Sophia Yau-Weeks - "Misty Mountain"

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Photo by Cortney Morentin

"Misty Mountain" is the latest single from Sophia Yau-Weeks, and it's an absolutely breathtaking one. The song is quiet and bare while also being fully lush. That's the true beauty and magic of the song. It's simple and bare without sounding like anything is missing. As bare as it is, there is a lot going on. It's filled with gently strummed guitar and some form of noise bordering on a gentle feedback. "Misty Mountain" is roughly five and a half minutes long, and it leaves you needing to hear more. Yau-Weeks has crafted a virtually perfect song that is going to make many listeners instant fans.

Sophia Yau-Weeks says of her new single and video:

"As someone who consistently ruminates and spirals, with an internal world marked by intrusive thoughts and the noise of uncertainty, I wanted to write about the experience of having anxiety while in relationship with someone grounding and present. The title track follows my journey as I am guided away from a metaphorical misty mountain, if only for a brief moment in time.

"While the song itself was written about my relationship with someone else, the music video acts as a letter to my younger self. The video oscillates between childhood memories and recent nature footage as a bridge between past and present. I have struggled with mental health conditions since I was a young girl, and reflecting on the past through art reminds me that I am multifaceted, resilient, and ever-changing."

You can watch the video for "Misty Mountain" below. Misty Mountain, the album, is due out April 3 on Lavasocks Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Sophia Yau-Weeks, check out the artist's website.

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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