Friday Freebie: The Nice Price 'Second Shot' (Free Digital) 2024 Sampler

Today is a day devoted to spending as much money as possible in order to get great deals. While you're spending all your money today, Rum Bar Records have decided to give you an amazing sampler for free! The Nice Price 'Second Shot' (Free Digital) 2024 Sampler is a monster thirty-eight track sampler of what Rum Bar Records has been up to all year. Rum Bar is one of our favorite labels, and you'll soon see why with this free release. It's thirty-eight killer garage rock and power pop songs that show off how diverse and great the label's releases are. It features long term If It's Too Loud... favorites like The Yum Yums, Jittery Jack with Amy Griffin on Guitar, Girl with a Hawk, Muck and the Mires, Diablogato, The Shang Hi Los, and The Dogmatics, as well as many, many bands to discover. Seriously, who else is going to give you a deal this great on this Black Friday?

Lou Mansdorf of Rum Bar Records says of his label's new sampler:

“I think we’re all in a crazy state of mind and the world can feel really uneasy – but the music and these artists have been a beacon of light and I feel so lucky that I get to continue spreading the gospel of the music that I love. This comp includes releases we had the amazing fortune to present this past year, with some new artists, returning artists, long-standing partners, and even some unreleased singles from extended members of the Rum Bar family tree."

You can listen to The Nice Price 'Second Shot' (Free Digital) 2024 Sampler below. You can download your own copy of the compilation via Bandcamp. For more on Rum Bar Records, check out the label on Facebook and Instagram.

Irk - "Toothache in Prison"

Hailing from Leeds, Uk come Irk. The trio just released a new single, "Toothache in Prison," and this one certainly is not for the faint of heart. The song is less than two minutes in length, but is filled with so much intensity that it feels much, much longer. The song is fast and pummeling noise that might even be too much for fans of noisy rock. It's not quite metal, but it's at least metal adjacent. This is kind of like mixing Lightning Bolt with The Melvins, but possibly louder. Like I said, this certainly won't be for everyone, but if Irk works for you, it's going to lead to a deep obsession.

Vocalist J.S. Gordon says of his band's new single:

“Right, so this might come as a massive surprise, but this song is largely inspired by someone I know who had toothache whilst in prison, and it sounded fucking awful. As the song spirals outwards musically, a load of other themes get touched on, such as the wider prison-industrial complex, police abolitionism, and public opinion around prisoners’ worth as members of society, especially in their endeavors to contribute something more meaningful than labor, such as art, during or after their incarceration.”

You can listen to "Toothache in Prison" below. Irk's new album is due in 2025 on Nefarious Industries. For more on Irk, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram.

Taxi Girls - "Rainy"

Taxi Girls have only been around for two years, but the Montreal band has already played with bands including NOFX, Lagwagon, The Hives, and Pansy Division. Their latest single, "Rainy," is a garage rock meets punk track that's just as rough as it is polished. It's dripping with attitude and venom towards a former friend of the band. It's angry, but it's also fun. This is the type of song that puts the punk back in pop punk, with all of the edge and rough side of garage rock. Plus, "Rainy" contains one of the catchiest choruses we've heard in a punk track in a long, long time.

Taxi Girls say of their latest single:

“Rainy was first written during the winter of 2018, blending post-grunge and dark synth-pop influences. Originally, the song explored the emptiness of substance-fuelled lifestyles, and the stark loneliness of realizing party friends aren’t true allies, leaving you in a downward spiral. Fast forward to 2024—The song morphed into a story about an ex-friend who treated us poorly—someone we’ve got dirt on, saved for a rainy day! We had a blast bringing this one to life.”

You can watch the video for "Rainy" below. For more on Taxi Girls, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook. Upcoming live dates are below the video.

