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Levitation doesn’t strike ’til Halloween, but Austin Psych Fest rebooted this summer at Far Out and this international seance strikes as a Reverberation Appreciation gig. Zambian rock legends W.I.T.C.H. took South by Southwest 2022 by storm, the day party that yours truly caught at Feels So Good’s massive space shook, rattled, and rolled witchy Afro-rock. Septuagenarian frontman Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda now returns with June full-length Zango, an electric reboot of Seventies spirit possession. As heard on KUTX, second incantation “Waile” summons an epic Zamrock banger. Belgium Zango producer Jacco Gardner supports with Seventies synthwave as Metius, while Austin’s Jethro Tull, Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band, opens.

Tough-minded Montopolis rhymer 1030 Montana and College of Hip Hop Knowledge affiliate CasinoATX highlight a Texas rap showcase.

Of bands whose greatest records are concept albums, the Beatles existed for seven years before Sgt. Pepper’s and Pink Floyd for 14 prior to The Wall. So it’s overdue that A Giant Dog, formed in 2008, attempts a narrative arc or character-based approach. Though I guess they could’ve waited longer – Red Headed Stranger came out 22 years after Willie Nelson’s recording debut. That’s all to say: Bite is A Giant Dog’s best LP. Songs carry the concept – not vice versa – and the punk quintet’s fifth album has their strongest ratio of great songs. “I Believe,” thriving on Graham Low’s penetrating bassline, epitomizes Bite’s burdens: technology, escapism, finding one’s self. It all centers around the virtual utopia Avalonia, which doesn’t feel far away – given the trend of life imitating sci-fi.