If It's Too Loud...

When I first listened to "I Do," the latest song from the collaboration between Simon and the Astronauts and Rachel Haden, I was smitten by how much it sounded like pure Rachel Haden. It sounded like early that dog. mixed with the melodies and later that dog. Turns out the song pre-dates Haden's 90's band! Simon Wells explains the origins of the song: “This song was initially a sketch written by Rachel Haden when she was just a teenager, before she started That Dog and took on global, post-grunge counter cultural status. It is a meeting of minds, the clarity of Rachel’s idea and the complexity of the Astronauts to make a Cocteau Twins soundscape.” "I Do" is an insanely gorgeous power ballad. It starts off with just Haden's vocals and a guitar. You almost forget just how powerful her voice can be until it gets a showcase like this song. The song slowly builds in instrumentation, eventually swelling into an epic complete with one of the greatest 90's s...

After gushing about the first single from Simon and The Astronauts and Rachel Haden, we're thrilled to bring you a second single. The cross-continental collaboration has released "I Have a Name." Somehow this new song hits more of a 90's sweet spot than "Ten League Boots" hit. If you have a certain fondness for mid-90's power pop (known then as "post grunge"), you're going to love this one. It's filled with crunching guitars and Haden's glorious vocals done with that distant space age kind of effect I didn't realize I missed this much. "I Have a Name" is a perfect 90's power pop anthem that was released thirty years too late. Simon Wells of Simon and The Astronauts says of the new song: "The song is for everyone; we all have a right to be heard but we all need to listen. For too long a few people make the decisions and expect the rest of the planet to follow. It's time for change. Be it Greta Thunberg and ...

I'll listen to just about anything Rachel Haden is involved with. I've been a fan from her time with that dog. in the 90's, and that has continued with The Haden Triplets and her other musical projects. Apparent, Simon & The Astronauts feel the same way. The UK band reached out to Haden to collaborate, thinking there was no chance. Haden agreed, and they began working on an album from studios in the UK and Los Angeles. The first song released from that collaboration is "Ten League Boots." It's a giant 90's rock style anthem. Haden's vocals are obviously perfect for this style of power pop with monster choruses. For those of us that came of age in the mid 90's, "Ten League Boots" is going to be well appreciated. Simon Wells says of his band's new song: "Seven-league boots are an element in European folklore. The boots allow the person wearing them to take strides of seven leagues per step, resulting in great speed. The boots a...