July 1st at Exit/In marks the last show of a near month-long tour for Austin Lucas.  The former punk-rocker with a heart of gold has been hitting the road with dirty old one-man band Scott H. Biram, and heaven knows what manner of carousing the duo incited.  Here’s hoping that a story or two will be shared onstage Tuesday evening.  After the tour, Lucas is ducking into the studio with The Bold Party to work on a new album.  Get a sense of his emotional but hard-bitten Southern rock with the official video for "Alone in Memphis."  The show starts at 8pm, whith Joshua Black Wilkins joing the lineup. -Terra James-Jura

 "Cat’s Eye Ring" is the first track that Steelism has released in anticipation of their new album "615 to Fame." The vintage-minded pioneers of the instrumental frontier have set September 16th as the release date for their first full-length album, which will be put out by Shoals-based label Single Lock Records.  Listen to the track and see if it doesn’t make your heart stop a beat from the cinematic perfection of the moment every time the lead guitar rings back out over the strings and pedal steel.  The duo will be joining Apache Relay, Promised Land Sound and ELEL for Nashville Dancin’ at Riverfront Park this Thursday, July 3rd.  -Terra James-Jura

Anyone hanging out at The Basement Sunday night would have had the opportunity to catch Renee-Louise Carafice.  Fresh from a visit to her native soil of New Zealand, Carafice made her return known by knocking out a set during The Basement’s Sunday Post. May saw the release of her latest album, "Power Animals." It’s a catharsis cocooned in an orchestra’s worth of odd and obscure instruments (ocarinas, anyone?). Track 2, "I Have Some Problems" lays the groundwork for the rest of the recording, a dense tangle of noise of which Carafice even warns "-these are not songs that you would sing in the shower." However, somehow, out of the dated synth and drum machines and droning repetition of the title line comes something stark and beautiful.  So, if you think you’re ready for the journey into Carafice’s head, check out "Power Animals." -Terra James-Jura

This past weekend, Nashville had its annual pride festival. It was wonderful! Publice Square Park transformed into a sea of people coming together for the same great cause. The two nights featured food trucks, businesses, and local as well as not-so-local musicians. It really was truly amazing. The Nashville artists consisted of The Harmaleighs, Ponychase, and the QDP DJs. The Harmaleighs are soulful and sweet, and will next be playing Murfreesboro Folk’n’Art Festival on July 26th. As always, Ponychase was awesome and the DJs kept things lively both days. –Amanda Aydelott

 This weekend is packed with some Deli favorites here, so if you’re recovered from Bonnaroo, we strongly encourage you to venture out for some local music!

Friday: 

Thelma and the Sleaze, The Dead Deads, Flesh Wounds, and That’s My Kid at The Basement, 9pm, $5

Deluxin’, Bully, Dimples at The Stone Fox, 9pm, $5

The Vegabonds and Soul Mechanic play The End, 9pm, $8

Arkansas Elvis, Naveah and Blaine the Mono at Springwater Supper Club, 8pm, $5

Saturday: 

The Whigs, Penicillin Baby and Moseley are at Mercy Lounge, 9pm, $12

Next door at the High Watt has Stagolee, Feedback Revival and Smooth Dialects, 9pm, $7

Mystery Twins, The Joy Kills, The Wooly Mamas, and The Switchmen play The 5 Spot, 9pm, $5

Tweens, No Regrets Coyote, and Fox Fun at The End, 9pm, $8

Brandon Brain’s Album Release Party will be at Cafe Coco, with Korey Jejuan Parker, 9pm, $5

Sunday: 

Moth of the South, Silent Planet, Rivera, Monroe play Rocketown, 6pm, $8

The Basement’s Sunday Post includes Bow and Arrows, Idle Bloom, Mom and Dad, Ttotals and Renee Sparkles, 9pm, free

 Do you have plans to absolutely dominate this Thursday?  Well, Wings of Apollo has your back.  The track "Maker" off their June 10th release "By Force" will help you sail through the day barechested and astride an armored unicorn, the force of rock manifesting itself as lightning bolts shooting from the tips of your fingers. If this track doesn’t quite get you to that level of awesome, check out the rest of the EP here (wah-heavy track 4, "The Wind" is a personal favorite.)  Produced by 4-time grammy award winner Malcolm Springer, its an immaculate dose of modern-day hair metal.  At the very least, knowing that these three guys are out there thrashing with unapologetic conviction ought to make those TPS reports go down a little easier.  Or just make you really jealous. -Terra James-Jura