Nov 30 – Montreal, QC @ Bar L’Escogriffe - record release show w/The Lookout

Jan 25 – Warwick, QC @ Microbrasserie Wickstation - w/Les Bladies
Jan 31 – L’Assomption, QC @ View Palais - w/Margaret Tracteur
Feb 15 – Boucherville, QC @ Pub Le Vieux - w/La Dérape & Thick Glasses
Feb 21 – Québec, QC @ L’Anti Bar & Spectacle - with Chou & Crachat

Scroggins & Rose - "Wayfaring Stranger"

Scroggins & Rose is the duo of Tristan Scroggins and Alisa Rose. Their latest single is an instrumental cover of the traditional "Wayfaring Stranger" that features Scroggins on mandocello and Rose on baritone violin. Considering that their upcoming album was created in 2020, this is an appropriately dark version of the song. I'm not quite sure if this would be considered progressive bluegrass, but it's pretty close to it. This version of "Wayfaring Stranger" has one foot in the traditional and one foot in the modern. It's very dark, but also very hopeful. Scroggins & Rose give the feeling that you may be in darkness, but you can at least see a light ahead. Even though it's an instrumental song, the duo still find a way to tell a tale through just their instruments.

You can listen to "Wayfaring Stranger" below. Speranza is due out January 10 on Adhyâropa Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Scrogins & Rose, check out the artist's website.

First Listen: New Releases for 15 and 22 November 2024

Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Album: GNX
Quick Thoughts: We knew a new Kendrick was coming after having arguably the song of the summer during the Drake beef, but a surprise drop was unexpected to everyone. GNX suffers slightly from Jack Antonoff's production in many areas and is unlikely to end up as anyone's favorite K.Dot record, but "squabble up" and "hey now" are two of the better rap songs of the year that aren't "Not Like Us." I definitely think he probably gained some new fans this year (myself included) and this album is likely to be stratospheric in impact, but it's worth the time.
Songs of Note: "wacced out murals," "squabble up," "hey now," "tv off," "heart pt. 6," "gnx"

Artist: Poppy
Album: Negative Spaces
Quick Thoughts: Poppy's biggest flaw is the semi-identity crisis. She started as a robotic pop deconstruction, went full metal, and now comes at us with a sort of Paramore by way of Evanescence and Linkin Park record. It's great, mind you, but if you're not already buying what she's selling, this might be a harder one to take. "the cost of giving up" in particular is an excellent song, and is fairly representative of the record.
Songs of Note: "the cost of giving up," "push go," "nothing"

Artist: Du Blonde
Album: Sniff More Gritty
Quick Thoughts: I've been keeping up with Du Blonde for a bit, and this album and its cover implies a very different record than you expect. This is a real true slice of grungy alt-rock that has a ton of really catchy stuff throughout. There's not a bad song to be found here, so check it out.
Songs of Note: "Perfect," "Solitary Individual," "Blame," "Lucky," "Radio Jesus," "Metal Detector"

Artist: Lindsay Reamer
Album: Natural Science
Quick Thoughts: This is probably my favorite roots effort of the week. Songs like "Mushroom House" have that nice, natural flow, and "Heavenly Houseboat Blues" has a truly classic sound. I really loved this one, and in a busy end-of-year slate, it's worth your time.
Songs of Note: "Today," "Red Flowers," "Mushroom House," "Necessary," "John's Song," "Figs and Peaches," "Heavenly Houseboat Blues"

Artist: Moaning Lisa
Album: fainter
Quick Thoughts: I wanted to make sure I highlighted Moaning Lisa's latest, as the band is offering a fuzzy, hazy listen that really works. Worth it for fans of shoegazey alt.
Songs of Note: "4am (where have you been?)," "flower," "comfortable 2 (alone)"

Artist: Lara Ruggles
Album: Anchor Me
Quick Thoughts: This is the album this week that made me pay attention, because Lara Ruggles is doing something here that feels incredibly special. It's a singer-songwriter record, to be sure, but songs like "Bend the Truth" and "Hard Road" have that sticky quality that get trapped in your head in the longer run. Absolutely a mandatory listen this week.
Songs of Note: "Bend the Truth," "Anything," "While You Can," "Hard Road," "Same Moon," "Love Me Instead"

Artist: julie
Album: my anti-aircraft friend
Quick Thoughts: This one came out of nowhere for me in all the best ways. It's a shoegaze effort at its core, but songs like "feminine adornments" and "piano instrumental" absolutely crush it. This is so, so good, and I hate that their name is so SEO-unfriendly because this is a band that deserves to be huge. Make sure you take time with this one.
Songs of Note: "catalogue," "very little effort," "knob," "feminine adornments," "piano instrumental"

