If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Elsy Wameyo Album : Saint Sinner Quick Thoughts : This brings so much Little Simz energy, but less anxious and more soulful. It's so good - sneakily so, with some great flow all throughout. It's one of my favorite rap listens of the recent months, if not the whole year, and I would whole-heartedly recommend it even in a busy week, so a week like this really means this deserves a spin. Songs of Note : "Repercussions," "Umva," "Conquer," "Journey" Artist : MAITA Album : want Quick Thoughts : Why is MAITA so good at this? Seriously. Their last album from a couple years ago was a dark horse sleeper for the year, and this one just has great song after great song on it. There is so much to love here, it's alt-indie done so, so, so right. Songs of Note : "break up song x3," "hotel," "i used to feel different," "violet dream," "happy with you," "almost nothing, keeps...

If you listened to college radio religiously in the 90's, you're going to adore the latest from Tercel. Hailing from the Cape Fear area of North Carolina, the band's released "Holiday" last week, and it sounds like that song you always played on your radio show but just can't remember who it is by. It has all of the interesting quirk and pure indie rock oddness from a band like Archers of Loaf with the harmony and melody of Apples in Stereo. Tercel even throws in some country and surf guitar somewhat unexpectedly, but delightfully. Hearing a song like "Holiday" is a pure joy. You can listen to "Holiday" below. The single is out now via Fort Lowell Records. For more on Tercel, check out the band on Instagram . Holiday by Tercel

Referring to Goat as psychedelic is one of the biggest understatements possible. The Swedish group's latest single, "Ouroborous," has some roots in the classic psychedelia of the 60's, but it takes that sound and amplifies it for 2024. The song is more of an organic dance track with beats that sound like classic hip hop, but also incorporates rock, jazz, and disco for this impossible fresh sound. It borrows elements from so many genres that it sounds like it could be a mash-up. Goat have designed this song to appeal to so many different tastes that it's almost going to have universal appeal, at least to people with musical taste. Goat say of their latest single: " The cycle of rebirth means the refinement of the soul. An evolution in which we slowly find our direction. Our own rhythm." You can watch the video for "Ouroboros" below. Goat's self-titled new album is due out October 11 on Rocket Recordings, and is available for pre-order throug...

Photo by Fabiana Moreira When it was announced that Laura Jane Grace was recording with and touring with Matt Patton (Drive-By Truckers) and Mikey Erg (The Ergs), I assumed it would be a cool one off and then all members would go back to their own projects. Turns out the quartet (they've been joined by Paris Campbell Grace on vocals and percussion) and have become Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals. Their latest single, "Karma Too Close," is a slightly faster than mid-tempo alt-rock meets punk track that is as jangly as it is edgy. I'm getting an unexpected Beatles decide to dabble in punk sound from this one, but that could just be the heavy dose of power pop in the song. The band's set at the Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theater may have been the show of the year, and "Karma Too Close" almost captures the pure joy that was in that room in March. You can watch the video for "Karma Too Close" below. Give An Inch is due out Septem...

Prescott Park Arts Festival is one of my all time favorite places to see a show. It's in a gorgeous public park on the waterfront in Portsmouth, NH, and it's a very reasonable suggested donation entry fee to get in. Unfortunately, I haven't been since pre-pandemic, as my schedule hasn't worked, or a show has gotten rained out when timing did work out. But, if I was going to make my return trip to the festival, I can't think of a better option than seeing two string supergroups: Mighty Poplar and New Dangerfield. Playing only their fifth show ever, New Dangerfield opened the show. The band is a black string group consisting of Kaia Kater, Jake Blount, Tray Wellington, and Nelson Williams. You would never know that this was a band that could count the number of total performances on one hand if they hadn't mentioned it. New Dangerfield had that perfect mix of playing tight and loose you get with folk/bluegrass/string bands, especially ones with a pedigree like the...

Photo via Facebook Baltimore's Strawberry Sleepover have released a single that shouldn't work, but somehow does. The garage/psychedelic band's latest, "The Show," starts off as a 60's throwback, stopping just short of a doo wop song. It's along the lines of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound work. And then the vocals kick in, which are crooned, but are much more along the lines of garage rock or modern indie rock. The song slowly morphs into a more garage rock friendly sound, without losing that oddball 60's vintage sound. It's that combination of the smooth and the gruff that makes "The Show" such an interesting listen. Garage rock and psych should be fun and interesting listens, and Strawberry Sleepover have nailed that. You can watch the video for "The Show" below. Filth is due out September 6. For more on Strawberry Sleepover, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook .

