If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Braeden Long Chicago post-hardcore band ira glass are back with a new single, and buckle up for this one. "mister magnanimous" starts off with a nearly minute long burst of noise, chaos, and growly screaming. After that, it mellows out a bit, but not fully. While the volume and noise might settle down, the intensity of the song certainly does not. It threatens to explode into even more chaos, which it does. "mister magnanimous" isn't going to be for everyone, and I can't imagine that ira glass would be offended by that statement. But, if you love noisy, chaotic, experimental guitar rock, you've just discovered a new favorite. You can watch the video for "mister magnanimous" below. The single is out now on Fire Talk Records. For more on ira glass, check out the artist on Instagram . Upcoming live dates are below the video. Thu. Nov. 12 - Montreal, QC @ Casa del Popolo Fri. Nov. 13 - Toronto, ON @ Houndstooth Sat. Nov. 14 - Kalamazoo, MI...

Photo by Troy Ezequiel Montes Houston sound artist, emcee, and trumpet player JAWWAAD has a new single out, and we can definitely say that no one is mixing jazz and hip hop quite like him. "Color Theory" features vocals from John Robinson. The song also blends in electronic elements and some shades of indie rock noise to create a smooth yet chaotic sound. The guitar reminds me of some of the more dissonant solos from Parliament/Funkadelic, and make this one of the more intense jazz meets hip hop songs we've ever covered. This is more on the experimental/improvisational side of the genre, and JAWWAAD has a truly special sound with "Color Theory." You can listen to "Color Theory" below. Myth & Logic is due out November 13 on Sonic Transmissions and Sound Mind Body Labs, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on JAWWADD, check out the artist on Instagram . Upcoming live dates are below the song. Nov 18 - THE ELDORADO BALLROOM - Hous...

Photo by Jeremy Cohen Shane Butler of Quilt and Olden Yolk has a solo album due next month, and if you enjoy the music of his other bands, chances are you're going to like his new single, "Devotee." This is a slice of slightly off-kilter folk pop that has roots in traditional folk and modern indie folk. I think that's what makes this song so intriguing is that it never quite commits to any subgenre of Americana or folk and simply makes its own way throughout the different styles. At times it's a more mainstream, singer-songwriter track, and at others it's a borderline experimental, art-folk song. It does this so subtly that it can easily appeal to all folk fans, and even the majority of music fans.  Shane Butler says of his latest single: “My mother left home at 18 after she met a spiritual teacher and moved into a commune, a place  she lived for over 25 years. It was where I was raised. It was a great place for us, but I’ve still  always wondered what her lif...

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...