If you haven’t already, go ahead and make a mental note of the names Lou Turner, Trevor Nikrant and Joe Kenkel. Together, the trio compose music as Styrofoam Winos; a sometimes-improvisational, always-engaging outfit that released a phenomenal album last year that spurred many to describe them as “the Yo La Tengo of Nashville.” Generally speaking, when a band has that much chemistry together, their solo efforts may fall short – an understandable result of not leveraging the hive mind. However, when it comes to the independent undertakings of Styrofoam Winos, the solo output is every bit as entrancing as when they work together.

The latest of these solo endeavors is Naturale from Joe Kenkel, a ten-track full length that strikes a delicate balance between detached melancholy and subtle optimism. The lead single for “Sweeping” embodies that balance quite well as Kenkel slowly croons about the piling dust around his home amongst twinkling keyboards and swirling guitars. It could be a lamentation on the emptiness of a breakup, a send-up of the sweet small things we do for a loved one or it could be an observation on the absurdity of human existence. There’s a definitive answer there but the listener is welcome to bring their own baggage.

The accompanying video provides some levity as Kenkel performs in a field with producer Ross Collier (another name of note), Styrofoam Wino bandmates Trevor Nikrant and Lou Turner, a graceful dancer and a homemade robot. The performance doesn’t seem to be asking the view to look for deeper meaning; just enjoy the view.

All told, the performance simply cements the fact that this may be a solo endeavor but everyone from the “Winos” crew is still involved, new friends are on board and that robot isn’t taking things too seriously. “Sweeping” is a great introduction to Kenkel’s sublime vocals and the overall vibe of the record but this should serve as an entry point, not a stopping point. As with everything that the Kenkel-Turner-Nikrant trio creates, the entire body of work is worth your time.

2021 was a good year for Negro Justice. He released an excellent collab EP with Gee Slab entitled Resplendent, did a phenomenal cover of “Clint Eastwood“, joined the Six One Tribe collective, joined us for a couple podcast episodes and released several original tracks… just to name a few things.

Fortunately it looks like all that was just fuel for the fire as 2022 is looking even brighter. He recently dropped the official video for “Dutch Masters Thesis” – a visual feast from director all3y3z – and announced his forthcoming full-length album Chosen Family, set for release in March.

From his IG writeup, the full album’s central theme is a relatable one:

“you choose your own family,” a personal creed that I live by. Blood or not, you ultimately choose who you surround yourself with, and I’m thankful to everyone on my team, my chosen family.”

It’s unclear if “Dutch Masters Thesis” appears on that record or not but, regardless, it serves as an excellent gateway to the works of Negro Justice with a huge backing track and verses that ride the line between entertainingly boastful and strikingly personal; speaking both to his own experiences and the lack of justice for his community.

Long story short, last year cemented us as fans of Negro Justice but it’s safe to say this year is going to turn us all into superfans. Keep an eye on @negro_justice on IG for more news.

Following up on delightful Country Sundaes performance of classic country songs, Sundaes is back with another live performance video for Boys Who Made Me Cry; recorded at The Groove during the Discount Hoedown.

The video also serves as a bit of promotion for the proper studio recording of the new track now streaming everywhere. The track is the first single from a forthcoming EP of the same name. It’s unclear when the full EP will fully drop but it’s an excellent peek at what’s to come.

Sundaes seems to have eschewed his more electronic and dance-y approach for something more guitar based, combining an atmospheric and shoegaze-y feel with just a dash of that classic country we heard on Country Sundaes. It’s a new direction and an excitingly refreshing one at that.

Follow @sundaesyummysundaes on IG to keep up with news of the upcoming release.