If It's Too Loud...

Photo courtesy of the band The latest from Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures is the type of song that grew on me. When I first gave it a listen, it came across as a little too easy listening or 70's AM radio for my own personal taste. But, after a few listens, I realized how much is actually going on in "Songbird." The song does have a distinct 70's vibe, but it's much more country (especially alt-country or cosmic country) than it sounded at first. There's also some serious indie rock chops going on throughout the song. Turns out "Songbird" is a much groovier and intriguing song than I expected, and it's well worth a full listen.  Derek Smith says of his band's latest song: “‘Songbird’ is about people. We sing the same song. We follow similar patterns to each other. We have secrets, ideas, fears. We all eat, sleep, breathe, lie to ourselves, cry, laugh. We all question things. At least the smart ones do. And we are all going to walk that m...

Photo by Ingmar Chen Lightning Bug have released a new single that's virtually impossible to describe, which is usually our favorite kind. "Opus" is a fairly straightforward alt-rock song... kind of. The closest thing I can think of to describe the song is if Radiohead made Kid A in 1995. There are some electronic and experimental elements, but the song is a little more organic and rock. "Opus" has moments where it's experimental and is awash in beautiful noise, but it's also kind of a mainstream, almost Adult Contemporary song at times. It's the kind of song that makes you immediately want to restart it to make sure you heard it correctly the first time, and to see what you missed during your initial listen. Lightning Bug say of their new single: “ We imagined ‘Opus’ as a dystopian folk song written for a post-apocalyptic fantasy saga. Or maybe it’s for the saga we’re all living in, as every year our humanity resigns itself to a world turning faster...

There's nothing quite like discovering a band just as they're breaking up. Denver's FAIM have announced that they're upcoming album will be their last, and they've released another single off of it. We don't normally cover a lot of hardcore, but something about "Opus" just works. FAIM's latest is heavy and full of screaming vocals, but somehow it isn't quite as abrasive as hardcore normally is. There's just something about "Opus" that is sucking me in. I think there's just enough of a sense of melody here to soften the blow just enough. And when I say there's just enough melody, I mean barely any sense of melody. This is definitely a hardcore song, and not a melodic hardcore song. You can listen to "Opus" below. Your Life and Nothing Else is due out March 3 on Safe Inside Records. The album can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp . For more on FAIM, check out the band's website . Your Life and Nothing Else by FAI...

Denver's FAIM formed back in 2017, and are all set to release their final album. The political punk rockers have released a single off the album, "Opus." It's a wonderfully loud and thrash filled hardcore song that keeps just barely enough melody to keep the whole thing interesting. This is much heavier than the normal punk rock we bring you, but there's just something about "Opus" that's irresistible. It could be that this isn't your standard style of hardcore. In all of the aggression, there is a sense of post hardcore and some sustenance beyond the screaming. Even if the initial burst pushes you away, I urge you to stick it out and give the full song a chance. After the breakdown could just be the clouds breaking moment you need to fully get into FAIM. Vocalist Kat says of the upcoming album and her band's break up: "When I moved to Washington State, we knew we couldn’t keep going with the band indefinitely. Being older, we really wan...

Saturday night was an absurdly packed night for live music in the Boston area. Of all the options available, I had to trek way out to Salem, MA for a fantastic loud and local triple bill: The Devil's Twins, Diablogato, and Salem Wolves. Considering how long I've been writing about Salem Wolves on here, and considering that they're a local band that plays in the area a lot, this was somehow the first time I had gotten around to seeing them live. It definitely won't be the last. Their arena ready garage rock anthems are crafted specifically for a live show, even if the "arena" is a tiny brick walled basement. The band was breaking in two brand new members (guitarist Charlie MacSteven (who also plays in Diablogato) and bassist Cat Verlicco), but you would never have known it. They played insanely tightly, and with an incredible infectious energy. Singer Gray Bouchard is a much more theatrical frontman than I expected. We're not talking about an Alice Coop...