If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Alex Scaglia Inspired by Amy Acton winning the Ohio gubernatorial race last Tuesday, Cincinnati based artist Carriers (aka Curt Kiser) stayed up until 4:30 am recording a cover of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings' "Look at Miss Ohio." Carriers' version is less traditionally folk as the original, with a dreamlike haze coating the entire song. It has a very whimsical and hopeful sound to it. The guitar in this version has such a trippy feel to it that is sure to suck listeners in. Considering this song was recorded and mastered in three days, the rush to get it out right away has created this immediacy to the song that only adds to its magical feeling. You can listen to Carriers' version of "Look at Miss Ohio" below. For more on Carriers, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Dustin Condren Fresh off the announcement of Ben Folds Five tour dates (although there is nothing in New England), drummer Darren Jessee has a brand new solo single out. "Shoulder Season" shows the multi-instrumentalist's range. It's a chill and lovely singer-songwriter song. Maybe it's because I know it was produced by Josh Kaufman of Bonny Light Horseman, but I'm reminded of modern folk-pop, with "Shoulder Season" landing right in the center of the two genres. It sounds like a simple song at first, but the new single has some engaging instrumentation the more closely you listen. It's delicate, yet powerful, and sounds exactly like the current season as fall slowly moves into winter. Darren Jessee says of his latest single: “‘Shoulder Season’ … I liked the words by themselves.  They suggest perseverance and resilience during a season of time. The term shoulder season means a transitional time of year.” You can watch the video for "...

We first discovered Ava Valianti earlier this year, and now the seventeen year old Massachusetts singer-songwriter is back with a new sound. While Valianti's previous singles were more along the lines of pop or indie pop, "bloom" is a R&B and neo-soul song, with more than a little jazz mixed in. It's a style that her voice seems to be perfect for. It's a timeless sounding song that will leave you blown away that this voice is coming from a teenager. "bloom" sounds like it was made for a smoke filled club, even though Massachusetts outlawed indoor smoking long before Valianti was born.  Ava Valianti says of her latest single: “‘bloom’ is about loving someone without needing to hold them close and hold them back. It’s about that feeling of watching someone grow into themselves and just being grateful you get to be close enough to see it happen. There’s always this possibility that they’ll eventually outgrow you or fly away, but instead of being afraid ...

Photo by Dan Johnson at Dagda Photography We've been covering Already Dead for about four years now, and the Massachusetts blue collar punk band have always been angry, but we're heard nothing like their latest two singles. Since we last heard from the band, Daniel Cummings (guitar and vocals) has suffered from crippling back pain from construction work and facing spine surgery, and Brandon Bartlett began his path to sobriety. Their two new singles confront their struggles and challenges. Both "0, 5's and 25's" and "Redirected" are the most traditionally punk songs we've heard from the band. They're both hard, fast, and thrashy, and have an early Dropkick Murphys meets Minor Threat sound. Just when we think we know what to expect from Already Dead, they release these two new songs and have us dying to hear what they do next. Dan Cummings says of his band's new singles: “Pain is temporary, phases in life are temporary. Things change, peopl...

Photo by Jo Shaffer You might know Spencer Peppet as the frontwoman of The Ophelias. She just released her first new solo song in nine years, and "Power" is great. It starts with an extended burst of electronic noise, but once that fades out you're left with a gorgeous indie rock meets folk power ballad. Eventually that also changes to more of a rocker with grunge tinged guitars. No matter how noisy it gets, the song retains its beauty throughout due to Peppet's engaging vocals. We tend to go all in for artists that combine indie rock and pop, and that's certainly the case with "Power." However, most in that genre don't rock quite as hard as Spencer Peppet. Spencer Peppet says of her latest single: "Why are all drinks $18 now? What is that? A drink should be $10. This song is about watching beautiful people at a fancy event and feeling like I don't belong, and then getting mad about something else entirely.” You can watch the video for ...

Photo by Jack Bonura Los Angeles' Couch Dog have a new garage rock single out, and this one is a lot of fun. "Rod Sterling" is a fast paced festival of fuzz that dips deeply into the world of punk. It's filled with a shouting chorus, and is an in your face rock song. But then... things change. The song takes a quick break in the middle and changes up into a dreamlike indie rock epic. I legitimately thought the song ended and another one started playing, but it was still "Rod Sterling." Both halves of the song are great, so we certainly can't pick which one we like better. Either way, we're thrilled to bring you the latest from Couch Dog. You can watch the video for "Rod Sterling" below. For more on Couch Dog, check out the band's website . November 6 — San Luis Obispo, CA — The Rock November 7 — Reno, NV — The Holland Project November 8 — Las Vegas, NV — Copa Room (Tuscany Casino) November 14 — Los Angeles, CA — 134 S Glenoaks Blvd Dec...

Photo by Hugo Bernier Vivienne is an indie rock/dream pop artist from France. Her latest single, "Unwanted," has all of the dreaminess associated with dream pop, but it definitely has a more rock based sound. While much of the song has jangling guitars, there is the noise and dissonance associated with grunge coming in at points. At times the song feels like a loving caress, and others like you're being pummeled. And sometimes it's both at once. "Unwanted" is the kind of song that is always morphing and changing while still sounding like a cohesive track. Vivienne has won us over with this one song, and we're thrilled to hear what she does next. Vivienne says of her latest single: "The song is about feeling like things are unfair, trying not to show your wounds when all you really need is to be heard. I've often felt like I was putting all my energy into proving myself, constantly working on myself, trying to meet other people's needs, expec...

