The Founding Daddies brought their music into full swing in 2019, playing a handful of shows around town and releasing their EP Headcase this past week. The trio will continue their journey into Nashville’s indie rock scene with a show at The Basement East’s New Faces Night on May 14th. The band has played with other local acts of note such as Mel Bryant and the Mercy Makers, Jon Worthy & the Bends, and Molly Martin. The Headcase EP has five tracks showcasing the versatility of The Founding Daddies, with tracks ranging in sound from Green Day to Jason Isbell. Take a listen to the title track below. – Will Sisskind

Often when an artist releases an EP, they’ll release a music video for a track around the time of release. But Erin Enderlin just released her three-track EP Chapter One: Tonight I Don’t Give A Damn, along with a video for each song on the record. It’s all part of a concept to release four EPs throughout the year, each one featuring songs built around the characters on Enderlin’s 2017 record Whiskeytown Crier. The new EP begins with "Broken" from Whiskeytown Crier, before moving on to tell more of its character’s story. In "Tonight I Don’t Give A Damn", Enderlin sings of the character’s ambivalence with romance, her descent into drunkenness, and her recounting of a one-night-stand with a random bar patron. Listen to the full EP to follow the character’s full story, and stay tuned for more EPs to come from Enderlin in 2019. Take a look at the video for "Tonight I Don’t Give A Damn" below. – Will Sisskind

And now, for something completely different. Lights of Marfa share the Nashville alt-rock scene with colleagues like The Ivins; their thunderous sound shakes stages around town. Recently, the band have pushed themselves to put out a new single each month; last month’s single, an original called "Live To Forget", had a ballad-like quality to it, and February’s "Run To You" was a straightforward rock cover of the Bryan Adams original. This month, Lights of Marfa have again chosen to go for a cover, this time giving their alt treatment to Billy Joel’s 1978 single "Big Shot". Joel’s version laid heavy on the rock elements, making it a timeless track that any modern rock band could tackle with ease. Lights of Marfa do it justice without stripping the original of its fire; take a listen for yourself down below. – Will Sisskind

Kyd the Band have only called Nashville home for a couple of years, but the California native has started to make a name for himself in the city’s pop scene. After working with artists like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and NF, Kyd the Band set to work on his debut single "Human", which dropped last week. The reflective track blends hip-hop and pop elements together in ways that will delight fans of artists like Shawn Mendes, Sam Smith, or Frank Ocean. Kyd signed to Sony/Four Music to release new tracks, so "Human" looks like the beginning of something much bigger for the up-and-coming artist. Watch the music video for "Human" below. – Will Sisskind

Damon Johnson may not be green to the music scene, but his debut solo album — Memoirs of an Uprising — reintroduces him to the world as a versatile alt-rock performer who can switch between tender and tremendous on a dime. After leaving his previous band Black Star Riders after a soul search, Johnson recorded his solo debut, calling the material on it "the most honest music I’ve ever made." Johnson has experience working with artists such as Alice Cooper, Thin Lizzy, and John Waite, and that influence along with his previous guitar work with Black Star Riders shines on the new record. You might also hear hints of U2 and Chris Cornell if you listen close enough. Johnson will perform at The Basement East on May 8th to support Memoirs of an Uprising; The Winery Dogs will also take the stage that night. Check out the video for "Shivering Shivering", the first single from the record, below. – Will Sisskind

Brother Maven — made up of Nashville expats Daniel, JP, Joel, and Scottie — blend soul, country, and Southern rock into a groove worthy of your ears. Their debut single "Bring It On Back" dropped earlier this month, and the band have already wowed audiences around the city in their wild live performances. You yourself can see Brother Maven rip up the stage on May 5th at The 5 Spot, along with fellow soulful musician Doran Danoff and genre blender David DeVaul. For a taste of what you’ll hear at The 5 Spot, take a listen to "Bring It On Back" below. – Will Sisskind

