Tag Archives: Americana

UMC20: Fall in Love with These Tracks (Feb. 13, 2024)

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There’s a lot to love about UMC20 every week. But, with warm and fuzzy feelings in the air for those who celebrate Valentine’s Day, that sentiment feels even stronger today.

This is a powerful, dynamic lineup of songs, featuring styles across the musical spectrum. We start with rock, give you a heapin’ helpin’ of Americana in the middle, and then progress to pop, R&B, and hip hop to round it out.

Also, we have not one, but TWO bonus tracks: We just announced that we’re going to two weekly episodes of The Quinn Spinn this week, and our two latest interviews are included at the bottom of the playlist!

Track listing
Olive Dares the Darkness – Not My Fault
The Mad Sugars ft. Monte Mader – Dare Me
Fame & Fiction – Knuckles
Sugadaisy – Slip n Fall
Cole Gallagher – Lost Sounds
Ben Carr – Seventeen
The Wandering Hearts – Letter to Myself
The Dead South – Yours To Keep
Moonsville Collective – Helen Highway
The HawtThorns – Nothing But A Shadow
Tyler Ramsey – New Lost Ages
The Steel Wheels – Sideways
Laura Mustard – Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts
Spencer LaJoye – Someday You’ll Wake Up Okay
Sabrina Song – Okay, Okay
Jordyn Tareaz – Again
Jetta – sticky ickyKuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Foundation Mecca – Felt Like This
RAHMAT ALLAHGXDMC – Rain

RECAP: Sugadaisy w/ Mills at The Basement

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To see Sugadaisy live is to step into a dynamic live music experience hallmarked by an intriguing blend of influences. You’ll lose yourself in the band’s jam and psych-rock sensibilities, presented with rock and roll swagger. Simultaneously, you’ll also find tenderness in the Americana undertones present in different moments throughout their catalog. Without question, this quintet from Bowling Green, KY brings a fresh, multi-faceted musical perspective to the table that fans of bands like Dr. Dog and Goose will surely gravitate toward (assuming they haven’t already).

It’s no wonder, then, that they performed to a packed house in Nashville on Saturday night, loading up The Basement with fans who came from near and far to hang on every moment.

The band’s 50-minute set was a thrilling precursor to a big month ahead, as they head out on the road as special guests on St. Paul and the Broken Bones’ Angels in Science Fiction tour, with dates from Alabama to Vermont (and a good chunk of states in between).

Supporting Sugadaisy was Mills, a fellow Kentucky native who just returned from a five-year stint on the West Coast. Mills’ acoustic set showcased his own versatility; his infectious brand of acoustic pop delivered a raw honesty that endeared him to new fans, while the existing ones in attendance came ready to sing along.

UMC20: The Best of January 2024

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This is our first monthly “Best Of” edition of UMC20 in the better part of a year and, well… what a way to bring the HEAT back!

Y’all did a great job giving us some fresh sounds heading into the New Year, and it pays off in this multi-faceted compilation of some (but not all) of the best things we’ve heard in recent memory. We invite you to dig in!

Bonus track: Last week marked our first Quinn Spinn OG Family episode of 2024, as JD came back into the fold to chat about championship football and our 2024 intentions. Check it out here!

Track listing
Harris Hills – ACTION MAN
Intellect ft. Dave East – Too Many Losses
Mykel ft. Mileage – Rhythm Of You
Zhaklina – M.D.B.M
Kendra & The Bunnies – Manic Pixie Nightmare
ROM COM – Tom Cruisin’
Aaron Lee Tasjan – Horror Of It All
Alex Jordan – Saving Grace
The Steel Wheels – Hero
Laura Mustard – Good Enough
Teagan Stewart – New Nashville
J.Antonette – Run Girl Run
Quickdraw Kid – Bittersweet Tennessee
Fame & Fiction – Famous
Paul Nestler – That Dance We Do
Jon Worthy – Things Are Looking Up
Radio Flower – Winters Alone
Elise Browell – In My Mind
The Mighty Calm – Boardwalks
Keep the Eleven – Do You Wanna Change The World?

