This Little Underground

LOCAL RELEASES

Multi-instrumentalist Matthew Tonner has been well-known in Orlando music circles for years, though more as part of other acts like the 502s and Laney Jones. More recently, he’s been venturing out solo as simply Tonner, a project that’s definitely distinct from his previous ensemble work.

On his own, Tonner’s sound maps moody pop territory that leans more electronic and R&B, a format that spotlights the production and keyboard aspects of his wide musical repertoire. After debuting in 2020 with the eight-song Whispers in the Dark, this solo project is finally back with the fresh release of single “Suspense,” now streaming everywhere.

While Tonner returns here with an intimate ballad, it’s only the beginning of a salvo of singles scheduled to drop on the reg for the next several months. Those tracks — all done entirely by Tonner himself save for a sole guest production appearance by Sales’ Jordan Shih — will roll out as an unfurling procession of chill pop gloss stroked with svelte electronic R&B contours.

When Tonner first debuted back in 2020, his solo aesthetic felt exploratory. But from my advance peeks so far, expect this followup batch to reveal a marked evolution with deeper, more natural grooves. The culmination of these single releases will be an album that’s planned to be out by September.

Orlando trad-country combo the Oak Hill Drifters are keeping their current output high in pace and quality with another song release this Friday. Frontwoman Rachel Decker tells me that jubilant single “Shindig” — which is all about coming together again for a fête — was written when the pandemic appeared to show signs

Matthew Tonner is well-known in Orlando music circles as part of acts like the 502s and Laney Jones. Now he’s going solo again with an intimate ballad that’s only the first of a salvo of upcoming singles

of thawing. While that sentiment has proven a bit premature, the song’s an absolute swinger that’ll at least get you out of the reality rut for a few minutes. With some great bayou party flair via a star appearance by Beth McKee on accordion, this one will scoot boots and shake butts. “Shindig” streams everywhere on Feb. 11.

CONCERT PICKS THIS WEEK

OK, my bloody Valentines, shit’s still dicey out there so be both cool and careful with each other.

Terri Binion’s ‘South, Sideways and South Again: Stories, Songs and a Sense

of Place’: This Orlando Americana icon has been telling stories through song for many years. But recently, Binion’s been exploring it in a literary sense through short stories that she began writing at the outset of the pandemic. She debuted them last year in readings paired with songs at the Blue Bamboo, and proved that her expressive gift translates well as a writer and raconteur with evocative stories that are palpably personal and poetically human — the same qualities that make her music radiant. The response was enthusiastic. Now Binion returns, accompanied by Beth McKee, with a fresh set of stories and cover songs themed around the places she’s lived and the terroir they’ve imparted on her. Even for longtime Binion fans, this experience will be a revelation. (8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, $20)

Annie Hart, Tierney Tough, Sandman

Sleeps: NYC’s Annie Hart first rose in the indie world as a founding member of Au Revoir Simone. In recent years, she’s established a solo career with work that pushes electronic pop out to abstract and ambient realms. Having freshly debuted her first solo material outside of the Pauses, Orlando’s Tierney Tough is currently in the beginnings of her own high-profile emergence. Rounding out the bill will be South Florida indie-rock band Sandman Sleeps and local Pressurewave. (8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, Will’s Pub, $12-$15)

War & War Valentine’s Dance with

URL and Rudo: Local progressive lifestyle brand War & War hosts a lonelyhearts club dance for the modern-minded featuring live performances by fresh young Orlando voices. Having just released a debut EP in December, Matt Bullard’s URL brings the slinky soul of his R&B-infused bedroom pop. And Rudo of Orlando R&B rap act Poison Suede returns to the stage for the first time since COVID. Don’t half-step, do V-Day with style and color at this one. (7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14, The Social, free)

BY BAO LE-HUU

TONNER | PHOTO BY RHENN CAHOE