Rhys Woodruff has been a sterling songwriter throughout his adult life, with the single caveat that he has had very little interest in singing his own songs. Sure, his oscillations between art punk and post punk have led to some of the coolest songs heard in Austin clubs for years, but it took more than a tad of cajoling for him to take the mic into his own hand. His fellow bandmates in the trio Borzoi played a little friendly hardball (you know how guys show love and support of each other), and now with his own group Variety, Woodruff is reaping the benefits of getting out of your own way and embracing the full monty.

Variety’s debut album, Subtropical, is Woodruff turning inward and tying precious, intimate details and broad strokes of his life to parts of Texas’s natural beauty. The manifestation of this conduit is an album that, on its head, is an interesting, if not sometimes meditative, listen, but also an invitation to his soul. And as the band name implies, this has been the start of something new, but not necessarily static. What comes next is sure to be just as enticing, regardless of the pivot.

Variety plays arguably the biggest show of their career to date this Saturday at Radio/East for the annual Holiday Hootenany, sharing the stage with Shannon & the Clams, tUnE-yArDs, Rubblebucket, and a swath of local gems.

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