Styrofoam Winos — “Pearls”
Nashville trio Styrofoam Winos released their third album, Any River, on Dear Life Records this June. It’s the band’s first record made outside Nashville. Because they wanted a change of scenery, Lou Turner, Trevor Nikrant, and Joe Kenkel cut it in Louisville with Jim Marlowe behind the board. Opening track and lead single “Pearls” sets the tone for the whole record. It’s an easy, boogie-leaning groove that borrows its spirit from a Frank O’Hara poem about small, surprising things. So it’s a warm, unhurried way into a band that’s spent a decade earning its reputation the old-fashioned way. After all, hundreds of shows and constant instrument-swapping will do that. Meanwhile, their love for the room they’re playing in still comes through.
Drivin N Cryin — “Mirror Mirror” at Grimey’s, July 8
Nearly forty years into their run, Atlanta’s Drivin N Cryin swing through East Nashville this month. On Wednesday, July 8 at 4 PM, they’ll play a free, all-ages in-store performance and album signing at Grimey’s New & Preloved Music. It’s part of the tour behind their new record, Crushing Flowers. The album’s lead single, “Mirror Mirror,” features R.E.M.’s Peter Buck on guitar. Frontman Kevn Kinney wrote it about his mother’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease. So it’s a quieter, more personal turn for a band better known for barroom rock.
Gracie Abrams — “Look at My Life” / Daughter from Hell Release Day at Grimey’s, July 17
GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams releases her third studio album, Daughter from Hell, on July 17 via Interscope Records. To mark the day, Grimey’s is hosting an in-store listening event at noon. They’ll spin the record in the shop, with party favors and raffle tickets for a limited-edition Abrams lithograph. It’s free and all ages, but keep in mind: this is a listening event, not a live performance. Second single “Look at My Life” arrived in late June, written and produced with longtime collaborator Aaron Dessner. It leans into the self-reflection and pressure that come with a rapidly rising profile. Those themes gave the song its title, and the title of Abrams’ upcoming tour.
Hovvdy — “Try Try Try”
Nashville-based duo Hovvdy are counting down to August 14 and their sixth album, Big World, out via Arts & Crafts. Lead single “Try Try Try” trades the sprawling, diary-like vulnerability of 2024’s self-titled double LP for something tighter and more propulsive. It’s a deliberate move toward a shorter, punchier ride, after the emotional weight of the last record. So it’s a promising first look at a band that keeps finding new ways to sound like themselves.
Modest Mouse — “Third Side of the Moon”
A longtime live staple finally gets its studio release. Modest Mouse’s “Third Side of the Moon” appears on An Eraser and a Maze, the band’s first album in five years. It’s also their debut on frontman Isaac Brock’s own label, Glacial Pace, via Virgin Music Group. The record’s earlier singles leaned bright and driving, but this one pulls back into something sparse and contemplative. It’s built around Brock’s vocal and a heavy, atmospheric arrangement anchored by vintage Mellotron. So it’s a meditation on regret and memory that fans have been waiting on for two years.
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A curated pick by Planet Mars Music Editorial Staff and crafted with the help of AI