If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Luca M Note to everyone writing press releases: You can guarantee we're going to listen to music when you describe it as "It's an album where hags are celebrated, beasts are unapologetically unleashed, and where noise and volume are pushed as much as harmony and songcraft." Reading that, we're all in on the latest from Sister Wives. The Sheffield band just released "Hairless Whisper," which is a monster of a song. It sounds as if Black Sabbath decided to be a garage band and invent indie rock instead of metal. It's heavy on the riffs, and grooves just as hard as it rocks. Plus, the organ is one of the better musical touches we've heard all year. Rose Love (bass, vocals) says of her band's latest single: "Hairless Whisper as a name just made us laugh but it’s actually about trying to reject the cult of productivity, this dehumanising culture that measures worth through achievement and possession, and how shallow and empty it can ...

Photo via Bandcamp Boston garage punks The Grommets have a new single out in the wake of last week's midterms. They've released a cover of Woody Guthrie's "All You Fascists are Bound to Lose," and it's a ripper. The cover has the shortened title of "All You Fascists," and it's a joyous, amped up version of the folk standard. It's faster, and it's heavier, and it's more in the style of Billy Bragg and Wilco's version of the song from Mermaid Avenue Vol. II . Plus, we could all use a little celebration right now. Crank "All You Fascists" up, and dance like no one is watching. You can listen to The Grommets' version of "All You Fascists" below. The song is available via Bandcamp. For more on The Grommets, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . All You Fascists by The Grommets

Photo by Evan Benally Atwood Swinomish musician Black Belt Eagle Scout (aka Katherine "KP" Paul) has her first single out since 2024's excellent The Land, The Water, The Sky , and her first since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. "Fantasy" has everything we love about Black Belt Eagle Scout. It's a dreamy indie rock song with some folk elements and guitar heroics we don't normally see in the genre. As great as Paul's vocals and lyrics are, there's just something about these guitar solos that we can't resist. Black Belt Eagle Scout is one of the most underrated artists out there today, and songs like "Fantasy" show why she should be much closer to a household name. KP says of her latest single: “I wrote ‘Fantasy’ during a time in my life when I was transitioning out of the nonprofit world and into making music full time. I was feeling really burnt out and disconnected from the work I was doing. Working in the Native nonprofit ...

Photo by Heidi Kmetz If you've been lucky enough to see Nate Perry & Ragged Company live, you know that the Boston based alt-country/Americana band put on one of the best shows around. While their recorded songs are great, their live show is otherworldly. On their new single, "Bit by Bit," they might have captured the energy of their live shows on record. This is a huge alt-country banger, with distorted and twangy guitars throughout. It's an absolute epic song, and is perfect for fans of Drive-By Truckers and Old 97's. Plus, it's sure to have you clearing your calendar for their upcoming live shows, because this one is going to blow audiences away. Nate Perry & Ragged Company have nailed it with "Bit by Bit," and we couldn't be happier to bring this one to you. Nate Perry says of his band's new single: “The crowd at our shows loves it. The change from our earlier material to the new songs is essentially our live sound. We've writ...

Photo by Nicole Nelson It's only the second week of November, and we're already getting a bunch of Christmas song submissions. We've been trying to fight off posting them, but the latest from Mary Strand has won us over. "Beyond the Madness" doesn't sound like a traditional Christmas song, even by rock 'n' roll standards. Her upcoming album of ten original holiday songs focuses on making holiday songs that actually rock, and "Beyond the Madness" certainly does. It's a garage rock song with power pop hooks, and only the lyrics make it a Christmas song. If you're already in the holiday spirit, but don't want to overwhelm family members and coworkers with Christmas music this early, Mary Strand has you covered. Mary Strand says of her upcoming album: “I loved songs by the Kinks, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and more, but I realized that there was a gaping hole as big as the North Pole in the existence of Christmas songs that rocked,” she ...

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...