This week our interns went on a deep dive to find some of the best artists and bands you haven’t heard of yet. These are all artists we love, and we think you’ll love them too!
Katie’s Pick: “Shotgun Sun” – RV!
My pick for Underground week is “Shotgun Sun” by Nashville-based surf-rock band RV!
“Shotgun Sun” comes from the band’s first EP “Tourist Trap,” which came out this month. Eric Capps, Adam Krodel, Mitch Krueger and Jeff Toth started making music together during the summer of 2020.
I discovered RV! when they won Belmont University’s Battle of the Bands 2021. They immediately reminded me of one of my favorite bands Sun Room. With bouncing beachballs being thrown about the crowd and the best energy radiating from the band, I knew that I had to check this band out.
RV! ‘s slogan is the landlocked beach party. Their music is full of sunshine and good vibes, and as the weather gets colder…isn’t that what we need! You NEED to check RV! out.
Listen to “Shotgun Sun” by RV! below!
Mikayla’s Pick: “Madeline” – Poema
Some of my all-time favorite music comes from underground artists. My pick this week is “Madeline” by Poema. The band comprises sibling duo, Shealeen Louise Bishop and Elle Puckett. Although no longer an active band, Poema is still heavily rotated in my regular listening.
Shealeen was my piano teacher for three years at Roots Academy here in Nashville. They released their third EP, Pretty Speeches, in 2015, during the time I was taking lessons. The two are now following their individual artistic paths. Shealeen is currently a botanical artist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Elle is an LA-based guitarist and producer, having toured with big artists such as Maggie Rogers and Lorde.
“Madeline” is essentially about jealousy, envy, and sadness. It’s a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching scenario of becoming aware that your partner is in love with another person. Delicate vocals and broken lyrics are seamlessly paired with Elle’s gentle guitar picking and Shealeen’s despairing piano feature. The track is dismal and soothing all at once.
Michael’s Pick: “Weatherman” – The Downstreamers
A band of all Nashville natives that formed out of the local house show scene, The Downstreamers perfectly represent the underground of Music City. With songs that run the gamut from punk to singer-songwriter to country and back again, The Downstreamers ravenously consume every influence in their surroundings, creating an unforgettable fusion sound. Specifically, their single “Weatherman” off their first full-length studio album showcases the band at their most accessible.
Off the back of an endlessly evocative vocal performance, “Weatherman” tells a story in the way that only a great Americana tune can. Gritty country guitars punch through melodic bass lines as western fiddle licks soar overhead, setting the stage for a grand narrative. However, as the song moves into its final verses, the story falls apart, giving way to a brilliant stream-of-consciousness poem that carries the plot into the mysterious abyss.
