If It's Too Loud...

Say what you will about Spotify, but thanks to it I discovered Wednesday. They kept getting played at the end of albums I was listening to, and I kept wanting to hear more. I quickly became a fan, and ended up adoring their 2023 album Rat Saw God. I think Wednesday can be summed up by my wife's reaction to hearing them: Are they indie rock or are they country? And my answer was yes. They have one of the most unique sounds out there today. It's a noisy version of indie rock that still has enough pop hooks to keep you listening, and just enough twang to countrify it more than a little bit. A song like "Bull Believer" is a giant, epic indie rock song, while "Chosen to Deserve" is an off-kilter country jam. Wednesday play with Drive-By Truckers quite a bit, which makes perfect sense. They're both rock bands with a hard country edge to them. It's not too many bands with a pedal steel player that can inspire mosh pits, but that's what Wednesday does at...

Photo by Zachary Chick Wednesday have been releasing absolutely epic songs lately, but their latest is a two and a half minute sprint of a song. "TV in the Gas Pump" is an enigma of a song. It's a mid-tempo indie rock song that is almost twee in nature, except for the fact that there are bursts of indie rock noise throughout virtually the entire song. It has this element of being a sweet and pretty song while being absolutely jarring at times that make it a must listen. On one side "TV in the Gas Pump" is that kind of Americana laced indie rock that is all the rage these days, and on the other it's a swirling mess of noise. But... that's the kind of thing we love about Wednesday. Karly Hartzman says of the new song: “ This is the first song I’ve written about being on the road, and I really just wanted to collect all that imagery you ingest on tour.  A few images that made it in the song include: the never ending gas station stops that blend together and...

Photo by Zachary Chick Wednesday are quickly becoming a favorite here, and their latest single shows exactly why. "Bath County" is a glorious indie rock song in its most perfect form. It's a perfect loud/quiet/loud song filled with some of the best fuzzed out guitars this century. It's just oozing with mid-90's alt-rock joy, and Karly Hartzman's vocals have this fabulous 90's slacker with some alt-country twang peeking through. They even solidify their Drive-By Truckers connection on "Bath County" with the line "On the way home play Drive-By Truckers songs real loud." Wednesday are the type of band I'm starting to wonder if they truly exist or if my brain just made them up since they hit so many of my personal musical sweet spots. You can watch the video for "Bath County" below. Rat Saw God  is due out April 7 on Dead Oceans and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Wednesday, check out the band's website .

Photo by Zachary Chick If you have yet to jump on the Wednesday bandwagon, "Chosen to Deserve" is the perfect spot to join the rest of us. This new single is a brilliant mixture of modern indie rock, mid 90's alt rock, and alt-country. Somehow the guitars are both jangly and twangy. It's this completely unique mid-tempo power ballad that does the loud/quiet/loud thing just enough to qualify. "Chosen to Deserve" is going to aggravate people who like music in boxes, since Wednesday keep the song firmly rooted in the worlds of both indie rock and country. I thought they were an odd choice (but an absolutely perfect one!) to open for Drive-By Truckers, but after hearing this song it makes perfect sense. You can watch the video for "Chosen to Deserve" below. Rat Saw God is due out April 7 on Dead Oceans. The album can be pre-ordered here . For more on Wednesday, check out the band's website .