Miynt - "Give me palm trees and inner peace"

Photo via Miynt

Stockholm's Miynt has a new single out that is truly hard to define. "Give me palm trees and inner peace" is a guitar driven pop song that is a little too pop to be rock and a little too rock to be pop. Plus, it definitely has too many weird little moments to truly be either. It almost sounds like a twisted version of artists like Liz Phair and Veruca Salt, but through an odd little filter. There's a strong mid 90's power pop feel to "Give me palm trees and inner peace," but a current, lo-fi version of that.

You can watch the video for "Give me palm trees and inner peace" below. The song is available as an AA-side single with "Lovesong" via B3SCI Records. You can find the single available here. For more on Miynt, check out the artist's Facebook.

Ras Kass featuring Masta Ace - "CULTURE.VULTURE."

Photo via Facebook

If you're like me and miss old school hip hop, you're going to want to check out the latest from Ras Kass. First of all, it features legendary rapper Masta Ace. When you include Masta Ace on a song, you get immediate old school cred. And then there's the song itself. "CULTURE.VULTURE." is pure old school. The song sounds modern while keeping a classic vibe. Sure, there is still the R&B style chorus, but it's a more of an early 90's R&B chorus so it's not overdone at all. 

Rass Kass says of "CULTURE.VULTURE.": "[Producer Hi-Tek] came with the straight primal drums!  Ace's flow is liquid and Sapp hook smoothes it out on some Old School, Cold Crush harmony routine vibe. We do this shit for the Culture!"

You can watch the video for "CULTURE.VULTURE." below. I'm Not Clearing Shxt, the upcoming album from Ras Kass, will be out November 6. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Ras Kass, check out his Facebook and Twitter.

The Huntress and Holder of Hands - "Doctrine"

We've been posting a lot of political music lately, but it's nearly impossible when so many artists we love keep releasing great political music. The latest is Rhode Island's The Huntress and Holder of Hands's new single. "Doctrine" is an intense slow burn of a song. MorganEve Swain's song feels like it's going to explode, but never quite does. It's just filled with a brooding, festering tension and anger throughout. While it does build, there is never quite that indie rock noise explosion you would expect, even though "Doctrine" leans much more heavily on the folk side of music than indie rock, while still having that noise lurking underneath, which is what we truly love about most of The Huntress and Holder of Hands's music.

You can listen to "Doctrine" below. The song is available as a standalone single on The Huntress and Holder of Hands's Bandcamp. For more on The Huntress and Holder of Hands, check out the artist's website.

Monday Mix: If It's Too Loud... Halloween 2020 Playlist!

If you've been reading If It's Too Loud... for a while, you know that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and that I tend to go overboard with the Halloween playlist every year. Since this is pretty much all we have for Halloween this year, it's a monster (o pun intended) seventy one song, nearly four hour playlist! I've been making it since literally last November, adding songs as I stumbled across them. There are songs from longtime blog favorites (Speedy Ortiz, Wussy, Melvins, The Gravel Pit, Against Me!), newly discovered favorites (Heather Valley, Comet Pond, Tysk Tysk Task, Gino & The Goons), some classics (Bruce Springsteen, Jello Biafra, Dusty Springfield, Alice Cooper, Siouxsie and the Banshees), and more! Whatever you're doing Saturday night (or this entire week) to celebrate, you're gonna to find some spookiness to love here!

Dale Crover - "Tougher"

Photo via Facebook

Dale Crover is the drummer for The Melvins, but is venturing out with an upcoming solo album. The first single for that album, "Tougher," is going to strongly appeal to fans of his other band. "Tougher" has the volume, sludgy guitars, and the discordance that his fans want, nay need. However, Crover isn't just mimicking the sound we expect from him. This new song has this odd 70's funk rock thing to it, almost like it's a bizarro song from Ram Jam or Rick Derringer, with some of the most killer bursts of noise rushing in out of seemingly nowhere.

You can listen to "Tougher" below. Rat-A-Tat-Tat!, the upcoming album from Dale Crover, will be out January 15 on Joyful Noise Recordings. You can pre-order a copy of the album here. For more on Dale Crover, check out his website.

Lunchbox - "Over Way Too Soon"

We're a week away from the new album from Lunchbox and the Oakland duo have another single from that album. "Over Way Too Soon" is everything we love from Lunchbox. It's an upbeat, almost summery draped in 60's AM radio vintage vibes and 90's indie rock sensibilities... which I guess is also vintage at this point. The horns in "Over Way Too Soon" are particularly groovy and truly create the ambiance of the song.

Lunchbox explain their single and video: "'Over Way Too Soon' plays with themes of love, death and impermanence against the backdrop of the ever-changing Oakland cityscape. Singer/ghost Donna McKean haunts guitarist Tim Brown across the sites of their shared personal past and the gentrifying public present. At once love letter to Oakland and requiem for lost love, the song and video are a pop meditation on how nothing, from favorite bars to sites of first dates, can ever stay the same. 'Over Way Too Soon' is about all that’s lost, and what remains."

