If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Living Legends Album : The Return Quick Thoughts : The closest thing we have to an indie rap supergroup is back for their first proper album in 15 years, and it's great. While the individual members have gotten their share of successes over the interim, this more or less shows that the group of their powers combined makes for a great record. Loved so much of this one this week. Songs of Note : "Front to Back," "Baggage," "Money 4 Nothin" Artist : Busta Rhymes Album : BLOCKBUSTA Quick Thoughts : Busta Rhymes is legendary for a ton of reasons, and BLOCKBUSTA plays like a victory lap in many regards, but songs like "TINGS" and "MANSA MUSA" provide a great reminder as to why Busta Rhymes is one of the greats. If you've ever been a fan, check this one out. Songs of Note : "TINGS," "THE RETURN OF MANSA MUSA," "HOLD UP," "IF YOU DON'T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW" Artist : Holly...

Photo by Stephanie Simcox Australian alt-dance trio Haiku Hands are the perfect band if you went through a club/electronica phase in the 90's. Their latest single, "Cool for You," is going to remind you of the prime of artists like The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers. If you played this for me and told me it was an unreleased song from the Wipeout XL soundtrack, I would completely believe you. It's a high energy and fun track that is going to bring back memories from twenty-five years ago for a lot of us. As someone who doesn't get into a lot of electronic music of today, "Cool for You" is the rare modern dance song I can get behind. Bea Lewis says of her band's new single: “This song is about feeling yourself, being at a party and enjoying being yourself. Being with your crew and feeling everybody, it’s the antithesis of capitalism that you need to be something else, that you need another product to feel good, that you need anything. It's a st...

Photo by Bronte Godden According to Haiku Hands' Claire Nakazawa, the Australian band's latest single is inspired by Fatboy Slim and Gorillaz. Once you hear "Feels So Good," that makes perfect sense. The song is like a lower-fi, indie sleaze version of those artists. It goes without saying that "Feels So Good" is obviously a fun song. It's a giant anthem of a song that you'll find impossible to sit still during. The song will inspire you to move. Aside from the aforementioned artists, I'm also hearing some Le Tigre and Spice Girls on this one. Like I said, this is a fun song. Beatrice Lewis says of the band's new song: “' Feels So Good' is a song about speaking your truth into a world that would often much prefer you to stay quiet, polite, in line and obedient. It can be speaking loud political truths or quiet needs and wants to the people closest to you. This song is a dedication to those moments in your life when you can be brave en...

Some new stuff and some catch-up... Artist : Sam Lynch Album : Little Disappearance Quick Description : Debut album of gorgeous indie folk. Why You Should Listen : It's right in line with what we love here. Overall Thoughts : Granted, I figured I'd like this the moment I heard about it, but when Ken sent it over, I didn't expect to enjoy it quite this much. There's so much to love here, from the melodies to the straightforward and familiar instrumentation, that the only negative I can think of has to do with the fact that it's only seven songs. Either way, don't miss out on this one, and let's look forward to what comes next. Recommendation : A must-hear this week. Artist : Softee Album : Keep On Quick Description : Debut pop album from an indie act out of New York. Why You Should Listen : This is strange enough to be off-center, but accessible enough to feel like an adventurous pop album. Overall Thoughts : I've had an eye...