If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Monika Kraska Boyhood is the bedroom-pop project of Ontario's Caylie Runciman. Her newest single, "A Grand Time," is an engaging single that shows just what can be done with bedroom pop in 2026. This is the kind of song that would have made the MTV Buzz Bin back in the 90's, and never would have been considered pop. Going by that era of music, this is reminding me of artists like Poe or Ruby mixed with Prince. As modern pop as "A Grand Time" is, there's a lingering sense of darkness behind the song. It's haunting, and seductive, and impossible to resist. Don't let the bedroom-pop label scare you away from Boyhood. This is much closer to indie and alt-rock than anything on the Top 40. You can watch the video for "A Grand Time" below. The single is out now on Hand Drawn Dracula. For more on Boyhood, check out the artist on Instagram . Upcoming tour dates are below the video and include June 24 at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA wit...

Charley Crockett Photo by Ken Sears I was a bit of a hypocrite this year for the Green River Festival. As much as I preached for getting there early, life and the day job got in the way on Friday, and I didn't get there as early as I wanted to. It was still a great day of music, even if I got a late start. Here were my favorites from day one! Tre Burt, Backporch Stage I first discovered Tre Burt opening up for Haley Heynderickx, and I've been dying to see him again ever since. His set at this year's Green River Festival will be talked by anyone who saw it for a while. Burt and his band played incredibly tightly, mixing rock and roots music in a way that has wide appeal but is completely unique to him. I had "Santiago" stuck in my head for a week from listening to the Green River Festival Spotify playlist so much, and now it's embedded there, possibly permanently. His version of folk and roots is so upbeat and catchy that it's practically made for festivals...

Photo by Jimmy Quinn New York City's Slow Fiction have a shimmering new single out that sounds like the soundtrack to the best dream you ever had. "satellite" is rooted mostly in shoegaze and dream pop, but in a must faster pace than you typically hear with those genres. There is a play between the guitars and Julia Vassallo's vocals that quickly becomes addictive for the listener. The song is a beautiful, fast paced track, and then the guitar solo comes bursting in like a powerhouse, solidifying your love of "satellite." We've been throwing the term song of the summer around quite a bit lately, but when bands keep releasing perfect songs like this, it's hard not to. Julia Vassallo says of her band's latest single:  “‘satellite’ is an allegory for collective atrophy in a country that’s poisoned with an Us vs. Them mentality. I was thinking of a person watching something uncomfortable on TV, and then being like ‘oh, that’s too much, I have to turn...

Photo by Sarah Linton Dale Crover, the drummer for The Melvins and Redd Kross, has released a cover of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" and The Melvins' "The Bit." It may seem like an unusual choice, but Crover did play a young Neil Young in the video for "Harvest Moon," and co-wrote "The Bit" with Buzz Osborne. The "Harvest Moon" part of the track is shockingly faithful for someone from The Melvins. It's a note for note cover of the acoustic 1992 classic, lacking even the tiniest shred of his other bands' noise or volume. As the track transitions into "The Bit," the noise increases while still being a stripped down and acoustic track. It reminds me of King Buzzo's acoustic tours where he would include Melvins classics. This is a fun pairing of songs from a noise rock icon. Dale Crover says of his new single: "Years ago I played Young Neil Young in the video for Harvest Moon. It was quite a surreal experien...

UCHE YARA is an Austrian-raised, Berlin-based artist. Her latest single, "BODYSCANNER" is a unique and intriguing mix of electronic music into an organic sound. It's oddly hypnotic while being both chill and aggressive. The song starts off with an extended burst of noise that evolves into more of a hum. "BODYSCANNER" is like an amped up version of trip hop, or perhaps the genre's natural progression into 2026. Personally, I can't tell if the song is calming or anxiety inducing... possibly both. This is the perfect song to listen to in order to make even the most mundane tasks feel cooler. UCHE YARA says of her latest single: "What I love most about the track is its ambiguity –– are you at an airport or in a club ? The song guides you through spaces and pulls you into an entirely new world .  It was also the first time I stepped into this kind of character and chose not to sing in the main vocal. There’s a constant tension between surrender and contr...

