If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Ruby the RabbitFoot Album : Like Doves and Roses Quick Thoughts : I was honestly starting to wonder if we'd ever get new music from Ruby the Rabbitfoot given the distance between now and Divorce Party , but this was a surprise new listen that was a welcome surprise. The songwriting and production are a little lighter in all ways for this effort, but it's like she found a happy medium between the synth-heavy Divorce Party and her debut. Still, this is great and I'm so glad to have more music. Welcome back. Songs of Note : "My Heart's a Disco Ball," "Even If I Could," "Let Me Know Where" Artist : Aoife Nessa Frances Album : Protector Quick Thoughts : Aoife Nessa Frances is a little underrated on the singer-songwriter side, and one would hope this album could get her more attention. It's a great listen, with a real gentle feel and some gorgeous instrumentation. Feels like a folk album out of the 1970s, or some of Bedo...

Photo by Brandon McClain Atlanta's girlpuppy continues to make music that doesn't squarely fit into a single genre. Becca Harvey's latest single, "Teenage Dream," comes the closest to folk pop, but that barely contains the song. It's far too synth heavy, although it's nothing like New Wave. There are even hints of indie rock noise that come bubbling up, but nowhere near enough to be truly indie rock. It's the kind of song that could easily just be a light and breaazy alt-pop song if you only listened to it in the background, but "Teenage Dream" has a lot going on when you pay attention. Becca Harvey says of her new song: "The song’s about a guy I lead on who looks like Keanu Reeves, and it’s the first one we made for the album. It was, in part, inspired by Caroline Polachek, who said in an interview that her lyrics for 'Bunny Is A Rider' make no real sense, and that they just sounded good to sing. Similarly, the chorus lyrics to ...

Photo by Brandon McClain With the last two girlpuppy singles, Becca Harvey has been straying more into the worlds of indie rock and indie pop and away from her indie folk roots. "Destroyer" goes back in the direction of folk, but it's certainly not leaving her pop side behind. The song is this mesmerizing song that seems to be pulling between being laid back and upbeat. Harvey's vocals are simply hypnotic. "Destroyer" dances on the border of twee, occasionally dipping in without fully committing. Harvey even adds a little twang to the guitar at times that helps keep the song in the universe of folk. girlpuppy is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing new artists out there today. Becca Harvey says of her new single: “I wrote this song in Philadelphia after reading the novel Daisy Jones and The Six .  There’s one part of the book where the character Billy Dunne considers kissing a woman outside of his marriage. He acknowledges that if he decided to make t...

Photo by Brandon McClain Girlpuppy's songs have always been heartbreakingly beautiful, but her latest is just on a new level. "I Want to Be There" fits Becca Harvey's indie pop sound with more than a little bit of dream pop wistfulness. Harvey's vocals seem to anchor the song while the instruments meander around, almost lost. "I Want to Be There" sounds much more organic than a lot of other indie pop songs. It's not quite folk, but it's also not not folk. Girlpuppy is already a master of songs that sound like a close friend is taking you aside and entrusting you with a deep secret. This one is certainly not an exception. Becca Harvey says of the new single: "I wrote 'I Want To Be There' about the pain I felt when my old landlord kicked me and three of my best friends out of our dream home, and all three of my roommates moved to New York. "I was left all alone in Atlanta and it was a really bad time for me. I was jobless and I fe...

Photo by Brandon McClain Last year we got sucked into girlpuppy's debut EP Swan , so we're obviously thrilled that Becca Harvey has her musical project's debut album coming out. The first single from that album, "Wish," has that combination of indie folk, indie rock, and pop that we loved with girlpuppy's previous releases. "Wish" is a little more guitar heavy and amps up the indie rock side of things, so obviously no complaints here. It's filled with Harvey's gorgeous slacker vocals, fuzzy guitars, and just a mesmerizing, dreamlike vibe throughout. It's an upbeat hazy song perfect for this heatwave we're going through up here in New England. Becca Harvey says of her new single: “ On 'Wish' I was thinking about when friends leave your life and you're not entirely sure why .  It's a pretty universal feeling, I think. And, the thing is—even if you managed to live in the walls of that person's apartment and were able ...

