There’s something almost cinematic about Genuine Leather’s latest single, “Getting Ready to Go Out.” From the first few notes, you’re transported into a twilight moment of anticipation—the kind that shimmers with the potential of a night not yet lived. It’s the soundtrack to the pregame, the quiet chaos before the party, the stillness before movement. The song pulses with energy, riding a groove-laced bassline, funk-tinged guitar, and soft synths that glow like streetlights warming up for the night.
Chris Galis, the mind behind Genuine Leather, has been carving his path through Austin’s eclectic music scene since 2009, first with Gorgeous Hands, then with this ever-evolving project that seems to distill decades of musical influence into breezy, beautifully crafted indie pop. “Getting Ready to Go Out” doesn’t try to be clever or coy; it simply does what a great pop song should—it places you squarely in a feeling. You’re there, standing in your room, still damp from a rushed shower, checking your reflection while texts ping in about who’s bringing what. You feel the air buzz with the promise of connection, the possibility of regret, the charm of spontaneity.
The song’s brilliance lies in its structure: two verses, two choruses, three minutes of pure distilled vibe. Genuine Leather doesn’t overproduce or overcrowd the track. Instead, Galis lets it breathe, allowing the “oh yeah”s to float upward, effortless and catchy, while lyrics explore that timeless tension between being old enough to know better and young enough to do it anyway. Lines like “old enough to know we’re not in love” and “dumb enough to want it that much more” manage to be both devastating and relatable, all set against a backdrop that grooves just hard enough to keep you swaying.
If you labeled it a “millennial bop,” sure, you wouldn’t be wrong—but you might miss what makes it matter. This isn’t just music for people who spend too long picking a fit or framing a BeReal. It’s for anyone caught in the messy, wonderful blur between searching for meaning and embracing the fleeting. Galis isn’t mocking the rituals of a night out—he’s immortalizing them, honoring the weird beauty in fumbling through modern adulthood.
What Genuine Leather offers here isn’t escapism. It’s an invitation. To feel, to move, to maybe make a mistake or two and laugh about it later. “Getting Ready to Go Out” reminds us that even the most seemingly trivial moments—a spritz of cologne, a group selfie, a kitchen toast—can carry the emotional weight of a full-blown coming-of-age film. And that’s the magic of Genuine Leather: finding the profound in the mundane, and setting it to a beat you can’t help but move to.
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