LISTEN: Marcus King Waits for Love to ‘F*ck (His) Life Up Again’

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You may arleady be familiar with Marcus King as a fourth generation, mega-talented guitar virtuoso. Today, you’ll hear him as you never have before.

King explores his potent soul and R&B sensibilities on the new, Rick Rubin-produced track, “F*ck My Life Up Again.” The anguish in King’s voice is palpable, and the emotion put forth is enhanced by gorgeous string arrangements, shimmering organ tones, and a signature King guitar solo given new life, thanks to Rubin’s glitched-up studio wizardry.

Thematically, “F*ck My Life Up Again” pulls no punches, as King reflects on his tendency to chase unhealthy, codependent relationships.

“I was hesitant to record a song with such a foul word in it given my southern, Christian upbringing, but there were no other words I could find to capture the emotion I felt,” King said. “The anger associated with missing someone you know is only going to bring you pain, missing a relationship that only hurts you, (and) feeling hopeless to the point of wanting them to come back, because the only thing worse than the co-dependent hell you created together is the profound loneliness you feel.”

The single is accompanied by a lyric video whose dark, contemplative mood speaks to the emotion of the song. Watch it below!

UMC20: Coming In from All Corners (Jan. 16, 2024)

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International artists? Rock and Roll Hall of Famers? What special occasion could possibly bring all of these incredible talents under the same roof?

For us, it’s just Tuesday.

Where else can you find a weekly indie music playlist that offers as many unique flavors as UMC20? We’ve got everything you need right here, pulled together every Tuesday from all corners of the musical landscape.

This week’s bonus track is our Quinn Spinn conversation with Zhaklina, whose new single, “M.D.B.M.,” is also featured early in this week’s playlist.

Track listing:
Chloe Stroll – Run (PINES Remix)
Zhaklina – M.D.B.M
NOANNE – White Glove
Fie Eike – The Nile
Intellect ft. Dave East – Too Many Losses
My Life Story – Running Out of Heartbeats
Aaron Lee Tasjan – Horror Of It All
Alex Jordan – Saving Grace
The Steel Wheels – Hero
Spencer LaJoye – How Are You
Mary McGuinness – Touchstone
Frontier Ruckus – Clarkston Pasture
Jobi Riccio – Whiplash
Teagan Stewart – New Nashville
Reid Haughton – Man Made Money
The Washboard Union – Neon Needs The Night
The Sleeping Souls – Scared of Living
Ricky Byrd – Rhapsody in Blues (One for Jeff)
The Blues Emergency – Quicksand
Campanula – She Said

WATCH: The Steel Wheels Learn We Can’t Always Be the ‘Hero’

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Photo credit: Mike Lee

What a powerful realization, to understand that we can’t always rescue the ones we love.

The Steel Wheels examine the limited power mere mortals possess on “Hero,” their new single from the forthcoming album, Sideways (Feb. 9). The single was inspired by frontman Trent Wagler trying to help one of his children through a mental health crisis, and the ensuing realization that we can’t always be the hero in everyone’s story.

“‘Hero’ was written to describe the way we all cast ourselves in the leading role of our story, while also touching on some of the particular pitfalls of a white, straight, cis-gendered man trying to ‘help’ or ‘fix’ situations where I just need to be in a supporting role,” shares Wagler. “I wrote this song in the midst of trying to help my child in a serious mental health crisis, needing to be OK with it being their story, and really taking a back seat to try to listen and understand exactly what they were needing in the moment, rather than what I needed to tell them about the situation they were in.” 

“Hero” is accompanied by a music video featuring the band in a contemplative dance routine opposite Wagler’s daughter and several of her friends, all of whom are enrolled in Virginia Commonwealth University’s dance and choreography program. At first, the two “troupes” perform separately, as if to illustrate the disconnect between the “fixer” and individual in crisis. In the end, however, the two sides come together, demonstrating the shared understanding that comes from listening to the needs of another.

LISTEN: Laura Mustard Wants You to Feel ‘Good Enough’

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Will 2024 be the year that you learn to love yourself?