Artist: Deerlady
Album: Greatest Hits
Quick Thoughts: I also wanted to give some love to this one, a collaborative effort featuring Portland's Mali Obomsawin, because it's one we missed from earlier this year and the tongue-in-cheek title masks what's a really pleasant, dusky folk record. Don't sleep on this like I did.
Songs of Note: "Bounty," "Believer," "Masterpieces," "Lamplight"

Of note:

* Shower Curtain - words from a wishing well (A great fuzzy effort.)
* Kim Deal - Nobody Loves You More (The legend shows why she's a legend.)
* Soap&Skin - TORSO (A haunting and fascinating listen.)
* Father John Misty - Mahashmashana (Filled with a lot of great moments.)
* Body Count - Merciless (Yes, they're still around, and yes, it still works.)
* Gia Ford - Transparent Things (A sleeper listen in a busy end of year.)
* Caleb Clauder and Reeb Willms - Gold in Your Pocket (A solid roots effort.)
* Mae Deline - Whole Again
* Man Man - Carrot on Strings
* Clinic Stars - Only Hinting
* swanskin - boymoder
* O.L.I.V.I.A. - dulce o truco
* Dean and Britta - A Peace of Us
* Scarlet House - Homecoming
* Slick Devious and Janerio Lockhart - When it Rains
* Ice Cube - Man Down
* Blockhead - Mortality is Lit!
* Fightmilk - No Souvenirs
* Xeno and Oaklander - Via Negativa
* Mondaze - Linger
* The Coward Brothers (Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett) - The Coward Brothers
* Future Faces - Memoria
* Sam Lynch - Outline
* Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens - American Railroad
* Miracle Blood - Hello Hell
* Drug Store Raidd - Background Music for Family Arguments
* SUUNS - The Breaks
* Clem Snide - Oh Smokey
* Misha Chylkova - Dancing the Same Dance
* Merely and Malibu - Essential Mixtape
* Lucky Love - I Don't Care if It Burns
* Shaylee - The Name of this Band is Shaylee
* Dorothea Paas - Think of Mist
* She Drew the Gun - Howl
* itz - Summer of Us
* Jai Wolf - The Red Eye Home
* Kwengface - A Gangster's Holiday
* Wallice - The Jester
* The Grand Southern and Rachel Fannan - Greatest Hits 1977-1987 Vol.1
* Hotline TNT - Trilogy
* Nessa Barrett - Aftercare
* Minky Starshine - Boozers Gloom and a Pinch of Anxiety
* Sugar Pit - Shhh...Don't Jinx It
* Fazerdaze - Soft Power
* The FMs - 51122
* The Green Child - Look Familiar
* blackwinterwells - Magician
* The Howl and The Hum - Same Mistake Twice
* Chad Crouch - Oaks to Wetlands Trail
* Say Lou Lou - Dust
* Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes
* Ant - Collection of Sounds Vol. 2
* Lip Critic - Hex Dealer
* Bryan's Magic Tears - Smoke & Mirrors
* Yesness - See You At the Solopsist Convention
* Alice Ivy - Do What Makes You Happy
* Klara Goliger - Words
* Blisspoint - Dog
* Wussy - Cincinnati Ohio
* SHEBAD - Music is the Answer
* Kylie V - Crash Test Plane

EPs:

* Mecuzine - Where Is She Now
* Casual and Albert Jenkins - Starduster EP
* Maddi Jane - Sorry Attempts at Love
* Yoshizawa - The round table
* DJ Smokey - Psychological Musical Warfare
* Telyscopes - Pica
* Linnea's Garden - Looking Forward to the Moment
* K.Flay - I'm Making Friends With the Silence
* Alexia Avina - zen and hot
* The Staves - Happy New Year
* Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Neptunes EP
* Cahaba Roots - Cahaba Roots
* Sean Barna - Internal Trembling
* Barbara - Nog heel even liggen.
* Azadi.mp3 - Control
* Searows - flush
* Valerie June - Gifts, Presents and Treats
* Brother Ali - Satisfied Soul EP
* Medium Build - Marietta
* Chelsea Wolfe - Unbound EP
* Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 2f1 / in a room7 F760
* Los Camposinos! - More Hell
* Tommy Cash - High Fashion
* GLOSSER - Anger Dust
* Daisy Moon - Shadow of Silhouettes
* D.W. Waterson - Home Brew Vol. 2
* Helena Hauff - Multiply Your Absurdities
* Tyson - Chaos
* Emily Hines - These Days
* Klara Wodehn - Hyperion
* Lily Seabird - Alas, (acoustic versions)
* The Garden - Six Desperate Ballads
* Less Than Jake - Uncharted
* Emily Davis and the Murder Police - Wax Pariah

