If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Carissa Johnson Boston music scene veteran Adam Sherman has done time in Private Lightning, The Souls, and Nervous Eaters. Now he's set to release a new solo EP, and we can hear the second single off of that today. "Gratitude" has that Americana inflected power pop sound that we seem to love around here. It's a surprisingly positive and uplifting single that never falls into the corny trappings most uplifting songs can fall into. This is a solid rock song with a positive message that actually rocks. Plus, it features fellow Boston rock legend Robin Lane on backing vocals, and you simply can't go wrong with that. It's the type of song that acknowledges things may not be where we want them to be, but they can and will get better, which is a message we could all use right now. Adam Sherman says of his latest single: “‘Gratitude’ is about focusing on thankfulness for the good things in our lives, rather than the difficulties we encounter every day. It’s a...

Here's a confession that might make me lose all of my Boston music scene cred: I never went to a show at The Rat. By the time I was going to shows regularly (1996/1997), most of the bands I wanted to see were playing clubs like The Middle East and TT the Bears. And then The Rat was gone in 1997. I've always wished I had gone to that legendary establishment, so once the fiftieth anniversary celebration of The Rat was announced for Bellforge Arts Center, I knew I had to go. Originally scheduled for Saturday but moved for rain, the event took place on Sunday afternoon and was hosted by Boston radio legend Oedipus. A reunion for Boston's premier punk club taking place from 3:00 to 7:00 in the afternoon in the middle of a field where people usually hang out on blankets and folding chairs may seem like a strange location, but considering the average age of the crowd skewed well above fifty, it was probably perfect.  Tree Photo by Ken Sears The day's music moved back in time, ...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday September 20 John Hovorka, Crow Follow, and Connor Storms & His Bouquet at The Burren, Somerville, MA Whitehall and TIFFY at Barewolf Brewing, Amesbury, MA Daughter of the Vine, Minibeast, and Ruff.Feechers at Myrtle, East Providence, RI Kimaya Diggs and Avery Joi at The Iron Horse, Northampton, MA Jolie Holland at The Word Barn, Exeter, NH Nervous Eaters, Robin Lane, and Tiger Bomb at The Middle East, Cambridge, MA Divine Sweater and Benet at The Drake, Amherst, MA Ans...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday September 13 Jedediah Parish and Mike Gent at Q Division Studios, Cambridge, MA DeVotchka and Savoir Faire at The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA Buffalo Tom and Belly at State Theater, Portland, ME Bongwish, Mother Fungus, The P.A.'s, and Little Miss Echo at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA Feminine Aggression, Perennial, and Juana B Ontop at Holyoke Media, Holyoke, MA Saturday September 14 Moon Over Salem Festival featuring Actor Observer, Hell Beach, dropbear, The Freqs, Oldsoul, Astr...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: Friday June 28 Emily Grogan Band, Crow Follow, CATWOLF, and Galaxy Cake at The Jungle Community Music Club, Somerville, MA Dry Cleaning and Frog at The Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA Buffalo Nichols and The Glass Hours at Askew, Providence, RI Cathedral Bells, Video Days, Middle Part, and Ex-Hyena at O'Brien's Pub, Allston, MA TELL, The Daylillies, and Church & Puppets at Warp and Weft, Lowell, MA Saturday June 29 Wes' Rib House Block Party with Sage Francis, Provi...

Nervous Eaters are a legendary garage rock punk band from Boston that continue to put out fantastic music fifty years into their career. Their latest single, "Rock n Roll Your Heart Away," is a tribute to The Rat, the long lost Boston punk club that launched many vital bands in the 70's and 80's. The song is a bluesy rocker that sounds a little like if The Cars played piano more than synths. It's not exactly a punk song, but it's a touching tribute to the classic punk scene of Boston and what Kenmore Square used to be. Plus, it's a perfect showcase as to how great Nervous Eaters continue to be. You can listen to "Rock n Roll Your Heart Away" below. Rock n Roll Your Heart Away , the album, is due out August 23 on Wicked Cool Records. For more on Nervous Eaters, check out the band's website . Upcoming tour dates are below the song. Saturday, June 29th Press Room Portsmouth NH  w/ Tiger Bomb Saturday September 7 The Music Room, West Yarmouth, ...

