If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Juliette Boulay Deux Visages is a trio that formed in high school in Miami and are now Philadelphia based. Their latest single, "Always You," is a melodic and punishing new alt-rocker. Singer Daphney Hanono provides some pop harmonies with her vocals, but the music is sheer rock. It's more loud/medium/loud than loud/quiet/loud, but the sentiment is still there. There's also a great solo to look forward to that's fuzzy but clean, and showy in the best possible way. "Always You" will most likely be considered bubblegrunge based mainly on the vocals, but musically it's pure heavy rock.  Daphney Hanono says that her band's latest is  “... the song that we always wanted to write.  It’s about being a fly on the wall and watching over someone you love. It’s about longing, uncertainty, and fear. Essentially, a song that's written to be a cry for someone that won’t hear.” You can watch the video for "Always You" below. The single is...

Photo by Stefaan Temmerman Slow Crush are one of the best up and coming shoegaze bands out there, possibly due to their embrace of shoegaze traditions but their refusal to follow them blindly. For their latest single, "Bloodmoon," the Belgian band have created another sonic world, with a jerky style that feels like it's pulling you somewhere you don't want to go. Suddenly, about halfway through, the song pauses to right itself, and then the wall of fuzz washes over you. This song is intense, yet also calming, and somehow remains beautiful throughout. It also will cause and then treat your anxiety. While staying within the confines of shoegaze, Slow Crush find a way to break free into something oddly refreshing. Slow Crush say of their latest single: “In the absence of light only the darkness remains. In this dark void we feel lost without purpose or spark while time slips through our fingers like sand. ‘Bloodmoon’ is about the struggles and pain of a passionate and pu...

Photo by Stefaan Temmerman Belgian shoegaze band Slow Crush have a new single out that helps define the heavy shoegaze genre. "While You Dream Vividly" starts out as quiet as a lullaby before it kicks in with enough force to knock a listener backwards. The traditional wall of sound blasts you back with fuzzed out guitars and pounding drums before occasionally relenting to let you catch your breath. It's also the type of song that is loud and heavy without being fast. Despite all the noise and volume, "While You Dream Vividly" is a gorgeous song for those that find beauty in noise. Slow Crush always seem to provide us with special auditory treats in the way that only they can. Even by their usual standards, this one is a delight. Slow Crush says of their latest single: “We wanted to capture the sensation of being tethered to someone yet drifting weightlessly, lost in the surreal beauty of the moment."  You can watch the video for "While You Dream Vividl...

Photo by Stefaan Temmerman Slow Crush has a new single out, and whether or not you enjoy classic shoegaze or heavy shoegaze, you're going to love this one. "Thirst" has all of that slow moving, hazy sound you associate with the more traditional version of the genre. The drums, however, are more along the lines of heavy shoegaze. The dichotomy of the soft and slow versus the heavy and pounding is what makes this new single so endearing. Plus, there is some guitar that borders and crosses over into more of a metal territory, all while still sounding shoegazey. "Thirst" sounds like if Hum had decided to spend more time delving into shoegaze and less into alt-rock. Slow Crush say of their latest single: “‘Thirst’ is about an unquenchable desire for what’s next, with focus on essence and balance. Not losing yourself in the ever-growing distractions that surround us. A yearning pulse for renewal, ‘Thirst’ ripples with a craving for something pure, something vital. It ...

Photo by Stefaan Temmerman It's been about four years since we've brought you new music from Slow Crush, but luckily the Belgian band is back with new music. "Cherry" is a giant shoegaze meets 90's alt-rock song. Shoegaze tends to be a genre of big sounds, and it doesn't get much bigger than this one. It starts off as a fairly standard example of the genre, albeit a heavier one. As it goes on, the song starts going in unexpected directions, more along the lines of Hum and Sonic Youth than My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive. But that's one of the things we love about Slow Crush. "Cherry" is the style of shoegaze that envelops you in its warm embrace while simultaneously pummeling you with sonic aggression. Slow Crush say of their latest single: "Wistful longing for something fresh and new, creating a stormy and effervescent anthology. Evoking an almost thematic cascade of noise that echoes the end and bursts into new life. ‘Cherry’ feels like th...

Boston's Mint Green are letting us all hear one final new song before their album comes out. "What I'm Feeling" continues their move to a more pop sound and away from an alt-rock/punk influenced one. However, there is a stronger rock vibe with this one than with the previous singles. It's a ridiculously catchy and melodic almost power ballad that adds some crunch to the guitars and a little edge into the vocals. It's a little too pop to be rock but definitely too rock to be purely pop. It even has too much of an edge to truly be pop rock. "What I'm Feeling" is that kind of indie pop that indie snobs are just starting to admit to liking. You can listen to "What I'm Feeling" below. All Girls Go to Heaven is due out June 3 on Pure Noise Records and can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp . For more on Mint Green, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter . All Girls Go To Heaven by Mint Green

Photo via Facebook We've been fans of Boston's Mint Green for a while now. Their "Summery, angsty, alt-rock with punk influence and catchy choruses" just works for us. Their latest single, "Trying," goes even further into the pop sphere of things. This may be alt-pop in that it isn't aiming for the top 40, but "Trying" is a pop song. It's an absolutely beautiful mid-tempo song that is somehow being an anthemic banger (do the kids still say banger?) at times and a power ballad at others. If bands like Mint Green don't stop releasing songs this good, I'm going to have to stop pretending that I hate pop. You can watch the video for "Trying" below. All Girls Go to Heaven will be out June 3 on Pure Noise Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mint Green, check out the band's website .

Photo via Facebook It's been a while since we've brought you an original song from Mint Green. The Boston band has been releasing a bunch of covers lately, and no complaints from us but it's great to have a new original song from them. "Body Language" puts the pop in pop punk. It may have the crashing drums and guitars you would normally associate with pop punk, but the vocals, especially the harmonizing, is pure pop. I may tend to be the anti-pop guy here at If It's Too Loud..., but "Body Language" is nearly impossible not to love. It's all the angst and edge associated with punk but the beauty you get in a pop song. Seriously, punk is not known for beauty, but Mint Green's vocals, especially when harmonizing, and mesmerizing.  You can watch the video for "Body Language" below. The song is available as a single via Pure Noise Records, and can be found here . For more on Mint Green, check out the band's website .