LEO Weekly has Spotify playlists for each Listen Local column featuring selected tracks from each reviewed release. Check them out here!
Gabe Close
“Break Your Heart” – single
gabeclose.com
Louisville singer/songwriter Gabe Close has never been shy about wearing his influences on his sleeve. Throughout his career, he has drawn inspiration from legendary storytellers such as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, and Ryan Adams, while consistently crafting songs that feel personal and relatable rather than derivative. His latest single, “Break Your Heart,” is no different, showcasing the strengths of a veteran songwriter who knows exactly what kind of song he wants to write and how to make it connect.
Recorded with Mike Baker at DSL Studios and tracked live as a full band, “Break Your Heart” possesses an organic, lived-in quality that immediately sets it apart from the increasingly polished and overproduced world of modern Americana. Featuring Dennis Ledford (Nervous Melvin) on guitar, Tom Tompkins (Starbilly) on drums, Ben Whitaker on bass, and harmonies from fellow Louisville musician Nick Peay, the track feels like the product of a group of seasoned musicians simply locking into a groove and letting the song do the talking.
Musically, “Break Your Heart” lands somewhere between heartland rock, Americana, and roots-driven singer/songwriter territory. The arrangement is warm and inviting, built around rich guitar work and a steady rhythm section that allows Close’s vocals and lyrics to take center stage. There’s an honesty here that recalls artists like Tom Petty, Jason Isbell, and early Ryan Adams without ever sounding like an imitation of any of them.
“Break Your Heart” is another strong entry in Close’s catalog and a reminder that Louisville continues to produce some truly gifted songwriters.
Jane Doe & The Search Party
“I AM” – single
instagram.com/janedoeandthesearchparty
So when a band introduces their debut single with the line “produced and recorded by a kindly forest gnome for the price of 3 gooseberries and 6 forehead kisses,” you’ve got my attention!
Since the beginning back in the late 70s, the Louisville’s punk scene has always had a knack for producing bands that understand how to balance raw energy with memorable songwriting, and Jane Doe & The Search Party certainly seem to be poised to continue that tradition judging from their debut single “I AM.”
The band describes their sound as “Doom-Bop,” and oddly enough, it’s a pretty fitting description. “I AM” blends old-school punk rock attitude with a dirty, ‘90s garage rock backbone, all anchored by a groove that is impossible not to nod your head along with. Imagine if New Bomb Turks and Sloppy Seconds had a love child and you’re getting close to what Jane Doe & The Search Party are doing here.
What really makes the song work is rather than simply blasting through two minutes of breakneck punk, the band allows the track to breathe and build. Around the two-minute mark, the song drops into a stomping breakdown that really ties it all together and gives the listener yet another reason to hit repeat.
For a debut single, “I AM” is quite an impressive first statement! Louisville has no shortage of great punk bands, but Jane Doe & The Search Party already sound like they’ve carved out a unique sound for themselves. I’m definitely interested to hear where they take this “Doom-Bop” thing next.
doty&kinloch
Organum Anima – album
dotyandkinloch.bandcamp.com
One of the more exciting things about Louisville’s music scene is that talented musicians are constantly finding new ways to challenge themselves outside of the genres they are typically associated with. Such is the case with Organum Anima, the debut collaboration between keyboardist, synthesis, and former LEO Weekly intern Will Doty and saxophonist, clarinetist, and synthesist Amos Kinloch. The two musicians first met while studying in the University of Louisville’s jazz program, and their shared fascination with improvised ambient music ultimately led to this remarkably immersive release. Taking inspiration from Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra, and Endlessness by Nala Sinephro, Organum Anima lives in the space where jazz improvisation, ambient music, and electronic experimentation intersect.
What makes this album so compelling is its patience. Rather than relying on technical flash or complex arrangements, Doty and Kinloch allow these compositions to breathe and evolve naturally. Warm synthesizer drones, delicate keyboard passages, and Kinloch’s expressive saxophone and clarinet performances drift in and out of focus, creating an atmosphere that feels simultaneously meditative and exploratory.
