rock journalism Archives - Page 4 of 25

I remember the day I sat down to listen to the album. I was outside in the freakishly warm Nashville weather. It was December after all. The sun was bright. You would’ve sworn it was Gemini Summer, not end of the pole Sagittarius Winter. I was walking my dogs down a median field near our apartment subdivision. A Sacred ground full of Sacred Trees. My own Nashvillian “Freaky Wilderness.” (Fun Fact: This Land is considered Sacred and Protected by the City/State. It is preserved to avoid building more stupid, tall and skinny, unaffordable, and cheaply crafted “housing.” I have a few Tree Spirits here. Two of which deceased during the Nashville Ice Storm of 2026. May they RIP. However, Blanche is still standing strong!) The Entire Album is beautifully entrancing. I told Michael I envision myself walking down the street to the beat on a half gram of mushies. For those squares out there, a joint is just fine too.

FEATURED MUSIC NEWS

May 21, 2026 Melinoe Macaria Mourningstar

Forrest Frank- “Your Way’s Better” A Christian Artist Spotlight for Felicity

It is not my job to project myself onto anyone. I do express myself vibrantly proud. I am not ashamed of myself, nor how I choose to express myself. Something I have battled with. I have been ridiculed most of my life for who I am and how I choose to be. I do not want anyone else to feel the same sorrow I have felt in the past. To question oneself is an indescribable pain. A pain particularly inflicted upon others by Christians. A pain my Christian Family, Country and Globe continues to inflict upon me to this day. In fact, I can dread sharing my thoughts out of anxiety that it may inflict a negative feeling onto someone else. I hate the thought that my perception, my feelings and my life could trigger such outrage in another being. An outrage so vastly intense that it wishes to diminish my right to exist. It wishes to exile me (and others) out of the tribe. Starve us of love and belonging. All for the Sin of being different. The Sin of Defining God/The Universe/The Divine for oneself. Yet, I shall bravely persevere in presenting this article to you all.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

May 20, 2026 Jason Shrum

The Criticals, Lombardy and Bad Bad Luck at Skinny Dennis was a legendary Monday!

Monday evening was elevated to a whole new level thanks to RockNite.Nash and Skinny Dennis in Nashville. Along with curator, and guitar Goddess, Grace Bowers, they put on a banger of a FREE show, and it was exactly what we needed on a school night. Three stupefying bands raged the stage with a bewildering showcase that had the crowd moving in both chaos and tandem. There was crowd surfing, moshing and a meshing of community that found the perfect home for folks to let off some steam. Thank you to everyone that made this show happen. What a joyous occasion. Thirsty Thursdays have their place. Taco Tuesday can be pretty great. However, Mosh Pit Monday was exactly what I needed before the work week officially got hectic. The Criticals,Lombardy Band and Bad Bad Luck put on a stupendous show at Skinny Dennis and I was right up front to soak it all in and I feel great for saying YES! to a weekday show.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

May 11, 2026 Jason Shrum

Toadies on tour with a New Album after Nearly a Decade

The current tour is built around a new album called The Charmer. It was released on May 1, 2026, via Spaceflight Records, and it is their first full-length studio release in nearly a decade. Produced by the late Steve Albini in 2024, the 13-track album features a raw, fast-paced sound born from “pandemic-era introspection”. Frontman Vaden Lewis had said in a statement, “This album has been a long time in the works, and it’s such a joy to see it come together, we went back to basics for this session: all analogue, live takes, high energy.” Drummer Mark Reznicek added, “I’ve been a fan of Steve Albini’s since I first heard the albums he recorded with the Pixies and PJ Harvey, so being able to record with him is really a dream come true. In fact, when we first signed with a major label, they asked us who we would like to work with and we all said “Albini!” Well, for whatever reason, the label didn’t go for it. And now 30 years later, it finally happened!”

B Sides LIVE REVIEWS MUSIC NEWS

May 6, 2026 Jason Shrum

Music City Madness, Dee’s Lounge & Everything Local | Vendors, musicians & community came together to create a space filled with harmony

This month’s event was hosted by Dee’s Lounge in Madison, Tennessee. Owner, Amy Dee says of her place, “I couldn’t find a classic country venue around Nashville when I moved here, so I opened one”. Since 2016 it has grown to so much more than just a hub for country music, as the venue host all types of genres with just three simple rules: Pay Your Tab, Don’t Be an Asshole and You Must be 21 to Enter. It remains a classic “dive-bar” with lovely locals and a fantastic staff that want to make your experience a great one. The decor is straight out of the 1970’s (think Urban Cowboy) and you feel like you’vefound a second home when you walk through the doors. Not only is there a space to play music inside with nice sound quality, but there is a space out back with a large stage and plenty of seating and room for dancing on those sunny days. This was one of those days.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

May 2, 2026 Jason Shrum

Rock and Roll in East Nashville

If you are looking for some good old rock and roll music in Nashville, then The Cobra on the east side of town is definitely a spot that you’re going to want to check out. The Cobra is a great venue to hear anything from punk to country and everything in between. They have a kick ass staff, and the smaller space creates great sound and a stellar vibe. The show we are talking about now fell right into that classic sound with three artists lending something, each a little different. The bill on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, was Leilani Kilgore, Catchfire and Cordell Winter.

ALBUM REVIEWS B Sides MUSIC NEWS

April 27, 2026 Jason Shrum

The Weird Sisters Have a New Single Out

When you see them play live, it is a cavalcade of foot pedals and knobs turning, all while playing their instruments and singing melodic harmonies that match the tonality of lasers and humming spaceships. They are wildly mesmerizing and talented as all get out. So, when a new song comes from the depths of the minds from this dynamic duo, you know that the work has been put in and sonically it will be different from anything you typically hear in the mainstream.