Puppy Angst - "TKO"

I can't believe we almost let a song from Puppy Angst slip by us! The Philadelphia band that describes their music as "kind of fun, kind of a bummer" just released "TKO," and it fits that description perfectly. It's a fuzzy indie rock song with more than a little emo slipped in. It's a bouncy kind of song that still feels like a bummer, especially when you pay attention to lyrics like "You must think I'm just your doormat" and "Don't wanna fight so I just let you win." It takes a special kind of band to make a song like "TKO" upbeat, but Puppy Angst are that kind of band. 

You can listen to "TKO" below. The song is currently available via Bandcamp. For more on Puppy Angst, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram. 

First Listen: New Releases for 28 October 2022

Artist: Ruby the RabbitFoot
Album: Like Doves and Roses
Quick Thoughts: I was honestly starting to wonder if we'd ever get new music from Ruby the Rabbitfoot given the distance between now and Divorce Party, but this was a surprise new listen that was a welcome surprise. The songwriting and production are a little lighter in all ways for this effort, but it's like she found a happy medium between the synth-heavy Divorce Party and her debut. Still, this is great and I'm so glad to have more music. Welcome back.
Songs of Note: "My Heart's a Disco Ball," "Even If I Could," "Let Me Know Where"

Artist: Aoife Nessa Frances
Album: Protector
Quick Thoughts: Aoife Nessa Frances is a little underrated on the singer-songwriter side, and one would hope this album could get her more attention. It's a great listen, with a real gentle feel and some gorgeous instrumentation. Feels like a folk album out of the 1970s, or some of Bedouine's recent work. A great listen in a week of great listens.
Songs of Note: "This Still Life," "Emptiness Follows," "Only Child," "Back to Earth"

Artist: Nosaj Thing
Album: Continua
Quick Thoughts: Nosaj Thing is better known for his production, but I do love his albums and this latest one is similarly awesome. He has a different take on this stuff that is reminscent of more of an acid jazz in some places and straight electronic in others. I loved this, you will too.
Songs of Note: "My Soul or Something," "Woodland"

Artist: girlpuppy
Album: When I'm Alone
Quick Thoughts: I've dug girlpuppy for a while, but I was pleasantly surprised at this one. It's a fascinating listen with a light approach, and feels real and honest when it could easily go the other way and end up being too cute by half. In a busy week, this is worth your time, and if you don't immediately fall in love with "Swallow," I don't want to know you.
Songs of Note: "Swallow," "Denver," "Destroyer"

Artist: Puppy Angst
Album: Scorpio Season
Quick Thoughts: I didn't know Puppy Angst prior to this week, but man, bands that kind of sound like their name? This is up there, at least with the angst part. It's loud and brash and has a lot of attitude, and songs like "Eternal" are somewhat brutal (in a good way) in its presentation. I'm totally sold on this, and it's a favorite this week.
Songs of Note: "Yellow Paint," "In Sensitivity," "Timetaker," "Eternal (Stream of Consciousness)"

Artist: Marlowe
Album: Marlowe 3
Quick Thoughts: Ken has been raving about Marlowe's latest efforts, and I didn't want to let this go by without pointing out that this is probably one of the best rap albums of 2022, and "Past Life" in particular one of the best rap songs I've heard in recent times. Make time for this one.
Songs of Note: "Past Life," "The Jeweler," "Lamelo"

Of note:

* Leaf Library - Library Music Volume One (A great listen with a lot of interesting facets.)
* Trampled by Turtles - Alpenglow (Arguably their best in a long time.)
* Ghost Funk Orchestra - A New Kind of Love (Fun and offbeat.)
* Martha - Please Don't Take Me Back (Sharp alt-indie.)
* Scout Gillett - No Roof No Floor
* Native Harrow - Old Kind of Magic
* Luke Haines and Peter Buck - All the Kids Are Super Bummed Out
* The Mothermold - Flesh of My Flesh
* Palm Ghosts - Post Preservation
* Dear Nora - human futures
* Babehoven - Light Moving Time
* Che Noir - The Last Remnants
* Sister Wives - Y Gawres
* Let's Eat Grandma - The Bastard Son and The Devil Himself (Original Soundtrack)
* Kailee Morgue - Girl Next Door
* Asgier - Time on My Hands
* Alison Wonderland - Loner
* Yung Gravy - Marvelous
* Nancy - English Leather
* Jackie Hayes - Over & Over
* Sky Wallace - Terribly Good
* Fred again... - Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022)
* The Ghost of Paul Revere - Goodbye
* Honey Harper - Honey Harper and the Infinite Sky
* TVAM - High Art Lite
* King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Changes
* Klein Zage - Feed the Dog
* The Amplifier Heads - Rectifier

