If It's Too Loud...

This week has always been good for catching up on music we missed, and one of those releases is from So Many Dangers. The Providence fifth wave ska band released a single (EP?) back in October called Break the System. It's three songs that are distinctly ska but worthy of a new wave of ska. A song like "Break the System" sees everything we love about the genre, but an almost brand new style of it. It's probably more along the lines of skacore but noisier. Think noise rock goes ska. "Here's Your Love Song" is particularly chaotic with horns and guitars coming close to an all out war against each other. So Many Dangers are delivering three noisy and barely under control punk songs made even more so by the inclusion of horns. You can listen to Break the System below. The EP/single is out now via Bandcamp . For more on So Many Dangers, check out the band on Instagram . Break The System by So Many Dangers

Photo by Alicia Fretter Manchester's Brain Leak is a nu-riot grrrl band that has a video out for their new-ish single, "Save Me." This new song doesn't follow traditional the riot grrrl sound. It's a hazy and relatively quiet song, despite the tension lurking just beneath the surface. It's reminding me of a more raw and rough version of the current musical trend of indie rock meets pop. Although "Save Me" has some strong roots in pop, this is hardly Top 40 pop music. It's living in an interesting world where pop and indie rock live in the same space, and it never quite gives into either genre more than the other one. Brain Leak have an interesting and compelling sound that will make you curious enough to need more. Tara-Gabriella Engelhardt says of her band's new EP: “It’s a Frankenstein production in the best way.  This year I wanted to explore my sound, see how other people work, and figure out what I want for the next body of work.” You ca...

Artist : Isobel Waller-Bridge Album : Objects Quick Thoughts : Yes, it's Phoebe's sister, but don't let that overshadow what is a really gorgeous ambient soundscape. Waller-Bridge's musical history is mostly in the area of film and television scores, and this being the first proper album works really well as an cohesive piece of work. Honestly really enjoyed this, great for fans of folks like Claire Rousay. Songs of Note : "Tapes," "HZ," "Shoe," "Hoover," "Bill's Cat and Me" Artist : My Gay Banjo Album : Another World is in the Air Quick Thoughts : This made it on a friend's best-of playlist and I kind of fell in love with it. It's a quirky little folk record that openly borrows from countless classics and yet still feels fresh and unique. One of the more intriguing listens of the year, honestly, and deserves some attention. Songs of Note : "Staying Queer," "Drive Away," ...

Photo by Max Miechowski Post-punks Dry Cleaning are back with a new single that changes up their sound quite a bit. "Let Me Grow and You'll See the Fruit" is still a post-punk song, but according to the press release for the song, it's inspired by 60's folk artist Pentangle, 2001: A Space Odyssey , ancient Roman poet Virgil, Robyn Rocket, and Joanna Sternberg. This gives the song a certain 60's groove filled vibe, and is the most folky we've heard Dry Cleaning sound so far. It's a chilled out song that is lovely in its own way, but this is still a Dry Cleaning song, so there's an odd sense of darkness throughout the song. It also ends up sounding like their most mainstream and their most experimental song at the same time. Lyricist Florence Shaw says of the band's latest single: “The song is about hyper focus and loneliness. It’s confessional, like a diary entry, written in a stream of consciousness style." You can watch the video for ...

Photo via Facebook We first discovered Nectarine Girl in November 2024 when they played Dorchester Brewing Company. Now, they're back with a new single, "Seeing me in your eyes." This latest song continues their pop music meets alt-rock sound, leaning more heavily into the world of pop. It's reminding me a lot of mid-90's alt-rock singer-songwriters like Liz Phair and Juliana Hatfield, but a more modern version that incorporates more pop than anyone would have dared to thirty years ago. "Seeing me in your eyes" is a smooth track that lets the rock edge creep up on you. Nectarine Girl has one of the coolest sounds in the world of alt-rock goes pop, and is instantly familiar despite how unique they are as an artist. You can listen to "Seeing me in your eyes" below. Good Excuses for Laziness is due out on January 20, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Nectarine Girl, check out the artist's website .

Closing out the end of the year the way I always do, with a massive playlist of my favorite songs of the year. Here's to a great 2026, whatever that might look like. Best when shuffled, but a specific shoutout to "Weight of the Wheel" by Kassi Valazza (probably my favorite song of the year).

