Dallas Music News: Flower Child Shares the Love, From Parts Unknown Calls Out Lucifer

On Valentine’s Day, hip-hop artist Flower Child released her video for “Love Will Save the Day.” Walking in front of the boarded-up businesses in Deep Ellum with portraits from the Black Lives Matter movement prominently displayed, Flower Child raps about the need for love — not the love between romantic partners, but the most important love we have: self-love, love between friends and love of your community.

Also, in case you missed it on Valentine’s Day, Dallas-based online dating company Match.com released an exclusive playlist of 50 love songs by Texas artists, curated by the National Independent Venue Association. The playlist is made up of songs by acts such as Leon Bridges, Charley Crockett, Erykah Badu and Pantera representing North Texas.

Drawing influences from rockabilly, gypsy punk and post-hardcore, From Parts Unknown released their new single “Lucifer, You Got Some Splainin’ to Do.” The video taps into Cold War paranoia juxtaposing live shots of the band with images of school children being fitted for gas masks. With a song structure as complicated as the influences they draw from, From Parts Unknown bring order to the chaos in their music. If only they could do the same for the rest of the chaos this week hath wrought.

Pop-punk band New Heroes and ska band Madaline are teaming up for a 10-inch split EP available digitally Feb. 19 and shipping out on lathe-cut vinyl March 1. Each band contributed three songs on the EP, which will be released physically on vinyl only. The new release comes on the heels of New Heroes’ Bad Luck EP last November, and it will be Madaline’s first release in nearly two years.

Singer-songwriter Jackson Scribner released his new single “I Don’t Think About It” on State Fair Records over the weekend. Mellow and melancholy, Scribner’s song is about how the cycle of ups and downs in a relationship can ultimately lead to apathy.

Self-described as "fearlessly neurotic indie-folk" Andrew Delaney releases his new album The Villain Is Right on Feb. 19. Reminiscent of Yusuf Islam's (aka Cat Stevens), Delany’s music is simple in its structure and honest in its delivery, with lyrics that reward the ones who listen deeply.

Rapper Mallo the Great has been hard at work since the start of the pandemic, working on new sounds and styles. His music is still being sold in an old-school way as the artist walks the streets selling his mixtapes.

A capella pop superstars Pentatonix have released a new, original album The Lucky Ones. The album features new sounds, namely, instruments like the piano and cello to create a more serious sound that breaks the formulas of the past.

Justin King opened up recently about the struggles he faced in the lead-up to his album Dreams and Things. Despite all his setbacks, the rapper’s music remains uplifting and positive thanks to the music community that has kept him going.

Fans of '00s-era Dallas rock bands Slow Roosevelt, Edgewater and Miser can now purchase their favorite records on vinyl thanks to NTX Records. The micro-independent label has also announced plans to re-release albums by Doosu and SouthFM later this year.

Upcoming Shows

Country singer John Baumann will be playing Friday night, Feb. 19, at Tulips in Fort Worth.

That night in Deep Ellum, alt-country singer Tommy Luke plays at Mama Tried.

Latinx singer-songwriter Celestial L'amour plays Saturday night, Feb. 20, at Main at South Side in Fort Worth.

Also on the 20th, Reverend Horton Heat plays a solo set at Tulips.

In Deep Ellum that night, Ryan Glenn takes the stage at Adair’s Saloon.