EPs:

* QUEEF JERKY - QUEEFLEMANIA
* Carsie Blanton - Wolf
* Mali Obomsawin - Sweet Tooth
* Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors and Johnnyswim - Goodbye Road, Vol. 2
* Mr Twin Sister - Upright and Even
* Elke - My "Human Experience"
* Ship Wrek - Metaphysical
* Darren Hayman - You Will Not Die, Pt. 4
* Your Old Droog - The Yodfather
* Ekko Astral - Quartz
* Tigers Jaw - Old Clothes
* Dustbowl Revival - Set Me Free

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* The Skippy White Story: Boston Soul 1961-1967 (Curated by Eli "Paperboy" Reed!)
* Wand - Spiders in the Rain (Live album.)

Also out:

* Dead Cross - II
* Soraia - Bloom
* Frenchy and the Punk - Zen Ghost
* Nightmarathons - Hidden Vigorish
* LUCY - February Motel
* The P.A.'s - Novo
* Jerry Only - Anti-Hero
* The Big Sway - We Made This For You
* The Great Divide - Providence

Puppy Angst - "Perpetual"

The latest from Philadelphia's Puppy Angst is a beautiful mess. "Perpetual" takes the fuzz that normally takes the forefront on shoegaze and just amplifies it. But while shoegaze tends to be more laid back, "Perpetual" is a much more high energy song. Behind the layer of fuzz, it's almost bouncy with a lot more discordance than you would expect. At times the song seems about to go completely off the rails into chaos, but Puppy Angst pulls it back in just in time. Plus, singer Alyssa Milman has some of the best slacker vocal delivery you've heard in the past twenty years. Before I make "Perpetual" sound like a complete sonic mess, there are some harmonies and even pop elements poking their way through to help make it much more listenable and more interesting.

Alyssa Milman says of their band's new single:

"The darkest of the three singles, 'Perpetual' is about swimming through life, stuck in a dream state, barely there, unable to connect to others. The fast paced, heavier verses careen off into dreamy, hazy choruses, a contrast that kind of reflects what it feels like to wake up from a weird dream." 

You can watch the video for "Perpetual" below. Scorpio Season is due out October 24 and can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp. For more on Puppy Angst, check out the band's Twitter and Facebook.

Puppy Angst - "In Sensitivity"

Photo by Lydia Ruth

We love dream pop here at If It's Too Loud..., and we cover quite a bit of it. We haven't heard dream pop done quite like Puppy Angst. The Philadelphia band's new single, "In Sensitivity," has that dreamy and swirly sound required for the genre, but it's much noisier. The guitars just have this aggressive crunch and fuzz to them that you normally don't hear with music this upbeat and poppy. It's the kind of sound that pushes you away while also sucking you in. There is also these odd synth sounds that would normally be heard in 1960's garage rock like "96 Tears." This is a gloriously oddball kind of song that is nearly impossible to not love.

Alyssa Milman (guitar and vocals) says of their band's new song:

"'In Sensitivity' is a super upbeat song about working towards happiness despite struggling with mental health. The song is filled with dreamy, nostalgic guitar tones that get swallowed up by fuzz, wacky vocal processing, a melodic bassline, simultaneous guitar and synth solos… the hook and instrumentation are really fun, despite the lyrics maybe not being the happiest. In sensitivity, there is strength!"

You can listen to "In Sensitivity" below. Puppy Angst have an album due in the Fall. For more on Puppy Angst, check out the band's Facebook and Twitter.