If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Anna Paul I've been on an unexpected 90's electronic music (or electronica, as we called it then) kick lately, so Spike has been a welcome discovery. The London synth pop artist has a new single out, "Event Horizon," that blends a lot of my favorite electronic styles. The song has a very DIY feel, which could be the synth pop element. While most electronic music is slick, "Event Horizon" has a gritty edge to it. It also has a beat closer to drum and bass, while the vocals and the overall vibe of the song is closer to trip-hop. Spike's sound blends multiple styles in a unique and thrilling way, and this latest single has us even more excited for her new album due on Friday! Hannah McLoughlin (aka Spike) says of her latest single: “An Event Horizon is the edge of a black hole known as 'the point of no return.' I used this to express how falling in love deeply can feel like a scary leap into the unknown. I made this song shortly after a nig...

Photo courtesy of Diane Philadelphia gloom band Bruise Bath have a new single out that is a must listen for those of us with an appreciation for the darker side of music. "Blood On My Tongue" follows the indie rock loud/quiet/loud format, but with a more sludgy sound than you might normally expect. A lot of people are going to see that I'm calling this song beautiful, but a lot of you will understand why I'm saying that. The song is hypnotic at times, lulling you into a sense of calm... and then the song bursts into something much noisier and more forceful. If you appreciate artists like Slint, you're going to enjoy "Blood On My Tongue." Something tells me you'll be hearing more from Bruise Bath here. You can listen to "Blood On My Tongue" below. Bruise Bath's self-titled album is due out November 6 on Strange Mono Records. For more on the band, check out the band on Instagram . They'll be playing July 31 at O'Brien's in Bos...

Photo by Danny Clinch I don't know about you, but my social media feeds have been filled with videos of Tom Morello's epic return to the Newport Folk Festival this past weekend. In the wake of that, he's announced a new solo album and has a new single out. "Date Night" tells the amazing true story of three Dutch girls (Truus and Freddie Oversteegen and Hannie Schaft who smuggled weapons and helped Jewish children during World War II. Most famously, they seduced Nazi officers and lured them to the woods where they were killed. Musically, "Date Night" doesn't sound like any of Morello's previous releases. It's more of a hard rock sound with elements of metal, punk, and hip hop. That might sound like it's exactly like Rage Against the Machine, but Morello has found a new sound that is related but not a sequel to RATM. It also sounds immediate and urgent, even without the subject matter. We're always thrilled to hear what Morello is up to...

Artist : Josaleigh Pollett Album : If I Let it Quiet Quick Thoughts : Josaleigh Pollett had my favorite album of 2023 , and there are several songs from that record, three years later, that remain in heavy rotation. I'm not going to say, after a few days, that If I Let It Quiet is better, but I am obsessed nonetheless. On what is functionally their third fuill-length collaboration with Jordan Watko / Crowd Shy, it's incredible to see Pollett's songwriting and presentation leap forward from album to album. The lush electronics underpinning so many of these songs are perfect : the ambient bed below "Cherry" feels like a sequel to "YKWIM," "Bed of Quiet" incorporates some Chris Walla guitar work for some modern crunch, "The Witness" trades Pollett's understated, lower-register vocals with a truly full sound behind their lyrics, and even lead single "Radio Player" feels whole and complete as it builds toward its end....

Photo by Ashley Gellman "Heavy Metal" might be my favorite of Madi Diaz's songs, and she's released a new version of it from her upcoming UN-unplugged edition of last year's phenomenal Fatal Optimist. The original version is just Diaz and her guitar, and the re-worked version includes drums and Lucy Dacus singing backup vocals and taking on a verse. Even with the added elements, "Heavy Metal (UN-unplugged)" feels more raw and stripped down than the original. The emotions of the song are heightened, and Diaz has added something extra special to an already deeply emotional song. We've long been confounded that Diaz isn't one of the most popular artists of her generation, and this version of "Heavy Metal" only helps prove us correct. Madi Diaz says of her latest single: “Doesn’t Lucy Dacus just sound like Frank Sinatra with a velvet cape and gloves on? I could listen to her verse in my ears on repeat. I was so honored when she agreed to ad...

