Tagged as psychedelic, hip-hop, lofi beats on Bandcamp is more than enough to grab my attention. This EP from EEZY H is a promising offering of more to come, hopefully a full-length concept album on the horizon.

Did you know you can name an album an emoji now? Need proof? Check out the new Karson EP, simply entitled ☁. It’s five songs of laid back instrumentals, grounded in hip-hop style but transcending beyond a simple beat-making exercise. As the title suggests, it’s a floaty affair and should probably be best experienced on a boat or on a beach with your brain sizzling in the sun. 

There’s something about the final track on Future Crib’s debut, Stevie B., that really struck me. The song, “Draag”, is a bit of anomaly on the album with its 6 minute runtime amongst 3 minute pop songs but it embodies the undercurrent of darkness and melancholy that persists throughout the rest of the album. 

I’ve caught flak for being a little too sincere on this site and writing reviews that are too flourished and praising but damn those criticisms; this is a damn fine indie pop record that rewards on multiple listens. 

You may not immediately recognize the name Ben McLeod but if you’re the type that pays attention to Nashville music you’re likely familiar with his main gig… guitarist in All Them Witches. This solo undertaking is billed as an instrumental metal album but that’s selling it entirely too short. While there’s plenty of massive guitar riffs and head splitting double bass drums there’s also a cross pollination with alto sax solos and mellotron interludes. It’s a melding of unexpected styles to say the very least but McLeod manages to make it work, even when the transition is at break neck speed.

In case you missed it, Kim Logan released the first Chapter of her “second oeuvre” back in December with Pseudoscience: Chapter 1. Before that, in October, she released the video for “Better Way” – which you should really watch at your earliest convenience. All that’s to say, there’s been consistent Kim Logan output as of late and we’ve been missing out on it.  

The latest coupling of songs was produced by Brett Orrison (Black Angels) and pairs Logan’s hard hitting, psych rock style (Better Way) with a soaring introspective number (Western Medication). 

Personally, I prefer Chapter 2 over Chapter 1 but the diversity in styles across the four new songs is a testament to Logan’s prowess as a dynamic performer.

Fuck off winter, it’s springtime! Summer looms on the horizon. Forget all that dreary bullshit of the past. C.R.E.A.M. is the enlightenment of the future, the fast paced garage rock, madness inducing, sloppy rock and roll, feel good future. 

Brand new EP from Synth Poppers (yes, I’m calling them that) Scale Model is on the horizon. Four brand new tracks entitled Afterglow will be available on May 12th but, for now, you can indulge in the keyboardy goodness of “Other Voices.” Love those 80′s triggered drums.  

Despite having written this blog for years now, I’m still pleasantly surprised by the quality and diversity of music coming out of Nashville. The 3-song EP from Transylvania Stud, The Red Queen, is big riff rock inspired by the likes of Kyruss, Failure and Shiner – with a emphasis on the heavier side of things. Let’s hope these tracks are just a peek behind the curtain of a full album, filled with the same spacey rock flourishes and driving energy.

Hear the second single from the forthcoming Daddy Issues album, Deep Dream, over on NPR Music. The backstory of the jangly rock track adds some additional appreciation to the listening experience. Here’s a snippet from the NPR piece:

In an email to NPR Music, the band explains the song was written from a very personal place. “As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I spent a long time going through every reason why it had to have been my fault, until I finally started to come to grips with the fact that it wasn’t, which wasn’t until very recently,” Maxwell says. “I’m Not,” she says, is about the unique pain of feeling like your trauma is ignored, and of watching people treat an abuser as “a good and kind person [who] should be allowed to continue on with their pleasant and perfect world.” The band hopes “I’m Not” can signal solidarity to women who have had similar experiences, and ease the feelings of isolation those experiences can bring.