If It's Too Loud...

I've been looking forward to seeing Mamalarky live since I first discovered them back in 2020. They've made it to Boston since then, but it just never quite worked out for me. Luckily, they just released the excellent Hex Key  and had a Tuesday night show at The Rockwell that finally worked with my schedule. Doss opened the show up. Not to be confused with the DJ named Doss, this was a local Boston "indie folk rock mish mosh." They played a short set that was wonderfully compelling. I'd say they were a bit more rock than folk, but not by much. Doss was a charming opener that won over the crowd quickly. I'm sure they brought some friends and fans with them, but I can't imagine anyone that wasn't already a fan left The Rockwell without becoming one. Kennedy Mann played next, finishing up their tour with Mamalarky. She played an acoustic guitar, and for the first couple of songs of their set, used some backing electronic music from a phone. After that, it...

Photo by Vionery When we brought you "Anhedonia," the previous single from Mamalarky, I specifically said that it wasn't a pop song. Their latest single, "Won't Give Up," is pure pop. This might be alt-pop, indie pop, or bedroom pop, but this is solidly a pop song with shimmering instrumentation and a beat that dares you not to at least move a little. Mamalarky have long been a band that dances all across the lines between folk, pop, and indie rock, and "Won't Give Up" sees them playing in the world pop music far deeper than they typically do. This is a fun song and the kind that has us in New England even more desperate for spring to finally kick in. You can listen to "Won't Give Up" below. Hex Key is due out April 11 on Epitaph Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Mamalarky, check out the band's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the song and include a May 13 date at The Rockwell in Somerville, MA....

Photo by Vlonery Mamalarky have released a new single that will win over anyone that's not already on the bandwagon. "Anhedonia" is a wistful and whimsical sounding song in sound but not subject. It kind of sounds like if Liz Phair decided to bring her 90's indie rock sound to modern alt-folk. The song is filled with some of the jangliest guitars we've heard in a while, and it (sonically) is the perfect song for the warmer weather as spring starts poking its head out. I'm not sure if I'd call "Anhedonia" a pop song, but it's far catchier than anything in the Top 10 currently. Mamalarky have crafted a song that's an instant classic and has us even more excited for their new album next month. Livvy Bennett says of her band's latest single: “ ‘Anhedonia’ is a song about feeling god awful. I was going through a really deep depression and not knowing what to do other than isolate myself from everyone.  I didn’t want to put this song out be...

Photo by Vlonery Mamalarky has a new single out that shatters all expectations we have for the band. "#1 Best of All Time" is mostly an electronic song that is soft like something you'd hear in the chill room but a beat that would belong on a classic drum and bass track... just a little softer. On top of all of that is Livvy Bennett's vocals, which sound like they'd be more at home alongside a folk-pop song. It's a weird cluster of sounds that by all means should not work together at all, but Mamalarky makes them work splendidly. "#1 Best of All Time" is a fun and quirky song that is going to have you wishing winter would hurry up and leave so you can fully enjoy it with the sunshine. Livvy Bennett says of her band's latest single: "Through a lot of games of UNO I’ve discovered I’m actually a pretty competitive person. And somehow, the feeling of losing has become highly motivating to me. I always feel like I’m competing against myself, tryi...

Photo by Michelle Mercado For their second single since signing to Epitaph Records, Mamalarky continue to evolve their sound. "Feels So Wrong" is exactly what we need here in New England to help combat the cold and wintry weather. It's a laid back and sunny sounding indie rock song that hearkens back to 70's AM radio. Of course, nothing like this would have ever made it onto the radio fifty years ago. "Feels So Wrong" is one of those songs that your Top 40 listening co-workers will find weird, but for those of us with more interesting taste in music it's going to sound like pure indie pop rock goodness. Mamalarky have perfected this wondrously smooth sound with "Feels So Wrong" that will have you looking forward to hanging out in nature when it doesn't physically hurt to be outside. Livvy Bennett says of her band's latest single: “ Certain times in my life have felt like a weird intersection, where a lot of good and bad happen at the sa...

Photo by Michelle Mercado Mamalarky just signed with Epitaph Records and have released a new single of their unique style of indie rock. "Nothing Lasts Forever" is a mostly chill version of dance friendly, quirky indie rock. The vocals are as smooth as R&B while the music has this oddly jerky feel to it. The song is so close to being a mainstream dance/pop music song, but Mamalarky just infuse their own unique style into their music that keeps everything interesting. The closest artists I can compare this to are Guerilla Toss and Rubblebucket. "Nothing Lasts Forever" is a fun and beautiful new track that is sure to suck listeners in through multiple listens. Livvy Bennett says of her band's new single: "We were in the dead of the summer experiencing another climate-crisis heatwave in LA with no AC. This song kind of sizzled out as our brain cells were struggling to fire. Everyone started dancing. We were supposed to be writing songs for someone else but...

