KCRW’s Music Team journeyed to Austin, Texas for a full week of South By Southwest Festivities. We could absolutely spend days recounting all of the fantastic music we encountered, but in the spirit of doing what we do every week — selecting just 5 songs out of the many (many) options to move to the top of your radar — here are 5 (out of many) SXSW standouts. P.S. Find even more of our festival highlights here.
Sean Solomon – “Car Crash”
First up from among our discoveries is this sweet single from LA-based artist Sean Solomon, offering therapeutic relatability couched in straightforward musical excellence. Gently plucked chords give way to heart-swelling harmonies and warm horns. Solomon is also the artist behind the video’s pen-on-paper animation.
mary in the junkyard – “bear walk”
There’s something irresistible about this single from UK three-top mary in the junkyard. Whisper-soft and mildly spooky; its layers of acoustic strumming, mournful viola, and vocalist Clari Freeman-Taylor’s diminutive, spell-worthy falsetto add up to a package that’s spiritually much more than the sum of its parts.
Glom – “Virginia”
Live your alternative rock truth with this easygoing single from Brooklyn indie band, Glom. Mashing up a distinctly 90’s alt-rock sound with shoegaze sensibilities and a radio-friendly vibe, this track and its home-video visualizer make for a cozy listen. Perk your ears for vocoder use and synth keys that’ll hit you right in the nostalgia.
Chaparelle – “Inside the Lines”
Pucker up for this groovy track from Texas’s own Chaparelle. Featuring his-and-her call-and-response vocals, crystal-clear twangin’ guitars, and some truly inspiring tambourine playing, this single is a fresh new take on lounge lizard listening — Texas style.
Sedona – “Best Kept Secret”
Close your eyes and sing out loud along to Sedona. A proverbial “that girl” with a full-hearted take on the typical singer-songwriter sound, Sedona’s one secret you won’t wanna keep to yourself.