Within City Limits

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Meshing the worlds of Rock, Grunge, Blues and Country, they created a "unique Texas Sound" as one club owner put it. Comprised of: Neel Cole on Vocals/Guitar, Kenneth Simmons on Bass, and Pedro Duquense on Drums, they strive to bend the walls between genres while trying to make a difference in the world with their words. Began as a simple solo venture David Neely (AKA Neel Cole), paired together with Kenneth in early 2018 in hopes of putting together a group to perform some of his musical works. After the addition of Pedro on drums, the project became more like a liquid than a solid, so they adapted the group name "Neel Cole & Southern St". Since 2018 they have rounded out their sound, and polished up their approach to writing music adapting the idea that every song is not only a group effort, but a liquid creation as well. Sadly, in 2020, Kenneth Simmons decided it was time for him to step down from the stage onto the next phases of life, for the betterment of him and his family. He will be missed greatly! A wonderful player by the name of Wen Thai Liu has joined their ranks, and they are getting ready to attack 2021 and bring more Inspirational Texas Grunge your way!  
With wide open guitars, vivid vocal melodies, solid bass lines, and rhythmic percussion, they are surely able to take your soul away from all you worry about in this world...even if for just a moment. Stay Tuned!!!

Icons of Industry is a collective started by theologian and songwriter Roberto Montoya. Together with classically trained violinist Megan Berson and sousaphonist Jeremiah Douglas, they create music that harnesses their passion and individual styles. The songs resonate with fans of heavy music and appeal to those looking for melody, sonic texture, and dynamics. The lyrical themes explore and expound on topics like history, science, and theology. They will continue to push the boundaries both musically and lyrically while building upon the foundations of rock and experimental music.

Find Them Here:
https://iconsofindustry.org//

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6fU7XibaIK4Uwo7IK7AUK6?si=dGQCaC_tQc-TYVHF-wFNaQ//

https://www.youtube.com/iconsofindustry//

https://iconsofindustry.bandcamp.com//

And check out Roberto’s other project here!
https://betamaxdubmachine.com

A lifetime studying music and it’s litany of influences converge in Matthew “Math” Judson’s Demagogue’s Delight  (1916 Records), with songs ranging from sweet song-of-the-summer earworms like “Magic” and the Arctic Monkeys-like pogo-inducing charisma of “Gunfire” and “Mind Over Matter'' to the wistful, soaring journey-within-a-song beauty of “Unanswered Prayers'' and “Out The Back”. Throughout, the album is punctuated by standout guitar solos and hooks galore and is a journey through self awareness and growth. Featured are contributions from Blake Atwell, Shreddward Brailliff (Bright Light Social Hour), Michael Patrick St. Clair (White Denim, Polyphonic Spree, Okkervil River), Travis Kennedy (The Deer, Electric Ladyland Studios) with mastering by Steve Marek (Monobody, NNAMDÏ, Tigran Hamasyan). 

Young Math Judson dove headfirst into music as a child in the Chicago area at the age of 9 when his parents kindly replaced his homemade tupperware drum set with a real one.  From there, he progressed to studying percussion and piano and joining marching band and drum line to jamming with friends in the basement while being nurtured by accomplished professors who had worked with everyone from Al DiMeola, Clark Terry to KC & The Sunshine Band. In college the lefty learned to play on the right handed guitar and played in a plethora of bands ranging from post-punk to funk and jazz fusion while honing his skills performing with professional Broadway performers like Anthony Rapp (Rent, Dazed & Confused) and Shoshana Bean (Wicked, Hairspray, Ariana Grande, Michael Jackson). After earning a degree in jazz studies, the artist moved to Austin with the band that would become The Pride in 2014 and launched a solo career while touring with The Digital Wild (members of Fort Never). That solo career conceived Demagogue’s Delight, which showcases Judson's considerable skills and funnels them into a promising debut bursting with captivating single-worthy gems.

Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Website

Recent Press: Fox TV Music In The Morning live performance | Austin American Statesman Review | How Did I Get Here Podcast |  New Noise Magazine | “Magic” KUTX Song Of The Day

From the horror cabaret and glam rock of his past to his current dark synth pop sound, Austin performer Caleb De Casper always brings a stunning in-your-face theatricality to his music and live shows. The classically trained pianist and vocalist stalks the stage in evening gowns, bondage wear, Victorian collars and the ever-present fishnets and heels, confidently declaring that masculinity comes in many different forms. The performance art aspect of this “Rocky Horror-esque piano dramatist and vocal contortionist” (Austin Chronicle) is the bleeding heart of De Casper’s music, which has been performed all over the US, since being invited out to the Live Music Capital by ATX punk band XETAS, who were mesmerized by his work when they were billed together in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

 In Austin, De Casper found the space to flourish as a queer artist that he never found in North Carolina and immediately set to work proving wrong the former NC piano teacher who once told him, "As a gay songwriter, the world will never accept your voice or point of view". That voice and point of view was warmly received with 2019’s De Casper, which brought a glam rock feel (think Hedwig And The Angry Inch meets The Dresden Dolls with guitars) and the single “Good Boy” was named one of OVRLD’s top 25 songs of the year, was a featured Studio 1A performance at KUTX and was a favorite Tiny Desk performance of 2018. 

 Wanting to explore new territory on his forthcoming debut LP Femme Boy, the album is an eclectic journey, often dark and brooding but contrasted by high energy and that aforementioned theatricality. Standout track “Too Many Boys” is an explosive and passionate narrative of what it is to be a gay man in 2021, complete with searing guitars. Whereas the delicate and graceful “Dreamer” is a poppy heartstring-tugger and features vocals from Sabrina Ellis (A Giant Dog, Sweet Spirit, Heart Bones). The album’s roots lie not just on the dance floor, but also the theatre stage as well as with the glam and decay of old Hollywood. Femme Boy comes out this fall and the stunning and provocative “Too Many Boys” video is out now.

 Website | Spotify | Youtube | Instagram

Radio Edits | Photo Folder | Album Artwork | Lyrics & Production Info

The past year has been a whirlwind for Austin hip hop artist, Chris Conde (they/them/their). The self described “thicc, queer, Mexican” signed to Fake Four Inc. (Open Mike Eagle, Sadistik, Ceschi Ramos) and saw their career take off with plenty of glowing press, shout outs and killer live shows. While riding this wave of success the pandemic hit but that did now slow them down. Engulfed In The Marvelous Decay (April, 2021) arrived to rave reviews, a declaration of top album of the year (Ghettoblaster) and debuted at #12 on Bandcamp. The album is a self-reflective, diverse and charismatic commentary on the bigotry of the Trump administration that pulls not just from rap, but also indie rock, electronic music, glitch, metal and punk. While Conde already stands out from the pack due to their unique and commanding presence, the talent is clearly there to complete the package. 

Engulfed In The Marvelous Decay boldly displays a broad spectrum of moods and sounds from the soaring and redemptive “Mariposa” (see the video here) to the blistering nu-metal of “American Faggot” and “Cancel Culture Blues”, the pure radiant chill hop joy of “Okinawa” and the hypnotic, banjo-tinged atmospheric soulful experimentalism of “Leaves''. The production team includes KDEATH of Moodie Black, Whatever Cecil and Lazerbeak (Lizzo, Doomtree), the latter of which helped to birth the undeniable hit that is “Mariposa''. It’s all rounded out with cameos by Ceschi Ramos, Rodleen Getsic (best known for her vocals on “Knife Prty'' by Deftones), Sammus and others. The ambitious Engulfed is a fiercely honest story of the challenges of navigating an often unjust world while battling addiction and the triumph of the feeling that comes from graduating to a place of self-acceptance and pride. 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | 

Apple Music | Spotify | Bandcamp |

I might be a Universal Unitarian after this one! Erin Walter, the vocalist and bassist from Parker Woodland calls in from Estes Park Colorado to talk to us about her passion for her music, the ideas that permeate her writing, and what she did during quarantine.

Austin, Texas indie-rock collective Parker Woodland has been fighting the good fight to share the healing powers of music even before the pandemic hit. And when it did, they doubled down. The band’s driving force is inspiring songwriter/vocalist/bassist Erin Walter, a Unitarian Universalist minister, activist for Girls Rock Camp and a whirlwind of positivity. Instead of sitting things out for the year, Walter and company released the “propulsive” (Austin American Statesman) EP The World Is On Fire (And We Still Fall In Love) in February and launched a 80-city virtual tour which includes UU churches, a festival for peace with Willie Nelson and Eliza Gilkyson, a Girls Rock Camp SXSW event and festival, a women’s conference, and Play For The Vote (Beyonce, Paul McCartney, Adele and Aretha Franklin also performed) to remind people of the good things that connect us despite the hardships life throws at us. The tour continues at least through August (more info here). 

