Jackie Venson wastes no time reminding us why she’s regarded as one of the best guitarists in Austin with her new single “Til This Pain Goes Away.” She manages to incorporate bluesy guitar chops, catchy vocal melodies, and thought-provoking lyrics into this two and a half minute track. Though Venson has experimented with drum machines and other electric sounds in recent memory, she reverts back to the straightforward, blues-rock sound that helped her emerge onto the scene. She’s more than capable of pushing the bounds of her creativity with new songwriting ideas and mind-bending guitar parts, but she’s also not afraid to strip things down, simply allowing her diverse skill set to shine brightly.

Her guitar playing stems from some of the most iconic guitar players of the past and present, including Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, and Gary Clark Jr. Yet her voice has more of a silky smooth, R&B aura that is reminiscent of Alica Keys, Sade, and Mary J. Blige. Put her voice and guitar abilities together, and you get a distinctive force of musical talent that results in sensational songs, such as “Til This Pain Goes Away.” One thing that always impressed me with Venson is her ability to execute intricate guitar parts while matching the melody with her singing. This Hendrix-esque songwriting tactic is on full display with this single, exemplifying her aptness of being able to play technically challenging parts, without sacrificing emotion and feel.

Additionally, Venson showcases her ability to write poetic and profound lyrics. She speaks about the importance of using her music as an outlet and perhaps, as her only choice to overcome the inherent pain and struggles that are associated with our world today. She writes, “These worries take my breath, my heart is a heavy ache/Don’t know what I’m gon do til this pain goes away/This world don’t cherish truth my spirit’s been mad for days/Don’t know what I’m gon do til this pain goes away.” Though we don’t know positively what’s causing her the pain and anger that she’s singing about, one could interpret these lyrics as being aimed towards the injustice and divisiveness that is plaguing our society currently. But no matter what she endures, she is able to find a semblance of peace within her music. This point is nailed down as the song continues: “There seems no limit for the depth of human hate/Only thing I can do is sing my songs and pray/For I see so much goodness blessings everyday/Please let that ease my heart til this pain goes away.”

To simply point out Venson’s bewildering guitar talent would greatly undermine her singing and writing capabilities. She continues to evolve into a full packaged performer and there’s never any doubt that she possesses an abundance of artistic integrity. Venson has already made a name for herself, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all if she winds up being the face of Texas music in the not too distant future. 

-Quinn Donoghue

With only one single under their belt, the four-piece band from Dallas known as Abbreviations has effortlessly nailed down their musical identity. Though they can be categorized as dream-pop, the lyricism and the effectiveness of their playing makes any kind of labeling irrelevant. The musicality is undoubtedly simple, but there is an intangible magic to the song that makes it so easy to absorb, subsequently making it appealing to a mass audience. This new single puts a hypnotic spell on its listeners, leaving us to yearn for more.

Within the first minute of the song, I’m able to draw comparisons to bands like Beach House, Slowdive, and Cigarettes After Sex. Abbreviations share the same sort of atmospheric, psychedelic, and subtle textures that are associated with these other bands. There is a simplicity and space-like feeling that is homogenous with the dream-pop genre, and Abbreviations certainly possess those traits. Yet even with just one song, I can tell that they have been able to carve their own niche within this musical classification. “Turn on You” is a slightly more rock n’ roll version of your typical shoegaze tune, with the lyrical and melodic sophistication of the most iconic pop songs.

Speaking of the lyrics, Ashley Leer’s words contribute mightily to the “repeat effect” that this song produces. Sometimes with mellow, dreamy types of songs, it’s easy to lose focus on the lyrics as the music and vocals seem to flow together as one. That is unequivocally not the case with “Turn on You.” Leer provides some background to the content, saying “‘Turn On You’ is about that moment where you realize you have feelings for someone other than the one you’re with and the internal conflict that creates.” It’s possible to interpret this theme as a negative, but the self-honesty that she calls attention to ultimately brings out a positive message. It’s completely fine to think about moving on and looking to the future if that’s where your mind is wandering. Addressing these feeling are better than ignoring them and perhaps, that is what Leer is emphasizing.

While all the members have considerable experience playing in other bands in the Dallas area, the fact that they have been able to create a song with such cohesion and uniqueness as their first single is impressive to say the least. They have a sound that is familiar enough to satisfy fans of dream-pop, but they also have the musicianship and songwriting chops to engage music lovers of all kinds. “Turn on you” is just a teaser for all that’s to come from the Dallas quartet. 

I remember seeing Darkbird live for the first time earlier this year at The Far Out Lounge, and their song “Heartbeat” really grabbing my attention. The song has an upbeat, disco-ish vibe that causes involuntary dancing with every listen. Simply put, the track is groovy as hell. Considering that Darkbird is more than capable of channeling a heavy-rock sound also, releasing “Heartbeat” further showcases their versatility and talent in a new light.

Though they can most easily be described as a straightforward rock n’ roll band, the diversity of influences and sounds heard within their music makes them undeniably unique in their own right. The lead singer, Kelly, elaborates on the many inspirations behind them. “The band has a ton of individual influences. Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey, Fleetwood Mac, Roy Orbison, Randy Travis, The Pixies, Dr. Dog, George Jones.... I mean, the list goes on. Depression is probably our actual biggest influence.” Darkbird covers a wide spectrum within the rock genre. I certainly pick up on some of the classic rock influences, contemporary rock, and everything in between. That being said, they have an uncanny ability to make all of their ideas mesh to form their own musical identity.

I think that even the members of the band would admit “Heartbeat” is different from the rest of their previous releases. However, the decision to try something new didn’t seem to be a super thought out decision. For Darkbird, crafting this song was just a spontaneous and spur of the moment thing that just seemed to happen. Kelly explains, “The song had no prior intention. Brian wrote a part, I wrote some parts and it just became a poppy, dance jam. And it's really about just needing to feel alive, whether it's love, a substance or even an actual heart attack that wakes you up and gets you out of the hamster wheel that life can become, something needs to give sometimes.” The fact that this process was so effortless for the band members makes the song even more impressive.

This latest release proves that Darkbird has no barriers or creative limitations. They don’t allow genre or outside expectations to weigh them down. They simply make music that feels right to them and I think it’s safe to say that it’s working out for the five piece band from Austin. Though they already have plenty of great songs for fans to listen to, “Heartbeat” might be their awe-inspiring track to date. 

- Quinn Donoghue