If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Sleaford Mods Album : The Demise of Planet X Quick Thoughts : Ken was on the Sleaford bandwagon fairly early, and while it took me a little while to join him, I can't deny the unique and singular energy the duo brings to the table these days. Judging by the list of guests here (ranging from Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie to a surprise Sue Tompkins), everyone else is getting smart to it as well. This is Sleaford at their finest - a great mix of songs reminiscent of their early efforts with a lot of modern flair and political commentary. A really brilliant record that sets the bar for 2026 quite well. Songs of Note : "The Good Life," "Elitist G.O.A.T.," "No Touch," "The Demise of Planet X," "Gina Was," "Flood the Zone," "Kill List" Artist : Langhorne Slim Album : The Dreamin' Kind Quick Thoughts : My first experience with Langhorne Slim was his opening for Clem Snide sometime two ...

Photo by Ray Di Pietro The Tennessee Freedom Singers Project was started by Allison Russell out of "resistance from the rise of extremist forces" and "an unwillingness to accept the rollback of protections for historically marginalized groups." The project features a huge number of musicians:  Allison Russell, Amanda Shires, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Brittney Spencer, Brooke Eden, Denitia, Devon Gilfillian, Elizabeth Cook, Emmylou Harris, Erin Rae, Fancy Hagood, Jaimee Harris, Julie Williams, Kam Franklin, Katie Pruitt, Kyshona Armstrong, Langhorne Slim, Lilly Winwood, Lucie Silvas, Maren Morris, Mary Gauthier, Meghan Linsey, Meghan McCormick, Mya Byrne, MORGXN, Paul McDonald, Phillip-Michael Scales, Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, Sara Van Buskirk, Shelly Colvin, Tre Burt , and Wade Sapp.  The project was brought together to support Gloria Johnson and her campaign for US Senate. The artists involved have pledged to donate any proceeds they ...

A slow-ish week. I'll be covering the new TayTay when it finally hits streaming services, but until then... Co-Albums of the Week : Artist : Kindling Album : Hush Quick Description : Local shoegazey goodness. Why You Should Listen : You're looking to harken back to a different time, but not the trendy stuff that's hitting today. Overall Thoughts : Holy crap this is absolutely wonderful , droney, almost shoegazey music. A band from Easthampton, I figured I’d like them when Spotify listed Infinity Girl as a comp, but this is so much better than that. Maybe my favorite of the week at this point, the vocals are gorgeous and drenched in reverb, they’re not afraid to get aggressive, and this is a rare act that sounds like something you’ve heard before even though you know it’s fully unique. Recommendation : Do not miss out on this at all, it’s a brilliant listen. Artist : Fever High Album : FHNY Quick Description : 1980s throwbacks, but more like a time machine ...

Photo by Ken Sears In its second year (but kind of its first), the United Folk Festival swung for the fences with their line up. They brought in some of the biggest national and local names in modern Americana music for a free show in a park/arboretum in downtown Westerly, RI. The location and set up couldn't have been more perfect. Two stages were set up on opposite ends of a section of the park and alternated throughout the day. There was no overlap and no having to decide between two artists. You only had to turn around and face the other stage between bands.  This did lead to my only complaint of the day. The crowd was definitely the sit on a Langhorne Slim Photo by Ken Sears blanket and lounge kind. There was virtually no energy or signs of enjoyment from the crowd besides some clapping at the end. This could have also been since the majority of artists booked fell into the quiet, mellow end of the folk spectrum. While they were all great (Full disclosure: Bringing a...

Let's face it. Most of us aren't going to the Newport Folk Festival this year. Tickets now go on sale before Christmas, and sell out virtually instantly. Plus, while the ticket prices aren't that outrageous as far as festivals go, staying in or around Newport for a weekend during the summer is a very expensive proposition. But, if you like listening to first class Americana music at an outdoor festival in southern Rhode Island during the month of July, we now have a second option. In what appears to be its second year, the United Folk Festival takes over Wilcox Park in Westerly, Rhode Island on July 1st. Usually free, outdoor concerts in public parks are limited to band concerts and geriatric jug bands, but the United Folk Festival is bringing some of our favorite artists, all for free. The line up includes Blitzen Trapper, Langhorne Slim, Woods, The Low Anthem, Elvis Perkins, My Bubba (who might be your next favorite band), and many more. It's nine hours of a free ...

