If It's Too Loud...

Phantom Ocean started off in 2020, and we've been loving their take on blues rock meets alt-rock for five years now. Their brand new single, "Sorry Dude," is the epitome of their sound. It's fuzzed out blues guitar over a beat that's more upbeat than the rest of the track. Their Bandcamp describes them as "Grungy brat-punk," and that fits this. The song barely contains singer/drummer Sarah Smith's rage, but as with any Phantom Ocean song, this one has a biting sense of humor that keeps it just light enough to still be fun. They've long been one of those bands that is arranging the pieces of their music unlike anyone else, and "Sorry Dude" shows them settling down into their unique sound. Sarah Smith says of the band's latest single: “Although we’ve been more than happy to touch on feminine rage in the past, our newest single  Sorry, Dude  is a testament of absolute exhaustion. A bone deep ache of when the people around you continue ...

Salem, MA's Phantom Ocean have a new single out that takes everything we love about the duo and amplify it. According to a post on Instagram, "Carfax Abbey" is "... a song about living with the neighbors from Hell (or Transylvania.)" The song is a blues rock meets noise rock blast. It's filled with tons of guitar fuzz throughout, with singer/guitarist Drew Smith's vocals not quite screaming but not not screaming. This might be the heaviest thing we've heard from Phantom Ocean so far, with a shout along chorus and grunge feedback that adds to the song's spooky vibes. "Carfax Abbey" is going to be perfect for your Halloween playlists, along with just about any other playlist you have. You can listen to "Carfax Abbey" below. The single is available now through Bandcamp . For more on Phantom Ocean, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . Carfax Abbey by Phantom Ocean

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. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday March 8 Ghost Painted Sky, Low Lives, Black Rose Burning, and Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight at The Middle East, Cambridge, MA Thru It All, One Fall, and Nicoteens at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA Stop Calling Me Frank, Diablogato, and Orbiter at The Square Root, Roslindale, MA Saturday March 9 Aaron and the Lord, Tugboat Annie, and Vic Firecracker at Sonia, Cambridge, MA theWorst, Tysk Tysk Task, and Ian St. George at JJ's Tavern, Florence, MA Answerman, Phantom Ocean, and The Love Shamans at The Square Root, Roslindale, MA Lonely Leesa and the Lost ...

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. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday February 23 The Foes of Fern, Ruby Grove, Christina Lacoste, and Hot Stenograph at The Jungle, Somerville, MA The Imposers, Jonee Earthquake Band, and Old Rochelle at Thirsty First, Lowell, MA Express Checkout and Matt Charette and the Truer Sound at Lizard Lounge, Cambridge, MA FEEP and Phantom Ocean at Barewolf Brewing, Amesbury, MA The P.A.'s and Mother Fungus at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA Matt Pond PA & Alexa Rose at Club Passim, Cambridge, MA Black Hatch, Tysk Tysk Task, Luxury Skin, and Ashen Veil at Firehouse, Worcester, MA Saturday February 2...

Salem, MA's Phantom Ocean have released a new EP that you simply not to hear. Their Bandcamp profile refers to them as "Blues, pop-punk, and grunge in a blender," and after you hear Phantasmagoria  you'll be sure to agree. "I'm With the Band" is filled with guitar that couldn't be more fuzzy, but it's still an odd pop based song. "Broken Wings" is going to remind you of Bob Mould's solo work, with Drew Smith's vocals sounding like he's struggling to be heard above the cacophony of the music, and I mean that as a compliment. "She God" sounds like your favorite blues based rock singer got stuck in a grunge timeloop and doesn't really want to get out. "Cryptid" might be my favorite of the bunch. It doesn't sound much like the other songs, and is more of a standard blues tune. Sarah Smith's vocals get to shine in a way they normally don't. If you've ever heard their cover of Leadbelly'...

