The Apocalyptic Indie Romance of Black Books, Austin, TX-based indie rockers Black Books have been teasing new material as of late. The prospect of a new album has made me delve back into the band’s rich archives, which contain some of the most prescient, melodic tracks this side of the 20th century. Think Townes Van Zandt meets Pink Floyd…but in a bar off South Congress. The band’s 2020 single, “Goodbye Cool,” was released alongside a video that seemed to foretell the entire scope of the pandemic a month before it arrived. If the band’s past work can tell us anything about their upcoming release, it’s that it will be jam-packed with the kind of songs you want to listen to again and again, in every imaginable setting…
Review: “Stella Splendens” by Bishopskin
“Stella Splendens” is a perfect marriage of inspiration, musical talent, and people having a good time.