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* TRANSA (A Red Hot compilation for Trans Day of Visibility.)
* Mother Mother - DEMMOS
* It's Three O'Clock, Go To Your Sink, Pour Some Milk, and Start to Think
* Thank You, Dream Girl
* Adrian Younge Presents Linear Labs: Sao Paulo

Also out:

* Silverlites - Silverlites

Low Harness - "Bloodplay"

Photo by Matt Martin

I thought I had Cornwall's Low Harness pegged as a band. Their previous two singles were these gloriously aggressive bursts of early indie rock noise, and since that's kinda my thing, I loved them for it. Their latest single, "Bloodplay," goes off in a slightly different direction. The song still has some of the Sonic Youth style guitar tunings, but it's much more pop sounding than "Salvo" or "Too Long Together." The starts off more in the style of The Vaselines before devolving into a noisier style that we had begun associating with Low Harness. Even at its most noisy, "Bloodplay" keeps that pop sensibility, erupting into a poppier sounding noise explosion (which will make sense when you listen promise!)

Vocalist/guitarist Hannah Gledhill says of the band's new single and video:

"Bloodplay is about the lengths people go to for pleasure, to escape from the banality of everyday existence and act out their most subversive urges. Even if we do not give in to these fantasies, or are too afraid to realise them: a place exists in our imagination where we cannot be judged playing them out.

"The video was shot in an abandoned leisure centre which served as a perfect fantasy backdrop for this song where the subject was able to daydream in complete isolation. It stars “Pink Baby” local drag artist and passionate advocate for Falmouth’s queer community, Through her love of dance and adoration of the colour pink, Pink Baby explores themes of gender oppression, disability rights, and queer joy in her performances."

You can watch the video for "Bloodplay" below. Salvo is due out December 6 on Krautpop!, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Low Harness, check out the artist on Instagram.

Baabes - "Don't Be Weird About It"

It's been a little while since we last heard from Baabes. Thankfully, the Boston band has a brand new single out! "Don't Be Weird About It" is that brand of punk rock that is defiantly their own. The vocals for "Don't Be Weird About It" are completely punk, but the guitar is just a little bit different. It sounds more like something you'd hear in a song from The Stone Roses or Kula Shaker. Baabes have always had a bit of a trashy punk sound, but this new song elevates them to high end trashy. Plus, the song has such an irresistible groove throughout that it demands the listener to dance, even slightly. "Don't Be Weird About It" is a great song, and a fantastic re-introduction to one of our local favorites.

You can watch the video for "Don't Be Weird About It" below. For more on Baabes, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram. Baabes will be playing with The Sheila Divine and Teardrops on January 4 at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA.

Rodeo Mouth - "Fanny's Farmhouse"

Photo by Felix Blanco

Country music has existed for roughly one hundred years at this point, so it's rare to find an artist making music that's unquestionably country but still puts their own spin on the genre. Nashville's Rodeo Mouth recently released "Fanny's Farmhouse," and it's a country song, but a oddly unique one. It's alt-country, but more because it can't be considered a pure country song. There's an old-timey feel to the song, and a sense of darkness even though the song is an ode to diners. Maybe it's the guitar tuning, but something about "Fanny's Farmhouse" is a tense listen. Plus, there seems to be a lot going on here. Rodeo Mouth have crafted a song where the main instruments are guitar and banjo, but these two don't seem to truly get along with each other. This should be a nice song... just something is slightly off, which makes it a great song.

You can listen to "Fanny's Farmhouse" below. For more on Rodeo Mouth, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

Sunday Junkie - "Haunted Head"

Worcester's Sunday Junkie is back with a new single. The band (which features members of Not Bad Not Well) just released "Haunted Head." The new single continues their post-rock goes pop sound. This one takes bands like At the Drive In and Deftones and filters them through a unique 80's rock filter. It's almost a power ballad, but, despite having some serious pop hooks, it rocks just a little too hard for that. "Haunted Head" is the kind of song that sounds fairly familiar since it's built on top of sounds that are deeply rooted in your psyche, but ends up being completely fresh. 

