If It's Too Loud...

A Place to Bury Strangers are a band I've been a fan of for years now, but have just never gotten around to seeing them live. Their live shows are the stuff of legend, with reports of pure chaos breaking out at shows, and just giant amounts of pure noise. I'm happy to report that the legends are true. Opening the show Thursday night was JJUUJJUU, a band I have some familiarity with. They played a raucous set of noise rock that was still rooted in the moist basic rules of rock song structure. They had a bit of an almost blues rock sound, but mired down in just pure, loud, abrasive noise. It was in your face, but in an almost polite way. Their live show was much louder than the recordings I associate them with, which are much more chill and lovely. They were a fun rediscovery. Suuns played next. They reminded me of early Mogwai without the extreme highs and lows. Their songs danced between being lovely and abrasive, but like they were trying to find the middle ground. And they di...

Photo by Roberto Terrones @ Berto Media Massachusetts has a long history of fantastic working class punk bands, and our newest favorite is Already Dead. Their latest single, "The Spirit of Massachusetts Avenue," is their most punk song yet. It explores how Mass Ave goes from fancy suburbs and colleges to hospitals and then homeless encampments. It's an absolute rager of a song that recalls the early days of Dropkick Murphys. "The Spirit of Massachusetts Avenue" is a hard and fast track filled with buzzsaw guitars and shouted vocals. Already Dead are coming around just when we need local blue collar punk heroes more than ever. Vocalist/guitarist Dan Cummings says of his band's latest song: “The song is an observation that just one road can be two separate worlds caused by social structures and allocations of resources. And it delivers a very deliberate ‘%$#@ you’ to those who have the power to change things in one of these worlds for the better, but choose no...

Photo by Jose Chalet-Hernande Dead Indian take a spoken word piece and perform it over punk rock riffs for their new single. "Bad Indian" sees vocalist Gregg Deal telling tales of his Native American experience over music that combines the sounds of bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Rage Against the Machine, and The Minutemen. It's an incredibly bad ass song that is filled with anger projected through a sense of humor. Seriously, Deal is hilarious here as he channels his rage. Dead Pioneers have one of the most exciting sounds we've heard from the world of punk for a while, and we're dying to hear more. Gregg Deal says of his band's new single: "'Bad Indian' originated as a spoken word piece that was mentioned to articulate experiences I’ve had in real life. Everything articulated here is true, and meant to stand as an example of some of the difficulties Native people of North America experience. The cultural nuances of this piece are important, tho...

Photo by Juliana and Nicola Giraffe For her upcoming debut album, Kate Bollinger took inspiration from the pop, rock, and folk of the 1960's. That sound is all over her new single, "Any Day Now." The song is a light and breezy track that isn't exactly a throwback. Instead, it's an updated version of those sounds made fresh for 2024. It has roots in pop music, but an artsier version of pop than what you typically hear. If I'm being forced to make comparisons to current artists, "Any Day Now" sounds like a cross between Faye Webster and Kate Nash. Bollinger has crafted a song that is loads of fun without being cheesy or embarrassing, which can be rare. Kate Bollinger says of her new single: " My good friend Matt [E. White] was visiting from Virginia and we got together to play some music. We wrote this song and then drove around Los Angeles together. That same day he helped me realize the kind of record I wanted to make, which I subconsciously kne...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday May 31 The Wolff Sisters and Molly O'Leary at Askew, Providence, RI Zip-Tie Handcuffs, Kal Marks, and Idiot Genes at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA Buffalo Tom at The Drake, Amherst, MA Hubby Jenkins at The Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint, Medford, MA The Promised End, Origami Summer, Miniluv, and One Fall at Koto, Salem, MA Abigail Lapell and Helen Hummel at The Parlor Room, Northampton, MA Saturday June 1 Abigail Lapell and Audrey Pearl at Club Passim, Cambridge, MA Fiel...

Photo by Chris Gorman Tinkertown is the musical project of Dean Fisher (Juliana Hatfield Three, Tanya Donelly, Dylan in the Movies) and vocalist Gabriella Lawrence. Their latest single, "Red Eyes," is a theatrical grown-up indie rock song. It includes elements of jazz and Americana along with the more rock based sound, and it's just a chilled out, laid back kind of song. It's kind of perfect for the upcoming season as it feels like it's not in a rush and just moves along at its own pace. "Red Eyes" has the vibe of people that are making the music they love, and having a great time doing so. And who doesn't want to hear that? You can listen to "Red Eyes" below. American Gothic is due out June 21 on American Laundromat Records, and is available to pre-order here . For more on Tinkertown, check out the band on  Facebook . If you happen to be in the Boston area, they're playing a show tonight (May 30) at Lizard Lounge with special guest Tan...

