Centro-matic influences
Austin Collins comes home to Duck — with a more electric sound
Austin Collins (left) and the Rainbirds.
Houston's Austin Collins keeps churning out records.
Since releasing his debut CD in 2005, Houston native Austin Collins has earned all kinds of critical acclaim. He’s been compared to everyone from Americana legends like Uncle Tupelo and Steve Earle to alternative rock pioneers R.E.M. and The Replacements. When you listen to Collins’ latest release Wrong Control, you can hear the influences of Jay Farrar and Paul Westerberg … but you can also hear a sound that’s distinctly his own.
Collins and his band, the Rainbirds, will land at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck on Tuesday. We checked in with him a few days before his upcoming return to his hometown to get the scoop.
“The Mucky Duck is one of my favorite places to play,” Collins said. “I’ll play there as long as Rusty (owner Rusty Andrews) will let me.”
Collins finished Memorial High School and then went to college at the University of Texas. He has lived in Austin ever since: “I was one of the lucky ones who got to stay,” Collins says.
Collins, who graduated from UT with a finance degree, spent a year working for a wealth management company. Then September 11 happened, Collins got laid off from his job, and he started taking stock of what he really wanted to do.
Three albums and many, many gigs later, Collins is a rising young musical star, having played shows at the Austin City Limits and South by Southwest festivals and shared the bill with artists like Billy Joe Shaver.
Last year, Collins beat out 130 other entrants to claim Airplay Direct’s All Things Americana Award, bringing him a host of radio promotion benefits. “We were looking for a shot in the arm,” Collins says of his e-mailed entry that landed the prize. “I tend to operate under the ‘Why not?’ strategy.”
Wrong Control is Collins' second effort with producer Will Johnson. Best known as the leader of indie-rock darlings Centro-matic, Johnson has lately been moonlighting with Conor Oberst and M. Ward as the drummer for the Monsters of Folk’s national tour.
Collins described how working with Johnson has helped move his music in a new direction. “He’s a real free spirit in the studio … it’s fun to watch his mind crank,” Collins said. “My bent is toward Americana, and attitudes too heavy on minor keys.” Johnson’s influences – a harder-rocking sound, a little more electric guitar, and some added harmonies and hand claps – add pop muscle to Collins’ country-rock sound.
Collins is looking forward to sharing songs from the new CD — and seeing Houston family, friends and fans — Tuesday night at the Mucky Duck. “It’s always nice to be home …and have a little home cooking.”
