Tag Archives: country

LISTEN: Hannah Geiser Enters the Chat with ‘Exit Sign’

At the top of 2024, we were introduced to Hannah Geiser, who we caught performing at Live Oak Nashville during the first Native Manor Heavy Hitters lineup of the year.

Fast forward a few months later, and the world has now been introduced to Hannah by way of her blistering debut single, “Exit Sign.”

“I do my best thinking and songwriting while driving, and have nothing else to worry about except what’s in front of me,” Geiser said. “I was on a solo roadtrip and kept seeing all these exit signs and thought to myself, “It’s the sign to go. It’s the sign to leave, and it sometimes comes when you least expected it.” I knew there was a story to be told, so I wrote it down in my “hookbook.” A couple weeks later, I had a write with my good friend Allie Roar and pitched the idea to her. We wrote it in one sitting, and the song grew into what is now my debut single!”

“Exit Sign” is a summer scorcher. Instrumentally, the guitar-heavy tune draws inspiration from modern-day greats like Chris Stapleton and Marcus King. Meanwhile, Geiser’s vocal is timeless in its essence, providing a stirring fusion of country, rock, and soul that gives this newcomer significant standout appeal.

UMC20: The Best of March 2024

What a stacked month!

Between the 20 songs that comprise the UMC20 Best of March 2024, and the two latest, completely epic episodes of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn, our end-of-month compilation contains nearly three-and-a-half hours of listening enjoyment!

Get it while it’s here. Next Wednesday, we’ll drop the first all-new UMC of April. Soak up the memories from the month that has been!

Track listing
Bootsy Collins ft. Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and Dave Stewart – The Influencers
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Adam Paddock – Sweet Ohio Light
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Cardiac Half – Gloom
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
The Minimum Wage – Everyone Is
Pepperwood – Drowning
The Ghost Club – If I Fell (Don’t Wait Here For Me)
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Kat & Zach – Winter Flower
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well
Rome – Forever

UMC20: We Do This on Wednesdays Now (Mar. 20, 2024)

The official Wednesday debut of UMC20 gets off a funktastic start!

Yes, we happened across the latest masterpiece from Bootsy Collins in our inbox this week. Throw Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and The Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart into the mix, and we knew we had to lead off with this one!

From there, this turbo-powered artist lineup brings you the variety you’ve come to expect around here. From established artists to up-and-comers, and from Nashville locals to international flavors, no stone is left unturned this week.

Track listing
Bootsy Collins ft. Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and Dave Stewart – The Influencers
ARREIS – Straight to Hell
Alexis Donn – I Love My Birthday
Lord Goldie ft. Kyd Dynomyte & Lil Lac – Back Down
Foundation Mecca – Tribal Love
Baurkli – Growing Pains
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Adam Paddock – Sweet Ohio Light
Bryan Howell – Like Summer Thunder
The Minimum Wage – Everyone Is
Pepperwood – Drowning
The Ghost Club – If I Fell (Don’t Wait Here For Me)
Andrea von Kampen – Such Love Does
Maddie Zahm – little me
Fie Eike – Sad
Medium Build – Knowing U Exist
Tucker Woods – Somersault
Max McNown – Turned Into Missing You
Josh Fortenbery – Bored to Death
Tenille Townes – Thing That Brought Me Here (Truck Song)

UMC20: A Day Late, Worth the Wait (Mar. 13, 2024)

Let’s just blame the lateness of this week’s UMC20 on the fever pitch preparation going into our NashLive! event on March 23, featuring Alexis Donn, The Healers, and ARREIS.

In fact, those are the artists who begin this week’s edition of UMC20. From there, we’ve got a healthy heap of Americana, followed by various styles of rock, from the straightforward to the experimental.

Track listing
Alexis Donn – Witch Wound
Foundation Mecca – Healer Instinct
Lord Goldie ft. Antjuan Johnson – Hold On
ARREIS – Five More Minutes
Rome – Forever
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Pug Johnson – One Hand on My Whiskey
Caitlin Cannon – The Alchemist
Kat & Zach – Winter Flowers
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
Amistat – seasons
Beharie – Desire
Max Blansjaar – Anna Madonna
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
Sun Atoms – Tower of Song
Tell My Sons – Nothing Left to Say
The Fever Haze – I Love it Here
Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards – So Much Better
SMILEZ – Self Sabotage

WATCH: Caitlin Cannon’s ‘The Alchemist’ Dazzles Us with Melancholy

Photo credit: Indi Pattinson

Our minds can trick us into seeing things that aren’t present in reality. Sometimes, it’s love.

With that, we invite you to dive into the sweet melancholy that is Caitlin Cannon’s “The Alchemist.” On this tender, cinematic Americana ballad, we find that Cannon has mastered the art of self-deception, as she comes to terms with the notion that she has held out for a love unrequited.

Sonically, “The Alchemist” is rooted in wistful country tradition, with nuanced instrumental layers that add emotional depth to the soundscape. In particular, Eddy Dunlap’s moving pedal steel tones illustrate the pain that comes with realizing that the love you feel for a person is not be reflected back, while Ryan Keith’s lush keyboard arrangement conjures a fascination with the dynamics of human relationships.

Check out the video — filmed by Misa Arriaga and Jace Kartye at Music City Studio B — below!

UMC20: Charging in Like a Lion (Mar. 5, 2024)

Hyperpop? We’ve got it. Soulful hip hop? Yep. Americana and rock? Check and check. We even lead off with a new, disco-inspired cut.

Every week, we task ourselves with the responsibility of providing 20 fresh, interesting new tracks. Thanks to you, our job is never too difficult. These tasty jams — plus not one, but TWO episodes of our Official Podcast — should keep your ears, hearts, and minds satisfied all week long.

