As the sun beams us into springtime and the Lone Star State starts to heat up, it wouldn’t hurt to check in on our alt-country A/C. And who better to turn to than ACL Fest/Studio 1A veterans The Tender Things? Founded by Heartless Bastards ex-pat Jesse Ebaugh, The Tender Things keep their style of country on the quainter, more softly-spoken side. And by not leaning on the overblown live showmanship that often plagues large country acts, Ebaugh and The Tender Things have maintained some serious staying power both in-concert and on-wax.

This Friday, following up their 2017 eponymous debut and 2020’s How You Make a Fool, The Tender Things releases their third full-length That Texas Touch. In classic cowboy fashion, That Texas Touch finds The Tender Things working with Band of Heathens producer Gordy Quist to explore sounds farther outside the alt-country corral for a truly refreshing effect.

Now, we know that the The Tender Things are regulars on Austin Music Minute thanks to their insatiable hunger for live shows, and that stamina is showing off these next few weeks. Among The Tender Thing’s upcoming tour dates, the group celebrates That Texas Touch with an LP listening party 8PM on Thursday at Long Play East, a live set 5PM on Friday at Waterloo Records, and an official album release show 7PM this Saturday at Sam’s Town Point.

If those daily options across town have got your head spinnin’, you might as well embrace the whirlwind as we (and TTT) approach SXSW. So in that spirit, today The Tender Things have wheeled out the last lead single from That Texas Touch, that almost sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd teamed up with Steely Dan, Steve Miller, and Wings for a southern-styled ’70s-esque soft-strutter. Entitled “Carousel”, this laid-back country-funk groove (and music video) absolutely knocks it out of the ballpark.