If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Charlie Barclay Harris Westside Cowboy started after James (Jimmy) Bradbury read Billy Bragg's book on the history of skiffle. The band may have been inspired by the early UK rock and roll movement described in Roots, Radicals and Rockers , but they certainly don't sound much like that genre. Their latest single, "Don't Throw Rocks," has a much more indie rock style, with a guitar sound that seems to combine country twang with indie rock whine. Despite being just over three minutes, "Don't Throw Rocks" is a giant epic of a song that builds and builds upon itself. Westside Cowboy have crafted an impressive new single that has us desperately craving more. The band says of their new single: “Jimmy’s lyrics on this deal a lot in time and change, and how it, more often than not, moves out of our control and without niceties. We wanted the music to reflect this too. With each section, we wanted to add a new gear, to increase the intensity until it...

Photo courtesy of the band Dirt Road Souls are a new Americana band out of Boston. Their new single, "Hold on Soul," is from their upcoming concept album about Johnny Moonshine, a smalltown rebel, moonshine runner, and tragic figure. The song combines country rock and Southern gothic into a sound that is both new and familiar. It has all of the pain and yearning associated with country while avoiding the trappings of modern mainstream country. It's great enough that fans of alt-country or classic country are going to be immediately won over, but oddly accessible enough that it could very well win over more mainstream fans. Typically alt-country is considered music that's too rock for country and too country for rock, but "Hold on Soul" is just the right amount of both. Davis Black says of his band's latest single: “‘Hold on Soul’ was first written many years ago when I had left my small town and gone off to start a life in Boston. After high school and c...

We've been fans of Tristen's for a while now, ever since discovering her opening for Justin Townes Earle way back in 2012. Her sound has evolved from a more alt-country sound to an alt-pop one, and we've been with her all the way. This week she released two new singles and videos for "Because Your Love is Mine" and "Skin of Our Teeth." The former seamlessly melds both her alt-country and pop sides. It has jangly guitars, some amazing pop hooks, and just enough twang to make her original country fans happy. "Skin of Our Teeth" is a little more pop focused, with a faster beat perfect to dance to, but with guitar that's a little more rock based than "Because Your Love is Mine." Both songs are fairly different but pair together perfectly. These are fun songs that will appeal to long term fans of Tristen's, and are sure to bring in new ones as well. You can watch the videos for "Because Your Love is Mine" and "Skin o...

Photo by Rae Mascardo Alma Mu ñ eca are an art-pop band based out of Austin, TX. Their latest single, "Anhelo," is an exciting burst of pop music that's going to appeal to those who don't typically enjoy anything pop related. The song certainly has modern pop elements to it, more so on the alt-pop side. But it also has some strong roots in 90's electronica or techno. Once the beat starts truly kicking in, those of us that went through a post Trainspotting club or rave phase are going to start having flashbacks. I can't quite put my finger on it, but "Anhelo" also has some indie rock vibes to it. If you bristle at the term pop, you still need to give Alma Mu ñ eca a shot. Lead singer Coc ó  Allegra says of the band's latest single: "How can I feel so passionate and loving about someone yet I also feel so much confusion, anger and sadness about them too? Keeping yourself hopeful in hopeless moments, freezing time with my lyrics and sharing it ...

Photo by Adam Alonzo Skullcrusher typically releases music that's intimate and stripped down, and that's certainly what her latest single is. What makes "Living" different from what we're used to is that it's not exactly a beautiful song. Sure, there's beauty throughout, but "Living" has an oddly disturbing element to it. There's something unsettling about the way the song is structured. It might also be the closest to a pure folk song that Skullcrusher has released to date. It's still intimate, although it's more lush than "March" was. This one is a great song you're going to love, but be warned that it may just unearth some unexpected emotions within you. Helen Ballentine (aka Skullcrusher) says of her latest single: “One day I was wandering around Brooklyn and I felt like I was watching everything through a window or on a screen. I felt like everyone was moving so fluidly and certainly like moving through a piece of c...

No one sounds quite like The Lowliest One. The Kingston, NY based band recently released a new single, "Cash Only," that is going to blow you away. The song is a dark and moody rant somewhere between indie rock and post-punk. It has the dark and moody guitars of The Cure, the noise of Sonic Youth, a vocal delivery akin to Violent Femmes, and this is all with a twang trying to hide behind all of the noise. The song is wonderfully intense, and it could either be an acquired taste or have a surprising amount of accessibility. With songs like this I can never tell, but The Lowliest One have a killer song on their hands that is sure to win many of you over. You can listen to "Cash Only" below. The song will be included on their upcoming album Cascades.  For more on The Lowliest One, check out the band on Instagram and their website . Cash Only by The Lowliest One

Odario was born in Guyana and raised in Winnipeg. His latest single sees him teaming with UK dub legend Mad Professor and producer Chaix. "Double Up" is a mixture of hip hop and dub, which obviously work perfectly together. This one feels like it would have been huge when I was in college, as it fits in with the late 90's vibes of artists like Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples. Also Bob Marley's Legend was basically given out to all incoming freshmen back then, so sounds like "Double Up" were omnipresent in my college experience. Odario and Mad Professor have come upon a fantastic sound with this one, and we could all use something this wonderfully chill in 2025. Odario says of his latest single: “In my music, I’ve always wanted to bridge the sound of my upbringing with where I’m headed. Double Up is personal—it merges the reggae and dub I grew up with through my father’s records, and the hip-hop culture that shaped me as a writer. It feels like I’m standing in...