Photo by Malcolm Riordan "Road Song" is the first full band song from Chicago folk duo Sleeper's Bell. The song has this certain alt-folk quality that might delve into freak folk at times, but not too deeply. This is definitely not a standard or traditional folk song. Blaine Teppema (vocals/guitar) has a touch of Adrienne Lenker in her voice, and once the horns come in the song takes a unique and oddly wonderful direction. "Road Song" starts off at least a little traditionally, but soon ventures off into free jazz territory. Somehow this is accomplished inside of a folk song. Sleeper's Bell aren't exactly for the masses, but those with an open mind will most likely end up adoring this one. Blaine Teppema says of the band's latest single: “It’s partially about the sunk cost fallacy — you put so much time and energy into something that you forget you’re allowed to try something new. But then, sometimes, you put so much into something and then you’re a ...

Photo by Blackwall East London's Jeshi is back with a new single. "DISCONNECT!" features Louis Culture and Fredwave, and while it's a modern hip hop track that borrows heavily from the current electronic music scene, it also throws back to the garage sound coming out of England that was so thrilling in the early 00's. This new song is a true blend of styles that Jeshi has managed to weave together in a seamless way. The beats drop in that explosive way you get with trap, plus there is also some R&B thrown in to smooth it all over. "DISCONNECT!" is both polished and raw, and is one of the cooler London rap songs we've heard in a while. Jeshi says of his latest single: “‘DISCONNECT!’ is one of my favourite things I’ve ever made… it’s got this completely unhinged energy which to this day I don’t know how we managed to capture. It was me Fredwave, Louis Culture, Elijah Waters and Pablo Pullen in there but all I remember is pacing round the studio in ...

Photo via Facebook Looking Glass War continue to be one of Boston's best bands that doesn't sound anything like Boston. Their latest single, "Rumination House," is a glammed up song that sounds like 1980's British New Wave and darkwave. The glam is mostly from vocalist Goddamn Glenn, which sounds especially stellar on this track thanks to Johnny Marr style guitar provided by Pete Zeigler. It's a slower track that is heavy on groove, sounding upbeat despite being a relatively downbeat track. It's the type of song that will almost instantly grab you, and will have you completely smitten once the chorus starts. Looking Glass War are one of those bands that sounds like they've been playing together for decades despite being fairly new. You can listen to "Ruination House" below. For more on Looking Glass War, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook . Rumination House by Looking Glass War

Jessica Pratt may not be the biggest artist of 2024, but she most certainly is one of the most beloved. That adoration was in full effect Saturday night at The Sinclair where a sold out crowd hung on every word and note of one of their favorite artists. This was not an evening for those that were curious. All five hundred and twenty five in attendance stood completely rapt for the entire performance. Jessica Pratt's show is a quiet one. All four musicians were sitting for the performance, and, despite having been to The Sinclair dozens of times, Saturday night was the first time I was aware of the noise caused by the HVAC system. The audience was dead silent during each and every song. Even between song chatter was kept to a bare minimum, and when it did happen it was barely even whispered. The crowd seemed to skew younger than I expected, and while "the kids" get a bad rap at shows, they were beyond well behaved for Jessica Pratt. And they were rewarded with a night of e...

Photo by Clay Rodriguez Recalculating describe their music as "riot dad," and that kinda fits in with what we love here at If It's Too Loud... Their latest single, "Candide Says," is a reference to both Voltaire and Lou Reed, and it's an oddly upbeat version of post-punk and indie rock. The New York band have a bit more of an organic feel than you typically get from those genres, and an intense earnestness. It could just be bassist/vocalist Sean Wiederkehr's speak-singing vocals, but "Candide Says" sounds a little like an edgier version of The Hold Steady. Recalculating have one of the more unique takes on these well tread genres, and that's always something to celebrate. Sean Wiederkehr says of the band's upcoming album: “There is less armor and the songs aren’t as bleak—there is a healthy dose of hope—but Scott’s puckishness, my oozing id, and Michael’s from-the-gut perspective remains. There is a cathartic nature to these songs. They...

