Austin's A Giant Dog Announce Toy, Release a New Single

A Giant Dog in Austin back in March

"Photograph"

On March 16th, I'd spent a long day at Barracuda in Austin for the Merge Records SXSW showcase. Don't get me wrong. Sneaks, Coco Hames, Mark Eitzel, and Allison Crutchfield and The Fizz were great; and I was having a blast. It was just that things had started early, and the week was feeling pretty long already.

Then, to close out the afternoon, A Giant Dog took the stage. They literally brought me to tears. Their set was everything rock music should be. Frontwoman, Sabrina Ellis, is some kind of bionic cross between Freddie Mercury and Kathleen Hanna. The hometown crowd was going bananas. It was one of those experiences that not only rejuvenates me in the moment but also strengthens my resolve to keep doing what I'm doing. One of those moments that shows me -- even after about a million shows -- that there is still stuff out there than can absolutely blow me away.

This morning, A Giant Dog announced that they'll be releasing their fourth LP (and second for Merge Records), Toy, on August 25th. And, as these things usually go, they also gave us the first single in the form of "Photograph," a song I remember from that set in Austin on March 16th. It's a song about the less glamorous but still beautiful side of long-term relationships delivered in A Giant Dog's singular glammy punky style.

Here's the song. Look for Toy in August; and, if you are ever in striking distance of a live set from this band, DO NOT MISS IT!