You can listen to "Haunted Head" below. For more on Sunday Junkie, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

Marie Davidson - "Sexy Clown"

Photo by Nadine Fraczkowski

I'm probably going to cover any song called "Sexy Clown," but it helps when it's a great track. The latest from Canadian DJ/producer Marie Davidson has a certain classic techno song, although it's not exactly a club rager. It's relatively chilled out, although it would be a little too much for a rave chill out room. "Sexy Clown" is definitely a dance track, but it reminds me of a certain style of 90's techno that landed between the main room of a club and the chill out room. This is more what you'd listen to while getting ready for the club. It's sure to get you hyped and energized on your way out without burning you out before you get there. It's also making me miss my college nights out.

Marie Davidson says of her latest single:

“Most people have a clown inside of them. Some are funny, some are shy, some are twisted, some are dark. The clown is the part of us that is dying to be seen, for better or for worse." 

You can watch the video for "Sexy Clown" below. City of Clowns is due out February 28 on DEEWEE, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Marie Davidson, check out the artist on Instagram.

Glixen - "lick the star"

Photo by Jocelyn Pacheco

Phoenix's Glixen have quickly become one of our favorite heavy shoegaze bands. Their latest single, "lick the star," starts off a little bit different. At first the song is a lovely, cinematic track that is quiet and almost lulls you into a trance. Eventually the noise comes in, and with "lick the star" it's like a sonic sledgehammer crashing into your face. Of course, it's shoegaze so it's still a warm embrace no matter how heavy the crash of noise ends up being. It goes from ultra-quiet to a chaotic whirlwind gathering around you. In other words, it's a fantastic song from a new favorite here at If It's Too Loud...

Aislinn Ritchie says of her band's latest single:

“This song is special, it begins with a mellow sonic bath of an intro and explodes into a whirling wall of sound and melody. Also, we are excited to announce our first full US headline tour. This is going to be a very busy and fun year for us!”

You can listen to "lick the star" below. quiet pleasures is due out February 21 on AWAL and Wichita Recordings. For more on Glixen, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

FEBRUARY

21 - Backstage Bar - Las Vegas, NV

22 - The Great Room - Fresno, CA

23 - Starlet Room - Sacramento, CA

25 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA

27 - Polaris Hall - Portland, OR #

28 - The Shakedown - Bellingham, WA #

MARCH

2 - Neurolux - Boise, ID #

3 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT #

5 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO #

7 - 7th St.Entry - Minneapolis, MN #

8 - Howdy - Kansas City, MO #

9 - Schubas - Chicago, IL %#

10 - Lager House - Detroit, MI %#

11 - Bottlerocket Social Hall - Pittsburgh, PA %#

13 - Monarch Tavern - Toronto, ON %#

14 - Cabaret Foufounes - Montreal, QC %#

15 - Baby’s All Right - Brooklyn, NY %#

16 - PhilaMOCA - Philadelphia, PA %#

17 - DC9 - Washington, DC %#

18 - The Pinhook - Durham, NC %#

20 - DRKMTTR - Nashville, TN %#

21 - The Masquerade - Altar - Atlanta, GA %#

22 - LCY Media - Birmingham, AL %#

24 - Club Dada - Dallas, TX %#

25 - The Ballroom - Austin, TX %#

26 - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX %#

28 - Sister Bar - Albuquerque, NM #

29 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ #

APRIL

5 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ #

11 - Coachella - Indio, CA † 

18 - Coachella - Indio, CA †

# - w/ she’s green

% - w/ Suzy Clue

† Festival Appearance

Blood Lemon - "Perfect Too"

Photo by Melanie Radford

I first discovered Blood Lemon back in 2022 opening for Built to Spill (bassist/vocalist Melanie Radford is also a current member of Built to Spill). The Boise post-riot grrrl band just released a new single, "Perfect Too." It's a seven and a half slow burn of a song heavy on the moody side. It's a song that is begging to break out. It does, although it takes a while. When it finally does, it evolves into a New Wave-esque dance friendly rocker. Although it does keep its edge and sense of darkness. "Perfect Too" is an epic new single that seems to combine Built to Spill and the more rocking side of Neil Young with Dark Wave.

Melanie Radford says of her band's new single:

“We performed this song live on our Winter tour with Built to Spill a couple years ago and it became an instant favorite. It has a nice build and performing it live has been incredibly satisfying.”

You can watch the video for "Perfect Too" below. Petite Deaths is due out January 17 via Moon Ruins, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Blood Lemon, check out the band's website. 

Lady Pills - "Sink the Ship"

Photo by Sophie Adams

Lady Pills has always played along the lines of indie rock and pop music. On her latest single, she blurs the lines even further and has made an indie rock dance banger. "Sink the Ship" has a disco beat that dares you not to dance. Seriously, if you can sit still during this song, you might want to make sure you still have a pulse. But it's still a rock based song, with far too much indie rock guitar to allow "Sink the Ship" to fully be a dance song. Sure, lots of artists have made indie rock dance friendly before, but Lady Pills is doing is slightly differently. Although, as the song goes on it becomes more and more disco based, so it's possible that "Sink the Ship" was designed to make indie rock snobs get into a modern disco jam without realizing it before it was too late.

You can listen to "Sink the Ship" below. Renowned in the Roaring Twenties is due out April 4, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Lady Pills, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook.

Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight - Inside a Dream

Something about the dark rock and roll of Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight just works for us, so we're thrilled that the band has a new three song EP out today. Inside a Dream starts out with the previously released "Heroes Shouldn't Be Villains," which has a certain 80's arena rock aesthetic going for it. That theme continues with the title track, "Inside a Dream." The song starts off with some drums that reminded me of Toni Basil's "Oh Mickey" and then transforms into a more rock based hybrid of The Cure and Duran Duran. It's dark... but fun dark. "Little Armies" closes out the EP, and it sounds like the most traditional Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight song on the release. It's a little too fast for a power ballad, but it's a dark rock fast paced one. 

Gretchen Shae says of her band's new EP:

“The songs are really just a response to loss in a number of ways. whether it is a friend, family, or a loved one.”

You can listen to Inside a Dream below. For more on Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

Neverless.am - "Will I Ever?"

Photo by Asher Thomas

It's been a while since we've heard from Lurid Purple Flowers. Since we last heard from the Boston band, they've changed their name to Neverless.am and have a new single out today. "Will I Ever?" continues the current trend of heavy shoegaze. The entire song is awash in guitar fuzz threatening to weight it down. Luckily, the pounding drums propel the entire track forward. Vocals aren't typically a highlight of shoegaze, but "Will I Ever?" also doubles as a showcase for CA Newcomb's vocals. This is loud/quiet/loud done to absolute perfection, with Neverless.am propelling you softly between the two volumes of the song.

Vocalist/guitarist CA Newcomb says of the band's latest single:

“Unfortunately, I was run over by a drunk driver and struggled with PTSD. I was pissed, emotional, tired, and scared at the same time. Ben shared a demo he had been working on and the chords just hit different. We wrote it together in one night.”

You can listen to "Will I Ever?" below. Neverless.am has a new album due out in February. For more on the band, check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

Tysk Tysk Task - "City Lights"

Photo by Collin Heroux

If you've gone to see Tysk Tysk Task in the past few months, you've probably heard their song "City Lights." It's become a personal favorite of mine, so I'm thrilled that the Lowell based band has officially released it as a single. "City Lights" marks a bit of a change for Tysk Tysk Task. It's their most mainstream song to date, and even though "mainstream" can be used negatively, that's not the case here. There is still all of the edge and pure guitar fury we've come to love and expect from Tysk Tysk Task, just in a package that has a bit more beauty to it. "City Lights" is a heavy, dissonant song, but it's also strangely beautiful. Samantha Hartsel and Rick Martel's guitars are at a next level with this song, and the two intertwine and co-mingle together perfectly. Plus, Hartsel's vocals are also hitting a new level with "City Lights," as she croons in a way that seems to welcome the noise around her. Tysk Tysk Task has long been a favorite here at If It's Too Loud..., and they continue to deepen that with every release.

