If It's Too Loud...

Songs inspired by quarantine and lockdown are going to be a fact of life for the foreseeable future. It was (is?) such a massive part of everyone's lives for over a year, and it's impossible for art to not reflect that. Hopefully the rest of these songs is as good as Charming Disaster's. "Spooky Action" is one of Charming Disaster's cabaret meets folk that we've come to love from the duo. It's far more melancholy than their usual songs, and lacks the sense of humor and joy that permeates their music, but this wasn't exactly a fun time for most people so it's quite understandable. Instead, "Spooky Action" is a beautiful, sad ballad about loneliness and reuniting. Since it is still a Charming Disaster song, it does have more flair than other quarantine inspired songs. The band explains: "'Spooky action at a distance' is a quantum physics phenomenon where two particles that are physically separated affect each other as if th...

We may have had to wait 15 years for a new solo track from Jason Lowenstein, but after last month's release of "Superstitious," we now have another song from his upcoming solo album, "Hey Hey."  While "Superstitious" fell into the darker, slightly discordant side of the Jason Lowenstein realm of music, "Hey Hey" is a bit more light and upbeat. In fact, it's almost funky. Almost. The song starts off with an off kilter country riff which pops back in every so often for the chorus. It's the kind of country sounding riff that would weasel its way into 90s alternative every so often, just subtle enough that country hating kids like teenage/early 20s self wouldn't pick up on the country base of it. "Hey Hey" also has a great Lowenstein guitar solo towards the end.  You can listen to "Hey Hey" below. After a 15 year wait, Jason Lowenstein's second solo album, Spooky Action,  will be released on June 16 o...

It's been 15 years since his last solo album, but next month Jason Lowenstein will finally follow up 2002's At Sixes and Sevens with his second solo album, Spooky Action.  You will probably know Lowenstein best as being the other longstanding member of Sebadoh. While many artists will stretch out and try new sounds or entire new genres on a solo album, At Sixes and Sevens  is more of what you wanted from Lowenstein. It still sounded like Sebadoh, but the louder, more rock side of the band. If "Superstitious" is any indication, Spooky Action will be even more of the same. It's loud, with a killer opening riff, and is heavy on the lo-fi rock. It's exactly what you want it to be, and that's not a bad thing. You can listen to "Superstitious" below. Spooky Action  will be out on June 16 on Joyful Noise Recordings. The album can be pre-ordered here . For more on Jason Lowenstein, check him out on Facebook and his website .