It has been an absolutely stacked week in North Texas Music. In case you missed it, hometown luminaries Norah Jones and Leon Bridges lead the 2024 Austin City Limits bill. Bridges was also among the standouts of Fashion’s biggest night at the Met Gala on Monday, as he rocked custom Willy Chavarria. Also floating down the lush green and white Met carpet was Dallas icon Erykah Badu in a bombastically vibrant Commes de Garçon look. Don’t let that eclipse the fact that we also got a rare glimmer of new music from her via a feature on North Carolina rapper Rapsody’s new single, “3:AM.”
Elsewhere in new releases, we couldn’t let you get by the week without hearing the new Breaking The Fourth Wall EP from Allen’s own Allison Ponthier. The five-song batch is her latest major label project, and there are no skips.
The new single from Arlington alt-rock trio Playtime Rabbit is a face melter punctuated by piercing riffs and a thick bassline as vocalist Chris Bell roars, “The Shrike has come/to take us home,” and it has also come to open up the pit, it seems!
See the full playlist from last night’s Local Show below. And if you’re a musician in North Texas, hit us up through the submissions form.
Black Tie Dynasty
The longtime pillars of Fort Worth indie-rock gave us a taste of their new album, Steady, with an ‘80s-tinged single called “Maladjusted.” Steady is officially out today, and the band has tapped area favorites Lorelei K and Curl to help celebrate for an album release show at Tulips in Fort Worth this Saturday, May 11.
Two Guys Walk Into A Bar
Two guys walk into a bar and immediately engage in the age-old discourse of Fort Worth vs. Dallas — this Cowtown Americana duo makes no secret of where their loyalties lie on their new single. The band says “Turning Fort Worth Into Dallas” is inspired by the changing face of Fort Worth due to gentrification they believe is overtaking the city’s arts community.
Rafa
Rafa is a first-generation Mexican-American artist who slips into a sweeping lineup of genres, fittingly branding him with the adoptive moniker of “the emolatino.” His latest cut is a warm and dreamy Spanish-language slow burner just in time for summer. You might just be able to catch it live during his set at Carne Asada Fest on May 26.
The KXT Local Show – 5/9/24
“Character Development” – Allison Ponthier
“Key At The Door” – Dezi 5
“Malos Modales” – Ceci Ceci
“The Shrike” – Playtime Rabbit
“Totally Cool If It’s Not Cool” – The Heads and Bodies
“Go West” – Paige Hill
“Turning Fort Worth Into Dallas” – Two Guys Walk Into A Bar
“Yes Man” – Remy Reilly
“Number One Set and Sound” – Silver Skylarks
“Maladjusted” – Black Tie Dynasty
“Set Me Free” – Carson S
“Frank Ocean” – Kaash Paige
“Lie To You” – Mandolin Nicole
“Si Tu” – Rafa
The KXT Local Show is a weekly radio program curated by Alec Spicer. Tune in every Thursday from 7-8 p.m. to hear new and classic tunes from North Texas artists spanning a broad mix of genres, including hip hop, Latin, rock, blues, jazz, folk and R&B.
Are you a North Texas musician? Want to hear your work on The KXT Local Show? We’d love to hear from you! Submit your music for consideration here: kxt.org/submissions.