Photo by Luke Ivanovitch New York's MX LONELY have a new-ish single out off of their upcoming album. "Shape of an Angel" is one of these newfangled indie rock songs that is as much pop as it is rock. It's an epic that is somehow both quiet and loud at the same time. The way "Shape of an Angel" combines its abrasive and melodic sides ends up making the noisier and discordant parts more beautiful. This is am intense song, and the opening instrumental portion grabs you before the vocals even get started. Vocalist/synthesist Rae Haas has more than a little bit of that 90's slacker vocal thing going, but also adds plenty of emotion into the track. "Shape of an Angel" is making me think of a heavier rock based version of an artist like Blondshell. Rae Haas says of her band's latest single: “When I was first diagnosed with ADHD, I was prescribed a hefty script of adderall and I fell in love…I developed a heavy dependency on these creamsicle colore...

If you're more than a little sick of holiday music, we've got the perfect antidote for you. It's been a couple of years since we last heard from Jiddo, but the Massachusetts band are back with a new three song EP. High Life is as loud as it is abrasive. It's a post-hardcore release filled with screeching guitars, pounding drums, and screamed vocals that don't fully sound like they are meant to be in an EP together, let alone a single song. It's kind of like mashing The Jesus Lizard and Converge into one band. This is obviously not going to appeal to everyone, but if it works for you, High Life is going to attach itself to your cerebral cortex and refuse to let go for a long time. You can listen to High Life below. The EP is currently available through Bandcamp . For more on Jiddo, check out the band on Instagram . High Life by Jiddo

As a special present to us all, DJ Z-TRIP has released a free holiday mix this year. It's a ninety-five minute collection of classic Christmas hip hop songs mixed together with some other holiday favorites mixed in. It's wonderfully old school, and a great reminder that classic hip hop has deeper Christmas roots than just "Christmas in Hollis." Do you have a long drive today or tomorrow? Looking for something to add a little extra fun to your Christmas Eve? DJ Z-TRIP has you covered with Holiday Mix (Rock the Bells).  You can listen to Holiday Mix (Rock the Bells) below. The mix is available as a free download through Bandcamp . For more on DJ Z-TRIP, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook . Z-TRIP - Holiday Mix (Rock The Bells) by DJ Z-Trip

Photo by OK McCausland Ski Team, the musical project of Lucie Lozinski, has a new song out called "Santa," even though it's not exactly a Christmas song. This new single keeps the sound of her previous single, "New BF," going, mixing indie rock with modern pop. The new single leans more heavily into the pop side of music, and has the epic scope you'd get with artists like Ingrid Michaelson. Although, "Santa" has a more complex feel and moves effortlessly from a more twee electronic base to a bigger, arena ready sound. It also makes transitions from power ballad to a near dance song just as easily. Ski Team has one of the most anticipated albums of early 2026, and with "Santa" you'll see why. Lucie Lozinski says of her latest single: "'Santa' is about having a crush on someone you shouldn’t, like an authority figure. Where it’s not the right time or right dynamic, but the idea is persistent. And the beauty and ache when th...

Photo by Justin Gellerson Jeanines have a new single out as part of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, which sees artists release an original holiday song as well as a reinterpretation of a classic song. Their contribution is "Till I See Your Star Tonight," a song that could easily sneak onto a playlist at any time of the year. It's a fun and lovely song that has the band's wonderful retro 60's sound through a modern indie pop and twee lens. It has the joy you want for the holidays, and is filled with some of the most jangly guitars around. This is two minutes and twenty seconds of pure holiday joy. You can listen to "Till I See Your Star Tonight" below. The song is out now on Bandcamp with a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Listen, the Snow is Falling" as a B-side. For more on Jeanines, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook . Till I See Your Star Tonight (Snowflakes Singles) by jeanines

We're about a decade in on Weakened Friends now, and while each album has built upon the one before it, they've always been great. Common Blah was excellent, Quitter saw one of the best songs of 2021 in "Tunnels," and the New England band was feeling like one of the best kept secrets of the area. Somehow, Feels Like Hell does more than improve on an already-winning sound, but perfects it. Feels Like Hell is just as much a love letter to their grungy influences (in particular, the highlight "Smoke and Mirrors"), but of the alt-power pop that many of us cut our musical teeth on ("Tough Luck (Bleed Me Out)") and of the actual pop songs of our formative years (the cover of "Torn," which was made famous by Natalie Imbruglia while Weakened Friends leans more heavily on the Ednaswap original). Even bringing on an underground-ish heavyweight in Buckethead for "NPC" feels like it fits just right. Of the many albums I loved this yea...