Photo by Justin French It's been a little while since we've heard from New Dangerfield (the string superband featuring Kaia Kater, Jake Blount, Tray Wellington, and Nelson Williams) are back with a brand new single. "Put No Walls Around Your Garden" was co-written by Kaia Kater and Billy Keane, and it's simply a masterclass in folk music. It's surprisingly sparse and maintains a tension throughout the song. It's a timeless folk song that still sounds modern. If you are a fan of any style of folk or Americana, it's going to be impossible not to adore New Dangerfield. Kaia Kater says of the band's new single: "I wrote 'Put No Walls Around Your Garden' with Billy Keane, a wonderful songwriter from the Berkshires, during a 2023 retreat at The House of Songs in the Ozark Mountains. We used the allegory of a farmer and their seasonal crop yield as a commentary on resource hoarding and climate change. I brought the song to the band and we arr...

Linnea's Garden are one of the best indie rock party bands in Boston. Their latest single, "Cherry," is a little bit more laid back than what we usually hear from the trio, but it's still party ready. According to the YouTube description of the video, "It's a happy song, inspired by Miami beaches and nightclubs." While we previously declared their last single, "Chaotic Bisexual Summer," to be the song of the summer, "Cherry" is the perfect follow up for the dog days of summer. We're all a little burned out by the heat and humidity and are starting to look forward to the fall, but we need to try to get as much out of the last month of the season as we can. "Cherry" is a funky and fun indie rocker, with an unexpected amount of heart and earnestness.  You can watch the video for "Cherry" below. The single is available now via Bandcamp . For more on Linnea's Garden, check out the band's website .

Photo by Daniel Bergeron I think we all have those bands that we know we should be more familiar with, but for some inexplicable reason, we just aren't. One of those bands for me is Karate. The Boston band's initial run was between 1993 and 2005 was my prime for going to shows and hearing new music, but even though I knew the name, I just never got into them. Well... now's a good time for me to correct that since Karate is about to release their first new album in twenty years. Their latest single, "Defendants," fits right into the post-rock/slowcore/jazz rock sound that make Karate so beloved. It's the kind of single that makes a newbie like me angry for not discovering the beloved band twenty-five years ago when I should have, but at least now it's inspiring me to go into a full fledged deep dive. From the very surface of my dive, a song like "Defendants" and its B-side 'Silence, Sound" fit right in with their classic releases, showing...

Photo via Facebook Inspector 34 are one of the more underrated bands of the Boston area music scene, and if you're just discovering them, "Self" is a great place to start. Their most recent single is a noisy and chaotic indie rock song, with melodicaly screamed vocals and clanging guitars. It kind of sounds like it half of At the Drive In decided to write a pop song, and the other half tried to sabotage it, but it all mysteriously worked out so they decided to keep it. The song sounds both angry and upbeat at the same time, just adding to the overall chaos.  You can watch the video for "Self" below. Squint Your Ears is due out August 16 on Sad Milk Collective, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Inspector 34, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook .

Photo by Jac Mestel The latest from Boston's Happy Little Clouds is a bit more downtempo than their previous songs, but it's no less impactful. "Lungs" is a soulful post-grunge power ballad that gives vocalist/guitarist Jac Mestel's vocals a place to shine. The vocals are the focus of "Lungs," and Mestel has never sounded so powerful before. Their emotions are on full display here, and the song is better for it. The song also adds in some organ along with the usual guitar/bass/drums combination, which adds a bit of levity to the song. As emotional as it is, Happy Little Clouds keep a sense of optimism throughout.  Jac Mestel says of the band's latest single: “The listener can really make this song their own.  Each verse can be like someone grappling with  a major life-shattering event as they go through a whole hero’s journey arc within the span of a  3-minute song. As the song progresses, they deal with their constantly changing feelings or stages  ...

Sassyhiya are real life partners Kathy Wright and Helen Skinner, who met at a rollerderby game where Wright was skating for the Ultraviolent Femmes. Their latest single, "Kristen Stewart," was inspired by Skinner seeing the actress and queer icon filming a scene for Spencer at a local Kentucky Fried Chicken. The resulting song is a joyous indie rock song that has the bounciness of punk but with the upbeat sound of indie rock and alt-pop. It's a wonderfully melodic track that still keeps the DIY spirit alive with its unique vibe. Plus, it has the bassline of your favorite post-punk tracks.  Helen Skinner says of the band's latest single: “I wanted to do a song about her because I think she’s ace and makes great choices when it comes to roles. She’s grown up in the public eye and has still managed to become the person we absolutely hoped she would - someone proud of her queerness plus she's really cool and fun.” You can watch the video for "Kristen Stewart...