Photo by Fernie Renteria Jenny Parrott is one of those artists that you're either going to adore or just not get, with very little in between. They're labelled an alt-folk artist, although that description doesn't quite fit their latest single. "I Hear It All the Time" is a song heavy on the Omnichord, with Parrott's vocals sounding more like a 60's girl group than anything on the folk side. It's a fun and somewhat quirky track that reminds me of 90's artists like Money Mark or Beastie Boys side project BS2000. We're definitely landing on the adoring Jenny Parrott side of things, and hopefully you'll be joining us! Jenny Parrott says of their latest single: “It’s that awful burn in your chest when people casually mention someone who has deeply wounded you, and you wonder if it was all your fault.” You can watch the video for "I Hear It All the Time" below. Love Spell is due out June 28. For more on Jenny Parrott, check out the art...

Tysk Tysk Task Photo by Ken Sears Friday and Saturday night were one thing, but Sunday was an entirely different animal. The trains heading into Harvard Square were completely packed, and the areas in front of the Red and Green stages were full before a single note was played. The quadruple threat of The Killers, Hozier, Meghan Thee Stallion, and Chappell Roan were the reason. I'm typically great at weaseling my way through crowds without being too obnoxious about it. Friday night I was able to get relatively close to Leon Bridges halfway through his set, and Saturday I ended up about five people back for Frank Turner about twenty minutes before he went on. However, Sunday it was nearly impossible to get near either of the main stages unless you got there hours early. There was still a lot to see and enjoy, and here are my highlights of the day! Tysk Tysk Task I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I loved Tysk Tysk Task's set opening up the Orange stage for the day. The Low...

Photo by Morgan Kelley In the winter of 2021, Blood moved from Austin, TX to Philadelphia. There the band recorded their debut album, which is set to be released in August. The first single from that album is "One Dimensional Man," and if you have an affinity for certain musical styles from the 90's, you're going to love this one. To me "One Dimensional Man" sounds like a cross between Jeff Buckley and Radiohead's first two albums. It's quiet and intimate while also being an epic song. It's a melodic song with a ton of jangly pop thrown in, and it's undeniably infectious. Although, when a song is as great as "One Dimensional Man," you don't mind it being lodged in your head for an extended period of time. You can watch the video for "One Dimensional Man" below. Loving You Backwards is due out August 2 on Ramp Local, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Blood, check out the band on Instagram .

Photo by Silver Strawberry If you're wondering what Americana from Brooklyn would sound like, allow us to introduce you to Marley Hale. Her latest song, "Drunk On You," is a modern torch ballad with some of the most laid back slide guitar ever recorded. The song is rooted in old timey country, but with a modern sensibility. It doesn't sound like a throwback, but has the same spirit as classic country. Not many vintage country songs start off with the line "If whiskey were a woman I'd fuck her," just to show what kind of country ballad you're getting into here. "Drunk On You" is the type of song that makes you immediately want to hear more from an artist. Luckily we won't have to wait too much longer to hear more from Marley Hale. Marley Hale says of her latest single: “When I first wrote ‘Drunk On You,’ I played it alone, even when performing with the band. It was one of the first songs I wrote after getting sober, and the first to real...

Feldspar are a post-hardcore band that formed in late 2023 and are based in Rome. Their debut single, "Cobblestones," leans into the hardcore side of post-hardcore. The song is fast and heavy on gang vocals. While Feldspar get compared to bands like Life of Agony, Sheer Mag, and Fiddlehead, I'm hearing similarities to Fucked Up. "Cobblestones" is heavy and abrasive, but also includes some strong melodies hiding along the hardcore. Plus, if you like extended break downs , this one will be right up your alley. Feldspar might be the first Italian post-hardcore we've covered, and we're anxiously waiting to hear more. You can watch the video for "Cobblestones" below. Old City New Ruins is due out September 30 on Time to Kill Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Feldspar, check out the band on Instagram .

