If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Amaya Pena Last month we brought you "Reelin'," the new single from Squirrel Flower and mentioned that it had been three years since we last brought you new music from them. Ella Williams is making up for lost time, since just a few weeks later she's released not one but two new singles. "Not Me" stays in the same lane as "Reelin'" by being an earnest alt-rock song with some Americana sensibilities. It's a power ballad-esque track that's going to appeal to Springsteen's indie rock fans. The other new single, "Sick Tooth," is an under two-minute fuzz-filled indie rock track with lots of lo-fi distortion on just about everything. I get some serious early Sebadoh vibes from the latter single. Both are great, and have us wondering what the rest of Squirrel Flower's upcoming album will sound like. Ella Williams says of "Not Me": "This song came to me upon waking in Silver City, NM. I literally rolled...

Bart and the Brats is France's Bart De Vraantijk. Since 2019, he's written and recorded over eighty songs under that name, and he has a four song 7" due out tomorrow. The first single from that release is "This is a hold-up." It's back to basics, straight up punk rock track. You'll get a just over two minutes song that you can easily trace its lineage back to the Ramones. It may be a modern reworking of that style of rock, but the influence is quite obviously there. If you love catchy and quick killer punk rock songs, you could do worse than Bart and the Brats. Bart De Vraantijk says of his latest single: “Being the secluded, remote-worker stuck in end of the road town La Rochelle that I am, I’m still surprisingly rather well aware of the things that are happening in the world. "This number is about the feeling one can easily get of being taken hostage by a bunch of old, crippled and incontinent white males that think they know everything and especia...

Photo by Layde Jane Vickers Twilark is Raleigh, NC musician Canon Pence. His latest single, "No Cowboy Song," is a dreamy folk song that borders on country. Pence gets compared to artists like Jason Molina, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Neil Young, and with good reason. "No Cowboy Song" is a twangy and earnest song that carves its own path within the Americana genre. It doesn't sound quite like anyone else out there, despite being in a well tread musical style. When you first press play on the song, you're going to like it, and find it a pleasant enough song. By the time its four and a half minutes are over, you're going to end up obsessed with Twilark. He's a truly captivating artist. You can listen to "No Cowboy Song" below. Never Learned the Tide is due out September 11, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Twilark, check out the artist on Instagram . Never Learned The Tide by Twilark

Photo courtesy The Alan Wolmark Archive Ben Folds Five was a wildly important band in my early adulthood, particularly their 1995 self-titled album. Getting anything new to us from that band, and that album, is going to be especially thrilling for us. To celebrate the band's thirtieth anniversary (albeit late), Ben Folds is releasing a remastered and expanded version with previously unheard alternate takes and versions. The first one we can hear is "Underground (Shelved First Attempt)." I'm not sure if the casual BFF fan will notice the differences, but if being a fan in 1996 was a big part of your personality, you definitely will. In my opinion, the album version we all know and love is the superior version, but hearing this early take is a fun experience for the diehards.  You can listen to "Underground (Shelved First Attempt)" below. Ben Folds Five (30th Anniversary) is due out September 4 on Capitol/UMe, and is available for pre-order here . For more on ...

Photo by Jordan Beckham Being based in the Boston area, we always love to see a local artist do good. We've been fans of Boston rapper Michael Christmas for a while, and it was just announced that Christmas has a collaborative EP coming out with Chris Crack and Girl Talk. This is a dream trio with Christmas and Crack's unique flows over Girl Talk's unique production. The first single from the EP, "Vending Machine Charcuterie Board," is a dream collaboration for any fans of underground or classic hip hop. It's a fun track that's both laid back and dance friendly. Based on this one single, the upcoming EP is going to be blowing a lot of minds once it is released. You can watch the video for "Vending Machine Charcuterie Board" below. Don't Come to My House Sharing Your Location is due out August 14 on C&G Records/Illegal Art, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Girl Talk, check out the artist's website .

Photo by Emmanuel Rosario Brooklyn's TVOD have a new single out, and it's a great one. "Wet Brain" is a post-punk anthem that leans a little bit into pop punk. It's an incredibly catchy track filled with more harmonies than post-punk typically allows. This is a perfect track for either dancing or pogoing, or just singing along as it gets stuck in your head. "Wet Brain" also expertly balances being both discordant and melodic. Not many songs are as fun and aggressive as TVOD's latest, and that helps make the song even more enjoyable. They're one of those bands we're just waiting to explode, and they might by the time their new album is out in October. TVOD say of their latest single: "Slacker idiot anthem that first debuted at SXSW 2025. Inspired by ruining relationships, concurrent hair of the dogs, and wishing you had never said that dumb thing to your now ex. A post-punk tribute to Sixteen Candles." You can watch the video for ...

Photo by Sergio Pontier Fresh off discovering Lila Ik é  at this year's Green River Festival, Ezra Collective have brought in the Jamaican singer in for their latest single. "Well Organised" is a laid back track that combines Ik é  reggae vocals with Ezra Collective's jazz based sound. This is a perfect match of styles and sounds, with the perfect amount of steel drums and groove. There's also a heavy dose of R&B in "Well Organised," which simply adds to the perfect blend of styles. Ezra Collective and Lila Ik é  are a dream match of styles and "Well Organised" is the perfect song for the summer and beyond. Bandleader Femi Koleoso says of his band's latest single: "I was spending time with the Kinetika Bloco Youth Club; they were playing steel pans and the most beautiful line caught my attention. I recorded it on my phone and lived with it. It had the emotion and beauty that I associate with dancehall, bashment, reggae and so many ...