This year I've been making an effort to see bands I like but haven't seen in years  decades. Imperial Teen certainly fit the bill. I recall seeing the San Francisco indie pop band at a WBRU show at Lupo's in Providence way back in 1996, but the internet is fuzzy on that one. Originally they announced a Boston show at The Lilypad, which seemed far too small. Apparently I was correct, since the show was moved to the larger Warehouse XI, and they packed the place on a Tuesday. Tuesday was a ridiculously fun night. Thirty years ago I felt more confused since Imperial Teen didn't really fit in with the other bands I remember on the bill (G. Love & Special Sauce, Local H, Orange 9mm), and I was unprepared for something so decidedly poppy. In 2026, Imperial Teen fit right into my musical taste, and they put on a great show. It was fairly informal, with lots of chatting and joking around. Any mistakes that were made on the opening night of their east coast run weren't n...

Photo by CG We've been pretty crazy about Odie Leigh's music, and the New Orleans singer-songwriter has fully blown us away with her latest. "Corner Store" is such a mash up of different styles that it should be a trainwreck, but Leigh pulls it off. The song is primarily an indie pop song, but with plenty of rock edge to it to keep it from being fully pop. There's also just the slightest hints of country twang along with anthemic 80's rock. And then Leigh's vocals are basically full on pop, making "Corner Store" an entirely engaging song. This kind of song is best when you can drop all expectations and ignore trying to define it. Just crank it up and enjoy the latest from Odie Leigh. Odie Leigh says of her latest single: “ If love is extending oneself for another, then buying a bag of chips can be a declaration. A plea for an ex lover to give up and give in, 'Corner Store' speaks the unspoken thoughts behind casual bids for connection.  T...

Photo by Betsey Carroll Her New Knife are one of these newfangled shoegaze bands that are redefining the genre. The Philadelphia band's latest single, "Lyre," is unrecognizable if you're going by pure, classic shoegaze standards. The song sounds almost metallic, especially the guitars. It's an intense, noisy affair that chugs along with a sense of doom throughout. It sounds more like the post-hardcore of a band like Slint, and then the wall of fuzz comes washing over you, and yes, "Lyre" is a shoegaze song. And that blast of noise comes rushing at you, and the song just takes off from there. Her New Knife are one of the most beloved modern shoegaze band, and this latest single will show you exactly why. Edgar Atencio (vocals, guitar) says of his band's latest single: “A simple and beautiful pop song.  Started with an arrangement I did on classical guitar, during a moment where I felt generally disaffected by music, writing this song and playing more ...

Photo by Ali Nugent Little Hag have discovered what we all truly need on their latest single. "New Fountains of Wayne Song" is about wishing we had a new song from Fountains of Wayne along with some other wishes. It's a fun alt-rock goes pop song that will remind you of classics from the titular band. It's a list of what we could all use to feel better in the current world, and hot damn is this one catchy and relatable. The only negative with "New Fountains of Wayne Song" is that it will make you realize just how much you also need a new Fountains of Wayne song in 2026. At least we have a new Little Hag song right now. You can listen to "New Fountains of Wayne Song" below. The single is out now on Bar/None Records. For more on Little Hag, check out the artist's website . Little Hag will be playing November 6 at Alchemy in Providence, RI, November 7 at Purgatory in Brooklyn, NY, and November 8 at Galactic Panther in Alexandria, VA.

I don't know what it is about the latest from Jules Grace that works for me, but it does. The Boston indie pop artist recently released "Let Me Go," and it might be the most pop focused song I've ever happily covered. My indie rock snobbery is screaming at me right now, but the song is endlessly catchy and appealing. This is pure pop along the lines of an artist like Olivia Rodrigo. But... "Let Me Go" is endlessly appealing, no matter how much I may struggle against enjoying it. It's just a fun pop song, and sometimes it's worth it to lose your indie cred and enjoy a fun pop song every now and then. You can watch the video for "Let Me Go" below. For more on Jules Grace, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Keegan Grandbois Brooklyn's Wilder Maker are set to release the second album in their experimental pop trilogy on Friday, and you can preview what that sounds like with a new single. "Last Call at the Star's Ascent" is on the poppier side of indie rock, but it's still strongly in the experimental category. The song kind of plods along at its own pace, with flourishes (both pop and indie rock) pop in seemingly at will. The average person who identifies as a pop music fan is going to hear "Last Call at the Star's Ascent" and feel confused, but possibly intrigued. Fans of indie rock and experimental music are going to be delighted by this one, and are going to enjoy the pop experimentation that Wilder Maker have going on. Gabriel Birnbaum says of his band's latest single: "'Last Call At The Star's Ascent' is the first track I finished across the entire three LP arc (Smoking the Bunny is LP2), and I remember playing it for t...

New Hampshire's Hell Beach are in for a huge year based on how great the singles from their upcoming album have been. The latest is "Double Agent," which is a song that demands you re-think how you feel about pop punk. That might be the secret weapon of Hell Beach: They're proudly pop punk, and their songs are so great that even the snobbiest of music fans is going to end up loving the genre. "Double Agent" is as catchy as anything that they've put out, and might even be the most punk song we've heard from them. It's fast, and it's just as poppy as it is heavy. Turn this one up, and get ready to scream out the chorus for ultimate enjoyment. You can watch the video for "Double Agent" below. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is due out November 13 on Counter Intuitive Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Hell Beach, check out the band's website .