It’s a month for record releases – new LPs from Diarrhea Planet and Modoc are coming up in the next few weeks. But this Saturday there are two release parties happening that are worth your dollars. Tetsuo’s celebrating Inmates, the follow-up to These Crystals Don’t Burn, at The Springwater (stream it now here), which should be quite a noisy affair with The Black Shades and The 1-10s. And across the river Parachute Musical indie-rocks The 5 Spot in honor of Kill It Cut It Down with Eastern Block. Both 9 p.m.

Low Down Time is a lot like driving around just for the hell of it. There’s no destination, no complexity – just a ride, and you might be feeling like shit, but at least you’ve got a buddy and a drink at the end of it. Like its predecessors, the record is a mess of sonic colors – the love child of soul divas, some vaudeville actors, country barflies, rockers, rollers, swingers and those gypsies that stole everything from your car. But Buffalo Clover manages to string together the acts in this variety show, namely with a songwriting prowess that takes an interest in tales of woe and wanderlust.

On opener “Can’t Stand Still,” Margo Price spouts the archaic convention: “Women ain’t supposed to ramble/women ain’t supposed to drink,” then shrugs it off in favor of romantic speculations of finding rambling men to be with and stallions to ride. Low Down Time extends an invitation to the rambling types in a number of ways – when the band recalls the folky spirit present on their previous recordings, or when Price lays out her deal, then begs, “Tell me you aren’t the same” on “Cure Me.”

Buffalo Clover can swing country and blues jaunts (“Oklahoma,” “Saint Cathleen”) just as well as they can play the ragged and lonely card, like on the lovelorn drag, “Don’t Lie to Yourself,” whose cascading piano backdrop is fit for a western lounge act. “Nobody Cares” is another standout with guitars boiling down around Matt Gardner’s vocals, which take the lead to glowing female backup as they do on “Oklahoma.”

The record wanders into gaudy territory, like on the carnivalesque “Oh Well,” a brassy, kitschy number that could’ve been plucked from a trampy roadshow version of Grease. But anything goes. Maybe the complaints, stories and speculations of Low Down Time are genuine, or maybe it’s all just a big show, but it doesn’t matter either way. It’s a fun ride and a relatable one that can soundtrack roadside stops, short-lived trysts, low down time or just wandering around looking for something. – Jessica Pace

Buffalo Clover play the MusiCares benefit Sept. 10 at Exit/In’s 40th anniversary bash. Check out the video for “Saint Cathleen” here.

This little number is already a SPIN favorite – a two-minute, highly melodic punk anthem from Diarrhea Planet‘s upcoming Loose Jewels, out September 20 on Infinity Cat. Download it now and prepare to be bombarded with a wave of heavy bass and ripping guitars.

Nashville’s favorite family band is off to the west coast with Gomez this coming month, so The Deli caught up with leading lady Kelsey Kopecky for a brief chat. Interview by Katherine Heriges.

We think it’s worth mentioning that time’s a-runnin’ out to enter the JEFF the Brotherhood album contest. You have til midnight Aug. 31 to buy a copy of We Are the Champions, on CD or vinyl (though you oughtta have one already), which will automatically enter you in the contest. First prize is the sold-out JEFF deck plus the Equilibrium Backpack packed with a crapload of stuff (see above). Second prize gets you the backpack with Volcom products and they’ve cooked up a third prize as well. Enter/purchase the record here.

Some of our favorite rock ‘n’ rollers are playing 12th and Porter Thursday night. Modoc’s Zeppelin-Petty crunch has been scarce in Nashville lately because they’ve been working on a new record, the first since 2008’s Passive Aggressive EP. That thing is awesome, but it’s getting fuckin’ dusty, so here’s to the upcoming release of Hard Times (it was reportedly finished this month…). Stay tuned. And go to the show. And you can still download the title track from Hard Times for free right here.

Here’s another killer video to put in your book – The Dirt Daubers‘ "Wake Up, Sinners," the title track from their upcoming record, out Sept. 13 via Colonel Knowledge. This song is like Aristocats music if they met some hillbilly kitties. Love it.