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
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
Photo by Annabel Kean For their latest single, New Zealand's The Beths have released "Mother, Pray for Me." This is a heartbreaking ballad consisting of Elizabeth Stokes' vocals and guitar with just the slightest hint of organ. It's a deeply personal song for Stokes, made obvious with how intimately the song comes across. It truly feels almost confessional, and it's quite simply beautiful. The Beths are most known for huge little indie rock gems perfect for bopping along to, but "Mother, Pray for Me" is quite the opposite. Stokes' vocals and lyrics are right up front on this one, and I can't imagine it any other way. Elizabeth Stokes says of her latest single: “I cried the whole time writing it. It's not really about my mother, it's about me — what I hope our relationship is, what I think it is, what it maybe actually is, and what I can or can't expect out of it. “My mother is a first gen Indonesian immigrant, and very Catholic....
Photo by Cecil Sykes Midnight Peg are an Edmonton, AB based band that are referred to as "madhouse punk." Their latest single, "Thirstland," is a just barely under control two minute burst of punk. You have guitar riffs that will make you think of At the Drive In, and somewhat spoken and yelled vocals which create a feeling of chaos throughout. This is a loud and angry track that is completely in your face. But, unlike most tracks this loud and punk based, "Thirstland" still keeps a sense of art in their music. Midnight Peg feel like a higher class of loud, angry punk rock. This one is great, with just enough of an emo undercurrent to make the song kind of melodic and almost palatable to a mainstream audience. You can listen to "Thirstland" below. Skinning is due out in October on Thousand Island Records. For more on Midnight Peg, check out the artist's website .
