Full article and links for making your own CDs, DVDs and Cassettes in my bio.
It can seem daunting to start a collection from scratch. At a glance it can seem expensive, but when you spread the costs out over time you will save in the long run. I am confident in that, because when you own something forever you don’t have to pay for it again. Think about the amount of music that you have listened to before vs. the amount of new music you listen to on Spotify. Imagine if you just owned the music you replay often and then used the savings from not using a service like Spotify to then go out and purchase a new record that you really like. I bet you, worst case scenario, over time the costs of slowly curating and purchasing music would be equal to your subscription fees, with the costs gradually decreasing over time as you build your collection. The same can be applied to movies and shows that you watch. Are you really getting the most out of your subscriptions by watching new content? If you are then great, but most of us just watch the same things over and over because, we are lazy, but also we know our own taste. I found that when I started curating over consuming, my tastes improved (this is subjective my tastes are not yours I’m just saying that I’m finding more things that I like not that my “taste” is better than someone else’s) because what I was watching was more intentional and my choices were limited. At the very least, cutting out streaming and curating media with mindful consumption can reduce costs over time, especially as inflation eats our wages.
Album Release Show:
Virginia Creeper (@antiquatedjoke ) - 02/07
Virginia Creeper is a band that grabbed my attention by their name alone. For some, reason it invokes Appalachian imagery in my mind, despite the band being based in Austin, Texas and the band being named after a plant that isn’t exclusive to Virginia nor the United States. I was drawn in by the name and I stuck around for the music. There is a cacophony of sounds in *Girl, You’ll Be a Giant Soon*. In this record you will get rock, country, noise, slowcore, hardcore, and more if you listen between the sounds and in the silence. The influences are apparent, but the band and their sound is so much more than that. I am drawn to Virginia Creeper because they are a reminder that Texas music takes many forms. There is a lot of folk lore and cultural identities that exist in our lone star state and many such debates have been made over what is and isn’t Texan. Virginia Creeper doesn’t care. They draw from it all. This idea that we call *Texan* isn’t just one identity or genre of music. It’s an amalgamation of a genres and identities. Virginia Creeper is a TEXAN band because they embrace all of their influences in a way that is not contrived.
*Girl, You’ll Be a Giant Soon* is named after a King of the Hill episode. The Dallas Cowboys are named dropped in *softball*. I can’t think of another artist or band who would reference such a liminal and horrid place as Texarkana, but it makes a cameo in *Floater or Plank*. Just referencing some Texas things in passé doesn’t amount to much, but when you listen to Virginia Creeper it feels genuine. You listen and understand that these aren’t empty references. They’re full of meaning and they reward attentive listeners with their clever use. Besides, who else would willingly dare talk about Texarkana?
Listening to *Girl, You’ll Be a Giant Soon* live was like mowing the lawn in a Texas August. You let a lot of emotions pass through you. You feel a lot of different things, and when it’s over you feel better or maybe mowing lawns in August has made me sick in the head.
Album release show:
@___almostheaven
I’m not going to waste your time by saying the things that others have already said, by making the comparisons that others have already tirelessly made. It’s obvious that power duo, Almost Heaven, has certain influences but honestly who cares? They are doing their own thing and making their own sound. It’s theirs and it’s fresh and god Austin needs it. Austin has always been much more than just bluegrass, country and Rock, and finally we have a group that is rising above those conventions despite what bookies and gate keepers of the music scene think Austin music should be. In reality, artists like Almost Heaven have always existed. They all just got labeled as “electronic” or something and then they were shoved into Kingdom and that was it. That is not to imply there is something wrong with the “electronic” label or that there is something wrong with Kingdom, but we all know these artists are so much more than the labels that the clubs and bookies apply to them with a loaded gun to their heads.
There is a big shift that started in music in the 2020’s. We live in the post-information age where infinite knowledge is at our finger tips. We have access to everything. I believe music is becoming genre-less. So many bands and artists are blending all of their influences across many genres into their sound. Its less about following genre conventions, and more about curating influences. I think this is a good thing. Genres only really existed so that record labels could sell records and keep a grip on creatives trying to break free. If there is a group in Austin that has reinforced this observation of mine, its Almost Heaven. If there was a show that reinforced this observation of mine, it was the Almost Heaven Raw Cranium EP release show.
Polymorphism
Model: @nipplepiercer
Big thanks to Chris (@nipplepiercer ) for letting me into his studio. These photos were commissioned by Chris to serve as reference for some of his paintings. Go check out his recent work.
Favorites from free week 2026
Pictures in color ⁉️ I know I’m such a sellout. Not sorry. Did you consider that perhaps I am just “buying in” ???
Featuring in order:
@teardungeon@blank.hellscape3_official@illkilter
Until next time.
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#austin #austinmusic #diy
Here are some of my favorites from 2025.
I’d like to thank all of the wonderful bands and the people that keep the Austin music scene accessible and alive. As Austin becomes more corporate it gets harder and harder for artists and bands to be seen. I respect the hell out of everyone for pursuing their passions despite the challenges and fighting for their art despite worsening conditions. It’s what we need. To rage against those who wish to crush the scene because it’s not profitable, or because they’re reactionary and they don’t want people on the margins to make art, etc etc, is how we build community and how we not just survive but thrive as a community.
I am most impressed by the passion and dedication of the many artists I have had the chance to meet and take pictures of. I want nothing more than to capture that energy and to document what people are creating in ATX. Thank you to all the bands I’ve worked with this past year (even those not pictured in this post). Keep going and never stop. Also thank you to all the bands that let me point a flash at them and for putting up with my shit haha.
Happy new year. More coming in the big 26.
