Rat Tally – “Shrug”

Rat Tally – “Shrug”

As Rat Tally, singer-songwriter Addy Harris specializes in “writing sad music for sad people. Or happy people. Or whoever.” To wit, her new single “Shrug” situates her in an exquisitely depressive corner of indie rock ruled by the likes of Soccer Mommy and Phoebe Bridgers. Despite its relatively modest scope, there’s a bit of a post-rock undercurrent to the song, a sense of crushing heaviness and grandeur threatening to break free. That makes it a good fit for Rat Tally’s new label 6131 Records, which launched artists such as Julien Baker, Thunder Dreamer, and I’m Glad It’s You.

“This song is about navigating romantic relationships while struggling with mental health,” Harris writes in a press release. “Sometimes we know we aren’t in the best place to start something, but it can be difficult to separate that idea from the feeling of being undeserving of love because of mental illness.” It’s a winsome introduction to Rat Tally — who has roots in Chicago, Boston, and LA — though maybe some are already familiar with her 2019 EP When You Wake Up. Check out the new song and the old EP below.

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