Doing Anything This Weekend?: March 1-3

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend:

Friday March 1

theWorst, Grub Lord, and Psych Ward Disco at The Stone Church Music Club, Newmarker, NH

Padded Waltz, Linnea's Garden, and Cars Go West at JJ's Tavern, Florence, MA

Tree, Inverter, Old North End, and Samara at The Shaskeen Pub, Manchester, NH

Olivia Dolphin, Imposters, Salem Wolves, and Eric & The Nothing at The Parlour, Providence, RI

Perennial, Trophy Wife, and Bubble Scary at The Stone Church, Brattleboro, VT

Speedfossil, Modern Day Idols, Tad Overbaugh and the Late Arrivals at The Square Root, Roslindale, MA

Saturday March 2

theWorst, Backpedal, and Big Bad Bobby & The Shoehorns at Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA

The Stampede, The Endorphins, and The Rupert Selection at Aeronaut Cannery, Everett, MA

Noble Dust and Love Crumbs at Boston Harbor Distillery, Dorchester, MA

One Fall, Greatest Failure, A.P.E., Trash Mammals, and Street Trash at Starlite Gallery, Southbridge, MA

The Freqs, Tysk Tysk Task, Blind Mellencamp, and The Modern Faces at Bit Bar, Salem, MA

Scissorfight, Catching Hell, and Gagging at The Shaskeen Pub, Manchester, NH

Brainstory - "Hanging On"

Photo by Carlos Garcia

As much as we love vintage sounding soul in the current neo-soul movement, sometimes it's refreshing to hear a band put a new spin on the classic sound. Enter Brainstory with their psych-soul sound. The Los Angeles trio have released a new single, "Hanging On." It has that laid back and smooth sound that all the best soul does, but Brainstory adds this odd little psychedelic element along with just a little grit to the song to make it sound truly unique. There is also an interesting level of distortion in "Hanging On," which I don't think I've ever heard in soul before. This is still classic sounding soul, just with an interesting twist.

You can watch the video for "Hanging On" below. Sounds Good is due out April 19 on Big Crown Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Brainstory, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Apr18 -  Lodge Room- Highland Park, CA

Apr 22 - Valley Bar - Phoenix, AZ

Apr 23 - Love Buzz - El Paso, TX 

Apr 25 - Tandem - San Antonio, TX 

Apr 26 - Psych Fest - Austin, TX

Apr 27 - Norman Music Festival - Norman, OK

Apr 30 - Sister Bar - Albuquerque, NM 

May 01 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO 

May 02 - The Atrium - Fort Collins, CO 

May 03 - DLC - Salt Lake City, UT 

May 04 - Neurolux - Boise, ID 

May 07 - High DIve - Seattle, WA 

May 08 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR

May 16 - Knust - Hamburg, Germany +

May 17 - Franz Mhelhose - Enfurt, Germany +

May 18 - Lido - Berlin, Germany +

May 20 - La Maroquinerie - Paris, France +

May 26 - Cross The Tracks Festival  - Brockwell Park, UK

May 28 - The Blues Kitchen - Manchester, UK +

+ with Lady Wray

gglum - "Eating Rust"

Photo by Hermione Sylvester

London's gglum (aka Ella Smoker) has released a new single that starts off as bedroom pop and then evolves into a much more epic sound. "Eating Rust" begins as an intimate and personal sounding song. Smoker's vocal delivery in particular makes the song sound almost confessional, like a discussion between close friends. And then the sound just opens up into more of a giant alt-pop track. It still sounds personal and intimate, just on a grander scale. "Eating Rust" is a lush and gorgeous track that has us wanting to pay closer attention to gglum.

Ella Smoker says her new single "... was the first song I made while writing the album that felt like it summed up the album's sound for me. It's all about a period of my life where I was desperate for one person's love and approval which I would never get (yet i'd keep on trying anyway). It's about what inspired the dream that inspired the album.”

You can watch the video for "Eating Rust" below. The Garden Dream is due out March 29 on Secretly Canadian, and is available for pre-order here. For more on gglum, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook.

