The Ringer Soundtrack - "Voicemail"

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Photo courtesy of The Ringer Soundtrack

Boston's The Ringer Soundtrack have a new single out that somehow sounds both very Boston and nothing like Boston. "Voicemail" is reminding me of the mid-90's post grunge period, where record companies were desperately trying to find the next Seattle and taking chances on bands. That's not to say that the song sounds inherently 90's. There are some roots in that era, but it does sound much more modern than that. "Voicemail" is a slick track that flirts with pop, and probably makes the plunge into pop, to be honest. If it takes anything from the 90's, it could be that it's reminiscent of the late 90's ultra-mainstream, Top 40 alt-rock hits kept some of the edge of the earlier end of the decade.

Guitarist Brandon Forbes Dalrymple says of the band's new single:

“‘Voicemail’ could be about making a phone call, and to your amazement, they’ve set up their voicemail – which is rare these days. Maybe it’s about the consistent pain of unreciprocated love in life, and all of its fleeting reminders – yet you still want to hear it again. Maybe, just maybe, they will love me back if I call once more – but they never pick up that call, do they?”

You can listen to "Voicemail" below. For more on The Ringer Soundtrack, check out the band on Instagram.

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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