“I think I’m trying to find something better.” The plainspoken line is halfway between a revelation and a mission statement on Loose Buttons’ upcoming debut album Something Better (out February 7 via Moon Crawl Records / AWAL); a snapshot of the “irresistibly sincere” (Consequence of Sound) New York four-piece coming into their own on their own terms. With production by Gus Oberg (The Strokes, The Virgins, Public Access TV) and a sound that floats effortlessly between “a garage-rock good time” (VICE Noisey) and “a blend of new wave and pop all their own” (Billboard), Loose Buttons’ Something Better is a testament to fending off the lingering pains of looking back and looming anxieties of looking forward to build something that’s truly worth living for.
Something Better is the follow-up to Loose Buttons’ 2017 EP Sundays, a self- released four-song collection that helped the band earn critical praise and play larger venues than ever, including a sold-out show at New York’s 350-capacity Rough Trade. While Loose Buttons’ current lineup didn’t form very long before Sundays, each of the four members grew up deeply entrenched in the New York music community – playing in bands and putting on shows from their earliest teenage years. In fact, lead singer Eric Nizgretsky and guitarist Zachary Kantor are lifelong friends who wrote their first songs together at 11 years old, with Nizgretsky’s randomly-assigned college roommate Manny Silverstein (bass) and their former battle of the bands rival Adam Holtzberg (drums) rounding out the group along the way. On Something Better, they’re joined by fellow New York musicians like Oberg and Ava Trilling of Forth Wanderers. Above all else, Something Better centers on that sense of community and the healing power it brings. It’s the ultimate appreciation of the New York scene that Loose Buttons was fostered in.
Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the band’s new single “I Don’t Really Know”. Firing off with a loose guitar solo, the song immediately strikes you as having a 90s, left-of-the-dial sound. The jangly rocker is equal parts a unifying anthem as much as it is an a lighter interpretation of the angst that comes with taking the risk of being in a working band. The band utilizes clever and catchy vocal interplay and interesting time changes while showcasing plenty of guitar prowess. Indie rock and power pop are certainly present and despite the mystery of what lies ahead that is conveyed through the lyrics, it’s clear that the members of Loose Buttons are ultimately in it to have a good time and enjoy making tunes together.
Band member Eric Nizgretsky describes the inspiration behind the song:
“Trying to succeed in an industry that hinges so much on what other people think of you can definitely drive you insane if you let it. So it seemed like it could do us some good to laugh at the situation rather than let it keep us up at night (it still does that too, don’t worry). No matter what happens, the four of us love doing this more than anything, so it’s important to me that we never let that love and excitement get buried under those superficial elements.”
LISTEN:
