If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Asher Thomas Boston bubblegrunge favorites Sophie's Body have a new single out of their upcoming debut album, and this one pushes the genre forward. "Long Term Loaner" has all of the fuzz and melody you want from bubblegrunge, but this one is even more pop. At times it's almost a dance track, and others it's full on alt-rock (albeit alt-rock that you can easily dance to). As pop-focused as "Long Term Loaner" can be, it's not a pop song, or even that mainstream. The guitar tunings are too far off, and create an otherworldly sound. Sophie's Body base their sound on pre-existing styles without sounding much like those styles at all. Sophie McMinn says of her band's latest single: "I started playing around with the homophone 'loner', and that’s where I get into my angst a bit more.  This was not a fun period in my life, I was feeling lonely, and really grasping for purpose post-college graduation." You can listen to ...

Photo courtesy of The Pretty Graves The Pretty Graves released their excellent self-titled debut album back in May, and before they head into the studio for their second, they're releasing a collection of songs from that album's sessions. The first single from that release is "Bluebird," an absolutely rockin' track steeped in blues. This latest song has a certain timeless quality that great blues rock songs have. It has elements that are both modern and vintage, and is impossibly groovy. The groovier and more bluesy aspects of the song have more of a 60's or 70's vibe (especially the organ), while the guitar solos are pure 90's. There's also a modern feel to the vocals, which all help give "Bluebird" its timeless quality. Once you hear this latest single, it will amaze you that it didn't make the cut for The Pretty Graves' recent album. Frontman Christopher M. Lisorti says of his band's latest single: “‘Bluebird’ is about an e...

It's been a little while since we've last heard from Britpop revivalists The Northern Line, but the Boston band is back with a new single off a forthcoming EP. What I've always like about the band is that their sound is a mixture of Britpop and late 90's Boston alt-rock, which are kind of my prime sounds. "Out in the Drift" adds a little more psychedelia to that sound, making a more grounded Stone Roses style. In fact, if The Stone Roses weren't part of the Madchester scene and had come up in Boston at the same time as Buffalo Tom and Pixies, this is what they could have sounded like. Even though a song like "Out in the Drift" may merge styles we're familiar with, The Northern Line end up sounding like no one else. You can listen to "Out in the Drift" below. The Northern Line EP is available now digitally on Mad Fer It Records, with a vinyl release in October. For more on The Northern Line, check out the band's website . They...

Photo by Nicos Kennedy Kill Alters specialize in music that is both electronic noise and dance music, and that is exemplified with their latest single. "ON THE FLOOR" is a call to hit the dance floor, with lyrics that don't extend much beyond "Get your ass on the floor." But electronic music, especially dance music, isn't typically focused on lyrics. This is dance music for people that love electronic music, but hate pop music and traditional electronic dance music. It sounds like if Sonic Youth had experimented with the electronica craze of the late 90's (which they might have?) As noisy as "ON THE FLOOR" can be, it's pretty tame by Kill Alters' standards. It's just a fun and fairly experimental dance track, so enjoy this one. You can watch the video for "ON THE FLOOR" below. We Can Rot Together is due out October 16 on Hausu Mountain, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Kill Alters, check out the...

Artist : Angela Autumn Album : Believer Quick Thoughts : It could be easy, at first glance, to write off Angela Autumn as another rootsy singer with a unique vocal delivery, but there's something different about her that sets this album apart. For me, I was hooked the moment I heard "Electric Lizard" for the first time, but this record offers song after song of compelling, different, and memorable music. "Mountain Stream" is a sonic delight, "Millionaire Money" a fairly straightforward-yet-earwormy take, and by the time my first listen was through, I knew I'd be digging through her back catalog. A great listen. Songs of Note : "Heavy Tobacco," "Mountain Stream," "Bleach Bugs," "Millionaire Money," "Electric Lizard" Artist : beabadoobee Album : Pylon Quick Thoughts : Of the female singer-songwriters who rose over the last decade, I feel like the Boygenius Industrial Complex has crowde...