Photo by Kate LeMendola Girl Tones are sisters Kenzie and Laila. Their latest single, "Burnout," is a guitar driven song that would have been considered alt-rock in the 90's but might be classified more as pop in 2025. It's going to remind you a lot of bands like Letters to Cleo and Veruca Salt. What's interesting is how fuzzed out and raw the guitar sounds in "Burnout" while the song is still quite poppy. It's a little garage rock, and a whole lot of fun. Girl Tones are one of those bands that we could see blow up in the very near future, and if they keep releasing killer songs like "Burnout," it will be well deserved. Vocalist Kenzie says of the band's latest single: “‘Burnout’ is about our attention spans shrinking and the need for instant gratification. The pressure of constantly producing and consuming. How do we keep up without burning out? This song inspires me to slow down and enjoy the smaller things in life and preserve the cr...

Hailing from San Francisco, Sonny & The Sunsets have one of the most gloriously unique yet familiar styles of music out there. Their latest single, "Something to Let Go Of," was created during a trip to Senegal, is a thrilling mixture of beach music, cosmic psychedelia, and African rhythms. The band's Bandcamp description describes their music as "busted beach-pop," and that's just about the perfect description. It features percussion from Khadim Nyong and vocals from Theresa N'Gambi and Kelly McFarling, which creates this brilliant mash-up of The Beach Boys, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Jonathan Richman, and Sun Ra. "Something to Let Go Of" has such a brilliant and pleasant sound, no true music fan will be able to deny this one. You can listen to "Something to Let Go Of" below. The Diving Kind is due out November 14 on Rocks in Your Head Records, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Sonny & The Sunsets...

Sulka is the musical project of Glasgow's Lukas Clasen. His latest single, "Halloween," is an oddly spooky DIY singer-songwriter track that shows off the best of what self-produced melodic rock can sound like. It's a lush and fully fleshed out song while still having all of the best DIY qualities as well. It grabs your attention not despite how quiet it is, but instead because of how quiet it is. Plus, "Halloween" isn't a 90's bedroom recording throwback. This sounds purely 2025, and mixes it's beauty and its rough edges together into a perfect little package. Even if the song wasn't perfect for the spooky season, we'd still be enamored with the latest from Sulka. Lukas Clasen says of his latest single: “Halloween is a song I produced last year as part of a new collection that returns to my DIY style of doing things. I tracked all of the parts myself and slowly built up its sonic characteristics over time, with the addition of synths prog...

Photo by Allister Ann Madi Diaz has long been one of those artists that seems to be on the precipice of breaking out, and her upcoming album might be what finally does it. Her latest single, "Why'd You Have to Bring Me Flowers," is a melancholy country/Americana song that leans heavily into the singer-songwriter genre. It's a simple song consisting of Diaz's vocals and guitar, but it couldn't be more captivating. Diaz just has this little something in her voice that is impossible to resist, and her songwriting keeps getting better with every release. Don't be surprised if your kids/nieces and nephews are mentioning Diaz at your next family get-together, which will be followed by hearing any of the songs from Fatal Optimist being played in your office by the spring. Madi Diaz says of her upcoming album: “ Fatal Optimism  is the innate hope for something magical. It’s the weird faith that kicks in while knowing that there is just plain risk that comes with w...

Artist : Snooper Album : Worldwide Quick Thoughts : Some great, great, GREAT power pop punk here. It's a whirlwind of sound that feels super tight from start to finish, doesn't take itself too seriously (example: their cover of "Come Together"), and you just come away from this feeling like they're a band that has found their spot and plan to occupy it for some time. A great listen this week. Songs of Note : "Company Car," "Hologram," "Worldwide," "Star 6 9," "Come Together," "Blockhead" Artist : Rocket Album : R is for Rocket Quick Thoughts : Ken sent this one over and this is a new act for me. Melodic indie rock, for sure, but will probably draw positive comparisons to Speedy Ortiz and the sort of 90s grunce / alt-rock that influences it. "Crossing Fingers" won me over immediately, but the whole album is worth your time. Songs of Note : "Crossing Fingers," "Another ...

Photo by Conor James Ireland's Just Mustard are going to be a next to impossible to define band. Their latest single, "ENDLESS DEATHLESS," is probably closest to shoegaze as far as a genre, but that barely begins to explain the sound. The guitars sound warped, and are squealing for attention in the best possible way. Despite that, it has beats that would sound more at home in a dance song, and Katie Ball's vocals are more aligned with the pop sound of The Cardigans. Taking all of this into consideration, "ENDLESS DEATHLESS" should not work at all, but it's one of my favorite songs of the year. Just Mustard could end up having a breakout year in 2026, and we're here for it. You can watch the video for "ENDLESS DEATHLESS" below. WE WERE JUST HERE is due out October 24 on Partisan Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Just Mustard, check out the band's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the video. Fri. Oct. 24 - L...

Via was a Boston band featuring Thalia Zedek (Come, Live Skull, Uzi), Jerry di Rienzo (Cell, Nuclear Theater), James Apt (Six Finger Satellite), Adam Gaynor (Nuclear Theater), and Phil Milstein (Uzi). The band only played two shows in the late 80's, and never had an official release.  That changes November 14 when Dromedary Records releases an EP of Via's recordings. The first single off of that release, "1,000 MPH," is out now, and it's fantastic. Chris Brokaw has said that Via might be Thalia Zedek's best band, which is quite a statement. After you hear the first two seconds of "1,000 MPH," you might agree. The song is immediately obsession worthy. It's buzzsaw guitars flatten you before the track fully takes off. As great as the vocals and lyrics are, it's the instrumentation that makes "1,000 MPH" so memorable. It's an unhinged and just barely under control blast of noisy indie rock and punk. To me it sounds like if Steve Al...