If It's Too Loud...

Kentucky's S.G. Goodman has released a cover of Butthole Surfers' 1996 megahit "Pepper," and it's everything you expect it to be. Goodman keeps the song instantly recognizable yet completely her own with her cover. You'll most likely recognize the song from the guitar into, but the spoken word vocals will solidify it. It's a countrified version of the song with foreboding guitar throughout. The cover is every bit as weird as the original, possibly even more so since it's a bizarre freak country jam. If you're on the fence as the song starts, you'll be won over by the twanged out jam at the end. We're huge fans of Goodman's here at If It's Too Loud..., and her take on "Pepper" proves we're right. S.G. Goodman says of her cover of "Pepper": “‘Being I was a young child when I first heard Pepper, I am certain that I loved the excuse to request a band where I could say 'Butthole' without consequence. To be...

Sick Gazelle is the experimental group of Bruce Lamont (Yakuza), Eric Block (Veloce), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), and the recently added Douglas McCombs (Tortoise). They've recently released a brand new single that is fairly mainstream as far as experimental music goes. "Hippies" feels like a freeform jazz meets noise rock jam. It's a disjointed yet smooth and groovy track, heavy on the psychedelic vibes and trippy sounds. Bruce Lamont's saxophone is what holds the track together, providing both the most dissonance and the smooth groove. This is a good one, and listeners with more open minds are going to love it. You can watch the video for "Hippies" below. Veld is due out June 26 on Vampire Blues, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Sick Gazelle, check out the band on Instagram .

Boston's The Endorphins are back with a new single that's going to give those of us that were around in the 90's some serious flashbacks. "MIRAGE" has a certain mid to late 90's sound to it. It's a mid-tempo, heavily fuzzed out track that reminds me of 1994-1997. Grunge had started to fade out, and a more pop focused form started taking over the airwaves. (What we now refer to as "bubblegrunge.") "MIRAGE" is a little shoegazey, and a little bit post-grunge. It's reminding me of a mixture of 90's Weezer, Hum, and Nada Surf. The Endorphins have also snuck an unexpected groove in just below the surface.  You can watch the video for "MIRAGE" below. For more on The Endorphins, check out the band's website .

Photo by Sofia Seguar Las Robertas are a Costa Rica based band, and they just released a brand new single. "Everything I Wanted to Be" shows off their 60's psychedelic meets shoegaze sound. The song has a light and hazy feel, with the fuzz of shoegaze coming across in an almost sunny way. By going back to the 60's and psychedelia, Las Robertas have evolved shoegaze into yet another style. The band's influences include The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lush, and Ride, and those will all be evident with "Everything I Wanted to Be." A lot of shoegaze these days tends to be mixed with pop or a heavier sound, but Las Robertas are moving it in a completely different direction. Something tells me we're going to end up being diehard fans by the time their album comes out. You can watch the video for "Everything I Wanted to Be" below. All We Need Is Now is due out June 26 on Kanine Records and Spinda Records, and is available for pre-order here . For mo...

Photo by Miryam Weiss and J Kimball Boston's Jesus the Dinosaur has a new single out that meshes folk, pop, and rock into their own sound. "Empty Space" is a laid back track that is probably closest to folk pop. It's endlessly engaging, with just enough flourishes to keep it from being too pop, while still working for both a more mainstream audience and the music snobs. It's reminding me of a mix of Dawes and Cuddle Magic. "Empty Space" could be considered power pop, but with the power part scaled back. What's truly telling for this new single is that it feels much shorter than its two minute length. Each time I've listened I've been surprised that it's already over. Jesus the Dinosaur have made something special with this one. Tommy Ng says of his band's latest single: “The lyrics are about spending time alone, and doing your own thing. This is something I’ve always had to do to maintain my capacity for dealing with the world, and to...

Photo by Shem Roose You might know Bob Wagner as one of the guitarists in Mike Gordon of Phish's solo band. Now the Burlington, VT singer-songwriter and guitarist is set to release his debut solo album, and has released a brand new single. "Richest Man on Earth" is a murder ballad even if it doesn't sound quite like what you think of when you hear the term murder ballad. Wagner's song may be melancholy, but it's far prettier than your typical murder ballad. It includes some flourishes that are more jam band than Americana, but it's the kind of song that will appeal to fans of both. "Richest Man on Earth" borders on being folk-pop or on the mainstream end of folk, and that's hardly a bad thing when a song is this good. Plus, it feature pedal steel from Laur Joamets from Sturgill Simpson's band, and you can't go wrong there. Bob Wagner says of his new single: “I was driving home after buying a 100-year-old Oscar Schmidt rubber bridge gu...

