If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Shervin Lainez We cover a lot of artists that tend to live in between the worlds of indie rock and folk, but no one is doing it quite like Joh Chase. Their latest single, "Gone," would fit in with many other artists in the genre such as Big Thief, but there's just something about Chase that keeps their sound unique. It's somehow more folk and more indie rock at the same time. The song starts off in that modern, Newport Folk Festival inspired folk style that's fairly rock adjacent, but the bass line has a much sharper edge than you'd expect. The song slowly builds step by step until it's an indie rock banger, while still keeping the basics that made you love the song to begin with. Joh Chase says of their musical background: “My brain is completely filled with the music I was raised on: Elton John, The Cranberries, Bonnie Raitt, and the Mamas and the Papas. I will always think of my music through that template while trying to find a place for mysel...

We absolutely love The Umbrellas, and so do you as long as you're still capable of experiencing joy. The San Francisco band "... are four renegade romantics crafting irresistible pop hymns," and that's evident in their latest single. "Gone" is an impossibly upbeat and endearing indie rock gem. It's gloriously bright and sunny with fuzzy guitars and warmth throughout. To me it sounds like a less polished and more bouncy version of The Sundays. "Gone" is just happiness in song form, and we can use as much as we can get of this in the doldrums of winter. The Umbrellas say of their new single: "'Gone' talks about feeling stuck on trivial matters and chasing escapism to cope, even though you might not know what you’re looking for/what will help you yet. The song never really finds an answer to the question of what to do when you’re feeling stuck, but it does build some acceptance of the feeling, making the “rut” feel all the more human ...

A couple of years ago we brought you the then-new album from Chicago's Josefina . She's back with a new single, "Gone." While Starry Dome was a bit more alt-country, "Gone" sees Josefina moving into more of a pop territory. Normally I bristle from a more pop sound, but "Gone" is impossibly charming enough to suck me in. The focus is definitely Josefina's voice, and once you hear it, you'll become obsessed. But there's a gently plucked guitar keeping the song moving along, as well as a horn that's used just enough to want it more. It's a breezy and fun song that will make you long for summer even more than January normally does. You can listen to "Gone" below. The song is available now as a free download on Josefina's Bandcamp . As always, if you download it for free, be sure to follow Josefina on Facebook and Twitter . Gone by Josefina

The latest single from Boston's Mill Pond Falls is nostalgic for a very specific retro 90's sound. Back in the early to mid 90's, I hated country. This was back in the days when "Achy Breaky Heart" in all of its terrible glory just couldn't be avoided, so I hated anything that even remotely like country. Or so I thought. As much as I loved bands like Buffalo Tom, The Lemonheads, and Matthew Sweet, my teenage and college self just couldn't pick up on the heavy country influence those bands had. Now I listen to a lot of those songs and all I can hear is country. That's what "Gone," and its B-Side "Everyday" to a lesser extent, reminds me of. It's that glorious time back when all these alternative bands were playing their 120 Minutes  buzz clips for kids that would never have admitted liking country even though their idols were just oozing Americana. Mills Pond Falls play this blend of catchy, post-grunge alternative that has j...