If It's Too Loud...

Boston's favorite "soft punk" is back with a new EP. Last Friday saw the release of I Wanted to Know , the latest from TIFFY. It's a collection of three songs (one is an intro and "Scam Likely" has two different versions) that may just be TIFFY's finest to date. "IRB" features Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, Sad13) and has a 1990's a;t-rock/power pop goes 2020's pop sound. "Scam Likely" is a mellow indie rocker meets pop with a killer guitar solo about receiving scam phone calls. "Drive Thru Deja Vu" is the most rock based track on I Wanted to Know  and sounds like it could have been Weezer's best 00's song. This is a fun release, and it features everything we've come to love from TIFFY over the last few years. You can listen to I Wanted to Know below. The EP is available via Bandcamp . For more on TIFFY, check out the artist's website . I Wanted To Know by TIFFY

Some shows are simply can't miss ones. When I first saw that Cape Crush were celebrating their excellent new album, Place Memory , at Deep Cuts with ONE FALL, Good June, and Hell Beach, I knew that would be a contender for bill of the year. All four bands are fantastic, and while all four play some version of pop punk/emo/melodic punk, they all do it differently enough to keep the night interesting. As high as my expectations for Friday night were, they were all blown away. Good June was the band I was least familiar with, and the only one I hasn't previously seen live. The emo rock band took the stage first, and set the bar for the evening high. This is emo with an alt-rock edge, and every song was catchier and more fun than the last. Every band seemed to have their own diehard fans right up front and singing all the words, and Good June were no exception. I simply can't emphasize enough how catchy every song in Good June's set was, and I've had multiple taking tur...

It hasn't even been two months since Genesis Owusu released his excellent new album REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE , and the Ghanian-Australian musician is already back with a new song. "HUMAN AGAIN" is everything we love about Owusu. It's an energetic dance track with a surprising punk edge. The track also has a laid back and pop focused vibe to the song. "HUMAN AGAIN" is the kind of song that makes me want to listen to dance music more often than I do, and if a song can make me want to hear an entire genre more, it's a great song. The more I hear from Owusu, the more I regret having to miss when he played Boston Calling and The Sinclair in 2023.  Genesis Owusu says of his latest single: “I wrote this song when I was thinking about apathy. Living in the digital age of misinformation is genuinely brain-frying sometimes. So much global gaslighting, so much to cry and scream about; it’s easier to just flip the switch off and sink into base hedonism...

Photo by Tom Beard For their latest single, The Mary Wallopers have decided to strip things way down. "Landlord's Demise" is an under two minute song that's only songwriter Andrew Hendy on vocals and bohdran and whistle from Finnian O Connor. Somehow, despite how bare the song is, The Mary Wallopers have created a badass folk-punk song. Of course, this one is much more Irish folk than punk, but a song rallying against landlords always ends up a little bit punk. "Landlord's Demise" is the rare song this stripped down that could inspire shout-a-longs, but I can see this becoming a favorite for that at Mary Wallopers shows.  Andrew Hendy says of his band's latest single: “ This is a song about the fall of empire in Ireland, and an expression of our disdain for the Landlord Class. It’s based on a true story about a Manor House falling down around its aristocratic owner, and is also inspired by Tom Barry’s book ‘Guerilla Days in Ireland’. It’s a song for ...

Ethereal synth-pop artist BBgail is back with a brand new EP. what's the point??? is a collection of five songs that fit in this perfect laid back but energetic dance music space. It's synth-pop, but with a beat that could be from some 90's drum and bass, mixed with the groove and chill side of trip hop. The best part of what's the point??? is how much fun these songs are. It takes the best parts of the aforementioned genres and creates a new and familiar sound that you're going to have to actively try to dislike. Plus, just to make things more interesting, the entire EP is filled with both fun and oddly spooky vibes. Press play on this one and be prepared to groove at whatever level you're in the mood for. You can listen to what's the point??? below. The EP is out now on Fort Lowell Records, and can be ordered through Bandcamp . For more on BBgail, check out the artist on Instagram . what's the point??? by BBgail

Photo by Allister Ann If you've seen Madi Diaz in the past year, you've probably seen her perform "This is How a Woman Leaves," a song she wrote for Maren Morris. In September, Diaz will be releasing a deluxe "UN-unplugged" version of last year's excellent Fatal Optimist , which will include her version of "This is How a Woman Leaves." We've long said that we have no idea how Diaz isn't a household name and playing arenas, and this song shows exactly why. This is simply an excellent song, and Diaz performs it expertly and emotionally. It's the kind of song you instantly want to share with everyone you know, since everyone needs to hear it.  Madi Diaz says of her upcoming deluxe version of Fatal Optimist: “These songs have two sides now. One being the insular raw, knee jerk world of Fatal Optimist . In UN-unplugged land, I sat with some of my favorite players to date, and we fumbled through these songs together. Not so solitary, more...

Photo by Mae Kail @cowboymae Portraits of Tracy started making music in her teenage Baton Rouge bedroom, and has a new single out. "This May or May Not Be About an Alt-Right Influencer" is a blistering punk single. It comes right up against hardcore, but has a little too much melody and some hints at pop that keep it from being full on hardcore. It's a furious DIY version of punk that is going to work for younger and older punk fans... unless of course the title offends them. If you're not offended, you're going to want to crank this one up and let it all soak in. Tracy says of her latest single: “This song was written immediately after I had found out a well known neo-nazi was having the pleasure of enjoying my art. You don’t get to advocate for the erasure of my people and benefit from our culture at the same time.”  You can listen to "This May or May Not Be About an Alt-Right Influencer" below. Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate A: MTV! i...

