If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Milan Zrnic Most bands would celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of their debut album by releasing a deluxe edition, and maybe playing the album in full on tour. Instead of that, Imperial Teen have a new album coming out thirty years after releasing Seasick. The latest single off that album, "Hands All Up," sounds more like 1996 than the previous two singles have. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked to find out it was a lost cut from Seasick. It's a little more rocking than "Overdrive" and "All Over You" were, but with plenty of indie pop to make the song ridiculously catchy. The song sounds like 1996, as grunge faded even further from the charts and was replaced by a more pop focused version of alt-rock. Imperial Teen were one of the finest artists of that sound, and here they are still killing it three decades later. Will Schwartz (guitar, vocals, keyboards) says of his band's latest single: “We want to make people dance and think and fee...

Photo by Ginny Davies Ireland's M(h)aol are back with more of the post-punk we've come to love from them. Their new single, "Scam Manifesto," is a brooding and intense song that keeps all of their anger and humor intact, and mixes it into a swirling mix of noise. One of the things I've come to love about M(h)aol is how they combine the dance friendly side of post-punk with the genre's more chaotic and noisy side. "Scam Manifesto" is sneakily hypnotic, and lulls you despite how abrasive it can be. Something Soft was one of the top albums of 2025, and it's great to see M(h)aol continuing that with their latest. Constance Keane (drums/vocals) says of her band's latest single: “'Scam Manifesto' is a song I wrote during one of my semi-regular social media breaks.  My entire feed was 'how to lose the last 5 lbs’ and obituaries for people I didn’t know. It’s about the guilt I feel about my own hypocrisy. Publicly, I say that as a woman i...

Photo by Milan Zrnic Indie pop legends Imperial Teen continue to celebrate their thirtieth year with new music. Their latest single, "All Over You," is a fun song that stops short of being twee by grooving just a little too hard. It's a fun song with a sense of humor, which is what Imperial Teen have always done best. The song sounds like 1996, but an updated version of music released that year. That was the year that grunge had faded further into the background, and the airwaves had been taken over by alternative rock even more infused with pop... although we never would have admitted that back than. "All Over You" is filled with fantastic nostalgic sounds that push themselves forward into 2026. Roddy Bottom says of his band's latest single: “In 'All Over You' we used a glass jar and other items lying around the studio for percussion. We also use some vocal techniques like breaths for percussion. We got to use some cool Moogs and vintage keyboards f...

Photo by Milan Zrnic Whenever Imperial Teen returns with new music is a big deal, so we're thrilled to have them back with "Overdrive." Somehow the band still sounds just as vital and modern as they did in the 90's (which, to be fair, could be my age, but I don't think so). It's oddly timeless, and sounds like it could have been released at any time in the past three decades. It's indie rock, but in a glammy way. The song is wonderfully groovy, and just feels like the hippest summer of all time. "Overdrive" is fuzzy, it's fun as hell, and it's impossibly cool. Welcome back, Imperial Teen. We couldn't be happier to have you. Jone Stebbins (bass, vocals) says of the band's upcoming album: “For the last few records, the process has been similar. We live great distances away from each other, so initially, we get together to collaborate, write, and create. When we have enough material, we reconvene to record. Both scenarios, creating a...

Photo by Robin Christian Welsh "janglepop raconteurs" The Tubs have signed to Merge Records and released a cover of Metallica's "Fade to Black." Diehard Metallica fans and metalheads will most likely hate this cover. This is a case of a band taking a song and redoing it in their own style, and this style is one metal fans typically despise. It's much more jangly and twee than the original, and much more in the style of what used to be called college rock. But, for those of us who love indie rock more than metal and are fans of Metallica but not in the diehard category, The Tubs' version of "Fade to Black" is a genuine treat. This is truly fun, and a great introduction for The Tubs into the Merge family. Owen Williams' says of his band's latest single: "I’ve always been a big fan of a Metallica ballad. Obviously I like the riffs too but I think there’s a weirdly beautiful and singular quality to their ballads, even though the lyrics...

Photo by Colin Medley Charlotte Cornfield is one of those artists that perfectly blends indie rock and folk/Americana. Her latest single, "Lost Leader," resides almost exclusively in the realm of folk and Americana. It's one of the more mainstream sounding songs the singer-songwriter has released in recent memory, with just enough of a unique spin to keep things sounding interesting. Plus, the song has a fantastic twang to it that helps make it irresistible. Cornfield has long had this engaging quality to her music that envelops the listener and sucks them in, and "Lost Leader" showcases that expertly. This is quietly one of the best songs we've heard so far in 2026. Charlotte Cornfield says of "Lost Leader": “This is a hard song. But I also think it's a little bit funny. Tragicomic maybe? It's about a tormented frontman character whose personal demons and poor behaviour are getting the best of him. The story is told in second person but th...

Photo by Colin Medley The latest single from Charlotte Cornfield's upcoming Merge debut features vocals from Feist. "Living With It" continues Cornfield's indie rock meets Americana/roots sound, with this one leaning a bit more into the world of indie rock. It's a laid back singer-songwriter track that is so close to being in the world of mainstream Adult Contemporary, but Cornfield keeps it just unique enough. It's a quiet song that keeps an intensity that will fully draw you in and refuse to let you go. "Living With It" is a captivating track made more so by Feist and Cornfield's harmonizing, which is otherworldly. Our only complaint (which isn't an actual complaint) is that after three and a half minutes, the song ends up feeling too short and leaves us wanting more. Charlotte Cornfield says of collaborating with Feist: “I had secretly dreamed of having her sing on the record and mentioned it to [producer] Phil Weinrobe, who she is also fr...

