Viruette - "SWAYA"

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Photo by Jimmy Del Ponte

Viruette have become one of the more interesting bands to come out of Boston in the last few years. Their latest single, "SWAYA," is a kind of jerky sounding punk that is also filled with melody and is surprisingly laid back. At times the song borders right on being a pop song, but it's just a little too unique and quirky for that. It's a perfect example of a song being both discordant and beautiful at the same time, with much of a beauty taking over throughout. "SWAYA" ends up being a fun, pretty, laid back, and undeniably dance friendly song. Seriously, you don't want to sleep on Viruette. They are quickly becoming a local favorite.

Frontman Harry Burgess says of the new single:

“It’s a song about being awed in the presence of arresting beauty, and the dynamic of perceiving it in the moment. We’ve tended to write songs about reckoning with the complexities of heightened moments - this one’s about luxuriating in one, playfully and reverently. After releasing our first record Your Lacuna we added Dan Wrona on guitar - I used the opportunity to write a record built around harmonizing guitar riffs, turning off the drive pedal and getting squeaky clean. SWAYA is the best exemplar of that approach on the record, so it was an obvious lead single."

You can watch the video for "SWAYA" below. MERIDIAN is due out in June. For more on Viruette, check out the band on Instagram. They'll be playing an album release show at Warehouse XI in Somerville on June 20.

On Repeat...

Liam Kazar - "Shoes Too Tight"

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Photo by Alexa Viscius This may be Liam Kazar's debut single, but the Chicago based musician already has an impressive resume, having worked with Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston, and others. "Shoes Too Tight" features childhood friend Spencer Tweedy on drums, Lane Beckstrom on bass, and Ohmme on vocals. It's an absurdly fun and groovy little song that is a party waiting to happen. What he gives us here is a timeless song that could truly have been released any time since the 1960's (ok... maybe not the 80's...) There are elements of classic rock, 60's crooners and R&B, indie rock, modern Americana... it's really just packed with everything in a cohesive song that maintains the vibe the entire way through. You can watch the video for "Shoes Too Tight" below. For more on Liam Kazar, check him out on Instagram and Twitter . He's also raising money on his Bandcamp for Constellation and The Hungry Brain. ...
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J Mascis - "See You At the Movies"

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Photo via Instagram Any time J Mascis releases new music will always be a big deal at If It's Too Loud... November will see the release of Elastic Days , his new solo album. Judging by the first single, "See You At the Movies," Elastic Days  will be exactly what we expect and want in a Mascis solo album. The first single is much prettier than Dinosaur Jr is. Mascis's solo work tends to be calmer and almost folky. "See You At the Movies" is exactly that, and is even almost orchestral in some places. You add in some of Mascis's guitar solos (a more tame version than Dino Jr's thunderous ones), and you've got a classic Mascis solo track. It's a typically great song, but at this point I'd like to see Mascis mix things up a bit. You can listen to "See You At the Movies" below. Elastic Days will be out November 9 on Sub Pop Records. There are some pretty reasonable pre-order bundles available, including a CD and t-shirt for $24....
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Izzy Heltai - "Father"

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Photo by Joanna Chattman I've been referring to Northampton, MA based Izzy Heltai's music as mainstream modern folk with just enough of a unique spin to keep it appealing to music snobs, too. His latest single, "Father," might be the perfect example of that. It's a quiet, deeply personal song that starts off painfully sparse but ever so slowly builds and builds as it goes on. It walks that line between accessible/mainstream and indie expertly.  You can watch the video for "Father" below. Father , the upcoming debut album from Izzy Heltai, will be out October 9. You can pre-order a copy here . For more on Izzy Heltai, check out the artist's website .
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