Music
Essays, blog posts, playlists, and more focused broadly on music. For more playlists visit my Spotify profile.
- Charles Butler and Kai Welch at The Building (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Kai Welch and Charles Butler & Associates taken May 22, 2014 at The Building in East Nashville, TN.
- Just Let Go ()
In “Just Let Go,” the most raw and emotionally satisfying track from Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds In Country Music, the singer looks within before turning his gaze outward and graduating to a feeling of wholeness. “Woke up today and decided to kill my ego / It ain’t ever done me no good no how / […]
- Identity Control ()
“The old me and the new me are in a fist fight!” As howled in PUJOL’s “Manufactured Crisis Control,” the lyrics help paint an obvious scene of conflict, revealing an individual struggling for an objective view while commentating on an overbearing I against I scenario. While the new album, KLUDGE, “idiosyncratically captures life as it […]
- The Metamodern Gospel of Sturgill Simpson ()
Does Sturgill Simpson ever consider giving up? “Every fucking day,” he said over the phone, speaking to the internal doubt that haunts his professional direction, emphasizing how the well being of his soon-to-be expanding family rests on his success as a musician. It’s a conflict that breathes through Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, and one […]
- Sturgill Simpson at Grimey’s (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Sturgill Simpson taken May 13, 2014 at Grimey’s New and Pre-Loved Music in Nashville, TN. [These photos were first published on villin]
- A Whole New You ()
William Tyler‘s Lost Colony isn’t quite a rebirth, but for being only three tracks deep there’s a surprisingly bold message that breathes through the release. “Tailor made for epic, exploratory road trips,” the EP is led by a pair of the guitarist’s catalog songs — now revisited with the support of a band — and […]
- Penicillin Baby at The Basement (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Penicillin Baby taken May 10, 2014 at The Basement in Nashville, TN. [These photos were first published on villin]
- Into the Wild ()
“I’ve been back and forth between Cleveland and Nashville a lot in the past five years,” writes Christopher Wild, emailing en route to Nashville from L.A., returning from a trip to the Mojave Desert. “Both cities feel a bit like home,” he continues, “but also a bit less than a place that I feel like […]
- Sturgill Simpson at The Station Inn (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos and video of Sturgill Simpson taken May 8, 2014 at The Station Inn in Nashville, TN. [These photos and video were first published on villin]
- D’ark Was the Night ()
The roots of D’ark wind through Nashville, back to Portland, and all the way to Maui, where six years ago the band Copperfox was conceived between partners Lisa Garcia and Rory Mohon. Their 2011 debut, From The Den, ended up running four tracks deep, revolving around a sound that Garcia calls “moody alt-country.” While those […]
- Charles Butler Interview ()
“You aren’t a human,” begins one of the top comments on Charles Butler‘s YouTube cover of Daft Punk‘s “Get Lucky.” “You are a Banjo god!” It’s one of nearly a thousand comments on the video, which has seen over 1.7 million views since it was uploaded a year ago. On the surface the rendition seems […]
- Rashad Tha Poet ()
“Her parents gave her the best of things, but they never gave her the best of them.” Taken from his 2013 TEDx presentation, this potent line speaks to Rashad Rayford’s flare for provocative commentary, a quality which has earned him his place as one of the key voices among Nashville’s spoken word community (in addition […]
- Wrinkles and All ()
“I’m troubled by the industry convention that would require me to summarize my creative process in a dozen ‘fully baked’ songs,” explains Lizzy Ross, speaking to the “guts” of her still-expanding Naked in My Living Room release. “As if an album were a thesis to defend or a product with a warranty to uphold.” At […]
- A Beginner’s Guide to Touring with *repeat repeat ()
This past March, Nashville trio *repeat repeat set out on the band’s first tour together, covering 14 dates in a month, with 11 of those shows packed into 18 days across eight states; simply explaining the itinerary is a mouthful. Comprised of Jared Corder, Kristyn Corder, and Andy Herrin, the trio paired with el el […]
- JOTA ESE “Super Dank III” ()
“My last three tapes I put out were made for smoking […] filled with bong sounds and things. The tracks are all 10-15 minutes long and made to be extra blunted.” While looking out for herbal connoisseurs with his last few productions, JOTA ESE’s Super Dank III isn’t strictly for the smokers. “Despite the name,” […]
- Shake and Bake ()
“I know this is somewhat cliché, but I still enjoy smoking to a lot of original dub reggae and original ska records. Those records have always had an impact on me musically.” KDSML’s five-track Nug Life EP is hardly a throwback to the days of King Tubby and Super Ape, but it does reflect the […]
- AJ & The Jiggawatts, Kansas Bible Company, and Roots of a Rebellion at Mercy Lounge (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of AJ & The Jiggawatts, Kansas Bible Company, and Roots of a Rebellion taken April 19, 2014 at Mercy Lounge in Nashville, TN. [Photos originally published by the Nashville Fringe Festival.]
