Tag Archives: alt-country

LISTEN: On ‘Take Me Back to Austin,’ Jason Boland & The Stragglers Long for Home

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Photo credit: Will Von Bolton

It’s a great time of year to think about making a trip down to Austin.

And, if you’re Jason Boland, anytime is a great time to think about taking the trip.

“Take Me Back to Austin” — the final single from Jason Boland & The Stragglers’ forthcoming album, The Last Kings of Babylon — celebrates Boland’s adopted home of Austin, TX, where he met his wife and loves to return after time spent on the road.

“My wife and I lived in Austin when we first got together, and then we moved out into the country in Texas, where it can be pretty boring,” Boland explains. “People expect with how much time I spend on the road that I’d want to come home and kick my shoes off when I finally get a break, but all we ever want to do is head right back into Austin and catch a band.”

The down-home traditional country tune is carefree in its essence. Boland’s gentle, yet robust baritone illustrates a homecoming that feels like home, every time. Beautifully woven steel guitar and fiddle parts add depth to the sonic palette, trading lead duties during a riveting solo just before the bridge.

Alongside the rest of the new album, “Take Me Back to Austin” was produced by the legendary Lloyd Maines, who also produced the band’s debut album, Pearl Snaps. You’ll have a chance to hear it live at select dates throughout the southwest and midwest this spring. Before you do, enjoy it in the here and now!

All-Americana: Sounds of the Season (and Any Season)

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Sounds of the season have begun to make their way into the fold. In fact, this month’s edition of All-Americana kicks off with a couple of holiday tunes to get you in the spirit.

In addition, we have a healthy offering of new tunes that fit any season, as well as some holdovers from our November compilation. There are gorgeous tones and heartfelt stories throughout, and this one is sure to keep you warm as the winter chill sets in.

Track listing
Andi Jane – You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch
Meghan VK – Christmas Tradition
David Tucker – Water It Down
Lauren Brabson – Notice
Max McNown – Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)
Amanda Keeley – Better Days
The Gringo Pistoleros – I Can Still Remember When
Lucie Glang and Joe Pope – Little Me
Wyman & the Wolves – Sundowner
Dylan Gerard – Need a Little Downtime
The Rebel Eves – Shake the Ground
Mikki Zip – Somethin’ to Write About
Brittany Bishop – Welcome Home
Chelsey Stallings – Give Him the Reins
Jacob Shipley – Death of Me
Dave Robertson & The Kiss List – The Green Light
Jaden Wright – East Kentucky Lady
Gary Hector – Waitin’ Around to Go Viral
Danny Himes – Las Vegas
John S. Long – Cold Stone

PHOTOS: Aaron Lee Tasjan at The Blue Room

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Aaron Lee Tasjan at The Blue Room (Nashville, TN)

Aaron Lee Tasjan is a performer’s performer; one whose love of art and experimentation combines in tremendous fashion with a distinct reverence for the rock and roll traditions which came before him. With a knack for storytelling and a sharp wit to match, he invites each member of his audience to make a personal connection with his music.

That’s what we had a chance to experience last Thursday at The Blue Room, and we were more than happy to take the ride!

Tasjan’s performance was in celebration of his new album, Stellar Evolution. Released on April 12, the full-length offering explores and shatters sonic boundaries, while offering personal takes on sobriety (“The Drugs Did Me”), the queer adolescent experience (“Horror Of It All”), and the state of American political culture (“I Love America Better Than You”).

Set highlights — aside from the aforementioned fan favorites — included special guest appearances by renowned guitarist, songwriter, and producer Butch Walker; indie rock standout Molly Martin (who opened the evening), and interdisciplinary musician and producer Lafemmebear on an exciting rendition of Lucinda Williams’ “Drunken Angel.” Walker and Lafemmebear stayed onstage to add their respective flavors to Tasjan’s 2021 song, “Up All Night.”

Of the new tunes, “Pants” brought funky, feel-good vibes to accompany a message empowering the audience to feel comfortable within their own skin. The beachy, romantic “Ocean Drive” brought a sense of serenity into the room, as it captured the essence of feeling at home with the one you love.

Tasjan even gave us a preview of what is to come post-Stellar Evolution by performing two new songs. “The Real” felt like a love letter to those in attendance; one which gave Tasjan a chance to showcase his guitar chops, with an emotive solo reminiscent of Richie Sambora at his most soulful. Immediately thereafter, “Punk Rock Joy” was a high-energy banger which made a statement — no matter what the world, society, or a government takes away from us, it can’t have what’s inside our hearts.

UMC20: An Explosive Start to April (April 3, 2024)

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Rock and roll is alive and well, as you’ll hear throughout the first half of this week’s UMC20.

This week’s compilation is frontloaded with a variety of electric guitar sounds and turbo-powered swagger. But, as always, there’s something for everyone this week. Americana lovers will want to pay close attention to the middle of the playlist, while pop, soul, and hip hop fans will particularly enjoy the latter portions.