Frank Turner Photo by Taylor Hill Selects Saturday's Boston Calling had a bit of a musical theme. Friday's "I Hate Boston" and "Good Tits, Big Heart" shirts were replaced with tie dye and cowboy hats (especially the free Miller Lite ones being handed out). The day was a bit more mellow with a country/folk/jam band sort of theme with some exceptions to the full day of music. Here are some of our highlights. Senseless Optimism Senseless Optimism had a tough crowd to win over, as she was mostly playing to Frank Turner and Trey Anastasio fans making sure they had a spot up front. She quickly won over the crowd with her unique style, and the fact that she's one of the most engaging live artists in Boston today. Her style encompasses so many different genres to make her sound that it almost works in every setting. It fit it smoothly enough for both the jam band fans and the folk-punkers to get into it. She also busted out a wildly unhinged cover of Led Zeppeli...

For their latest 7" single release, A Place to Bury Strangers delve back into their more electronic sound. "You'll Be There for Me" is a much more straightforward electronic rock track than we've come to expect from the Brooklyn band. It's more aligned with a New Wave meets 90's techno than their typical electronic experimentations. It's almost dark wave, but not quite. This might be the most dance friendly song we've heard from A Place to Bury Strangers, although it would only allow for awkward dancing. Of course, they do bring the noise back towards the end, but just enough to remind you of who you're listening to. You can listen to "You'll Be There for Me" below. You can order a copy of the vinyl here through Dedstrange. For more on A Place to Bury Strangers, check out the band's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the song. You'll Be There For Me/When You're Gone by A Place To Bury Strangers May 29 - Providen...

Joe Gittleman has been the most prolific of his ex-bandmates since The Mighty Mighty Bosstones split up, and he's back with a new single. "Hold Up" picks up where his former band left off. It's a laid back ska song with some of the ska punk edge, but in an easing into middle age kind of way. This isn't a song for ripping it up in the pit, but it's perfect to play when you need to feel cool on a weekend rip to Target. It's a fun song that is just meant for aging ska fans, and it even features Dave McWane of Big D and the Kids Table for added Boston ska scene coolness. You can listen to "Hold Up" below. Hold Up , the album, is due out June 21 on Bad Time Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Joe Gittleman, check out the artist on Instagram .

Photo by Samm Scho Tysk Tysk Task's recent singles have all felt like a collective unit of music, despite sounding quite different from each other. Their latest is "Spiral," which goes in an opposite direction from the previous single, "My Side." While "My Side" was a two minute punk track, "Spiral" is a minute minute epic ballad. Singer/guitarist Samantha Hartsel has never sounded better than she does here, despite how dark the song feels. As the song starts, there is an intense feeling of foreboding that just builds and builds. Once the vocals kick in, the heaviness of the song begins to weigh on you. The song is absolutely gorgeous, possibly because of the darkness and emotion it conveys. And then the guitar solo eases its way in, and somehow the mood seems to lift. If a guitar solo can be uplifting, Tysk Tysk Task pull it off. You can listen to "Spiral" below. Helium Dreams is out now. For more on Tysk Tysk Task, check out the b...

kei Photo credit: Boston Calling, Alive Coverage Boston Calling is New England's largest music festival, drawing forty thousand music fans from all over for three days of music. This was surprisingly my first year attending Boston Calling, and there is simply too much for one post, so we're breaking it down day by day. Here are my highlights from day one! Madi Diaz We've been fans of Madi Diaz for a while, so it was great to see the Nashvile singer-songwriter live for the first time. I was also unaware that she spent time in Boston, and she talked about living ten blocks from the venue. Taking the Green Stage with her guitar and only accompanied by a drummer, Diaz was the perfect way to start off my day with her upbeat mix of indie rock, singer-songwriter fare, and pop. I was also pleasantly surprised by how much of her music the crowd knew. I tend to live in my musical bubble, unaware of what's popular or not, and Diaz is much more well known than I thought.  The Wolff...

Photo by Jimmy Del Ponte Most bands try to list a wide array of bands as influences, but few seldom live up to having wildly varied influences listed in a press release. Boston's Viruette are an exception to that. The British/American band lists Modest Mouse, Steely Dan, Blur, and Chet Baker as influences, and I can actually hear them all in their latest single. "Big Fat Nothing" is a huge indie rock song layered in upbeat pop side of Britpop, the complexities of prog rock, and plenty of unexpected jazzy elements. It's an ambitious song that just gets better and more intriguing as it goes on. It's the kind of song with so many changes that you barely recognize the beginning as you start you second listen. This is also the style of song that just gets better and better with each listen as you uncover things you missed the time before. "Big Fat Nothing" isn't meant to be background music while you update your spreadsheets, so make sure you can give thi...

