If It's Too Loud...

Artist : NADINE Album : oh my Quick Description : Weird artsy folky stuff. Why You Should Listen : It's going to be different than most of this week's releases. Overall Thoughts : An interesting folkish release this week that kind of came out of nowhere for me. Nadine has an interesting voice, and the songs are well-crafted on a whole. My criticism is that there’s nothing here that makes this record stand out the way similar albums from Bedouine or Julien Baker did last year. It needs to stand out more, and this doesn’t quite get there. Don’t skip this if you like the folkier stuff, but you may end up wanting more. Recommendation : Worth your time. Artist : Silvia Kastel Album : Air Lows Quick Description : Weird, Peaks y electronic music. Why You Should Listen : You're looking for a challenge. Overall Thoughts : I don’t have a lot to say about this one, except as a fan of the esoteric electronic stuff this absolutely scratched my itch in this area this wee...

Photo via Facebook As anticipation builds for the March release of Buffalo Tom's first album in seven years, we have a second song to check out from it. "Roman Cars" is a Chris Colbourn sung song, and it's a bit more mellow than "All Be Gone." Most of Colbourn's songs do tend to be on the more mellow side than Bill Janovitz's songs, so that's not a surprise. It's also a bit more mellow than classic Buffalo Tom, but it's far from easy listening. It's the kind of alternative rock song that musicians from the 90's should be aging into. And that's not a bad thing.  You can listen to "Roman Cars" below. Buffalo Tom's new album, Quiet & Peace , will be out March 2 on Schoolkids Records. You can pre-order your copy here . For more on Buffalo Tom, check out their website .

The record labels are trying to take us out early with all these new releases, guys. Album of the Week : Artist : Dream Wife Album : Dream Wife Quick Description : Solid alt-punk. Why You Should Listen : It's a lot of fun, and is modern while still feeling familiar. Overall Thoughts : “Let’s Make Out” kicks this album off in a fun, angsty way. The full album doesn’t quite keep up tonally with its kickoff, slipping into more of an alt-rock role as opposed to a more accessible punk sound, but that’s not a bad thing at all, as it's easily the best, most fun thing out this week. The album ends up being a pretty solid listen I’m looking to jump back into, and even if the full package doesn’t do it for you? You’ll likely find a few solid takeaways. Recommendation : Album of the week, worth a listen for everyone. Artist : The Spook School Album : Could It Be Different? Quick Description : New album from a poppy, peppy indie act. Why You Should Listen : They sound lik...

Way back in 2015 Hop Along's Painted Shut was my #2 album of the year . Now almost three years after the release of that album, we're finally getting new music from the band. "How Simple" is exactly what we want from Hop Along. It starts out as upbeat, pretty music with Frances Quinlan's voice bouncing between being pleasant and then being harsh to the point of almost being grating. There's a slightly off tune guitar swirling along in the background behind her voice that is basically what heaven should sound like. By the time you get to the gang chorus at the end, you'll be wondering how we ever survived as a species for three long years without new music from Hop Along. You can listen to "How Simple" below. Hop Along's new album, Bark Your Head Off, Dog , will be out April 16 on Saddle Creek. You can pre-order your copy on Bandcamp . For more on Hop Along, check out their Facebook . Bark Your Head Off, Dog by Hop Along

When you start listening to the new EP from Edinburgh's Jane Blanchard, you're going to pigeonhole her as an atmospheric singer/songwriter. But as you get further into "Enemy," the title track from the EP, you'll realize how wrong you are. It starts off as pretty standard singer/songwriter material, albeit with slightly blown out vocals. Then, towards the end the noise starts and you'll discover it's something special. "22" is just a great straighforward alt-rock song, the kind you don't realize you miss until you stumble on one. "HIDING OUT" mellows it back out a bit, but with a quiet intensity, and more noise than most people dare to put on a quiet song. ENEMY  is a release that veers just to the left of the mainstream, and that's a perfect place to be. You can listen to "HIDING OUT" below. ENEMY  is available now on Jane Blanchard's Bandcamp . For more information on Jane Blanchard, check her out on Facebo...

Photo by Alec Castillo We bring you a lot of 90's inspired indie rock here at If It's Too Loud..., but there's just so much of it right now that's absolutely great. The latest single from Acid Dad recalls this era just before nu-metal took over the late 90's when everything seemed possible. "2Ci" is an upbeat indie rock semi-anthem that has the pop hooks of Superdrag, the slight quirkiness of Archers of Loaf, and the almost unhinged feeling of early Arctic Monkeys. It's a fun burst of an indie rock epic that hints at possible greatness to come. You can listen to "2Ci" below. Acid Dad's self-titled debut album will be out March 9 on Greenway Records. For more on Acid Dad, check out their website .

