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The Best Songs Ever ... This Week, May 24, 2019

The staff at our sister station KUTX scour the earth to bring listeners the best music. Most Fridays, they share three of their favorite songs on Morning Edition.

"Jimmy Smith" by The Infinites

Let’s start with a young band called the Infinites, based right here in Austin. Their music features fine guitar weaving and infectious rock ‘n’ surf sounds, and on their self-titled debut, every song has the name of an imaginary character. Check out "Jimmy Smith" by the Infinites.

"Culture" by Hembree

Hembree is that rare band from Kansas City that breaks out to a national audience--really, after Janelle Monae, you pretty much have to be a bebop horn player to get a wider audience. Hembree has gone from an NPR Slingshot artist to an A-list band pretty quickly, and I think "Culture" is a good reason why.

"Song for Winners" by Nick Waterhouse

Finally we have a guy who understands the virtues of analog recording. Nick Waterhouse believes in capturing his band live to tape and overloading the microphones so they distort and sound extra hot. His songwriting is a throwback as well: you can hear authentic garage soul informing every song, like "Song For Winners." And check it: you can see him live at the Parish tonight or catch his Studio 1A performance.

Produced by Art Levy