If It's Too Loud...

Photo via Facebook As part of the upcoming Say Yes! A Tribute to Elliott Smith , American Laundromat Records is letting us check out Tanya Donelly's cover of "Between the Bars." Having Tanya Donelly (Belly, The Breeders, Throwing Muses) take on any of Elliott Smith's songs is like a dream come true to me. Her version of "Between the Bars" stays perfectly true to the original, except even though there is barely any instrumentation on her version, the original just comes across as even more heartbreakingly sparse. I'm not sure if it's something in the production, or it's just the magic of Elliott Smith. It's a beautiful tribute, perfect for fans of Tanya or Elliott, or just anyone with a soul. You can listen to Tanya Donelly's cover of "Between the Bars" below. Say Yes! A Tribute to Elliott Smith will be out on October 14 via American Laundromat Records. It will also feature covers by Amanda Palmer, J Mascis, Juliana Hatfie...

An interesting release week this week: Album of the Week : Artist : Beach Slang Album : A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings Quick Description : Does what it says on the tin. Why You Should Listen : You didn't know you wanted to hear this until you got the chance. Overall Thoughts : This had some buzz around it coming in, and I didn't really expect this sort of garagey punk to resonate, but here we are. I can't say there's a ton specifically to point to in this regard, but as a cohesive whole, this was a fast-paced jolt of energy that was definitely the best listen of the week for me. Won't be for everyone, but you should give it a listen. Recommendation : The best of the week by far. Artist : Warpaint Album : Heads Up Quick Description : Latest album from the buzzworthy indie act. Why You Should Listen : Their previous album was a revelation in a lot of ways... Overall Thoughts : ...even if this one misses the mark. It's not bad, but it's so ...

Photo by Ken Sears This is a slightly older cover, but we love cover songs at If It's Too Loud..., and this is Walter Sickert after all, so...  Originally recorded and posted back in 2014 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death, with this past weekend marking the 25th anniversary of the release of Nevermind (we're so old...), Walter Sickert's cover of Nirvana's "Something In the Way" has resurfaced on the band's various social media accounts. It's a haunting cover, but it is Walter Sickert covering a song that's already pretty haunting on its own. Sickert's version stays completely true to the original, and it's the best kind of tribute possible.  For more information on Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys (a nd with Halloween coming up and a recently released album, now is a great time to start following them) check them out on Face book .  

Forgotten Fridays is an occasional feature here at If It’s Too Loud... where we go back and find the lost records of our glory days. We played these on our college radio shows, put them on countless mix tapes, and then forgot they existed. Once a week we go back and remind you, and help decide if they were any good. Cherry 2000 were this unbelievably great Boston band that only lasted maybe three years in the late 90s, and somehow just seem to have faded away from memory. Led by Dave Steele (also of Orangutang) and Leah Blesoff, the two traded off vocal duties through the band's 1998 debut, and only, album Taint. That and the loud/quiet/loud dynamic gives immediate comparisons to the Pixies, but the band also draws heavily from Sonic Youth, especially by closing out the album with the nearly 20 minute drone and art fest "Lungfish." There are also strong influences from metal and grunge, making it one of the more aggressive albums to come out of the Boston alternative ...

In the age of social media and the internet, it's basically a given that every band will have some form of online presence. Maybe they don't have their very own website, but at the very least they'll have a Facebook or a Bandcamp or a Tumblr, etc. That brings us to Boston's Martyrs. I first wrote about them back in 2014 when they released their debut album . All I knew about them at that point was that Tee Jay from Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys was in the band, but now that he's moved away from the area, I don't even know that. Somehow I know less about a band after being aware of them for two years. Back on September 8, Martyrs released their second album, The Great Disturbance. This one appears to only be available on YouTube. It somehow manages to cram every single side genre of punk into one sound. It is as heavy as hardcore, but as melodic as emo. (I know a MILLION bands have that in their description, but I really, really mean it here......

