Rap music’s resident wild card Danny Brown made his name writing some of the most aggressively insane tales the genre has seen this decade. With his newest album, Atrocity Exhibition, he’s...
Editor’s note: Tat-Tuesday is a weekly series that features students around campus and their tattoos.
Adriana Smith
When Adriana Smith visits her tattoo artist, she gives her complete control...
While this year's ACL was extremely headliner-heavy, it allowed smaller acts, including Jack Garratt and St. Paul and the Broken Bones, to shine. But as small acts had breakthrough moments, the festival's...
Day two of the ACL festival provided a well-rounded experience, showing off acts from multiple genres.
Best: Cage the Elephant put on a fantastic show, not only performing their discography to a T but...
Most bands aim to please their listeners, capitalizing on familiar hooks and melodies to craft their signature experience. Mothman sets out to accomplish the exact opposite — they want to make their...
Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam Batmanglij are two veterans of the New York indie scene. With their bands The Walkmen and Vampire Weekend, respectively, they explored rock music and its past by incorporating...
In the 1990s, Seattle was inundated with grunge bands and Nirvana was one of the most unlikely to make it big, lacking local popularity in a sea of standout acts. But with just one album, the band experienced...
Many musicians turn toward love for their inspiration, weaving tales of triumph and heartbreak to tell their stories. But with Mac Miller’s most recent release, he doesn’t just focus on one...
From his work with the White Stripes to The Raconteurs and his solo career, Jack White has gained a worldwide reputation for his energetic electric blues rock hits, often on display in commercials,...
During her fourth album Matangi, M.I.A sounded burned out. After long delays to the album’s release, the entire experience of the record was disjointed and untimely. With her fifth album AIM, the...
Editor’s note: For Album Anniversaries, The Daily Texan revisits iconic albums on the anniversary of their release date.
Although it took System of a Down three years and four demo tapes to sign...
After the resounding critical reception of Angel Olsen’s sophomore album Burn Your Fire for No Witness, the singer-songwriter was poised to grow into an indie darling with MY WOMAN. Instead, she...
It’s impossible to say Interpol fans didn’t see a RZA-Paul Banks collaboration coming a mile away. Not only have the two been working together for half a decade, Paul Banks’ solo career...
Future Days — Can
Known for their tendency to switch styles from album to album, including influences from classic rock to psychedelic and funk, the 1970’s German krautrock band Can was...
Throughout their 2014 debut ZABA, Glass Animals guided listeners on one of the trippiest listens of the year, but the album failed to propel the band into the spotlight so many penned them for. With their...
Shanzyan Faraizi spent his childhood recording his *NSYNC performances with his dad’s video camera. Two decades later, he’s ramping up for the release of his debut rap album.
“My...
Sometimes the best publicity is a proper disappearance — and no one does disappearance like Frank Ocean. Four years of near silence brought to light his distaste for fame and a feeling of betrayal...
Most students don’t look forward to their summer’s conclusion, dreading the school work and stress that will accompany the forthcoming semester. But for music fans, the new season is a reminder...
During the halcyon days of Los Angeles punk, the Descendents’ sound stood out for its quirky, blind rage. Their debut, Milo Goes to College, stands as one of the era’s most beloved albums....
Gucci Mane embodied gangsta rap during the late 2000s. As a pioneer of trap house and hip-hop, he took the reins of a genre, beginning his cult following and later becoming a figurehead of a movement....
Dog Man Star – Suede
After making a fantastically successful self-titled debut album, Suede broke off into a seemingly horrible direction, forgoing their Bowie-esque art rock in favor of a much...
Although the infectious and grimy grooves of Death from Above 1979’s debut album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine brought the band’s bassist Jesse Keeler and producer Alex Puodziukas...
Fans of hip-hop, from the most casual to the hardcore, have likely heard a Clams Casino beat. Since 2006, he’s produced tracks for everyone from members of the A$AP Mob to Mac Miller and even The...
Although Great Unknown is their debut album, Austinites Daniel and Jenna Watters certainly aren’t new to recording music — they spent the past 12 years of their collaboration touring the country...
Hospice – The Antlers
Although vocalist and guitarist Peter Silberman started the group as a solo project, The Antlers quickly grew into an animal he couldn’t handle alone. After another...
The insurmountable peak of jazz came and went with the likes of Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, leaving a legacy almost no artist since has been able to match. However, BADBADNOTGOOD’s...
Cheetah – Aphex Twin
Following his comeback LP Syro, electronic legend Aphex Twin came out with another surprise release last Friday, but took on a new perspective to his regular IDM by stripping...
Sixteen years ago, The Avalanches released their timeless debut album Since I Left You, which traversed the potential of plunderphonics’ sample-based production techniques to create one...
Lady in Satin – Billie Holiday
Although Billie Holiday lacked the vocal range and musical education to ease her way into jazz, she managed to kick off her career solely with her impeccable...
Known by her artistic pseudonym Bat for Lashes, Natasha Khan has spent the past decade exploring fantasies ranging from psychotic alter egos to tumultuous relationships. With her latest album, The Bride,...