When it comes to catchy pop hooks in the Music City, Tristen Gaspadarek (who goes by her first name) stands among the best in the game. In recent years, she’s toured with the Mountain Goats and Robyn Hitchcock, and she’s played as a member of Jenny Lewis’s band. Her last album Sneaker Waves dropped in 2017, but now, after spending some quality time in the studio, Tristen will release two new tracks — "Dream Within a Dream" and its B-side "Red Lava" — on May 10. Tristen will take some time in the beginning of May to tour the Midwest in support of the new indie pop jams, but she’ll return to Nashville on May 17th to play Grimey’s New and Preloved Music. Hype yourself up with a listen of Tristen’s track "Got Some" below. – Will Sisskind

For the pleasant coming warmth of spring comes a song born from pain: Erin Rae‘s "Bad Mind" came out last year on her album Putting On Airs, but it gets new life as the music video for the track has just dropped. It shows Rae singing in a field of blossoming branches and flowers, showing growth even as Rae stands in wistful poses and walks with her eyes downcast. The song itself concerns Rae’s relationship fears and her coming to terms with what caused them, including memories of an Alabama court ruling her aunt to be an "unfit mother" because she was gay. The video’s mixture of pensiveness — Erin — and perseverance — how the flowers bloom every year — show that through grief, there can be growth. Rae will take her songs on the road this spring and summer; she’ll make a hometown stop in Nashville at Musicians Corner on May 25th. Catch her then; for now, watch the video for "Bad Mind" below. – Will Sisskind

Maybe you have wanted to hear Great Peacock‘s Americana stylings live, but don’t like the idea of leaving the comfort of your own home. With the advent of streaming services, you can make your dream a reality. Great Peacock will perform live on April 28th on DittyTV, available on TiVo, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, or any other major streaming service. The performance follows a recent string of shows supporting the Infamous Stringdusters, and will kick off a series of tour dates throughout May and June to support Yonder Mountain String Band. If you miss the performance on DittyTV, select songs from the show will appear in the channel’s archives on YouTube. And if you want to listen to Great Peacock’s unconventional and atmospheric Americana now, take a listen to "Oh Deep Water" from 2018’s Gran Pavo Real below. – Will Sisskind

A name like Stephen Day has about as much rarity in this world as one like John Mayer or Sam Smith, but like those other common-named artists, Day has one of those voices that propels him into the realm of rarity. Day’s 2018 single "Dancing In The Street" may not have the dance groove of the song of the same name by Jagger and Bowie, but its soulfulness — which shows off Day’s vocal chops — intoxicated listeners when it hit the Spotify Global Viral Chart last year. For 2019, two new singles from Day have hit the Internet: "For Life (Take You Out, Treat You Right)" has a bop to it, while "Twenty Two and Some Change" has a driving acoustic beat. Day and his voice will grace the EXIT/IN on April 29th in a set with supporting act Pacific; the show will kick off a summer full of touring for Day, where he’ll hit up venues throughout the Midwest and Northeast. Take a listen to "For Life (Take You Out, Treat You Right)" below. – Will Sisskind

Malibu Blackout brands themselves online as "//fuzz//rock//pop//dance//move//yo//ass", which seems accurate, considering their first two singles "What I’ve Done" and "For The World" have a sizable funky dance rock vibe for a rising band. The trio’s new single "Addy" will drop on April 26th, and from snippets on Facebook, it sounds like it’ll pack quite a punch. If you want to catch Malibu Blackout live, you can see them perform at Springwater Supper Club on May 16th along with Boston-based visitors Blindspot and fellow local acts Pickup Sticks and The Down Squad. Until then, and until "Addy" drops, jam out to "For The World" below. – Will Sisskind

If you’re a longtime Band of Horses fan, take note of this last minute notification that former lead guitarist and co-songwriter Tyler Ramsey will perform solo at The Basement on April 18th. Ramsey released his latest album For The Morning at the beginning of April; tracks like "Firewood" and "A Dream Of Home" have the same pensive folksiness that helped Band of Horses skyrocket to fame. In fact, "A Dream Of Home" took shape on a day off from a Horses tour, and "Evening Country" is a country version of the Horses’ track "Evening Kitchen". But there’s plenty of original Ramsey composition on this album: Guitars, piano, drums, and droning synths and strings create a lush soundscape that will draw you into his world. Take a listen to "Firewood" below, and check out Ramsey and his new tracks when he comes to The Basement on April 18th. – Will Sisskind