Homemade: Nashville
February 25, 2015
Courtesy of TripAdvisor.
Home of the Grand Ole Opry, Music Row and other legendary institutions, Nashville is known by many as Music City, U.S.A. As a city teeming with fresh talent, it’s overflowing with various labels, venues and artists, and while it may be known primarily for its country music, Nashville also has a vibrant community of rock artists ranging from indie to metal presently emerging into the spotlight.
Historically, Nashville has been a country music town, but in the 80s, it became a strong breeding ground for punk bands and underground venues. However, in that time period Nashville also suffered what is known as “The Nashville Curse” due to the fact that between the 80s band Jason and the Scorchers and Paramore’s Riot! in 2007, no rock band sold a million records. That curse has long been shattered with a slew of popular mainstream acts coming out of the city such as Paramore, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, and (after his move down from Detroit) Jack White.
To be fair, Nashville has so many talented bands that have recently entered the spotlight. To cover them all would take an obscene amount of time and there would be too many different genres to cover, so I picked the ones that I am a fan of. However, I encourage you all to check out various websites such as The Deli or simply Google “up and coming Nashville bands” for new artists because in a city so driven by music, the results are endless and there is literally something for everyone in this city.
Courtesy of Moon Taxi.
Despite none of the members being from the area, Moon Taxi has managed to create a loyal following for themselves over the years in Nashville. Formed originally as a jam band by classmates of Belmont University around 2006, what started as a fun project between college students has now evolved into a band facing national success, despite the changes to their musical style. Moon Taxi has released three studio efforts, but altered their sound to include more indie-electro sounding tracks on their sophomore album Cabaret. They continued this expansion on their third release Mountains Beaches Cities to create more elaborate, faster paced soundscapes. While the jam rock influences can be heard on tracks like “The New Black,” the faint synthesizers on tracks like “Running Wild” and “Juniper” demonstrate how the band has tinged their sound with aspects of indie and electronic genres. While Moon Taxi has retained the jam rock musical structures on their recent album, the addition of synthesizers and indie rock choruses have allowed them to expand their fan base and opened doors creatively to include aspects of other genres.
JEFF The Brotherhood
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Courtesy of Alternative Press.
Formed by the sons of famous Nashville producer/singer/songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall, JEFF the Brotherhood was formed by brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall (originally known as just JEFF) in high school as a two-piece rock band. Using earnings from other bands and side projects to finance this project, the Orrall brothers have played in several Nashville bands, including local favorite post-punk quartet Be Your Own Pet. Being a two-piece band, most of their songs primarily focus on heavy drumming and droning guitars, with singer Jake Orrall switching between shouting and moaning over the tracks. They were recently dropped by Warner Bros., but have released a statement on their website expressing that they we’re thrilled to be freed from the “clutches of the demented vulture that is Warner Bros!” Their upcoming album is now set to be released March 24 on Infinity Cat Records.
Diarrhea Planet
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Courtesy of Spin.
Sometimes it’s impossible to pack a band’s full potential into a 35-minute long, 6-inch piece of plastic (or in today’s case, iPod). Diarrhea Planet is one of those bands that you have to see live in order to experience fully. Drawing from classic rock bands such as AC/DC and The Rolling Stones, their fuzzy, infectious punk riffs border at times on melodious pop rock yet manage maintain a heavier sound throughout their album. Universally, I have heard from everyone I have asked that they are THE band to see play live, because their raw energy and force behind their instrumentation make for an unbelievably wild live show.
Turbo Fruits
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Courtesy of Mercy Lounge.
Formed out of the ashes of Nashville favorite Be Your Own Pet by guitarist Jonas Stein, Turbo Fruits are a garage rock band whose upcoming release No Control was produced by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys. Stein’s guitar parts are often the most prominent feature of Turbo Fruits’ songs, and for a good reason. Stein has an incredible amount of musical talent, yet knows when to hold back as to not show off. From their initial release Echo Kid to their recent single “The Way I Want You,” it’s easy to hear how Turbo Fruits have honed in on their music skills and matured to construct a solid yet explosive garage rock album.
Courtesy of Daily Unsigned.
Inspired by the music of rock legends such as Queen or Foo Fighters, The Kicks formed in 2008 after meeting in college to rapidly become a non-country fan favorite of Nashville. The band’s most recent album Tonight Changes Everything comes as a result of two independent releases and countless efforts poured into touring. Their album can easily have its roots traced back to the very bands that inspired The Kicks to make music; the tracks are filled with fuzzy guitar solos that equally match the high energy of the vocals. The Kicks want to spread their music to all corners of the U.S. and have been making sure to have a blast with their fans along the way.
Honorable Mentions: COIN // Nikki Lane // Those Darlins’ // Howling Giant // The Non-Commissioned Officers // Useless Eaters
