the Hooky EP opener “Double Dare”.

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