Bnny - "Crazy, Baby"

Photo by Alexa Viscius

Chicago's Bnny has always morphed their style. Some of their previous songs were more dream pop, some were a little more folk. For "Crazy, Baby," Jessica Viscius' band go straight up indie rock power ballad. The song starts off more folky or like a singer-songwriter track. And then the guitars soar in and "Crazy, Baby" becomes an absolute epic song. It still has a personal, singer-songwriter vibe to it, but a gigantic version of that. The song still fits right in with what Bnny has been doing, but with just enough of a tweak to keep things interesting. 

Jessica Viscius says of her latest single:

“‘Crazy, Baby’ is about recognizing patterns in your romantic history and yourself.”

You can watch the video for "Crazy, Baby" below. One Million Love Songs is due out April 5 on Fire Talk Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Bnny, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Fri. Apr. 19 - Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
Thu. May 9 - Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown
Tue. May 14 - London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage
Wed. May 15 - Southampton, UK @ Heartbreakers
Fri. May 17 - Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape
Sat. May 18 - Manchester, UK @ Yes (Moodswings)
Mon. May 20 - Paris, FR @ Supersonic
Thu. Jun 13 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right

Joh Chase - "Gone"

Photo by Shervin Lainez

We cover a lot of artists that tend to live in between the worlds of indie rock and folk, but no one is doing it quite like Joh Chase. Their latest single, "Gone," would fit in with many other artists in the genre such as Big Thief, but there's just something about Chase that keeps their sound unique. It's somehow more folk and more indie rock at the same time. The song starts off in that modern, Newport Folk Festival inspired folk style that's fairly rock adjacent, but the bass line has a much sharper edge than you'd expect. The song slowly builds step by step until it's an indie rock banger, while still keeping the basics that made you love the song to begin with.

Joh Chase says of their musical background:

“My brain is completely filled with the music I was raised on: Elton John, The Cranberries, Bonnie Raitt, and the Mamas and the Papas. I will always think of my music through that template while trying to find a place for myself in the world and pushing the boundaries of that.”  

You can watch the video for "Gone" below. SOLO is due out April 26 on Kill Rock Stars, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Joh Chase, check out the artist's website.

The Sinseers - "Hold On"

Photo via Facebook

The Sinseers are quickly becoming one of our favorite neo-soul artists. The Los Angeles based "lowrider soul" group just released "Hold On," and it's absolute perfection. The song is new and not an oldie, but you could easily play it on an oldies station (are those still a thing?) and pass it off as a lost classic. "Hold On" is pure, vintage soul and R&B. The Sinseers have such a nostalgic and classic sound that I hesitate to refer to them as neo-soul. They only fit that designation by being modern, because there is nothing modern about their sound (except for maybe the production).

You can listen to "Hold On" below. Sinseerly Yours is due out March 22 via Colemine Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on The Sinseers, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

3/22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW)

3/23 – Riverside, CA – Riverside Municipal Auditorium (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW)

4/18 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom

4/19 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom

4/20 – Tucson, AZ – 191 Tool

4/21 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewing

4/23 – El Paso, TX – Lowbrow Palace

4/25 – San Antonio, TX – Jaime’s Place

4/26 – San Antonio, TX – Jaime’s Place

4/27 – Austin, TX – Austin Blues Festival

4/30 – Houston, TX – Heights Theater

5/01 – Houston, TX – Heights Theater

5/02 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co.

5/03 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co.

5/05 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues

5/07 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall

5/10 – Bakersfield, CA – Mechanics Bank Arena

5/11 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena

Lip Critic - "Milky Max"

Photo by Justin Villar

New York City electronic punks Lip Critic have a new single out. Electronic punk is one of those genres that you know you're going to love before you even hear what it sounds like, and if you think you're into it, "Milky Max" will be for you. The song starts with electronic sounds of pigs squealing, and then erupts into a noisy track that sounds like post punk meets electronic noise. Despite not being particularly fast, "Milky Max" is an intense song. It's almost uncomfortably intense at times. Is it a song that's meant to dance to or mosh to? I think the answer will be both. Lip Critic are definitely going to inspire strong reactions of intense love or hatred, with very little in between, but those tend to be the best bands, anyway.

You can watch the video for "Milky Max" below. Hex Dealer is out May 17 on Partisan Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Lip Critic, check out the band on Instagram and Twitter.

Perennial - Lemon On Plastic

Just how punk are Perennial? The band (somewhat) surprise dropped a new EP yesterday that clocks in at four songs in under five minutes. Lemon On Plastic is everything we love about the band. The four songs all speed straight forward at full speed in a joyous burst of noise punk. Perennial did tweak their sound on this release, which results in these songs being quite a bit melodic than previous releases. (That is, except for the electronic noise of "Impressionism" and "Expressionism.") "Art History" and "Minimalism" have this fantastic The Kinks and The Beach Boys go noise punk sound. "Minimalism" in particular is like a noisy, bizarro world beach party gone haywire. The songs on Lemon On Plastic alternate between the singles and the experiments while making us desperate to hear more of the direction Perennial is going in.

You can listen to "Minimalism" below. Lemon On Plastic is available now via Bandcamp. For more on Perennial, check out the band on Twitter and Instagram.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Girl 71"

Photo by Mel Butler

While The Jesus and Mary Chain are one of the most beloved shoegaze bands of all time, sometimes they stray from that genre. Their latest single, "Girl 71," is one of those songs. This is just a groovy and bouncy alt-rock song. As much as I adore classic, brooding Jesus & Mary Chain, it's always nice to hear them cut loose with a fun, dance friendly track. "Girl 71" is still filled with the fuzzed out guitars required for any song from the Reid brothers, but this one is a straight up jam that's more along the lines of Johnny Marr's solo work or late 90's alt-rock.

You can watch the video for "Girl 71" below. Glasgow Eyes is due out March 22 on Fuzz Club, and is available for pre-order here. For more on The Jesus and Mary Chain, check out the band's website.

Reyna Tropical - "Conocerla"

Photo by Devyn Galindo

Reyna Tropical doesn't sound quite like any artist we've covered before. Her latest single, "Conocerla," combines Congolese, Peruvian, and Columbian rhythms, but it doesn't sound like what is typically considered "World music." It's more of an alt-pop track flavored with the rhythms. Tropical has crafted this quiet and compelling track that is going to inspire you to move despite how chill and laid back it is. "Conocerla" will burrow itself into your subconscious, and you'll be better for it and thank Tropical for this level of earworm. It's the sort of song that is completely mainstream but also sounds like nothing else in the mainstream. This is the kind of pop music that no one will be able to stop listening to.

Reyna Tropical says that her latest single is  “... a song dedicated to the multiplicity and multi-faceted experiences that I carry and act from as a queer, norteña woman—rebuking the lifelong narrative of being told ‘que no soy ni de aquí ni de allá.’ It's a slow, consistent movement that dances towards belonging in the in between, a place of sensuality, acceptance, and creation.”

You can listen to "Conocerla" below. Malegría is due out March 29 on Psychic Hotline, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Reyna Tropical, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Wed. March 13 - Austin, TX @ KUTX Morning Show Broadcast
Thu. March 14 - Austin, TX - TBA Showcase @ Hotel Vegas
Fri. March 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW Public Radio Day Stage @ Convention Center
Thu. April 4 - Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Sat. April 6 - Brooklyn, NY @ Public Records
Wed. May 1 - Wilmington, NC @ Greenfield Lake Amphitheater *
Thu. May 2 - Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit *
Fri. May 3 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium *
Mon. May 6 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant *
Tur. May 7 - Kansas City, MO @ The Truman *
Thu. May 9 - Des Moines, IA @ Val Air BAllroom *
Fri. May 10 - Indianapolis, IA @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre *
Sat. May 11 - Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed *
Tue. May 14 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Riverside Theater *
Wed. May 15 - Madison, WI @ The Sylvee *
Fri. May 17 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
Sat. May 18 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
Mon. May 20 - Fargo, ND @ Fargo Brewing Company Outdoors *
Wed. May 22 - Bozeman, MT @ The ELM *
Thu. May 23 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory *
Fri. May 24 - Carnation, WA @ Remlinger Farms *
 