Photo courtesy Charming Arson There's something especially 90's about the latest from Charming Arson, although I can't figure out what. "The Wednesday of my discontent" is a disjointed example of psychedelic power pop that's more in the style of the 90's than the 70's... although that guitar solo is screaming 70's. It's a delightfully fuzzy and rough around the edges version of the genre, sounding like a mixture of Guided By Voices meets Cheap Trick. There's also a sharp edge to the song, as playful as it is. It's also the kind of song that's has so many catchy moments you might end up with multiple sections stuck in your head at various times. Charming Arson have a fun one here, and will leave listeners quite content. (We apologize for that one.) David Cameron (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) says of his band's new single: “When I first came up with the chorus, I automatically started singing ‘this is the winter of my discontent’ a...

Photo by Annette Rodriguez "Cool Guy," the latest single from New York City post-hardcore legends Quicksand," is meant to be a diss track. The song has a softer side than their 90's classic tracks, but it's still pure Quicksand. The band is more melodic, but still packs a punch and allows for more experimentation and creativity. "Cool Guy" is a monster of a new song, clocking in at a hardcore friendly two minutes. Quicksand may have slowed down a bit in the past thirty years, but there songs pack just as much venom as they always have, if not more. Quicksand says of their latest single: "’Cool Guy’ is like an OG HC diss track, like ‘Small Man, Big Mouth’ by Minor Threat or ‘Hypocrite’ by Negative Approach.  Sometimes you just gotta get those negative emotions out." You can watch the video for "Cool Guy" below. Bring on the Psychics is due out July 17 on Equal Vision Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Quicksand...

Photo by Sarah Cass Singer-songwriter, musician, and producer Sera Cahoone has a great new song out to help get you through your Friday. "Pulling Up Roots" is a great slice of modern roots music. It's a little bit ramblin' while still being smoothly produced. This is the kind of song perfect for any and all folk festivals, and it could easily fit onto Adult Contemporary radio. Cahoone has a unique enough sound to make music snobs (and journalists) happy while still appealing to the Mix FM listeners in your office. Plus, "Pulling Up Roots" is being put out by Sub Pop, so it has an instant cool factor. Sera Cahoone says of her latest single: “‘Pulling Up Roots’ is about getting to the other side and experiencing growth and momentum after a challenging time.” You can watch the video for "Pulling Up Roots" below. I've Missed You All These Years is due out August 28 on Sub Pop Records. For more on Sera Cahoone, check out the artist on Instagram and...

Today is the day Green River Festival starts. This week we've been giving you reasons to show up bright and early so you don't miss some amazing up and coming artists. Festivals are about more than the headliner, and it's a perfect way to catch your new favorite. Today is no exception, and we hope you can make it to the gates as they open to catch today's highlighted artist! She Returns From War, Friday, Backporch Stage, 1:00 Opening the Backporch Stage for the weekend is She Returns From War. Charleston, SC based artist Hunter Park has a raw take on Americana. It's a highly emotional blend of country and folk that will instantly grab you. As raw as She Returns From War's music is, it's also steeped in melody and harmony, and every song I've heard is instantly engaging. The songs may be mellow, but nothing you will hear from this artist is even remotely dull. She fits right in with the vibe of Green River Festival, and is the perfect way to start your we...

Photo by Jade Sastropawiro Amsterdam's The Klittens include The Ronettes, MF Doom, Dry Cleaning, and Kate Bush as their influences, so we're obviously going to check them out. Their latest single, "Have a Heart," is a wonderfully weird song, which you'd guess just from that list of artists. The song starts out as a groovy, noise punk version of The Ronettes. That along makes for a great song, but it slowly starts to devolve into more noise while still keeping the groove and melodies intact. Not many artists can pull that off, but The Klittens do perfectly. We're just discovering this great band, and are thrilled to share them with you. Guitarist Winnie Conradi says of the band's latest single: “'Have A Heart' was an easy song to start and a tougher one to finish. From the get-go the concept was clear: an indie song that ripples along with a rock ’n roll sort of strut. But where there’s ease I want chaos and my campaign for an unstructured noise par...

Photo by Alfonso "JP" Gomez Thee Sinseers might be the most dependable band out there today. When the band releases any new music, we know it's going to be a fantastic neo-soul track that encompasses virtually every era of soul music. Their latest single, "Let's Fall In Love (Again)," is a strong candidate for song of the summer. It's a light and breezy soul song that sounds like it could have come out any time from the last sixty or even seventy years. It's that perfect mixture of retro and modern, and the perfect sound for a song titled "Let's Fall In Love (Again)." Even that title brings up nostalgic thoughts no matter your age. Thee Sinseers have the kind of sound that is going to appeal to us, our grandparents, our parents, and even our kids.  You can watch the video for "Let's Fall In Love (Again)" below. Love Stories is due out September 18 on Colemine Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Thee ...