College classmates Sadye Bobbette, Ryan DiLello, Julian Snyder, and Jono Quinn met at a liberal arts school in Upstate New York though it wasn’t until a 2019 trip to a drafty cabin in the Berkshires that the four piece found inspiration for their namesake and started a band. Blending the experimental folk tendencies of Yo La Tengo with jangly noise pop textures of contemporaries Real Estate or Courtney Barnett, Otis Shanty have quickly become indie rock mainstays in their new adopted town of Boston. Following the heels of last year’s Early Birds EP, the group are now readying the release of their upcoming album Up On The Hill this Fall on Relief Map Records. For their sophomore album the quartet went to nearby Big Nice Studios (Horse Jumper of Love, Squirrel Flower, IAN SWEET) and though there is a connection to the collection on the EP, there is also an expansion both sonically and lyrically.

Now in their mid-twenties, the slacker rock influences still shine through as does a level of poignancy in partaking with peers. On the single “Nobody’s Party” singer Sadye Bobbette quips “speaking over is not speaking up/anything will fly with the roof detached”. Additionally, on “Pipeline”, the multi-instrumentalist who splits duties between guitar, trumpet, or synthesizer, exercises restraint by asking, “Do I stand a chance to give you all the thoughts that I wish to/You can’t take something back when it is said”. The same restraint is highlighted in the instrumentation and level of musicianship on the 9 track collection. Brief swirling moments from DiLello’s pedal board make their cameos and lift songs like “Seasonal Apprehension” without carrying them away. It’s on cuts like these that the rhythm section of Julian and Jono also showcase their dynamic knack for locking in a groove and pushing tracks near psych-rock territories. Sometimes it’s obvious that a band forms around a single songwriter and at others coalesce uniquely together and it’s clear that Otis Shanty are the rare latter.

ffo: Real Estate, Courtney Barnett, Men I Trust, Kurt Vile

RELEASES - Otis Shanty - Up On The Hill | 2024 (cassette)

Otis Shanty - Why Do I Care?

Driving Blind

Just Another Life

Funky retro rock song about the feeling of overwhelm being attracted to the subject of your affections

Pretty

Sober & High

Play the Space Invaders X Calvin and Hobbes-inspired game at https://th3w33k3nd.com

You tell me that your sorry
You say you didn’t mean it
But we both know that it make no sense
Are you ready for the weekend?

I wish that I could go back
to the day that we first met
But time just doesn’t work like that
Are you ready for the weekend?

Where you going?
Are you out of your mind?
Does it matter if it's your place or mine?
Not so easy leave it all behind

I don’t think I understand
How you still don’t know me
After all the days we waste away 
Are you ready for the weekend?

Where you going?
Are you out of your mind?
Does it matter if it's your place or mine?
Not so easy leave it all behind

A different kind of story
The kind that make no sense
‘Til you read it in reverse
Are you ready for the weekend?

Are you ready for the weekend?
Are you ready for the weekend?
It's time to leave it all behind
Are you ready for the weekend?

Are you ready for the weekend?
Are you ready for the weekend?
It's time to leave it all behind
Are you ready for the weekend?

Are you ready for the weekend?
Are you ready for the weekend?
Are you ready for the weekend?

TH3 W33K3ND

Sometimes it feels better to be left on the sidelines, less judgement that way.

Sidelines

Upbeat indie-rocker about the frustration of just trying to get somewhere while the world is imploding. Written & produced by christopher rye, who supplies lead vocals, guitars, and additional keys. Bass & bvox: Allan Wiseman. Piano, keys & bvox Alfonso Cavassa. Drums Fabio Sclafani. For fans of late 70s Bowie and classic Blur.

DIVE!

Something on the Motorway (Fastlane Edit)

This is Only a Test

Dolfin

stressing ft snuzi@spazzaht

Eloquence

Hailing from Gurnee, Illinois and currently based in Los Angeles California, Steiner combines his musical background as a drummer with modern sonics to create a story of love, self-discovery, and maturity.  With a nostalgic and euphoric sound accompanied by a one of a kind voice and lyricism, Steiner provides genre bending records with inspiration from artists such as Frank Ocean, Trippie Redd, Post Malone,  and Current Joys while also drawing from the greats like Blink-182, The Police, Jeff Buckley, and the White Stripes.