You can listen to "City Lights" below. For more on Tysk Tysk Task, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

Sara Noelle - "Little Dove" / "Silent Night"

The Christmas single from Sara Noelle has become a favorite annual tradition here at If It's Too Loud..., and 2024 is no exception. This year sees the original track "Little Dove" and Noelle's version of the traditional "Silent Night." "Little Dove" is the type of song that could be a great modern singer-songwriter track without a holiday theme. Just drop the jingle bells, and you have a hypnotic and engaging song, but if you love Christmas music, the jingle bells just add to it. It's a gorgeous track that focuses on Noelle's captivating vocals. For "Silent Night," Noelle takes a song we've all heard hundreds, possibly thousands of times and updates it to a more electronic, space age-esque song. It has that 60's/70's futuristic sound instead of the traditional hymn we're used to.

Sara Noelle says of "Little Dove":

"'Little Dove' was inspired by a mourning dove that lived outside my window for a couple of months. I loved the routine of waking up every morning to check on her, noticing her patterns throughout the day and seeing her mate and hatchling born and eventually leave the nest. I love the sound of their call (what you hear in the song is actually her!) Feeling the kinship with animals is a grounding feeling – reminding us that we’re all connected on this earth – their behaviors aren’t that different from us humans. I liked the idea of writing a holiday song about her and viewing her as my 'Christmas angel' like the song sings." 

You can listen to "Little Dove" and "Silent Night" below. Both songs are available for download via Bandcamp. For more on Sara Noelle, check out the artist's website.

"Little Dove":

"Silent Night":

The Weather Station - "Window"

Photo by Brendan George Ko

According to the press release for the new single from The Weather Station, the project's upcoming album is "... the weirdest Weather Station record, yet, the most visceral." The musical project of Tamara Lindeman's new single, "Window," definitely fits that description. It has more of a rock sound to it than we're used to from The Weather Station, while still having that kinda sorta dance pop sound we've come to love from Lindeman. Plus, there is an abundance of flute throughout the song. "Window" is a driven song that instantly grabs your attention and holds it throughout multiple listens. This is strangely accessible art-rock-ish music, delving into singer-songwriter and possibly even folk at times.

You can watch the video for "Windows" below. Humanhood is due out January 17 on Fat Possum Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on The Weather Station, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Sat. Jan. 18 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV Birmingham - record store performance
Sun. Jan. 19 - Bristol, UK @  RT Bristol - Q&A & record store performance
Mon. Jan. 20 - Liverpool, UK @ RT Liverpool - record store performance
Tue. Jan. 21 - Leeds, UK @ Jumbo Leeds - record store performance
Wed. Jan. 22 - Nottingham, UK @ RT Nottingham - record store performance
Thu. Jan. 23 - London, UK @ Rough Trade East - record store performance
Wed. Feb. 26 - Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
Thu. Feb. 27 - Copenhagen, DK @ DR Studie 2
Fri. Feb. 28 - Berlin, DE @ Silent Green
Sun. Mar. 2 - Amsterdam, NL @ Tolhuistuin
Mon. Mar. 3 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique / Museum
Tue. Mar. 4 - Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
Thu. Mar. 6 - Brighton, UK @ CHALK
Fri. Mar. 7 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat. Mar. 8 - Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
Mon. Mar. 10 - Glasgow, UK @ Saint Luke’s
Tue. Mar. 11 - Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall
Wed. Mar. 12 - Bristol, UK @ The Fleece
Thu. Mar. 13 - London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
Thu. Mar. 27 - Montreal, QC @ Beanfield Theatre
Fri. Mar. 28 - Boston, MA @ Sinclair
Sat. Mar. 29 - Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios
Sun. Mar. 30 - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
Tue. Apr. 1 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Wed. Apr. 2 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Fri. Apr. 4 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
Sat. Apr. 5 - Washington, DC @ The Atlantis
Sun. Apr. 6 - Durham, NC @ Motorco
Mon. Apr. 7 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
Tue. Apr. 8 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
Thu. Apr. 10 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Fri. Apr. 11 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Sat. Apr. 12 - Iowa City, IA @ Hancher
Sun. Apr. 13 - Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe - Back Room
Thu. May 8 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Sat. May 10 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Mon. May 12 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Tue. May 13 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Thu. May 15 - Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre
Fri. May 16 - Victoria, BC @ Capital Ballroom
Sat. May 17 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Thu. June 5 - Ottawa, ON @ National Arts Theatre
Fri. June 6 - Toronto, ON @ Masonic Temple - The Concert Hall