For comparison, imagine the spiritual jazz explorations of Pharoah Sanders filtered through the ambient minimalism of Brian Eno and the cosmic textures of Sun Ra. Yet despite those influences, Organum Anima never feels derivative. Doty and Kinloch have created something distinctly their own.
This isn’t an album designed for passive listening. Put on a good pair of headphones, clear your mind of distractions, and let Organum Anima take you wherever it wants to go. Chances are, you’ll be glad you followed.
The EPBs
Aliens and Strangers – EP
https://www.instagram.com/the_epbs
Chris deRome seems incapable of staying in one musical lane for very long. Between his solo project Chenille oKeel, his work with his previous bands, and now three releases from The EPBs, the Louisville singer/songwriter has continually proven himself to be one of the more intriguing and unpredictable voices in the local scene. Thankfully, his partnership with former Valley guitarist Kevin Bois continues with the six-song Aliens and Strangers, and the duo once again demonstrate that sometimes less really is more.
As with previous EPBs releases, the music is stripped down to the bare minimum. There are no drums, keyboards, or other instruments to be found here, just Bois’ rich, warm acoustic guitar work and deRome’s distinctively unique, wonderfully odd but charming vocals. Yet despite the minimalist approach, these songs never feel as if they are lacking anything. Quite the opposite, really. The production is warm and inviting, allowing the listener to focus on what truly makes The EPBs special: deRome and Bois’ songwriting.
Lyrically, Aliens and Strangers covers a wide spectrum; from the introspective “House of Cards” to the delightfully strange “Someone Stole My Face,” throughout the EP, deRome’s words remain poetic, thoughtful, and endlessly fascinating.
Musically, the songs reside somewhere between singer/songwriter folk, roots rock, and blues, but like previous releases, simple genre labels only tell part of the story.
With Aliens and Strangers, The EPBs continue an impressive creative streak. DeRome and Bois have once again crafted a collection of songs that are easy to listen to, difficult to forget, and uniquely their own.
Cole Kidwell
World of Stone – album
colekidwell.com
As a former member of Americana cover band Corner Pocket, current member of the bluegrass band Still Unknown, his own solo band, and a regular at bluegrass jam sessions around town, Cole Kidwell is a familiar face to many in the Louisville music scene. With World of Stone, his debut album, Kidwell takes center stage, delivering a collection of songs rooted in heritage, storytelling, and a deep appreciation for the past.
Drawing inspiration from artists like John Hartford, John Prine, and the alt-country troubadours of the early 2000s, Kidwell explores themes of family, home, and the slow disappearance of old ways of life. Throughout the album, listeners encounter a cast of memorable characters and stories, many pulled from his personal life experiences. And Kidwell is quite the remarkable storyteller, painting vivid pictures of country life on each of his original compositions here; sometimes dark, sometimes whimsical, but always as heartwarming as they are heartbreaking.
Produced by Grammy Award winning engineer Justin Francis (Tyler Childers, Madison Cunningham, Town Mountain) and Folk Fights Back co-founder Rachel Baiman, World of Stone features an impressive lineup of musicians, including Francis, Baiman, George Jackson, Casey Campbell, and Philippe Bronchtein. The result is a rich blend of bluegrass, folk, old-time country, and Americana that feels steeped in tradition without becoming trapped by it.
What makes World of Stone most compelling, however, is Kidwell’s commitment to storytelling. These songs feel less like a collection of recordings and more like a preservation project for Kentucky voices, places, and traditions.
World of Stone is remarkably ambitious and deeply heartfelt. Cole Kidwell has crafted a record that honors the past while ensuring these stories continue to be heard.
Phil Medley and the Gently Used Band
Man in Tan – album
gentlyusedband.com
There’s something refreshing about a band that knows exactly who they are. Louisville’s Phil Medley and the Gently Used Band have embraced their self-described “post-alt-country” sound, blending classic country, honky-tonk, punk, alternative, and rock and roll into something uniquely their own. On their sophomore album, Man in Tan, the group sounds like a band fully comfortable in its own skin.
