This young Brazilian avant-garde artist dropped Som das Luzis yesterday!

Brazilian-born songwriter Pedro Kastelijns got started at fifteen as a means of coping with the weight of the world he began feeling in his childhood and he’s since stepped into his role as an artist and taken advantage of the opportunities provided by the universe for him and his music to shine. He was involved heavily in the local and intimate music scene of Goiânia and just yesterday Kastelijns released his first internationally distributed album, Som das Luzis (“Sound of Lights”). Get lost in the good vibes on  Som das Luzis, with the album opener, “Luzi 3”!

–Simone Puglia

Another Wild Child solo off-shoot, mix & mastered by Jim Eno, produced by Walker Lukens.

While Wild Child‘s Kelsey Wilson has been embracing a solo soul singer persona as Sir Woman, you can’t overlook the equal and opposite path that her historic songwriting partner Alexander Beggins has begun as CoCo Zandi. CoCo Zandi reinvigorates the sounds of Martin Denny with a modern take on the ’50s exotica genre, rounded out with Beggins’ trademark baritone ukulele, charming vocal charisma, and his newly recruited trio of backup singers, The Coquettes.

As suggested by its title, CoCo Zandi’s upcoming debut LP As Simple As a Dream is the perfect backdrop for a breezy beach-bound day trip and a piña colada in the shade. With Walker Lukens in the producer’s chair and Spoon’s Jim Eno behind the mixing and mastering, As Simple As a Dream is an absolute knockout of Austin talent. You’ll be able to soak up all the love in 2020, but be sure to lather up first with this previously unheard single, “Angel”!

–Jack Anderson

Local rockers debut this new one produced by Chris "Frenchie" Smith before playing Hotel Vegas tomorrow.

They only got started halfway through the last decade, but Austin alternative rock trio Chill Russell still sounds like they’d be perfect on a ’60s bill opening for Paul Revere & The Raiders and The Stooges, just as much as with ’90s-era Weezer and Pavement, and unsurprisingly alongside the contemporary styles of The Black Keys and The Strokes. The timelessness of Chill Russell has made the seasoned three-piece a must-see in their native Austin and beyond, thanks in no small part to their country-spanning tours and consistent official SXSW appearances.

And although Chill Russell’s accessible yet decidedly complex style has historically gone hand in hand with an indie DIY approach, they recently recruited producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith for their upcoming as-of-yet untitled EP. Just today Chill Russell announced that record through the release of its lead single, one that pulls a ’90s grunge sound out of the garage and will make you want to punch your personal klaxon. The single release show is 7PM tomorrow at Hotel Vegas with opener Scott Collins and you can get a sneak preview right now with the still-fresh “Sound The Alarm”!

–Jack Anderson

Latin Grammy Winner's latest single, ahead of 2020's "Sorpresa".

A full generation back, José Luis “Cheo” Pardo had already begun building a name for himself as founding guitarist for Venezuelan disco-funk acid-jazz fusers Los Amigos Invisibles, but upon his departure in 2014, his solo potential as Cheo became readily apparent. Cheo’s transparent talent on the six-string isn’t much of a crutch, though, since he’s also comfortable in the producer’s chair, as evidenced by his ever-growing remix repertoire.

This Latin Grammy winner just announced his feature-filled full-length Sorpresa for a 2020 release with its laid back, bossa nova-fueled lead single, “Todo El Día En la Cama”. And honestly, after those terse, politically divisive family conversations, and a cornucopia’s worth of turkey, stuffing and gravy in your belly, what better way to put a cap on Thanksgiving than by staying in bed all day?

–Jack Anderson

The Grammy-nominated folk family plays new material tomorrow night at the Paramount.

After a decade and a half of separate songwriting branches, bassist Chris Wood and guitarist Oliver Wood embraced their fraternal bond as The Wood Brothers. And in light of Chris’ interest in contemporary jazz juxtaposed against Oliver’s grasp on R&B, funk, and blues, these Boulder born brothers quickly found a middle ground of introspective Americana, transcendent folk, and soulful country on their 2006 debut album. Multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix completed the trio, who’s since gone on to release four live albums and six studio albums, including the 2018 Grammy-nominated One Drop of Truth.

The Wood Brothers are set to peel back the bark and show off some impressive growth rings on their upcoming eleven-track LP, Kingdom in My Mind, out January 24th. Catch The Wood Brothers 8PM tomorrow night at The Paramount and cross the drawbridge into Kingdom in My Mind with the record’s second single, “Cry Over Nothing”!

–Jack Anderson

Photo: Alysse Gafkjen