Photo by Evan James Atwood Haley Heynderickx has been on my radar ever since I first heard her ridiculously great song "Oom Sha La La." That was way back in September, which feels like roughly five years ago right now, so I was starting to think she was a figment of my hopes and dreams for 2018. Luckily, I didn't imagine her, and she's back with another song off her upcoming album. "Untitled God Song" starts off as a pretty straightforward folk song in the vein of the current Newport Folk Festival friendly artists. Heynderickx's voice feels vulnerable yet strong. Slowly the song starts transforming and showing some of its quirks, until it breaks out into some 90's style indie rock. It's still somehow melodic and quiet even at its most rambunctious, so this is basically my idea of perfection. You can listen to "Untitled God Song" below.  Haley Hyderickx's debut album,  I Need to Start a Garden , will be out March 2 on Mama Bir...

I've been following David Wax Museum for almost eight years now. They've spread their music throughout the country playing a ton of house shows, but never really did it in the Boston area. Last week, they announced a duo house show tour in New England, with a number of Boston area shows. I obviously needed to attend one. For those that have never attended a house show, it can be a bit awkward since you're milling around in a stranger's living room waiting for a band to start playing. However, it's worth any awkwardness since it's such a unique and intimate way to see one of your favorite bands live. I've seen David Wax Museum play in a variety of size clubs, at outdoor festivals big and small, but seeing them play in a living room in front of roughly 30 people was a special way to see them. The barrier between audience and performer is completely gone, and it's a far more interactive and personal experience. Suz and David were much more loose, and ex...

Photo by Pooneh Ghana "Addictions," the latest single from Lucy Dacus's upcoming new album, might not live up to the brilliance of the first single from Historian ... until it does. It would be almost impossible to match "Night Shift," which I declared to be the best song of 2018 back in December . "Addictions" starts off as your fairly standard alt-rock singer/songwriter fare, and it ends that way, too. It's the ride it brings you on in the middle that is what you'll end up loving. It morphs into multiple songs, with brief but beloved flourishes of fuzzy guitars, electronic elements, and some of the catchiest but oddly short verses that feel like choruses. Holding it all together is Dacus's voice, which may feel almost plain and standard at first, but is beyond mesmerizing by the end. You can watch the video for "Addictions" below. The new album from Lucy Dacus, Historian , will be out March 2 on Matador Records. You can pr...

Photo by David Doobinin Last week we told you the unbelievably fantastic news that Juliana Hatfield was not just covering a single song from Olivia Newton-John but was releasing an album of Olivia Newton-John covers. This week, we can finally get a better idea of what that will sound like with the release of a video for her version of "A Little More Love." It's a Newton-John song I'm not very familiar with, but it did come out in 1978 which would pre-date my early love of Newton-John. Hatfield's version of the song brings in the ever so slightly noisy post-grunge singer/songwriter sound we want from Hatfield, but with just enough shimmer and gloss that you'll find on the original. God, this album can not come fast enough. You can watch the video for Juliana Hatfield's version of "A Little More Love" below.  Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John  will be available April 13 via American Laundromat Records. A dollar from each album sold wi...

And here are the rest! Co-Album of the Week : Artist : St. Beauty Album : Running to the Sun Quick Description : A genre-hoping R&B effort. Why You Should Listen : It's one of the more unique releases in recent memory. Overall Thoughts : At its heart, Running to the Sun is an R&B record. But if you're not into the genre, you can't let that stop you from hearing this, because it borrows from so many modern sounds - indie rock, alternative rock, some of the indie soul stuff, it runs the whole gamut. There are a lot of reasons why this shouldn't work, but instead it ends up feeling like a brilliant and special release. This surprised me a lot, and it will probably surprise you too. Recommendation : One of the best of the week, and has the potential for a lot of staying power. Artist : Glen Hansard Album : Between Two Shores Quick Description : The Frames/ Once singer is back with a retro-feeling record. Why You Should Listen : Hansard is a great...

Hailing from Lyon Mountain, NY (which is further north than you think is possible to still be in NY state), Comrade Nixon just released their new album, Odd Todd. To record the album, the crossed the border into Vermont and recorded most songs in one take, recording the full thing in three hours. In the email we received from Comrade Nixon, their music is described as "mountain punk." It's a genre I've never heard, but let me try to describe it. Mountain punk is a crazed mess, and I mean that as a compliment. The album definitely sounds like it was recorded fast and DIY. Again, I mean that in the best possible way. The lead singer's voice is reminiscent of Paul Westerberg which gives the songs the feeling of the most ramshackle and loud side of The Replacements you never thought possible. You know those out of control, drunken bender Replacements shows that are the stuff of legend? Yeah, this album is like one of those, but much noisier.  You can listen to ...