Photo by Colin Medley It's been three years since we last heard from Charlotte Cornfield. In that time, she had a baby and signed with Merge Records. Now she's back with a new single, "Hurts Like Hell." The new song continues her blend of folk/roots music mixed with indie rock. It's definitely leaning much more heavily on the folk/roots side of things, but Cornfield has always been able to take a classic genre and make it all her own. It's a sound that's going to resonate with both the Americana and indie rock purists, with both wanting to fully claim her. "Hurts Like Hell" is a laid back and fully intriguing song with some serious country roots that will instantly grab many music fans after a single listen. Charlotte Cornfield says of her latest single: “This song is about someone getting over deep insecurities and inhibitions and putting themselves out there. These two characters in the song have clearly experienced a lot of pain and are pushin...

Photo by Braeden Long It's been a few months since we brought you new music from Case Oats, the band led by Chicago's Casey Gomez Walker (and features Spencer Tweedy on drums). While "Seventeen" was more of an indie rock meets alt-country track, the band's latest single, "Nora," leans more into the country and folk side of things. There are still some indie rock elements in this latest single, but it's mostly a ramblin' and twangy affair. There's just enough of an edge in "Nora" to keep it in the alt-country camp, but enough spacey effects to keep things interesting. Considering the song is about "the woman your boyfriend left you for," it's quite a fun song. Casey Gomez Walker says of her latest single: "Sometimes you find yourself in a relationship with someone who clearly loves their ex. You kid yourself, thinking it might not be true, or that they might start loving you. You stick around. But in the end they w...

Photo by Alex Cox Superchunk have some songs that are an absolute joy to listen to. Within the first five seconds of "Stuck in a Dream" you know it's going to be one of those. The legendary indie rockers' latest is just oozing an upbeat vibe in the opening guitar chords. It's bouncy and it just begging to be heard live. It's also a song that's impossibly catchy. Basically, it's exactly what we want from a new Superchunk song, and "Stuck in a Dream" is going to hold up right with their classics. I could see younger fans latching on to this one the way we do songs from Foolish , and we probably would to if we weren't so laden with nostalgia. "Stuck in a Dream" is a new classic from Superchunk, and it's thrilling that a band that has been so vital for over thirty years can still be. Mac McCaughan says of his band's latest single: “Based on an actual dream that wouldn’t end, it’s a late-in-the-sequence upbeat number put ther...

Photo by Alex Cox How are Superchunk still this good in 2025? The Chapel Hill, NC indie rock legends have been releasing music for over thirty years, and their latest single, "No Hope," stands right up there with the classics. Superchunk have long mastered making incredibly catchy indie rock songs that border on pop rock, which is exactly what this new song is. It's also easy to see why they've been considered forbearers of emo on this one. For a song called "No Hope," it's surprisingly upbeat and kind of hopeful. Superchunk's guitarwork has never been better than it is here, and it's the rare new song that the audience will be just as jazzed to hear live as they will be the classics.  Mac McCaughan says of his band's upcoming album: “It’s always been the case that everyone is going through something that you may not be aware of. This is currently more true than ever—but also the case that we are  all  going through some things together. In t...

Photo by Alex Cox Indie rock legends Superchunk are back with new music, their first since touring drummer Laura King became an official member. "Is it Making You Feel Something" is exactly what we want from (and love about) Superchunk. It's an upbeat and bouncy indie rock song that shows why they've been considered one of the original emo bands. This song is undeniably catchy and is the style of power pop many of us fell in love with in the 90's, through an indie rock lens. If you already love Superchunk like so many of us do, "Is it Making You Feel Something" might already be your song of the summer.  Singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan says of the band's new single: “This song is about not second-guessing yourself in the very second-guessable process of writing words and music. It’s about the legitimate question of ‘who needs this and what is it good for?’ but also about not setting such a high bar for making art that you never get started. ‘Is it maki...

Photo by Cait Fahey Ireland's M(h)aol may have released a song that's a tribute to a bandmember's beloved departed pet, but "I Miss My Dog" is hardly a tender ballad. The song is an absolute force and a lesson in noise rock and punk. From the opening feedback squall, M(h)aol have crafted an explosive song that captures the melancholy and anger of losing a pet. It's filled with a heavy groove that is only eclipsed by the chaotic noise surrounding it. Losing a pet can be a devastating experience, but they've channeled their feelings into a fantastic song. Constance Keane says of her band's new single: “'I Miss My Dog' is a song about my dog Poppy, and the experience of losing a pet. She passed away in July last year, and I still sometimes wake up thinking she’s with us. I think losing a dog is something that people either understand or they don’t, and this is a song for those of us that do.” You can watch the video for "I Miss My Dog" b...

Photo by Cait Fahey Hailing from Dublin, Belfast, and London are M(h)aol, who might become one of our favorite noise rock bands by the end of the year. The trio's latest single, "DM:AM," is an intense burst of noise over post punk beats. Speak-singing vocals go over an at times almost overwhelming wall of noise that barrels over the listener. The song sounds like a mixture of Porridge Radio and 80's Sonic Youth. "DM:AM" builds and builds tension before erupting into a chaotic, almost free jazz style chaotic ending. M(h)aol might not end up being for everyone, but if you love fiery feminist noise rock, you'll be enamored with this one. M(h)aol say about their latest single: "This song is about men DM’ing women online and then getting aggressive when they don’t get the response they want. They quickly turn to insults about the women, and then once the woman says she’ll expose what they’ve done, she gets a laundry list of reasons why he behaves like th...