If It's Too Loud...

Credit: Shervin Lainez In May, Field Mouse is heading out on tour with Hop Along. For smaller bands, touring can be expensive, and is largely paid for with merch sales. Field Mouse is following that, but by kinda sorta crowdfunding their tour. They have a special tour store  with lots of bonus merch and experiences. The basic is a handwritten postcard from the band for $5, and for $50 you get a VIP experience with a ticket to a show of your choice and the band will buy you 2 drinks. My favorite is the covers album level. As you know, If It's Too Loud... loves  cover songs, and the band is recording an album of covers just for those that help out with funding their tour. So far they've revealed two covers: "Jurassic Park Theme," which is a cover of the actual film score and not the "Weird Al" song (unfortunately), and a version of Joyce Manor's "Schley." You can listen to "Jurassic Park Theme" below.    Washed Up Emo has an exclus...

Photo by Katie Graves Marrow is a brand new band comprised of former members of Chicago alt-hip hop group Kids These Days. After the formation of Marrow, Liam Cunningham (guitar/vocals) toured as a member of Tweedy and Macie Stewart (keyboard/vocals) toured with Chance the Rapper. It's an interesting combination, which doesn't really fit Marrow's sound. "Paulson" shows off this weird mix that lives in between pop punk, folk, and 90s alternapop, kind of like Laura Stevenson, or Field Mouse without the shoegaze elements. They're all in their early 20s, but it doesn't feel like that since they've been playing together since high school. And I'm sure touring with the likes of Jeff Tweedy doesn't hurt. You can check out Marrow at their website  or Facebook . Listen to "Paulson" below, and below that they have some tour dates listed (their first outside of Chicago!). Tue. April 21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy Wed. April 22 – Ne...

Photo Credit: Sarrah Danziger The Deslondes (formerly The Tumbleweeds) made my Newport Folk Festival 2014 Must See Bands list , and they were still one of my surprise favorite acts. They're part of the wave of Americana artists coming out of New Orleans, such as Benjamin Booker and Hurray for the Riff Raff. They have a really great roots country and blues sound, and "Fought the Blues and Won," the first single off their forthcoming debut album, fits that since it sounds like classic early rock and roll that's all but disappeared from radio. It's from back when rock and roll first came out of country and western. It's far too country and blues based to be rockabilly. It's from earlier than that. It sounds like it's from a time when Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly shared bills together.  The Deslondes' self titled debut is due June 9 on New West Records. You can listen to "Fought the Blues and Won" below. For more information, check out t...

Image  by Shawn Brackbill I've been paying attention to Torres ever since she toured with Lady Lamb (RIP the Beekeeper) back in 2013. I checked out her debut self-titled album, and while it was really good, it just didn't connect with me. If the title track of her upcoming second album, Sprinter , is any indication, this one will. The only criticism I could truly make about her debut album was it felt a little too restrained, as if she was told to hold back by a label or producer, or maybe she wasn't quite comfortable with herself yet to truly unload. On "Sprinter," she comes out full force and the result is both powerful and beautiful. It reminds me of a cross between PJ Harvey and Tori Amos, but way more rock. It opens with this swirling, ambient noise and goes right into a pop rock verse which morphs into a more ethereal possible chorus. It's amazing song structure by making changes that keep the feel of the entire song whole. I can't wait for thi...

I have to be honest with this one. The first time I listened to the first song I just didn't get it. I almost didn't keep listening, but they sent a really nice personal email to us asking us to take a listen. I'm thrilled I kept giving it a try. None of the songs really sound like any of the others songs in the best possible way. The songs are a clusterfuck of a hodgepodge of early Kings of Leon, the Stooges, Dinosaur Jr, Tom Petty, and the Lemonheads, but maybe only 2 or 3 at a time. Plus, they hail from New Bedford, MA, which may be a first for any music blog. "There Will Be Dancing" starts off like J Mascis playing Stooges covers but veers off into an old school punk shoutalong chorus. "Life of the Party" is Tom Petty on worse (better?) drugs. "You Don't Know" reminds me of the Strokes if they were a 90s slacker band instead of 00s garage revival. To check out What You Wanna Do?! , head over to Lesser Knowns' Bandcamp , where yo...

