If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Adam Parshall I've adored Weakened Friends for years now, and it feels like it's been forever since we've had new music from the Maine trio. I knew new music was imminent, but have been a little nervous since the band has kept insisting everyone was going to hate their new music. If "Quitter" is anything like the upcoming album, there's no chance in hell we're not going to love it. "Quitter" is everything we've come to love about Weakened Friends. It's a modern take on classic 90's indie rock, except even catchier and fun. Sure, maybe this one delves into pop territory a little deeper than we're used to, but longtime fans are going to love this song. You can watch the video for "Quitter" below. It was filmed at Funtown Splashtown U.S.A. in Saco, ME just to make it as Maine as possible. Quitter is due out November 19 on Don Giovanni Records and Big Scary Monsters. You can pre-save/pre-order your copy here . For m...

Photo by Drew Snyder Toronto's Wine Lips would be a huge Buzz Bin band if MTV still did such things. Their new single, "Eyes," is this fast and frenetic under two minutes song that somehow isn't quite punk. Sure, loud and fast and under two minutes usually signifies a punk song, but "Eyes" is far too upbeat to be punk. It's this indie rock rager that is impossible to resist dancing to. It's catchy and almost pop just by how much fun this song is, but with all the sounds and delights of indie rock. Wine Lips are going to be one of those bands you'll hear a lot from in the next year or so. Vocalist Cam Hilborn says of the new song: “ Eyes is a song about feeling burnt out creatively, mentally and physically. Something so many of us can relate to, even more so over the past year and a half. It sheds light on situations where you find yourself powering through the days with different coping methods brought on by late nights, alcohol and promiscuity,...

Photo by Costello. Steph Green came to our attention since she played steel guitar on Pony Hunt's "That Feelin'" earlier this year. We love that song (and Pony Hunt's album), so of course we're going to check out Steph Green's solo work! "Next Place" has some similarities to Pony Hunt. They both have a little bit of a crooner meets modern indie vibe to them, but while Pony Hunt goes a little more on the folk side, Green goes more 90's indie rock. Green's vocal delivery on "Next Place" has this wonderfully odd mixture of doo wop meets slacker. Musically the song has crunching slacker guitars that are just slightly off kilter. The whole thing feels like a band like Pavement being fronted by Julia Jacklin or Molly Burch. You can watch the video for "Next Place" below. Thanks for That is due out January 14 on Mashed Potato Records. For more on Steph Green, check out the artist's website .

I've obviously been a Juliana Hatfield fan for decades at this point, but have seen her live only a handful of times. Seeing her at ONCE back in February of 2020 was one of my last shows in the before times. I saw that she was playing ONCE's outside venue on Sunday. I desperately wanted to attend, especially since I have no idea what will be happening with ONCE after the month runs out, but it didn't work out with my schedule. Of course, after I stumbled on free last minute tickets, I decided to drag my almost thirteen year old daughter out with me for this one. Hey, she's suddenly getting into a lot of what she would consider oldies on her own, so why not, right? Juliana Hatfield was originally supposed to tour with Soul Asylum and Local H, so Sunday night's show was a one off. Judging by the setlist, this was a night of what Juliana Hatfield wanted to play. Although she released the excellent album Blood back in May, she only played one or two songs off the album....

Of course The Exbats wrote a song called "Coolsville USA." The father/daughter team of Inez and Kenny McClain (who have added Bobby on bass) have always had a retro cool vibe. "Coolsville USA" goes full on 60's groovy psychedelic pop. It seriously sounds like it could have come straight off of an old Nuggets compilation. This is as poppy as garage rock gets, with amazing harmonies and even has a 60's monster subject. But, somehow The Exbats keep it from being a pure retro song. Something about it has a but of a modern feel to it although it is just soaking in 60's groove. You can listen to "Coolsville USA" below. Now Where Were We is due out October 22. You can pre-order the album on the band's Bandcamp . For more on The Exbats, check them out on Facebook . Now Where Were We by The Exbats

