If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Barry Netburn Sandy is Long Island based singer, songwriter, produder, ventriloquist, and guitarist Sandy Netburn. The eighteen year old artist just released a single for "I've Got Issues," a theatrical folk-pop protest song. It's the kind of song that will fully suck you in with melody and harmony before you even notice the lyrics. Musically, it's a fun track, with lyrics that lean a little more dark. Sandy is the type of artist that is going to grab you immediately, and you'll want to dig a little further into her very young career. Sandy Netburn says of her music and creative side: “I have always loved creating and performing. For as long as I can remember, I just always wanted to entertain. It almost feels like I NEED to… I can't go without it. So I explored, and I continue to explore, and found I love so much about the arts. I feel like that is where I belong.” You can watch the video for "I've Got Issues" below. Issues is avail...

Boston's The Grownup Noise has a new single out that is perfect for this oddly nostalgic week. "See You in the Hall" is a cinematic version of indie rock with some heavy pop elements. It sounds kind of like a twee band decided to fully rock out, with some surprisingly heavy groove and more than a few emo elements. Plus, Katie Franich adds in some killer cello on "See You in the Hall," which is a statement we don't get to make nearly enough. The long time Boston band are back with their original line up for the first time in a decade, and we can't wait to see where The Grownup Noise go next. Frontman Paul Hansen says of his band's latest single: “Every 50-year-old songwriter eventually ends up writing about high school again, But this song isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about that person — the one kid who was weirdly, impossibly self-aware while the rest of us were just fumbling around in our own oblivious little universes.” You can listen to "See ...

Photo by Vladim Vilain Dominique Fils-Aimé  is a JUNO-winning singer-songwriter who has a new single out that we're finding absolutely mesmerizing. "Going Home" can best be defined as "roots" music simply based on how many styles of roots music in encompasses. You're mostly going to hear folk with jazz vocals, but the song is quite nuanced with multiple changes in tempo and style. It's traditional while mixing in a more modern or even progressive folk style. The song is simply guitar and vocals, but is incredibly layered and complex despite this. It takes almost a minute and a half for the song to fully kick in, but even before that point you'll end up smitten with "Going Home." This one is truly great, and has us dying to hear more from Dominique Fils-Aim é. Dominique Fils-Aimé  says of her latest single: “ Home can be a state of mind, home can be a loved one’s arms, home can be a cup of tea .  You are cordially invited to disconnect from ...

Photo by Katy McElroy Detroit band Winged Wheel, which features ex-Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, returns with a new single off their upcoming third album. "Beautiful Holy Jewel Home" is a mellow yet intense sonic experimentation. It's a noisy song that sounds kind of like if Neil Young tried his hand at playing shoegaze. It's a fuzzed filled song that is (relatively) mainstream, as far as experimental music goes. The song starts off somewhat straight forward before devolving into a mess of instruments, and then reforms itself just before coming to an end. As noise rock focused as "Beautiful Holy Jewel Home" is, it also has a strong base in roots music. If you love 90's indie rock, and especially if you miss bands like Sonic Youth, you're going to be all in for Winged Wheel. You can listen to "Beautiful Holy Jewel Home" below. Desert So Green is due out January 9 on 12XU, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Win...

Back in college, Letters to Cleo were basically my Grateful Dead. I'd go see them multiple times in the same week between greater Boston, Providence, and Northampton, plus sometimes back to back nights when they were on the college circuit. These days, we're pretty much down to seeing them once a year when they come back and play the Paradise for multiple nights. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of their second album, Wholesale Meats and Fish.  In 2017, Letters to Cleo played three nights at the Paradise, playing one of their albums each night. That year, the first night was the only night I could make it to, so we saw Aurora Gory Alice. Wholesale Meats and Fish is my personal favorite album, so seeing it played live was a true treat. Song like "Demon Rock," "Acid Jed," and "Pizza Cutter" are regulars in their live set, but Friday night I got to see songs I haven't seen live in probably around thirty years. These included "Do What...

Photo by Amanda Cheng New Zealand dream pop artists Phoebe Rings have released the second in their covers series. Last month saw them release a cover of Beach House's "Astronaut." Last week they released a cover of Yoon Sang's "Between the Hidden Hours." While the original is a piano ballad, Phoebe Rings chose to go with a more lush, full band version. It's an absolutely gorgeous version of the song, feeling very cinematic in its scope. Even not understanding a single lyric, the emotion and vibe of the song is perfectly captured and translated by Crystal Choi's vocal performance. It's a mesmerizing song that will have you rushing to hear Yoon Sang's original, if you're unfamiliar like we were. It's the perfect cover to get even more excited for Phoebe Rings' trip into New England for multiple shows next week. You can hear Phoebe Rings' version of "Between the Hidden Hours" below. The single is out now on Carpark Reco...

I was extremely excited for the Weakened Friends show Thursday night. As each band playing was announced, I got even more excited since I love all three bands that ended up playing. Weakened Friends, NOVA ONE, and Pinklids are all bands that we've been covering for a while now, and watching grow as artists, and it's been great to become a bigger fan of them and see them evolve. We first covered Weakened Friends back in September 2015 when they released Gloomy Tunes . Back then, they were pretty much the house band for when a 90's band came through town, particularly at The Sinclair. Thursday night saw them headlining The Sinclair on tour for their excellent new album Feels Like Hell. They took the stage like conquering heroes, with an adoring crowd screaming along to virtually every word of every song. The focus of the show was obviously the songs on the new album (some of my personal favorites were "NPC" with Jared Egan of Sidewalk Driver filling in for Buckethea...

