If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Andre Hemmitt Jr New Jersey's Good Teal are set to release their debut EP, and have a new single for us all to check out. "Parasites!" fits right into the band's hardcore meets garage rock sound, but that doesn't truly explain what it sounds like. It's this heavy and furious burst of music that nails the loud/quiet/loud thing, and adds a ton of alt-rock and post-rock into the song. Plus, singer/bassist Reg Mason's vocals swing between blues and an intense howl. To me it's sounding like a more punk version of Deftones fronted by R.L. Burnside. "Parasites!" is an intense as hell song that we think you're going to love. Reg Mason says of his band's latest single: “‘Parasites’ chronicles the pendulum of emotions we go through when we have to say goodbye to something/someone we wanted. The ‘airport’ serves as a metaphor for the place we go in our heads before we leave a relationship. The titular ‘Parasites’ represent all the small...

Photo by Chris Bryce As much as their latest single is based in blues rock, Canyon Lights continue to expand on that genre with "Song Behind Those Tears." While the new single is definitely blues rock, much like "Seventh Sun," it's also sprinkled with plenty of 70's glam and psychedelia. The guitar solo, in particular, has this amazing feel that is more like glam rockers taking on the blues. "Song Behind Those Tears" sounds like T-Rex taking on the blues, while still allowing Canyon Lights to sound like no one but themselves. This is such a great and unique sound, and Canyon Lights are quickly becoming a favorite of ours. Tim Carman (drummer) says that the band's new s ingle is  "... an exploration of empathy, delving into the hidden stories and unspoken sorrows that lie behind a pair of tear-filled eyes. The song was inspired by an intense interaction between Pat, myself and a mutual friend. After the encounter, Pat was moved to remark, “...

Photo by @ogata_photo The latest from drummer/producer Nate Smith is "Magic Dance," a single that features Lionel Loueke and Michael League. The new song is a mix of jazz and funk infused with African rhythms. It's a combination of jazz and world music, without completely sounding like either genre. It uses what sound like keyboards in an oddly sparing way that gives the song a more modern sound, even though they don't sound like a modern instrument. "Magic Dance" has this unique sound that is both retro and modern, while also being experimental and accessible.  Nate Smith says of his latest single: "sometimes the word magic is used dismissively, especially when it pertains to the creation of art... I prefer to think of the term magic the way a magician would — with the understanding of the discipline, skill and patience that actually makes magic look like magic. I’ve known these two geniuses (Lionel Loueke, Michael League) for over a decade now... Lion...

Photo by Tanner Deutsch Rocket have been making 90's inspired alt-rock, but their latest single ups the ante on that sound. "Wide Awake" is a mixture of shoegaze fuzz and the more jagged style of guitars that made me love Sonic Youth. Singer/bassist Alithea Tuttle's vocals have a dreamlike quality suited to dream pop or shoegaze, which contrasts delightfully with the more aggressive parts of the song. Despite not truly sounding like a song made in the 90's, "Wide Awake" has so many elements of that decade to give you little bursts of nostalgia. Plus, the video for the song is like a cross between Blur's "Charmless Man" and Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)," in case you need a little more nostalgia thrown in. Rocket say of their new single: “R is for Rocket is about relationships, the most important part of life; relationships with your friends, your parents, your girlfriend or boyfriend, and most impo...

Photo by Matt Darcy I've been blown away every time Glacier releases new music, and their latest single is no exception. "The Barren Soil" is a ten and a half minute offering of loud, sludgy, instrumental metal, and I wouldn't want it any other way. It's filled with punishing drums and guitars that almost seem to be in conversation with each other. At times the guitar is somehow both sludgy and thrashy, but it's always heavy. As loud and heavy as "The Barren Soil" is throughout, it's also strangely beautiful, even at its most brutal. The song is filled with transitions from loud to quiet to loud, but with a ten minute length, it has time to let those spaces truly stretch out. If you have even a slight love for metal, you'll love Glacier. You can listen to "The Barren Soil" below. More Distant/More Violent is due out July 11, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Glacier, check out the band's website . Upc...

Photo by Rosie Cohe We've been loving the singles from Kendra Morris' upcoming album. Her songs have been a fantastic mix of soul, pop, and doo wop. Her latest single, "Flat Tire," is all of those things but with reggae guitar added in. It's an instantly addictive song that will make you wish your workday was over and you could engage in any summertime activity that doesn't involve being chained to a computer. The fusion of reggae and soul in "Flat Tire" makes the song one of the cooler sounding ones we've heard in a while, and it has a certain vibe going that makes it impossible to determine a time period for. It could have come out any time in the past sixty years without sounding like a specific era. According to Kendra Morris, the song expresses "... me and my maniacal ideas just trying to make my way and a living in the world as an artist, as well as my stubbornness and refusal to conform, which can sometimes lead to the results not bei...

Photo by Tyler Squires It's been a while since we've heard anything as classically alt-country as the latest from Joelton Mayfield. The Texas native and currently Nashville based artist just released "Speechwriter," which is filled with all the twang you could possibly want with a ton of indie rock noise sprinkled throughout. Mayfield also has a strong sense of pop songwriting. The song could have been an amazing singer-songwriter track with a pop leaning based on his voice, and we would have still enjoyed it and happily brought it to you. But with the alt-country edges and noise that drops in unexpectedly, "Speechwriter" turned out to be one of the best songs we've heard this summer. There is a lot going on here, so be sure to take some time out of your day for multiple listens. You'll be thanking us later. You can watch the video for "Speechwriter" below. Crowd Pleaser is due out October 24 on Bloodshot Records, and is available for pre-o...

