Six Shooter is a recurring feature in which we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians.
Brave Little Howl — "Tupelo"
Our Lives Aren't Movies, out this week, is the first full-length album from Brave Little Howl. The local Americana indie six-piece has been gigging around Texas for a few years, making richly cinematic tunes that borrow equal doses of Wilco, Mumford and Sons, and The Beatles. The first single off the new release, "Tupelo," has a bevy of instrumentation. Shaky keyboards, shards of guitar reverb and a barrage of percussion lift the track from a pensive opening into a full-blown soaring singalong. Learn the words and warm up your pipes for the band's upcoming tour stops at Harvest House and Dan's Silverleaf in Denton and The Foundry in Dallas. bravelittlehowl.com
Edie Brickell — Bright Star
Dallas native Brickell has popped up around these parts a few times recently to play with the Bohemians, the group she started when she was barely out of her teens. A higher-profile gig of late for her, though, has been her musical partnership with Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers. It's been a rich collaboration for the two as they've released three albums and a historical musical titled Bright Star. The play, which ran on Broadway in 2016, was a huge hit, racking up five Tony Award nominations, including for best musical, best original score (for both Brickell and Martin) and best book of a musical (for Martin). The plot takes place in the rural mountain settings of North Carolina and portrays a multitude of Gothic themes and family infighting. The idea for the play was inspired by "The Ballad of the Iron Mountain Baby," a folk song from the early 1900s that Brickell and Martin adapted for a track on their album, Love Has Come For You. Bright Star, now touring nationally, will run from June 12-24 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. attpac.org/on-sale/2018/brightstar
Bobby Sessions — "Like Me"
Since signing with Def Jam Recordings a few months ago, Dallas-based Sessions' career has been skyrocketing. His recent single, "Like Me" earned prime coverage spots on Pitchfork's Best New Tracks and NPR's Songs We Love. On the track, Sessions confronts hundreds of years of racism and discrimination with pointed lyrics and cathartic screams that serve to emphasize frustration and disappointment. Another Dallas local, Sikwitit, layers the track with searing beats that provide a cinematic atmosphere to the push-pull tension that highlights the narrative. As the first single released by Sessions this year, it seems to be a strong harbinger for what lies ahead. facebook.com/BobbySessionsDTX
Rosegarden Funeral Party — "Follow"
Dallas' Rosegarden Funeral Party takes Nuggets-inspired garage rock, synths it up with New Wave and throws '90s shoegaze on top as the icing on the cake. Composed of Leah Lane, Mikka Vanya Brightheart, Wil Farrier, and Tate Christopher, the band will make local appearances over the next couple of weeks as it continues to bring its sinister sounds and unique stage performances to wider audiences. It'll be at Andy's Denton on May 15, a date that kicks off a number of local shows over the following month. For a proper introduction, check out "Follow," a stellar track from the recent album The Chopping Block. It's all shredding guitars, frenetic pacing and Lane centering things with her most commanding vocals. rosegardenfuneralparty.com
The Tortillas — "I Saw The Light"
Introducing ...The Tortillas, the EP by the Dallas-based band of the same name, has been one of the year's catchiest collection of tunes. Trafficking in low-fi, sunny, ambient pop-rock, the band's sound is positively infectious. The reference points and influences are all abundantly clear; breezy '70s AM Gold, slacker-esque Pavement and the sardonic glimpses of Weezer all shine through their repertoire. As an eight-piece, all of whom have adopted the Tortilla surname, they likely would create quite the spectacle onstage, as well. Check out the brief release on the band's website, which includes a marvelous take on an old Todd Rundgren song. thetortillasmusic.bandcamp.com/releases
Troy Garrick & OG Garden — "Runaway"
Denton's OG Garden calls its blend of music "future soul," and it's hard to argue with the nomenclature. Led by Troy Garrick and made up of six members, most of whom went through the jazz studies program at the University of North Texas, the band works up sweet sets of R&B/jazz/funk fusion that shimmers with grooves and originality. With an emphasis on musicianship and showmanship, its live shows are frequently mentioned as eclectic and "must-see." It just dropped a new single called "Runaway" and will perform live frequently this summer around DFW. facebook.com/OGGarden