If It's Too Loud...

The side project/moderate supergroup featuring Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom, Mike Gent of The Gentlemen, and Ed Valauskas of The Gravel Pit already have a new single out. This time around the A-side, "Too Thin," is sung and written by Mike Gent. It's a chilled out, mid-tempo track that's a great foil to Bill Janovitz's contribution, "Red Line." "Red Line" is a much faster, more rockin' song featuring a killer guitar solo. Both songs fit in perfectly with The Needy Sons' straightforward bar band feel. It's great seeing two established musicians and songwriters coming together to just have some fun with music on these songs. Hopefully next month will bring us some more. You can check out The Needy Sons on Bill Janovitz's Bandcamp . You can also check out h is website for all your other Bill Janovitz related needs. Too Thin/Red Line by The Needy Sons

With TT the Bear's closing forever this Saturday, I wanted to share some of my favorite memories of the iconic Cambridge rock club. Some of my most cherished musical memories took place within its walls. It is going to be missed greatly. This was one of those stacked bills that can only happen at a TT the Bear's benefit show. It also included local heroes The Gravel Pit along with The Sterlings and Boy Wonder, who were both great forgotten late 90s Boston bands. Happening back in my college radio days, I mentioned I was going to see Sloan to my contact at whatever company was promoting them back in 1998. He told me he was going to put me on the list, and I said I didn't mind paying since it was a benefit. He insisted, so I figured I'd do the free show thing, which is really what college radio is about. After driving an hour into Cambridge, I got to TT's to find out there wasn't a list since it was a benefit show. I pleaded my case obnoxiously for at least ...

I hate Christmas music. It's pretty dull and repetitive. But, this weekend you'll be subjected to work holiday parties and family and/or friend's holiday parties. Then next week someone will insist on putting Christmas music on in the background while you're wrapping presents and then opening presents. How many times can you be expected to listen to Mariah Caery's "All I Want for Christmas?" As an alternative, here is the If It's Too Loud... 2014 Christmas Playlist. It features some lesser known songs from The Sheila Divine, Emmy the Great and Tim Wheeler, Jessica Lea Mayfield, a cover of Wham's "Last Christmas" (the greatest worst song ever recorded), and we had to end with "Christmas in Hollis." Enjoy!