About Us...
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The Austin, Texas-based duo of Hilary Kaufmann and Robert Watts has been writing, recording, and performing together for over ten years, and recently released their 5th full-length album, Season 10, in recognition of this milestone.
Kaufmann and Watts like to characterize their sound as “an honest blend of folk, pop and depression,” but the thoughtful lyrics, moving melodies, and tight harmonies bring to mind another description: adult music. They sing about life, with voices of experience. They examine relationships, including the struggles. They reveal fears and admit failings, and confess how hard it is to keep it together sometimes.
Drawing from their diverse influences (The Jayhawks, The Decemberists, Jason Isbell for Watts, and Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, and Jackson Brown for Kaufmann), These Fine Moments bring it all home in their own unique way.
“The duo’s ability to take an isolated experience and turn it into a moving piece of music, which can be applicable to an array of experiences, speaks to their prowess as songwriters,” says Delia Rowland of American Songwriter.
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What They Said...
Season 10 (full length, 2021)
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The Austin-based duo, Hilary Kaufmann and Robert Watts of These Fine Moments, is something of harmonic bliss... The duo’s ability to take an isolated experience and turn it into a moving piece of music, which can be applicable to an array of experiences, speaks to their prowess as songwriters ... their songwriting seems to match their all-encompassing, sweeping style of music... Lyrically, their songs are like poetry set to music.
- Delia Rowland, American Songwriter
"What gives “Season 10” more weight are the dark and sometimes even sad lyrics, which stand in stark contrast to the upbeat feel of nearly all of the songs. The music gives “Season 10” immediate appeal, but the lyrical substance will enable listeners to experience this album on a deeper level."
- Alan Sculley, The Morning Call
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"With zero pretention and 100 percent dedication the pair have built a loyal following with their no frills live shows and songs that speak to the heart of everyone. ​
Their versatility is impressive and their willingness to experiment with tone and beat, they transcend the limitations of a folk-pop duo, creating a wonderfully complete album."
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- Alan Cackett, Americana, Roots, Country & Bluegrass Music
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"Hilary Kaufmann and Robert Watts seem to have mastered the art of storytelling, it brings to mind other good songwriters like Paula Cole, Shawn Colvin, The Band, Eric Bibb, and Gordon Lightfoot. They make good use of imagery and metaphors to paint cinematic stories that appear before the listeners’ eyes, as the lyrics resonate with our passions, desires, bitter experiences, and happier times."
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- Joe Montague, Riveting Riffs
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"Ten years ago producer Mark Hallman sent a new singer-songwriter duo out of his Congress House studio in Austin with a finished EP, their first recording. The one thing that hasn’t changed in that time is their style of music, what is maybe best referred to as anxiety folk.
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Season 10 is a little bit of an oxymoron with its angst-ridden words couched in some soaring, melodic acoustic music. However that dissonance is so well balanced you can either ignore it and ride the musical waves, or you can dig in and wallow in it. And if you’re a Smith’s fan, I think These Fine Moments might be what they would have sounded like if they’d gone down the folk route.”
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- Shawn Underwood, Twangville
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"Modern folkies tempered by modern times and life in Austin, they amp it up beyond granola music and move it into stuff you can feel. They don’t stray far from their singer/songwriter roots and know how to pack some emotion into the bytes to give their stuff some real bite. Right up the acoustic based alley."
- Chris Spector, Midwest Record
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"The music hearkens back to the best of 1960s folk/pop/rock with shimmering acoustic and tremolo guitar work and sublime vocal harmonies that may remind you at times of It’s a Beautiful Day, the 1960s San Francisco group."
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- Jeff Burger, Americana Highways
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Break It, Bought It (full length, 2017)
Robert Watts and Hilary Kaufmann again team up with producer Mark Hallman for 10 tracks of immediately appealing pop music. Watts and Kaufmann are one of the better harmony vocal duos in town, and they benefit from the contributions of a few ace local players, including guitarists Andre Moran and Stephen Doster. All songs are their own save for “She Goes Out,” a standout Hallman composition.”
- Peter Blackstock, Austin-American Statesman
Patience (full length, 2015)
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One gets the sense that the deeper connection between the co-lead vocalists in These Fine Moments informs their songwriting, resulting in honest and emotionally open songs.
- Leks Maltby, Aside//Beside Blogspot
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The songs shine without polishing the human element from the recording.”
- Danny McCloskey, Alternate Root
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A cohesive storytelling project start to finish... Hilary and Robert have penned songs worthy of your ears.
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- Greg Forest, Heartbeat of Texas Magazine
Discography...
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2021 Season 10
Released on February 26th, available on 12" vinyl, compact disc, or digital download order here. Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Ken Stringfellow, Andre Moran and Mark Hallman.
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2019 The Safe Word
Released on December 25th, download single only. See the video here on the website. Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts and Mark Hallman.
2019 Stage Fright/Ok to Drive
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts and Mark Hallman
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2017 Break It, Bought it
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Mark Hallman, Stephen Doster, Aaron Parks, David Breaux, Mike Rieman, Andre Moran, B. Sterling Archer, Tyler Mabry, Kevin Hayes, Don Bassey, Charles Bukowski.
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2015 Patience
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Mark Hallman, Dave Ducharme-Jones, Tyler Mabry, David Valley, Andre Moran, Ben Balmer.
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2015 Texas Music Magazine Compilation
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Mark Hallman, Dave Ducharme-Jones, Tyler Mabry, David Valley, Andre Moran, Ben Balmer.
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2014 Sooner or Later
Produced by Stephen Doster. Mixed by Stephen Doster and James Stephens. Mastered by Jim Wilson Mastering. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Stephen Doster, Tyler Mabry, Dony Wynn, George Reiff.
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2013 Bright Idea
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Mark Hallman, Ben Balmer, Tyler Mabry, John Koehler, Andre Moran, Eddie Flores.
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2011 These Fine Moments
Produced, mixed and mastered by Mark Hallman. Musicians: Hilary Kaufmann, Robert Watts, Mark Hallman, Gabe Rhodes, Andre Moran.
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Film...
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2016 Day Job (Director's Cut)
Featured the song Layin' Low from the album Patience.
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2020 Shhh!
Winner of Best Sound Track at Music City Film Fest and accepted to Cannes, features the song Elephant in the Room from our 2017 album Break It, Bought It.
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