If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Jim Herrington Legendary L.A. punk band X always had a country/rockabilly side, and when John Doe has done solo music he has tended to go full on country/rockabilly. His upcoming solo album is made up of songs that take place in the 1890's, and the first single, "Never Coming Back," is going to be beloved by X fans. It has all the edge of anything Doe's band has done, but just a less in-your-face version of that sound. Maybe it's just Doe's iconic voice, but "Never Coming Back" sounds like a stripped down version of an X song. When one of your favorite punk legends announces a solo album, this is exactly what you want. It still sounds like what you've always loved from them, but doesn't just sound exactly like their band. You can watch the video for "Never Coming Back" below. Fables in a Foreign Land is due out May 20 on Fat Possum, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on John Doe, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Clemens Mitscher Goddamn, how am I not completely obsessed with A Place to Bury Strangers? Their latest single, "Never Coming Back," is just about everything I love about music.  First: It's loud. And noisy. Like, really loud and noisy. The song is filled with barely controlled chaos, like the band is trying to reign it in, and failing. When it does explode... it's just glorious. Second: It doesn't really fit into any one particular genre. It's too metal to be punk, and it's too punk to be metal. Plus, it's artsy as hell, so it can't be either one of them anyway. But, it's also structured, so it can't just be art rock. It's a mess. In the best way. Third: Did I mention that it's loud? Fourth: There is a sense of danger and foreboding that's missing with most music now. Punk, metal, hip hop... it's all safe sounding. Rap is more of a fashion statement, and metal bands name themselves after Meryl Streep mo...