Featuring members with deep roots in Louisville’s alternative scene, (members/ex-members of Adventure, Reading, C+, Emily’s Garden, Gladstone, Solid Rock’it Boosters), the quartet wears its influences proudly while never sounding derivative of any artists or genres. Highlights such as the early Bob Dylan-esque opener “Nova ’83,” the early 60s rock ‘n’ roll stomp of “Right Where You Want Me,” the upbeat Americana of “Linda Ronstadt (Queen of LA),” the Rolling Stones with a distinct country flair sound of “Never the Bridesmaid (Always the Bride), and the bluesy classic country with a garage rock feel of album closer “If You Get Back Home (Before I Do)”.
What makes Man in Tan work so well is its sense of cohesion. Despite crossing the lines between styles, everything feels connected, as though these songs were always meant to live together. There’s a looseness and authenticity here that recalls the best bar bands – tight enough to nail the songs, but just rough enough around the edges to keep things interesting.
Man in Tan is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders, and Louisville’s alt-country scene is better for it.
Shane Spader
“Cumberland” and “Cherry Tomatoes” – singles
shanespader.bandcamp.com
You may know Shane Spader as the bassist for groove-rock power pop outfit Boa Boys, but with his debut solo album set for release in July, he’s proving there’s another side to his songwriting worth paying attention to. With the release of “Cumberland” and “Cherry Tomatoes,” Spader has offered two excellent previews of what I expect will be a warm and inviting record.
His debut single “Cumberland” is a blend of Americana, folk, soft rock, and classic country that perfectly captures the feeling of floating down the Cumberland River as summer fades into fall. While Spader himself handles most of the heavy lifting on this one, taking on guitar, bass, drums, keys, and vocals, the song’s easy-going, peaceful, laid-back feel is punctuated by collaborator Grant Snell’s pedal steel work, which gives it the perfect background ambiance. Beneath the picturesque imagery, however, is an exploration on how a person’s presence can linger on long after they’re gone
“Cherry Tomatoes” finds Spader taking a slightly different approach while maintaining that same laid-back charm. Inspired by a sweltering day at his landscaping and gardening job and the simple pleasure of eating fresh cherry tomatoes straight off the vine, the song is an ode to summer and life’s little joys. Musically, this is along the lines of late-60s folk-rock in the vein of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Country Joe & The Fish, and Cat Stevens, while a subtle touch of funk and modern sensibilities reminiscent of Fleet Foxes or Vance Joy keep it firmly rooted in the present.
Taken together, these two singles reveal a songwriter with a knack for atmosphere, melody, and finding beauty in everyday moments.
Spit City
“Tapes in the Truck” – single
linktr.ee/spitcityband
One of the things I appreciate most about Spit City is that they’ve never been interested in fitting neatly into any one genre. The Louisville trio has spent the last few years carving out their own niche with what they affectionately call “punkacana” – a blend of thoughtful singer-songwriter storytelling and punk rock energy that somehow manages to sound exactly like what they describe in their bio: “John Prine on lots of distortion, or Meatbodies with more twang.”
Their latest single, “Tapes in the Truck,” continues that tradition perfectly. Recorded and produced by Chyppe Crosby (Deady) at Makeout Mountain, the track is a fast-paced, high-energy blast of early 1980s punk infused with Americana and a hint of cow punk that immediately grabs the listener and refuses to let go. Fans of The Replacements, Lucero, Drive-By Truckers, and even early Social Distortion will find plenty to love here.
On the surface, “Tapes in the Truck” is a simple ode to cranking up loud music, driving around with someone special, and finding joy in life’s small moments. Dig a little deeper, however, and there’s considerably more going on. Sean Rose’s lyrics explore the idea of clinging to those fleeting moments of freedom and connection while navigating an increasingly anxious and uncertain world.
Musically, the band is firing on all cylinders. Rose’s earnest vocals, Paul Kupper’s driving bass work, and Michael “Pinker” Lichvar’s energetic drumming create the perfect foundation for the song’s fuzzy guitar assault. Crosby’s production captures the band’s live energy beautifully while maintaining enough clarity to let every hook land.
“Tapes in the Truck” is catchy, smart, and endlessly replayable. If this is any indication of what Spit City has coming next, you should be paying attention.