Photo by Connor Fields Mamalarky are continuing to make some of the more unique versions of indie rock out there today. The band's latest single, "Shining Armor," is this bizarro version of R&B mixed with indie rock. It has this light yet funky feel to it, and unlike most indie rock, this one is actually a fun song. It's very danceable, as long as you don't mind dancing awkwardly to a rapidly changing beat. "Shining Armor" is reminding me of a more laid back version of Guerilla Toss. It's a noisy and chaotic song that is oddly pleasant and almost soothing at times. Singer Livvy Bennett says of the new song: " This song goes out to conveniently anonymous YouTube haters . ' Shining Armor' is an invitation for anyone who has shit to say about how I play guitar to go ahead and reveal themselves and play a little song for us! When I wrote this I was getting a bunch of comments about my gender and appearance and how that corresponds with h...

Photo by Connor Fields The latest from Mamalarky is an impossibly chill and laid back track that is still somehow oddly compelling. "It Hurts" sounds like an indie rock version of 70's AM radio easy listening. It has this intensity to it to go along with it's retro cool chic. Mamalarky add a certain groove to the song even if it's the most laid back groove you've ever heard. To compare this to a contemporary artist, this is like an even more laid back Faye Webster.  Livvy Bennett says of her band's new song: " Writing about this song in this context feels extremely meta because the song itself picks at what it's like as a musician to essentially be careerizing your own experiences and emotions.  It's pretty bizarre to put out shit that is so personal–like, when someone loves a sad song you wrote it's like...I'm sorry we've been down in the same way? Or, I'm glad you enjoy listening to something that was essentially an intervent...

It's been a little while since we've heard from Mamalarky. On their new single, the band keeps a little bit more of the psychedelia meets R&B sound they had on "Will I See U?," last year's collaboration with Benet. "You Know I Know" is a little but more pop than the previous single, and goes towards psychedelic pop. There is still enough noise in here for indie rock fans, particularly in the clangy guitar. Yeah, that's right, Mamalarky makes guitars clang in a pop song. It's a truly unique sound coming from a band that's starting to be known for surprising us over their short two year span of being a band. Livvy Bennett says of the new song: "'You Know I Know' was never supposed to come out,  but my bandmates told me it would make for a great single. I accidentally wrote a rock banger that sounded like it could have come out in 2007, like MGMT meets Weezer meets Sheryl Crow.  "The song is about growing up in Texas and ha...

It's been a little while since we've heard from Mamalarky, the current project from Livvy Bennett (ex-Cherry Glazerr). Now they're back with a new collaborative single with Bené t. While Mamalarky's 2020 self-titled album was a blend of indie rock and psychedelia, "Will I See U?" is decidedly more laid back. It's more of an indie R&B cut with plenty of psychedelic flourishes throughout. We don't typically associate R&B with psychedelia, so this song is a refreshingly new sound that isn't quite like what we typically cover here. Despite that, there is a lot here for readers of If It's Too Loud... to love, and it oddly fits right in our wheelhouse! Livvy Bennett says of the new song: " The song is about the people in my life where our relationship exists mostly in the bounds of my imagination. For various reasons, they feel so unattainable. Maybe we’ve drifted, they live far away, or maybe they don’t see anyone much at all anymore. A...

Artist : Partner Album : Never Give Up Quick Description : Second album from a favorite here. Why You Should Listen : You don't take yourself too seriously, or you get high a lot. Overall Thoughts : We unironically love Partner here, and for good reason: they're a ton of fun and have the musical chops to back it up. There's no "Everybody Knows" here, but that's okay - the adventure into odd proggy territory at times feels natural and this listen, overall, feels like one that's likely to stick with me for a while. Recommendation : Definitely a good time. Artist : Sara Noelle Album : Cover the Blue Quick Description : Gorgeous folky tunes. Why You Should Listen : You already love this type of music. Overall Thoughts : We missed this one earlier this year, and with an EP out this week, it was worth highlighting this listen as a pretty, intricate piece of singer-songwriter folk. In a week that doesn't have a lot like this for once, it's w...