Best New Music in Dallas

Six Shooter is a recurring feature in which we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians.


Leon Bridges — “Bad Bad News”
March delivered all the news Leon Bridges fans have been clamoring for. Fort Worth’s soulful crooner will be releasing his sophomore album, Good Thing, on May 4. He released two new tracks from that project, “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand” and “Bad Bad News,” to satiate his fans until then.

The former is a lush, soulful intro for the album that complements and sets up “Bad Bad News,” which feels like a true single and signals the artist is branching out. The jazz-inspired tune features an undeniable groove, and the backing band feels more present compared to his debut, Coming Home, on which the tracks felt more intimate and Bridges was the lone star. On “Bad Bad News,” the collective effort is more apparent with alternating vocals, solos and bridges that have us anxious to hear the rest of the new material.


T.Y.E. — “Voices”
T.Y.E.’s prolific output has made him a mainstay on this monthly feature, and although he’s been one of the city’s premier rappers for over a year, he continues to progress and sharpen his skills. On “Voices,” the Oak Cliff native is trapped in his head with voices and influences from two neighborhood archetypes that the artist quickly develops as characters in the track with sharp writing and his malleable delivery. It’s a stunning performance, and the accompanying music video, shot and directed by DanceDailey, is just as wonderful.


Remy Reilly — Rattlesnake
Remember when Lorde released “Royals” and everybody instantly fell in love with the track because it was so well written, wonderfully performed and refreshing? Then after the song was over, everyone learned she was a teenager, and things got really nuts, and she was nominated for five Grammys and won two? OK, that’s kind of how it feels to hear Remy Reilly’s music — and yes, she’s a teenager. The 14-year-old has the city buzzing as she’s earned local press this month with the release of her self-titled EP. But Rattlesnake feels like the greatest accomplishment. The pulsing bass is instantly ear-catching, and that initial swooning chord Reilly expels is a sign of things to come. Her vocals are powerful, wide-ranging and complemented by sharp writing that is all her own. Reilly is an artist to watch.


Medicine Man Revival — “Voodoo Queen”
Medicine Man Revival isn’t your typical band, and not just because of its unique sound that couples passionate, soulful throwback deliveries with rock-inspired instrumentation. In a world where artists typically throw up tracks on the internet and wait for the world to catch on, this group has taken a more old-school approach and made a name for itself tearing up stages all across Deep Ellum. Only recently has the band started to develop an online presence, and it's doing so in an admirable fashion. The video for “Voodoo Queen” is a visual treat directed by Tramaine Townsend at Texas Theatre, with dancer Kiandra Brooks commanding the screen.


Lil Ronny MothaF — “Fuck It Up (Feat. T-Wayne)”
Lil Ronny MothaF knows how to entertain an audience. For years, he’s delivered viral hits like “Circle” — which caused quite a stir when Beyoncé danced to the track during a livestream of her performance at Made In America festival a couple of years back — and his latest work is a cinematic delight. Not only is the video for “Fuck It Up” a far cry from the standard rap video tropes, but it feels like a scene cut from a Jet Li flick — and this level of effort can’t go unnoticed.


Asian Doll — “Murda”
Asian Doll is unrelenting on “Murda.” From the jump, she commands the beat and delivers an authoritative run of bars comparable to Webbie’s “G-Shit,” the opening track to his classic album Savage Life. With tracks like these, it’s no wonder Asian Doll has had an busy start to 2018 that also includes a feature on Bhad Bhabie’s “Hi Bich” remix that spawned a budding relationship with the viral rapper. Her nationwide tour will be in Dallas on April 28 at Trees. Fellow Dallas rapper Cuban Doll makes an appearance in the "Murda" video, which is cool because the two have been public rivals in the past. But the two are beefing again, based on their recent social media posts.

Extra Ammo:


Matt Swagnew — “Things For Words/100”


Yella Beezy — “Up One”


Tre Ward — “I Crash (Feat. Mike Jones and Yung Me)”


Lil Cobaine — “U”


Dorrough Music — “Call Log”


Kaela Sinclair — “I Cry Too”


Ting Tang Tina — “Love is Trippy”