Westbound Train - "Slippery Slope"

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Boston's Westbound Train have been at it since 2001, and the ska/soul band are back with new music. "Slippery Slope" is as chill as ska can be, and Obi Fernandez's vocals are as much the focus as the horns (which is very rare in this genre). It's the infusion of soul into the music that keeps Westbound Train standing apart from their peers. Even if you never went through a ska phase or feel you've outgrown the genre, "Slippery Slope" is going to appeal to you. It's been said that Riot Fest is the Warped Tour for people with mortgages and kids. In that case, Westbound Train are the same for ska.

Obi Fernandez says of the band's new single:

“‘Slippery Slope’ is a reminder to keep showing up, even when life feels heavy. The truth is, it’s sweeter when we’re fully here—alive, aware, and present in the moment we’ve been given. We all wrestle with doubt and insecurity; none of us are alone in it. There’s a whole lot of us out here just trying to hold on, find our footing, and keep moving forward together.”

You can listen to "Slippery Slope" below. Sing the Ghost Away is due out November 7 on Org Music, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Westbound Train, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

On Repeat...

The New Limits - "Normal Day"

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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...
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The Beths - "Mother, Pray for Me"

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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....
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Brennen Leigh - "Dumpster Diving"

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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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