If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Jen Squires It may be out tomorrow, but we can't wait to hear the new album from Abigail Lappell, so here's one last single! Each song on Shadow Child represents one month of pregnancy, and "Whistle Song (One in a Million)" is the first song on the album. It's mostly a straightforward singer-songwriter/folk song... except for when it's not. Lappell has a special ability to make songs that skirt right up to the edge of traditional folk while still keeping the sound uniquely hers. "Whistle Song (One in a Million)" is a beautiful track that captures a distinct feeling of hope. Released just in time for Mother's Day weekend, Shadow Child is sure to be a special release. You can watch the video for "Whistle Song (One in a Million)" below. Shadow Child is due out May 8 on Outside Music, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Abigail Lappell, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook . Upcoming tour dates are below th...

Photo by Rich Ferri "ACI" might be the most Deer Tick song Deer Tick have ever released. Their latest single is the perfect definition of what they do. It straddles the line evenly between rock and country. Plus, it's about the Rhode Island prison system, so they've got the outlaw country thing nailed with this one. It's a fun rock song with plenty of country twang, and the piano is the icing on the cake for me. (The guitar solos in "ACI" are also stellar.) Deer Tick also meld their earlier, more country sound with their more current, mainstream-esque sound on their latest. Their upcoming album could end up being their biggest and best based on the singles we've heard. Singer/guitarist John McCauley says of the band's latest single: “ The ACI (Adult Correctional Institutions) is the state prison system here in Rhode Island.  As much as it is infamous for its conditions and some of its current and former residents, it’s also somewhat of a punchlin...

I've been a fan of Dry Cleaning since I first heard "Magic of Meghan" way back in 2019. In the past seven years, they've played Boston a few times, but it's just never worked out to see them. They swung through Boston again on Tuesday night, and everything aligned to finally see them. I was a bit hesitant since I had seven years of anticipation, and sometimes a fairly mellow, experimental post punk band with spoken word lyrics doesn't translate to a live show. Turns out, there was nothing to be hesitant about. Dry Cleaning overdelivered any expectations I had for them. They were an intensely engaging live band, and even their most mellow songs translated perfectly to the stage. As expected, their setlist focused on Secret Love , their album that was released back in January. Luckily, it's an excellent album, and all eleven songs were fantastic live. Personal highlights from the new album included "Let Me Grow and You'll See the Fruit" and ...

Artist : Metric Album : Romanticize the Dive Quick Thoughts : A band like Metric, who rose during the 2000s indie era and are as loved for their own sound as they are for their adjacency to Broken Social Scene, is in some ways an institution as much as a band. They've been continually good-to-great for decades now, and Romanticize the Dive definitely reads as an album of a band doing their best versions of themselves. Production / instrumentation is very reminiscent of Fantasies for me, which is probably my favorite Metric record and why I like this album so much. "Victim of Luck" is a new classic, "Loyal" a soaring anthemic earworm, and the album is basically no skips. It would be worth your time in a busy week, but it's a great listen for a slow early spring release calendar too. Songs of Note : "Victim of Luck," "Time is a Bomb," "Tremolo," "Loyal," "Antigravity," "Clouds to Break" A...

Photo by Dan Trautwein Based in Berlin, The Dharma Chain have a new single that brings psychedelia into the modern century. "Inside a New" has some retro 60's psychedelic groove, but aside from that it sounds fully modern. It's filled with swirling guitars and even edges into shoegaze territory at times. The song is intensely layered, and reveals more and more of itself to you with every listen. Plus, "Inside a New" is incredibly hypnotic. It won't work as background music at all. Personally, I kept stopping what I was doing and giving my full attention to the song each time I listened. The Dharma Chain have created something truly special with this one. You can watch the video for "Inside a New" below. Some Kind of Pure State is due out June 5 on Spinda Records, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on The Dharma Chain, check out the band's website .

Photo by Katja Kahana The Hobknobs are a hard band to describe. Their latest single, "Easier Listening," could most likely be referred to as twee, although it feels a little to rock based for that. It's a stripped down and upbeat track that is surprisingly dance friendly considering how stripped down and simple the song is. It sounds like a mixture of Belle & Sebastian, Beat Happening, and The Moldy Peaches. There's also something pleasantly nostalgic about "Easier Listening," and something about The Hobknobs' latest reminds me of warmer weather. Arie van Vliet says of his band's latest single: “Easier Listening is about people who consciously choose to be less intelligent, in order to be able to understand so much more." You can listen to "Easier Listening" below. Helmets Off is due out June 26 on 12XU, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on The Hobknobs, check out the band's website . 

Photo by Kristin Sollecito Montreal art punk band La Sé curit é  have a new single out, and you're going to end up loving it. "Deny" is a post punk party waiting to happen. It's high energy, and is as electronic as it is punk or rock. This is a song that's going to demand dancing from the listener, the more awkward the better. Despite how electronic and dance friendly that "Deny" is, there is still a cloud of noise hovering over the entire song. The song has an interesting near throwback quality to the 80's when computers were the future and bands started experimenting with computerized noises in their songs to sound more modern. La S é curit é  have very quickly become a favorite of ours, and we can't wait for their new album. The band says of their new single: “ Initially written in French and translated to English, the song deals with dysfunctional relationships and getting rid of burdens in your life. Standing up for yourself. This doesn...

Photo by Jordanne Chant Sydney based post punk quartet Loose Fit have a new single out that is delightfully strange. "Cracked Whip" is a disjointed and dissonant track, that is oddly hypnotic. There's a heavy groove throughout the song that holds you in while everything else is chaos surrounding it. The song reminds me of early Yeah Yeah Yeahs meets Be Your Own Pet. What's really interesting about "Cracked Whip" is that as noisy as it is, it's not aggressive or in your face. It's not so much about provoking a reaction as it is Loose Fit trying to find their people. If one of those people is you, you're going to become obsessed with this band after hearing their latest. You can listen to "Cracked Whip" below. Bittersweet Excess is due out May 22 on Dinosaur City, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Loose Fit, check out the band on Instagram .

Hip hop legends DJ Premier and The Alchemist have teamed up for a new single. "For the Gig" is produced by the Alchemist and features the two legends showing you what true hip hop is. The song reminds me of the early to mid 90's, just as hip hop was starting to truly break through to the mainstream but before it became watered down into pop. The song is both a celebratory jam and has a sense of menace that goes throughout the entire track. If you have always loved the later period of the golden age of hip hop, you're going to love "For the Gig." Of course, if you're a true fan of classic rap, all you need to hear is DJ Premier and The Alchemist, and you're already on board. You can watch the video for "For the Gig" below. For more on DJ Premier, check out the artist on Instagram . The Alchemist can be found on Instagram here .

Photo by Kate LaMendola If you love catchy alt-rock, you're going to love the latest from Girl Tones. The sister duo released "Stubborn Mouth" last week, and we keep becoming more and more enamored with the song with each listen. The song has a 1960's girl group sound with the harmonies, while musically it sounds like a combination of Blue and Green album era Weezer. To say "Stubborn Mouth" is infectious is the understatement of the year. There's also a vibe similar to when the Ramones covered classic hits in the 80's. From what I described, it could sound like Girl Tones have a throwback style single here, but it ends up feeling completely modern. Girl Tones say of their latest single: “ This song is a vulnerable reflection on being headstrong and how it can ultimately deteriorate your own well-being and others around you.” You can watch the video for "Stubborn Mouth" below. The single is out now on Parallel Vision and Big Loud Rock. For m...