Squirrel Flower - "Your Love"

Photo by Alexa Viscius

Formerly of Boston and now residing in Chicago, Squirrel Flower (aka Ella Williams) has reworked a song from last year's Planet EP for a new single. "Your Love is a Disaster" was a heartwrenching, stripped down track filled with hypnotic reverb. "Your Love" is a full band rocker. There is still the same haunting quality in Williams' vocals, but the newer version is driven by drums and indie rock guitars infused with just the slightest twang. It's rare for an artist to redo a song and make it bigger, but Squirrel Flower has taken a fantastic song and given it just a little more oomph. 

Ella Williams says of her new single:

“This song is the big version of itself. I started playing it live with a full band last year and it was so fun I had to record it. Jake put down the incredible solo and voila the song was complete.“

You can listen to "Your Love" below. The song is available as a single via Polyvinyl. For more on Squirrel Flower, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Thu. Jan. 26 - Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village !
Tue. Feb. 21 - San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop #
Fri. Mar. 3 - Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church $
Sat. Mar. 4 - South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground $
Sun. Mar. 5 - Portland, ME @ SPACE Gallery $
Tue. Mar. 7 - Portsmouth, NH @ The Press Room
Wed. Mar. 8 - Providence, RI @ Fete Lounge $
Thu. Mar. 9 - Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s $
Fri. Mar. 10 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom $
Sat. March 11 - Brooklyn, NY @ Public Records ^
Sun. March 12 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church Side Chapel &
 
! w/ Dearly Somber & Soft and Dumb
# w/ NoSo
$ coheadline w/ Horse Jumper of Love
& w/ Brian Brittle
^ w/ Dan English

Blues Lawyer - "Nowhere to Go"

As with their previous single, "Chance Encounter," if you're a fan of 90's indie but mainstream leaning indie rock like The Lemonheads and Teenage Fanclub, chances are you're going to dig "Nowhere to Go." The latest from the Oakland based band has a little bit more of an edge to it while still being fun and not punk, so it's more akin to Teenage Fanclub than The Lemonheads. It's an upbeat sounding jangly indie rock song with one of the better 90's guitar solos recorded this century. It does stop a bit abruptly just after two minutes, but if our only critique is that we wanted more, that's hardly a bad thing.

Guitarist/vocalist Rob I. Miller says of the new song:

"This is a song about the sort of millennial malaise I've experienced as a result of being on social media. There were days during  lockdown where I was either depressed because I was doom scrolling or doom scrolling because I was depressed. Then I'd post something dumb to get attention (lol). It was as if I was disassociating online from myself irl. The bummer sentiment of the words contrasted by the poppy upbeat sound of the band is what makes "Nowhere to Go" a Blues Lawyer song to me."

You can watch the video for "Nowhere to Go" below. All In Good Time is due out February 17 on Dark Entries. The album can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp. For more on Blues Lawyer, check out the band's Twitter and Instagram.

Fenne Lily - "Lights Light Up"

Photo by Michael Tyrone Delaney

Fenne Lily has relocated from the UK to New York, and her upcoming album was written over the course of a relationship. The first single off that album, "Lights Light Up," was written during the better part of a relationship but recorded after the relationship ended. It gives the song this odd melancholy that you normally don't get in a love song. Fenne Lily has created a song that is a lovely and insightful singer/songwriter track. It's mostly straightforward and mainstream, but Lily gives it this unique quality with these quiet and kinda sorta twangy guitar licks over her intimately sung vocals. We've been fans of hers for a while, but something feels special about this particular release.

Fenne Lily says of her new single:

“I’d never really written about love in the present tense before this, but even though I was still in love and not thinking about the end, there was something else going on subconsciously that led to a song about moving on before the moving on had begun. When it came time to record, the band and I had been playing it live for a while and it’d become something joyful and positive, but when I started recording vocals, the lyrics made me cry. By that point the song was over a year old and I thought those wounds had healed but I guess it hurt to admit I’d been letting go of something while still trying to hold on." 

