If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Nate Packard It may not obviously be Halloween related, but the latest single from Memphis' Optic Sink came together because of Halloween. "Construction" started off when singer Natalie Hoffman crafted a live score for Halloween III. Listening to the song, you can definitely hear a John Carpenter influence in the synths. However, "Construction" grooves much more than Carpenter's scores, and it ends up being quite dance friendly. In fact, "Construction" pretty much demands that you dance to it. Despite (or perhaps because of) how creepy the song is at points, it's undeniably fun. Lyrically it might not be perfect for Halloween, but if you're constructing a party playlist based more on vibes, you could do a lot worse than the latest from Optic Sink. You can listen to "Construction" below. Lucky Number is due out October 31 on Feel It Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Optic Sink, check out the band o...

Photo by Nate Packard Optic Sink are a Memphis based trio that includes Natalie Hoffman of NOTS. Their latest single, "Don't Look Down," is a mixture of post-punk and dance music that feels very DIY and unique. It doesn't sound like music being made in 2025. Instead, it has an extremely retro vibe to it, but without being able to quite put your finger on when exactly. It sorta has an 80's synth meets early 00's indie sleaze thing going on, with some odd and interesting psychedelic elements. "Don't Look Down" has a home recording sound to it with its minimalist approach, while still sounding lush and fully fleshed out. Optic Sink have crafted their own little slice of the indie rock world, and we are here for it. Natalie Hoffman says of her band's latest single: “I was there [Nashville] working on a TV show and ended up snowed in at a Candlewood Suites by the highway that overlooked the train tracks. To get out of the hotel room, I would go do...

A lot of punk rock comes out of hard rock that you typically associate with heavy metal. A lot of punk bands credit rockers like Motorhead and AC/DC as influences, but you rarely hear that. Chicago's Man-Eaters are the exception to that. Their latest single, "Double Trouble," is pure, raw punk that draws heavily on hard rock. It's a giant, sludgy sound that kind of sounds like The Melvins covering Motorhead in their own style. This music is huge and ugly and pretty great. "Double Trouble" is going to tap into your primal brain and trigger something in there. That something will either be repulsion or obsession, with virtually nothing in between. Let's hope for your sake that's it's the latter. You can listen to "Double Trouble" below. Quatro Muchacos is due out October 18 on Feel It Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Man-Eaters, check out the band on Bandcamp . Quatro Muchachos by Man-eaters

London based Qlowski may have the most genre descriptions I've ever come across for a single band. I've seen them described as "concrete-punks," "dream-punk," and "kiwi-pop," among others. Their latest single, "Surrender," sounds like dark version of early punk and New Wave. The most obvious comparison I'm hearing is Joy Division, but the song has a bit of a harder edge to it, while still having some pop sheen. Also, despite having more in common with music from forty years ago, "Surrender" doesn't quite sound like a throwback. Qlowski are dark yet poppy, laid back yet heavy. They're making some wonderfully interesting music that is perfect for brooding and dancing. You can watch the video for "Surrender" below. The Wound is due out November 1 on Maple Death Records and Feel It Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Qlowski, check out the band on Bandcamp .

When I first listened to the latest from Artificial Go, I assumed they were from England, or at least somewhere more traditionally hipper than Cincinnati. Of course, it's usually bands from the non-traditional areas that end up making the coolest music. "Pay Phone" is an under two minute sparse song that merges post-punk with pop. It's sparse in the way Beat Happening was sparse, but less raw and just as DIY sounding. "Pay Phone" is an addictive song that is sure to be one of the most infectious earworms of the year, but when a song is this great, you certainly won't mind. You can watch the video for "Pay Phone" below. Hopscotch Fever is due out September 6 on Feel It Records/Future Shock, and is available for pre-order via Bandcamp . 

Hailing from Richmond, VA, The Ar-Kaics are a band that is modernizing classic garage rock. Their latest single, "Dawning," both sounds like a modern garage rock meets indie rock single and a vintage 70's garage rocker. It's filled with soul, but also packs a little punch with an unexpected edge. Plus, there's more than a little bit of psychedelia poking its head out throughout the song. "Dawning" is an infectious song that grows on you with every listen, and The Ar-Kaics are the type of song that will sneak up on you and unexpectedly become a long time favorite. You can listen to "Dawning" below. See the World on Fire is due out May 3 on Feel It Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on The Ar-Kaics, check out the band on Facebook and  Instagram . See the World on Fire by the Ar-Kaics

Photo by Nick Samardzia Choncy are the kind of band that sounds like someone heard punk rock back in the 1970's and brought it back to their hometown where it evolved into it's own thing without any outside influence. The Cincinnati band's latest single, "Dead Meat," is unquestionably a punk song, but it's a disjointed, oddball version of the sound. This is music that isn't made for Spotify algorithms or to play at label showcases in Los Angeles (are those even still a thing?) "Dead Meat" is loud, and fast, and noisy, and it's absolutely great. It's also a sneakily catchy song that could very well become a welcome earworm. You can watch the video for "Dead Meat" below. 20X MULTIPLIER is due out March 8 on Feel It Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Choncy, check out the band on Instagram .