"Spooky, bluesy grunge misfits from Salem" Phantom Ocean just released a brand new single. "I'm With the Band" is an indie rock song seeped in blues that was written by drummer/singer Sarah Moughan-Smith about her experiences in the music scene. It's a song that's as noisy as it is catchy. It's a lo-fi grunge/blues song, which doesn't sound like it would work until you think about it for a few seconds. It's a perfect sonic combination that drips with venom just as much as it makes you want to happily sing along.  Sarah Moughan-Smith says of the new single: “'I’m With the Band' is a pushback against the assumption that women are just 'with the band' and not full artists and people in their own right that, unfortunately, some people love to cling to.    I drew on my own experiences of not being respected and treated like eye candy, and the reactions I got when I finally stepped into my own and refused to let that happen anymore....

According to their current profile, Phantom Ocean are an "Alt-rock band from Massachusetts. Sleater-Kinney and Sugar meets Scooby-Doo and Danhausen." It's a weird description, but when you listen to their latest single it makes perfect sense. "Hangman's Joke" is a dark sounding indie rock song that still has all of the melody along with all of the edge of bands like Sugar and Sleater-Kinney. It also has a certain sense of showmanship and theatricality you would get with classic cartoon characters and current wrestling phenomenons. "Hangman's Joke" may be dark and noisy, but there is a certain sense of fun within the song (almost). Aside from all that, it's just simply a great alt-rock song you can just crank and sing along to. You can listen to "Hangman's Joke" below. For more on Phantom Ocean, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . Hangman's Joke by Phantom Ocean

According to their Bandcamp bio, Salem's Phantom Ocean play "Blues and punk infused alt-rock." What's fantastic about their debut EP is how all five songs sound wildly different versions of that. "Notice Me Senpai" is an upbeat, almost poppy song about a very unhealthy relationship (to put it mildly). "Jersey Devil Blues" is a dirty blues stomper, like the noisier side of early White Stripes. That's immediately followed by "First & Always" which I previously described as discordant as hell and along the lines of bands like Shellac and Mission of Burma. "Tricky Ricky" sounds like it Charming Disaster decided to be noise rock. The EP closes with the noisiest version of "In the Pines" that you can imagine. As wildly different as these songs are, they all somehow form a cohesive release. You can listen to "In the Pines" below. Secondhand Ghosts is now available via Bandcamp . For more on Phantom Ocean, ch...

Last week we brought you the debut single from Massachusetts based rockers Phantom Ocean. We discovered that one late, so we already have a second single to bring you! "First & Always" sees guitarist Drew Smith take over lead vocals, and this one is a rocker. It's a discordant as hell song that seems to threaten to explode but never quite does. It has guitar work reminiscent of Mission of Burma and Shellac with Smith's howling vocals wailing above, giving the song a bit of a break out grunge feel. It's not a fully comfortable song to listen to, but that's what makes "First & Always" such an interesting listen. In a press release, Drew Smith says of the new single: “This is one of the most personal songs I’ve ever written.  I don’t like the idea of putting my sexuality front and center in my music, but if I didn’t write from the heart, I’d be cutting the truth out, which is a mortal sin as a songwriter.  ‘First and Always’ is raw and true for ...

Boston's Phantom Ocean released their debut single at the end of April, so better late than never, right? According to their Bandcamp profile, they are "Preaching the blues, playing rock and roll." It's an apt description, but "Notice Me Senpai" has a strong indie rock fuzz going on. It's a catchy song from the duo, despite how insanely dark it gets pretty damn fast. That might be part of the appeal of the song: At times it's almost cutesy but couldn't possibly be since it's downright disturbing. It's a stripped down rock song without being even remotely minimal. It's the kind of debut song that will keep us intrigued about what Phantom Ocean does next... although nervously. And from a distance. You can listen to "Notice Me Senpai" below. The song is available as a download via Bandcamp for the "name your price" option. For more on Phantom Ocean, be sure to check them out on Facebook . Notice Me Senpai by Phantom ...