If It's Too Loud...

Photo via Facebook We're late to the party on this one, but I couldn't just ignore it, could I? Back in November Pom Pom Squad went on tour with Nada Surf, and it must have gone well since Mia Berrin has convinced Nada Surf's Matthew Caws to join them on a cover of Nada Surf's 1996 breakthrough hit "Popular." This is kind of a huge deal because, unless things have changed and nostalgia has softened their opinion of the song, Nada Surf aren't exactly fans of their big hit. That's too bad, because it's truly a killer song, and Pom Pom Squad prove it. This is a near perfect cover of the original. It's slowed down a teensy bit, and Berrin has perfected the 90's slacker vocals in a way that we haven't heard in literal decades.  You can watch the video for Pom Pom Squad's cover of "Popular" below. The song can be downloaded here . The video is also a recreation of the original, so you need to check it out. For more on Pom Pom Sq...

Artist : Hurry Album : Fake Ideas Quick Thoughts : Hurry does a lot of great alt-rock, and has a few solid albums under their belt. Fake Ideas feels like an album from a band that has figured it out, and each song feels better than the last. It's a listen where I struggled in highlighting any specific songs, because they're all great, melodic alt-rock songs. Don't miss out. Songs of Note : "It's Dangerous," "A Fake Idea," "Slogging Through Summer" Artist : Lucy Dacus Album : Home Video Quick Thoughts : I don't think I'm speaking out of turn when I say that both Ken and I think "Night Shift" is a near-perfect song. So Lucy Dacus, with a great debut album, has a lot to live up to, and Home Video largely delivers. There are a lot of solid listens throughout, and it's thematically linked in many ways that was unexpected but welcome. This is definitely a better cohesive album than her debut, even if there is...

Artist : Rachel Harrington Album : Hush the Wild Horses Quick Description : Superlative roots music. Why You Should Listen : This was a pleasant surprise this week, and worth it for Americana fans. Overall Thoughts : This is the roots record I’ve been waiting for but didn’t realize it. An authentic, gritty album with appeal across the board, this is something that I feel like could be a real grower in a lot of ways. Especially since some of the higher-profile county/roots records this week didn’t grab me, I’m glad this one did. Recommendation : Check it out. Artist : Miss June Album : Bad Luck Party Quick Description : Noisy-but-wonderful punk rock. Why You Should Listen : You're feeling kind of angsty. Overall Thoughts : Sometimes you just get a loud, brash punk record that hits the right buttons, and this is it. Miss June is not trying to reinvent the wheel, but the good production and better songs make this feel like something a little different than what you may...