Avant pop star Lorelei K dropped her new release The Mythic Girl EP over the weekend. With five new tracks of lush, dreamy instrumentals, the album showcases the artist's haunting vocals and superior writing capabilities with songs about love, loss and letting go. Lorelei K has been keeping busy during the pandemic working on this EP, appearing in a collaboration with metal band Mountain of Smoke and building up her portfolio as a fine artist.
Regardless of what you think of the Grammys, it’s great to see local rapper Bobby Sessions share the award for “Best Song” for his role in writing Megan Thee Stallion’s hit “Savage.” This is the first Grammy award for Sessions, whose latest collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, “I’m a King” for the Coming 2 America soundtrack, is out now and climbing the charts.
Another big winner on Sunday's Grammy Awards was Denton-founded (and previous winners) jazz band Snarky Puppy, who won the Contemporary Instrumental Album award for Live at the Royal Albert Hall. "It's very special to be recognized for something that captures what this band holds as our core, and that's the live show," guitarist Mark Lettieri tells the Observer. "We couldn't have done it without our amazing crew, they're the real MVPs of the night."
Ayler Records in France is set to release Ataraxia's second release, Nights Enter, a year-long project recorded at Klearlight Studio in Dallas, on March 20. The trio — renowned trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez, Moog player Derek Rogers and harpist Jess Garland — caught the record label’s attention after Gonzalez posted a collaborative art piece he created with his 7-year-old granddaughter Isabella, now the album’s cover.
Every Friday since the beginning of February, North Texas record label Palm Mute Records has been slowly releasing cover songs for their Woah Oh! That’s What I Call Pop Punk compilation. This week Denton’s Matchstick Ghost lent their voice to the compilation with a cover of the 2009 track “Like We Used To” by A Rocket to the Moon. The label has plans to continue releasing songs for the compilation until mid-April.
Recording under the moniker Joseph M, guitarist Joey McClellan of Midlake, BNQT and Elle King has released his debut song “Who Do You Serve.” Clocking in at over seven-and-a-half minutes, the epic new song and its equally epic video thematically revisits Bob Dylan’s 1979 track “Gotta Serve Somebody,” which questions who one serves and the reasons why.
The annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival will take place this year, but not in the spring as it has been in the past. The event will take place Sept. 10-12 and return to its April dates in 2022. In a press release, festival organizers said that they “are excited to give attendees and art patrons a chance to safely enjoy the beautiful neighborhood of Deep Ellum and the full festival’s wide array of visual artists and musicians.”
This weekend, Matthew McConaughey will play host and DJ for the online event We’re Texas on March 21 to benefit the Just Keep Livin' Texas Relief Fund. The event will include performances by North Texas favorites Post Malone, Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves among others. Donations raised through the event will support those still suffering from the devastation caused by February's winter storm. The event will be streamed on McConaughey’s YouTube channel starting at 7 p.m.
Rap duo Wonder Gang is working on an EP set to be released later in the year. The duo spoke to the Observer recently about their influences and the music-making process and about the difficulties they had adjusting to the diversity of cultures in America. Wonder Gang is also making music for the upcoming second season of HBO’s queer-centric skater drama Betty.
Luna Luna, The Bralettes and Sub-Sahara are just a few of the Latinx artists making moves in the local and national music industry making real contributions to the new wave sound. From synth-pop to post punk, the Latinx music community is showing that a diverse local culture makes for a wonderful take on the sound once left behind in the ‘80s.
Famed Denton indie musician Will Johnson is a painter, a Conor Oberst collaborator and the voice behind 29 albums. The musician’s upcoming novel If or When I Call explores the life of a family struggling with addiction and illness. Inspired in part by the musician’s life, the book manages to find hope and beauty in an otherwise dark tale.
Upcoming Shows
Indie folk artist the matthew show will play a set Friday evening, March 19, at Brutal Beerworks in North Richland Hills.
Later Friday night in Arlington, GROWL Records will host a night of hip-hop and R&B with performances by Igimeji, Justin King, Dreamfeed and The Window Seat.
In Fort Worth on Saturday, March 20, The Effinays play at Tulips.
In Deep Ellum on Saturday, Three Links is opening back up for a two-set show by The Roomsounds.
On Wednesday, March 24, The Corpsepaint Show presents a lineup featuring Midnight Murder Show, SEVIT and The No-Where Jets at Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill.