You gotta listen

I will admit that I am a sucker for anything with a catchy tune. I love oldies and musicals because they’re peppy and get stuck in my head for days on end.

One of the catchiest (and talented) artists to happen to indie rock will be releasing a new album this winter. That’s right: the Rocket Summer is back.

The one-man project out of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, has gained a steady following since 1997. Songwriter and musician, Bryce Avary plays all the instruments and records all the vocals for each of his records (3 full studio albums and 4 EPs released so far). The 26-year-old musician has also used his fame to create a clothing company – Call It Captivate – that donates 25% of each sale to a charity of the customer’s choice.

The new album, Of Men and Angels, won’t be released until early 2010, but fans have crashed the AltPress site TWICE – just to listen to and download the new song, “You Gotta Believe.” It’s exactly what you would expect of the artist that can make songs titled about ’80s teen movie stars stick in your head. The new single has a melody that hooks you from the start, though it showcases a slightly different set of influences than the Rocket Summer’s earlier discography. His voice is still powerful and pitch-perfect for the message he wants to convey. As usual, the sound quality and arrangement are fantastic – it’s hard to believe that just one musician does it all.

For more information about the Rocket Summer, including tour dates, photos, and song samples, check out:
therocketsummer.com