I've been a huge fan of Prescott Park's live music line up for a few years now. It's live music from insanely great nationally touring bands in a beautiful waterfront park for next to nothing. Seriously, since it's a public park they technically can't charge an entrance fee, so instead they charge a $8-$10 "suggested donation." Trust me, though. You're going to be more than happy paying the suggested donation since it's usually a fraction of the band's normal ticket price and you'll want them to keep putting these on. I make the extra long trip whenever I can since I enjoy the venue more than some Boston theaters, and I've seen a few artists that tend to charge more than I like paying here for $10. Usually there are a handful of If It's Too Loud... approved bands every year, with the majority of the artists being more suited to our parents. This year though... wow. Here is a small selection of bands I think our readers will be exc...

It's that time of year again where we look at the best of the year. Kicking off my Best of 2015 list? Langhorne Slim and The Law's The Spirit Moves . Langhorne Slim has been an artist I've followed since I saw him open for Clem Snide many, many years ago. There's a punkish aesthetic of sorts to his brand of folk music, and his evolution from a solo artist to more of a band element has been a net positive. You may have recalled his song "Worries" from a few years back, and I really feel like The Spirit Moves is a natural evolution of his overall sound. This album goes in a few different places, and so many of the songs just keep getting stuck in my head long, long after I've listened. Honestly, if you haven't sought this one out yet, you really should, especially if you're one for good, offbeat folk sounds. This might be Langhorne Slim's best album yet, and it speaks to the strength and consistency of his songwriting that I keep goin...

Looks like we might be exiting the summer doldrums. Album of the Week: Artist : Langhorne Slim and the Law Album : The Spirit Moves Quick Description : Latest album from the folk revivalist. Why You Should Listen : You enjoy upbeat folk music with a retro feel. Overall Thoughts : I'm not sure I'm willing to call this Langhorne Slim's best album yet, but it might be in the discussion. "Strangers" in particular is a bit of a barnburner and the whole album feels cohesive and modern while retaining that sort of retro touch. Langhorne Slim doesn't get enough credit for what he's doing, and this should be a mandatory listen. Recommendation : Absolutely the best listen of the week, highly recommended. Artist : HEALTH Album : Death Magic Quick Description : First album in close to 6 years from the noise rock group. Why You Should Listen : Noise rock is your thing; You like music that tries to push boundaries but doesn't really do it. Overall T...

We haven't done a Friday Freebies for a while, and this one comes at a great time. Just as we're gearing up for this weekend's Green River Festival , one of the artists playing on Saturday has a free release on NoiseTrade. Langhorne Slim & The Law have a new album coming out ( The Spirit Moves , due out August 7th), but in the meantime you can download The Way the Spirit Moves  for free! The Way the Spirit Moves  contains three songs from the upcoming album as well as three songs from 2012's The Way We Move. It's a perfect primer if you're just discovering Langhorne Slim's energetic folk rock, or if you've been a fan but just want a preview of the new album. Either way, it's free! You can download The Way the Spirit Moves  on NoiseTrade . For more information on Langhorne Slim & The Law, head on over to his website . If you're in the New England area, there are still tickets left for this weekend's Green River Festival in Greenfi...

The Green River Festival is now less than 4 weeks away, and they've announced their daily schedule, and as always, there are some decisions to be made. While I love the multiple stages of festivals, and I love having options for when there's an artist on I can't get into, I hate  having to decide between two favorite artists. The biggest for me is deciding between J Mascis and Lydia Loveless. J Mascis is a decades long favorite of mine, and Lydia Loveless is a year long absolute obsession. I've seen Mascis solo a handful of times, and I've never seen Loveless, so you'd think this would be an easy choice. But this is J Mascis  we're talking about. Luckily, they only have a 15 minute overlap so it'll just have to be a last minute decision on what to miss.  Of course, there's also the overlap between Polaris and Langhorne Slim & The Law, which is almost a complete time for time overlap. I discovered The Adventures of Pete and Pete  in my 30s, ...

The Green River Festival has long been one of the most beloved, if almost secret, annual New England music festivals. It was long run by the Greenfield, MA Chamber of Commerce and because of that always seemed to be geared towards an older audience. That started to change back in 2013 with the inclusion of Gogol Bordello to the festival, and last year it started being presented by Signature Sounds , the fantastic Northampton, MA based record label. The festival sold out in advance last year, and this year will be an even quicker sell out for its 29th year. Saturday is just ridiculous with Tune-Yards, Wood Brothers, western MA rock god J Mascis, Booker T. Jones, Milk Carton Kids, Langhorne Slim & the Law, blog favorite Lydia Loveless, Polaris (aka the band from The Adventures of Pete & Pete !), and more. Sunday is also solid with Steve Earle & the Dukes, Punch Brothers, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Valerie June, Elephant Revival, Joe Pug, and more. Besides music, the festi...