While Jack White is getting to release his next major album, other former Raconteur Brendan Benson is releasing a slice of identity-seeking alt rock with "Half a Boy (and Half a Man)". Though Benson has been around for more than two decades, this is his first solo single on White’s Third Man Records. The recent signee is sure to be in the works for more material in 2018, we’ll just have to wait and see! In the meantime, listen to the new single below!

Nashville’s William Matheny released his debut Strange Constellations in February of last year to critical acclaim. His songwriting is strong, and his style comes across like an indie rocker gone americana, bridging the gap between Ben Folds, The Avett Brothers, and Ryan Adams. Now hard at work on the road, Matheny will be gracing The Basement stage Wednesday, January 24th alongside J.P. Harris, The Country Westerns, and Richie. The show begins at 9:00 PM, and tickets are $6 in advance, $8 at the door. If you haven’t made it to a show yet in 2018 (or if you have), this is one you don’t want to miss. Check out Matheny’s track "Living Half To Death" below!

Self-described as The Dead meets The Experience, The Fruit Flies ’60s psychedelic influences are worn on their sleeves. Their new song and accompanying video "Daddy’s Car" are full of lo-fi excitement and a perfect addition to playlists featuring artists like The Strokes or even The Kinks. Check out the video below for "Daddy’s Car" and stay tuned to the band’s Facebook for more coming soon!

It’s hard to get tired of trippy Beatles-inspired psychedelia when it just makes you feel so good. And that’s exactly what Wax Mistress deliver on their second single "Mind Designs". "Fill your minds / With their designs / Cellophane tides," the chorus suggests, invoking "Lucy in the Sky"-esque imagery over swimming-in-reverb guitars and panning drum fills. Stay tuned for Wax Mistress’s full EP soon, and catch them at The East Room on January 24! Listen to "Mind Designs" below! – Chris Thiessen

For those of you who love Cage the Elephant, original member Lincoln Parish has collaborated with and produced a new artist breaking into the Nashville indie scene: Jon Worthy. From the driving and swinging "You Drive Me Insane" to the sing-along "So Alive", Only A Dream is full of energy and life. "Take a deep breath, you’ll be just fine / Hold your head up / Give yourself some time," Worthy offers with optimism. Check out "You Drive Me Insane" below, and make sure to check out the whole album on Soundcloud, Spotify, and wherever else music can be found! – Chris Thiessen

2017 was a year of plenty for Nashville’s music scene. So we decided to make a Spotify playlist to celebrate all the excellent music and hard-working musicians that call Music City home. From Americana to grooving funk, from indie superstars to the fairly obscure, here are 100 tracks we enjoyed this year from our Nashville neighbors! Be sure to follow the playlist AND follow The Deli Nashville on Spotify for more playlists in the future. And of course, please share with your friends! – Chris Thiessen

After releasing their debut in 2015, Bully have earned a national audience with their raw garage punk sound. Their sophomore album Losing released just a few months ago on Sub Pop Records, and they’re out on tour to support the record. Luckily for us in Nashville, they’re playing Mercy Lounge for three days straight! While the Friday (Dec. 15) show with Daddy Issues and Butthole is sold out, you can still catch them Thursday (Dec. 14) with Adia Victoria and Western Medication, or on Saturday (Dec. 16) with Pujol and Sad Baxter. Check the links for tickets, and watch their video for "Feel the Same" below!

In a year where art has reflected the social issues faced in our world so vividly, Nashville’s indie pop artist LIEZA (real name Meghan Roner) is out to empower women with "Don’t Make Me Dance", especially in the wake of the #MeToo movement which has allowed many women to voice their pain after years of covered up sexual harassment in Hollywood and across the country. "I’m still fragile from the fallout started with your hands," Roner sings over a glitchy hypnotic track that brings to mind pop artists like Banks. LIEZA’s upbeat dance track signals the ability to move forward into a society that is increasingly supportive of strong, independent women. Listen down below! – Chris Thiessen

While Molly Balsam and Atticus Swartwood are originally from Manhattan and Des Moines respectively, they now call east Nashville their home and the base of power pop duo Molly Rocket. Releasing 5-song EP More Than All This in late September, the duo are ready to jump into the market. Citing influences from Elvis Costello to Jefferson Airplane, you can imagine the powerful vocals and quirky swagger that make Molly Rocket a strong act to keep an eye on. Stay tuned for local shows and listen to their song "Too Late" below! – Chris Thiessen

After releasing the boisterous first single, "Whiskey Rollercoaster", off of the upcoming LP Electric Sex, folk songwriter Jacob Thomas Jr. is showing his somber side. Accompanied by his acoustic guitar and light piano and string arrangements, Thomas laments about the changing Nashville, fading memories, and the one that got away on new release "Running Through My Mind". Listen to the track below and stay tuned for more on Thomas’s full-length release! – Chris Thiessen

Nashville’s soulful pop group The New Respects have exploded to a national audience in 2017 from Rolling Stone naming them one of "10 Artists You Need To Know" to opening for Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Their sound is ear-catchingly funky and dance-inducing. Their newest single, "Something To Believe In", "is about the longing to believe in goodness when it looks like there is no reason to," shares group member Jasmine Mullen. Hear the song below and catch The New Respects on tour with St. Paul and the Broken Bones at Marathon Music Works on December 1st! – Chris Thiessen

The process of recording and releasing a debut album can feel like an eternity for bands. For Early Humans, that eternity was 21 long months. But when the fruit produced is as good as Early Humans’ self-titled debut, it’s worth the wait. Bringing to mind the early days of pop punk with a grittier lo-fi sound akin to The Offspring, Early Humans is sure to delight listeners, especially those with a nostalgic ear. Listen to their track "Time Bomb" off the new release below!