Photo by Danny Clinch Next week marks the release of the new Drive-By Truckers' album, American Band. The band has released the lyric video for a third song on the album, "Filthy and Fried." Far less political than the previous two songs we've heard from the album ("Surrender Under Protest" and "What It Means"), "Filthy and Fried" and a Mike Cooley sung song more along the lines of your traditional Drive-By Truckers song. What's most interesting about the song is that it sonically follows a verse-chorus-verse format, but lyrically it just goes in it's own direction with only the final line repeated. The only politics it touches on is the right of a woman to go out looking for a sexual conquest the way men always have been able to (which is for some reason a political issue in this country). Maybe it's the organ, but the "chorus" almost has a gospel feel to it. It also includes what is quite possibly one of my fav...

A relatively slow week. Album of the Week : Artist : Deap Vally Album : Femejism Quick Description : Second album from the bass-heavy indie rock act. Why You Should Listen : Deap Vally hasn't lost a step from their awesome debut. Overall Thoughts : The worst thing about this album is its cringeworthy title, which might turn off listeners who would otherwise be really into this sort of proto-Dead Weather/DFA1979-sounding group. There had been some early singles that showed promise, but the whole thing is just a great follow-up to their debut album. Lead track (and lead single) "Royal Jelly" sets the tone for a great listen, and arguably the best of the week. Recommendation : Absolutely worth a listen this week, a highlight. Artist : Dawes Album : We're All Gonna Die Quick Description : Latest album from the roots-rock act that goes a little less roots and a little more AAA rock. Why You Should Listen : Dawes knows how to write a good song even if it...

Photo by Courtney Brooke Hall As you've probably noticed, we love cover songs here at If It's Too Loud..., and we're also pretty big fans of Hallelujah the Hills. Imagine my joy when over the weekend, Hallelujah the Hills sent out a link to their email subscribers that included a cover of The Velvet Underground's "Run Run Run." It's a great choice for the band, since Hallelujah the Hills stylistically are quite different from The Velvet Underground. "Run Run Run" is one of The Velvet Underground's more rambunctious covers, and Hallelujah the Hills does is perfectly. The cover is from a live show recorded at the Black Cat in D.C. earlier this year, and you can definitely tell it's a live show based on the quality, but it makes me miss the muddled bootlegs of ye olden days. They do it a little louder and noisier than the original, but it chugs along with the perfect mix of tribute and their own style. You can listen to Hallelujah the ...

Throwback country can almost be a dirty word. Sometimes artists that get stuck with the throwback country label can be pretty hokey and cartoonish. Luckily we have Wayne "the Train" Hancock. He's been at it for over 20 years even though he sounds like he's been at it for at least twice that. His latest single, "Slingin' Rhythm," is an ode to being a traveling, working class struggling musician. It's a bouncy, bare bones track that celebrates the hardships of the road. Wayne "the Train" Hancock's newest album, also called Slingin' Rhythm , will be out on October 28 via Bloodshot Records. You can order a copy through their website , and listen to "Slingin' Rhythm" below. For more information on Wayne Hancock, be sure to check out his website .  

So much for Matt Pond PA being done and over with. Sounds like their label issues are worked out and things are on track for another album later this year. To celebrate, however, they're offering a bunch of demos up on Noisetrade for free download, and they're playing some east coast gigs toward the end of the year (including Great Scott in Allston). So hop on over to Noisetrade for free music and tour dates, and I'll be looking forward to the new music, given that last year's album was a highlight .

Photo by Melissa Madison Fuller The name Hoots and Hellmouth tells you everything you need to know about a band, right? They're obviously throwback rockabilly with imagery of skeletons and 50s horror movies. Well... this isn't the first time I've been wrong. Hailing from Philadelphia, Hoots and Hellmouth craft beautiful, soulful Americana. Their new song, "Diction," dances on the line between folk and soul. It's definitely not enough of soul to be considered soul, but it's too groovy to be folk. The obvious comparison I'm going to make is Band of Horses, but maybe a little less rock. Somehow Hoots and Hellmouth have taken two of the most common genres of music that get blended, but are just enough in the middle of both to have made a unique sound of their own. Hoots and Hellmouth's fourth album, In the Trees , will be out October 28. You can watch the video for "Diction" below. For more information on the band, check out their websi...