I was truly bummed out I had to miss last year's Snowgaze Fest, with it's wonderfully diverse line-up of shoegaze and shoegaze adjacent bands playing Deep Cuts in Medford. This year saw an equally diverse line-up, and I couldn't resist Friday night which featured Exit 18, Little Oso, Tysk Tysk Task, and Literally/Nobody! Literally/Nobody opened up the night, and I was excited to see them for the first time. We first discovered them back in May, and were won over by their "shoegaze, dream pop and post-hardcore" sound. That sound worked out even better live, and I was blown away by their noisy and poppy sound. I had described their EP as Jawbreaker meets Slowdive, and I'm doubling down on that one for their live show. The songs were fuzzy and a little discordant, while being some of the catchiest ones of the night. Next up was Tysk Tysk Task. While the Lowell band has more of an indie grunge sound, they're also awash with fuzzed out shoegaze guitars, particu...

Philadelphia DJ and producer GorgoPap (aka Vera Smalls) has a new single out off of her upcoming album. "Grainy Screams" is unlike much electronic dance music out there. It doesn't rely on an overwhelming beat, and instead is propelled by the music itself. It's fast paced but kind of chill, and is minimalist, as far as the genre goes. It's an interesting song in that it's fully a dance track that is also perfect for just standing and listening as you take it all in. "Grainy Screams" is an instrumental dance track that is as compelling of a listen as it is perfect to move to. You can listen to "Grainy Screams" below. Reach 4 the Stars is due out February 6, and is available to pre-order on Bandcamp .  Reach 4 The Stars by GorpoPap

When Hallelujah the Hills announced their DECK project, I had high but reasonable expectations. When an artist releases a double album, the majority of the time it's going to include a lot of filler. Think of your favorite double albums, and there's most likely a handful of songs that could have easily been left off. 2025 saw a lot of established artists releasing double or triple albums, to varying degrees of success. Hallelujah the Hills ended up releasing a quadruple album of fifty-two songs, one for every card in a deck. It's a very ambitious release, but it's obviously going to be at least half filler, right? Hallelujah the Hills ended up nailing it. Fifty-two songs without a single filler song. The correct order to listen to the albums is DIAMONDS , CLUBS , HEARTS , and SPADES  is the correct order, although I'll admit to not listening to every album every time. I possibly listened to CLUBS  the most, and HEARTS the least, but that's only because   you hav...

Constellation Myths were a brand new band to me this year, a local trio with an album under their belt already. This latest album blew my mind and made me a fan, and not just because they're clearly R.E.M. fans as well. There's a stark, hollow tone to the Constellation Myths that is difficult to nail down, and I think I love this record in part because it absolutely, without question, nails it. The instrumentation is absolutely gorgeous, and allows every part to shine; the vocals are ethereal without being secondary; the lyrical choices feel unique, often unlike anything else around it. Is it post-folk? Is it dark Americana? Does it matter when it's this good? Not enough people talked about this album this year, myself included. Easily one of the best of the year. Songs of note: "Spare Room," "Shadows on the Wall," "Limestone Bed," "A Consolation," "Coyotes, Lower," "Good Life"

Photo by Magesta Putra J. Based in Jakarta, Much have released "Pendar," their first Indonesian language single, and their first new music in five years. "Pendar" is a beautiful and jangly burst of alternative rock, sounding like if The Sundays wrote an arena ready power ballad. It's wonderfully jangly, with one of the best fuzzed out guitar solos of the year. Seriously, every time you think the solo is ending, it keeps going and gets more and more epic. Despite my comparison to The Sundays, "Pendar" doesn't really sound like anything from the 90's. It's a sound that may be inspired by that decade, but Much's latest is fully modern in sound. This one represents the poppier side of alt-rock, and you're going to love them for this. You can watch the video for "Pendar" below. The single is out now on Guerilla Records, and can be purchased through Bandcamp . For more on Much, check out the band on Instagram .

