An album where both the lyric and performance find honesty is a gem. May I introduce you to Andrew Combs recent LP, "All These Dreams."

Think David Gray with Texas country-folk roots, soft-spoken and strummed, well-versed and mature. Combs poetry neither plunges too dark nor tries too hard. His melodies and arrangements offer pop sensibility for repeat listening, without ever being pop. Even the most soul-searching of tracks carry enjoyable serenity, with space to reflect all the same if you wish.

No song screams single, but all songs yell craft. In the land of singles we call that an album. In this case, the kind where the artist writes first for himself, with no one to please, and nothing to prove. Just damn good songwriting.

Singles are a modern obsession, anyway. Take a sundown drive with "All These Dreams," then thank me for the introduction. -Ben Neumann

"All These Dreams" was release March 3, 2015 through Coin Records.

www.andrewcombsmusic.com

Tonight Road To Bonnaroo returns to the Mercy Lounge with round two of their three-round competition that will send three local acts to-- you guessed it-- Bonnaroo this summer. Alanna Royale beat out the competition in the first installment, and tonight eight new acts will take the stage to perform for their chance to be the round two champions. The lineup includes:

Andrew Combs
Blackfoot Gypsies
Hanzelle
Little Bandit
Ranch Ghost
Ravello
Shannon LaBrie
Vinyl Thief

Doors are at 9, and entry is free, but the venue will fill up fast, so get in line early (and bring a coat) so you can cast your vote at the end of the night for your favorite band.

There’s a ton of great stuff coming up this Friday that we’d like to see (including Honey Locust’s EP release at The High Watt, The Jompson Brothers and Modoc at 12th & Porter and Andrew Combs at The Basement), but this is a must: Culture Cringe, a Murfreesboro media outlet that emulates Third Man Records in that it releases local artists’ projects, including music and film, in really badass ways, is celebrating their first release at 3 Brothers in Murfreesboro. It’s the film “Girls Night Out,” which has already made an appearance at The 5 Spot and is styled after the ’80s slasher genre. Though it won’t be screened at 3 Brothers since it’s an all-ages event, it will be sold – on VHS. Copies are limited, blood red copies even more so, so get there early and expect giveaways and weird stuff. Kelly Kerr & the Distractions and Epic Ditch will be playing. 8 p.m.

Click here to see a Murfreesboro Pulse interview with three of the four faces of Culture Cringe and find out more about the film, the release and what these guys do.

I like how it’s not such a shock anymore to find good country music nowadays, speaking in this case about Andrew Combs’ new 7,” Big Bad Love (physical release May 8, 2012). “Take It From Me” is lulling and warm, brightening with organ and steel, and softening with Combs’ vocals, which don’t have the sunny, almost sour, twang of lots of country artists. Rather, his just have a grey southern lilt, and the song is reminiscent of one of Ryan Adams’ lovely, defeated let-down tunes. The title track bites harder with blues groove dug out with some rough, grated guitar parts and a feather dusting of percussion shaken over it. “Feels like getting off some mean old drug/Coming down off of big bad love.” Stream both tracks below. Combs is currently on tour with Jonny Corndawg and will be back in Nashville May 11 at The Basement. – Jessica Pace

Big Bad Love 7" by coinrecords