This will be Brandon Brain’s second full-length, but one of many projects he has added his touch to.  Brains has been under the moniker since 2011, slinging out vivid stories, social commentary and scientific facts with deadpan sincerity.  "Snakehands" is his first release on Nashville hip-hop label Invisible Library, with the stipulation from founder Nathan Conrad that it be 100% sample-free. Brains teamed up with long-time collaborator The Amazing Parker to tackle the obstacle, coming out the other side with a full album of completely original material (check out the dusky opening riff of "Talebearers Backbiters.) His CD release party is at favorite haunt Cafe Coco on June 21st with Korey Jejuan Parker (more details here.) This is the kick-off of a 2-week run through the Southeast with fellow #RAPCLUB member kidDEAD, which draws to an amazing and completely appropriate close with a performance at the Nashville Comic and Horror Convention on July 12th. -Terra James-Jura

 And the Giraffe are comprised of duo Nick Roberts and Josh Morris, who started the project as University of Florida students in Gainesville, FL, and kept it alive through school changes and cross country moves.  Now that the pair is settled down in Nashville, allowing them the luxury of taking Dropbox out of the equation. They have been working on a full-length follow up to superb ambient folk EP’s “Something for Someone” and “Creature Collector.” They released this single, a cover of W.C. Handy’s “Yellow Dog Blues” at the start of this month for a Studio 360 competition.  What comes of their submission is a lush rendition of a 100-year old rag enveloped in a soft, warm haze of diffused noise , much more M. Ward than turn-of-century blues. The band is playing fooBar on July 18th with Bear in the Campsite and Matthew Fowler. -Terra James-Jura

Congratulations to Earnest Ernest for winning The Deli Nashville’s Artist of the Month poll! Recently revitalized by a successful Indiegogo campaign for a new tour van, the band is set to attack the road and make their presence known with new vigor, starting with this little blog’s local popularity contest.  With a old-fashioned sensibility to modern pop songs, they are sure to make a mark whereever their new wheels take them. Speaking of which, check out the schedule of their summer tour, and listen to their appealingly alternative brand of folk on “I Do" off their debut self-titled EP. -Terra James-Jura

Hopefully you had the chance to catch Lulu Mae on May 16th for their album release show with ELEL and The Oak Creek Band, as that may have been the last time to catch them live for a long, long time.  However, they had the wherewithal to release a new album on May13th to tide fans over in the wake of their abscence.  While it is a great momento to keep under your pillow to keep your tears of Lulu Mae longing from soaking into your mattress at night, its also a beautiful listen.  Read on to learn more. -Terra James-Jura

 Few bands put a Southern spin on classic rock as The Paranormals. The East Nashvillians have a 90’s-minded approach to clean and tight songwriting, attacked with enough raw energy as a pack of dirty punk rockers.  The band is about to release the follow-up to their 2012 debut "American Spirit" with "Tomahawk" on July 5th.  The release show will be at The High Watt, with friends The Cunning and Commitment Bells joining the lineup, but opportunities to pick up an advanced copy and see the band get sweaty and gross before that abound: they’re playing fooBar on June 12th, and The 5 Spot June 18th. The fresh, urgent clarity and poignant lyrics of single "Carolina" are just a teaser of the overwhelming depth of their new material.  Listen, enjoy, and attend; you got three chances.  -Terra James-Jura

 You know those dreams that don’t neccessarily qualify as nightmares, but are still unsettling and cast the rest of your day in a weird light? Well, Stone Jack Jones certainly does. And after watching his latest video for "Jackson," I’m quite convinced that the Lambchop veteran sits in on the dreams of the greater Tennessee area. I’m also in awe with how completely the quicksand of his delirious folk music is rendered in 4 penny-colored minutes. He’s due to play The East Room on June 25th, but you can probably see him the next time you fall asleep.   -Terra James-Jura