Without making much of an effort, you’re likely familiar with the works of Dillon Watson. By my estimation, he’s been making music in the Nashville area for well over a decade and every endeavor he’s been involved with has been a worthwhile listen (to say the least). The Kindergarten Circus were a young band that kept the energy at Full Sweat levels, D. Watusi‘s Dark Party ranks among my Top 10 of All Time Nashville records and Savoy Motel always brings some funky, squishy good times. Watson was a primary member in each undertaking.

To add to that list of Top Notch Enjoyables, Watson recently released his first solo single under his own name, “Love Me Do.” The song credits cite notable names Jake Davis as producer, Jovan Quallo arranging horns, and I’m told Jamin Orrall (JEFF), Jack Lawrence (Raconteurs), and James Wallace (Skyway Man) are involved in the recording as well. Having a litany of talented friends involved makes for a nice enticement to tune in but the song itself is the real destination. Over the course of four minutes, “Love Me Do” unfurls from a languid pop song soaking in 70s keyboard twinkles into a horn-filled celebration with swirling guitars. Watson’s vocals manage to combine a hint of snarl with earnest sweetness as he calls out the titular refrain. Giving it a focused listen and you’ll hear bits and pieces of all the projects that came before it but evolved into a new form.

As the inaugural single, the future is wide open on what Watson might produce next. The digital b-side to the track gives us a hint of what may be headed our way (spoiler: it’s also great) but with Watson, the best plan of action is to just stay tuned and wait to hear what comes next. Given the track record, it’s gonna be good.

Catch Dillon Watson on Thursday, June 16th at Wilburn Street Tavern at 8PM. Free show and you’re bound to get an extra taste of what he’s been cooking up.

An Army of Jasons is a new band featuring the songwriting of Geoff Hayton backed by Jason Sloan and Brett Rosenberg (aka Quichenight). An Army of Jason is also an old band, having performed together over a decade ago in realms outside of Nashville. Time has a funny way of repeating itself and it seems the forces that brought this trio together originally have come back around again. It’s not important to be familiar with the prior work of the group, only to know that there is a tie that binds them.

“This is the Liffe” is the first single from a forthcoming release entitled On This Bend. It’s a contemplative mid-tempo piece laden with impressive guitar work and even more intriguing lyrical play that gives off a melancholy sad bastard vibe with just the right amount of optimism breaking through. From just one track it’s impossible to judge what the whole release will sound like but it’s a welcome introduction.

Aside from this initial offering, the release credits give us a little hint of more to whet your appetite; namely guest appearances by Asher Horton, Erin Rae, Austin Hoke and Paul Niehaus; recognizable names from a number of enjoyable products. It seems that An Army of Jasons know how to keep good company. On This Bend will be available July 22nd via Lamb Speed Records.

To be perfectly frank, Total Wife makes me nervous. Their 2021 full-length record, To Make Sound, popped up on my Bandcamp radar around the time of its release and I was completely smitten from the jump. Since that time they’ve released a few singles, played a ton of shows and followed up with another self-titled full length, without misfiring once along the way. The level of satisfaction that comes from listening to this band has got me wound up waiting for the other shoe to drop.

At the heart of their sound is a shoegaze kernel; large walls of sound with withdrawn vocals and just the right amount of warble and noise to balance dissonance with harmony. With this most recent album release, they push their sound ever so slightly further into new realms. “With Speakers” is a beautifully gentle journey until it’s cut severely in half by a frantic beat and squirrely effects; none of which feels the bit out of place with one another. “Warehaus” is a slow burn of anticipation and mesmerizing swirls. “Between Walls” feels like an early My Bloody Valentine cut with an unfurling that should go on for a full ten minutes, no joke. It’s an album that contains a thousand touchpoints of familiarity from the likes of MBV, Slowdive, Lush, Broadcast and all of their ilk without coming across as derivative. These are sounds masterfully inspired by those worlds but not directly copying them.

It’s hard to like a band this much without feeling some worry that they’ll head in a new direction or burn so bright that they burn out. These concerns are, obviously, born out of absolute fandom. Fortunately, they’re also entirely unfounded. Listening to the singles released after Total Wife (Debbie, Mid-fi) it’s clear that we’re in good hands. Don’t let this band slip past you.

If you’re unfamiliar with the work of Nashville-via-Chattanooga artist Qualls, that will undoubtedly change very shortly thanks to the release of Until We Meet Again. While the masterful emcee has a handful of releases prior to 2022 (including the enjoyable Valley Chronicles EP from 2020), this fifteen track full-length serves as a bold introduction to exactly what they’re capable of.

There’s two running themes throughout the record. First and foremost, Qualls lyrical flow is confident, clever and smooth while somehow managing to sound effortless through every verse. Secondly, the record refuses to stay within a predictable style. From the intriguingly ominous “Ghost” (featuring Mike Floss) to the delightfully bouncy “Count Up” (featuring EV) to the mournfully contemplative “These Days” (with Tayler & Taji), the record seems to be making a conscious effort to let you know that there’s plenty of tricks up Quall’s sleeve. If you’re the type of person that browses an album by listening to the first few tracks, you’re going to be missing out.

Lyrically, the record doesn’t shy away from the personal and insightful. The willingness to eschew the standard bragging-and-boasting verses is becoming somewhat of a Nashville hip-hop hallmark and Qualls is exemplary in that respect. “Until We Meet Again” is usually a phrase you hear when parting ways but I’d venture a guess that Qualls knows once you hear the record you’ll be back soon… real soon.