If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Reese Layton Blondshell, aka Sabrina Teitelbaum, announced her third album and released the title track. "Violins" is everything we love about the artist. Lots of bands nowadays blur the lines between indie rock and pop, but no one does it quite like Blondshell. "Violins" is an epic track. It's a power ballad with the emphasis on power. This is the kind of indie rock that's going to be a gateway to the genre for kids that grew up on pop, as well as their crusty old indie rock snob dads. Plus, there's great crunchy guitar work throughout that leads to a killer solo. Blondshell has been on the precipice of superstardom since her first album, and Violins might just what puts her over the edge. Sabrina Teitelbaum says of her latest single: “This song sums up the album in a lot of ways. When I was writing I felt really drawn to images of patience and kindness, for example putting your head on someone’s shoulder, alongside images of violence. I was al...

Photo by Emma Ledgerwood Cel Ray are undeniably a punk band, but without the trappings of your typical punk sound. Their latest single, "Toxic," is a fast and furious song that's punk without being capital "P" Punk. It's less than two minutes long, which is very punk, but the guitars have this odd tuning that is somehow both melodic and art punk. Singer Maddie Davis has a ferocity to her vocals while still being melodic with some hints of pop. And then there's the meaning behind the song, which is about not feeling like you lived up to your childhood potential. It's a very punk sentiment without being stereotypical. Cel Ray have something truly great with this one, and we're looking forward to hearing more. You can watch the video for "Toxic" below. Cel Rayzer is due out July 24 on Exploding in Sound Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Cel Ray, check out the band on Instagram . 07/18 - Chicago, IL @ Ra...

Photo by Mariana Calzada For their new single, Karen y Los Remedios have moved in a more electronic direction. "Creació n del Universo" combines dream pop with electronic music and Latin rhythms into a wonderfully unique style. The song leans into pop territory, but even the most pop hesitant of us will end up loving this one. It's wonderfully hypnotic, with an undeniably great beat. This is a song perfect for dancing, even though it's quite laid back. Karen y Los Remedios have crafted a sonic escape that will put you in a dream like sonic world for four glorious minutes. You're not going to be able to resist this one. Ana Karen G. Barajas says of her band's latest single: "For Creación del Universo , I drew on ancient civilizations’ accounts of life being breathed into existence through a divine breath. It addresses love while metaphorically referencing scientific theories suggesting that time did not exist at the moment of the universe’s creation, imagi...

Photo by Dan Saltzman The latest from TELL is being called "the feel bad hit of the summer," and we couldn't be more here for it. "Hate Yourself in the Morning" is a dark alt-rock track, but, in true alt-rock fashion, there is a sense of levity to it. It's gritty and rough, with a lighter sense to it. It feels like the song is overflowing with sarcasm, which could just be because they're a Boston band. "Hate Yourself in the Morning" feels like the auditory version of the title character of Pearl 's smile over the end credits. TELL are smiling through the darkness of the summer of 2026, but aren't we all? David Wildman (Guitar, lead vocals, and keyboard) says of his band's latest single: “Lyrically I was just having fun with imagery, although I tend towards the dark side! It tells the story of a relationship where one member chooses the nasty with someone who has a bad reputation, and the other realizes this and warns them that what ...

The trio of Bob Mould, David Barbe, and Malcolm Travis (aka Sugar) have a brand new single out that will delight fans of their original run. "Keep Looping" is a fuzzy and melodic alt-rocker that sounds like it could be an unreleased song from Copper Blue or File Under: Easy Listening. Bob Mould's solo work has been impossibly consistent for decades now, but reforming Sugar seems to have injected him with a new sense of urgency, and "Keep Looping" is a great song. If you've ever been a fan of Husker Du, Sugar, or anything Bob Mould has ever done, you're going to love this one. Sugar is one of those bands I never thought about reuniting, but we're thrilled to have them back. Bob Mould says of his band's new single: “Living in SF, I have a love/hate relationship with AI. It’s bringing my City back to life, but at what cost to society and the environment? And do we trust the current regime to do the right thing with this new tech? The new song has mo...

Photo by Kate Strowkowski Sometimes bands end up pairing together beautifully. That was the case Wednesday night when the highly political saxophone party punk of Downtown Boys was paired with the artpunk/mod of Perennial. Both bands are two of my favorites, and I try to see them separately as often as possible. Together? A complete can't miss! The show took place in the TV studio of Holyoke Media, which was an odd and interesting but perfect place for a show. There wasn't an actual stage as much as a line created by monitors on the floor, but that worked perfectly for these two bands. Perennial was up first, and it had been far too long since I last saw them. They've always been one of New England's most fun live bands, and if anything, they're even more so now. It was an ultra-high energy set that saw the live debut of their killer new single, "What's New On the Beat Scene." Perennial are at their best with high audience participation, which was brou...

