The latest single from Chicago's Ratboys is their most country song of all of their recent singles. One thing we've always loved about the band is how they meld indie rock with country, so "Morning Zoo" feels almost like a back to basics for them. Of course, Ratboys were never quite a country band, and this certainly isn't a straight up country song. It's on the edge of the mainstream side of indie rock with country influences and a slight twang. The guitar work in "Morning Zoo" will instantly suck you in, and Julia Steiner's vocals and lyrics will keep you enthralled.
Julia Steiner says of the new single:
“The lyrics are meant to express the frustration and confusion that comes along with hanging out at a personal crossroads, where every day feels the same and the same big questions keep nagging at you from the back of your head. It’s that small, lingering feeling of numb indecision, of pesky anxiety- like disassociating at a stop sign or weighing all your biggest hopes and fears while stuck behind the longest freight train you’ve ever seen.”
You can listen to "Morning Zoo" below. The Window is due out August 25 via Topshelf Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Ratboys, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.
Wed. Aug. 23 - Chicago, IL @ Big Kids - Listening Party Fri. Aug. 25 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern - SOLD OUT Thu. Sep. 21 - Champaign-Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Festival Fri. Sep. 22 - Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe * Sat. Sep. 23 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd * Tue. Sep. 26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s * Wed. Sep. 27 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom * Thu. Sep. 28 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall * Fri. Sep. 29 - Montreal, QC @ POP Montreal ^ Sat. Sep. 30 - Toronto, ON @ Monarch Tavern ^ Mon. Oct. 2 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Bottlerocket Social Hall * Tue. Oct. 3 - Cleveland, OH @ No Class * Wed. Oct. 4 - Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag * Fri. Oct. 6 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club * Sat. Oct. 7 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Back Room at Colectivo Coffee * Thu. Oct. 19 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb & Sat. Oct. 21 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall & Sun. Oct. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court & Tue. Oct. 24 - Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s & Wed. Oct. 25 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios & Fri. Oct. 27 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord & Sat. Oct. 28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Highland Park & Sun. Oct. 29 - San Diego, CA @ The Loft at UC San Diego & Mon. Oct. 30 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room & Tue. Oct. 31 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar & Thu. Nov. 2 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger & Fri. Nov. 3 - Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room & Garage & Sat. Nov. 4 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada & Mon. Nov. 13 Brighton, UK @ Zahara Wed. Nov. 15 Glasgow, UK @ Hug & Pint Thu. Nov. 16 Manchester, UK @ YES Basement Fri. Nov. 17. Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Sun. Nov. 19 London, UK @ Omeara Mon. Nov. 20 Paris, FR @ L’International Tue. Nov. 21 Antwerp, BE @ Bouckenborgh Wed. Nov. 22 Utrecht, NL @ Ekko Thu. Nov. 23 Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Fri. Nov. 24 Cologne, DE @ Yard Club Sat. Nov. 25 Hamburg, DE @ Nochtwache Sun. Nov. 26 Copenhagen, DK @ Vega Tue. Nov. 28 Berlin, DE @ Privatclub Thu. Nov. 30 Darmstadt, DE @ Oetinger Villa Fri. Dec. 22 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall • * =w/ Free Range & =w/ Another Michael ^ =w/ Ellis • =w/ Disq
Photo via Facebook According to their Bandcamp profile, The New Limits are a "Boston ska band with a taste for rocksteady, reggae, soul, and rock n roll." They just released a single that shows off their sound perfectly. "Normal Day" is a laid back ska song dripping with soul. You know that joke that goes around every few months saying that ska is the sound that plays in a twelve year old's head when they get an extra mozzarella stick? The New Limits are the grown up version of that sound. This is ska/rocksteady for adults. It's ultra chilled out music with some of the best horns in the city. Even if you haven't listened to ska since your youth, you need to check out "Normal Day." This might help re-open the entire genre to you. The New Limits say of their latest single: " What is normal, anyway? Some of us just want a nine-to-five. Others cry at the thought. 'Normal Day' has nothing to do with quarantine and lots to do with figuri...
Photo by Lyza Renee Brennen Leigh has quickly become a favorite of ours, with her take on a classic country sound with a slight sense of humor. Her latest single, "Dumpster Diving," which she describes as a "trashy little tune," is everything we love about the musician. It's a vintage style country song that comes in at a punk like one minute, forty-eight seconds. With a chorus of "Dumpster diving, this ain't gonna last / Dumpster diving, 'cause baby you like trash..." how can you possibly resist. Leigh's latest gives us a decades old sound with modern sensibilities and her fantastic voice that's tailor made for this genre of music. It's almost like a collaboration between Loretta Lynn and Shel Silverstein, and who doesn't want to hear that? You can hear "Dumpster Diving" below. Don't You Ever Give Up On Love is due out October 3 on Signature Sounds, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Brennen Leigh,...
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