When I first discovered Placebo opening for Weezer way back in 1996, I had no idea I'd be far more excited for new music from Placebo than I would be for Weezer twenty five years later. But here we are. This is the band's first new music since 2013's Loud Like Love  and will be from the band's upcoming eighth album. "Beautiful James" is exactly what we would expect to hear from Placebo in 2021. It's a huge epic glammed out power ballad that's as stunningly beautiful as it is just a force of pure rock. It's the kind of song that's screaming out to be played in packed arenas, or at least larger clubs when they come over to America. I'm not typically a fan of huge arena rock sounds, but this is Placebo we're talking about. They've given us a quarter of a century of amazing music, and they're not stopping any time soon. You can watch the video for "Beautiful James" below. The song is available now via SO Recordings. You ca...

Boston's Baabes are back with another filthy protopunk garage rocker. "Greaseballs to Glitters" is just straight up rock 'n' roll. There is nothing fancy going on here. Baabes are just straight up playing punk laced rock music loud and fast. This is the kind of music that might only be legally allowed to be played live in Allston. It's high energy, beer and sweat soaked rock music. If you went to a Baabes show and didn't end up with beer spilled all over you, you'd be disappointed. You can watch the video for "Greaseballs to Glitters" below. The song is currently available as a single via Riot Records with a full length due out later this Fall. For more on Baabes, check out the band's Facebook .

Photo via Facebook To honor the late Neal Casal, The Neal Casal Music Foundation and Royal Potato Family have put together a massive forty one track tribute album. The latest song is "Traveling After Dark" which is covered by Aaron Lee Tasjan. Listening to the two songs back to back and "Traveling After Dark" may have been the perfect song for Tasjan to cover. Casal's version is a singer/songwriter folk-ish song with some serious pop leanings. Tasjan's version is basically exactly the same but with just a little more twang. Both are gorgeous songs that you're going to need to check out immediately.  You can watch the video for Aaron Lee Tasjan's cover of "Traveling After Dark" below. Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal is due out November 12 and will also feature Casal songs covered by Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, Bob Weir, Hiss Golden Messenger, Fruit Bats, Steve Earle and the Dukes, Billy Strings, J Mascis, Dori Freeman, Puss...

Photo by Ashley Osborne Despite my expectations, I've adored the two previous singles from the duo Jackson+Sellers, aka Aubrie Sellers and Jade Jackson. Their previous singles have been a combination of country, pop, garage rock, and grunge. They've been what would normally be a little too shiny and pop for me, but something about them has been irresistible to me. The duo's latest, "Hush," strips away the harder rock edge and leaves a dark country/pop ballad. Putting the word pop anywhere near country is usually off putting for me, but "Hush" is a gorgeous song, and I don't think I'll ever be able to avoid Jackson+Sellers' vocal harmonies. Plus, there is just that little something the two have together that is just pure magic. You can listen to "Hush" below. Breaking Point is due out October 22 on Anti- Records. You can pre-order your copy here . For more on Jackson+Sellers, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Victor Duarte We don't cover a lot of world music here at If It's Too Loud..., but something about Dos Santos just works for me. The Chicago based alt-Latinx band just released a new single, "A Tu Lado," which translates to "by your side." While the song is obviously a Latinx music song, it doesn't sound like any typical Latinx music I've ever heard. It's takes a traditional Latin groove and gives it a psychedelic alt-rock edge. "A Tu Lado" is an irresistible song, even if you're not a world music fan.  Bandleader Alex Chavez says of the new song: “ We walk, march, and travel across these thresholds so that we may come to know the truth about our pasts—in the hopes of inching closer to futures that are not quite in view, of inching closer to a place being dreamed within the dream, that nonetheless exists outside the dream… And in that unbridled desire we discover the promise of these unknown paths only by walking along them...

