If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Tory Corless In a very short time, it was announced that Boston would be virtually without rehearsal spaces for musicians. To say that a major American city that has long prided itself on being a place for musicians to thrive to suddenly be without rehearsal spaces is disappointing is a gigantic understatement. John Shakespear recently came back to Boston from Nashville and has released a new single about that. "Sound Museum," named after the long term Allston rehearsal space that is scheduled to close next month, sees Shakespear switching to a more indie pop sound than the folk/Americana of 2019's Spend Your Youth. It's an ode to Boston's DIY communities which are becoming more vital as the city's more traditional musical outlets get more limited seemingly every day. It's taking soul crushing news and finding something to celebrate, and we could really use that these days. John Shakespear says of the Sound Museum: “It was in those spaces, and in ...

Photo by VQnC Although he started off in Boston, John Shakespear is now located in Nashville. You can hear both cities in his newest single, "Spend Your Youth." The song has a strong Americana feel that you can pretty much only get in a city like Nashville, but it's not all twang. "Spend Your Youth" still has a bit of the Boston DIY/indie feel to it. It's a brilliant and mesmerizing song, more on the indie folk side of things than the alt-country of the previous single, "Swinging for the Fences." You can listen to "Spend Your Youth" below. Spend Your Youth, John Shakespear's debut album, will be out May 10. For more on John Shakespear, check out his website . Current tour dates are below the song. 5/2 - Nashville, TN - The East Room  5/8 - Washington, DC - Electric Maid  5/9 - Harrisburg, PA - Little Amps  5/10 - NYC - Pete’s Candy Store  5/11 - Baltimore, MD - The Four-Hour Day Lutherie  5/22 - Boston, MA - So...

Photo by VQnC Nashville's John Shakespear has previously been in soul bands in Boston and Cambodia (and we're super curious which Boston bands), and now he is set to release his debut solo album. The first single, "Swinging for the Fences," has us excited for his album. The song doesn't break new ground. It's on the poppier side of the alt-country thing, and is very similar to the more laid back side of Wilco or bands like Dawes and Delta Spirit. But Shakespear is absurdly good at that sound. "Swinging for the Fences" has a summery feel that goes beyond the baseball reference of the title, and the subject of the song. It's also more catchy than you can imagine, and could be a candidate for song of the summer if it wasn't being released in January. You can watch the baseball themed video for "Swinging for the Fences" below. There is no word on a release date for John Shakespear's debut album, but to keep tabs on him, check ...