Critic's Pick: Total Wife

Experimental pop duo Total Wife is one of the more sonically adventurous groups currently making records in Nashville. Composer-guitarist Luna Kupper and lyricist-vocalist Ash Richter explore the intersection of melody and noise with an artfulness that is rare. “Melody is so important to us because it’s the way to reach people with the more experimental stuff,” Kupper tells the Scene. Earlier this month, Total Wife released come.back.down.x.recovery, a remix EP featuring reimaginings by Winter, Full Body 2, They Are Gutting a Body of Water and Scott Cortez of music from their 2025 breakout album, Come Back Down. Come Back Down is the duo’s third full-length record, following 2022’s A Blip and 2023’s In/Out. Kupper and Richter will bring their wall-of-noise sound to Drkmttr Collective Friday night, playing the middle set of a bill that will open with Nashville post-hardcore outfit Sour Tooth and conclude with Kansas shoegaze trio Flooding. They will be accompanied by guitarist Ryan Bigelow, bassist Will Shepherd and drummer Sean Booz. According to Richter, the group’s set will include some unreleased material. “It’s gonna be mostly new songs, and then a couple of the songs from Come Back Down.”

8 p.m. at Drkmttr

1111 Dickerson Pike