We tend to love neo-soul here at If It's Too Loud..., and while The McCharmlys fit that genre, they don't fit it completely neatly. The California band's latest single, "Can't Help It," sounds like both a vintage throwback and a modern version of the genre. Plus, the song is just as much doo wop as it is soul. It's a gorgeous and fun song with its roots firmly in the 1960's but in a completely modern style. If you grew up on classic soul and doo wop, you're going to love "Can't Help It," although that certainly isn't a prerequisite. We're just discovering The McCharmlys, and I can guarantee this won't be the last you hear of them here. You can listen to "Can't Help It" below. The single is out now on Nu-Tone/Hi-Tide Recordings. For more on The McCharmlys, check out the band's website . Can't Help It - Single by The McCharmlys

Photo courtesy The Martha's Vineyard Ferries The Martha's Vineyard Ferries are set to play all over the Northeast in late August and early September, and now the supergroup have a new single out. The band (which features Bob Weston of Shellac, Chris Brokaw of Come and Codeine, and Elisha Weisner of Kahoots) just released "Decorations" with the B-side "Context." If you're a fan of any of the members of The Martha's Vineyard Ferries' pther bands, you're going to love these new songs. This is noisy and punk inflected indie rock. "Context," in particular, is a fairly straight forward punk song. Both songs have an aggressive side, but are also oddly fun. The Martha's Vineyard Ferries make classic style punk meets indie rock, which is exactly what we want from a band featuring Weston, Brokaw, and Weisner. You can listen to "Decorations" and "Context" below. You can pre-order the 7" via Bandcamp . For more on T...

We haven't brought you any new music from Tristen this year, but the Nashville musician and blog favorite just released a cover of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages." While Dylan's original from 1964 is a classic folk song, Tristen adds a bit more folk-pop to the track. It fits in perfectly with her sound while keeping the spirit of the original intact. The cover is perfectly lovely, and adds just enough to the song to make it sound like Tristen. We're always thrilled to hear anything new from Tristen, and we always love when she releases a cover. Even better, this is the first song from an upcoming covers album from the artist, so we're definitely looking forward to that! You can listen to Tristen's version of "My Back Pages" below. Stay tuned for more on  Official Strawberry Classic. For more on Tristen, check out the artist's website . My Back Pages (Bob Dylan Cover) by tristen

Photo by David Milan Kelly It's been a little while since we brought you a new song from Australia's Swapmeet. That's our mistake, which we're rectifying by bringing you their latest, "Halfway." While "I Know!" had some strong roots in 90's indie rock, "Halfway" sounds fully modern. It's a delightfully laid back version of dream pop that has a surprising intensity. There are some barely there hints of country twang, and everything blends together gorgeously. It's more than a little twee, and then at just about the midway point, the song takes a sudden turn into something more upbeat and rocking. The transition somehow keeps the poppy aspect of the song intact, and will make you love Swapmeet even more. Venus O'Broin says of her band's latest single: “ ‘Halfway’ looks at the first confrontations with change. The first confrontations with loss, and every choice feeling like a mistake. When you finally realise things can’t ...

Photo by  Léa Grégoire Bleu Reine is Paris based musician Léa Lotz. According to the press release for her latest single, her sound is "... rooted in both nostalgic grunge-coated dream rock and a fierce passion for layered synth pop..." That description fits "Cavalier Seul" perfectly. The song is a hazy and dreamy song that leans heavily into shoegaze, but with a hypnotic and noisier side. There's also some traces of trip hop throughout the song, but with a whine to the guitar that's both dissonant and beautiful. Bleu Reine takes some of our favorite musical styles and mixes them up in a new and fresh way, making the song both nostalgic and new. You can watch the video for "Cavalier Seul" below. Bleu Reine's new album is due out January 2027 on Geographie. For more on the artist, check her out on Instagram and Facebook .

Photo by David Milan Kelly Last summer, Winter released the excellent Adult Romantix , which closed with "hollow." Now, the Samira Winter-led project has returned with a reworking of the song, "hollow (mixtape version)." The original version was a haunting, minimalist track perfect for ending an album. "hollow (mixtape version)" is more of a full band/rock version of the track. This one fits in more as a shoegaze song, albeit a peppier and poppier version of the genre. I can't say that I prefer either version more than the other, but it's great to have two takes on such a great track. Plus, it's a reminder of how fantastic of an artist Winter is. Samira Winter says of her latest single: “It was really fun getting to reimagine this song in the studio and explore new edges of Romantix. I originally wrote it in a faster tempo so it was cool bringing this version to life, leaning into the more sulky crimson palette of the album.”  You can watch the...

Photo by  Clémentine Schneidermann Manchester, UK's Westside Cowboy have a great take on the whole indie rock thing. Their latest single, "Pin Up Boys," is a loud and rockin' track with just the slightest hints of country twang. This is indie rock with a focus on the rock that we haven't seen in quite a while. The abrasiveness of the song mixes with an unexpected melody. Bands that immediately come to mind while listening to "Pin Up Boys" are The Hold Steady and Drive-By Truckers mixed with the Pixies. Westside Cowboy are the kind of band that are going to be beloved by indie rock hipsters with a potential massive crossover potential for more mainstream rock fans. Vocalist Reuben Haycock says of the band's latest single: “‘Pin Up Boys’ was written a year and a half ago using an acoustic guitar, a drum machine sample pad and some screwdrivers as drumsticks. It is by far the longest serving song on the album and the one that we have played the most liv...