If you’re not shamefully aware, TN Governor Bill Lee signed an anti-drag bill as well as a “ban on all forms of gender-affirming care for transgender people under 18.” This isn’t a site where you get your news but, suffice to say, it’s not good news. In fact, it’s terrible news. Moreso, it’s also intentionally ignorant, woefully senseless and incredibly dangerous.

There are better writers to get your insights about all this than WOTT but you better believe we’re aligned with any and all protests towards Lee, the conservative caucus and this belligerently harmful state of mind that the South has adopted towards LGBTQ+ groups. Kristen Ford recently released their own protest song Bill Lee (if you see me walking down the street you better cross it)” that captures many of the same frustrated sentiments we’re all feeling. It’s stripped down, it’s raw and it captures a good dose of that anger we’re all feeling.

The track is a $5 minimum for the download with 100% of proceeds going to the ACLU. Get it.

If you’re not aware, Dialup Ghost has a song called “Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn is a Drug Dealer” and it’s a legitimately scathing take on the derelict Senator and the opioid epidemic in America. It’s a great song (Jason Isbell approved!) and a great example of the kinds of political subject matter the band is not scared to write about.

Their latest release, a protest song entitled “Transphobes and Fascists Hate Our Guts (So What?)” continues in that vein and may be the band’s best work. The production is stripped down, the vocals are affected in a surreal warble and the lyrics are earnest, heartfelt and heartwarming. The refrain “Janey and Lilly are sisters to me / You fuck with them, you fuck with me.” may be specific to friends of the band but we should all be so lucky to have a Janey or Lilly in our lives to stand with.

It’s catchy, it’s honest and, most importantly, it’s vocal about defending those that are deserving of defending. TN politics are abhorrent (to say the least) and it’s refreshing to know you’re not alone in your disagreement with the supermajority of conservatives ruining the state. Dialup Ghost is donating money to the ACLU with the purchase of their track on Bandcamp – go get it.

Nashville isn’t exactly synonmous with Mardi Gras but if you’re looking for a proper soundtrack for your Fat Tuesday indulgences, look no further than Hal Newman and the Mystics of Time. To put it simply, the R&B outfit is Music City’s version of Dr. John and they’ve been providing the perfect New Orleans style backdrop since 1985. Frontman Hal Newman has a mystifying vocal quality to his delivery as his band takes their respective turns showing off the brass and guitar skills.

There’s a decent amount of Mystics music to partake in but starting with 2022’s Live! at Studio 19 is the best place to start, simply for the sonic fidelity of it all. Oh, and there’s a track called “Mardi Gras in Music City” that couldn’t be more appropriate. From there, dive in on Spotify or your preferred streaming service and keep your eyes peeled for this 4-disc compilation. It’s everything you’ll need today.

If you’ve been following the work of Brian Brown, you know he released the critically acclaimed Journey in 2020, a number of phenomenal singles and collaborations throughout 2021 and 2022 and a brand new EP in 2023 entitled Two Minute Drill. What you might not know is that he’s also a helluva live performer on top of all that.

You can now find out for yourself just how solid of a live performer he is by partaking in this Live @ DRKMTTR performance. DJ Memville provides an entertaining and compelling intro set before bringing out Brown and a full live backing band; including drums, keys, guitar and sax. Several guest emcees join him on stage as he runs through the tracks of 2020’s Journey and many of his bangers. The night belongs to Brown as he chats with the audience, turns on the charm with his smooth delivery and turns up the energy all the way when the track calls for it.

Always a treat to see a well respected studio performer take their skills to the live realm and succeed so easily.

Ideally, every time an artist you like releases something you will notice some amount of growth. That could come in the form of new instrumentation, more astute lyrics or simply a confidence in the delivery. With the latest release from Tayls, “Living Mistake“, you get all three.

The instrumentation and production on the track harkens back to some of the biggest ballads of the 80s; introspective and intimate but explosively loud and large over the course of the track. The lyrics are a raw and honest expression of a failing relationship but equally aware of that failure. It’s somewhat tragic but the track backing it makes the realization of that failure feel somewhat optimistic. It’s all delivered with such shining strength that it’s hard not to feel legitimately moved by it.

Going back to some of Tayl’s early releases it’s clear that they’ve always been capable of honest expression but “Living Mistake” is truly an evolution of their sound. You love to see it and now we can’t wait to hear what’s next.