* = w/ Portugal. The Man

Josienne Clarke - "Most of All"

Photo by Alec Bowman_Clarke

Josienne Clarke has released a new single that is simply magical. "Most of All" is a folk/singer-songwriter track that is just Clarke's vocals and guitar, and it's endlessly compelling. The song is the original demo for a song, but when an artist nails it as perfectly as Clarke did with a demo, why change it? "Most of All" is made better by being so personal and intimate. It feels like Clarke is just playing the song for you to get your thoughts and opinions on it. It's a confessional track that tells Clarke's life story, thus making a deeply personal song sound even more personal.

Josienne Clarke says of her latest single:

“It is a licking of wounds and counting of blessings, taking stock and setting straight in my head. It’s one of those songs where I’m a bit exposed and I almost can’t bring myself to share it. Several times I nearly took it off the tracklist, but experience has taught me, those ones end up being among my audience’s favorite songs.”

You can watch the video for "Most of All" below. Parenthesis, I is due out May 10 on Corduroy Punk Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Josienne Clarke, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

03/06 - Newcastle, UK - The Cluny  

03/07 - Frome, UK - Hydeaway

03/08 - Manchester, UK - Stoller Hall

05/02 - Colchester, UK - Arts Centre

05/03 - Cheltenham, UK - Everyman Theatre

05/04 - Barton-Upon-Humber, UK - The Ropewalk

05/05 - Barnoldswick, UK - Arts Centre

05/07 - London, UK - Cecil Sharp House

05/11 - Glasgow, UK - Glad Cafe

Nisa - "Dreamspeak"

Photo by Will Oliver

Nisa's latest single is predominately a pop track, but it's strongly an alt-pop track. In fact, "Dreamspeak" might be the most alt- of all the alt-pop songs we've covered. The song is soaked in synths and has a little bit of a Lana del Ray meets Molly Burch sound. At times "Dreamspeak" is a pure (albeit off-kilter) torch song, and others it's much more dance friendly. It's one of those great songs that is going to force you to listen to it a few times in a row to make sure you take it all in, which is rare in a pop song, alt-pop or not.

Nisa says of her latest single:

“I once heard from someone that not being able to communicate in your dreams is a reflection of your waking life's sense of not being heard. I thought about writing 'Dreamspeak' as an undoing of this feeling, where my dream-self could confront me and give me my voice back.”

You can watch the video for "Dreamspeak" below. Shapeshifting is due out April 26 on Tender Loving Empire Records. For more on Nisa, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

5/7: Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right

5/8: Washington, DC @ Pie Shop

5/11: Boston, MA @ Lilypad

5/12: Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy

First Listen: New Releases for 16 February 2024

Artist: Heems and Lapgan
Album: LAFANDAR
Quick Thoughts: An early entry for rap album of the year, Heems (formerly of Das Racist) and Lapgan have one hell of a compelling little rap album here, equal parts irreverent and irresistable. Carries a lot of the early Das Racist vibes in a lot of ways, and it's absolutely worth checking out.
Songs of Note: "I'm Pretty Cool," "Sri Lanka," "Baba Ganoush," "Bukayo Saka"

Artist: Lime Garden
Album: One More Thing
Quick Thoughts: Lime Garden's brand of alt-indie always hits the mark, and I don't think this album is going to be the one to make me think otherwise. Tight songwriting with some certified bangers ("Nepotism (Baby)" is excellent), it's definitely going to fill that rock-shaped hole in your heart.
Songs of Note: "Mother," "Nepotism (Baby)," "Pine," "It"

Artist: Varsity
Album: Souvenirs
Quick Thoughts: More indie pop than alt-rock, Varsity's album here feels bright and shiny despite it all. I don't have a ton to say about this one except that "Done With Bits" is a marvelous song and marvelous song title, and the whole album is worthy of your time.
Songs of Note: "Done With Bits," "Take It The Wrong Way," "Devil's Tangerine"

