Dallas Music News: North Texas Latinx Musicians Make Headlines, Blues Rocker Meets Beatz

Bandcamp, one of the largest digital distributors of independent music, ran an article this week recognizing “Ten Latinx Acts Shaping the Future of Dallas Independent Music.” Recognizing the long history Mexican-Americans have in the world of Texas music, the article highlights bands such as Luna Luna, The Bralettes and Sub-Sahara, all credited with helping to develop Dallas’ growing music identity.

Fort Worth blues rocker Washed Up Rookie has released the video for the song “Sorry, and Good Luck,” a collaboration with Fort Worth rapper and producer Milky Beatz. Discussing the affect alcohol has on a relationship, the song’s lyrics provide a stark contrast to the song’s high-energy music. This single is the first release from a larger collaboration between the two, which we will be seeing more of later this year.

Sarah Popejoy, a country singer-songwriter from Tulsa, dropped the video for her song “The Victims Have Names.” The song discusses the horrors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, told through the eyes of one victim, Dr. Andrew C. Jackson. In the music video, the singer makes the same walk that victims had to make at gunpoint from Greenwood (which was known as Black Wallstreet) to Convention Hall (now the Tulsa Theater) which was used as a detention center. In the video, viewers will see current business owners from Greenwood hold up names of the victims from the Tulsa Race Massacre.

The Years: A MusicFest Tribute to Cody Canada & The Music of Cross Canadian Ragweed releases digitally today, Jan. 8. The album features performances by Fort Worth’s Casey Donahew and many more Texas musicians. The album was put together to honor Canada’s huge presence in the Red Dirt and Texas music scenes.

Fort Worth rapper Soup Flame released the booty-shaking new video for the single “Plan B” featuring Rasheed, El Grifa and Mook Da Mayor. With its slowed delivery and rapid snare, the track is reminiscent of everything that made Houston rap a national phenomenon in the mid- to late-2000s without losing sight of what makes hip hop great today.

Also today, symphonic power metal band Millennial Reign releases its new single “Way Up High” from their upcoming re-release EP Carry the Fire Again with new singer Tiffany Galchutt, who fronted the band supporting international acts Accept, Stryper and Y&T in late-2019 and early-2020.

Joshua Ray Walker will be giving away one of only five test pressings of his highly acclaimed 2020 release Glad You Made It. In a video released on the artist’s Facebook page, Walker explains that, after such a rough year, he would rather give the rare pressing away to a fan at random than profit from it himself. To enter, fans are invited to like and share the video. Winners will be announced in the next few weeks.

Travis Wright, host of the I’m a Fan of… podcast, has launched a new collaboration with Cloudland Studio owners/engineers Joe Tacke and Rebekah Elizabeth in Fort Worth. The Just One series will offer full bands performing in front of one microphone. So far, the series has featured three bands with more lined up for the near future. Wright plans to continue the series as long as bands are interested in performing and recording this way.

The one-man metalcore project from former Paradyme Shift drummer Daniel Keeton, Freedom Is Not Free, put out its new single “Enemy” from the newly released Me Against Myself EP. The father of two recorded the EP over the course of nine months, and as the project’s title would suggest, the EP’s lyrical focus is on speaking truth to power.

In case you hadn’t heard, we announced our 2020 Dallas Observer Music Awards earlier this week. Our music critics also named their picks for the best local and national music from 2020. So much good music for such a not so good year.

Upcoming Shows

Latin fusion band The Effinays will play Friday, Jan. 8, at Tulips in Fort Worth.

Beware!Criminals, an Incubus tribute band, will perform that night at Trees in Deep Ellum with support from Deftones tribute act Elite and 311 tribute 411.

Quarantine Cowboys will be playing live at Bowlski's Lakewood Theater, where the band will play with 60 feet of social distance because that's how long a bowling lane is.

Out in Mansfield, party rock band Incognito will take the stage at Fat Daddy’s Sports & Spirits.

And, of course, the Lights All Night Drive-In featuring deadmau5 will be taking place at Texas Motor Speedway.