Singer/songwriter KaiL Baxley‘s experiences are as diverse as the day is long–the Los Angeles-based South Carolina native and son of a couple of outlaws who learned to dance from James Brown–the Godfather of Soul himself–has been an amateur boxer, a gunshot survivor, a football star, and a traveling troubadour. Those narratives naturally inform his…
“How can you tell when a habit becomes a pattern? Is it a matter of patience, or maybe a matter of time?” sings Nashville songstress Hadley Kennary, in her new single “Potential,” as she contemplates a battle that is valid, but one that may or may not be worth the fight. “‘Potential’ is a song…
Reimagining someone else’s work can be a daunting task, but New York City-based singer/songwriter Emily Mure does it with heartwrenching style and ethereal grace as she puts her spin on The Cranberries’ “When You’re Gone,” the latest single from her forthcoming EP, Sad Songs and Waltzes, set for release in September. In addition to The…
Nashville pop-rock artist-on-the-rise Kelsey Waters has been performing since age 14 but has saved her best work for her reimagined solo career, rolling her life story into a batch of dark, guitar-fueled songs inspired by electric rock n’ roll and pop noire. She makes raw, guitar-driven music, heavily rooted in the sound of ’90s female rockers-…
Summer just isn’t summer without its song. The one that you play with the windows rolled down. The one that keeps your pulse racing so you don’t miss a moment of those fun in the sun days. The one that you only need to hear once and you know you’ll listen to it a thousand…
Thanks to modern-day inventions like Valentine’s Day, the Hallmark channel, and Lifetime movies, we’ve been programmed to think there’s something wrong in our love lives if we’re aren’t always swooning, filled with butterflies, and brimming with lust. We forget that love is a choice and a lot of times, it ain’t pretty. Des Moines-based outfit…
Life offers up some great things from time to time—a true, full-length, proper album being one. Unfortunately, this concept is going the way of the dinosaur. Luckily for Lettuce listeners, this is not the case proven by their upcoming release Elevate, their first LP since the incredible Crush album in 2015. Lettuce’s originals are peppered…
“I’m trying to make you cry,” says John Paul White, unashamed at the effect his music has on the masses. “I’m trying to make me cry. I mean, those are the kinds of songs that I love. Those are the songs I’ve always been drawn to, like from my earliest years.” The Florence, Alabama-based White…
Chattanooga, Tennessee-based folk-rock band Edward and Jane, helmed by Timothy “Edward” Carpenter and Emilie “Jane” Creutzinger, are known for their gut-punching lyrics, anthemic compositions, and soaring harmonies, a fact beautifully showcased on Too Early To Tell, their latest EP, released last fall. While the five stunners housed on Too Early To Tell are in the Americana vein, the…
Loneliness–it’s something we all experience, and interestingly, in this age of constant digital connection, people are lonelier than ever. Losing someone you love, and who you thought loved you back, is never easy, but sometimes the pain ignites action, and in the case of Nashville’s Widespell, it inspired a song. “Why Am I Alone,” the…
Some of the strongest bonds can be formed in an instant—this is the backstory of Shpresa Lleshaj and Cole Randall–otherwise known as alt-pop band Flora Cash. It’s such a palpable bond that even the most vodka-infused audience member could feel it during the duo’s recent stop at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom. Watching the pair share knowing…
Some have said that rock n’ roll is dead. If you’ve ever voiced that particular complaint, you should know that you’re wrong. On their new album Don’t Go Out Tonight, Atlanta trio Bad Spell gives you all the proof you need. You hear it right from the opening notes of “Gotta Put You Down,” a…
We never know truly what others deal with on a daily basis; undetectable pain behind a smile, buried shame in a spirit, a heart burdened by unbearable sadness. And, when wounds are hidden, they fester. It’s only when we overcome our fears and talk about our experiences and struggles that the hurt can begin…
Some might say that we live in dark and troubled times, and, maybe those people are right. While a good funk-soul album may not cure all the world’s ills, it certainly can boost the mood for even the gloomiest of the doomy types–especially if it’s a live album like the latest from eight-piece British funk…
Remember when you were in school and you had a crush on someone? You found yourself exhilarated whenever you were in the presence of that person. Well, crushes don’t have to be of the romantic variety. Musical crushes are a real thing, and with her new album The Gumption, Toronto-based R&B artist Tanika Charles just…