Poison Ruin have released one of the most intriguing punk/metal albums of the year with Hymns from the Hills. Lots of bands blur the lines between punk and metal, but no one does it quite like them. Their tour has brought them to a few venues around New England, and considering how much I love The Stone Church in Brattleboro, VT but rarely get there, that was the date I chose to check out. Poison Ruin are an absolute beast live. It's loud, it's heavy, and it's great. Just pure, no nonsense punk mixed with metal. They play shred heavy rock without being overly showy. What's truly great about Poison Ruin's music, and in turn their live show, is how diverse their sound can be. Some songs are more punk, some are more metal, and some had an undeniable groove that leaned into funk. This is the kind of band that attracts hipsters in ironic mullets and metalheads in unironic mullets. And both crowds make complete sense at a Poison Ruin show, and both had a great time. It wa...

Boston garage rock mods The Chelsea Curve are back with a new single off their upcoming album. "Ride" is everything we want from the trio. It's an unbelievably catchy rock track with pop hooks and more of a mod sheen than your typical garage rock song. These days we could use as much fun as we can possibly get, and a song like "Ride" perfectly provides that. This is the perfect song for anyone who has ever had a soft spot for garage rock, mod, or even Brit pop. Plus, The Chelsea Curve get huge on this one. At some points, especially towards the end, it feels like they might be doing their best to channel The Who.  You can listen to "Ride" below. The Rideout is due out on May 1 on Rum Bar Records, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on The Chelsea Curve, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . They'll be playing a killer bill at The Burren in Somerville on June 12 with The Gruesomes and Muck & the Mires. Ride by The...

Photo by Alexa Viscius Andrew Sa has a magical sound that combines classic country and modern indie folk. His latest single, which was written by collaborator Liam Kazar, is titled "Under You" and has this dreamy quality to go along with the twang. It sounds like a song written and recorded decades ago by a time traveler from the 2000s. Sa has taken a sound incredibly familiar and comfortable and tweaked it just enough to make it fresh and all his own. "Under You" is a truly special song, and I have a feeling Sa's debut album is going to be blowing a lot of us away in June. Andrew Sa says of his latest single: “Liam Kazar is a friend whose songwriting I’ve admired for some time now. He knows my voice intimately and my infatuation with epic Roy Orbison tunes. ‘Under You’ is about feeling fully taken over, euphorically consumed by the obsessive spell of love.” You can listen to "Under You" below. American Rough is due out June 26 on Bloodshot Records, an...

Photo by Jen Squires Abigail Lappell's upcoming album is a collection of nine songs, each representing a month of pregnancy. Her latest single, "So Long," is the seventh song on the album. It's a powerful and uplifting track featuring vocals from Pharis Romero. According to the press release, it's "... a ballad of maritime tragedy and reproductive choice." It's a waltz featuring acoustic guitar and accordion, giving the song a classic and traditional folk feel. Plus, the harmonies between Lappell and Romero are absolutely mesmerizing. We've long been fans of Lappell's, so we're obviously thrilled to have any new music from the Toronto artist. When a song is as transfixing as "So Long," you'll quickly see why we're such fans. You can listen to "So Long" below. Shadow Child is due out May 8 on Outside Music, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Abigail Lappell, check out the artist on Instagram and ...

Psychedelic cumbia group Orquestra Pacifico Tropical are back with a new single. "Entre La Montana" is an intense, horn heavy track with sparse vocals. The Portland, OR band are taking traditional cumbia and mixing it with salsa and northwest style psychedelia. This is a fun track, and calling it dance friendly is an understatement. The level of horns are going to remind many of us of brass bands, and Orquestra Pacifico Tropical are laying down some intense grooves on this one. Plus, as fun and dance friendly as "Entre La Montana" is, there's an edge to the track lurking just under the surface.  You can watch the video for "Entre La Montana" below. El Poder is due out June 19, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, check out the band's website .

Photo by Kasia Wozniak Living legend Tori Amos has a new single out off of her upcoming concept album about being married to a dangerous and powerful billionaire. "Gasoline Girls" takes place while the narrator encounters a lesbian motor bike gang that aids in her escape. If you've been a fan of Amos' since the 90's, you're going to adore this single. To me, it sounds like it could have been a lost track from Boys for Pele or Scarlet's Walk. It combines the more stripped back sound of her earlier albums with the more full band sound of the 00's. This one is a perfect reintroduction for lapsed fans, and if you've been with Amos for the last three decades, you're obviously going to adore "Gasoline Girls." Tori Amos says of her latest single: “This is a metaphor for many different transformations - from a teenage girl becoming a woman, to shifts in gender identity or fundamental belief systems, to the life changes that come with pregnanc...