The trio of The Cutthroat Brothers and Mike Watt released their debut album earlier this year on Record Store Day, but somehow they're already back with new music and a second album due out before the end of the year. (This seems to be fairly standard for The Cutthroat Brothers as this will be their fifth album in just three years.) "Devil in Berlin" is a dirty blues based punk stomper. It has far more groove in it than your standard punk song and is heavy on the fuzz. If your ideal punk is more along the lines of The Cramps or The Stooges, chances are this is gonna be the song for you. You can watch the video for "Devil in Berin" below. Devil in Berlin , the album, is due out December 2nd on Hound Gawd! Records. You can pre-order the album here . For more on The Cutthroat Brothers, check out the band's website .

Photo by Holly Whitaker South London's Honeyglaze formed as a trio since vocalist and guitarist Anouska Sokolow didn't want to be a solo artist. The band first met at a rehearsal three days before they played a gig at The Windmill in Brixton. The band has drawn comparisons to artists such as Julia Jacklin and Haley Heynderickx. Listening to their new single, "Burglar," those comparisons are fair. But not completely. Sokolow does have some of Heynderickx's vocal delivery, but Jacklin and Heynderickx have more of a folk base while Honeyglaze is a little more indie rock, albeit with some tinges of folk. "Burglar" has this almost hypnotic quality, especially as the song goes on and the instrumental parts kick in. It's a fairly laid back to mid-tempo song while it does gain a bit more pep as it swirls around you towards the ending. If "Burglar" is any indication, Honeyglaze are a band we're going to be paying a lot of attention to! The band ...

Carissa Johnson is officially one of the greatest rock songwriters currently active in Boston. Obviously her latest single, "The Sound," is going to be fantastic, we all know that. The only surprising thing about the new song is how New Wave it is. It starts off with an ominous synth line that sounds like a church organ. From there it's met with a driving beat and Johnson's vocals. Johnson is one of those singers I liked but didn't love at first, but the more I listen to her music the more her voice becomes one of my favorites. Despite how synth heavy "The Sound" is, this isn't an 80's throwback at all. Somehow Johnson has created a synth heavy New Wave song that sounds right at home in 2021. You can watch the video for "The Sound" below. Blue Hour is due out November 12. The album can be pre-ordered here . For more on Carissa Johnson, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Tyler Evans Normally I wouldn't expect to like a song described as alternative, indie, and easy listening, but then I heard the latest from Abby Huston. The Richmond, VA based artist has released "Promise." The song isn't exactly what you have in mind when you hear the term easy listening, but it's not exactly not easy listening, either. The song has a strong R&B base over a more indie sound. It takes the groove of R&B and mixes it with the feel and edge of indie. It's truly a unique sound, and a song like "Promise" has a nearly unlimited potential to crossover into different fandoms. Abby Huston says of their new single: "It's kinda funny, but this song came out of me in a vision where I imagined myself as a TV-drama, brokenhearted, boy band type character. At the time Cam and I were watching a lot of  Gilmore   Girls  during studio meal breaks, and watching the show as a kid, I'd always loved this bad boy character, Je...

Photo by Nick Fancher We're obviously huge Marissa Nadler fans here at If It's Too Loud..., and her latest single is making us even more rabid. "If I Could Breathe Underwater" is this brilliantly lush and cinematic song. It's an unbelievably gorgeous song that feels like floating. It's spacey and ethereal, with the music perfectly fitting Nadler's dreamy vocals. Plus, there is this odd, disjointed almost surf like guitar helping to tie the whole thing together with harp. Nadler's music has always been painfully beautiful, but "If I Could Breathe Underwater" is a whole new level. Marissa Nadler says of the new song: “ When I wrote ‘If I Could Breathe Underwater,’ I was contemplating the possibilities of possessing various superhuman powers: teleportation, shapeshifting, energy projection, aquatic breathing, extrasensory perception, and time travel to name a few.  As a lyrical device, I married those powers with events in my life, wondering if ...