If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Abigail Lapell Album : Anniversary Quick Thoughts : We got an advance listen of this one and I'll say that this album feels like her most cohesive and immediate set of tunes so far. I love so much of this, and the fact that the Great Lake Swimmers have involvement just adds additional value. Abigail Lapell does folk music better than most, so give this a spin. Songs of Note : "Annivesary Song," "Rattlesnake," "Blue Blaze" Artist : Potatohead People Album : Eat Your Heart Out Quick Thoughts : I don't know if we're in a golden age of hip hop producers putting out great music or what, but Potatohead People were new to me and I am officially a fan. A solid album of beats and beeps with cool guest spots, and it just works from beginning to end. Really enjoyed this one. Songs of Note : "Last Nite," "Distant Luv," "Follow Your Heart," "Secret Mission," "For the Soul" Artist : Lunch...

Brass covers of rock and pop songs are kind of becoming a thing here at If It's Too Loud..., so we obviously have to bring you the latest from New York's The Side Project. The Side Project is a four piece made up of all saxophone players. They've opened for the New York Philharmonic and played at The Brooklyn Bowl. For their cover of Childish Gambino's "Redbone," they enlisted singer Alita Moses for vocals. The band has this to say about the song:  "What attracted us first was the old school feel of the song. The magic of The Side Project is that it is a saxophone quartet which means that only 4 saxophones are playing what normally a full band would play. The bass, drums, and guitar - it’s all saxophones which creates this edgy raw groove. We started doing covers featuring different singers from New York and when we decided to work with Alita she suggested the song and it was a perfect fit." The result is a song much cooler than the smooth jazz...

This might be the last big new release week for a while, so let's dive right in! Album of the Week : Artist : Childish Gambino Album : "Awaken, My Love!" Quick Description : Donald Glover puts aside the nerd rap in favor of a funky pastiche. Why You Should Listen : Donald Glover is a must watch/listen/read no matter what. Overall Thoughts : Looking at this solely as a Childish Gambino project, it's hard not to see it as a strange diversion from what's worked. But if we look at this from Donald Glover as an artist, following his leaving Community and through the amazing FX show Atlanta , it's hard not to see this as one of those sort of essential pieces that needs more time to be unpacked. It's clear he's going for a message, similar to other R&B acts this year, but it's hard not to hear some old style funk as a message in and of itself about Glover's artistry on its own. This won't work for everyone, I understand that, but.....

A ridiculous amount of music came out this week, so let's not waste any time. Flying Lotus - You're Dead! : This is my first exposure to Flying Lotus and his brand of electronic jazz/hip-hop. It's not an album I feel like I can give a fair shake to, as it's way outside my areas of knowledge and typical listening, but I will say that I was grooving at a number of points during my initial listen. It's worth tossing in your rotation just to see what the fuss is about. O'Death - Out of Hands We Go : O'Death's third full length album continues to send them along the trajectory of this gothic-style alt-country that they do so well. Filled with a number of memorable songs and providing a bit of a unique atmosphere, this is an album that sounds unlike anything I've heard as of late, and really fits in well with a lot of what we tend to highlight here. Definitely worth a listen. Vashti Bunyan - Heartleap : I remember when Vashti Bunyan's second ...

I mean... seriously? Look at that line up. I don't care what Boston Calling has had before, this roster may never be topped ever again. Plenty for old fogies to check out without feeling self conscious (The Replacements, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nas + The Roots, The Hold Steady, Spoon) plus a chance to see some of the up and comers we've been obsessed with without being the Creepy Old Guy. I've wanted to check out Childish Gambino and Girl Talk for a while now, and this may be the chance! And you can check out this Lorde character without being the only adult without a child. Plus, I mean, The Replacements! Neutral Milk Hotel! Nas + The Roots would be kick ass enough by themselves, but Nas with The Roots as his backing band???? Insane. I think The National might be the weak link as far as headliners go, but considering they curated the thing, I can let it slide. The September 2014 edition of Boston Calling takes place in City Hall Plaza on September 5, 6, & 7. 3 Day and ...

This might end up being the last week for true new releases for some time. The holidays tend to be pretty slow on a whole. If there's a new release to discuss, this post will be happening, but as it stands... Childish Gambino - because the internet : Let's get this out of the way - it's not Camp . Camp was a revelation in part because it felt a lot different from his earlier mixtapes and felt like a cohesive unit. because the internet is certainly cohesive, and reflects the clear struggles that Glover has publicly struggled with in terms of fame and such. In the Year of Yeezus and a new Jay-Z and the rise of the A$AP mob, this feels like it's struggling to fit in, and it's interesting enough to not be boring, but, honestly, kind of boring enough to not be great. I'm far from done with this album, but it's...different. If you're expecting Camp , you're not going to get it. Brendan Benson - You Were Right : I was probably a fan of Brendan...