It's no secret that we love everything Ratboys do. They tend to slide effortlessly between Americana and indie rock, and those are possibly our favorite genres, so they're an easy band for us to love. Their latest single, "It's Alive!," continues their quest for new sounds within those genres. For this one, the Chicago band go mid-90's laid back power pop with a tiny bit of twang for a sound that is instantly recognizable yet very unique. It's a fun kind of song that could have been a big hit in 1996. Back when alt-rock radio was a thing, "It's Alive!" could have easily been the song of the summer.
You can watch the video for "It's Alive!" below. The Window is due out August 25 on Topshelf Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Ratboys, check out their website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.
Fri. Aug. 25 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern 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
Photo by Heather DeFoggi Gerard For his upcoming album, Sean Thomas Gerard recorded in the corner of his garage which is also a playroom for his two daughters. Somehow, you can hear that vibe in his latest single, "Bright Side." The song just feels like home. It's a laid back indie folk/singer-songwriter track that is overflowing with warmth. The sing is on the mainstream side of its genres, but when you nail a sound like Gerard has, there's certainly nothing wrong with that. This is the type of song that is pleasant and enjoyable when you first start it, and then you end up liking it more and more as it goes. By the time it's over, you're going to want to listen again. By the third or fourth listen, "Bright Side" is going to end up one of your favorite songs of this young year. Sean Thomas Gerard says of his music: “I think about some day when I'm gone, my kids will be able to put on my records and feel like they can spend time with me again....
Photo by Sultana Garritano Brooklyn's DJ Haram has a new single out that shows off her trademark boom bap sprinkled with Middle Eastern instrumentation sound. "Fishnets" features verses from Bbymutha, SHA RAY, and August Fanon, and has an intense and almost menacing vibe, despite being an absolute banger of a track. It's hypnotic and immediately grabs your attention, and if you're unfamiliar with the trio of rappers on the song, you're sure to start pulling up their bodies of work. "Fishnets" is one of those songs that just feels cool and makes you need to hear more from all of the artists involved. DJ Haram says of her latest single: "‘Fishnets’ is for the eclectic bad bitches. The people united will never be defeated." You can listen to "Fishnets" below. Beside Myself is due out July 18 on Hyperdub, and is available for pre-order here . For more on DJ Haram, check out the artist on Instagram and Twitter . Upcoming tour dates a...
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 .
