The Rite Flyers have connections to some of Austin’s biggest and best bands of the past two decades. The group’s genealogical chart goes all the way back to key 1980s-era Austin acts including Big Boys, Doctors’ Mob and Wild Seeds; to ’90s hitmakers Fastball; and most recently to modern-day hipsters Spoon.
But family trees don’t count for nearly as much as how the Rite Flyers sound themselves — which is really, really good. CD copies of their independent EP Suffer Fools Gladly are printed up like old-style vinyl singles, with black grooves and a gold label; the music is similarly old-school, in the best possible way. The songs bear passing resemblance to ’80s-vintage psychedelic-pop bands such as Rain Parade or the Church, gliding along on catchy jingle-jangle hooks played on shimmering guitars.
At the same time, they’re not kidding about the caustic undertones implied by their EP’s title, Suffer Fools Gladly. The songs contrast thorny, occasionally nasty emotions with pretty sounds. Still, that pretty pop gloriousness is what you’ll notice first and foremost. New LP coming Summer 2022.