As someone who's seen Battlemode a few times in the past year, "SW33TTOOTH" has been a highlight of every one of their live shows. Now, the Boston based chiptune band has officially released it as a single, their first on Lonely Ghost Records. It's a beautiful dance song, which doesn't sound possible considering Battlemode's music is Gameboy based, but they pull it off surprisingly well. It's a fun song demanding that you dance to it. It's quite a feat since it's a sentimental song "dedicate to the lost fathers of Battlemode." I can't think of any artist that can make a beautiful and touching song dedicated to their late fathers that's also full of this much joy and fun. Plus, "SW33TTOOTH" rocks harder than any previous Battlemode single. You can listen to "SW33TTOOTH" below. The single is out now on Lonely Ghost Records. For more on Battemode, check out the band's website . If you're looking for someth...

When I first heard "Cow Song" back in June, I was instantly enamored with The New Eves. I was afraid that the rest of the songs wouldn't be able to compare to the first single, but as each single was released, I became more and more excited for the release of The New Eve is Rising.  One thing for sure is that this album is not going to be for everyone, and that's perfectly okay. It starts off with the psychedelic freak out "The New Eve," which seems more like a mission statement than a song. It sets the tone for the rest of the album, and then you truly get in with "Highway Man." This one is more of a danceable psych-folk/indie rocker, and it's how you're going to know if The New Eve is Rising is going to be for you.  There are so many elements to The New Eves' music, while the songs still have this almost primal and basic vibe to them. They have that rawness of The Stooges, but instead of being protopunk, this is more of a freak folk s...

When it comes to things that are not music, a pathway to my heart usually involves "put a cult on it." I'm not saying that The New Eves are a cult, but they bring big cult energy in a way we haven't seen since The Polyphonic Spree, and I think that's why this album ultimately appealed to me so much. It's folk-punk, first and foremost. Not the sort of speed guitar, grungy DIY type, but punk in attitude. They're the girls your farmer mother warned you about. They're the ones where you wonder where they emerged from, and what made them this way. It's conceptual, yet it's not--I'd perhaps go as far as to say that this might be among the more genuine listens this year. I can't really frame it better than that. Either you get what they're doing, or you don't, and if you do you're amazed and if you aren't, well... I'm not saying they're going to hex you but they might hex you. If The Wicker Man w...

Rapper, singer, producer, musician, OG Lowell music scene supporter, and holder of probably a dozen other titles D-Tension has a new Christmas single out. "Broke for Christmas" is a honky tonk style country song about being broke for Christmas. It's a fun song that takes on a pretty serious struggle many are going through this year. It sucks you in with humor, and while the song is truly funny all the way through, the listener is going to be left thinking of how rough this particular Christmas is for many of our fellow people. I believe this might be D-Tension's first foray into country, and he totally nails it.  You can listen to "Broke for Christmas" below. The song is available via Bandcamp . For more on D-Tension, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook . Broke For Christmas by D-Tension

Our favorite Cambridgeshire garage punks are back with a new single just in time for the holidays. "I Will Panic if I Want to Shirley" isn't exactly a Christmas song, but it does take place at Christmas, so we're counting it. This new song is a noisy mid-tempo track filled with harmonies about how stressful this time of year can be. The song is dripping with menace and The Baby Seals' trademark humor. If anything, the harmonies seem to be used to help keep the chaos within the song at a minimum until it no longer can, which also fits the theme of the song. Last year's Chaos was one of my favorites of the year, so we're thrilled to see The Baby Seals continue to make killer music. Front woman Kerry says of the band's latest single: “... The song’s about something that happened to our drummer, Amy. She’s autistic, and that can sometimes lead to confrontations or misunderstandings with strangers. Just before Christmas last year, she took her car in for it...