A pretty good week this week! Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit : Judging by how much I liked her double EP release from last year, I was pretty confident I would like Courtney Barnett's debut. I didn't expect to like it this much, though. It's a wildly confident, fun, interesting album that both retains what I've liked from Barnett so far while improving the value of the production and such. Plenty of good, hooky songs, and by far my favorite release of the week. Definitely check this one out. Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful : In a new release timetable that includes records from Earl Sweatshirt and Kendrick Lamar, Action Bronson's major label debut feels out of place. I hadn't heard Bronson before this week, and the best comparison I can make is that he's almost like the rap version of Har Mar Superstar in a lot of ways. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's an interesting release that mig...

Instrumental rock is always an iffy prospect. Sisters Of... (our brothers in ellipsis) are quickly becoming one of the better ones. The project was started by Aaron Coker, one time drummer for Reggie & the Full Effect and the Appleseed Cast, with Chris Clark on guitar. They just released "The Adversary," the 1st track off their upcoming full length. It's pure heavy post-metal bliss, with the obvious comparisons being Pelican and Explosions In the Sky. Personally, I hear more of The Sword in there than the other bands. It's progressive and old school metal mixed together. Not being a big metal guy, the few bands I pay attention to I get pretty obsessed with. Sisters Of... have their debut album, The Serpent, The Angel, The Adversary, coming out on May 12th on Crowquill Records. You can stream "The Adversary" over on ArcticDrones.com . You can also pre-order the album on Crowquill Records website . For more information on Sisters Of..., like them on F...

Upload your music for free at ReverbNation.com We cover a decent deal of local Massachusetts music on the blog, mostly from the Boston and Amherst area. One area that doesn't get a lot of looks, however, is Worcester proper. Worcester has had a pretty solid music scene for a number of years, but, especially in the last decade, the hard rock and metal scene has surprisingly held firm in the city, with most important metal acts making it a point to come through The Palladium during their tours, and a lot of local music hitting the scene. A King in Wait is one of those bands that is coming up in the ranks and getting some attention. Around since 2011, they released their first album last year and, especially as someone who really generally likes the lighter side of music, it's pretty good. Musically they're on point, the melodies are catchier than you'd think ( "All for Granted" was floating around in my head all weekend again), and I'm told they put...

A band being named Salem Wolves from Salem, MA with a song called "There Be Wytches" could be horribly, horribly wrong. Luckily, Black Books, the new EP from Salem, MA's Salem Wolves, is a solid release. It's garage rock tinged with a slightly poppier sound, but a lo-fi vibe, which gives it a Sebadoh meets garage rock sound. That fits my taste perfectly. "I Saw Hell" is a Rocket From the Crypt style rocker with a touch of glam. "Rumblr" is the thrash rock version of "I Want Candy." Black Books  comes highly recommended. Black Books  is currently available through Salem Wolves' Bandcamp at the beloved "name your price" option. I don't believe they have a website, but you can like them at their Facebook page . If you're in the Boston area, they have a show coming up on April 4th at The Beachcomber in Quincy, and May 3rd at O'Brien's Pub in Allston. You can watch the video for "Rumblr" below. ...

Coming 32 years after their break up, Worcester, MA's Prefab Messiahs are back with a new album, Keep Your Stupid Dreams Alive.  Reunion albums are usually pretty dubious, especially when a band hasn't released one in three decades. In the wake of a universally loved 30th anniversary tour, the band decided to give it another go in the studio. The Prefab Messiahs have this great unique sound, a blend of garage rock, psychedelic, and punk. They might be the only band to equally mix psychedelic and punk since the early days of The Stooges.  "Weirdoz Everywhere" is a standout track, with it's power pop chorus and guitars over a surf rock base. "College Radio" is an homage to how college stations are eager to give younger bands a chance. I think that's one thing that works about this new album. It's almost a concept album about not giving up on your hopes and dreams, no matter how ridiculous they may sound. Most people don't reform their bands...