Artist: Chromeo
Album: Adult Contemporary
Quick Thoughts: It took a long time for me to get behind the Chromeo gimmick, in that they're a very self-aware retro act that straddles that line almost too well. Adult Contemporary might not be diehards/long-term fans' favorite, but this is an album full of songs that 100% reflect its title. If you're not singing "Personal Effects" for the next month, you're wrong.
Songs of Note: "(I Don't Need A) New Girl," "Lost and Found," "Replacements," "Personal Effects," "CODA"

Artist: Royel Otis
Album: PRATTS & PAIN
Quick Thoughts: I didn't want to let the week slide without pointing out Royel Otis, who delivers an album with a lot of really great rock songs throughout. "Sofa King" is a catchy bit of juvenalia, "Fried Rice" a great little exercise in songwriting - this isn't going to work for everyone, but it worked for me.
Songs of Note: "Fried Rice," "Foam," "Sofa King," "Always Always," "Big Ciggie"

Artist: Grandaddy
Album: Blu Wav
Quick Thoughts: Grandaddy is fairly legendary in indie rock circles these days, and that Jason Lytle is still putting out quality stuff says a lot about his songwriting. Blu Wav is Americana through a CRT computer monitor, with a real mood and feel to it that I didn't expect to love as much as I did. If you've fallen off the bandwagon over the years, this is as good a time as any to hop back on.
Songs of Note: "Cabin in My Mind," "Ducky, Boris and Dart," "Jukebox App"

Artist: Pouty
Album: Forgot About Me
Quick Thoughts: A late entry for the week for me, it's female-fronted alt-rock with a little bit of attitude. "Virgos Need More Love" is easily my favorite song of the month so far.
Songs of Note: "The Big Stage," "Virgos Need More Love," "Salty"

Of note:

* Nouvelle Vogue - Should I Stay or Should I Go? (Still classic after all these years.)
* Laura Jane Grace - Hole in My Head (Great indie-punk efforts.)
* Les Amazones d'Afrique - Musow Danse * Rosie Frater-Taylor - Featherweight * IDLES - TANGK * Friko - Where we've been, Where we go from here * Omni - Souvenir * San Fermin - Arms * PET NEEDS - Intermittent Fast Living * Sean Ono Lennon - ASTERISMS * Paloma Faith - The Glorification of Sadness * Danielle Durack - Escape Artist * Shadow Show - Fantasy Now! * Gentlemen Rogues - Surface Noise * Prize Horse - Under Sound * San Fermin - Arms * Chad Crouch - Willow Bar Beach Soundwalk * Louien - Every Dream I Ever Had * Mykalle - Da pacem * Zanias - Ecdysis * Quadeca - SCRAPYARD * Molly Lewis - On the Lips * Frances Chang - Psychedelic Anxiety * Mother Mother - Grief Chapter * Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Pt 1 * Cherym - Take It Or Leave It * The Holy - Landmark * Howell - hopeless * Kim Petras - Slut Pop Miami * El Perro del Mar - Big Anonymous * Chewlie - Transforming Matter * Gabby Moreno - Dusk * Shooting Daggers - Love & Rage EPs:

* Butterfly Bulldozer - The Great Becoming of Captain Fuzz * Lilith Ai - Fawn * ili - It's Giving... * Screaming Females - Clover * Devon Ross - Oxford Gardens * Lola Kirke - Country Curious * Jupiter - Captivate 23 * mealworm - mealworm

JVK - "Body Double"

Photo by Wissler Studios

One of our favorite things about JVK is how they've always mastered balancing between being a pop band and a heavier rock band. Their latest single, "Body Double," is this loud indie rock song with some serious pop hooks. Jo Kreiger's vocals have always leaned more towards pop, but "Body Double" sees her stretching into a more metal sound with her voice. While some of their previous songs have had some strong metal base, this new one is much more indie rock than metal. It's a very intense song that just barrels forward, just barely in control. The song has a desperate sound to it that sucks you in and refuses to let up for two and a half minutes. We've been into JVK coming up on two years now, and this might be their finest single yet.