It always sounds like hyperbole when I say it, but there simply isn't a talent out there like Ezra Furman. It's nearly impossible to fit the Boston artist's new album into one, or even ten, genres. Goodbye Small Head is a collection of twelve songs that meander through different styles and sounds, all while still sounding like they belong together. That's probably why Furman gets labelled a singer-songwriter so much. No other description even comes close to her sound. Throughout the album, you get indie rock, folk, pop, electronic music, punk, and many more styles. Plus, there's something so unique about how Furman structures a song. Every song feels so immediate and vulnerable. Goodbye Small Head is one of the most intimate albums I've ever heard, which fits right in with Furman's style. This is a fantastic release by one of the best out there. Songs of note: "Grand Mal," "Jump Out," "Power of the Moon," and "Veil Song...

Ken mentioned in his post about McKinley Dixon's record that rap fans had a lot to love this year, and he was right. Three of my top 10 albums this year are rap albums, which 2006 Jeff would be incredibly confused about. Best of the lot, though, was clipping., who offered the latest masterclass in what has been a truly epic run of albums over the last few years. The sci-fi / horror motifs are not as forward on this one as others, but the sort of techno-futurism that permeates this record in an era of AI and enshittification shine through and serve very much as a record for this time and of this time, and there's something to be said about meeting the moment when it doesn't feel like anyone else does. "Dominator" into "Change the Channel" sets the tone of the record, with "Run It" a sort of New Jack Swing by way of Philip K. Dick deconstruction. "Code" a prescient critique of the technological present, "Polaroids" and ...

Photo by Jackie Freeman Vermont's Robber Robber have just released a cover of Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds," my own personal favorite Elvis song. If you aren't expecting this to be a note for note completely faithful cover, you're correct. Robber Robber turn the 1969 number one song into a bizarre indie rock burst. Musically, it goes off into a vastly different direction that sounds nothing like the original. The lyrics and vocals remain faithful to Elvis', and unlike many similar covers from the 90's, Robber Robber aren't using their cover to mock a classic. This is no novelty, and you can tell they're fans. This version of "Suspicious Minds" is a lot of fun, and a great way for Robber Robber to end their 2025. Robber Robber say of their latest single: “We went through an Elvis phase where we listened to a bunch of Elvis for a couple of weeks and watched those two movies about him and Priscilla, and ‘Suspicious Minds’ has always...

Photo courtesy of Big Harp Big Harp, the duo of Chris Senseney and Stefanie Drootin-Senseney, are back with their first new music in ten years and their first on Saddle Creek since 2013's Chain Letters. Their new song is a cover of The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry." It's a stripped down, acoustic, almost folky version of the iconic track. While acoustic covers are pretty much a cliche at this point, Big Harp do it quite well. Even though it's an acoustic version of the post-punk/New Wave classic, it's recognizable from the first strummed chords. This is a great version of "Boys Don't Cry," and we're thrilled to welcome back Big Harp. Chris Senseney says of his band's new single: “Our daughter has gotten really into The Cure in the last couple years, so this song has kinda been floating around our heads. The original is perfect as it is, but it’s such a solid song that it can work in a lot of contexts. And like any really well put-togeth...

I don't think I'm happier for any band in 2025 as I am for Weakened Friends. We started covering them way back in 2015 when they were pretty much the official opener any time a 90's artist came through Boston, and 2016's EP Crushed was my #10 release of that year. For Feels Like Hell , the Maine band seemed to decide to make a hit album, and they're being rewarded with sold out headlining slots in the same venues they used to open in. It's well deserved, since Feels Like Hell is a great album. It keeps the raw edge that we've always loved about Weakened Friends, and adds even more pop hooks while somehow being louder than their previous releases. "Nosebleed" might be my favorite song of the year, and if you miss the angst of the 90's, Weakened Friends are here for you. They somehow managed to wrangle Buckethead into shredding on "NPC," and the whole thing closes with a grungy cover of "Torn," which is the most fun cover song...

People have a lot of capital-o Opinions about Ethel Cain, ranging from her early edgelord presence to her oft-eerie post-Americana sound. She put out an EP of what is best described as drone ambient songs, Perverts , early in the year, and while it was compelling enough as someone who listens to too much drone and too much ambient, I don't think we were prepared for what it ultimately foreshadowed. Willoughby Tucker is described as a concept album, but it's more of a conceptual journey. Across 10 tracks and nearly 74 minutes, you end up floating down this river of slowcore acoustic songs filled with love and lust, conspiracy and concern. Opening track, "Janie," sets the tone without actually setting the tone at all, and it's only once we get to "Nettles" (one of the best songs of the year) that the disparate sounds come together into a package that turns this from an interesting curiosity to one of my favorite things ever. There's so much w...

