If It's Too Loud...

Photo by David-Simon Dayan Johanna Samuels is an artist making folk pop that is so close to being mainstream but has just enough of a unique sound to keep it interesting. Her new single, "Ugly on the Inside," sounds a little like modern Jenny Lewis but a little more country. It has this upbeat sound to it, and it's an absolutely beautiful song. If it was just a perfectly straightforward folk pop song, it would be a wonderful song. But something about "Ugly on the Inside" sets it apart from other songs. Samuels just has a slight quirk to the song that keeps it unique and compelling. Plus, Samuels' voice has this quality I've never heard before. There's a natural twang to her vocals that doesn't quite sound like anyone else. It helps suck in the listener and demands that you listen to her lyrics even if you're not typically a lyrics person. Johanna Samuels says of her new single: “This song is a combination of both my inner demons and some expe...

We're always going to bring you anything that is Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys adjacent, especially when it's just this great. dropbear features Tee Jay (former drummer of the Army of Toys), along with members of Rio Bravo, Some Cities, Hold This Moment, etc., so while this is their debut single as a band, they've been kicking around the Boston scene for a while. "Bystander" has this fantastic 90's infused alt-rock sound. It's heavy without being metal (although there are some metal elements in the song) and melodic without being even remotely pop. To me it's sounding like if Hum decided to try out shoegaze and then gave up halfway through. This is a truly impressive debut single, and we can't wait to hear more from dropbear as soon as possible. Tee Jay says of the new song: “I think the direction in sound is definitely going the ‘90s alternative and shoegaze route, but also eventually incorporating some more modern influences as wel...