New York City power pop group Joy Buzzer have released a cover of The Beatles' 1966 classic "She Said, She Said." This new version of the song remains rather true to the original, with some flourishes. Joy Buzzer have increased the fuzz and psychedelia of The Beatles' version. It's still instantly recognizable as the Revolver tune, but it sounds a bit more like Sgt Pepper 's Beatles with psych-friendly guitar solos, and an increase in vocal harmonies. It's a fun cover song that stays true to the original while adding just enough of their own sound to it. Joy Buzzer say of their new cover: "'She Said, She Said' feels like a natural fit for us because so much of what we love about power pop is already there in the song.  The hooks, the guitars, the momentum—we just wanted to push it louder and bring our own energy to it. It's incredible how easily a song from 1966 can still feel immediate when you turn everything up." You can listen to ...

Photo by Levi Price Slothrust continues to be great. Their latest single, "Ring the Bell," is a perfect example of what they do. It's mainstream alt-rock that borders (or crosses the border into) pop music. But they always do it in a way that keeps the indie snobs happy. This latest single is catchy, it's heavy and melodic, and it's about as danceable as rock music can get. As always with a Slothrust song, there can be debate as to if they're truly rock or more pop music, but when a song is this great, does it really matter? "Ring the Bell" shows one of the most underrated bands out there today at their peak. You're all gonna end up loving this one. Leah Wellbaum and Will Godin say of their latest single: " We really want people to take away a message from this album of self-liberation amidst the flickers of seemingly inescapable dread.  Despite the permeating blue light of the external world, it is still possible to find your freedom and id...

Photo by Kate Simonian Washington DC's Flowers for the Dead have a new slow burning single you're going to need to check out. "My Misery is Mine" starts out as a moody indie rock song, and eventually transforms into an epic burst of modern alt-rock. At the beginning, it's a quietly intense song, and if it stayed like that, it would still be a great track. But... you can just tell what's coming. Instead of the louder part of the song bursting in, "My Misery is Mine" ramps it up, making the payoff even more effective. This is one of those songs that you know will be amazing live, so let's all hope Flowers for the Dead make it up to New England sometime soon.  Singer/guitarist Jenny Szeg ö  says of her band's latest single: “I wrote this song during one of those life moments where things feel like they're just happening and you have no control over it.  I've learned to trust in the way things go and put faith in the universe, but there...

Seattle's EEP-OOP! have a brand new single out that is pop-punk perfection. "Pretty" is somehow grittier than pop punk typically is, while also being incredibly poppy. It includes some great keyboards that are somewhere in between 60's garage rock and 80's New Wave. This is a song that unabashed fans of pop punk will love, and those that hate the genre are still going to begrudgingly admit is a great song. You'd have to hate joy and fun not to enjoy "Pretty." EEP-OOP! have such a great sound that carves out their own slice of pop punk. EEP-OOP! says of their latest single: "Pretty is a song that asks the hard questions. If you didn't feel pretty before, you will after listening to this! Make sure you kiss your mirror every morning and try not to fall in love with your friends.” You can watch the video for "Pretty" below. Choices is due out September 11 on Mom's Basement Records, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp . ...

Hailing from Asbury Park, CUSSING are a pop/rock duo that redefine that genre with their sound. Their latest single, "LUNGS," is unquestionably a pop song. It's catchy as possible, but while most artists that are considered pop are polished, "LUNGS" is raw. The song is an interesting and irresistible mixture of pop and raw, DIY art punk. It's minimalist and edgy, but you're going to want to dance to it. They consider The Kills and Sleigh Bells as influences, and have played shows with If It's Too Loud... favorites like Perennial and TIFFY, all of which help describe CUSSING's sound and vibe. "LUNGS" is one of my favorite musical discoveries of the summer, and I can't wait to hear more from these folks. You can listen to "LUNGS" below. HAVE YOU SEEN CUSSING? is due out August 14. For more on CUSSING, check out the band on Instagram . LUNGS by CUSSING