If It's Too Loud...

Sunday night was a rare completely stacked night for live shows in and around Boston. Of all of the entertainment options Sunday, I had to go with Laura Stevenson playing The Sinclair. I've been a huge fan for well over a decade, and it's been over twelve years since I was able to see her live (TT the Bear's way back in 2013). Luckily for me, I believe I made the correct choice, as the show was excellent and met the mood I needed. Playing as a quartet for most of the show, Laura Stevenson took the stage at roughly 9:00 for a great set of songs. She repeatedly apologized for playing so many sad songs in a row, and at one point said there would be two in a row, and there ended up being five to six. But, the crowd of Laura Stevenson devotees in the audience knew what we were getting into, and we welcomed it. It's a special kind of artist that can play so many sad songs with a sense of joy, and who can make it pleasant for the crowd. Plus, Stevenson's fans may be the mo...

Artist : Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Album : Woodland Quick Thoughts : Gillian Welch continues to be the standard-bearer for mainstream rootsy folk music, and this latest collaboration with David Rowlings does not have the hollow, stark feel of All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone) , but still feels pure and true regardless of what her early or persistent critics may think. If anything, Welch is too good at this, and we should simply be glad we're still getting new music from her on a regular basis again. Songs of Note : "Empty Trainload of Sky," "What We Had," "North Country," "The Day the Mississippi Died," "Howdy Howdy" Artist : Little Hag Album : Now That's What I Call Little Hag Quick Thoughts : The debut release from Little Hag, with "Tetris" and "Facebook," won us over immediately. The debut, Leash , was a favorite in these parts as well. Then comes Now That's What I Call Little H...

Following up on last year's excellent Nothing's Ever Fine , Oceanator has just released a new single, "Part Time." Elise Okusami's musical project has always been a little punk and a little pop, and this new song fits that description perfectly. There has been a movement lately where lines between rock and pop are completely blurred, and "Part Time" is a prime example of that. It's almost too catchy to be considered rock, but there is too much indie rock guitar here to not be rock. There's also a surprising amount of 1960's style rock here, particularly surf rock. It's also very early Weezer-esque, and that's never a bad thing. Oceanator's music is just a pure celebration, even when the subject matter seems to be a bit darker. You can listen to "Part Time" below. The song is available as a single via Polyvinyl Records. For more on Oceanator, check out the artist on Facebook and Instagram . Part Time by Oceanator

I first stumbled onto Oceanator through a TikTok video, which is the least cool way possible. It was a video about black punk artists you need to know, and Oceanator was my favorite discovery from that video. Elise Okusami's project had just released a new album, and Nothing's Ever Fine had me hooked from "Nightmare Machine" on. Oceanator is not your traditional punk sound. It's more on the pop punk (or even the pop side at times) of the genre without actually being punk. The songs on Nothing's Ever Fine are beyond catchy, with just enough of an edge to be considered punk. Plus, there are some of the best 90's mixed with garage rock style guitar on this album, which is always a bonus for those of us still into that sound. Despite how poppy Oceanator can be, there are also some truly heavy guitar rock songs that do the loud/quiet/loud thing perfectly. It's the kind of album that you really need to make it to the end of. It may not hit at first, but it w...

Artist : Lucius Album : Second Nature Quick Thoughts : We've been fans of Lucius around these parts for some time now, and it's continually great to see them get more and more notice. This latest album is a wonderful, polished effort with some heavy hitting guest spots and a lot of gorgeous harmonies. Longtime fans will find plenty to love here, as will folks finally getting to jump on the bandwagon. Songs of Note : "Next to Normal," "Dance Around" Artist : Wet Leg Album : Wet Leg Quick Thoughts : Wet Leg is probably the buzziest new band to hit the scene in years, and for good reason. "Chaise Longue" is a hit in every sense of the word, and the overall presence of the band is one that feels extremely natural and experienced. For me, Wet Leg is odd because this album feels like it is trying to make 25-year-old-me their new obsession, and they hit a lot of nostalgia triggers for me. Wet Leg is basically what you'd expect middle schoo...

Oceanator, the solo effort of Elise Okusami, is noisy and brash and awesome. It's one that I missed when it first came out, and kept going back to. The guitar work is amazing, the songs are both catchy and confessional, and the whole experience is one that feels like it's racing to its endpoint while not leaving anything behind. It's one of my favorites because it's so different, and yet has a very familiar feel. Okusami has a very interesting voice in the indie rock landscape, and this debut full-length effort is a great starting point. Can't wait for what's next. Songs of note: "I Would Find You," "Goodbye, Goodnight," "Heartbeat," "Hide Away."

Artist : Annie Taylor Album : Sweet Mortality Quick Description : A fun pop rock debut. Why You Should Listen : It's like all your favorite classic bands of the 1980s and 1990s got thrown into a blender and out came this. Overall Thoughts : Look at the cover and you think you're getting another 70s rock pastiche, either of the country or garage variety. What we ended up with was, instead, one of the more fun listens in recent memory. There's a lot to love about this band (not an individual, I've learned), and the clear love of the music and joy over what they're doing shines through. Very excited to spend more time with this one. Recommendation : A must-listen this week. Artist : Hannah Georgas Album : All That Emotion Quick Description : New album from the indie pop favorite. Why You Should Listen : Hannah Georgas always seems to pull together some good stuff. Overall Thoughts : This album is definitely quieter and more introspective (which isn'...