Editor's note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
After six releases under a different name, Jenna and Daniel Watters hit the reset button and planned a move to California in...
During his graduation ceremony in front of the UT Tower, Adam Neal looked back on his life as a convict and saw how far he had come. In that moment, Neal knew what his first rap single would be titled:...
Repeater – Fugazi
After the success of their debut EP — which featured a three-piece act revolving around the band’s founder, guitarist and singer Ian MacKaye’s songwriting —...
Joshua Davis is officially an old man in his business. The artist known as DJ Shadow released his plunderphonic masterpiece Endtroducing..... 20 years ago, displaying his immense attention to detail and...
Silent Shout – The Knife
In 1999, Swedish siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer formed electronic duo The Knife, but it wasn’t until their 2002 hit “Heartbeats” that...
The Red Hot Chili Peppers traditionally rely on several key elements when they come together to play as one — simplistic as they may be, together they form a unified movement greater than the sum...
If Garbage is known for one thing, it’s integrity. After the critical success — and commercial failure — of their 2001 album Beautiful Garbage, their label demanded the group stop blending...
Songs of Leonard Cohen – Leonard Cohen
Although he began his career as a poet and writer, Leonard Cohen was quickly disappointed with his lack of financial success in the field. Soon, he moved...
Sisters Tegan and Sara Quin were treading water on their oddly stale 2013 release Heartthrob. But the lack of innovation had less to do with the pair's efforts and more to do with their budding relationship...
Fifteen years ago, The Strokes revived rock and roll, and although their sound today may be a far cry from what fans fell in love with, they still qualify as rock stars.
However, with their stylistic...
The word “best” is thrown around often in music history, especially when describing a decade or year when music hit its all-time peak. Most people would argue that a year in the 60’s,...
In his recent release, Drake repositioned himself from the luxurious and opulent personality many came to know him as into a resentful kingpin, dominating rap with his versatile blend of rapping and singing.
On...
With its roots based in country and blues, Austin provides the perfect environment for Americana music to thrive. However, the genre has saturated the Austin market in recent years, making it difficult...
Pink Flag — Wire
Possibly the most original album to come out of the initial wave of British punk, Pink Flag sounds like punk went to art school and refined itself down to its core, forgoing the...
With her 2013 surprise self-titled release, Beyoncé put her name on the tips of everyone’s tongues, and it’s stayed there ever since. On Saturday, Beyoncé cashed in on her name,...
Prince, the enigmatic singer-songwriter and one-man show, died Thursday at the age of 57 at Paisley Park, his compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota, according to his publicist.
Throughout his storied and...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
During his rise as one of hip hop’s leading producers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, J Dilla became known for his colorful and vibrant beats created for rappers such as Common and A Tribe Called...
Record Store Day began in 2007 as an annual event to celebrate the culture of independently owned record stores, but the event has grown to epic proportions compared to its humble origins. In past years,...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Although the genre may often go unrecognized, metal is currently one of the most expansive and experimental genres music has to offer, and Deftones only further the adventure with their newest release...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Since the release of their 1996 experimental album Pinkerton, Weezer’s career has been defined by its inconsistency.
Although the band has had its shining moments in the past 20 years, including...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
As one of Austin’s more recent music success stories, southern rock outfit White Denim sets the standard for the perception of the city’s ever-evolving music scene. However, with their new...
Although his 2012 hit single “Harlem Shake” spawned a huge Internet meme and shot his name into the spotlight of mainstream electronica, Baauer’s breakout track looms over him to...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Jesse F. Keeler and Alex Puodziukas, known as Al-P, have been creating house music together since 2005 under the name MSTRKRFT, using modular synthesizers and patching to create their distinct sound. The...
Phoenix hip-hop act Injury Reserve, which includes rapper Ritchie with a T, rapper Steppa J Groggs and producer Parker Corey, has grown in popularity due to their balance of serious subjects and fun bars...
Known for combining ’60s pop sensibilities with garage rock and aggressive lyrics, Louisville rock outfit White Reaper released their debut LP White Reaper Does It Again to critical acclaim last...
The Spotify House has been a staple at South By Southwest since 2012, building stages for hundreds of performers and breaking them down just as quickly as they put them up. But this time around, Spotify...
xx – The xx
After meeting at school in 2005, Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Slim, Baria Qureshi and Jamie Smith, known as Jamie xx, used to message each other after curfew with lyrics for their rudimentary...
Kendrick Lamar is known for his unapologetically daring music that contemplates modern racial tensions, depression and materialism, but on his new album untitled unmastered., the enigmatic rapper cuts...
After a general lack of activity over the past five years, M83 was right on the cusp of becoming a legacy band — a group that exists only in memory according to a very specific sound. With the announcement...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
To a new listener, it might sound as if The 1975 panders to their teen audience, playing up their boyband features to sell hundreds of thousands of records with no regard for art.
But by the end of...
