The Catburgers - "The First Day of Spring"

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The Catburgers were a band from Edinburgh, Scotland that lasted from 1985 to 1990. They recorded an album, but it was never released. That changes on September 25 when Slumberland releases Galashiels. The first single from the album, "The First Day of Spring," is a perfect slice of 1980's indie pop, or what would have been called college rock back then. It's a bouncy track that's both melodic and slightly discordant. This is the kind of music that lead to Belle & Sebastian and The Sundays, and is going to inject you with nostalgia even if you've never heard of The Catburgers before. If you have a love for fuzzy indie pop of the late 80's/early 90's, "The First Day of Spring" is going to be perfect for you.

The band says of their "new" single:

"Dave, our new guitarist, has described this as the most complicated 2 minute 15 second song he has ever had to learn! Stuart and I went through a period of working up bits of songs and then pasting them together. I think this is an example of that. Our hapless hero makes the most of a spring day, despite less than ideal weather. The lyrics mention having tinned ravioli as a special treat. This line came from a conversation with Libby - then my girlfriend now my wife - who had been given this occasionally as a child. Please don’t hold me responsible if you gethold of a tin and find it rather disappointing! And for the avoidance of doubt, let me state categorically that I have never owned driving gloves."

You can watch the video for "The First Day of Spring" below. Galashiels is due out September 25 on Slumberland, and is available for pre-order here. For more on The Catburgers, check out the band on Instagram. They'll be playing an album release show at The Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh on September 25.

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Hiding Places - "Waiting"

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Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...
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Failure - "The Air's on Fire"

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Photo by Lyndsey Byrnes With their upcoming seventh overall studio album, the highly influential band Failure will have released more albums since reuniting in 2014 than they did during their first run. The first single from that album, "The Air's on Fire," shows the band expanding their sound while still being rooted in what has always made them great. The song is a dark and moody one that is always threatening to explode but never quite does. This is an example of 90's alt-rock meets art rock at its very finest. It's the kind of song that could easily have come out thirty years ago, but that doesn't mean it sounds dated. After the first listen, "The Air's on Fire" will sound like a killer alt-rocker from a 90's band that hasn't lost a step at all. The more you listen, the more complex Failure get on the single, and the more the song reveals itself to you. Ken Andrews says of his band's latest single: “That song is directly about my ...
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Mama's Broke - "How it Ends"

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Mama's Broke, the post-folk Canadian duo of Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, have just released a break up song that might be their most accessible yet. While the previous singles from their upcoming album have a certain darkness or a sense of foreboding, "How it Ends" sounds relatively upbeat. Considering this is a song about how you never think you'll find someone as good as your ex after a break up, that's quite a feat. This is a traditional folk song with some slightly modern folk harmonies. As much heartbreak as their is in "How it Ends," there is also the warmth of remembering a recent relationship. You can listen to "How it Ends" below. Narrow Line is due out May 13 on Free Dirt Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mama's Broke, check out the artist's website .
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