You can watch the video for "Lights Light Up" below. Big Picture is due out April 14 on Dead Oceans. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Fenne Lily, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Sat. Apr. 15 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sun. Apr. 16 - Dublin, IE @ Workman’s Club
Tue. Apr. 18 - Glasgow, UK @ St Luke’s
Wed. Apr. 19 - Manchester, UK @ YES
Thu. Apr. 20 - London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
Fri. Apr. 21 - Bristol, UK @ Trinity
Sun. Apr. 23 - Brighton, UK @ Patterns
Mon. Apr. 24 - Brussels, BE @ AB Club
Tue. Apr. 25 - Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet
Thu. Apr. 27 - Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
Fri. Apr. 28 - Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA Ideal Bar
Sat. Apr. 29 - Berlin, DE @ Frannz
Mon. May 1 - Munich, DE @ Ampere
Tue. May 2 - Cologne, DE @ Stadtgarten
Wed. May 3 - Paris, FR @ FMR
Thu. May 11 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Fri. May 12 - Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall *
Sat. May 13 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
Mon. May 15 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
Tue. May 16 - Portland, Oregon @ Aladdin Theater *
Wed. May 17 - Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre *
Fri. May 19 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
Sat. May 20 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
Mon. May 22 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck *
Tue. May 23 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *
Wed. May 24- Milwaukee, WI @ Back Room at Colectivo Coffee *
Thu. May 25 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall *
Fri. May 26 - Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe *
Sat. May 27 - Toronto, ON @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern *
Tue. May 30 - Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace *
Wed. May 31 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair *
Fri. Jun. 2 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
Sat. Jun. 3 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
Sun. Jun. 4 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
Mon. Jun. 5 - Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall *
Tue. Jun. 6 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
Wed. Jun. 7 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East *
Fri. Jun. 9 - Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge *
Sat. Jun. 10 - Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips *
Sun. Jun. 11 - Austin, TX @ The Parish *
Tue. Jun. 13 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf *
Thu. Jun. 15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge *
Fri. Jun. 16 - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour *
 
* = co-headline with Christian Lee Hutson

Screaming Females - "Brass Bell"

Photo by Bob Sweeney

Despite starting off with a thirty second burst of electronic noise that would make an art school band proud, Screaming Females' latest is a pure rock song. "Brass Bed" continues the New Jersey trios' path towards a more polished, less raw sound. Of course, that's a relative statement since "Brass Bed" is hardly a mainstream rock song. Although this could be Screaming Females' biggest sounding song to date. Marissa Paternoster's guitarwork is the stuff of legends, and this song might not be Screaming Females moving towards the mainstream, but forcing the mainstream to move towards them. And it's about time that happened.

Marissa Paternoster says of the new single:

"'Brass Bell' is a song about surrendering your autonomy to something so overwhelmingly powerful you willingly relinquish your ambitions and self-worth. My intention was to draw an interesting dichotomy between the muscular nature of the song and the rather bleak, worried lyrics." 

You can listen to "Brass Bed" below. Desire Pathway is due out February 17 on Don Giovanni Records, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Screaming Females, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Jun 05 - Cologne, DE - Bumann & SOHN
Jun 06 - Berlin, DE - Kantine am Berghain
Jun 07 - Hamburg, DE - Hafenklang (Goldener Salon)
Jun 08 - Groningen, NL - VERA
Jun 09 - Brussels, BE - Botanique (Rotonde)
Jun 10 - Paris, FR - Supersonic
Jun 12 - Brighton, UK - Hope & Ruin
Jun 13 - Bristol, UK - Rough Trade
Jun 14 - London, UK - Oslo
Jun 15 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
Jun 16 - Glasgow, UK - Nice N Sleazy
Jun 17 - Manchester, UK - YES

First Listen: New Releases for 13 January 2022

Artist: Margo Price
Album: Strays
Quick Thoughts: I don't know if I ever expected Margo Price to be the constant and steady hand at the till, but here we are. Strays is another Price album full of great songs and the sort of consistency you expect from artists well beyond her tenure. This is a really great album, and a great way to start the new year off.
Songs of Note: "Been To The Mountain," "Light Me Up"

Artist: The Bombadils
Album: Dear Friend
Quick Thoughts: Ken sent this one over and it was easily the most pleasant surprise of the week. A roots-influenced folk duo, the married couple have a lovely little record here with some memorable tracks and just a feel-good mood across the board. I was repeatedly surprised throughout the whole runtime, and the musicianship is as good as the songwriting. Definitely looking forward to digging into their back catalog.
Songs of Note: "Through and Through," "Records and Rent," "Dangling Like Keys"