Photo by Lacey Browne If you loved Loveletter's previous single as much as we did, just wait until you hear their latest. The New York City trio just released "Dead Weight," and it's a sludgy burst of indie rock noise. At some points it sounds like mid-80's Sonic Youth, while at others it sounds like Sleater-Kinney jamming with The Melvins. "Dead Weight" one of those singles that you hear and immediately fall in love with the band. Loveletter are just a force of nature, and if you've ever dreamed of a Sonic Youth/Sleater-Kinney/Melvins supergroup, this is going to work perfectly for you. Gabriella Zappia says of her band's latest single: “This is kind of the foundation of Loveletter: heavy sludge, throbbing basslines, fuzz guitar, and massive drums. The contrast in the B part, where the bass takes over the melody, adds some light to shape the darkness. You’ve got to be economical with a 3 piece.” You can listen to "Dead Weight" below. T...

Fairfield, CT's Marisa Bloom has just released the perfect song for what many consider to be the start of summer. "Dairy Queen" is an upbeat blast of nostalgia mixed with pop punk and power pop. We haven't hit the relaxed lazy days of summer yet, and Bloom's song perfectly captures the anticipation and excitement we feel as summer starts (especially if you're in a locale with a true winter). "Dairy Queen" is just a fun summertime anthem filled with longing and a sense of joy. Sometimes you just need a fun song to rock out to, and that's exactly what Marisa Bloom provides. Marissa Bloom says her song is about "...  that longing for an Oreo blizzard or an unrequited crush that gives you butterflies.” You can listen to "Dairy Queen" below. The single is out now on Pilot Light Records. For more on Marisa Bloom, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook .

Artist: kei When and where: Friday 7:00-7:40, Orange stage If I'm being completely honest, if I had only heard kei's music, I might not be a fan. She plays a more newfangled version of hip hop than I normally enjoy. It's not bad by any means, it's just not my preference. But I saw her perform at the 2022 Boston Music Awards, and she blew me and everyone else in that room away. I had conversations with people at the 2023 Boston Music Awards about how amazing she was. I had a conversation with someone in the last month about how amazing her performance was. kei playing Boston Calling this year could very well be might propels her to true stardom. Get to the Orange stage as early as you can for this one. The small area in front of the stage is sure to be packed by the time she's done.

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday May 24 Jake Blount, Nic Gareiss, and Sammy Wetstein Trio at Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro, VT Scissorfight, Viqueen, and Condition at The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH Glacier, Circus Trees, and Lesotho at Koto Asian Fusion, Salem, MA Stephanie McKay and Cliff Notez at Uncommon Stage, Boston Common, Boston, MA Saturday May 25 Carissa Johnson, The Fatal Flaw, and The Callouts at Askew, Providence, RI Minibeast, Fugue State, and Shirese at Gallery X, New Bedford, MA Sunday May 26 ...

Photo via Facebook Ultrabomb are a punk rock supergroup consisting of Greg Norton (Husker Du), Finny McConnell (The Mahones), and Jamie Oliver (UK Subs). Their latest single, "Rage Bomb," is a fast is dissonant punk track that sounds kind of like Husker Du playing a more mainstream and modern style of punk. Greg Norton is always going to sound like Greg Norton, but a song like "Rage Bomb" isn't as abrasive as a lot of his previous band's music was. But, this is a punk song, so there is plenty of abrasion within "Rage Bomb." It's always a pleasure to hear punk and indie royalty still sounding a great and vital as Ultrabomb sounds here. You can listen to "Rage Bomb" below. Dying to Smile is due out June 7 on DC-Jam Records, and is available to pre-order here . For more on Ultrabomb, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook .

Photo by Holyziner Elsy Wameyo is a Naroibi-born and Adelaide-based singer, rapper, and producer. The artist's new single, "Umva," is a refreshing hip hop song that doesn't sound like much else out there. The obvious comparison is fellow Australian Genesis Owusu (who Wameyo has toured with), but I'm also hearing some British garage and American soul in "Umva." Wameyo has this ability to take traditional or mainstream hip hop and put a brand new spin on it without it sounding too different. This is the kind of song Top 40 fans and underground hip hop fans can both enjoy. Elsy Wameyo says of her new single: “There’s a comfortability that comes with understanding one’s greatness. Respectfully, in this game I know I run laps around most so it’s easy to say and do whatever I want. I know exactly who I am and have nothing to prove. I carry myself with a lot of pride because Elsy Wameyo is that girl and they know that too. Umva is a statement. This is who I am,...