Austin Carr drops new single “Tame Me?”

Los Angeles-based artist Austin Carr is no stranger to the digital stage, having kick-started his music career on YouTube, where he first gained recognition for his acoustic covers of popular songs. Since then he’s ventured out as a solo artist sharing his original indie pop sound that draws on his Southern roots.

In 2020, Carr unveiled his debut EP, Imaginary Boy, and immediately struck a chord with hints of folk and country woven into the fabric of his pop-focused sound. The EP’s lead single, “I’ll Forget U, I Won’t Forget This,” racked up hundreds of thousands of streams and the opening track “For Once and for Her” found a place on Heard Well’s pride collaboration album, raising Austin’s presence alongside other celebrated queer pop artists.

Now, Carr returns with his latest offering, the brand new track titled “Tame Me?,” serving as the first single from his upcoming Saturn Attacks EP. With “Tame Me?,” Carr showcases his knack for crafting instantly catchy indie pop music, teeming with energising rhythms and anchored by his sensational vocal performance.

The song kicks off with Carr’s rich, confident vocals, weaving a playful tale of a chasing romantic relationship filled with witty double entendres and upbeat lyrics. The title “Tame Me?” hints at the underlying theme, where two individuals engage in a game of romantic pursuit. The song’s lighthearted tone and witty lyrical observations reflect Carr’s signature style of brutally honest storytelling.

The song shimmers with an arrangement that fuses cutting edge indie pop with hints of retro 80s synth pop. The punchy beat and warm electric piano tones build up the energy before the song launches into a rousing chorus. Injecting subtle rock grit with lightly crunchy guitar rhythms and layering his voice up for impact as he threads his infectious leads as delicate pedal steel guitar touches add a subtle country twang, “Tame Me?” is an anthemic pop hit with bags of commercial appeal.

Produced by Alyssa Wilkens, “Tame Me?” sparkles with a vibrant and utterly alluring pop sheen. As the lead single from his upcoming sophomore EP, “Tame Me?” serves as a promising taste of what’s to come from this exciting artist on the rise.

Commenting on the single, he shares, “I originally wrote this song more as an emotional release than anything else, and kind of assumed I’d never record it. It’s a pretty big departure for me, as an upbeat, flirty pop song with overt sexual themes. The sad boy nerd inside me is scandalised that I’m releasing it at all, but I’m excited to not take myself so seriously in my music and have some stupid, ridiculous fun in my upcoming EP.”

Listen to Tame Me? below