Tag Archives: single review

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!

LISTEN: On ‘Run Girl Run,’ Jess Antonette Confronts Her Trauma

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Our old pal Jess Antonette is back with a new name, and a new, devastatingly introspective single.

The artist formerly known as J. Antonette released “Run Girl Run” on January 17. Co-written at SoNash Publishing House alongside Travis Chaney, Keifer Wiley, and Gabe Walsh, the wistful country pop tune gives Jess a chance to ruminate on her previous relationships — and her own role in their demise.

“The timing of both the name change and the creation of ‘Run Girl Run’ couldn’t have been more serendipitous,” she said. “If you know my co-writer, Travis, you understand the magnitude of his heart and how he loves to delve deep into the artists’ vulnerabilities, which is why I gravitate towards working with him. It’s almost like a therapy session.”

The creative process proved cathartic, and required Jess to stretch well past her comfort zone to tell a true-to-life story.

“There were moments when writing this where I was cringing and sinking into the corner of the couch, uncomfortable because (Travis) would push me to get real with my issues,” she said. “I’ve always been self-reflective, but not outwardly; not sharing my issues about my own trauma with my co-writers in the room. The lyrics are exactly what I’m working on fixing within my own heart.“

Run over to Spotify to check this one out. Perhaps it will help you uncover the keys to your own heart…

LISTEN: Zhaklina Stands Up for Independent Artists with ‘M.D.B.M.’

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Navigating the music industry as an independent artist can be a tricky beast; one which often juxtaposes artistic integrity against success.

Zhaklina is here to let you know that you have a choice to stand up for yourself and your art. With that, we introduce you to her new single, “M.D.B.M. (Money Don’t Buy Me).”

Co-written and produced by Nashville-based producer Pimp Fried Rice, “M.D.B.M.” breaks down conventional opinions on what success is. The self-worth anthem “challenges any industry trying to buy you into being someone you’re not, with Zhaklina delivering vocals as powerful as its message on top of a spacious, moody alt-pop soundscape, reminiscent of contemporaries like CHINCHILLA and DEZI.

Take a stand for artistic integrity. Check out “M.D.B.M.” below!

LISTEN: With ‘New Nashville,’ Teagan Stewart Observes a Changing Cityscape

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Part of change means learning to say goodbye — especially when that change happens rapidly, like it has in Nashville over the past half-decade.

Teagan Stewart recalls Music City’s changing landscape — and the culture that has changed alongside it — on her latest single, “New Nashville.”

“‘New Nashville’ is a traditional country-sounding scream into the void of a construction pit where a great venue once was,” Stewart said. “The lyrics point out several iconic places in Nashville that have recently closed due to skyrocketing rent prices and greedy developers, while pointing out the more subtle changes of a life in Nashville, like, ‘Why isn’t PBR cheap?'”

Co-written alongside Zach Cornell, many of the lyrics of “New Nashville” were born from conversations about the ever-evolving city, which serve as the perfect complement to this quintessential Nashville soundscape featuring dobro, steel guitar, and an old shuffle beat.

(At least, those things were quintessentially Nashville, before the bachelorettes found out about us…)

“It was a hard needle to thread, but we wanted to get across that we love the city of Nashville, and we’re not blaming the folks who are moving here,” Stewart said. “When I took this song to Skyler and Andrew, they knew exactly what it needed, and hearing all the musicians track this together at the same time was a spiritual experience.”

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!”

LISTEN: On ‘Hot Blood,’ Hope Vista Holds Nothing Back

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Over a haunting industrial pop backdrop, Hope Vista pulls no punches on her new single.

Titled “Hot Blood,” the single is a representation of Vista’s signature knack for autobiographical songwriting that, even by today’s transparent standards, is refreshingly raw and honest. Vista addresses the theme of carrying trauma as an unwanted personality trait, delivering hypnotic verses supported by an enchanting “phantompop” soundscape hallmarked by heavy synths and a trap beat.

Perhaps what we appreciate most about “Hot Blood” — and Vista’s artistry as a whole — is her ability to transform intrusive thoughts and unsettling events into an art form; one which connects us back to the humanity behind traumatic experiences and, perhaps, will encourage others to share their stories. Have yourself a listen below!

LISTEN: Paul Nestler Reflects on a Relationship with ‘That Dance We Do’

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The end of a relationship brings questions and memories, as you recall all of the times communication got in the way of growing together, rather than apart.

Paul Nestler captures that feeling on “That Dance We Do,” on top of an ethereal pop rock soundscape whose shimmering layers bring about a sense of wonder.

“I wrote this song after a particularly hard breakup for me. It’s about the times you would be together and didn’t know which person would make the first move – that dance you both do, almost a game of chicken of ‘who’s going first,’” Nestler said. “The song also describes the feeling afterward of questioning whether it was even a good relationship to be a part of; was it really two people ready for a relationship, or was there more work to do?”