Photo by Jackie Freeman Burlington, VT's Robber Robber released Wild Guess  last year, which was a musical highlight for 2024. Now, they're back with a new single, their first on Fire Talk Records. "Talkback" keeps the band's post-punk sound, but it's a more dance friendly, almost more poppy version. Of course, calling a song poppy is a relative term, as it's still a fairly dissonant song, but one you're going to want to dance to. It's also perfect for just listening to as you try to dissect all of the elements of the song. As with most songs from Robber Robber, "Talkback" is fairly undefinable, so just sit back (or stand and dance) while you let the song wash over you. You can watch the video for "Talkback" below. The single is out now on Fire Talk Records. For more on Robber Robber, check out the band on Instagram .

JVK are one of those bands that seems poised to break out of the Boston music scene. Their latest single, "When I Think About Love," is a fantastic mix of punk rock, pop, electro pop, and just straight up rock. The whole thing has a certain 90's vibe going to it, mixing rock from that era with New Wave. It's a glammed up package that sounds kind of like if Joan Jett had been inspired by Van Halen's "Jump" or Def Leppard's "Love Bites." As 80's inspired as "When I Think About Love" sounds, it's not a song trying to be a throwback. It may draw inspiration from some classic sounds, but this is a completely modern sound. Plus, this sounds like it's going to become one of the most fun songs in JVK's live shows, so let's all try to get to one ASAP before they graduate from small clubs. You can listen to "When I Think About Love" below. For more on JVK, check out the band's website .

Massachusetts' own Adios Fatso are back with a new single, "Gopro, Not Again!," an ode to the "... frustration as your Gopro fails at the worst possible time." As with most songs from the band, this one is a mix of punk and indie rock. However, this one seems to be a bit more catchy and bordering right on the line of being mainstream. It's a fun and noisy track that is sure to burrow itself deep into your mind. Somehow, this song is a little over two minutes long despite how much it has going on. It's a burst of energy and silly anger, with some of the best "Woah-oh-oh-oh"s we've heard in a long time. Plus, "Gopro, Not Again" ends with a blazing guitar solo, leaving you with a desperate desire for more. You can watch the video for "Gopro, Not Again" below. For more on Adios Fatso, check out the band on Instagram and Bandcamp .

1994's  ¡ Sim patico! was the album when I first discovered Velocity Girl, so I'm thrilled that it's getting a reissue. The reissue is also an expanded version, so it will include B-sides and rarities, one of which is a cover of New Order's "Your Silent Face." It's an almost unrecognizable cover as the New Wave original is transformed into a 90's alt-rocker. The trademark synth notes are replaced with guitar chords, but New Order die hards will most likely recognize it right away. There is also harmonica replacing synths, which works amazingly well. As a fan of cover songs, this is my favorite kind: It stays true to the original while making it their own. Let's just hope this second Velocity Girl reissue leads to more live dates, preferably in New England. You can listen to Velocity Girl's cover of "Your Silent Face" below.  ¡ Simpatico! (Remastered and Expanded) is due out February 23 on Sub Pop Records, and is available for pre-orde...

Photo by Aileen Lam The trend in shoegaze these days is to mix up the formula and cross pollinate it with other musical genres. Hong Kong's Lucid Express aren't doing that on "Something Blue," and have released one of the most pure shoegaze songs of the year. The song feels like you're dreaming. It's hazy and fuzzy, with just the right amount of loud/quiet/loud. The feedback squall that telegraphed the first loud chorus was just about perfect, and gave me some 90's college flashbacks. "Something Blue" is a gorgeous and breathtaking track, and fans of classic shoegaze are going to be transfixed by Lucid Express. You can watch the video for "Something Blue" below. Instant Comfort is due out February 20 on Kanine Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Lucid Express, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram .

Photo by Jason Zucco It seems bonkers to me that Converge has been around for thirty-five years now, but considering they formed in 1990, it makes mathematical (if not emotional) sense. The Boston metalcore titans are once again back with a new single. "Love Is Not Enough" is, predictably, a powerhouse song. It's loud and dissonant and filled with all of the aggression you require for a Converge song. Despite being around for three and a half decades, they're showing zero signs of even slowing down a tiny bit. What makes them stand out apart from most of their peers, and makes them appeal to those of us who don't typically love music this heavy, is just how hard a song like "Love Is Not Enough" grooves. Plus, it cycles through multiple speeds and sounds in just under two and a half minutes. I certainly don't need to tell anyone how great Converge are, especially since they continue to prove it again and again. Vocalist/lyricist Jacob Bannon says the ...

Photo by Dan Saltzman Boston's TELL have returned with a new protest song written in the wake of the 2024 election. "Things to Do When It's Dark" is a dark and ominous song, for obvious reasons. To me, it sounds like if Leonard Cohen wrote a noise rock or post punk song. There's also a somewhat unexpected glam element to the song, albeit a gritty and grungy one. Despite being three and a half minutes long, there's a lot going on in "Things to Do When It's Dark." While protest music is typically furious and loud, TELL's is more brooding and thoughtful, as if you're trying to figure out what can actually be done. Dan Wildman (guitar, lead vocals, and keyboard) says of his band's latest single: “I wrote ‘Things To Do When It’s Dark’ right after the horrific election. I was traumatized and the only way I could deal with it was to write a song. I had lyrics in the verse that were kind of a screed about what Trump is going to do to our coun...