Damned Rivers touch their music with flavors of Americana, indie rock, punk, and soul to create a blend of genres which evoke memories of Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty. Fans of those classic rockers, as well as newer indie legends such as The Menzingers, will enjoy Damned Rivers’ debut album The Pugilist, which the band released earlier this month. The album tells the tale of a boxer near the end of his career, with each song diving deeper into the boxer’s understanding of his life-changing situation. Songwriter Ian Mauldin used inspiration from his own hardships during one of the most difficult years of his life to write the story of the boxer. The Pugilist is Damned Rivers’ first since their debut EP in 2015; go listen to the band perform tracks from the album at No Billiards in East Nashville on July 27th. Take a listen to "Prizefighter" below. – Will Sisskind

We were celebrating America on July 4th — drinking heavily and lamenting the injustices carried out by the nation’s rich and powerful, that is — so we slept a bit on Cave Mode Shake releasing their driving new single "This Is It". But now we share this indie jam with you; these five rockin’ boys go ham on this track which sounds like an homage to LCD Soundsystem’s latest work, what with the reverb on Joe Gladstone’s vocals and Dennis Pickett and Ben Merlotti going absolutely bonkers with the guitars. "This Is It" is a good pump up tune for a night out this summer; maybe you’re looking in the mirror getting your makeup on or driving up to the club with your friends, and you need a track that’s going to speed up your heartbeat a little bit. Cave Mode Shake are happy to deliver. Take a listen to "This Is It" below. – Will Sisskind

Louis Johnson has released his debut EP Youth under his relatively new moniker, Lonas. Though he’s lived and played in Nashville for the better part of the decade, Johnson created Lonas after his duo The Saint Johns signed with Dr. Luke’s Prescription Songs to release their latest album. Needing a change of direction from that toxicity, Johnson spent time reconnecting with old musician friends, writing his own songs, and creating the framework for what has become Lonas and Youth. The melodic and folk-adjacent tracks of Lonas come from Johnson’s experiences alone; a blend of millennial ennui, grief over lost friends and embattled families, and anxiety stemming from financial and spiritual discord power the lyrics and create some of the most raw music Johnson’s ever put out. 

Along with the release, Johnson has released a music video for a live acoustic jam version of "Doesn’t Feel Right", showcasing his Nashville-based musician friend circle; take a look at it below. – Will Sisskind

Billy Strings has released "Taking Water", his first single from his upcoming sophomore album HOME, set to come out on September 27th. While Michigan-born Strings’ acoustic-heavy sound remains undeniably bluegrass — complete with accompaniment from the banjo, fiddles, and bass — he finds ways to add in hints of punk, ambient, and psych rock to his tunes. It results in a gripping country sound that makes a song like "Taking Water" a breathtaking listen. Strings will hit the road this month on a nationwide tour supporting the release of HOME; catch him in Nashville when he returns for a show on September 11th at Americanafest. Take a listen to "Taking Water" below. – Will Sisskind

Americana artist King Corduroy will release his new EP Avalon Ave. on August 16th; to preview the drop, he’s released the single "Workin’ for a Livin", along with its music video. A little rootsy and swampy, "Workin’ for a Livin" mixes a little Texas blues and Southern rock with sounds from the Mississippi Delta and New Orleans’ French Quarter. For the better part of the past decade, King Corduroy has written songs that reflect the world around him, and "Workin’ for a Livin" helps to tell the stories of people doing whatever it takes to get by in the somewhat unstable world we live in today. Take a look at the music video for the single, which features little clips of people on the job doing what they can to survive. – Will Sisskind

Buzzworthy alt-rockers Them Fixes will bring their electric music to Springwater Supper Club on July 19th to support the release of their debut EP Electric Prophetic. The duo of Dustin Rye and Shawn Jones formed in 2017, and throughout the next year they cut their teeth blasting out the speakers of Nashville’s many bars and venues. Electric Prophetic contains four tracks, including previously released singles "Fangs" and "Kill The Nights"; every track hits the compression hard with guitars and drums that pound against your ears. It reflects the kind of energy that Them Fixes want to channel through their music; sometimes even the best headphones can’t handle it. If you want to get the real effect, go see Them Fixes live at Springwater Supper Club on July 19th, where they’ll share the stage with The Stone Eye, Ape Vermin, and Blacklight Velvets. Take a listen to the band’s second single "Kill The Nights" below. – Will Sisskind