You can listen to "Body Double" below. For more on JVK, check out the band's website.

The Magic City - "A Series of Chemicals"

Photo by Ken Marcou

Boston's The Magic City are quickly becoming a favorite around here. The band have this incredibly compelling sound that combines glam and power pop, which we don't see in Boston very often. Their latest single, "A Series of Chemicals," sees bassist Mike Quinn take over vocal duties. The song just has this unexpected punch to it, even with how catchy and poppy the song is. Just something about the guitar and drums just bites down hard with a certain edge to it. "A Series of Chemicals" is a compelling song that is a blast to listen to while still having a hint of darkness. 

Mike Quinn says of the band's latest single:

“I am not a scientist, but I am fascinated by science. The disciplines of chemistry and biology, and how they differ and overlap with each other is interesting to me. This song explores the idea that we make our decisions not because of free will, but in the various biological and chemical reactions going on in our brains and bodies… The protagonist in this song blames the chemicals while also praising them.”

You can listen to "A Series of Chemicals" below. For more on The Magic City, check out the band's website. They're playing a show at The Cantab Lounge on March 1 with The Tom Springer Band and The Grimly Pleased.

Nicolette & The Nobodies - "Show Up"

Photo by Heather Saitz

Hailing from Ontario, Nicolette & The Nobodies are making classic country. The band's latest single, "Show Up," sounds like your favorite classic torch song from the 1970's. It's completely timeless in its appeal, with only a more modern production keeping it from sounding like it was recorded fifty years ago. Plus, singer Nicolette Hoang has one of the most fantastic voices in all of modern alt-country. You can always hear the emotion of the song just pouring out of the singer's voice in the best country, and Hoang just nails that. The pain in her vocals is completely tangible.

Nicolette Hoang says of her latest single:

“‘Show Up’ is a reckoning about coming to terms with loving someone that will never love you back. These moments are so painful and so drawn out that you’re just hanging on for any little thing to release you from it. The song is that last look over your shoulder when you are still convincing yourself they’re going to be standing there before you have to walk through that door.”

You can watch the video for "Show Up" below. The Long Way is due out April 12 on Arthaus Music. For more on Nicolette & The Nobodies, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates supporting Sarah Shook & The Disarmers are below the video.

May 7, 2024 - The Garrison - Toronto, ON
May 8, 2024 - L’Esco - Montreal, QC
May 9, 2024 - One Longfellow Square - Portland, ME
May 10, 2024 - The Cut - Gloucester, MA
May 11, 2024 - Cafe Nine - New Haven, CT
May 12, 2024 - TV Eye - New York, NY

Nervous Eaters - "Vampire"

My love of Nervous Eaters is well documented on If It's Too Loud... The Boston punk/garage rock veterans have been having a resurgence lately, and I couldn't be happier. Their latest single, "Vampire," isn't quite a punk anthem like they were releasing back in the 70's. Instead, it's more of a jangle pop meets power pop song in the lines of their more recent releases. There is still that garage rock edge to "Vampire," but Nervous Eaters are softening it a bit with some 60's psychedelia and modern power pop sounds. Boston is undoubtedly one of the best garage rock/power pop scenes in the world, and Nervous Eaters continue to be one of the best reasons why.

Frontman Steve Cataldo says of the band's new single:

"In a once vibrant town, business by day, swinging by night, always had its own unique rhythm. Strange and without reason, the pace of the small bustling California borough, somehow slowed to an unearthly rhythm. Most of the young people gathered on the village green every Friday night. Hundreds of candles lit the surrounding walkways, creating a festive vibe to the weekly affair. Gradually the areas fresh crisp evening air bit by bit changed to a dank mist ushered in by a ghostly vermilion wind. Winding its way down the country streets, forcing the young Rooks back to their homes, encased within a false security as they morphed into harbingers of tomorrow. Acting as if the coming dawn would be their savior, people finally came out of the homes to investigate the sudden perturbation. Simultaneously, a synchronous fear befell the entire crowd as, The Beautiful Stranger's mysteriously haunting trance beguiled the village. The Witch, 'with shaded eyes', her infectious yet imperceptible hypnotizing glances, compelling anyone, everyone, to follow her spectral sway. Captive to the Vampire’s ministering Dominion hosting parties by day, slaves to her by night. 'Sundown is her town, Everyone is going down'
Such is the premise of Vampire."