Selector Dub Narcotic is a new project from the legendary Calvin Johnson. In case you don't immediately recognize the name Calvin Johnson, he founded K Records as well as the highly influential bands Beat Happening, Halo Benders, and Dub Narcotic Sound System. Selector Dub Narcotic is his collaboration with hip hop producer Smoke M2D6. Calvin Johnson doing hip hop sounds like a weird, weird combination, and you'd be right. I can't say that "Hotter Than Hott" is a good song. Odd is probably a better description. But it is fun. And highly infectious, especially as it goes on. It's worth at least a few listens. It is Calvin Johnson, after all. But there's also a good chance you'll become obsessed with the song after the third listen. You might thank me (or be furious with me) later. Selector Dub Narcotic's album, This Party is Just Getting Started, will be out September 16 on K Records, of course. You can watch the video for "Hotter Than Hott...

Here are the rest of the releases from this week! Artist : Psychic Twin Album : Strange Diary Quick Description : Debut synth pop from Polyvinyl. Why You Should Listen : Aspects of this stand out in a crowded genre. Overall Thoughts : Synth pop is so flooded right now that it's hard to break through, but Psychic Twin makes a solid effort this week. While nothing dives out as exceptional at first listen, this does have a raw indie quality to it that's often lacking from a lot of like acts. Definitely worth a shot if this is your genre. Recommendation : A good listen. Artist : Okkervil River Album : Away Quick Description : Latest album from the popular indie act. Why You Should Listen : It's probably the best thing they've done since "Lost Coastlines." Overall Thoughts : I cannot admit to being a huge Okkervil River guy, but I have lots of friends who are really into them. "Lost Coastlines" is a classic, but this album is, I feel, th...

With a pretty busy week, we're going to make this a two-parter this week. Album of the Week : Artist : clipping. Album : Splendor and Misery Quick Description : The science fiction rap opera you didn't know you were waiting for. Why You Should Listen : This is an "experimental rap" group that includes Daveed Diggs from Hamilton fame. Overall Thoughts : I actually first got exposed to clipping. via their Song Exploder episode, and I really liked "Work Work," so a new album? I'm on board. This is far from what I'd call an easy album, but it's absolutely unlike much/most of what we're hearing in this genre lately. Some sci-fi storytelling, some political content, some great lyrics and delivery. It's the total package. Even if you're not into rap/hip-hop, this is really a required listen this week, as there's something different and special here, and it's likely to get more attention with Diggs's rise to fame....

Photo by Ken Sears A Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys show is always more of an event than just a mere concert. The month leading up to their album release show last Friday at The Sinclair promised a spectacle that any fan simply had to attend. It was a lot of hype, especially considering some of the shows I have seen of theirs in the past, but I headed out to Cambridge to check it out. The band chose to play their just released that day album, Come Black Magic, in its entirety from start to finish for the main portion of the set. The album/show opener, "Children of the Cauldron," is more of an intro, clocking in at under 90 seconds of noise with Walter Sickert ranting over it. The performance of the song featured vocalist/percussionist/mandolin player Mary Widow painting burlesque performer Belle Gunz's body, nude except for pasties and a g-string. From there, they broke into the raucous main single, "Come Black Magic." It's easy for the ...

Folk has been around pretty much forever. There's really not a whole lot that can be done with it to make it sound familiar. Even "progressive" folk seems to be spinning its wheels lately. The best thing an artist can do to make unique folk is to just tweak it slightly. That's exactly what Pony Hunt have done on their new single, "Over You." "Over You" starts really traditionally, as far as folk songs go. Just a strummed acoustic guitar and fairly standard vocals. But then the doo-wop backing vocals come in. Not being a music historian, I'm sure someone has combined this in the past, but as far as modern folk goes, it's pure bliss. Bringing such classic American sounds such as sun drenched 60s California country folk and the groove of 50s and 60s doo-wop is being done to perfection by Pony Hunt. And that's even before the horns kick in way in the background.  Pony Hunt's new album, Heart Creek , will be released on October 7. ...

Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys released their new single "Come Black Magic" about 20 years too late. The mid 90s were this magical time where your favorite weirdo band could have a breakthrough single. "Come Black Magic" would have been the perfect single for this. It's just heavy enough for the metal kids to get into, but odd enough for the alternative/college radio crowd to enjoy. There's also actual guitar solos! (Don't worry, you'll still get some killer viola solos. This still is Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys, after all...) Plus, the addition of Mary Widow singing backing vocals and harmony adds this crazy layer to the band, and just pulls you into the song even further than before. "Come Black Magic" is Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys' guaranteed hit single. If this had existed in the 90s, there would have been a screwed up video for it that would have started on 120 Minutes , then been ...

The Needy Sons started a few years back as a bar band that played mostly covers in and around Boston. Granted, they're a bar band that was founded by Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom and Mike Gent of The Figgs, but still a bar band. Unexpectedly, at least to us, The Needy Sons just released their debut fill length, Vis-A-Vis. The Needy Sons, which now also features Ed Valauskas and Eric Anderson, have the distinction of being a Bill Janovitz project that doesn't really sound anything like Buffalo Tom. It's just really good Americana tinged rock and roll, like the kind Tom Petty makes. Right now my two favorite tracks are "Red Line" and ""Chopped Down," although Vis-A-Vis feels like the kind of album that will give you a new favorite track each time you listen. Definitely the two most traditionally rockin' songs on the album, "Red Line" is somehow an ode to the embattled MBTA, or maybe love? I'm bad at the meanings behind songs. ...

A slower week with the American Labor Day holiday, there are still some solid releases to highlight: Album of the Week : Artist : Angel Olsen Album : My Woman Quick Description : Latest album by the independent singer-songwriter. Why You Should Listen : This should rightfully be a breakthrough album for her. Overall Thoughts : I struggled to categorize her previous album , even though I really liked it, and "Shut Up Kiss Me," a lead release from this new album, failed to grab me. In a full album context, though, it all starts to make sense, as Olsen is flexing her songwriting muscle throughout here, making an off-center-yet-accessible release that should really put her on the map. Give "Sister" a listen, then the entire album, and I don't think you'll be disappointed. Recommendation : Easily the best of the week. Artist : The Last Royals Album : Never Be Alone Quick Description : New album from an indie pop group takes a new route. Why You S...

Photo via Facebook The Melvins are always an interesting band. They tend to release anywhere from 1-3 albums per year, with varying results. Some are absolute classics, while others are... interesting. But their live shows are always a must see. I had missed them earlier this year on the Savage Imperial Death March Tour with Napalm Death and Melt Banana. Luckily for me, they swung through New England again and hit Providence. A Melvins show can be quite the challenge for a casual fan. The band open up with an instrumental intro with very minimal bass, drums, and occasional guitar that seemed to last roughly three hours. (Ok, it was probably ten minutes, but that's still a pretty long time.) The crowd was rewarded heavily with a fan favorite set that brushed the majority of the band's career. Despite having just released a new (and pretty great) album, Basses Loaded , The Melvins only played two songs off of it, "Hideous Woman" and "Take Me Out to the Ballga...

Photo by Evan Cuttler When I first saw there was a band called American Wrestlers on Fat Possum Records, I instantly knew what they sounded like. It was going to be dirty, bluesy punk, obviously. Apparently I'm old (and we missed their debut album from last year), since that doesn't appear to be Fat Possum's thing anymore. "Give Up," the new song from American Wrestlers, is upbeat and poppy as can be. American Wrestlers was started by Gary McClure after moving from Scotland to St. Louis, MO of all places. The song stops just a few steps away from being twee, and are on the more rockin' side of what is now called dream pop. American Wrestlers' second album, Goodbye Terrible Youth , is due out November 4 on Fat Possum Records. You can pre-order it here . For more information on American Wrestlers, check them out on Facebook and Twitter . You can listen to "Give Up" below.