If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Kalen and Aslyn Album : Back of Our Minds Quick Description : Gorgeous rootsy folk. Why You Should Listen : One of many male/female folk duos, but they're the real deal. Overall Thoughts : Ken sent this over to me, and I'm glad he did, because this was super beautiful in so many ways. The songs are fairly straightforward, but the production value feels just right and the tone of this so surprisingly pleasant. We've had a few winners as of late with these folk duos, and I'm glad this hit my radar. Recommendation : Absolutely worth the time. Artist : TJO/Tara Jane O'Neil Album : Songs for Peacock Quick Description : A minimalist electronic mixtape. Why You Should Listen : Tara Jane O'Neil has done a lot of great music so far. Overall Thoughts : Her first big release under the TJO moniker, this is a covers album with a lot of interesting... everything. As musically compelling as it is compelling in terms of the song choices being made, this...

Last month we brought you Kestrels's new single "Grey and Blue." I personally loved it, but I'm going to be predisposed to liking any song that includes a guest guitar solo from J Mascis. With their new single, "Vanishing Point," it turns out they don't need any help to make a killer 90's influenced song. "Vanishing Point" combines just about every one of my favorite 90's genres. There is a ton of grungy guitars with power pop hooks and more than a little Brit pop sprinkled in. And, even without Mascis, there are some insanely great guitar solos in here.  You can watch the cat heavy video for "Vanishing Point" below. Dream or Don't Dream , the upcoming album from Kestrels, will be out July 10 on Darla Records. You can pre-order a copy here . For more on Kestrels, check them out on Facebook and Twitter .

The very first time I listened to "Grey and Blue," the new single from Halifax's Kestrels, I immediately thought of Ash. As I listened, I started reading the press release which coincidentally enough includes the line " Dream Or Don't Dream  was largely written on the sofa of  Ash 's  Tim Wheeler." That's not even where our 90's indie rock gods stop making appearances. The song also features not one but two guitar solos from Dinosaur Jr's J Mascis. This are J Mascis guitar solos, so you already know they're killer. The man just doesn't let bad guitar solos out into the universe. Even without the added star power, "Grey and Blue" is a great song. It lives in a world that blends 90's indie rock with Brit pop in a way I always wished more bands did. It's the kind of song that is going to have me diving into Kestrels's back catalog, as this is the first I've ever heard from them.  You can watch the video fo...