Southern psych-rock songwriter Ian Ferguson has released the new groovy single "Love Crime", along with its music video. The track — which appears on Ferguson’s upcoming debut album State of Gold (out on July 26th) — channels a bit of The Beatles’ late discography, or even the more chilled-out ideas of Black Sabbath. A more contemporary comparison would be Mac DeMarco, perhaps, as the music video for the song has a bit of DeMarco’s knack for lo-fi and DIY production values. The Handicam-looking clip comes rife with low-budget aliens in cardboard triangle glasses, an old van, and old sci-fi film footage. It doesn’t take much to make a fun video, and Ferguson holds fast to that ethos with the clip for "Love Crime". Watch it below, and watch out for State of Gold which drops later this month. – Will Sisskind

Fans of the lo-fi hip-hop tinged indie sound of Mac Demarco or Anderson .Paak will enjoy the tunes of The High Tides, one of Nashville’s new up-and-coming indie groups, led by Aaron Diebold, Aeris Hennings, Xavier Bond, and Jackson Weippert. The High Tides’ blend of R&B and pop fits right in with the increasingly hot dog days of summer; their new album Thanks For Nothing, which came out in May, has a handful of tracks to cool you down, including the soothing opener "My Perspective" which you can listen to below. The High Tides will open a bill headlined by Atlanta-based hip-hop/rock band The Constellations at The End on July 6th. Recover from your holiday hangover, then go check them out. – Will Sisskind

Bouncy indie pop goes great with the summer heat; bands like No Coast have you covered. The group will perform their next at-home show at The High Watt on July 8th, as part of a bill with Cousin Simple, Parrotfish, and Thames. No Coast released their debut EP Never Stop Starting earlier this year; they’ve received accolades in the indie press for Manny Pyka’s and Tate Gardner’s songwriting chops and the band’s smooth pop arrangements. On Never Stop Starting, "Mars" takes listeners to a realm dominated by funk and ambient sounds, while "Keep Me Running" has a touch of a folk vibe. "Drowning" has the  bubbliest sound on the album; take a listen to it below, and don’t miss No Coast’s performance at The High Watt on July 8th. – Will Sisskind

Jon Worthy & The Bends have a busy summer ahead of them as they set out to promote their new album, Something’s Gotta Give, which will drop on June 28th. The record features some sounds new to the band, including the violin, cello, and accordion; it gives Worthy & The Bends more of a folk — if not a post-country — feel. But the instrumentation rounds out the tunes and balances well with Worthy’s powerful, emotional vocals. Worthy & The Bends will take Something’s Gotta Give around the southeast and Midwest before making a quick pit stop along the Northeast Corridor in August. The band will also play a plethora of music festivals this year including Musikfest 2019 in Bethlehem, PA, The Rhythm and Brews Fest in Newport, KY, and The River Rat Festival in Gallipolis, OH. Take a listen to the most recent single from Something’s Gotta Give, "Takin’ My Time", below. – Will Sisskind

Pet Envy have been called the most fun live band to come out of Nashville in years; they’ll again expel their infectious energy into the world during a performance at The 5 Spot on June 29th. The band have kept their shows local for the most part throughout their existence, but they have a new anxiety-focused single called "Rerun" which channels that funky groove out to the rest of the world. Pet Envy will join forces with Arts Fishing Club, Bruns, and singer-songwriter Mark Fredson to provide a night full of excellent local music. Take a listen to "Rerun" below. – Will Sisskind

The Deli Nashville wants to take a moment to check in with one of our favorite artists, Adia Victoria, who will perform at 3rd & Lindsley on June 23rd. The blues singer-songwriter announced at the beginning of June that she had received the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Holly Prize, an award named for Buddy Holly which "recognizes and supports a new all-in-one songwriter". Adia’s show at 3rd & Lindsley falls right in the middle of her Dope Queen Tour, which will take her to Europe later this summer. She’ll headline a few shows in the UK and in Germany, as well as open for The National while she’s out there. Later this year, Adia will open for Calexico and Iron & Wine at several shows around Europe; these performances will grow her audience and give her scintillating Southern blues the attention it deserves. Take a listen to Adia’s latest single, "Different Kind Of Love", below. – Will Sisskind