Photo by Brandon McClain girlpuppy (aka Atlanta's Becca Harvey) has been making music that blurs the line between folk, pop, and indie since the pandemic began. On her latest single, she's no longer blurring anything and is diving straight into the world of pop... or at the least alt-pop. "I Miss When I Smelled Like You" is just a pure pop song. It's that kind of light and breezy pop song that is absolutely perfect for summer. It's the sonic equivalent of alight breeze that's just enough to take the edge off the heat and lets you be comfortable for a few glorious seconds. Even if you're like me and try to pretend you hate pop, "I Miss When I Smelled Like You" is a must listen. Becca Harvey says of girlpuppy's new single: “ This song is much more pop-based–it’s so different from what I’ve made in the past and what I’ll make in the future .  For 'I Miss When I Smelled Like You' I was looking to create a summer anthem that people wou...

Photo by Brandon McClain With the second single off her upcoming EP, we're getting more and more rabid for the new release from Girlpuppy. "Miniature Furniture" is a laid back, upbeat indie rock/pop/folk song. The song just feels like a light and breezy summer song, especially with some country meets indie rock slide guitar. It's absolutely perfect for anyone that has been digging anything from Snail Mail or Phoebe Bridgers. "Miniature Furniture" is a masterful song that combines pop, folk, and indie in such a way to draw fans of all three in. As light and breezy as the song feels, there is a sadness to it. Becca Harvey (aka Girlpuppy) explains the song is: "...  a culmination of experiences from a summer where I was traveling back and forth to Chicago and Pasadena all whilst coping with a difficult break up. "I was having a really tough time dealing with the breakup, but instead of addressing the feelings I was experiencing, I distracted myself wi...

Photo by Brandon McClain Atlanta's Girlpuppy (aka Becca Harvey) won us over last year. She had been working as a cashier in a bakery until the pandemic hit, and started earnestly working on her music with her newfound free time. She released a few singles last year, and has her debut EP coming out in August. The first single from that EP, "As Much As I Can," blurs the line between indie rock and pop the way Snail Mail and Phoebe Bridgers do. (The EP is produced by Marshall Vore, a collaborator of Bridgers.) It's a breezy song that never quite decides how pop it wants to be to its credit. It could be dream pop, but it has just a little too much of an edge to it. "As Much As I Can" is a gorgeous song that is going to weasel its way into your brain, occupying a good portion of your unconscious thought if you're not careful. But, why would you want to be careful? In a press release, Becca Harvey says of the new song: “This is a love song to the people in my ...

Every so often there's a song that gets covered repeatedly, seemingly out of nowhere. This year that song could be Joni Micthell's "River." Last week we brought you Margo Price's faithful solo piano cover, and this week sees a cover from Atlanta's Girlpuppy. Girlpuppy's version is also quite faithful, but in a more dreamy kind of way. It's a gorgeous take on a classic Christmas folk song, updated for today. This new version isn't exactly folk, and it certainly isn't pop, or rock. It combines all three genres without truly being either one. It's well worth your time to check this out. You can listen to Girlpuppy's version of "River" below. You can download a copy via Bandcamp . For more on Girlpuppy, check out the artist's Twitter and Facebook . River by girlpuppy

Photo by Savanna Hughes Girlpuppy is the moniker of Atlanta based Becca Harvey. Back in April she released a love song called "For You," and three months later comes "Cheerleader," a break up song about the same person. "Cheerleader" is about Harvey wanting her dog back from her ex. It's a lush, gorgeous song in its obvious melancholy. Harvey's vocals are what will truly pull you in. She has this softness and vulnerability that is palpable through a recording. The quiet instrumentation and harmonized vocals complement the song perfectly. "Cheerleader" is the kind of song that is going to stick with you for a long, long time. You can listen to "Cheerleader" below. For more on Girlpuppy, check out the artist on Twitter and Bandcamp . On Bandcamp you'll also find a perfect cover of Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You," so you'll want to check that out.