If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Nell Smith Album : Anxious Quick Thoughts : Nell Smith's Nick Cave covers record with the Flaming Lips a few years back was one of my favorites of the year. At the time, she was a 12 year old that forged a connection with Wayne Coyne and I have impatiently waited for her debut album ever since. I must have missed the news, however, because I learned upon release that this solo album is also a posthumous release, having died in a car accident last fall at only 17. It's always tragic when a teenager dies, but for those of us who love music, this one hurts a little harder, especially when the musical bookend we get here is so, so good. One of the best of the year, in fact, which I wouldn't have seen coming. It's a little weird, a little poppy, a little indie... what's kind of stunning is that she shows a range here that feels more appropriate for someone ten years old. Songs of Note : "Anxious," "Daisy Fields," "The Worst Best Drug...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz If you're going to write a proper country album, you need at least one drinking song. Julien Baker and TORRES have done just that with "Bottom of a Bottle." The song features TORRES on lead vocals and Baker on harmonies, and sounds exactly like you'd expect a TORRES classic country song would sound like. It has all of the twang along with TORRES' distinctive vocals, along with the edging into modern alt-pop that she does so well. When we first heard this pair were releasing a country album, this is exactly what we expected and wanted. All of the songs released for this album have been spectacular, but there's something a little extra special about "Bottom of a Bottle." You can watch the video for "Bottom of a Bottle" below. Send a Prayer My Way is due out April 18 on Matador Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Julien Baker & TORRES, check out the artists' website . Upcoming tour dates are ...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz We knew a collaborative album between Julien Baker and TORRES was going to be great, but each new single somehow surprises us with just how great it is. The latest, "Dirt," is a country ballad duet between Baker and TORRES (aka Mackenzie Scott), and it's both uplifting and heartbreaking. This is exactly what we expected and wanted once we heard this duo was releasing a country album, just much better and more captivating. If you're a fan of either artist (or both), you're going to love this song. If you've never quite gotten the appeal of one (or both) of them, "Dirt" is going to make you a fan. This song is just that good. You can listen to "Dirt" below. Send a Prayer My Way is due out April 18 on Matador Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Julien Baker & TORRES, check out their website . Upcoming tour dates are below the song and include a June 20 appearance at Green River Festival in Greenf...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz Julien Baker and TORRES teaming up for a country album is one of the true joys of 2025. The pair's latest single, "Tuesday," is fronted by TORRES, and according to the press release is about "... trying to overcome and heal from the guilt, shame and religious abuse that so many people experience discovering their identity and growing up Queer." The song is a twangy, laid back country track that lands somewhere between classic country and modern pop music (but nowhere near the current country pop sound). I'm not typically a lyrics guy and don't normally pay attention to the lyrics of a song until after multiple listens, but the lyrics of "Tuesday" grabbed me immediately upon the first listen. This is the type of song that is going to demand your focus and attention.  You can watch the visualizer for "Tuesday" below. Send a Prayer My Way is due out April 18 on Matador Records, and is available for pre-order here . F...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz Much like many of you, a collaboration between Julien Baker and TORRES is kind of a dream come true for us at If It's Too Loud..., so we're thrilled to bring you a new song from their upcoming album. "Sylvia" is a TORRES sung track about adopting her dog. It's a modern country ballad in the best possible sense. It's twangy enough to be a full on country song without sounding anything like modern pop country or classic vintage country. "Sylvia" sounds like TORRES writing and performing a country ballad, and if you've been as big of a TORRES fan as we've been, it's something you never realized you needed as badly as you do. Much like their previous single "Sugar in the Tank," "Sylvia" makes us even more thrilled for the duo's upcoming album. TORRES says of the new single: “The morning I went to pick up my dog Sylvia from an upstate shelter, I was at home making my coffee and I turned on WFMU and ...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz When the Green River Festival announced their 2025 line up, the one thing that leapt out at me was Julien Baker and TORRES performing together. I was intrigued and was dying to know if that meant they were releasing music together, and, if so, what would it sound like? Now we know since the artists debuted a new song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "Sugar in the Tank" is at heart a country/Americana song... mostly. There is still plenty of indie rock injected throughout the song to keep it from being a pure country song, even by alt-country or outlaw country standards. Plus, they've added in some of TORRES' alt-pop to the song. "Sugar in the Tank" is everything we wanted and expected from the pairing of Julien Baker and TORRES, plus even some extra to have us more desperate to hear more from them. You can watch the live performance of "Sugar in the Tank" below. For more on Julien Baker and TORRES, check out their web...

The Green River Festival is one of our favorites of the year. It always seemed to slide under the radar no matter how great their line up has been, but the past few years have seen it get national attention. They've announced the initial line up of their 2025 edition, and this one is certain to make Green River a destination festival. Headlining the 2025 Green River Festival are indie rockers Mt. Joy, Australian phenom Courtney Barnett, and the already legendary Waxatacheee! They also have current indie favorite MJ Lenderman and the intriguing pairing of Julien Baker and TORRES! Aside from that are other If It's Too Loud... favorites such as Kathleen Edwards, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, and Merce Lemon. As always there are bands we're not as familiar with, but we have seven months to do our research and become enamored with new favorites! The Green River Festival will take place June 20-22 at Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, MA. "Plan Ahead" packages are n...

The three women of boygenius are having a moment, and I'm here for it. This is a multiple-Grammy contender, has the Taylor Swift seal of approval, has Rolling Stone apparently confusing Lucy Dacus with Julien Baker , and it just a musically superior album than most of what I listened to this year. Where the record ultimately excels is that, while you can probably figure out who was the lead songwriter from track to track if you're a fan of all three members, the songs do not end up being solo showcases with their friends as backups. There's a little bit of magic in this collaboration, and it's great to see everyone getting their due. The album itself? It's gorgeous singer-songwriter stuff sometimes ("True Blue," "Cool About It"), it's radio-friendly rock ("Not Strong Enough," a favorite track of the year period), or just loud indie rock ("$20," "Satanist"). The band easily shifts between dif...

Artist : Rachel Baiman Album : Common Nation of Sorrow Quick Thoughts : Rachel Baiman has solidified herself as a mandatory listen with Common Nation of Sorrow . Baiman's roots-focused folk is spot-on with this latest album that is as earwormy as it is contemplative, and yet somehow still feels surprising. I knew a few songs in that it was going to be a favorite this week, and longtime readers will find a lot to love here. Songs of Note : "Annie," "Self Made Man," "Lovers and Leavers," "Old Flame" Artist : Altın Gün Album : Aşk Quick Thoughts : I became addicted to this semi-cinematic indie genre over the last few years, and a favorite of mine ended up being Altın Gün. Their albums are catchy and interesting, but the new album levels up in many regards while also harkening back to their earlier work. It's a gorgeous and fascinating listen that's unlike anything else you'll hear this week. Make sure you take some time wi...

Artist : Nervous Dater Album : Call In the Mess Quick Description : Excitable indie rock. Why You Should Listen : Nervous Dater is always fun. Overall Thoughts : I've been a fan of Nervous Dater for some time, and this new album might be their best yet. Songs like "Red String Map" and "Nothing Left" have some weight to go along with their intense, infectious songs. There's a whole lot to love here, and it's an album that should put them on the map if they're not already there as they deserve. Don't even think twice about this one. Recommendation : If you like indie rock, give this a spin. Artist : Julien Baker Album : Little Oblivions Quick Description : Long-awaited new album from an indie singer-songwriter. Why You Should Listen : Everything Julien Baker touches turns to gold. Overall Thoughts : Turn Out the Lights has been in consistent rotation in my house since it came out. There's something so raw and so compelling ab...