The O-town Scene

A3 I love me a challenge. As a youngster, I actually used to wish that I had a stricter dress code at my school, just so I could come up with clever ways to still look cute without breaking the rules. (Not even kidding.) As a grown-up, I realize I've made up a lot of my own rules (i.e., don't wear the same pair of shoes twice in one week) just to keep things interesting and to keep me on my sartorial toes. But sometimes even these little self-imposed challenges aren't enough to keep me from feeling bored with my wardrobe — especially after a long, long winter. Enter Dean Street Society's "Style Me" challenges. I stumbled upon one of these at the end of March, and was instantly smitten. Hilary Rushford, author of the blog at deanstreetsociety.com, started posting monthly calendars of style prompts to her readers (who she calls "Bettys") a couple of years ago. Some of these are straightfor- ward, like "Spring Florals"; others are open to interpretation, like "So 'My City'" (both of these examples were from the March list). Rushford's "Bettys" share their takes on these style prompts across social media with #styleme hashtags (so, April's tag would be #stylemeapril). As one of Rushford's readers wrote, "The daily challenges helped me to get out of my own head, see my closet with fresh eyes like you say + I swear I found so many cute outfits I never would have on my own." The best part is, Rushford emphasizes working with what you have — not just in your closet, but your own body and your own style. I've only done a few style challenges so far, but I already find myself feeling really excited as I look at this month's prompts and think about what to wear. If you love a good challenge, why don't you join in? Emily F. Popek's "style me" looks can be seen on Instagram at @bon- marchecouture. She is also assistant editor of The Daily Star. 'Style Me' Prompts Make Fashion Fun The buildup to the recently completed SXSW music festival in San Antonio usually offers an incredible opportunity for lovers of new music; this year was no exception.Thanks to several Spotify playl- ists featuring bands that would be playing, and the hard work of the NPR Music staff, I found several leads to offer readers of this column. I could start with St. Vincent, who gave an amazing performance at the confer- ence that was broadcast live on NPR. But her new self-titled album is getting a lot of well-deserved attention. Instead I like to look for bands that aren't getting the press they deserve. So let's start with Hozier, who released an EP in 2013 titled "Take Me To Church." It is the product of Irish musician Adam Hozier Byrne. The four songs offer a solid mixture of styles that lead this listener to believe we might hear more from this him. The title song offers a blend of rhythm and blues and gospel, mixed with some solid production and haunting lyrics that compare love to religion. In "Like Real People Do," he shows his folkier side in a mystical tale of love. His strong voice works well, backed by spare finger strumming. When he is given backup, with voices that sound like the howling winds, it only serves to highlight this antediluvian mystery. "Angel of Small Death and Codeine" once again highlights the gospel side of the artist with a song about love and longing. The recording ends with "Cherry Wine (Live)," a track that showcases the voice and guitar work of Hozier, with a an honest tale of the sometimes hard truths of a relationship. If you are into something a little pop- pier, than check out Betty Who. That is the stage name of Jessica Anne Newham, an Australian singer, songwriter and musician. Her latest EP is "The Movement." The first song, "You're in Love," sounds like it comes right out of the '80s, but the song is tight, with strong vocals, and should do well on Top 40 radio. "You're in Love" follows in the same vein. "Right Here," is a little more ethereal and "High Society" shows a strong Madonna influence. Other bands I found worth looking into are Eagulls, who have a punk-influenced drive; and Death Vessel, whose lead sing- er often sounds live Jonsi of Sigur Ros, with a light ethereal voice that sounds beautiful in telling mystical tales. It's the start of festival season around the country, and if SXSW is any indication, there will be a lot more great music available for eager listeners before its through. Mark Boshnack is a reporter for The Daily Star, and a music fiend. He can be reached at mboshnack@thedailys- tar.com. Some Lesser Known SXSW Gems A3 April 3, 2014 O-Town Scene 3 New Music Notes|By Mark Boshnack Laygirl Fashion|By Emily Popek

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