Photo by Nico Lareau .idk. is the moniker of London born and Maryland raised rapper, singer, and producer Jason Mills. His latest single, "SCARY MERRi," might be the least Christmas-y Christmas song we've covered this year. It's a hip hop banger that could be played all twelve months of the year, with only the word "holiday," the occasional reference to Christmas Eve, and the "Jingle Bells Batman smells" intro giving it away. This is underground hip hop perfection, and if you love the type of rap we usually cover, you're going to love this one. It also doesn't hurt that .idk. has one of the smoothest flows around in 2025. .idk. says of his latest single: "This project goes more in-depth into my incarceration, the mentality during the events that led to it, and the mindset I had while inside. It confronts that reality head-on, blending sharp lyricism with raw storytelling about incarceration, betrayal, spiritual conflict, and the moment...

Photo by Zander Fieschko Sylvia Black is described as a "post-punk and psychedelic blues femme fatale," and her latest single will show you why. "Long Gone Gardens" is a moody and gothic track with heavy bass lines. It's wonderfully hypnotic, and as intense as it is, it's also eerily soothing. The song is going to appeal to fans of artists like Siouxsie and The Banshees, and although there are some distinct 80's vibes to the song, those vibes are through a modern prism. "Long Gone Gardens" is mesmerizing, and perfect for those of us that find joy and pleasure in darker songs. Sylvia Black is one of those artists we're quite likely to become enamored with rather quickly. Sylvia Black says of her latest single: “The track is a reflection about a choice that seemingly lets you lose everything but puts you on a new path to find salvation again in another form.” You can watch the video for "Long Gone Gardens" below. Shadowtime is due o...

2025 seemed to be a year that hip hop stepped up, and multiple albums were released that moved the genre forward in unique ways. My personal favorite hip hop album of the year is McKinley Dixon's Magic, Alive! There's nothing out there today that sounds anything like this album. It's a mix of hip hop and jazz, with elements of noise rock, choral groups, and maybe a dozen other styles. Hip hop this experimental and creative doesn't usually have mainstream appeal, but I truly think most hip hop fans could fine something to like about Magic, Alive! if it reached them. The songs swing from laid back and chill to more intense bangers, and sometimes are both at the same time. It's like a modern equilvelent of artists like Gang Starr or A Tribe Called Quest. Plus, the album features appearances from Anjimile, Quelle Chris, Ghais Guevera, and more. McKinley Dixon gave us one of those albums that keeps blowing minds more with each and every listen, and gets better every time...

I will preface this by saying that I don't believe there's a way to be a casual fan of Ezra Furman. She has produced so much great music over the decades that this latest release, Goodbye Small Head , feels less like a release and more like an event. A lot of people will ride or die for Ms. Ezra Furman, and this record shows exactly why. There is a raw, almost feral energy to this record that we haven't seen from Furman at length before. She howls, she growls, she spits out lyrics as angry as anyone (and who wouldn't be angry right now?). This record works because of this ferocity, as the emotion and drive that she puts forth give the extra juice to already great songs to turn this into a great experience. Yes, "Power of the Moon" is the likely highlight here, but it's just as easy to point out the way "Submission" works, the raw emotion of "You Mustn't Show Weakness," the harsh reality of "Grand Mal." It's an a...

Photo by Nick Pegg We love post-punk and power pop here at If It's Too Loud..., but those two sounds rarely coexist. Enter Montreal's The Fake Friends and their latest single. Their latest single, "Sucker Born Every Minute," has all of the dissonance and jerky qualities of post-punk with the melodies and catchiness of power pop. There are also some vintage garage rock keyboards in the song. In other words, there is a lot going on in "Sucker Born Every Minute," but The Fake Friends pull it off. The result is a fun song that doesn't quite sound like anyone else out there while still sounding kind of familiar.  You can watch the video for "Sucker Born Every Minute" below. Let's Not Overthink This is due out February 13 on Stomp Records, and is available to pre-order on Bandcamp . For more on The Fake Friends, check out the band on Instagram .