A busy week, so we splitting the check. Co-Album of the Week : Artist : Shopping Album : The Official Body Quick Description : Newest album by a blog favorite. Why You Should Listen : It's like your favorite odd bands from the 1980s come alive in 2018. Overall Thoughts : Ken has been riding the Shopping bandwagon for close to five years now, and I've thought they've been fine up to now, but this album feels like a great leap forward for the act. Sometimes it feels like Gang of Four's "Anthrax," sometimes it's like my favorite Oh-OK songs, but this is just a stellar album this week that I can't wait to dive back into. Recommendation : Easily the best of the week. Artist : Sure Sure Album : Sure Sure Quick Description : A lo-fi indie pop debut from last week. Why You Should Listen : You're wishing you lived back about 15 years ago musically. Overall Thoughts : A fairly uneven listen, Sure Sure does a fairly interesting not-quite-lo-f...

Photo via Facebook Poster Children are one of those bands I almost forget about, despite the fact that they were part of the greatest triple bill I'll ever see (Built to Spill, Poster Children, and Jack Drag, Bowery Ballroom 1998). Then maybe once or twice a year I remember and go on a crazy full day binge of listening to nothing but their albums. Well, they're coming back with their first new album in fourteen years and a new single, "Grand Bargain!" Granted, I'm not a Poster Children expert or anything, but "Grand Bargain!" seems much more angry and political than I remember them being. he opening line is "America held hostage: Day 1." It's this fierce punk blast with swirling, vicious punk guitars and ranting, spoken word/screaming vocals. This is the kind of song the world needs right now. You can listen to "Grand Bargain!" below. Poster Chidren's new Steve Albini recorded album, also called Grand Bargain! ,  is avai...

Photo via Facebook Hailing from Boston, Barrence Whitfield is the rare type of soul singer that can play with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and fit right in. With songs like his newest single, "Let's Go to Mars," Whitfield brings rock and roll and way back to it's origins in the 1950's. It's a reckless, filthy sound that is just about perfect. There's also a touch of a punk menace in there, but there was plenty of menace in 1950's rock and roll, too. I may be making it sound like it's a bit of a noisy trainwreck, which it's not, at all. "Let's Go to Mars" is catchy, with an infectious groove throughout. Plus, his new album, Soul Flowers of Titan , was inspired by Sun Ra's cosmic outlook. According to Barrence Whitfield's website: Titan is the largest moon orbiting Saturn, a planet which astrologically symbolizes pain, struggle and hard knocks on the human path to wholeness and liberation among many other things. So...

Photo by Kristi Engle I feel like I should remember Refrigerator much more than I do. They were active back in the mid to late 90's, which were my glory days of going to shows and college radio. Instead, their name sounds familiar, and maybe I played them on my radio show? The only good thing is I have a LOT of history to catch up on. Refrigerator is set to release their eleventh album next month. "Cardboard Death Elevator" is the first song from that album. It's a great mixture of singer/songwriter fare mixed with minimalist noise rock. It starts out with a bare minimum of instrumentation, with an occasionally strummed guitar and and even more occasional piano flourish over a quiet beat, with Dennis Callaci's vocals being the main focus. It does eventually morph into a swirling guitar crescendo, which provides a huge relief, but even that is fairly quiet and minimal. Overall, it's an awkward, haunting song that won't be for everyone. But, if this so...

We're less than a month away from the release of Ruby Boots's highly anticipated (by us) new album, Don't Talk About It. There's a new song we can listen to from the album, the title track "Don't Talk About It." The new song is more of a ballad than the previous single "It's So Cruel."  Like "It's So Cruel," "Don't Talk About It" is just dripping with cool. It's this slick sounding almost torch song, with Ruby Boots's southern twang by way of Australia. While there's definitely a country feel to the song, it's as much of a Nancy Sinatra style song as it is country. Like I said, everything she touches just drips with cool. You can listen to "Don't Talk About It" below. Ruby Boots's new album, Don't Talk About It, will be out February 9 on Bloodshot Records. You can pre-order your copy here . It will feature The Texas Gentlemen and Nikki Lane backing her up. For more on Ruby ...

Sorry for the delay. You'd think a three day weekend would be long enough to do this... Album of the Week : Artist : cupcakKe Album : Ephorize Quick Description : Surprising, great rap music from a new face. Why You Should Listen : You wish Lizzo had more edge. Overall Thoughts : And I recognize that it's unfair to compare cupcakKe to Lizzo because, surface-level, they're both larger-than-Hollywood-standard black female rappers, but I got the vibe from it before seeing the album cover. And while the album was pretty great early on, it's when "Duck Duck Goose" hits that you realize you're hearing something special, and not just because it's one of the dirtiest songs I've heard in some time. The beats are great, cupcakKe has a great delivery, and there's not much of a flaw here except that it might feel more like a novelty in future listens. I hope not, because this has a lot of lasting power if she keeps this up. Recommendation : A ...