Photo by Atiba Jefferson Bad Brains' first studio recording from 1979 has long been traded between fans without an official release. We'll finally be getting an official release in November, which was mixed by Ian MacKaye in cooperation with Bad Brains. "Pay to Cum" from that release is available to hear today. This original version is somehow more rough and more tame than the one we're used to. It doesn't quite have the same out of control feel, while sounding a little more protopunk/garage. Both versions are great versions of the song, and any classic punk fan is going to rejoice at having an official and newly mixed version of these songs. Darryl Jenifer (bass) says of the band's newly released version of "Pay to Cum": “The riff for ‘Pay to Cum’ started as a stream of punk rock vibes fueled by the Ramones, The Damned, and Return to Forever.  It was a gift that served as a springboard into our sound - sheer, straight-ahead three-chord mayhem wi...

Photo by Becky DiGiglio Satanic Planet is a supergroup of sorts that is comprised of Lucien Greaves (The Satanic Temple co-founder and spokesperson), Luke Henshaw (Planet B, Sondido de la Frontera), Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Misfits), and Justin Pearson (The Locus, Swing Kids). Their latest single, "Church Burning," is an intense track combining metal and noise punk in a theatrical sound. It's a lot of screaming combined with noise, organs, and choir-style backing vocals. It's a little bit of a mess, but in the best possible way. There's a lot going on in "Church Burning," far more than you typically get in a song this heavy. If you love your music heavy and experimental, Satanic Planet might be for you. Lucien Greaves says his band's latest single is inspired by a 2022 incident where  "... a man wearing a tshirt with 'GOD' printed across the chest set fire to The Satanic Temple headquarters, a legally recognized church, in Salem. This is a...

Photo by Katie Simonian We bring you a lot of artists that combine 90's alt and indie rock with a modern pop sensibility, but Flowers for the Dead are quickly becoming a favorite. The Washington D.C. band have a new single out that is the finest bubblegrunge there is to offer. "Killstar" is delightfully fuzzy, and has a perfect grasp on the loud/quiet/loud dynamic. This sounds like it could have been on your favorite forgotten 90's movie soundtrack, with a crunch to the guitars and an undeniable catchiness. Plus, the song has a swirling quality that gets me right in my soul. 2026 isn't over yet, but it's safe to say Flowers for the Dead are becoming one of my favorite musical discoveries of the year. Jessie Szeg ö  (vocals/guitar) says of her band's latest single:  “I wrote this song about not letting yourself be your biggest enemy and stopping you from doing the things you want to do. It's easy to let fear and anxiety take over and get stuck in your h...

The latest from Montreal's K-Man & The 45s is going to delight fans of classic ska-punk. "Demon Days" is a bit more laid back than you typically get with the genre, because the song is just as two-tone as it is ska-punk. Plus, the song just straight up rocks. It's as fun as you want with ska, especially ska-punk, without that jokey quality that dominates the style. We tend to be ska apologists here at If It's Too Loud..., but when a song is as great as "Demon Days" is, there is no apology necessary. Crank up the volume, and relive your teenage ska phase with a song made for adults. You can watch the video for "Demon Days" below. Heed the Call is due out October 9 on Stomp Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on K-Man & The 45s, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook .

Photo by Jess Ellwood If you're like us, you can't wait for Julia Jacklin's new album that's coming out this Friday. Luckily for us all, the Australian singer has a new single out! "If I Had the Hand of God" sounds like classic Jacklin. It's a little folk, a little country, but mostly indie singer-songwriter. It has a perfect laid back feel, and Jacklin's vocals are simply mesmerizing on this one. While all of her singles sound like the one that could break her into a superstar, "If I Had the Hand of God" particularly feels like the one that could do it. There's some huge crossover appeal, and this sounds like the song that's going to be the huge sing-a-long song for her upcoming tour. Make sure you head out to see her on this one while she's still playing clubs. You can watch the video for "If I Had the Hand of God" below. The Gem is due out September 25 on 4AD, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Julia Ja...