Young Sinatra — Logic
Robert Bryson Hall II grew up in a rough neighborhood without a father and struggled to apply himself in school, eventually dropping out in 10th grade because of poor academic...
After producing nine albums in 12 years, Animal Collective established themselves as one of the most consistently fluid bands in modern experimental music, changing their sound with ease from release to...
Rapper GZA, also known as the The Genius, visited UT on Thursday to discuss the role of science in his music and using hip-hop to educate. Since the beginning of his professional career almost 30 years...
Follow along as Life & Arts editor Cat Cardenas, associate editors Megan Hix and Katie Walsh, and music writer Chris Duncan live tweet the 2016 Grammy Awards. Scroll down to see who they think should...
Love or hate him, it’s hard to deny Kanye West’s raw talent. For more than a decade, he has set the standard for modern rap music with frequent style shifts, allowing him to explore different...
Since the group’s first world tour in 2013, DIIV has lived a troubled existence with canceled tours, drug addictions and arrests plaguing the group’s success. After attending rehab and focusing...
Tommy
The Who
After their first concept album, The Who Sell Out, The Who declared themselves a pop art group, living a consumerist lifestyle instead of the popular hippie culture. However,...
For UT alumna Mariclaire Gamble, forming her first band was as easy as asking a couple of childhood friends.
“I had known two of these guys since I was seven,” Gamble said. “And I’ve...
After 2014’s 1000 Forms of Fear took off with its abundance of pop hits like “Chandelier,” Sia became synonymous with a new hyper-emotional trend in pop music. Her newest album This Is...
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
After their debut album achieved moderate success, Jefferson Airplane reimagined their sound, combining folk influences with psychedelic rock to help expose...
Although the Austin hip-hop scene has no shortage of artists, the genre rarely receives support from local venues, reflecting a disconnect between national and local music trends.
In its 40-year...
Throughout his eight-year career, alt rocker Ty Segall has done everything on his own terms. Each of his releases takes on a new sound, experimenting with different instrumentation and composition. His...
Red Mecca – Cabaret Voltaire
After forming in Sheffield, England in 1973, Cabaret Voltaire quickly became a budding underground act. Though much of their work went unrecognized at the time,...
Although 2015 was a more-than-exceptional year in terms of variety and quantity of music releases, it also quickly became the year of delayed releases. Artists such as Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West all...
With all but one member of the group leaving, Panic! At The Disco is a shell of the four-piece rock outfit that used to dominate radio stations across the country. In the release of their new record, Death...
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – The Dead Kennedys
After their breakout performance on the Bay Area Music Awards, the Dead Kennedys quickly became the biggest name in western punk with their...
After an 18-month battle with liver cancer, singer-songwriter David Bowie died on Jan. 10th, leaving behind a musical legacy few musicians could hope to match. From his array of personas and sounds to...
In terms of both sales and artistic endeavors, 2015 was a blockbuster year for music. The Daily Texan’s selections for the top 10 albums of 2015 not only entertained, but pushed the boundaries of...
Since I Left You – The Avalanches
Electronica group The Avalanches formed in 1997 and rose to fame quickly, supporting the Beastie Boys and Beck on tour without ever releasing an album.
After...
Since its inception in the first century, the Catholic Church helped shape Western civilization with its strict belief system, political influence and even a series of album releases. Both Pope John Paul...
With the success of 2011’s 21, Adele left herself with a seemingly insurmountable task of creating a record that not only garners the same acclaim but delivers an even greater artistic effort.
Instead...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
It’s hard to believe Justin Bieber signed his first record deal with Def Jam over seven years ago. His career as a pop star might be controversial, but with his fourth album, Purpose, he tries to...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Ellie Goulding’s third album, Delirium, is a clear departure from her previous indie style — and an unwelcome one at that.
The electronic pop star found her niche with her 2012 record, Halcyon,...
This weekend, we'll be live-blogging Fun Fun Fun Fest and all it’s underground performances. Follow Daily Texan reporters, photographers and videographers as we post the highlights of our...
Update (11 p.m.): After giving a shoutout to the UT football team for “getting business done,” the Wu-tang Clan put on a typical energetic and chaotic show.
The group mentioned Ol Dirty...
Update (11:45 p.m.): To end Friday evening, CHVRCHES put on a mediocre, but jubilant performance.
The trio attracted a large crowd, but failed to impress with a fairly uneventful performance. The...
Fun Fun Fun Fest has grown exponentially since its beginning in Waterloo Park in December 2006. Even when prices increased and venues changed, the three-day event has stayed true to its original goal of...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
With its 2013 debut album I Love You., California’s five-piece band The Neighbourhood kicked off its mission to make its dark R&B-alternative rock combo a hallmark in popular music. Two years...
Editor’s note: In this recurring column, music writer Chris Duncan suggests two albums to listen to this week. Have a suggestion? Send a tweet to @chr_dunc, and your pick might appear in next week’s...
Critics often hail Ty Segall’s extensive solo work as revolutionary, but his other efforts are overlooked far too frequently. Fuzz, one of his many side projects, suffered from his plague, but with...
