Song Review – Koe Wetzel’s “Austin”

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If you’re one who finds yourself enamored with the Texoma music scene, then you most certainly have an opinion on Koe Wetzel, one way or the other. And that opinion is also probably pretty fiery, no matter how it falls. And if you don’t have an opinion or don’t even know who he is yet, then you soon will, because he’s not going anywhere. In fact, he’s going to be everywhere.

While some of the oldtimers and more country-oriented listeners are wincing at the Koe Wetzel phenomenon as an unfortunate changing of the guard Texas music, his younger, more rock-oriented fans are happy as hell. And as these things tend to go, the whipper snappers outnumber the curmudgeons by a wide margin. Remember, the Red Dirt legacy isn’t just Jason Boland, it’s also Cody Canada. That is what makes it so unique. Koe Wetzel has a long way to go before he could be considered in the same breath as the Cross Canadian Ragweed frontman, but you can’t fault Koe for not being country enough, or being a little bit wild, because he’s never claimed to be anything more than what he is, which is a rock-inspired songwriter trying to make his way in the Texas music scene.

After taking an extended period to ponder Koe Wetzel’s last record Noise Complaint, I felt I had come to a solid, and fair conclusion about what made Koe Wetzel tick, and why his music was finding such wide reception. The short answer is because it’s young and fresh, and a little dangerous. All the young guys want to be Koe Wetzel, and girls want to get with him. It’s the old classic rock and roll maxim, only interfacing with country because of the close proximity in the Texas music scene.

Yet there’s something about Koe Wetzel that speaks very deeply to his fans, even if on the surface it doesn’t seem very deep itself. And despite some of the distractions and stories of the party animal that precedes him (at a concert someone threw a beer at him, hit him in the head, and Koe picked it up and drank it), Koe Wetzel is still a songwriter, and that’s why he fits in with Texas music, however imperfectly so. We saw flashes of what Koe was capable of on Noise Complaint and before, but songwriting was still the portion of his game he needed to develop more devoutly if he was going to be taken seriously and have doors open for him. In Texas, you can’t just rock the clubs with panty wetters, you have to swap songs at acoustical rounds with heavy hitters and hold your own.

In that respect, Koe’s new single “Austin” is more what we want to hear from him as his career develops. He puts all of the posturing aside to tell a very personal story. Even though people flock to Koe for the party, they stay for the stories that they feel they can relate to, whether it’s being wasted and wanting some Taco Bell, or your girlfriend leaving you for a banker living in a city she said she hated. Even party people deserve deeper songs, and that’s what Koe Wetzel delivers. And like Koe himself, the City of Austin elicits a lot of polarizing emotions from people these days, and makes a great setting for the turmoil embedded in this new tune.

Wetzel has been featuring “Austin” in concert for a while, and it has quickly become a fan favorite. But it still feels held back by the braying power chords the song builds to, even if the xylophone and sparse moments give it a bit more texturing. As a composition, “Austin” is not really as involved as it sounds, either. It includes that generic drum rhythm used in just about every pop country song these days, even if the songs starts and ends with a more straightforward beat. Koe is still better at making the impression of a deep, soulful song than he is at actually delivering one.

Koe Wetzel also sings with these grunge inflections that will immediately run afoul of the country side of Texas music. It’s the perceived attitude that turns people off. But it’s that same attitude that turns other people on, just as despite all the criticisms one can compile, it’s still hard to not be drawn in by his music. He has that intangible charisma that can’t be taught or practiced, and is essential for most any stage act.

Koe is in a tight spot between two worlds. And one of his most difficult issues is not just the perception of himself, but the perception of his crowds as Frat-tasic throngs that are great for spilling beer on each other, and alienating other folks who may like some of his songs, but don’t fit the profile. Saving Country Music was tongue lashed for using so many “big words” last time Koe was mentioned—not necessarily the ringing endorsement for his fan base as being a haven for hard thought.

Koe Wetzel may not be right for you, but it’s hard to say that he’s not true to himself. All he can do is try and create songs that speak to people and prove his detractors wrong, and find the balance in his career that will resonate not just in Texas, but beyond. He takes a step in that direction with “Austin.”

 

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