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 July 26 Rick Rude, Qvickdraw, and Tin Fish at The Dance Hall, Kittery, ME Nice, a fest featuring Noble Dust, TIFFY, Jake McKelvie, Hannah Mohan, Mallcops, and more at Crystal Ballroom and The Rockwell, Somerville, MA Eric Gaffney at Shelburne Springs, Shelburne Falls, MA The Shirts and Shoes, The Ghouls, Dee Tension & The Secrets, and Melt at Thirsty First, Lowell, MA Freak Pit, Eight Foot Manchild, and Mister Wonderful at The Boiler Room at Wes's Rib House, Provide...

Photo by Athen Smith Being Dead is the musical project of Austin, TX based multi-instrumentalists Falcon Bitch and Shmoofy. Their latest single, "Van Goes," has this interesting mix of upbeat fun and darkness. It's a little bit post-punk and a little bit egg punk. There are some pop elements, but "Van Goes" is an odd little song. Imagine a mixture of DEVO and Beat Happening, and you might come close to what this sounds like. As weird and unusual as the song is, there are strong pop elements throughout. Being Dead certainly won't be for everyone, but if they work for you, welcome to your latest musical obsession! The band says of their new video: “Our goal is simple. When you die and your life flashes before your eyes we’d like this video to be included in the reel. (Or at least lay a blueprint for how yours might be). Fast and furious is one's life when betrayed. And in a flash, your whole life before you: everyone you've ever known, everything you...

Photo by Lucca Bell Members of The Promise Ring, Braid, Hey Mercedes, and Maritime coming together to make a Dungeons & Dragons themed stoner rock band? You have to at least check it out for the curiosity factor. Turns out the first single from Fight Dice is great enough to surpass the novelty. "Magic Pact" is much more metal-ish than I would have expected, and it lands smack dab right in the stoner rock category. That being said, it does have a surprising punk edge to it. It's a fun song that doubles as a "How To" when it comes to using magic weapons. If you want to hear a bunch of punk and emo musicians rock out about Dungeons & Dragons, Fight Dice are the band for you. Bassist Todd Bell says of the project: “During the pandemic, we were immersed in playing ‘D&D’ together online to ward off boredom and stay socially connected.  When we could see each other more regularly and safely, as friends, we began practicing as a makeshift ‘band’ — another ou...

Photo by Patrick McCormack Lutalo was born in Minnesota but now calls Vermont home. They just released a pair of singles that showcase the artist's wide range. "The Bed" is an upbeat sounding folk-rock song about war propaganda with a surprisingly funky beat. Lutalo has a slacker style vocal that goes against the music in the track, but still works perfectly. The other single, "Broken Twin," is more of an indie rock goes mainstream style single. It sounds a lot like early 00's British rock, kind of like Travis or Coldplay but with a much stronger edge to it. "Broken Twin" also has a stronger beat than you would typically hear in this style of music, which I'm starting to suspect is Lutalo's calling card. Both singles stand on their own, but together they are great examples of just how diverse of an artist Lutalo is. Lutalo says that "The Bed" "... i s about being educated about American propaganda and war mongering at a young...

Artist : Goodnight, Texas Album : Signals Quick Thoughts : Goodnight, Texas has a strong record of quality alt-country efforts, but this one feels like it levels things up a bit. Equal parts rockin' roots and more traditional country, plus some interesting bonuses (like Kirk Hammett of Metallica) make this an excellent mid-summer listen. Don't miss out on this one. Songs of Note : "Dry Heat," "RUNAWAYS," "Frankie, Where Are You Now?" "Among Tumbleweeds," "The Offer," "The Lightning and the Old Man Todd" Artist : Salem Wolves Album : The Psychotron Speaks Quick Thoughts : We like Salem Wolves quite a bit here. This latest album, however, really hit perfectly for me. It's the sort of punk-adjacent indie I'm looking for in an act, and the songwriting here is so strong and so compelling that I am looking forward to getting back to this as soon as I can. Don't miss out. Songs of Note : "Low Car...