Clocking in at just over 3-and-a-half minutes, “That Dance We Do” combines timeless pop rock sensibility with glistening modern pop synth tones (a la The 1975 or The Midnight). The creative process was a slow simmer; one which took place over more than a year, and continued as Nestler entered the studio.

“For almost all of that time, it was just a first verse and some scattered lines as a chorus Only soon before recording did I really sit down and start to hash out where the song would go. Even during the recording process, I changed lines in the second verse,” Nestler said. “I sat on it for song long because I still kept thinking about the person who brought those lines out of me and the situation we were in.”

He continued, “The visual of the first line, ‘Cotton candy skies…’ kept popping up in my mind. It was working title for the longest time, until I settled on a line in the chorus that better encapsulated the spirit of the song.”

Nestler plans to release more music during the first half of 2024, and suggests that “That Dance We Do” could be a sign of things to come.

“As I record, I’m slowly starting to fine tune and home in on where I’m going as an artist,” he noted. “It takes time and there’s quite a long way to go, but this song in particular is something I’m proud to have placed in ‘sonic world’ where I see my music could grow.”

On ‘Don’t Mess with Ol’ Smoky,’ The Bankshafts Honor Their Roots

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Rising bluegrass outfit The Bankshafts might be based in Nashville, but they’ll never forget their roots in East Tennessee.

Their new single, “Don’t Mess with Ol’ Smoky,” honors the time the band’s members have spent among the grandeur of the Smoky Mountains. They include mandolin player Rocky Carnell, who grew up in Bristol, TN, and co-frontman Addison Simmons, who has family in East Tennessee and spent some time at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

“I started writing the song while we were on the road in Chattanooga playing some gigs. We started talking about the Smoky Mountains a bunch, and it got the wheels turning,” Simmons said. “I wrote the majority of the song; then. I brought it to the guys and got some help finishing it. This was the first song we did as a group, so it’s a special song for us.”

Although written about East Tennessee, the band got an assist in a neighboring state — and a contribution from The SteelDrivers’ Gary Nichols — to help the tune to life.

“Recording it down in Muscle Shoals (AL) was just the cherry on top. That’s where we get the best stuff done,” Simmons said. “There’s something about recording music down there that just makes the music a little extra special. It was a group effort. We had almost everyone at the studio be a part of the song in some way.”

On ‘811 Freestyle,’ Donny Apollo is More Vulnerable than Ever

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We’ve always known Donny Apollo to share from a vulnerable place. The hip hop artist, producer, and Nashville native has courageously overcome addiction, homelessness, heartbreak, and more; and has never shied away from leaning on his experiences to help others navigate theirs.

With that being said, Donny’s latest single, “811 Freestyle,” sees him open up about his own mental health journey like never before. Through soulful, stream-of-consciousness verses, Donny recalls a traumatic experience involving a relapse — and the recovery process, which includes finding the strength to put out this track to speak on his struggles.

“This is the first single I feel I’ve been this vulnerable within my music. I’ve been through a lot, and harboring this one for a while,” he said in an Instagram post. “I hope you hear me. I hope you understand.”

LISTEN: The Mad Sugars (ft. the Sugar Cubes) Give us ‘Christmas Wrapping’

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Our dear friends The Mad Sugars are in the holiday spirit!

The Nashville-based garage rock dance pop outfit — whom, as you may remember, appeared at The Quinn Spinn’s 10th Birthday Celebration back in September — have unveiled their take on The Waitresses’ 1981 holiday classic, “Christmas Wrapping.”

This time, lead vocal duties are left entirely to The Sugar Cubes — the vocal quartet of Angela Wright, Allyson Rogers, Gracie Calvaneso, and Chelcie Jette. Meanwhile, lead songsmith Adam Lawrence lends support on guitar, drums, and the tune’s famously siiiick bass line.

“As joyous as the Christmas season can be, it can be just as exhausting. In modern life, the year feels like little more than 11 straight months of hustling with a faint promise of some time to relax when December rolls around… until you remember all the parties, family gatherings, and gift exchanges that are set to take place, and all that unfinished business you were trying to get to throughout the year might just have to wait a bit longer,” Lawrence said in an Instagram post. “Even with that hanging around in the back of your mind, the Christmas season still comes with plenty of magic, so you never know what might happen. That’s why I chose to cover ‘Christmas Wrapping’ as The Mad Sugars’ first Christmas release. It’s a song that best captures both the stress and the joy of Christmas in the modern world and it’s as relevant as ever.”

Rounding out the lineup are Sam Ferrara (saxophone), Emmanuel Echem (trumpet), and Curtis Erdek on keyboards and percussion.

Check it out as you head out to your holiday parties… or, as you decide to stay home, and skip the bells and whistles this year. It’s up to you!

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