Make it so! We have an anthem of self-acceptance for you, hot off the presses from Laura Mustard. The Nashville-based pop-folk songwriter released “Good Enough” to acknowledge her struggles with self-love, as she has worked to reconcile the space between the pressure artists feel to be performative on social media, while having grown up with medical issues that made her resent her reflection.

“It’s been said that ‘in a culture that profits off of our insecurities, loving yourself is a rebellious act.’ I think anyone with insecurities in our culture probably struggles with feeling ‘enough,'” Mustard said. “This was the first song I wrote after I moved to Nashville, and it was exciting to feel this new confidence that came along with finally moving to my dream city for music. I tried to pair that confidence with being really intentional about my thoughts. I’m not perfect; I still have days when the ‘vicious whisper’ gets the best of me, but this song definitely helps and is a good reminder.”

Produced by Wilson Harwood of Elevated Music Studio, “Good Enough” serves as a bright pre-cursor to Mustard’s forthcoming EP, Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts, a six-song collection which details her journey of dating with a chronic illness throughout her chaotic twenties.

”This song was a party to make! We started with upbeat piano chords, and layered in groovy organ and bouncy guitar, reminiscent of a jam band,” Mustard recalls. “Then, the amazing Amelia Ransom came in and added a fiddle solo that sashays all over the final chorus, putting the joy of true self-acceptance into a sound that matches perfectly with the lyrics. It’s honestly one of my favorite moments on the EP, and I’m so glad a song which celebrates ourselves being enough as we are ends in such an enthusiastic way!”

UMC20: The Return Edition!

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It’s been a looooooooong time since we provided you with a 20-track offering of fresh, piping hot FIRE!

So, let us waste no time: we’ve got a lot of songs to feature on UMC20 over the next few weeks, and as always, you’re welcome to give us more. Here are some of our favorites we’ve received since we decided to be a music publication again!

As for today’s bonus track: It’s our final Quinn Spinn episode of 2023, featuring #GoodFriendoftheShow Lauren Gomance of Soul Fit Counseling. We talk about the lessons learned along life’s journey throughout the year.

Track listing:
DaChri – Moving Day
ROM COM – Tom Cruisin’
f1oater. – Don’t Know Why
Ren Richards – Myself With You
Quickdraw Kid – Bittersweet Tennessee
Fame & Fiction – Famous
Paul Nestler – That Dance We Do
Jon Worthy – Things Are Looking Up
Lone Tree – Holding On
Marcus Grimaldi – Forbidden Love
Donny Apollo – 811 Freestyle
JASCE – Another Way
Leather Baby – Weapons
Arih SK – Hold It TogetherCooper Carr – Blank Page
Brandon Padier & Black Gold – Still Learning
Andi Jane – Hide the Key
Cass Noelle – Someone to Help You
The Bankshafts – Don’t Mess with Old Smoky
Black Venus – Evil Sky

LISTEN: On ‘Hide the Key,’ Andi Jane Closes the Door on Toxic Love

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We’ve all had that relationship — or situationship — that reaches the point of doing more harm than good to us, our partner, and anyone else around. In the end, stopping the pain means stopping it in its tracks altogether.

And, as Nashville-based songwriter Andi Jane suggests on her new single, sometimes simply closing the door just isn’t enough.

Carrying a sense of timeless, country-flavored balladry, “Hide the Key” is an emotionally gripping account of a love best left behind. Andi Jane’s every soulful word cuts through the ether, as she hits the listener with the somber realization of “it’s over.”

“‘Hide the Key’ is about the point when you realize you can’t keep the door open — to that person, or that habit, or whatever you keep going back to — without drawing it out and causing more pain,” she said. “It’s about realizing when it’s time to hold the memories dear, but shut the door, lock it, and hide the key.”

The artfully minimalist soundscape of “Hide the Key” exists in contrast to the events that led up to its creation, representative of the stark realization we all face when we choose to walk away.

“This song needed to be so simple. I had come from a chaotic, toxic, back-and-forth relationship that was so messy and complicated and painful. I had the realization one day that it was really so simple,” she said. “To end the pain was easy; I just had to cut all ties, and hide the key. It didn’t mean I didn’t still appreciate the story, the memories, and even still have love for the person, but I had to lock it up in order to move on.”

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
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