Artist: Kovacs
Album: Child of Sin
Quick Thoughts: I really enjoyed Sharon Kovacs's 2018 effort, as she has an interesting presentation along with a distinct and powerful voice. This new album feels like it pushes the boundaries even further, with attention-grabbing vocals and songs that stick with you. I think I realized I'd like this with "Goldmine," and thought it was one of the better listens of the week by the time "Bang Bang" was done. If she's an acquired taste, this is the moment to acquire it. A great listen.
Songs of Note: "Goldmine," "Bang Bang," "High Tide"

Artist: Ea$y Money, Chilla Jones, and DJ Manipulator
Album: Ea$y & Chill
Quick Thoughts: These three musicians are all Massachusetts-based, and serves as a great reminder that, for all the indie rock we feature here and the metalhead mecca that Worcester provides, the local rap scene is alive and well and doesn't end with Joyner Lucas. There's really something for everyone here, which is why I loved it so much - "Shaq & Kobe" is exactly what you think it is, "Catch a Vibe" wouldn't seem out of place in early 1990s rap radio, and on and on. This is a week with a few solid rap records, so make sure this one tops your list.
Songs of Note: "Shaq & Kobe," "Pass the Burner," "Catch a Vibe," "All Bad," "Mental Health Check"

Artist: Belle and Sebastian
Album: Late Developers
Quick Thoughts: Everyone who has listened to Belle and Sebastian since the turn of the century has a time when they felt as if the band wasn't really for them anymore. For me, the God Help the Girl/The Life Pursuit era was likely the last time I was truly excited for a B&S release, but I've kept up with them nonetheless. I did not expect Late Developers to resonate at all, but it turns out it's not only a great record, but it feels like a great Belle and Sebastian record. Some songs feel classic, others a modern twist on the old favorite, and even the out-there stuff like opening track "Juliet Naked" and what sounds like a Eurovision audition in "I Don't Know What You See In Me" feel fresh and pure. This was a welcome surprise and a great return to form.
Songs of Note: "Give a Little Time," "The Evening Star," "When You're Not With Me," "I Don't Know What You See In Me"

Artist: Space Camp
Album: GOLD STAR
Quick Thoughts: Something special has to accompany really noisy dissonant rock music, and Space Camp has it in spades. A band out of Connecticut, this is angry and angular and feels like a car crash, and yet it all works? It's all marvelous? I don't know how to explain it, but this worked really well for me and I think it's worth the time.
Songs of Note: "WE HAVE DECIDED TO STAN FOREVER," "CRUNCH HOUSE BATHROOM," "REST CURE"

Artist: Tujiko Noriko
Album: Crepuscule I & II
Quick Thoughts: I wanted to take a moment to highlight this double album reissue. Ambient music, modern classical, whatever you want to call it, it sometimes has a really steep entry point. I don't know what it is specifically about Crepuscule I & II that really resonated with me, but it's really a great listen to trip up on this week and one I recommend taking some time with.

Of note:

* Billy Nomates - CACTI (Not as weird and outsidery as her last effort, yet still pretty great.)
* 99LETTERS - Kaibou Zukan (Very surprising and compelling electronic/ambient stuff.)
* Guts Club - CLIFFS/WALLS (As far as really noisy albums go, this is excellent.)
* Devil Love - Devil Love (Sneaky good with potential to be a grower.)
* Kilynn Lunsford - Custodians of Human Succession
* CVC - Get Real
* Leila Moss - Internal Working Model
* Rozi Plain - Prize
* Skyzoo and The Other Guys - The Mind of a Saint
* Marlody - I'm Not Sure At All
* poolblood - mole
* James Yorkston, Nina Persson, and The Second Hand Orchestra - The Great White Sea Eagle
* Declaime and Madlib - In the Beginning (Vol. 3)
* Juni Habel - Carvings
* Cheap City - Ten Years Without Rami Holding
* Fizzy Blood - Pan Am Blues

EPs:

* Peel Dream Magazine - Magic is Pocketed
* Giant Swan - Fantasy Food
* Memphis LK - Too Much Fun
* Etta Marcus - Heart-Shaped Bruise

Also out:

* The Subways - Uncertain Joys
* Winters Lane - Photo Album
* Helvetia - You Shot Past the Moon Scapegoat
* Dudes - Eternal is the Fruit
* Ernie Vincent - Original Dap King
* The Baboon Show - God Bless You All

VAZUM - "Night Shade"

Detroit deathgaze duo VAZUM are back with a brand new single. "Night Shade" is a modern goth rock song about escaping an abusive relationship. It's obviously an incredibly dark song, but, as anything that can be truly called goth, it's quite dance friendly. It has that post punk backbeat to it, along with a modern Depeche Mode groove... just somehow darker. I think that's truly the great thing about a song like "Night Shade." As dark and disturbing as the song is, you're going to find yourself wanting to dance despite it.