Track listing
Helena Hallberg – Surprisingly Disco
Titans of Siren – Daytrip
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Rose Starring – Violently Sad
Cardiac Half – Gloom
The Trampoline Delay – Excuses Excuses
Alisa Amador ft. Quinn Christopherson – I Need to Believe
Sam Gyllenhaal Band – Mary Does (Acoustic)
Sarah Gargano – Red Solo Cup
The Atomic Age – Heart
Sarah Free – Sober
Laney Jones – Stay at Home
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Patrick Davis – Southern Roots
Brother Dege – Turn of the Screw
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well

UMC20: The Best of February 2024

It makes sense that, in a year where February gives us an extra day, that we have a surplus of HEAT from which to choose as we compile the UMC Best of February playlist.

And so, even in a short month, it leaves us with some tough cuts to make. As you always do, independent artists of Earth, you brought your best to us this month. Here’s what we’ve got to show for it as a result!

Track listing
Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Jordyn Tareaz – Again
Malcolm DeWayne – Amethyst Nights
Lord Goldie – On da Line
Foundation Mecca ft. Ari Shavon – TKO
Spence Brown – 2024
Gangstagrass ft. Jerry Douglas – The Only Way Out is Through
Laura Mustard – Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts
The Steel Wheels – Sideways
Josh Fortenbery – Heirlooms
Ty Warner ft. Olivia Frances – This is Not Goodbye
Sarina Haggarty – Lipstick to Myself
Parker Barrow – Back to Birmingham
The Wandering Hearts – Letter to Myself
Aaron Lee Tasjan – The Drugs Did Me
Fuchsia – Backseat Blues
The Mad Sugars ft. Monte Mader – Dare Me
Olive Dares the Darkness – Not My Fault
Jasce – River
EMMI IIDA ft. Peachkit – Higher Self

LISTEN: The Kentucky Gentlemen Channel Dolly on ‘Beg Your Parton’

Photo credit: Kate McNaney

Twin brothers The Kentucky Gentlemen share a reverance for country music, and a penchant for expressing that love with their own unique flair.

Now… who does that sound like?

These Gentlemen channel the one and only Dolly Parton on their new single, “Beg Your Parton,” as a way of expressing the important role the universally-beloved Queen of Country has always played in shaping their artistic journey.

“Her remarkable career has been a constant source of inspiration and blueprint for us. Watching her has taught us to unapologetically embrace our own unique style and voices,” they said. “Over the years, whenever folks hint at us as being a little over the top, the two of us started joking saying to each other ‘I Beg Your Parton?,’ and after a while that phrase started to serve as a reminder to keep going and doing our thing, no matter the obstacle or whispers we may hear.”

They continued, “Her infectious positivity has shown us the power of perseverance and the importance of staying true to who we are, regardless of others’ expectations. We are forever grateful for the inspiration that she has provided, and the lessons she has taught us along the way.”

The up-tempo pop country single begins with a progression reminiscent of Parton’s 1973 mega-hit, “Jolene.” From there, this 2 1/2-minute romp features several lyrical nods to some of Dolly’s most iconic moments, musically or otherwise. In the process, The Kentucky Gentlemen showcase their own tenacity, as they fearlessly continue to blaze their own trail across the Americana landscape.

UMC20: Fall in Love with These Tracks (Feb. 13, 2024)

There’s a lot to love about UMC20 every week. But, with warm and fuzzy feelings in the air for those who celebrate Valentine’s Day, that sentiment feels even stronger today.

This is a powerful, dynamic lineup of songs, featuring styles across the musical spectrum. We start with rock, give you a heapin’ helpin’ of Americana in the middle, and then progress to pop, R&B, and hip hop to round it out.

Also, we have not one, but TWO bonus tracks: We just announced that we’re going to two weekly episodes of The Quinn Spinn this week, and our two latest interviews are included at the bottom of the playlist!

Track listing
Olive Dares the Darkness – Not My Fault
The Mad Sugars ft. Monte Mader – Dare Me
Fame & Fiction – Knuckles
Sugadaisy – Slip n Fall
Cole Gallagher – Lost Sounds
Ben Carr – Seventeen
The Wandering Hearts – Letter to Myself
The Dead South – Yours To Keep
Moonsville Collective – Helen Highway
The HawtThorns – Nothing But A Shadow
Tyler Ramsey – New Lost Ages
The Steel Wheels – Sideways
Laura Mustard – Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts
Spencer LaJoye – Someday You’ll Wake Up Okay
Sabrina Song – Okay, Okay
Jordyn Tareaz – Again
Jetta – sticky ickyKuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Foundation Mecca – Felt Like This
RAHMAT ALLAHGXDMC – Rain

PHOTOS: Native Manor Heavy Hitters at 6th & Peabody

Have you ever been to a writers round where everyone, across the board, was really, really good? We have!

OK, that statement can apply quite a few times over throughout UMC history. However, the most recent example took place this past Wednesday at 6th & Peabody in Nashville, where Native Manor hosted the February edition of their Heavy Hitters round.

We caught (and captured) most of the night. Of course, there was no shortage of country, but this eclectic lineup featured a couple different shades of pop, and even some Latin and worship music.

Below, you’ll find a lineup breakdown, in case you’re looking for some new artists to check out. All of the artists are also tagged in this Instagram post.

6:30 p.m.: Keifer Wiley, Clayton Shay, The Dryes
7:30 p.m.: Noah West, April Kry, Ben Fuller, Noah Sotillo
8:30 p.m.: Sarah Darling, Jimencio, Trevor Martin, Kayley Bishop
9:30 p.m.: Mark Addison Chandler, Rebecca Brunner, AJ Gatio

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