If It's Too Loud...

Some great ones this week. Album of the Week : Artist : Bear Grass Album : LEFT Quick Description : Gorgeous and compelling indie folk. Why You Should Listen : It's reminiscent of so many things, yet exists as its own unique album. Overall Thoughts : Wow. I had never heard of this band coming in, but I was intrigued through song one and in love by the end of the second. This album is a weird hit of mid-2000s indie with some folk rock elements and a really fragile-sounding structure that I fell for over and over again. I told Ken how much I liked it early on, and he told me that he nearly presented it as “guaranteed to be in your 2018 top 10,” and… well, he might not be wrong. Recommendation : An amazing album seemingly out of nowhere, and definitely one of the best of the year. Artist : The Beths Album : Future Me Hates Me Quick Description : Debut album from a favorite here. Why You Should Listen : This is probably the indie rock album of the summer. Overall T...

Odetta Smith might just be re-writing the rules for the traditional female singer/songwriter with a banjo genre. Sure, she's playing a banjo, but I wouldn't call "Sweet Teeth" folk, bluegrass, or even really Americana. There is a bit of a mainstream feel to the song, and it is beautifully done mesmerizing harmonies in the vocals, but I couldn't call it pop or rock, either. Plus, it's banjo music and something about it is distinctively badass. I guess this is the music that comes when an artist grows up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan surrounded by punk and hip hop, going to shows at CBGB's, and being raised on her parent's soul and classic country records.  You can listen to "Sweet Teeth" below. Old Rockhounds Never Die , the new album from Odetta Hartman, will be out on August 10 on Northern Spy Records. You can pre-order your copy here . For more on Odetta Hartman, check her out on Facebook and Twitter .