You can listen to "Night Shade" below. The song is currently available as a single via Bandcamp. VAZUM has an album coming out in March with a national tour in April. To keep up with what VAZUM is up to, check out the band's Facebook and Instagram.

The Nude Party - "Ride On"

Photo by Clark Hodgin

The latest single from The Nude Party is just a cool rock song. "Ride On" has this ultra cool 60's vibe throughout mixed with that 90's slacker/indie rock sound. There's just the slightest twang of country, the kind of background singing you would hear on the best Rolling Stones songs, some Beach Boys harmonies, and some 90's fuzz covering the entire thing. Plus, the song has this punchy, upbeat quality. "Ride On" is just a blast to listen to, which you don't normally get in music this impossibly cool.

Frontman Patton Magee says of the new song:

“It started very literally with a teary-eyed old man telling me about a bull rider he met down in Mexico named Alfredo. I took note of the conversation because it felt powerful somehow. Shaun in the band had written this great arrangement of chords and when the two came together, the story just kinda poured out. You always hear people say things like, ‘oh, the Rolling Stones should just hang it up… they’re way over the hill.’ I feel bad for people who think that way. I’m saying exactly the opposite. If you’re alive, then live. No brakes. Ride on.” 

You can listen to "Ride On" below. Ride On, the album, is due out March 10 on New West Records, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on The Nude Party, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

February 17 - Los Angeles, CA - The Venice West
February 20 - Los Angeles, CA - Genghis Cohen
February 21 - Los Angeles, CA - Genghis Cohen
February 25 - Jacksonville, FL - Winterland
April 12 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
April 14 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi
April 15 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
April 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
April 18 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
April 19 - Salt Lake City, UT - State Room
April 21 - Seattle, WA - Barboza
April 22 - Vancouver, BC - Wise Hall
April 23 - Portland, OR - Doug - Fir Lounge
April 25 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
April 27 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
April 28 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room
April 29 - San Diego, CA - Cabash
May 1 - Phoenix AZ, - Valley Bar
May 4 - Austin, TX - Antone's
May 5 - Houston, TX - Secret Group
May 6 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada
May 8 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East
May 11 - Greer, SC - SpringSkunk Festival
May 12 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theater
May 13 - Catsonville, MD - Sunscape
May 19 -  Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
May 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts

An Interview with Prateek

Photo by Stephanie Houten

We've been covering Prateek for a few years here at If It's Too Loud..., and he's always been one of our favorite local singer/songwriters in the Boston area. Lately it seems like he's suddenly writing music on a whole new level and suddenly become one of the most intriguing artists in the city. His upcoming album (Til June, due out in the spring) seemlessly incorporates just about every genre within the roots category, and we've been absolutely blown away with every single we've heard. When the opportunity to interview Prateek about his upcoming album via email was presented to us, we simply couldn't pass it up!

Q: With your new album, you jump wildly between genres while keeping the album cohesive. What inspired such changes in your sound?

A: The music that I love, for sure. So many of my favorite artists - Foy Vance, John Hiatt, John Fullbight - have recorded albums where all the songs vary wildly in terms of sound and genre and yet they all work together. I’ve aspired to that ever since I started writing music.

Q: While your previous songs have been more solo/acoustic recordings, "Til June" is a full band affair. How was this different as far as recording goes?

A: Probably the biggest difference was having so many voices in the room. The upside of recording stuff by yourself is that you get to make all the decisions. The downside of recording stuff by yourself is that you have to make all the decisions. By working with Sean McLaughlin and all the talented players on this album, I got to hear loads of great advice and different perspectives on the songs. Instead of getting in my head and overthinking things, I had a whole team who wanted these songs to succeed as much as I did, and were willing to share their thoughts. Consequently, I think this one of the best things I’ve ever been a part of.

Q: I was surprised that this is your first studio album. Have you tried putting out an album before this?

A: I put out one live album in 2020, but yeah, this is my first studio album. Putting together a good studio album is expensive these days, even when you have a lot of favors that you can call in. So I wanted to wait until I definitely had the money to make this work.

Q: What music helped inspire your new album?

