Reality Something

One of the most common questions we get when meeting fans of the site, “What are you listening to right now?” Honestly, that question is hard sometimes. With an email inbox that literally explodes every day of the week. It is hard to pin down and spend a ton of time with new music. But, every now and then, we get a submission that perks the shit out of our ears, has us pinging other writers to ask if they have heard it, and generally makes what we do rewarding. Today, if asked, that answer would be easy – Reality Something. The alternative power pop outfit are fronted by Elena Franklin, and feature Adam Swafford on drums and bass and former Turbo Fruits guitar slinger Kingsley Brock.

Have a listen to their debut self titled EP below to get in the know, and make sure you mark your calendar for Dec. 1, when we have them confirmed to play our Acme Feed & Seed showcase. - No Country for New Nashville

Trusting even your best friend with your favorite toys was always a tough call. Eventually, you learned to share, but there was always a little hesitation as your mind raced with visions of that GameBoy you waited soooo long for slipping out of their hand and smashing into a million pieces.

"I'm afraid you're gonna break it" isn't the easiest admission to make, whether you're talking about your Ghostbusters action figures or your heart. That tension is at the heart of "Break It," the new single from Reality Something, which we're very pleased to premiere.

The group began as a vehicle for frontwoman Elena Franklin and former Turbo Fruits guitarist Kingsley Brock's richly melodic, alt-rock-flavored tunes. Now that Ethan Place and Bill Grasley have joined the fold, they're at work on a full-length with Brock engineering and producing. "Break It" is our first taste of that effort, and you can give it a spin after the jump. - The Nashville Scene

What's that? You love flannel, Doc Martens and cut-and-paste zines? And your heart has been yearning for a local female-fronted acid soft grunge band? Dude, us too, and we've found everything we wanted and more in pastel punk rockers Reality Something.

Keeping it raw, the Nashville three-piece puts their own spin on 90s rock with head-noddable rhythms, growling guitar and tender vocals. And with a debut EP this strong, we can only imagine what's next.

Check out the EP below, and catch Reality Something live 12.1 at ACME for No Country for New Nashville's showcase. - The Deli Magazine

Reality Something are one of our favorite new Nashville bands of the past year, and their 5 song self-titled debut was a piece of grunge-rock beauty. The band is back and has just dropped a new single titled “Break It” with a slightly modified lineup. They are still fronted by Elena Franklin and guitarist Kingsley Brock, but they brought in Bill Grasley and Ethan Place on bass and drums, respectively, for the new track. This is the first single from an upcoming full length, for which Brock is helming the production and recording duties. Head below to get a taste of one of the brightest torch bearers in the local rock scene. - No Country for New Nashville

One question many artists have been openly discussing since the election is how they can contribute, especially when all signs point to an ever-more hostile environment for them in the incoming administration. At the same time, the incoming administration is hostile to... a lot! So it seems like a good idea for all of us, not just artists, to diversify our resistance portfolios, so to speak.

Nashville rock band Reality Something decided the best way to use their resources is to donate all proceeds from their new song to Planned Parenthood. It’s a thematically resonant gesture since the single in question, “Bail,” is included on tonight’s soundtrack for MTV’s new feminist show, Sweet/Vicious, about two young women in college who act as masked vigilantes seeking revenge on perpetrators of sexual assault. In conjunction with the announcement, the band released a strong statement in support of Planned Parenthood, pointing out that the organization’s services are vast and vital:

We need to get the message out anyway we can that women’s health does not just = “abortions.” It is SO much more complex than that. Unfortunately so much of women’s health and sexual health in general is closeted already and if Planned Parenthood didn’t exist there would be a lot of very depressed and confused (not to mention sick) people feeling very alone with nowhere to turn. Cancer screenings and prevention, HIV/STD testing and treatment, contraception, prenatal care, pap tests, vaccinations, are just a few of the services offered. Care no matter what.
Like Sweet/Vicious, the spirit of “Bail” is a bit of a bait-and-switch; singer Elena Franklin’s soprano has the immediate and visceral sense of being airy and pure, but her lyrics bite and, at certain moments, she lets her tone sharpen, too. In the spirit of some of the best ‘90s alt, there’s a tension between her major-key chorus and the way the guitars (Kingsley Brock, Grasley) drift into minor riffs; it’s familiar and haunting in both its sound and its angst. Can relate! - Jezebel