If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Kate LaMendola Ever since we discovered Girl Tones back in 2025, the Bowling Green, KY sister duo have seemed primed for stardom. They just announced their debut album, and have a new single that could we what breaks them out. "Pretty Face" is a huge alt-rock song heavily steeped in 90's influences. It's fuzzy and shooting for huge clubs and sheds, and it should be played in giant venues. It reminds me of the poppier side of Veruca Salt, which we all criticized decades ago but all have to admit was actually pretty great all along. "Pretty Face" is the kind of song that is going to win over both rock and pop fans equally, which is what we've been loving about Girl Tones. Drummer Laila says of the band's latest single: “So many people will hide who they are just to be accepted.  Why try to fit in? What does it really add up to?” You can watch the video for "Pretty Face" below. Precious is due out November 6 on Parallel Vision/Big Lou...

Photo by Shannon Marks Some songs just grab you immediately, and you know you're going to love it from the first note. "Too Much Sunlight," the latest from Chicago's Plum, is one of those songs. It's the song that fits Plum's sound perfectly. It's a dance-friendly post-punk sound that merges bands like Gang of Four and The B-52's. It's a fun song with a slightly dark side (but still a lot of fun). "Too Much Sunlight" is slightly off-kilter, so while it's dance-friendly, it's awkwardly dance-friendly. That happens to be one of our favorite styles, so we're fully on board with "Too Much Sunlight." Plus, it ends in a wonderfully discordant guitar freak out, and you can rarely go wrong with those. You can listen to "Too Much Sunlight" below. Bodies In Motion is due out August 21, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Plum, check out the band on Instagram . Bodies In Motion by Plum

Photo by Ant Gemma Philadelphia's Kaonashi has a new single out that isn't our normal style of music, but we can't resist this one. "Typing..." sees the metalcore band ramping their style up. The song is pure chaos, almost along the lines of noise rock, only louder. And then the song takes a bizarre midway turn before coming back heavier and more forceful. To me, this sounds like a mixture of Body Count and Converge. Even if you aren't typically a fan of metalcore (or have no idea what that genre is), "Typing..." is well worth its three-minute run time. Kaonashi could very well still win you over. You can watch the video for "Typing..." below. The single is out now on Equal Vision Records. For more on Kaonashi, check out the band's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the video and include September 11 at the Palladium in Worcester, MA. 8/20 Philadelphia, PA – Never Home Fest (American Legion 214) 8/21 Philadelphia, PA – Never Home...

Photo by Alandra Hall Going no contact with a parent isn't a common subject for a song, but that's the theme of Baxter Hall's latest single. The Boston indie folk-rock musician released "The Work" today, which starts off as a simple singer-songwriter track. It's soft, quiet, and emotional, but morphs into an epic by its end. It's an empowering song that shows off the power of therapy, aka doing "The Work." It's a powerful track that many people are going to strongly relate to. I'm not typically a big lyrics person, but Hall's new single is well worth paying attention to the lyrics. Not that a song can replace a good therapist, but "The Work" is a good start. Baxter Hall says of his latest single: “‘The Work’ is about my personal experience handling the emotions of going no-contact with a parent. The feelings of loss and sadness that come with that decision, but also having your boundaries be stronger than your empathy and em...

Last month Honey Cassette released their excellent debut single "Piece of Mind," and now the Boston band has an EP out. Intermittent Bursts of Light is a four song collection that shows off the band's unique yet familiar sound. The songs on the EP seem to mix many different styles of vintage indie rock, particularly from the late 80's and 90's. You're going to hear the jangle pop of The Vaselines, the discordant indie pop of Beat Happening, and the more aggressive sound of Nirvana and Sonic Youth. It's an interesting mix of twee and a louder style that makes Honey Cassette sound so unique. We're thrilled to hear what these folks do next based solely on how intriguing Intermittent Bursts of Light is. You can listen to Intermittent Bursts of Light below. The EP is available now via Bandcamp . For more on Honey Cassette, check out the band on Instagram . Intermittent Bursts of Light by Honey Cassette

Year after year, Moon Over Salem is an incredible showcase of local artists in Salem every September. They're scaling back this year due to Moon Base One losing their all ages space earlier this year, but they're still putting on a great all day festival! Instead of multiple locations throughout downtown Salem, this year's festival takes place at Cinema Salem on September 12, and will include performances from Bad Idea USA, Belly Porba, Big Time, Cape Crush, Catnap, Couch Sex (playing a reunion set), Earthlore, In/Shreds, Jude Ivy, Pintail, and more to be announced. Digital Awareness will also be providing live analog visuals. The whole thing benefits The Moon Rising Artist Scholarship, which is a great bonus besides the fantastic day of music. Tickets for Moon Over Salem are on sale now, and are $25 in advance and $30 day of show. You can find tickets here .

Photo by CJ Harvey Something about the latest single from Babehoven is simply magical. "Three Reds" leans more towards the world of folk, but it has plenty of indie rock for us all. It starts off simply, as a lush and irresistible alt-folk song. Singer/songwriter Maya Bon has never sounded as great as she does here, and her vocals are the true star of "Three Reds." Eventually, a more indie rock sound overtakes the song with plenty of feedback, and that somehow only adds to the song's beauty. We've been fans of Babehoven's charming combination of folk and indie rock for a while, and "Three Reds" might be one of the best examples of their sound so far. Maya Bon says of the band's latest single: "’Three Reds’ is inspired by a game we play on tour — we gain points by counting cars of the same color passing by. The song plays with synesthesia and the tension between concealment and exposure, sitting with the idea that we are made of the sam...

