If It's Too Loud...

At one point it seemed like we were bringing you new music from Minneapolis every other day, but it's been a while since a Minneapolis band came to our attention. Maybe they were just saving up to bring us Scrunchies. Scrunchies are a Twin Citied supergroup that was founded by Laura Larson of Kitten Forever (one of my personal favorites!) and Danielle Cusack of Bruise Violet. The two met from appreciation of each other's bands and through playing together in a Buzzcocks cover band called Buzzcunts, which also featured Clara Sayler of Babes in Toyland. In 2019 bassist Matt Catore of Condominiums joined to flesh out their current line up. The band's new single, "No Home Planet," perfectly nails a punk sweet spot for me. It's fast and loud and brash, but also has this unmistakable catchiness to it. It's rare to find punk this heavy that's still fun, but Scrunchies pull it off expertly. There's also the fuzz of early Seattle grunge. (I've oddly bee...

I may be wrong on this one, but I believe Kitten Forever was the very first band that ever submitted their music to us in the early days of If It's Too Loud... It's been two years since we've been able to bring you any new music from them, and, unfortunately, we don't have anything new. When Bandcamp was waiving their fees for artists back on May 1, I saw Kitten Forever post about putting up leftover tour merch on their Bandcamp, and I decided to check it out. The first bit of good news is that they had a $5.00 t-shirt actually in my size, but that doesn't do much for you folks. What is great for everyone else is that their entire discography is available as a free download on Bandcamp! This includes seven albums, two singles, and a rarities compilation (titled Rarities , obviously) are all yours right now! Kitten Forever might be my absolute favorite kind of punk: It's loud, sloppy, has a great sense of humor, and is the pinnacle of the current neo-riot grrrl...

Just a lot out this week, so we'll do highlights. Artist : Skating Polly Album : The Make It All Show Quick Description : New album from the indie rockers. Why You Should Listen : Skating Polly is similar to Speedy Ortiz in some regards, and they are poised to break out. Overall Thoughts : I liked Skating Polly’s last effort, which was a sort of car crash of musical sounds and styles that had me hooked. Even still, it wasn’t without its flaws, but that was more than okay – it was still a great listen. This new album feels a lot more organized and structured, and the result (while a little less chaotic) is something that really shows growth as a band without losing the sort of manic quality that sets them apart. Recommendation : A favorite this week. Artist : Parker Milsap Album : Other Arrangements Quick Description : New album from a favorite here. Why You Should Listen : You're looking for a little more adult alternative in your life. Overall Thoughts : We’v...

It's been well over three years since we brought you any new music from Kitten Forever. (Somehow we missed their 2016 album 7 Hearts. WHOOPS!) For a self-described "minimalist punk band," they are loud. The Minneapolis based trio play this incredibly fast brand of punk that owes a ton to riot grrrl bands of the past. "Hell Hole" is all driving guitars and bashing, cymbal heavy drums, and gang vocal choruses. The crazy thing is, as loud and noisy as I'm describing it, "Hell Hole" is fun and groovy. There's just enough of a pop hook in the song to make it danceable, which is a rare feat.  You can listen to "Hell Hole" below. Kitten Forever's fourth album, Semi-Permanent , will be self-released on their own Rat Queen Records label on May 4. You can pre-order your copy via Bandcamp . For more on Kitten Forever, check out their website . SEMI-PERMANENT by KITTEN FOREVER

Back in the early days of If It's Too Loud, I wrote about great neo-Riot Grrl band Kitten Forever. Well, they're back with a brand new video for "Rat Queen." Besides doing a killer modern version of bands like Bikini Kill and Cake Like, the video is a throwback to the type of videos Sonic Youth made for Goo : A slight background change, a couple outfits, some instruments, and you have a video! They're also wrapping up a tour that gets them out of the Minneapolis area. Unfortunately, there are no New England dates for us, but maybe next time. You can watch the video for "Rat Queen" below, and their current tour dates are below that. Also, head on over to their Bandcamp page to listen to all their albums. Nov 6 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Skidmore College Nov 9 - Philadelphia, PA @ House Show w/ Urine Culture, Pebbles Nov 10 - Kent, OH @ Eurogyro w/ Ride or Die and The Bijous Nov 11- Columbus, OH @ House Show w/ Skurt and Etc Etc Etc_  Nov 13 -...

Hailing from the shockingly indie fertile mecca of Minneapolis , Kitten Forever are a new generation of riot grrrl band. The trio of Liz Elton, Corrie Harrigan, and Laura Larson trade off instruments throughout and bring their own blend of punk to a musical style more than two decades in. They are equal parts the sense of humor of Cake Like, the edge of Bikini Kill, and the groove of Death From Above 1979. The 13 songs on their latest release, Pressure , are raw in the best way, but have a sense of melody and songwriting structure almost completely disguised by the distortion and gang vocals. Be Your Own Pet made me feel old; Kitten Forever make me feel downright elderly, but I’ll still head out anytime they venture out to the Boston area. Check out Pressure on Kitten Forever’s Bandcamp page , and check out the video for “Famous Friends” below.