Five years ago, Matthew Houck unveiled Muchacho, which not only would be his breakthrough album as Phosphorescent but also one of the decade’s most remarkable efforts. Within the bold and sweeping soundscapes were stories of restlessness, unhappiness, and remorse, and yet it still felt triumphant. Since 2013, Houck moved from Brooklyn to Nashville with is wife and daughter, built […]

Since the days of Chaucer to contemporary literature, film, and television, a story is often told in three acts. The first is the exposition, which introduces us to the characters and the challenges before them. The second is the “rising action” or for simplicity purposes the main events of the plot. Finally, the resolution – or climax and the denouement […]

Since 2015, we have asked independent artists to share their favorite memories from their time at SXSW. In just three years, this project has become one of our most popular features thanks to the growing interests of bands and singers from around the world. These memories are from Riley Moore. The Nashville native’s bio is something else. He lives on […]

Restless soul. Globetrotter. Dreamer. A life-long dreamer and wander. All these terms apply to Pauline Andrès, who has long searched for a place that will allow her to realize her most cherished dreams and, thus, to call home. Born in France and having lived in Berlin up until last year, Andrès has always been like a square peg in a […]

The long-awaited sophomore album from Memphis, Tennessee’s Julien Baker, Turn Out the Lights was released last week. It was long-awaited because her debut, Sprained Ankle, was one of the best debut records in years. Sprained Ankle was full of heart-wrenching songwriting, from heartbreak to depressive thoughts, Baker’s music hits direct to the heart. It was such a strong release that […]

In 2014, Bully, the project fronted by Alicia Bognanno, were voted Nashville’s Best Band, giving the “Nashville Sound” a different dynamic. Forget about country or Americana, Bully’s full-throttle grunge brought the noise, attitude, and brutally honest lyricism to Music City. Their excellent debut album, Feels Like, followed a year after and rekindled the angst and grit recalled in the songs […]

Nicole Atkins has been one of the most consistent sources of great music over the last ten years. Her debut record, Neptune City, was a noir-pop masterpiece, and it was followed by three more great records. On her last LP, Slow Phaser, Atkins freed herself from big label obligation and did it on her own, with a little help from […]

Since 2015, we have asked independent artists to share their favorite memories from their time at SXSW. In just a couple of years, this project has become one of our most popular features thanks to the growing interests of bands and singers from around the world. Forty-five artists participated in this year’s edition, including Okey Dokey. The project commenced by […]

Since 2015, we have asked independent artists to share their favorite memories from their time at SXSW. In just a couple of years, this project has become one of most popular features thanks to the growing interests of bands and singers from around the world. Forty-five artists participated in this year’s edition, including EZA. An electro-pop artist from Nashville with […]

At its core, music is therapeutic. At its peak, music is cathartic. When a song brings these two elements together, people take notice. To arrive at this intersection, too often an individual must travel down a path full of pain, loss, and fear. A sense of loneliness and vulnerability are the likely companions, but at some point the darkness ebbs […]

Our premiere of the signature single “Carolina” from Brady Toops’ sophomore album Tried & True praised his strong yet authentic vocals. Was it too much to expect that the rest of the album would deliver the same quality? After all, the single release usually showcases the artist’s best work, and Brady had set the bar high. He does not disappoint. […]

The transition from pro baseball player to reality TV star to successful singer-songwriter may seem to encompass everything that anyone could ever want from life. By 2015, Brady Toops had achieved all this and more, yet there was something missing. He reveals: I think I had slowly lost heart, and didn’t realize it. The youthful zeal of my 20s had […]

As we entered the Newport Blues Cafe after Day 1 of the Newport Folk Festival, a three-piece rock band was tearing up the venue. Their rock ‘n roll was loud and blistering. After each of the four songs they would play, they finished with stoic, business-like expressions, acting like they’ve been here before and done it all. My friend asked […]

When music comes out of Nashville, you’d expect country. When an artist comes from Los Angeles, you’d expect indie-rock with a polished edge. Taylor Noelle brings a blend of both, which is hardly surprising since she moved from her native Los Angeles to Nashville to make her music. Out Of My System, Taylor Noelle’s debut EP, reveals a singer-songwriter with […]

Last summer, I heard whispering of a band called Heathen Sons. It was through that grapevine that I heard they were rocking the Nashville scene with acts like Two Cow Garage, American Aquarium, and the Turnpike Troubadours. In 2015, they released a killer EP, Through The Eyes of a Lion, which gave audiences a small taste of their stellar rock […]

Carl Broemel sits at the far end of a long, brown leather couch. A huge expanse lies to his right. There, you expect to find his fellow band mates from My Morning Jacket, with whom he developed a reputation as one of the preeminent guitar players of his generation. Instead, Broemel’s solitary figure merges into the no-frills space, and his […]

There are no shortage of love songs out there, but what about songs inspired by marriage? Take a moment to think about that one as there are not too many specifically about tying the knot and its long-term commitment. Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” might be the most popular of the bunch and there’s the Orleans’ classic, “Still The One” (although […]

At some point, the gents of Diarrhea Planet will grow up. Whether they want to or not, their bodies will start breaking down due to their frenetic and physical live shows. Maybe they will change their name in the process or their musical choices. This is not the time, however, to think about those possibilities, but rather we should enjoy […]

It’s June 1st, which means sunnier and hotter days are ahead. It also means the music gets as warm as the overhead sun and as cool as the breeze coming off the ocean. Combining these two wonderful things about summer is the brand new single by Dan Young, who goes by the moniker Lonely Benson, and we are extremely pleased […]

Nashville’s Creature Comfort calls themselves “Indie Space Rock.” This very accurately describes their sound (spanky, clean guitars soaked in echo and woozy synths bending in and out of tune with themselves), but it leaves one thing out that I think is a huge reason to give this band your attention: Their songwriting. On their latest EP, Echoes and Relics, out […]