You can watch the video for "Vampire" below. The song is out now via Wicked Cool Records with a B-side of "Knockdown Day." For more on Nervous Eaters, check out the band's website. Upcoming live dates are below the video.

Saturday, March 23 @ NYC Berlin Under A (with Palmyra Delran, Marc Valentine, The Jellybricks)

Saturday April 20 Narrows Center, Fall River w/ Robin Lane

Friday April 26 The Cellar on Treadwell, Hamden, CT w/Nails Hide Metal

Thursday May 16 Sonia, Cambridge open for The Dead Boys

Friday June 14 Fallout Shelter, Norwood

Saturday September 7 The Music Room

Friday September 13 The Rockwood Music Hall, Boston w/Tiger Bomb

Saturday September 14 Alchemy, Providence, RI w/Tiger Bomb

Elephant Stone - "Going Underground"

Photo by Titouan Masse

Montreal psych-rockers Elephant Stone are keeping the psych-rock in their latest single, but adding a ton of pop to it. "Going Underground" is a jangle pop version of psychedelic rock. It's the kind of song that keeps frontman Rishi Dhir's fandom of The Who front and center, but it's more of a power pop song than The Who normally would get. It's definitely very 60's and 70's influenced, with some remnants of the 60's revival in the 90's that begat bands like Cornershop. Plus, "Going Underground" has one of the better pure guitar solos of the year so far, and who doesn't want that?

Rishi Dhir says of his band's latest single:

"Rock'n'roll was my late-night companion, the anthem of my adolescence. I'd drift off to sleep with 'Live at Leeds' by The Who playing, tweaking the stereo so it was just the left speaker booming, coloring my dreams with John Entwistle's bass genius. Those moments weren't just about listening; it was like living inside the music. That's the heart of 'Going Underground.' It's an homage to those times, that sensation of being enveloped in a universe conjured by a few chords and a horizon of endless possibilities."

You can listen to "Going Underground" below. Back Into the Dream is out now on Little Cloud Records in the US and Fuzz Club in the UK/EU. For more on Elephant Stone, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

March 15       Québec, QC @ Le Pantoum
March 16       Saint-Adolphe de Howard, QC @ La Chèvre
March 22       Montréal, QC @ Théâtre Outremont
March 23       Troy, NY @ No Fun*
March 24       Somerville, MA @ The Rockwell*
March 26       Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye*
March 27       Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong*
March 28       Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe*
March 29       Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle*
March 30       Detroit, MI @ Lager House*
March 31       Toronto, ON @ The Garrison*
 
*w/ Evolfo
 
UK/Europe
April 26          Brighton, UK @ Daltons
April 27          Bristol, UK @ Crofters Rights
April 28          Manchester, UK @ YES Basement
April 30          TBA
May 1             Glasgow, UK @ Flying Duck
May 2             Leeds, UK @ Headrow House
May 3             London, UK @ The Lexington
May 4             Eindhoven, NL @ Fuzz Club Fest
May 6             TBA
May 7             Paris, FR @ Le Hasard Ludique
May 8             Bern, CH @ Spinnerei
May 9             Milano, IT @ Arci Belleza
May 10           Bologna, IT @ Covo Club
May 11           Firenze, IT @ Exfila
May 12           TBA
May 14           Prague, CZ @ Kaserna Karlin
May 15           Malmo, SWE @ Plan B
May 16           Stockholm, SWE @ Hus 7
May 17           Copenhagen, DK @ Stengade
May 18           Berlin, DE @ Insel Berlin
May 19           Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord