If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Viagra Boys Album : viagr aboys Quick Thoughts : I'm a big fan of Viagra Boys, I've loved "Man Made of Meat" since it first hit streaming, and given that Cave World was a favorite of 2023 for me, I was looking forward to this one quite a bit. There are definitely some sonic tonal shifts with this one that might rub people the wrong way, but the truly skewed lyrical approach that sets them apart is here and it's delightful. Songs of Note : "Man Made of Meat," "Uno II," "Pyramid of Health," "Store Policy," "You N33D Me" Artist : Leslie Jordan Album : The Agonist Quick Thoughts : Inspired by letters from her late grandfather, this debut solo record from All Sons & Daughters singer / songwriter Leslie Jordan is a beautiful folky listen with a lot going for it. The title track alone won be over, but if you like the more thoughtful, contemplative side of Americana, check this out. Songs of Note : ...

Photo by Megan Winstone Hailing from Cardiff are Panic Shack, who just released the first single from their debut album. "Girl Band Starter Pack" is a hyper and bouncy as possible song that doesn't fit neatly in any one genre. Or two genres, for that matter. First of all, I can't tell if it's a rock song or a pop song. It's some blend of both, and your fandom of either genre will determine which one you find it to be. It has a strong punk attitude, but it's far too smooth sounding to be punk, even by the modern definition of the genre. It's kind of like a mixture of artists like Le Tigre, Bis, and Spice Girls. Basically, "Girl Band Starter Pack" is a ridiculously fun track that is dance music for people that both hate and love dance music. Panic Shack say of their latest single: "'Girl Band Starter Pack' was the title of our inspiration playlist on Spotify when we first started the band.  It's had many deaths and rebirths but...

Photo by Elizabeth Marsh Birmingham's Jahnah Camille has toured with Soccer Mommy and Clairo, and has some dates coming up with Blondshell. Those bands are perfect matches for the singer-songwriter, who just released the gorgeous "sit with you (pain)." The new single is a lush and epic mixture of indie rock and pop. It starts off quite quietly and stripped down, with just Camille's vocals and guitar. It slowly builds into a huge explosion of a song. While many of her peers are releasing slow build songs in the indie rock/pop worlds, "sit with you (pain)" is far noisier than most of those are, building into a squealing wall of noise while still keeping the song's melodies intact. Something tells me we're going to end up huge fans of Jahnah Camille. Jahnah Camille says that her latest single  “... is about cutting someone out of your life who you still care for deeply.  All of your critiques and drawbacks are still secondary for the love that you have....

Photo courtesy of Cruel Miracle When "Stone," the latest single from Cruel Miracle starts, you'd be forgiven for assuming it's going to be your standard alt-rock track. However, the Boston band quickly veers off in an unexpected direction for those of us unfamiliar with them. "Stone" is a hard rock track overall, but the band add in these unexpected little flourishes throughout. As heavy as the song is, there are elements that almost make the song a dance track, or even a little jazz maybe? Cruel Miracle have made a song that rocks as hard as it grooves, and thrown in some absolutely killer riffs for good measure. This one is a lot of fun for those times you just want to rock out. Cruel Miracle say of their latest single/video: “‘Stone’ is a story about perseverance – staying strong while remaining true to yourself. In typical Cruel Miracle fashion, one of us brought some riffs and then we all worked on the structure and arrangements. This was first created ...

Photo by Daniel Topete Blondshell (aka Sabrina Teitelbaum) has her new album due out Friday, but if you're as excited for it as we are, you're going to want to hear another new song while we wait. Luckily, she just released one last single, "Event of a Fire." This new song is an alt-pop/indie rock power ballad that blurs the line between rock and pop. The song starts off quietly and slowly builds to a much louder and explosive song. It's somehow Blondshell's most pop and rock song recorded so far. "Event of a Fire" was written while Teitelbaum was burnt out from touring and after a 4:00 a.m. hotel fire alarm evacuation outside of Boston. Just when we think we couldn't be more excited for her new album on Friday... Sabrina Teitelbaum says of her latest single: “It’s not really ‘what if I’m burnt out from touring.  It’s like, ‘what if I’m burnt out from just existing?’” You can watch the video for "Event of a Fire" below. If You Asked for...

Photo by Laura Merrill I love a good ghost story, and the latest from Sister Wives tells a great one. Sung in Donna Lee's native Welsh, "YnCanu" tells the story of the ghost of the Wylfa Power Station. The spirit is thought to be a New Zealand opera singer named Rosina who you can hear singing throughout the station. The song is a powerfully heavy and sludgy track. "YnCanu" may not be metal, but it is certainly metal adjacent. It's a more melodic version of a band like the Melvins, and is a master class in the loud/quiet/loud thing. Plus, the song, particularly the vocals, have a spooky undertone that I'm finding irresistible.  Sister Wives say of their latest single: " YnCanu is a haunting ballad that weaves together the eerie folklore of ‘Madam Wen’ or ‘White Lady’, a spectral figure forever tied to the rugged cliffs and crashing seas near Cemaes and the imposing Wylfa nuclear power station. The song tells the tragic tale of a woman who either met...

I've been loving the darkwave music coming from Boston's Ex-Hyena ever since we discovered them in 2022. The duo have sounded like no one else in the city for the past three years, and while their music is typically dark and brooding, their latest single sees them moving in a different direction. "Vanishing Edge" is the fastest and most dance friendly song they've released so far. As dark as it is, it's still a club friendly dance song, and a banger, as the kids say. This one is reminding me of late 80's club tracks, especially from an artist like Depeche Mode or Pet Shop Boys. "Vanishing Edge" is making me look forward to getting out to see Ex-Hyena again, hopefully sooner than later. You can listen to "Vanishing Edge" below. XX YOUR LOVE is due out this summer on Re:Mission Entertainment. For more on Ex-Hyena, check out the artist on Facebook and Instagram . Vanishing Edge by Ex-Hyena

Photo by Eleanor Petry Every song Ezra Furman releases is completely unique and while they're related to each other, they all have their own sound. Her latest single, "Power of the Moon," is based in 60's pop and psychedelia, but in Furman's own original way. The guitar might be my favorite part of the song. It has such a 60's garage rock sound to it that fits in perfectly with Furman's vocals and the overall groovy sound to the song. The song also has an oddly disjointed quality making it so that it's not a throwback song at all. It has a completely modern sound, with only its roots being in the past. "Power of the Moon" is such an interesting blend of garage rock, power pop, psychedelic rock, and indie rock that I can't imagine this one not winning over any listener. Ezra Furman says of her latest single: “ I took over five years writing this song. I’m not saying that makes it good, but it does mean that it means a lot to me. It’s anoth...