If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Aileen Lam One of the negative aspects of having a music blog is that you start discovering bands from all over the world that you'll never get the chance to see live. It's fairly cost prohibitive for a band to fly across an ocean all the way to the U.S. to tour small clubs, and given everything going on right now, I certainly wouldn't expect a band to fly all the way over here since who knows what could happen. Imagine my surprise and delight when Lucid Express announced they were coming to the U.S. to tour, and were playing the tiny O'Brien's in Allston. Opening the show was Boston's own Sophie's Body. They were a band I was completely unfamiliar with but they quickly won me over with their bubblegrunge sound. It was a fun, quick set filled with fuzzy indie rock gems with a strong pop streak. Vocalist Sophie McMinn implored the crowd to dance, but the Boston hipster crowd isn't known for its willingness to dance. By the end, many in the crowd ...

Photo by Aleka Syntelis New Jersey's High. have just released one of the noisiest but loveliest singles of the year. "Catcher" is going to give you some serious 90's flashbacks, even if you weren't actually there. It's a slowed down song that borders on being a ballad, but never quite gets there. It's filled with fuzzed out and shimmering guitars and hushed vocals. The whole thing builds slowly to a glorious crescendo, incorporating some of the most glorious noise around. You can tell "Catcher" is a deeply heartfelt song that combines the lush emotion of Mazzy Star with the crunch and epic sound of Radiohead's first two albums. This is one you can't miss out on. Lead vocalist Christian Castan says of the band's latest single: "’Catcher’ explores the depths of grief and the unwavering hope that binds us to those we’ve lost."  You can watch the video for "Catcher" below. Come Back Down is due out January 24 on Kanine...

Photo by Aleko Syntelis As shoegaze evolves and bands discover new sounds in the genre, we start getting subgenres. New Jersey's High. play a blend of shoegaze referred to as noisegaze. Their latest single, "In a Hole," has all of the beauty and fuzz of shoegaze, but High. add a layer of sludge over the song. The song feels like it's being played at half speed, and it's as dissonant as it is gorgeous. "In a Hole" is as pummeling as it is warm and inviting, which goes along with the finest examples of the genre. It's filled with haze and jangling, distorted guitars, and some surprisingly lovely vocals. This is one of the best shoegaze releases of the year. Lead vocalist Christian Castan says of the new song: "’In A Hole’ is inspired by meeting our group of friends.  It’s about being depressed and the people close to you dragging you out of it. It’s about the peace and belonging I used to dream about during childhood trauma and finally finding it....