Live music preview: Megafauna and Slomo Drags premiere singles, play Mohawk February 6
This Friday, February 6 Andrew Cashen and Disciples of Creation are set to headline Mohawk. We love Cashen’s solo act as well as his other projects, A Giant Dog and Tear Dungeon but we’re here to tell you about a couple of impressive singles dropping this week from veteran Austin acts, Megafauna and Slomo Drags who are on the bill with the singer. Both bands have new songs to share with fans while they prepare to release more material in 2026 and perform for fans Friday evening at the crown jewel of Red River Cultural District rock clubs. The entire bill is worthy of any real Austin music fan’s attention with the three aforementioned artists, along with Transit Method and DJ Dead Flowers. The whole shebang is presented by 101X Homegrown and show host John Laird who knows a thing or two about Austin music.
Hard rock band, Megafauna tackles the subject of fascism in America with their new single, “Coma and Hysteria” which officially drops February 6. The track starts off with heavy guitars along with driving bass and a fast tempo highlighted with machine gun drum fills culminating in a shredding guitar solo and full tilt drums and bass until its climatic conclusion. Megafauna’s musical composition matches the lyrical intensity of the song as it examines the failure of the American myth as the country devolves into fascism. Singer and lead guitarist, Dani Neff captures the collective panic of this moment, asking whether the country can be saved from its descent into fascism. She sings “Oh America. Is this the end? Your Ninth Life?” It’s a worthy single that makes us excited for more new music from Megafauna this year.
The band recorded and mixed the song with Scary American Studios’, Charles Godfrey (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Swans) and sought to capture a more raw and severe recording fidelity to match the subject matter. The song explores the emotional responses to this moment: coma and hysteria.
Indie pop artists, Slomo Drags are ten-year veterans of the Austin music scene, forming after band founders, Jackson Albract (lead vocals, guitar, keys) and Mari Rubio (guitar) moved to Austin from San Antonio. The group signed to Spaceflight Records and released Twin Absorber in 2022. The quintet is releasing their second single in four year with, “Fresh Bread” which you can stream exclusively at TCC below.
The new track begins with a spare guitar part and harmonized vocals enhanced with a vocoder as drums and bass join in for a bright, synth-driven groove. The song segues into a joyous synth jam before returning to the lyrics then expands into a virtuosic guitar finale. The song blends the group’s trademark guitar theatrics and dense vocal harmonies with a synth-kissed hypnotic groove indebted to Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem. While we hear those influences on the record, listening to this feel-good track evoked memories of the costumed, art rock actors in Of Montreal live performances. We could see a Kevin Barnes’ inspired video being made to the tune. “Fresh Bread” was recorded and mixed by Grant Eppley and released via Spaceflight Records on February 5.
Featured photo of Megafauna by Michael Worchel
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