As promised, here is the second batch of new releases for this week. It's still a pretty dodgy week on a whole, unfortunately. Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield - Sing Elliott Smith : Jessica Lea Mayfield is a favorite of mine, and the Avett Brothers are always a good time, so with one of them teaming up with the other for Elliott Smith songs in a more rootsy style? Sign me up. I'm not the biggest Elliott Smith fan, but the covers are distinctive without being different for the songs I did remember and recognize, and that's both interesting and refreshing. Worth a listen on a number of counts, definitely a solid release this week and probably my favorite. Anna & Elizabeth - Anna & Elizabeth : A debut folk album, the best way I can describe this is if you wished First Aid Kit or Lily & Madeleine sounded more like Gillian Welch. This is a high compliment from me, as a fan of all of those acts, but the strong parts of this specific album comes from ho...

Last year we wrote about the great Minneapolis shoegaze band Brilliant Beast. Last week they released a split EP with fellow Minnesota natives Fury Things, and it's a fantastic pairing. For their 2 songs, Fury Things wrote the songs on a Friday and recorded on Sunday. "Some Things" was recorded in just one take, which gives it this perfect feel of urgency and fun. Their tracks don't feel like Minnesota, but are what shoegaze would sound like if it was created by indie rock loving southern Californians. It's just the finest droney power pop you can imagine. Brilliant Beast are just the slightest opposite of the same coin as Fury Things. "No Fate" the extreme poppy end of the shoegaze spectrum, but they definitely rely more on the spacey, fuzzed out sounds of the genre, but with a strong 90s alternapop base. "Heaven" is a droned out as can be power ballad, the kind that would be a hit at a prom if high school kids had access to better drugs....

This might be the biggest new release list for us since the blog started, so I'm going to break these highlights up into two chunks for us this time. The rest of the new releases will be covered tomorrow. The Pine Hill Project - Tomorrow You're Going : This is an album of covers by a folky supergroup that, unfortunately, didn't work for me at all. The album felt a little more meandering than I was looking for, and some of the choices (most notably "The Sweetest Thing") felt a little weird. People really into folk music (which I don't qualify for) might find more to enjoy from this, but I wouldn't recommend it for the more casual listener overall. Houndmouth - Little Neon Limelight : Houndmouth is a band we've talked about here before, and while they're really not quite my taste, this album is absolutely a step forward for them as an overall sound. The songwriting feels sharper, the instrumentation solid, and if I have a complaint from a te...

I have no idea how this one slipped by me, but over the summer MorganEve Swain of Brown Bird released the first song under her new project, The Huntress. "Call to Arms"  is the first song she wrote after losing her husband and band mate, Dave Lamb, to leukemia last year. It was inspired by a friend of theirs who helped her through her grief. Obviously, it's a painfully dark song, with Brown Bird's Eastern European folk sound, and just a peek into their metal influences. It's a beautiful tribute, and inherently a must listen for all Brown Bird fans. Brown Bird's final album, Axis Mundi , will be released April 28. In the past months, MorganEve Swain has toured with Joe Fletcher, and is currently on the road with The Devil Makes Three in Europe. Rhode Island Monthly just came out with a fabulous interview with her. I highly recommend checking it out here . To listen to the debut song from The Huntress, make sure you head over to her Bandcamp page , and also ...

Photo by Kelsey Reckling Based out of Ottawa, Peach Kelli Pop started in 2009 when drummer Allie Hanlon started writing some of her own songs about video games, conspiracy theories, and the challenges women face. "Plastic Love" is the first I've heard of the band, and it's completely up my alley. It's just fun, poppy, and catchy as all hell. It reminds me of Bis mixed with Letters to Cleo. At just over two minutes long (which is all they really need) it's an alternative pop song in line with the Ramones. Peach Kelli Pop's third album, obviously called III , will be out on Burger Records April 21st. You can listen to "Plastic Love" below, and below that find some of their current tour dates. You can pre-order the album from Burger Records here , and check out some older songs on their Bandcamp page . I don't believe they have an official page, but they do have a Blogspot , so check that out. Fri. March 27 - San Diego, CA @ Hideout ...