Sweet Talk, the first recordings released by The Minks (featuring local everywhereman and Deli favorite Ron Gallo), is a mixture of styles that both makes sense and works pretty damn well. The distinctly Nashville pair of songs on the EP bring together the city’s two dominant styles at the moment—there’s the bluesy country side we all know so well, but it’s balanced out by the extra-fuzzy garage psych that’s gotten a reputation for itself in the past few years. There’s no hint of trying too hard to make a statement or anything like that; it comes off as a natural result of the band’s surroundings, whittled down into song form by incredibly capable hands. –Austin Phy

Vibrancy is the central force that carries Murmurations, the mighty-promising debut from The Wild Jays. From its cover art that looks like a Rorschach test by way of a pomegranate to the last seconds of the last track, even the slow moments are miles-deep caverns of sunny reverberations. Produced to a delightfully soupy, swirly consistency, the range of influences is similarly mixed. Perhaps appropriately, there’s a heavy vibe of 60’s folk and psych (what’s a "Wild Jay" if not a Byrd anyhow?), but it’s mingled in with post-punk, new wave, a touch of Sergio Leone, and even some Deer Hunter-esque unease in places. This is one that benefits from a cover-to-cover listen, so get to clicking that play button below. –Austin Phy

Psyched-out and starry-eyed, Another Afternoon‘s South is an impressive debut effort from a band that’s been lurking around for the better part of a year teasing us with singles and appearances on YouTube series that we may have mentioned a time or two in the past. Aside from the closing number, a fairly traditional ballad duet, the M.O. here is to-the-point laid back space folk that isn’t interested in hemming and hawing and wasting your time. Less than 20 minutes in length, South feels completely satisfying due to its sheer density. We’ll be looking forward to more from these guys in the future. –Austin Phy

Living for Moments of Beauty is a scattered project, comprising of a couple dominant sounds organized in a stream-of-consciousness flow with no obvious rhyme or reason. Is that a bad thing? Not at all. The album reads like a smattering of bedroom ideas presented as they were conceived; it’s a picture of a person at a certain time, free of pretense or pressure. The result is honest, to-the-point, and most importantly, an enjoyable listen. Ranging from guitar-centered soundscapes to Mac Demarco by way of The Strokes, Living for Moments of Beauty is one small taste of a large—and largely unnoticed, it seems—discography. Do some digging. You’ll like what you uncover. –Austin Phy

With a foot in the past and eyes fixed on the future, the newest from Leagues is a modern dance treat dressed in secondhand neon. There are some parallels to longtime local favorites How I Became the Bomb, which is a comparison that can be nothing but flattering. Set to release their sophomore album, Alone Together, on September 9, "Dance With Me" is the first we’ve heard from the band since their debut dropped back in the long-gone year of 2013. Stream the single below and keep an eye out for that new album when September rolls around. –Austin Phy

It’s just a taste, just a tease, but the dreamy "She’s in the Garden" from Kansas Bible Company’s upcoming Paper Moon shows that the band is drinking deep from a pool of laudable influences. Centered around the reliable tenderness of a Rhodes and leading into a horn breakout bound for who-knows-where, "She’s in the Garden" sounds something like Jason Molina with a smile on his face.

The Bible Co. has a hometown show at the Beast coinciding with the release of the album on June 3, this Friday, so check out the track and then be sure to show these talented locals some love in-person style. –Austin Phy

Way back in the mids of April, I saw a previously unknown band set the stage for Natural Child at a VFW Post in town, of all places. "These guys are great!" I said. "I sure hope there’s some music online so I can share it with folks!" There wasn’t. So imagine my excitement finding out today that at some point in the interim, Teddy & the Rough Riders got some demos together and oh boy, do they ever hold up in comparison to the live experience. There are only six tracks on display, but they all showcase what this band does best—sophisticated country tunes held tight by an accomplished band and lifted into orbit by some truly incredible pedal steel (the ever-magnificent Luke Schneider), let loose to wander by way of the frayed, croaking vocals on top of it all. It only took one live show to convince me that these guys are headed in exactly the right direction. Give ’em that same chance next time you can, yeah? –Austin Phy

John Cougar Watermelon Camp Counselor, the tape-ready debut from Taco Dreams, is relentlessly energetic throughout without being exhausting. There are notes of The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Stone Roses, only with a great deal mopre levity than any of those new wave forebears. It’s not a brand new sound per se, but between Taco Dreams and several other new-on-the-scene groups, it’s incredibly exciting to see the Nuggetsy-garage vibe that overtook East Nasty for the longest effetively exploring some other sounds. –Austin Phy

This one slipped by my radar when it first came out, but Bandcamp’s search likes to make up its own rules sometimes. Occasionally, that causes a gem to surface, such as Father Tribe’s self-titled EP. All the hallmarks of summertime listening are there—the ‘verb, the lilting vocal sustains, the laid back tempo. Of course, these things can get a little one-dimensional. Fortunately it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; it’s got that modern beach pop shimmer for sure, but it’s balanced out with the sense of urgency of 1980s synthpop. Give it a spin if you’re so inclined. We’d recommend it. –Austin Phy

Post Knight Errant, the latest from ex-Wisconsinite John Paul Roney’s Boom Forest project, explores a range of folk and electronica influences, deftly using the natural ebb and flow of that exploration to cover the entire spectrum of emotional experience. There’s a current of tenderness running through the album, but it proves to be tonally versatile and adapts to the highs and lows from song to song and within a single track. It’s a polished effort, and you ought to give the video a watch below and then go check out the entire album. –Austin Phy

Boom Forest "33" (We Are All One & Holy Ghost) from Elder on Vimeo.

I think the cancellation of Nashville (the show, not the city itself) got a lot of people thinking about where Nashville (the city itself, not the show) is, has been, and is going. We’re not gonna get too think-piecey on you here, but recent events like that have proven that time may in fact be a circle. There’s no prime time TV dedicated to our lovely city, sounds from The Features and Character are still electrifying the ground around the Beast from their show last night, and if you get yourself down to the Exit/In tonight, you can catch yourself yet another piece of bona fide Old Nashville vibiness with Ghostfinger, How I Became the Bomb, and Lone Official.

We’re leaning pretty heavy on the throwback jokes here, but make no mistake—these are all bands that, despite various periods of silence and an unfortunate spot on the It City sidelines considering their role in building up that rep, were here before here was a place to be and they’ve all stuck it out. So go for the nostalgia. Or go to show respect to the old guard. Or go because it’s a stacked bill of genuinely great local bands. Whatever your motive is, you can’t go wrong. -Austin Phy

Sometimes you hear a song and know right away that it’s going to follow you around for a while. "No One Else Alive" is the unshakably catchy new track from the unshakably talented Notelle, and it’s got just the right kind of hook to dig itself in deep. The sound on display is big, in a perplexingly minimal way. "Anthemic" is an easy descriptor that comes to mind, but there’s a measure of restraint in the actual execution that keeps the whole affair from becoming too bombastic. It’s radio pop perfection, and you can catch the ear worm down in the stream below. –Austin Phy