Mike Harmeier, singer/chief-songwriter for Silverada (fka Mike and The Moonpies), crafts country songs that feel timeless, reminiscent of 90’s country and Outlaw Country, yet never retro. On this edition of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin discuss Mike’s songwriting journey, the new self-titled album, the band’s new identity, and more!

Austin, TX's Mike and The Moonpies have come a long way from playing the dancehalls of their native Texas. On their new LP, Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold, the quintet is leaving the honky-tonk behind and exploring the sounds of smoothed out 70's Country with the help of their friends the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios, Cheap Silver is bringing countrypolitan "back" in a big way, and the results are a timeless listen that is also one of the years best.  

In our latest episode, the internets takes us up on our offer and random listener Patrick stops by the basement to talk music with the gang. PLUS! Quinn dishes all the good and the bad on this years CMJ Music Marthon and we review Spite, the new album from the greatest band you may or may not have heard of, Austin, TX’s HUNDRED VISIONS!

Since 2008, the Austin, Texas collective known as MOTHER FALCON have been making rock, quite literally, the old fashioned way. With instrumentation that you’re more likely to see in a symphony orchestra or jazz quartet, the [currently] seventeen piece group turns out soaring, triumphant songs that challenge the notion of what “pop” can be as much as they fit comfortably into that tradition.

Recently the band staged a run of East coast shows and, several of the members stopped by the basement to talk about the history of the band, the challenges of touring with a small army of musicians, and the ambitious Summer Camp program launched in 2011 that teaches younger musicians the ins and outs of songwriting, arranging, and pretty much everything else you would want to know on how to “make it” in a band.