If It's Too Loud...

I've been a fan of The Sheila Divine for nearly thirty years now. Back in the Fall, Aaron Perrino announced that from then on all of his musical projects would now be under the Sheila Divine umbrella. That means that The Sheila Divine now includes songs from Dear Leader, Aaron & The Lord, etc. Once last Saturday's show at The Sinclair was announced, I obviously had to make it so see what the newfangled Sheila Divine would be. Taking the stage with six members (and four guitars), The Sheila Divine crushed their set. It was a perfect mixture of a band with something and nothing to prove. Opening with the gloriously moody "The Modern Log" off of 1999's classic New Parade , the band set the mood for the evening. It was a masterclass of a setlist, with the bigger hits from New Parade  ("Like a Criminal," "Hum," and "Automatic Buffalo") interspersed throughout the set, with new songs like "Lilydale" and a surprising number of ...

It's been a little while since we last heard from Baabes. Thankfully, the Boston band has a brand new single out! "Don't Be Weird About It" is that brand of punk rock that is defiantly their own. The vocals for "Don't Be Weird About It" are completely punk, but the guitar is just a little bit different. It sounds more like something you'd hear in a song from The Stone Roses or Kula Shaker. Baabes have always had a bit of a trashy punk sound, but this new song elevates them to high end trashy. Plus, the song has such an irresistible groove throughout that it demands the listener to dance, even slightly. "Don't Be Weird About It" is a great song, and a fantastic re-introduction to one of our local favorites. You can watch the video for "Don't Be Weird About It" below. For more on Baabes, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . Baabes will be playing with The Sheila Divine and Teardrops on January 4 at The Sinclair in...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: June 14 Jennifer Tefft & the Strange, Lovina Falls, and Little Billy Lost at Fireseed Art Studios, Framingham, MA Vudu Sister and Savoir Faire at Myrtle, Providence, RI Linnea's Garden, Ruby Grove, Cindy Lawson, and Lovewhip at The Jungle Community Music Club, Somerville, MA Bikini Whale, Speedfossil, and Cold Expectations at Faces Brewing, Malden, MA Kid Gulliver, True Jackie, and The Satch Kerans at The Square Root, Roslindale, MA Matt Woods, Ted Russell Kamp, and Matt C...

Doing Anything Fun this Weekend? is a new feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday, February 2 PonyBoy, Muzzins, Minibeast, and The Z-Boys at The Parlour, Providence, RI Princess Bleach, Miracle Blood, and Burr, DNB Craft Kitchen, New Bedford, MA Baabes, Salem Wolves, Sexx Fix, and Komodo Rojo at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA Recent History, Kid Gulliver, and Eyrie House Ruins at JJ's Tavern, Florence, MA The Wolff Sisters and Hush Club at The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH Saturday, February 3 Gut Health, Miracle Blood, Fox Canadian, Superjerk, and Berm at Hotel Vernon, Worcester, MA  Happy Little Clouds, Crow Follow, and Cold Expect...

Photo via Facebook Boston's Baabes are back with a new single, and it may just be their most palatable yet! "Bad Boy Worse Drugs" is a straightforward rock song with more than a little punk edge. It almost seems like it's fairly mainstream, by Baabes standards of course. There is no danger of "Bad Boy Worse Drugs" crossing over into adult contemporary or whatever rock radio is out there these days, but it does show a band poking their heads out of the basement to see if maybe the rock clubs with functional bathrooms are ready for them. You can watch the video for "Bad Boy Worse Drugs" below. The song is available now via Riot Records and Golden Robot Records. You can find the single here . For more on Baabes, check out the band's Facebook and Instagram .

Boston's Baabes are back with another filthy protopunk garage rocker. "Greaseballs to Glitters" is just straight up rock 'n' roll. There is nothing fancy going on here. Baabes are just straight up playing punk laced rock music loud and fast. This is the kind of music that might only be legally allowed to be played live in Allston. It's high energy, beer and sweat soaked rock music. If you went to a Baabes show and didn't end up with beer spilled all over you, you'd be disappointed. You can watch the video for "Greaseballs to Glitters" below. The song is currently available as a single via Riot Records with a full length due out later this Fall. For more on Baabes, check out the band's Facebook .

It's been almost a year since Boston's Baabes released Ratchet Ass Dance Party , and now they're back with more of their "sleazy garage punk rock n roll." Their latest single, "Pretty Mugshot," is a ridiculously loud burst of garage punk. It shows off what Baabes have become masters of: It's loud, fast, and discordant as hell, but is still somehow catchy and follows a fairly traditional songwriting structure. It sounds like Detroit proto-punk bands got ramped up on worse drugs. This is the kind of song you're gonna kinda like the first time you listen, but by the fourth or fifth you're going to be building an altar to Baabes in your closet. You can watch the video for "Pretty Mugshot" below. HIGH DEMAND TRASH , the new EP from Baabes, will be out in the (hopefully) near future. For more on Baabes, check out their Facebook .

Boston's very own Baabes are back with a new EP we almost missed. Ratchet Ass Dance Party is an eight song burst of, as they claim on their Bandcamp,  "SLEAZY GARAGE PUNK ROCK N ROLL." It's obnoxious, and has just barely enough melody to not be a complete mess of noise. It's almost... catchy? But the thing with Ratchet Ass Dance Party  is that it is a dance party waiting to happen. Baabes are definitely noise punk in the most textbook definition, but this release is better for dancing than moshing. But just barely. And it's probably not what you want to try playing for your normal co-workers. You can listen to "You'd Be Smart to Kill Me Now" below. Ratchet Ass Dance Party , the latest EP from Baabes, is out now and is available via their Bandcamp . For more on Baabes, check out their website . Ratchet Ass Dance Party by BAABES

Boston's Baabes are back with a new single. "Won't Be Back" is just pure rock and roll, in that it's loud, fast, and sleazy. It's completely in your face garage rock with plenty of proto punk influence. This isn't the sheeny kind of garage rock that filled hundreds of "Rock is Back!" headlines in the early 00's. There isn't anything sheeny about "Won't Be Back." It's The Stooges meets The Lyres, but they somehow squeeze just the slightest bit of hooks in there to make it catchy and ever so close to being accessible. But, they stop just short of that so it's just about perfect. You can listen to "Won't Be Back" below. For more on Baabes, be sure to check out their Bandcamp and Facebook . Won't Be Back by BAABES

Keep Safe Boston has been releasing these amazing and massive charity compilations for a little while now. They bring together a bunch of diverse Boston artists for a different cause each time. Past causes have included Fenway Health and RESPOND, INC, Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention. The latest compilation released back in August [editors note: WHOOPS!] is to raise money for Everytown for Gun Safety. As for music, KSB2018 is 36 songs and it includes some of our already favorites. Gray Bouchard (Salem Wolves) New Waves it up on "Savin Hill." Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys contribute "War Gospel," which has been a live staple as of late and on subject for the charity. The I Want You's contribution, "The Rise and Fall," tempers down their usual power pop perfection and amps up the funk and noise. And, with any 36 song compilation, there are always new favorites to discover. Horse Mode's "Spaghetti Lee" reminds me...