Young James Long

OK, we're officially jealous of Austin. Oh, the "Music Capital of the World" can suck it as far as South by Southwest is concerned. And all those venues they've got—well, shoot, who wants to be surrounded by that many hipsters anyway? But one thing Austin's got that we ain't is Young James Long, a trio of bluesters who update the I-IV-V with inventive song breaks and scuzzy vocals. This band has no need for frills of any kind, and their straight-to-the-point songs rarely crack three minutes, leaving behind perfect nuggets of psychedelic blues, the kind ZZ Top should've kept on writing.