- Turbo Fruits at Fond Object Records (East Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Turbo Fruits performing as Misfruits taken April 19, 2014 at Fond Object Records in Nashville, TN. [These photos were first published on villin]
- Turtles All the Way Down ()
Much has been made of the unorthodox lyrical themes that run throughout Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds of Country Music. “It’s a very psychedelic country record about the human experience and love,” explained the singer to WFPK recently. While “love” hardly seems like absurd subject matter, we are talking about country music here, where women being […]
- Super Duper ()
“There was just a lot of noise to sort through,” says Josh Hawkins, speaking to the time he spent living in New York City. “I think the best thing about Nashville is the country music overload. I’m not a country music fan, but in New York it was hard to meet people who were really […]
- Tour de Fun (East Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Mantra Mantra Mantra at Fond Object Records and Megajoos and Penicillin Baby at The East Room taken April 12, 2014 in East Nashville, TN. [These photos were first published on villin]
- *repeat repeat, ELEL, Blank Range & Churchyard at Mercy Lounge (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of *repeat repeat, ELEL, Blank Range, and Churchyard taken April 12, 2014 at Mercy Lounge in Nashville, TN. [These photos were originally published by the Nashville Fringe Festival.]
- The Sentimental Ghosts of a Hundred Sketches ()
As Jensen Sportag, Austin Wilkinson and Elvis Craig have been called an “enigmatic art-pop duo” who, depending on the source, represent “a hipster take on 80s winebar muzak” or “a taste from the romance-filled elevators of the future.” As Wilkinson recently relayed to The Fader though, “The sound of Jensen Sportag is ever-evolving and devolving.” […]
- Chris West Interview ()
“I wanted to play the saxophone, and had for as long as I can remember,” explains Chris West. Despite starting his musical journey with the trumpet in elementary school, “saxophone has always felt very natural to me,” he says. While always returning to his weapon of choice, West has always tilted toward establishing a broad […]
- Day Old Bred ()
“Everyone’s in it to make music, not to make money.” There’s nothing new about musicians giving their work away for free, forfeiting track or album sales to encourage future gains. Free downloads hypothetically attract more fans to listen, encouraging increased attention and exposure, and potentially leading to performance income or merch sales. The formula isn’t […]
- Chrome Pony and Beef Oven at Paper Lake Ventures (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Chrome Pony and Beef Oven taken March 21, 2014 at Paper Lake Ventures farewell party in Nashville, TN.
- Vivian Girls at Grimey’s (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos taken March 18, 2014 of the Vivian Girls at Grimey’s in Nashville, TN.
- Night of the Silvermen at The Stone Fox (Nashville, TN) ()
Poster design for March 12, 2014’s “Night of the Silvermen” show. Photos and video of the Jack Silverman Ordeal (featuring Robert Crawford on drums, Viktor Krauss on bass, Tyson Rogers on keys) and Tracy Silverman taken March 12, 2014 at The Stone Fox in Nashville, TN. [Photos and video originally published by the Nashville Fringe […]
- Bad Cop & Penicillin Baby at The Thunderdome (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Bad Cop and Penicillin Baby taken March 9, 2014 at The Thunderdome in Nashville, TN.
- Mando Blues Anniversary Party at Soulshine Pizza (Nashville, TN) ()
Photos of Richie Owens and the Farm Bureau, Amy Hart, The Jake Leg Stompers, and Mississippi Millie taken March 8, 2014 at Mando Blues four year anniversary party at Soulshine Pizza in Nashville, TN. [Photos originally published by the Nashville Fringe Festival.]