Awooo!
It’s been only two years since one of the area’s most celebrated Americana outfits released what was supposed to be their swansong. Left Arm Tan’s Undefeated was intended to be their last big swing. But champs don’t stay on the mat for long. Shortly after LAT’s end and a dalliance with a new band, the cosmic rockers Marfa Lights, guitarist and principal songwriter Daniel Hines suffered an injury and subsequent surgeries that left him unable to play for a time. As he slowly recovered and began to regain his chops, “the songs just started pouring out of me,” he said. He wrote the entire album of what is to be Left Arm Tan’s resurrection. When Tigers Smoked is due out in October, with a first single coming Aug 6. Whether the quintet’s seventh full-length is a temporary reunion or an all-in return to their decade of longevity remains to be seen.
Singer-songwriter Hannah Owens released her debut EP in 2021 and followed it up with a couple of singles in her style of country-tinged pop in 2024. Now she’s set on her biggest venture yet: her first album. The problem is, she’s light on the necessary funds. To help her achieve her goals, she’s taking a stab at crowd sourcing, offering patrons “extra pieces of art” and added content. “I think building this myself and with my fans is going to make this record even more special,” Owens said.
Supportive fans can help the emotive songstress reach her goal via her Facebook page.
Alt-rockers Henry the Archer are dropping a new single, “Eldred,” on Jul 16. Mullet-hawked frontperson Henry O is sporting a new rhythm section with Big Heaven’s Mandy Hand on bass and singer-songwriter Sarah Savage smashing the skins. The new three-piece cut the song in March at Cloudland Recording Studios with engineer Joe Tacke (Mean Motor Scooter, Denver Williams). The trio will perform on Sat, Jul 18, at Doc’s Records and Vintage (2628 Weisenberger St, 817-732-5455) with Hand’s new project, Mandy Hand & The Applause, opening.
Sat, Jul 18, looks to be a great day for live music in general. Merch/party people Vinyl Ranch are celebrating their 19th anniversary at Cowtown’s oldest continuously run dancehall, Stagecoach Ballroom (2516 E Belknap St, 817-831-2261). Sponsored by local nonprofit music ambassadors Hear Fort Worth, the event features a live performance by outlaw country revivalist Cory Cross and a DJ set by Disko Cowboy.
If you’re looking for something a little heavier, that same night, the men of the noise-metal Werewolf Victim Revival celebrate the release of their full-length debut, Panoramic Kill Scene, at The Cicada (1002 S Main St) with indie-rockers Caddis and heavy-gazers Dream Deleter. If the Revival’s new first single, “Golden Ray,” is any indication, attendees will leave the show without their freshly rocked-off faces. — P.H.
DJ Dugan
Whoosh!
In preparation for drafting the following, I just watched the MTV News intro from 1992, and what I want young people to know is this: Decades ago, the news, when broadcast to teenagers and people who were just recently teenagers, often came with a lot of urgent whooshing noises. Am I imagining the updates I get from local musicians, PR whisperers, and promoters accompanied by similar sound effects? I’m not not doing that! Anyway, in May, The Post (2736 W 6th St) launched a weekly Wednesday-night songwriter showcase hosted by local singer-songwriter Austin Clay Cox, and if you’ve been sleeping on it, well, wipe the crust out of your eyes and get out of the house. Partnering with Texas Tailgate, the promo/content creation arm of Stockyards-based record label Smith Music Group, Texas Tailgate Songwriter Nights gives local tunesmiths an opportunity to sign up for a spot and perform their material in front of concertgoers there to pay attention. While The Post is certainly capable of loud and rowdy lineups — just ask anyone who went the the LABELS/Heavy Petal/Love Cuts/Flowerbed show this past Friday — it’s also a really great listening room, which the venue emphasizes on these nights with table seating and by encouraging people to be quiet during the songs. Signups start at 7pm and are open to the public, and performances start at 8. While Cox is the regular host, each week also features special guests like Jordan Ashley, Dalton Torres, and Quaker City Night Hawks’ Sam Anderson. The special guest for July 8 is the one-and-only Charlie Shafter! There’s no cover charge, and there are also no covers (and no backing tracks), as the songwriter nights emphasize original material performed live in all its rawness. A lot of these artists wind up on the Texas Tailgate Spotify playlist, so you know: SSSSSYNERGY!
SSSSSHHHHPEAKING of LABELS, the area psychedelic hardcore band’s show at The Post this past Friday was the official kick-off of their July tour, which takes them to the Whittier Bar in Tulsa on Jul 8; to Rubber Gloves in Denton on the 9th; Austin’s 13th Floor on Jul 10; Paper Tiger in San Antonio on Jul 11, opening for Los Angeles-based rockers High Curb; and the Mid City Ballroom in Baton Rouge on Jul 13. Got friends in those places? Send ’em to see LABELS!
And since I have MTV on the brain, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some new music videos by local artists: Toadies debuted a video last month for “Damage,” the latest single off their new album, The Charmer, filmed live in front of a crowd at the Backyard Amphitheater at Dallas’ Longhorn Ballroom. It’s a great depiction of a veteran rock band doing what they do best, directed/edited by Justin Wilson (who’s shot videos for DFW artists like Leon Bridges, Polyphonic Spree, and Riverboat Gamblers).
Then there’s R&B singer-songwriter Brandon Marcel, who’s performing as .MARCEL. and who dropped a new single and accompanying video last week. “Slow Nights” has a futuristic slow-jam vibe that cruises across your mind with some tasteful, dream-like production and an intentionally sparse arrangement that really showcases both the golden-hour richness in Marcel’s voice and that of his best friend, Leon Bridges. The video, directed by Dustin McLaughlin (co-founder of Twelve Midnight Creative and director of videos for local artists Abraham Alexander and Matthew McNeal), is a gorgeous depiction of yearning, told across dramatic tonal shifts in color and location. In a different era, this would’ve been a TRL smash. — S.S.
