Ape Hangers - "Miss You Girl"

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Photo by Jeff Coggins

I was never a fan of the movie Empire Records. Maybe I was too old, but it never worked for me. However, I loved the soundtrack, which included Gin Blossoms, The Cranberries, Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Innocence Mission, Evan Dando, and more. One of the more was Ape Hangers, with their killer track "I Don't Want to Live Today." The band released their debut album on A&M Records, but were dropped due to budget cuts. In 1998 they relocated to Boston and self-released a self-titled follow up... and then kind of faded away. 

Now, they're back with new music. The first single off their upcoming album is "Miss You Girl." It's less 90's alt-rock than "I Don't Want to Live" and more garage rock/power pop, but if you have fond memories of their soundtrack contribution, you're going to find a lot to love here. It's upbeat and catchy, with just the right amount of noise and distortion. It has that quality to it that you can't quite tell when it's from, which is the best kind of garage rock. It's ragged and fun, and it has elements from the past sixty years of the genre. Welcome back, Ape Hangers! We're thrilled to have you.

Peter Sjostedt (guitar and vocals) says of his band's new single:

“In some ways, 30 years have flown by like a comet, and the world is totally different now. In other ways, it feels like nothing has changed. We still love playing together, and when we do, we laugh a lot. The music is an extension of the friendship. The eternal road trip, as Dennis calls it.” 

You can listen to "Miss You Girl" below. Ape Hangers II is due out November 13 on Rum Bar Records, and is available to pre-order here. For more on Ape Hangers, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook. They'll be playing November 14 at Century Sportsman's Club in Auburn, MA and November 15 at The Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain.

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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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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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