Artist : Kae Tempest Album : Self Titled Quick Thoughts : I first tripped up on Kae Tempest a few years back, and thought his approach to music felt more like slam poetry than truly rap music. Since then, he's gone through a transition and brings a new album that puts his experience front and center, often dabbling more in the drill direction than even regular rap. It's really a step up for the artist, and this became a fast favorite of the recent few weeks because of how honest and forthright it is. Make some time for this one. Songs of Note : "I Stand on the Line," "Statue in the Square," "Breathe," "Diagnoses" Artist : The Sun Kings Album : Lovers Always Win Quick Thoughts : I did not know the Sun Kings before this week, and their approach as a sort of calypso-ska hybrid (calypska?) really piqued my interest from the start. It straddles the line between familiar and unique, and it's rare - "Hall of Mirrors" is ...

Photo by Genesis Baez One of our favorite things about Big Thief is how much the band continues to evolve their sound. Their latest single, "All Night All Day," has some of the bare bones of their earlier more folky sound, but it's mostly a departure. Instead, this new single has a 70's AM radio mixed with pop and some alt-country sounds. There is also some ethereal and dream-like instrumentation throughout, giving the listener a sense of floating while listening. The song feels like that sensation you get just as you begin to drift off to sleep but aren't quite there yet. If I needed to compare it to other artists, I'd go with Fleetwood Mac meets Wilco. You can listen to "All Night All Day" below. Double Infinity is due out September 5 on 4AD, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Big Thief, check out the artist's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the video and include an October 21 date at MGM Music Hall at Fenway. Wed. Sept. ...

Photo by Ethan Griffin-Mccleary British country music will always seem like a weird genre to me, but HONK is here to upend everything about it. The Manchester band just released a new single, "Vine-Glo," that takes the twang of country and injects it into a jangly version of post-punk. I know that everything I just wrote makes little to no sense together, but it works, and it works great. HONK calls their sound Trashcan Country, and it's a rambunctious party ready sound that is going to make a lot of us completely obsessed. "Vine-Glo" is going to inspire some people to pogo and others to line dance, with a whole lot more in between. Get ready for the next stage of your life, which is after you discover HONK. HONK say of their new song: "Vine-glo was a dissolvable brick of grape juice concentrate sold in the US during prohibition. Sold with the tagline 'legal in your home' the packet warned that the grapes may ferment into alcohol and provided instru...

Photo by Mitch LaGrow Hailing from the Bay area, Mae Powell has this fantastic ability to transcend genres to create these amazing songs that are impossible to assign a label to. "Contact High" is a brilliant and joyous mix of soul, pop, folk, garage rock, and probably a few more we haven't heard since we haven't listened to the song enough times yet. The song is an absolutely delight, with positive and sunny vibes throughout. It somehow also transcends time by sounding like something that could have come out in 1968 and also completely like 2025. "Contact High" is a fun song that is just begging to be a part of all of your summer activities. Mae Powell says of her latest single: " The idea for  'Contact High'  came when my stoner elderly neighbor Phil suggested I write a song called contact high, but about good vibes instead of about weed. We laughed at this concept together but it stuck in my mind, and when one of my best friends was going thr...

We've been fans of Weakened Friends for years now, possibly even a decade. The Maine trio have always made this fantastic blend of indie rock and al-rock mixed with some pop stylings, and have been delving into the pop side of that sound for a little while now. Their latest single, "Tough Luck (Bleed Me Out)," is their most pop-laden single yet, but still keeps everything we've always loved about them intact. Many artists we regularly cover have been dabbling more and more into a more pop leaning sound, to various degrees of success (in our opinion, at least). Weakened Friends have completely nailed it with their new single. It adds in the pop focus but keeps all of the alt-rock guitars as it transitions from one sound to another. And, in true Weakened Friends fashion, they've managed to make the line ""Til I'm nothing / Bleed me out" into what is sure to be a shout-a-long chorus. You can listen to "Tough Luck (Bleed Me Out)" below. Fe...

Photo by Sultana Garritano Brooklyn's DJ Haram has a new single out that shows off her trademark boom bap sprinkled with Middle Eastern instrumentation sound. "Fishnets" features verses from Bbymutha, SHA RAY, and August Fanon, and has an intense and almost menacing vibe, despite being an absolute banger of a track. It's hypnotic and immediately grabs your attention, and if you're unfamiliar with the trio of rappers on the song, you're sure to start pulling up their bodies of work. "Fishnets" is one of those songs that just feels cool and makes you need to hear more from all of the artists involved.  DJ Haram says of her latest single: "‘Fishnets’ is for the eclectic bad bitches. The people united will never be defeated." You can listen to "Fishnets" below. Beside Myself is due out July 18 on Hyperdub, and is available for pre-order here . For more on DJ Haram, check out the artist on Instagram and Twitter . Upcoming tour dates a...