Lawrence, Kansas' Sweeping Promises specialize in this brilliant blend of DIY, dance friendly post-punk. For their latest single, the duo branches off a bit into a more synth heavy sound. Everything we've loved out them so far is still there, just tweaked a teensy bit. "You Shatter" is oddly psychedelic, and maybe it's just because yesterday was the anniversary of the release of The Cars' debut album so I have them on my mind, but I'm hearing a lot of The Cars in this one. It's a bit slower and trippier than we're used to from Sweeping Promises, but "You Shatter" is a terrific song and an interesting change up from the band. You can listen to "You Shatter" below. Good Living Is Coming for You  is due out June 30 on Feel It Records in the US and Sub Pop internationally. It is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Sweeping Promises, check out the band's website . Good Living Is Coming For You by Sweeping Promi...

Lawrence, KS's Sweeping Promises have this wonderfully original post-punk sound. Their latest single, "Eraser," is that perfect dance friendly post-punk sound that almost borders on being a pure dance song. But there is also a very lo-fi/DIY sound to "Eraser" that gives the song more of an edge. It just dances along this line between punk and pop (without being even remotely pop punk) until the line is completely blurred. It's like a mixture of Le Tigre and Perennial while almost sounding as intimate as a bedroom recording. Sweeping Promises are a fun time, and we can't wait to bring you more from the duo. You can listen to "Eraser" below. Good Living Is Coming for You is due out June 30 on Feel It Records in the US and Sub Pop worldwide. The album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp . For more on Sweeping Promises, check out their website . Good Living Is Coming For You by Sweeping Promises

Minneapolis seems to just be one of those cities that we keep discovering artists from. Over the years that we've been doing If It's Too Loud..., its been almost a secret hot spot for great music. Our latest Minneapolis discovery is Green/Blue. Their new single is "In Lies," which is a wonderfully classic sounding post punk sound. It's reminding me a lot of early Sonic Youth (if they focused on a more traditional song structure) and Mission of Burma, but delivering killer vocals and harmonies. Harmony is something missing in the vast majority of post punk, but Green/Blue focus on it. The vocals still have that cool quality you get in the genre, but the two part harmonies inject just a teensy bit of warmth. This is an artist to start getting excited about. You can listen to "In Lies" below. Paper Thin is due out June 10 on Feel It Records, and can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp . For more on Green/Blue, check out the band's Instagram . Paper Thin by ...

Seattle is known for bands that are noisy but write catchy as hell songs. The latest is Star Party. Their new single, "Push You Aside," has this intense, swirling, buzzsaw of a guitar surrounding the whole song and droning along virtually throughout the entire song. Despite that, the beat is undeniably bouncy and makes you want to bop around instead of moshing. And then there's Carolyn Brennan's vocals which just have this endearing quality that sucks you in and makes you want to focus on her and not the noise threatening to engulf her. This is an outrageously fun song. You can watch the video for "Push You Aside" below. Meadow Flower is due out March 11 on Feel It in the US and Tough Love everywhere else. For more on Star Party and to pre-order their album, check them out on Bandcamp .

We didn't discover Sweeping Promises' fantastic 2020 album Hunger for a Way Out  until a few months ago, so we haven't been waiting for too long to hear new music. The band based out of Lawrence, KS just signed to Sub Pop for their latest single! "Pain Without a Touch" is a perfect song to follow Hunger for a Way Out. It's this absurdly dance-friendly version of post punk. If anything, this could be post pop punk. It has all the groove and edge of traditional post punk, but post punk usually isn't this fun and accessible. If you haven't entered into Sweeping Promises fandom yet, this is a perfect jumping on point. You can listen to "Pain Without a Touch" below. The song is available as a single via Feel It Records and Sub Pop. You can get a copy at Bandcamp . For more on Sweeping Promises, check out the band's Instagram . Pain Without a Touch by Sweeping Promises

Lira and Caulfield have been making music together for thirteen years, first in Arkansas and then after relocating to Boston, and currently in Austin, TX. Their latest musical project, Sweeping Promises, played one basement show and recorded a debut album before quarantine hit. Hunger for a Way Out is a collection of ten DIY post punk songs with some serious pop hooks. Seriously, this album is both as rough and as polished as it possibly could be. It's filled with these dirty post punk songs cleaned up with a sparkling pop shine. It's an amazingly fun album propelled by the dichotomy of dark, dingy music coupled with shiny vocals. You can listen to "Hunger for a Way Out" below. Hunger for a Way Out  is out now via Feel It Records, and is available for the "name your price" option on Bandcamp . You can also buy physical copies, but if you do choose a free download, please be sure to follow Sweeping Promises on Instagram .