For the third week of our pop-up show “The Sound of U,” we interviewed West 22nd, a five-piece indie surf rock band out of Austin, Texas. They are current seniors at UT Austin, and they have been making and releasing music together since 2023. Their most recent project was an EP entitled “All The Way Home” with songs like “Sunny Jones” (Sunny’s favorite for obvious reasons) and “Sunburns.” The band is gearing up to release their debut album “Nowhere to Be” on April 4, and they are embarking on their first U.S. tour right after they graduate in May, which includes a stop at Atlanta’s Terminal West.We had so much fun talking with West 22nd’s vocalist Logan Madsen and guitarist Gabe Acevedo! We got to ask about their upcoming music, how they balance school with music, and what exactly “carousel rock” means. The band was the first current UT students to play at the famous music festival Austin City Limits, so we delved into that experience with them as well; hopefully we’ll see them at Shaky Knees sometime soon! They told us about how the band got their name: they lived on the street West 22nd as freshman in college, and we asked about their inspirations which ranged from The Backseat Lovers to Big Thief. We can’t thank them enough for coming on the show and talking with us this week!!

Songs from the show:

Savannah // West 22nd
Sally, When The Wine Runs Out // ROLE MODEL
Alesis // Mk.gee
Mythological Beauty // Big Thief
Goodnight Chicago // Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Laugh It Off // West 22nd

-Jenna & Sunny