Photo by Amaya Pena Last month we brought you "Reelin'," the new single from Squirrel Flower and mentioned that it had been three years since we last brought you new music from them. Ella Williams is making up for lost time, since just a few weeks later she's released not one but two new singles. "Not Me" stays in the same lane as "Reelin'" by being an earnest alt-rock song with some Americana sensibilities. It's a power ballad-esque track that's going to appeal to Springsteen's indie rock fans. The other new single, "Sick Tooth," is an under two-minute fuzz-filled indie rock track with lots of lo-fi distortion on just about everything. I get some serious early Sebadoh vibes from the latter single. Both are great, and have us wondering what the rest of Squirrel Flower's upcoming album will sound like. Ella Williams says of "Not Me": "This song came to me upon waking in Silver City, NM. I literally rolled...

Bart and the Brats is France's Bart De Vraantijk. Since 2019, he's written and recorded over eighty songs under that name, and he has a four song 7" due out tomorrow. The first single from that release is "This is a hold-up." It's back to basics, straight up punk rock track. You'll get a just over two minutes song that you can easily trace its lineage back to the Ramones. It may be a modern reworking of that style of rock, but the influence is quite obviously there. If you love catchy and quick killer punk rock songs, you could do worse than Bart and the Brats. Bart De Vraantijk says of his latest single: “Being the secluded, remote-worker stuck in end of the road town La Rochelle that I am, I’m still surprisingly rather well aware of the things that are happening in the world. "This number is about the feeling one can easily get of being taken hostage by a bunch of old, crippled and incontinent white males that think they know everything and especia...

Photo by Layde Jane Vickers Twilark is Raleigh, NC musician Canon Pence. His latest single, "No Cowboy Song," is a dreamy folk song that borders on country. Pence gets compared to artists like Jason Molina, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Neil Young, and with good reason. "No Cowboy Song" is a twangy and earnest song that carves its own path within the Americana genre. It doesn't sound quite like anyone else out there, despite being in a well tread musical style. When you first press play on the song, you're going to like it, and find it a pleasant enough song. By the time its four and a half minutes are over, you're going to end up obsessed with Twilark. He's a truly captivating artist. You can listen to "No Cowboy Song" below. Never Learned the Tide is due out September 11, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Twilark, check out the artist on Instagram . Never Learned The Tide by Twilark

Photo courtesy The Alan Wolmark Archive Ben Folds Five was a wildly important band in my early adulthood, particularly their 1995 self-titled album. Getting anything new to us from that band, and that album, is going to be especially thrilling for us. To celebrate the band's thirtieth anniversary (albeit late), Ben Folds is releasing a remastered and expanded version with previously unheard alternate takes and versions. The first one we can hear is "Underground (Shelved First Attempt)." I'm not sure if the casual BFF fan will notice the differences, but if being a fan in 1996 was a big part of your personality, you definitely will. In my opinion, the album version we all know and love is the superior version, but hearing this early take is a fun experience for the diehards.  You can listen to "Underground (Shelved First Attempt)" below. Ben Folds Five (30th Anniversary) is due out September 4 on Capitol/UMe, and is available for pre-order here . For more on ...

Photo by Jordan Beckham Being based in the Boston area, we always love to see a local artist do good. We've been fans of Boston rapper Michael Christmas for a while, and it was just announced that Christmas has a collaborative EP coming out with Chris Crack and Girl Talk. This is a dream trio with Christmas and Crack's unique flows over Girl Talk's unique production. The first single from the EP, "Vending Machine Charcuterie Board," is a dream collaboration for any fans of underground or classic hip hop. It's a fun track that's both laid back and dance friendly. Based on this one single, the upcoming EP is going to be blowing a lot of minds once it is released. You can watch the video for "Vending Machine Charcuterie Board" below. Don't Come to My House Sharing Your Location is due out August 14 on C&G Records/Illegal Art, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Girl Talk, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Emmanuel Rosario Brooklyn's TVOD have a new single out, and it's a great one. "Wet Brain" is a post-punk anthem that leans a little bit into pop punk. It's an incredibly catchy track filled with more harmonies than post-punk typically allows. This is a perfect track for either dancing or pogoing, or just singing along as it gets stuck in your head. "Wet Brain" also expertly balances being both discordant and melodic. Not many songs are as fun and aggressive as TVOD's latest, and that helps make the song even more enjoyable. They're one of those bands we're just waiting to explode, and they might by the time their new album is out in October. TVOD say of their latest single: "Slacker idiot anthem that first debuted at SXSW 2025. Inspired by ruining relationships, concurrent hair of the dogs, and wishing you had never said that dumb thing to your now ex. A post-punk tribute to Sixteen Candles." You can watch the video for ...

Photo by Sergio Pontier Fresh off discovering Lila Ik é  at this year's Green River Festival, Ezra Collective have brought in the Jamaican singer in for their latest single. "Well Organised" is a laid back track that combines Ik é  reggae vocals with Ezra Collective's jazz based sound. This is a perfect match of styles and sounds, with the perfect amount of steel drums and groove. There's also a heavy dose of R&B in "Well Organised," which simply adds to the perfect blend of styles. Ezra Collective and Lila Ik é  are a dream match of styles and "Well Organised" is the perfect song for the summer and beyond. Bandleader Femi Koleoso says of his band's latest single: "I was spending time with the Kinetika Bloco Youth Club; they were playing steel pans and the most beautiful line caught my attention. I recorded it on my phone and lived with it. It had the emotion and beauty that I associate with dancehall, bashment, reggae and so many ...