Boston's Nervous Eaters have settled into an amazing new chapter in their career, and we're here for it. The band started off in the punk scene of the late 70's, and while their music has slowed down over the decades, it still packs a punch. Their latest single, "Don't Need to Make You Mine," is more power pop than punk, but they throw in enough garage rock grit to keep it at least punk adjacent. It sounds a little like a lost 80's rock song with its earnest lyrics and impossibly catchy... well, really everything. This is shiny power pop at its most earmworm friendly, and what else could you possibly want in a rock song? Guitarist and songwriter Adam Sherman says of the new single: "The song is about loving your partner without limits. Harmonious relationships must have freedom as a guiding principle. Embracing the desires of those closest to us allows our loved ones to show their brilliance and seek their true calling." You can listen to "D...

My love of Nervous Eaters is well documented on If It's Too Loud... The Boston punk/garage rock veterans have been having a resurgence lately, and I couldn't be happier. Their latest single, "Vampire," isn't quite a punk anthem like they were releasing back in the 70's. Instead, it's more of a jangle pop meets power pop song in the lines of their more recent releases. There is still that garage rock edge to "Vampire," but Nervous Eaters are softening it a bit with some 60's psychedelia and modern power pop sounds. Boston is undoubtedly one of the best garage rock/power pop scenes in the world, and Nervous Eaters continue to be one of the best reasons why. Frontman Steve Cataldo says of the band's new single: "In a once vibrant town, business by day, swinging by night, always had its own unique rhythm. Strange and without reason, the pace of the small bustling California borough, somehow slowed to an unearthly rhythm. Most of the youn...

Boston punk legends Nervous Eaters continue their incredible comeback with another new single. "Why You Tell'N Me Now" probably isn't punk by today's standards, but it still has plenty of bite. The new single has more edge than should be possible considering Nervous Eaters have been around since the 1970's. The song has a psychedelic power pop sound to it along with a garage rock/proto punk vibe. It's wonderfully groovy, but still just a dark track. It may not be a mosh friendly punk rager, but it's hardly the easy listening most 70's punks now play. "Why You Tell'N Me Now" is a killer song by an always killer band. Frontman Steve Cataldo says of the new song: ""Why You Telling Me Now", tells the true story of how one friend-1 related to his best friend-2 that the girl he was dating and desiring to marry as soon as possible, would not be the smartest idea. Having already been through 2 marriages, the best friend-2 still...

Photo by Carissa Johnson Boston punk/rock and roll legends The Nervous Eaters have been enjoying a career resurgence lately, and songs like their latest show why. "Talkk" has a classic rock feel to it, but it's not like what we typically hear from the band. This new song combines classic 70's California AM radio rock with an early punk edge. I don't think I've ever written that about any other band, which makes sense since those sounds are diametrically to each other, but Nervous Eaters make it work in the coolest way possible. It's like garage rock and punk are filtered through a bit of a hippie lens. It's cool to see a band this many decades into their career play around with their sound like this, but that's why we love Nervous Eaters. Front man Steve Cataldo says of the band's new song: “TALKK is very much along the lines of the NERVOUS EATERS song CHAD, heard on our 'Wicked Cool LP - Monsters and Angels'. The narrative explains a b...

Photo by Carissa Johnson Boston garage punks Nervous Eaters started out in the mid 70's and have been having a resurgence as of late (including a Boston Music Awards nomination for Punk/Hardcore Artist of the Year!) The longstanding band's latest single, "Kelly's Sixteen," is inspired by a teenager contemplating self-harm. It's the kind of song that is both a rough punk song and a melodic power pop song. It kind of sounds like the early proto-punk of Alice Cooper, the best of the Ramones, and the melody of The Beatles. It's definitely the type of song that could be heard as an upbeat rock/pop song if you don't pay attention to the lyrics (thank god for the press release on this one!)  Bassist Brad Hallen says of the new single: "Social media platforms are a cesspool of narcissism and studies show that young people have been taking their own lives more commonly as a result of all this exposure to it. We all need more human-to-human contact instead ...