Photo by Jason Rothenberg October 2 will see the release of Contra-ICA Vol. 1: ICE OUT , a benefit compilation put together by Build Art Make Change. It's a whopping forty-seven tracks long, and the first single is out now. It's from Katheen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin), who teams with Ad-Rock (Beastie Boys), Money Mark, Fredo Ortiz, and Frank Figueroa. I would expect it to be a highly political song, but instead it's a cover of Justin Bieber's "Let Me Love You." I'm completely familiar with the original, but this cover is a lot of fun. It's the kind of song that people will first listen because they're fans of the artists involved, or just curiosity, but they're going to stay since it's a fun song. I doubt the original is as disco centered as Hanna and friends' version, but it also doesn't have the same indie cred. BAMC founder Dali Colorado says of the upcoming compilation: “ Contra-ICE is not only an album. It is...

Photo by Mason Poole In the world of indie rock and music journalism, the term "mainstream" is typically used in a derogatory manner. Because of that, I tend to try to avoid using it, but sometimes a song is just mainstream and there's nothing wrong with that. Allison Russell's latest single is the pinnacle of what mainstream folk or singer-songwriter can be. "Really Real" also features a verse from multi-platinum artist Norah Jones. The song certainly isn't breaking any boundaries, or rewriting what a song can be. However, it's simply a great song that can be liked by anyone (except for maybe metalheads or indie snobs). Russell and Jones have amazing vocals separately, and magic happens when they harmonize. This is music that any generation can genuinely enjoy, and shows that Russell belongs with the upper echelon of her peers. You can watch the video for "Really Real" below. In the Hour of Chaos is available now via Fantasy Records. For m...

Photo courtesy of The Alan Wolmark Archive As I previously stated , Ben Folds Five's 1995 self-titled first album was wildly important and vital to who I am today, and why I'm probably/definitely overly obsessed with music. Last month, Ben Folds announced they were issuing an expanded version of the album with alternate takes. It's mostly their first attempt at recording the album, which was shelved and re-recorded as the version we all know and love. They just released the Shelved First Attempt of "Philosophy," and with this one I can truly hear the difference. The Shelved First Attempt is a much cleaner and produced version. For me, the rougher aspect of the album was always one of my favorite parts, especially how they always made what I can now see as piano pop sound more punk and indie rock. This unreleased version of "Philosophy" is good, but it's a little too polished. If you were lucky enough to see them play live during this period, you know...

Photo by Noah Lenker The past two singles from Lily Seabird have been larger, more rock based songs. The Vermont artist is back with another single that shows off her more folk and Americana side. "The Afterglow" is a quiet song that focuses more on Seabird's vocals and lyrics. It has a slight twang to it, and strings that seem to counteract that style. Those opposing sounds end up working rather well together, and help make "The Afterglow" one of the most compelling songs out there. This is a track that sounds well polished but with a rougher, more lo-fi edge to it. We're currently in a time where artists aren't constrained by strict genres or styles, and that lets an artist like Seabird shine. Lily Seabird says of her latest single: “For part of this song, I imagined the perspective of the person who crashed their car through our fence and into our yard a couple weeks before,” says Seabird. “I wrote this song when I still lived at trash mountain. I met...

Photo courtesy of the artist Perennial are one of my favorite bands, but, like many of the bands I adore, they're an acquired taste. That being said, their latest single could be the one that wins them over a larger, more mainstream audience. "Ready! Steady! Go!" still has everything we love from Perennial. It's a two minute burst of art punk, but more of the lighter version of the genre. They're leaning very heavily into their mod inspirations, and this one has a bit of a The Kinks go garage rock sound. Perennial have been one of my favorite live bands for the past few years, and "Ready! Steady! Go!" is their first recorded song that (almost) catches the fun of their live show. Chad Jewitt (guitar, vocals) says of the band's latest single: “'Ready! Steady! Go!' Is us having an absolute blast in the studio; probably both our most POP song and our most psychedelic too. We definitely had mid/late-60s Motown in mind with the vibraphones and elec...

Photo by Seannie Bryan It's been twelve years and four albums since Caroline Rose released their Americana masterpiece I Will Not Be Afraid. Since then, they've gone in more of an indie rock/bizarro pop direction. Their latest single, "Chow Mein," is still more in that style, but for the first time in over a decade I can also hear their country roots showing. The new single is a relatively laid back song that's fun and more than a little groovy. It's filled with fantastic vocal harmonies. "Chow Mein" also has a delightful polished DIY feeling to it. The best part of Rose's constant musical transformation is that all of their releases feel like natural extensions of each other, making her discography feel like a true collection of music. Caroline Rose says of their latest single: “I relate to characters who are a little strange, who are outsiders, who seem to fuck up a lot or find themselves in awkward situations. Most of these stories are just pu...

Photo by Shelby Brakken There's just something about Laura Veirs' version of folk and singer-songwriter that is completely unique. Her latest single, "Arc Still Bends," is about as straightforward of a song as you can get... except it's not. It has moments that are oddly aggressive, and it sounds almost DIY at others. Veirs arranges her songs in such a unique way that the parts aren't wildly different, but the structure is. "Arc Still Bends" is a gorgeous song that has some unexpected dissonance throughout. Veirs is such a wildly unique artist that could easily cross over into the mainstream without losing a single indie fan. Laura Veirs says of her latest single: “This song wrestles with whether Martin Luther King Jr.’s idea that ‘the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice’ still holds true.  It sits in that uneasy space between doubt and hope–grappling with a sense of futility in the present moment, while the chorus reaches for something br...