Photo by PJ Guinto Josaleigh Pollett has a new single out off of their upcoming album, and this might be my favorite of her pre-release singles so far. "Like a River" is an indie/folktronica masterpiece. The Salt Lake City artist immediately grabs you once the song starts without using volume. The song has so many elements inside of it that it requires multiple listens to fully grasp, although you're going to love it from listen number one. It's relatively calm but quietly intense, with an undeniable beat that adds to the hypnotizing effect. Plus, the calypso element is infectious and sucks you even deeper into the song. Josaleigh Pollett says of their latest single: “Like a River is about an attempt at quieting the noise of my own thoughts and of a chaotic world around me in order to try to be more resilient. A too-late-coffee-fueled yellow-light-lit silent moment - having arrived at myself just in time to feel my pulse speed up and the news of the day sweep me away ...

Photo by Travis Gillett Built to Spill and Blood Lemon bassist Melanie Radford has one new single out before her solo album is due tomorrow (June 26). "Sink & Swallow" takes a bit to get going, but once it does it turns into the most lovely single we've heard from her to date. The songs starts off with an extended ambient opening, and then turns into a compelling and engaging song that borders on folk and Americana. As laid back and relaxed as "Sink & Swallow" may seem at first, there is an intensity lurking beneath the surface. The twang lingering in the song is almost foreboding, but somehow makes the song even more immediate and beautiful. We're sure to be checking out Radford's full album once it is released tomorrow. Melanie Radford says of the video for her new single: “The video is a dreamy depiction of 3 inner selves. I'm a firm believer in people containing multitudes of selves that need attention and care. However, not one singularl...

Photo by Harry McCoy and Karen Baglio Led by Sal Baglio (The Stompers, The Peppermint Kicks), The Amplifier Heads are back with a brand new single. "Rock N Roll Riot" is an amped up history lesson of rock and roll, equal parts garage rock and power pop, with more than a little punk thrown in. It's loud, it's brash, and it just straight up rocks. This might be the loudest song you've heard from someone whose Boston rock roots stretch back to the early 80's. "Rock N Roll Riot" is a straight up, no nonsense rock song. It also has one of the catchiest and simple choruses around that you're sure to be singing for the rest of the day. Sal Baglio says of his band's upcoming album: “S uper 8 is a grainy film. Magic fingers in a cheap hotel. A skip and scratch of a 45 on an old hot RCA Victor. Memory. Lotsa sax. The sound of an AM radio just off the dial on top of a kitchen table 1965. An old Circus magazine in a basement box. The banging of an old ...

Karly Hartzman of Wednesday Photo by Ken Sears Welcome to the third and final day of the Green River Festival, where if you weren't wearing a piece of Geese merchandise, one was provided for you. It was very obvious who most of the crowd at Green River were there to see (which led to the biggest attendance in Green River's forty years), and the big question was if the band of the moment would live up to the hype. Of course, there was a lot of music to be heard Sunday, and we took in as much as we could! Angela Autumn, Backporch Stage Angela Autumn was one of those artists I discovered while preparing for this year's Green River Festival, and I'm glad I did. She plays that style of Americana/roots music that comes right up against the mainstream while still having her own unique sound. Her songs are beautiful, but with an edge to them. Before Sunday afternoon, I had only heard a handful of songs of hers, and after Sunday afternoon, I'm more than a little obsessed. Au...

Linnea's Garden, Boston's favorite "punk rock you can dance to" band, is back with a brand new EP. Get Heard shows an evolution and a step forward for the band. It starts off with "Sell Yr Love," a more contemplative and mellow song than we're used to from Linnea's Garden. It reminds me of some of Kim Gordon's more quiet Sonic Youth songs, but maybe more in vibe than sound. "Grrrl On Guitar" is chock full of references to other bands and songs, and it's kind of fun to try to catch them all... when you're not just rocking out and enjoying the song. "Stop Codon" is a killer and fun rock song, and "Her," the EP's closer, brings back the more laid back and melodic vibe while still being full of power and kick. Linnea's Garden have been on a hot streak lately, and Get Heard proves the band's dominance. You can listen to Get Heard below. The EP is available for download via Bandcamp . For more on Linnea...

Photo by Sonny Loya I was bummed to miss The Animeros at the Green River Festival on Saturday, and now the Austin, TX band is rubbing it in with a new single. "La Camita" is a cover of Traffic Sound's 1971 song, and somehow The Animeros' version is both more retro and modern sounding. It somehow has a retro cool vibe without sounding like a lost cut from pre-1970... but it also kinda does. This is psychedelic cumbia at its finest, and it's a laid back party perfect for dancing. Once again, I'm going to nominate a song as the song of the summer, but "La Camita" is a perfect summer track, and builds to a glorious finish. You could spend four minutes a lot worse than listening to the latest from The Animeros. The Animeros say of their latest single: “In the lead-up to our recording sessions with Dan Auerbach, we were trading ideas and inspirations back and forth. ‘La Camita’ was a song I had never heard, but Dan had it in his extensive 45 collection, an...