The Exbats - "I Got the Hots for Charlie Watts"

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We were huge fans of father/daughter duo The Exbats's 2019 album E Is for Exbats. In fact, it came incredibly close to making my top ten of last year. I was thrilled to hear that we were already getting new music from them. "I Got the Hots for Charlie Watts" (in case that sounds familiar, it's the same name as their 2018 album) is about having the hots for Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. The song i much more restrained than anything we've heard before. It's almost a regular love ballad and teeters dangerously close to folk territory. Of course, this is still The Exbats, so "I Got the Hots for Charlie Watts" is as much fun as you expect it to be. It makes sense that the music of The Exbats would age along with singer Inez Mclain, and we're dying to hear the rest of the album.

 You can watch the video for "I Got the Hots for Charlie Watts" below. Kicks, Hits and Fits, the upcoming album from The Exbats, will be out March 13 on Burger Records. For more on The Exbats, check them out on Bandcamp and Instagram.

On Repeat...

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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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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Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures - "Hollow Choir"

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Photo by Gia Smith There's prolific, and then there's Derek Smith. The Boston musician's latest single with the Cosmic Vultures, "Hollow Choir," is his eightieth song in the past eight years. It also helps explain the genre psychedelic folk-rock. The song is a little over three minutes, but the genre makes it feel much more epic. It's smooth sounding with trippy little flourishes, particularly in the guitar. At times, it sounds almost Adult Contemporary, but it's far too psychedelic for that. It's the play between the mainstream and the alternative side of folk that makes "Hollow Choir" work so well. Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures have long had this ability to provide a little something for everyone, and their latest proves that more than previous ones have. Derek Smith says of his latest single: “This song sums up the feelings I have had towards my music career for the last few years. I am always being told what I should do or what I sh...
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