If It's Too Loud...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday July 12 Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman at Black Birch Vineyard, North Hatfield, MA Anvil, Pulsifier, and Adamantis at The Middle East, Cambridge, MA Saturday July 13 Bim Skala Bim (matinee), Void Union, and Brunt of It at Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theater, Somerville, MA 3rd Annual Diablogato's Party at the Porch with Screamin' Rebel Angels, Diablogato, The Dogmatics, and Girl With a Hawk at The Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint, Medford, MA Jittery Jack ...

Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman first met and started playing music together back in 2017 despite their twenty year age difference. It took six years, but the duo are finally set to release an EP later this month. The first single off that EP, "Lady of the Lake," is pure, traditional folk and Americana. It's a nearly four minute long instrumental track that somehow finds a way to tell a tale without needing words. If you already know Nora Brown, you know that she's a musical prodigy that makes music that sounds as if it was recorded long before she was born. "Lady of the Lake" is also perfect for anyone that has a fondness for more traditional modern artists like Tatiana Hargreaves and Allison de Groot. You can listen to "Lady of the Lake" below. The Lady of the Lake EP is due out July 28 on Jalopy Records. For more on Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman, check out Nora Brown's website .

Artist : Bret McKenzie Album : Songs Without Jokes Quick Thoughts : You know Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Concords , and while this is billed as an album "without jokes," it's still a fun listen on a whole. This is some serious songwriting even while McKenzie isn't taking himself terribly seriously, and the result has a feeling of sitting in a piano bar, sipping a drink and having a grand old time. I really enjoyed this one. Songs of Note : "That's L.A.," "A Little Tune," "Tomorrow Today" Artist : Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Album : Let's Turn It Into Sound Quick Thoughts : Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is one of my favorite experimental-type electronic artists, and this specific album is honestly better listened as a whole rather than the parts. It's got a lot of interesting structures and soundscapes throughout, and it kept grabbing my attention across the whole runtime. If you're not against some more challenging listens...

Photo via Facebook It's not every artist that could pull off an instrumental, banjo only song for their latest single, but most artists aren't Nora Brown. The seventeen year old banjo prodigy has released a version of "Wild Goose Chase" that is just her on banjo, and the result is stunning. Just Brown's playing is completely captivating. Somehow with just banjo the song is heartbreaking and haunting, completely sucking in the listener the way most artists fail to with a full band and vocals. It feels kind of corny to say, but "Wild Goose Chase" is a story told through just a single instrument. Nora Brown is set to have a long career, and we can't wait to see where she goes from here. In a Facebook post, Nora Brown says of her new single: "Classic #virgilanderson track. A pretty regional tune. In the liner notes of his record, Virgil said he first heard this one as a teenager while at a logging camp. This one sometimes goes by Lost Gander."...

If you like folk or Americana in any form, you're going to adore the latest from Nora Brown. Brown is a sixteen year old banjo player and singer who plays roots music in its most pure form. Her latest single, "Little Satchel," is just Brown's vocals and her banjo, and you won't really need or want anything else. Brown is impossibly talented for any age, let alone a teenager. "Little Satchel" is such a compelling song because of the talent involved and because it's so bare bones. If you haven't jumped on the Nora Brown bandwagon yet, you're going to want to before the new album comes out. You can listen to "Little Satchel" below. Long Time to Be Gone is due out August 26 on Jalopy Records, and can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp . For more on Nora Brown, check out the artist's website .