You can watch the video for "Over Way Too Soon" below. After School Special, the upcoming album from Lunchbox, will be out October 30 on Slumberland Records. You can pre-order a copy of the album here. For more on Lunchbox, check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Live Shows: Ruby Mack, Peskeomskut Park, Turners Falls, MA 10/22/20

Photo by Ken Sears

Two hundred twenty four days is a long, long time to go without live music. I'm the type of person that starts getting antsy if I go a full month without seeing a band play live, so the last seven months has been hard (obviously for a variety of reasons). Sure, live music has started to return, but drive-in shows don't really appeal to me aside from the novelty and outdoor patio shows with everyone eating while seated at tables doesn't feel safe to me. But an artist playing outside in a public park where it's very easy to socially distance? Perfection.

Ruby Mack played this past Wednesday at the Great Falls Farmer's Market in Turners Falls, MA. A farmer's market might not be the hippest place to play, but it worked for these four artists. (They mentioned that their name comes in part from Macintosh apples, so...) It was just the four members of Ruby Mack playing unamplified under a tree on a late October evening with the weather in the upper 60's. It ended up being a perfect night to ease everyone back into seeing live music.

You could tell how special getting back to playing was for Ruby Mack. I've never seen anyone look so thrilled to be playing in front of two to three dozen people next to vendors selling honey and apples, and the feeling was mutual for the audience. Free performances in public parks can always be a rough venue for any performer, but aside from the people there primarily for the produce and people that wandered by on a walk, the audience was incredibly receptive and rapt to the performance. Ruby Mack's music was perfectly suited for the occasion. Playing a mixture of originals and traditional covers, the focus was completely on vocals and harmonizing, along with some fantastic fiddle work.

Unfortunately, as Fall turns into Winter we're going to be losing outdoor performances here in New England. Luckily I was able to experience a beautiful forty five minutes from Ruby Mack before we all go into hibernation for the next five months.

Eyesore & The Jinx - "Accidental Weller"

Hailing from Liverpool, Eyesore & The Jinx released a standalone single earlier this month. This is a song that's become legendary with fans of the band, who have wondered about its very existence. "Accidental Weller" is a post punk meets mod song. It's a fun danceable track, despite having this growing aggression building underneath. There are bursts of pure noise that periodically jump out, almost without warning. It's a shockingly intense song, even though it seems like a lighthearted, upbeat track throughout.

Josh Miller of Eyesore & The Jinx explains that "Accidental Weller" "... is a cautionary tale about the urge for transformation in all of us. A timely reminder that you’re only ever a few snips away from a bouffant/ mullet hybrid that belongs on a Vespa with a Union Jack paint job, doing 40 mph on an A round somewhere just outside of Luton. A verbal hand on the shoulder, patting you gently, letting you know that whatever plans you have, big or small, never work out quite like you would have wanted them to, much like this pointless, little year."

You can listen to "Accidental Weller" below. The song is available now via Eggy Records. For more on Eyesore & The Jinx, check out the band's Facebook and Twitter.

Kacy + Clayton & Marlon Williams - "I Wonder Why"

Photo by Janelle Wallace

The Saskatchewan duo of Kacy + Clayton have paired with New Zealand's Marlon Williams on an upcoming album. Way back in 2018 (granted, only two years ago but it feels like decades) Williams left the summer warmth to head to Canada around Christmas for three weeks, which is when the bulk of the album was recorded. Now, nearly two years later we can hear the first song from that collaboration. "I Wonder Why" keeps that vintage oldies meets folk sound that we love from Williams. It could just be his voice, but everything that comes out of him sounds like a vintage crooner. This combines with a classic country sound, mixing two gorgeous classic American sounds into a song from a Canadian and New Zealander pairing.

Marlon Williams says of the collaboration: “We wanted to see if we could meld hemispheres. I’m bringing this Pacific style of country music with the harmonies and choral elements. Kacy & Clayton have a super identifiable sound. They embody everything I love about North American folk. There’s a rural weariness where they’re telling tales that have been told a million times in their own way. I feel the strength in it.” 

You can watch the video for "I Wonder Why" below. Plastic Bouquet, the upcoming album from Kacy + Clayton & Marlon Williams, will be out December 11 on New West Records. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Kacy + Clayton, check their website. For more on Marlon Williams, check out his.

Partner - "Honey"

The latest release from everyone's favorite Canadian post classic rockers is just pure straight up rock. "Honey," Partner's new single, is literally just a song about rocking. This is the kind of song that is usually reserved for bands like Flight of the Conchords and Tenacious D these days. And, sure... "Honey" isn't a overly serious song about a huge social issues, and it does have a sense of humor, but it's hardly a novelty song. It's just a huge rock song about rock. Bless Partner for that.

And what exactly is "Honey" about? According to the band: "Honey is the origin story of Josée's golden axe. In this track we recall how she first found her way to our house and joined the band. It came with a note (from Josée's dad) 'This guitar sounds just like honey going down.' Get ready for some straight up rock n roll."

You can watch the Wayne's World inspired video for "Honey" below. Never Give Up, the upcoming album from Partner, will be out November 20 on You've Changed Records. For more on Partner, check out the band's website.