While the band started as a trio of friends with Walter, Strait Music’s Dan McMonigle on guitar, and DJ/artist Ralph Cutler on drums, during the pandemic Parker Woodland has evolved into a diverse collective of musicians which has resulted in even more exuberant and lively performances than before. With the ongoing virtual tour, a livestream video trilogy release party and discussion with the video creators and actual live performances to be announced soon, you can bet when those live shows happen they will be even more uplifting and explosive than before. In the meantime, there is plenty to experience online. “The World's On Fire trilogy is my documentation of Austin band life, from practice space to studio, the garage to the stage to the road,” Walter said. “I hope the videos celebrate how special the Austin music community is and remind everyone how much we have to look forward to as we emerge from the pandemic. Though some things will be forever changed, like losing Music Lab, music is the magic that brings us together.

WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE // 

LYRICS | RADIO EDITS | PRODUCTION CREDITS | PHOTOS

This episode I had a really great talk with Kevin Sims, aka The Black Messiah, about different facets of music and artistry. Kevin has fronted bands for years, and has recently taken on a new solo project and persona called the Black Messiah. From Kevin's website:

"Luckily around that time I stumbled upon a song (Dead Of The Night) by an artist called Fascinator and all was clear: apply my attention to detail and standard for creating towards music created only by myself and my computer. I soon found the possibilities were endless. Electronic music. In the box music. Not guitar driven, but booty driven. And, create a character that was not me, so I could go all the way with it."

He describes his music as Electro-Vampire Pop for heathens and it's fantastic!

www.blackmessiahmusic.com // FACEBOOK // INSTAGRAM // SPOTIFY // BANDCAMP

Dallas Burrow has always been an adventurer. Born and raised in Texas, he cut his teeth on the road, traveling across much of the free world with a head full of songs and a thirst for thrills. Along the way — somewhere between the childhood guitar lessons he received from his father (a blood brother of Townes Van Zandt and friend of Guy Clark) and the vagabond whirlwind of his 20s — he built his own brand of American roots music. It was a sound rooted in folk, shaped by classic country, and heavily influenced by the Texan craftsmen who'd come before him. Decades after his father raised hell with Lone Star State legends, Dallas Burrow proudly picked up the torch, carrying Texas' songwriting tradition forward with albums like Southern Wind.

When Burrow is not making records or on the road, he’s the owner and proprietor of the newly opened Redbird Listening Room in New Braunfels, Texas; an intimate listening room inspired by places like Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe and Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, TX, where Burrow and countless others cut their teeth.

Find Dallas on social media here!

A really packed episode where we discuss the nature of music, poetry and expression. Isis is an extremely talented artist with a really important message and passion for performance and art!

Isis Lee is an award-winning Texas grown artist, singer- songwriter, who offers a radical style that is very much her own. As an artist she has been able to pursue her passions through her unique blend of soul and rock fusion that has elevated her path in the local art scenes throughout Central Texas. Her originals reek of conviction in a beautiful way, that leaves a door open into the mind of this ambitious poet turned songstress. She will tell it to you with heart and soul and has a blend of rock and progressive indie fusion. Influences include Pattie Smith, Tom Waits, Jim Morrison, Billie Holiday, and the great Janis Joplin. Isis has recently been awarded the Horizon Award by MACT and nominated for female vocalist of the year in 2019 and is now working on her first EP in Austin, Texas.


https://www.facebook.com/isis.leemusic // https://www.facebook.com/FingerJane // Instagram @isisleemusic  // www.IsisLeeMusic.com

This week we talk to Ariadne Mila about following your passion and doing music full time, writing, literature, defining success in music. 

There is great insight for people who are thinking about pursuing music fully, who are interested in songwriting, or who are just generally excited to get back out listening and doing live muisc. 

Ariadne Mila is a Filipino-American artist and songwriter. Her music has been described as “chill pop.” Pop music that reminds you of late summer, winding down, taking a long drive after sunset. Ariadne began her musical journey with classical piano lessons as a child, but she soon grew to love the lyrical expression and vulnerability of artists, and she began writing her own songs at age 12. Growing up in the early 2000s, Ariadne was influenced by a range of artists, including Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, Taylor Swift, Vanessa Carlton, and others. And her more recent influences include an even wider range of artists, including FLETCHER, Nina Nesbitt, and Lauv. Ariadne has performed at local venues around Austin, Texas. Currently, Ariadne is spending time creating music in the studio, on her own and with other artists and songwriters. Ariadne continues to hone her sound and her craft, and will continue to release more music in the coming months.

Ariadne Aberin  // Instagram: @ariadne.mila // Music: https://linktr.ee/ariadne.mila //