A: John Hiatt for sure, especially his album “Bring the family.” And John Fullbright - his first two albums are some of my favorites. Great examples of artists who can jump wildly between genres while still putting together cohesive collections of music, as you mentioned before.

Q: What are you looking forward to once the new album comes out?

A: The fact that it will be done. And getting to tell people that it’s out, especially people I’ve never met before. I hope this album ends up being a firm handshake, if that makes sense.

Q: Besides your album release, what other new music are you looking forward to this year?

A: I had to go to Google to answer this question because I’ve been so far down my own little rabbit hole of video games and comfort-listening music. Definitely curious about Peter Gabriel’s upcoming album. And “Cracker Island” by Gorillaz - they’ve apparently done tracks with Stevie Nicks and Thundercat, which sounds like the best kind of fever dream.

Besides just the questions I asked, Prateek gave us some insight into the singles he's released off the new album!

• You’re Still On My Mind: “You’re Still On My Mind” is one of two songs on this album inspired by an ex of mine. I first wrote it at the beginning of 2020 to cope with the then-fresh pain of the breakup. It was a lot of fun to write something that I could belt to the rafters, and when Sean McLaughlin put together a killer horn section for the recording on the album, I was absolutely delighted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iZ9yR-GAMA

• Diamonds: I was scared that people would hate it. Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case. Ever since I wrote it, people have greeted this song with open arms. This meant, of course, that I had to nail down the perfect arrangement for a recording. I’ve tried it as a rock song (nope), a swampy, fiddle-led, acoustic tune (closer) before producer Sean McLaughlin and I came up with the lumbering, fuzzed out arrangement on this album. The road has been long, but “Diamonds” remains one of my proudest achievements, as well as a favorite of my late mother: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9W7s2sUehA

• The Gang’s All Gone: The title popped into my head one day. I couldn’t quite figure out what to do with it until I started thinking about the stories my brother had told about his former drinking buddies from a darker time in his life. There’s a strong connection between addiction and emotional stagnation, and before I knew it, the lyrics were pouring out. I recorded and released the song on my EP “All You Do Is Drown,” yet the arrangement didn’t quite live up to what I had in my head. As was the case with all the songs on this album, the song was missing something, and that something was Sean McLaughlin and the phenomenal band he put together. Several takes and a whole lot of discussion later, we’d turned the song into a driving slice of rock and roll. It’s also one of my proudest achievements - possibly one of my favorite songs I’ve written in my entire life: https://open.spotify.com/track/2gp06NIOgC0dkZDc9lnQDZ?si=a93d8f2cd5534dfd

Dom Flemons - "Slow Dance With You"

I've been a fan of Dom Flemons since his days with Carolina Chocolate Drops, and have also been enjoying his solo work as well. His latest single, "Slow Dance With You," is exactly what we want from Dom Flemons. It's a country torch song that just feels timeless. It sounds like it could have been recorded from any time from the 1940's until now. It's timeless and sounds vintage without being even the tiniest bit old timey. "Slow Dance With You" is the kind of song your grandparents could have danced together to at their wedding, or even your kid's. It's a beautiful country ballad that you're not going to be able to get enough of.

You can listen to "Slow Dance With You" below. Traveling Wildfire is due out March 24 on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Dom Flemons, check out the artist's website.

Prinz Grizzley Covers Creedence Clearwater Revival

Photo by Pia Pia Pia

There are a few thousand Creedence Clearwater Revival covers out there, but none quite like Prinz Grizzley's. The Austrian musician (the stage name of Chris Comper) strips down the classic "Proud Mary" to its bare bones. CCR always leaned more into country than I would have admitted back in the day, but Prinz Grizzley devolves the classic rock standard to a banjo led roots song. It's a laid back version that feels much more intimate than the stadium rocking original. We tend to love covers, especially ones that completely rework a classic while keeping the core of the song intact. Prinz Grizzley has released one of the better examples of that we've covered.

Prinz Grizzley's version of "Proud Mary" was inspired by a John Fogerty solo show recorded while he was in the middle of a legal battle with his former bandmembers. Grizzley says:

“I thought he looked really cool, like ‘I don’t give a fuck, I have enough hit singles, just leave me be.' My version is like John Fogerty at 40 when he had a lot of lawsuits against him and was depressed. Maybe if he would have played the song then, that’s how I think it might have sounded.”

You can listen to Prinz Grizzley's version of "Proud Mary" below. For more on Prinz Grizzley, check out the artist's website.