And, as always, we’ve got some useful nuggets from that Official Podcast of ours waiting for you at the end. Check those out — especially if you fancy yourself an artistpreneur!

Track listing
Another Dead Rockstar – 1985 (Can You Help Me)
Gloom Girl MFG – Crimes
The Mad Sugars – Lost Among the Avenues
The Fever Haze – Last Night I Killed a Man
JT Loux – look into my eyes
Lurve – Run, Get Drunk, and Fall in Love Again
Lone Tree – Miss You
OPIATE – Lay
Black Suit Devil – Passage
Medium Build – Knowing U Exist
Old 97’s – Somebody
Travis Feutz – Utah
The Flying Raye – The Ballad of Leslie Cochran
Swamp Dogg ft. Jenny Lewis – Count The Days
Annie Scherer – You Like The Blues
Eliza Hardy Jones – Counterfeit
Rex & The Rhyhtm – Umbrella
Lindsey Lomis – Long Way Down
pher, – moon
Spence Brown – By My Lonely

UMC20: The Best of March 2024

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What a stacked month!

Between the 20 songs that comprise the UMC20 Best of March 2024, and the two latest, completely epic episodes of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn, our end-of-month compilation contains nearly three-and-a-half hours of listening enjoyment!

Get it while it’s here. Next Wednesday, we’ll drop the first all-new UMC of April. Soak up the memories from the month that has been!

Track listing
Bootsy Collins ft. Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and Dave Stewart – The Influencers
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Adam Paddock – Sweet Ohio Light
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Cardiac Half – Gloom
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
The Minimum Wage – Everyone Is
Pepperwood – Drowning
The Ghost Club – If I Fell (Don’t Wait Here For Me)
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Kat & Zach – Winter Flower
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well
Rome – Forever

LISTEN: Medium Build Loves “Knowing U Exist”

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Are you even in love, if you don’t love the little moments; the quirks and intricacies of your partner and your relationship?

Medium Build — the songwriting vehicle of Nick Carpenter — explores those quirks on “Knowing U Exist,” an earnest Americana ballad about the ways our loved ones capture our hearts.

The single’s minimalist soundscape creates an intimacy fit for a rainy Sunday morning. A gently-plucked acoustic guitar accompanies Carpenter’s warm, country-influenced baritone, while an emotive string arrangement adds an extra touch of tenderness.

“Knowing U Exist” is from Medium Build’s forthcoming album, Country (coming April 5). The 12-track album “is about the journey (both physically & mentally) Nick’s been on to this point; it’s about high-highs and low-lows, and you can feel Nick wrestle with the good and the bad on each of the album’s 12 songs.” Enjoy this gentle preview below!

UMC20: Bringin’ the Energy (Jan. 23, 2024)

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Maybe it’s the New Year’s optimism that’s lingering late into January. Or, maybe it’s the fact that we’re excited to have escaped our ice fortresses after last week’s winter storm extraordinaire in Nashville. Either way, there’s a buzz in the air.

That buzz has its sonic representation on this week’s playlist. Many of the tracks here are on the high-energy side of the spectrum, keeping your blood pumping through any weather.

Bonus track: Our pal Ty Warner moved into a five-way tie for second place all-time for Quinn Spinn appearances, and we invite you to dig into that episode as an extra treat at the end.

Track listing
William Prince – When You Miss Someone (Roosevelt Remix)
Harris Hills – ACTION MAN
ROM COM – Mess You Made
Kabir Green – I See Gold
Marcus King – F*ck My Life Up Again
Earthquake Lights – Heartbeat
Kendra & The Bunnies – Manic Pixie Nightmare
Michael Daughtry ft. Tishmone’ – Save Me Some
Armchair Boogie – Gone in a Day
Kitchen Dwellers ft. Lindsay Lou – The Crow and The Raven (III)
J.Antonette – Run Girl Run
The Bones of J.R. Jones – My Hometown
Elise Browell – Remarkable
Tucker Woods – Are You Glass?
The Mighty Calm – Boardwalks
Rundown Kreeps – Big Bear
Mad Caddies – Baby
Keep the Eleven – Do You Wanna Change The World?
MONTE – Canna-Vision
Tommy Magik and the Wonderfulls – I Do What I Want

UMC20: The Best of July 2023

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July had plenty to offer us. It featured sick beats, slick grooves, and tender moments alike. It gave us moments drenched with soul, and sounds that will remain etched in our minds.

Let’s commemorate this memorable month by offering some of its best and brightest releases!

Hear the Best of July

LISTEN: AGE of the BEAR Wows Us (Again) with ‘Waterfell’

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We’ve known the incredibly talented Anthony Cubbage since our shared time in Pennsylvania, during the days of a little upstart music blog called Lehigh Valley Underground.

Life has since taken us to different locations. As you may know, we rebranded and arrived in Nashville in 2018, while Cubbage relocated to a burgeoning original music scene in upstate New York a couple years back. Through it all, one thing that has remained consistent is Cubbage’s ability to write and release compelling, emotive songs. No matter the genre, he always seems to strike gold.

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