Photo by Carissa Johnson With the previous singles off The Nervous Eaters' upcoming album, I've noted that they're more on the mellow side, but since the Boston punk legends have been around for almost five decades it makes sense. With "End of the World Girl" they're bringing back the rock. It may not quite have the same edge that 70's punk had, but this is a loud rock and roll song with just a little punk flavoring. Steve Cataldo still has a great yell that is showcased here, and there is just enough fuzz behind the guitar to make this one stand out. If this isn't punk, it at least sounds like a punk band doing a faithful Creedance Clearwater Revival cover. Steve Cataldo says of the new song: "When I wrote 'END OF THE WORLD GIRL' last year, I had no idea the song might turn out to be somewhat prophetic. With so many world leaders talking about WW3 and atomic warfare, there’s no telling what might happen. I would say, today, right now, is ...

Photo by Carissa Johnson Boston punk legends The Nervous Eaters are coming up on fifty years as a band, and somehow they keep making great new music. How many bands do you know that started in the 1970's that you can still get excited about new music from? Their new single, "Hop Sing Said," may not quite have that same punk edge that their early work did, but how many of us do these days? The new song tones it down quite a bit from their heyday and is more of a garage rock/power pop song. There is still a surprising amount of an edge to "Hop Sing Said," and this sounds more like some lost compilation cut from the 90's than a current song by a bunch of guys in their 60s if not 70s. Singer/guitarist/songwriter/producer Steve Cataldo says of the new song: "Hop Sing was an influential character from the 1960s TV show Bonanza. His wisdom and humor stuck with me through the years. The song follows the story through the eyes of a street poet whose girlfriend s...

Photo by Carissa Johnson Boston rock legends The Nervous Eaters have been kicking around since the mid 1970's, and are still around and releasing new music. Their latest single, "Superman's Hands," may be a little slower and melodic than their early punk anthems, but most musicians do slow down after five decades. The new song has that early 90's alternative power pop feel and reminds me of a more garage rock version of the Gin Blossoms. "Superman's Hands" may not be as punk as The Nervous Eaters originally were, but bands are allowed to mature, and if the songs are still this great it's perfectly fine if it's not quite as loud. Frontman Steve Caltaldo says of the new song: "The song is a metaphor to relay the thought to every person that no matter what your lot in life may turn out to be, or the condition you find yourself in, that even the weakest of us can summon up the power of Superman to help those in distress. You don’t need a cap...

Boston punk legends Nervous Eaters used to open for bands like the Ramones, The Police, and The Pretenders, and they're still kicking around almost five decades later. Their new single, "Wild Eyes," may not quite have the fire that their 1976 song "Loretta" has, but who hasn't slowed down over the last forty-six years? "Wild Eyes" is more power pop and garage rock than punk, and maybe even going into adult contemporary territory, but when a song is done this well, that's hardly a bad thing. This just old fashioned 70's style rock 'n' roll done by a group of guys that started out in that decade. Frontman Steve Cataldo says of his band's new song: "Stevie Van Zandt chose Wild Eyes' as the first single from our new album Monsters & Angels . A textured, melodic rocker that paints a portrait of a beautiful, complex woman who views life through the lens of her sophisticated imagination." You can watch the video for ...

Thursday night saw Boston garage and punk legends coming together for an unforgettable night of music at The Paradise. Three of the four artists started their careers in the 1970's, with Carissa Johnson and The Cure-Alls being the only newbie to take the stage. It was a night of classic performances for a small but die hard crowd. Carissa Johnson and The Cure-Alls took the stage first. They were the unknown band of the night (although there was a small cluster of fans obviously there for them) but quickly proved they belong. Johnson has become one of the prominent songwriters in Boston, specializing in rock based pop songs with a heavy hint of garage rock. It was her band's first live show in roughly two years and they came out swinging. They played a mix of songs from their forthcoming album and some older favorites. With her band, the songs have a much more rock edge to them than when Johnson is playing solo which fit the theme of the night perfectly. Carissa Johnson and The ...