If It's Too Loud...

The Boston music community was rocked by the sudden passing of Justine Covault on June 8. Justine formed Justine and The Unclean in 2016 and had just released the fantastic The Signal Light on June 2 (and played a great album release party that night at Faces in Malden .) She was also in Justine's Black Threads and the founder of Red On Red Records in 2020, which quickly became one of our absolute favorite local indie labels. This Friday the 6th the Boston rock community comes together to celebrate Justine's life. It's the kind of line up that I wish was coming together for any other reason. The Unclean is playing with a bunch of guest vocalists (Andrea Gillis, Linnea Herzog, Linda Veins, Linda Bean Pardee, JoEllen Saunders Yannis, Lynda Mandolyn, and Melissa Gibbs), Tom Baker's Double Down, The Pelvic Thrust, The Bags, The Black Threads with guests, The Croaks (featuring Justine's daughter Haley Wood), and Quest for Tuna. The evening will be emceed by Rum Bar Recor...

Photo by Joshua Pickering Fresh off being finalists for the 2023 Rock & Roll Rumble, Boston's The Chelsea Curve have a brand new single out today. "How Can I (Resist You)?" is just a pure garage rock ripper. It's just over three minutes of jangly guitar rock and power pop with enough edge to keep it punk but still being a little too catchy to be truly punk. The song just oozes with edge and Linda Pardee's vocals just cut like a blade. There's a lot of a 60's mod sound with "How Can I (Resist You)?," but it never sounds like too much of a throwback track. We've been on board The Chelsea Curve's bandwagon for a while now, and this is a perfect time for you to join us. Linda Pardee says of the new song: “‘How Can I (Resist You)?’ is a song of longing and desire, of pining from afar, of an obsessive love… but exactly who, or should I say what, is the mystery. I had a melody line in mind that reminded me a bit of The Lemonheads and Elvis C...

Boston's The Family Township have a unique but instantly recognizable sound. Their latest single, "Cross the Line (Oh Andrea)," is a synth heavy, retro power pop song. In some ways it sounds like it could be the theme for some forgotten 1980's teen movie, but it has far too much jangle and fuzz in the guitars to just be an 80's throwback. While most current Boston power pop bands tend to go back to the 70's or 90's, not many mine the 80's. "Cross the Line (Oh Andrea)" is a surprisingly fun power pop song without a shred of irony. This just rocks for the sake of rocking. Lyricist Marc Pinansky says of the new song: "This song tell the timeless story of a growing, unspoken love between two people as it hurtles toward its tipping point like an out-of-control train." You can listen to "Cross the Line (Oh Andrea)" below. The single is available now via Red On Red Records. For more on The Family Township, check out the band'...

Boston's Justine and The Unclean make the kind of rock and roll that doesn't break any new ground but still sounds fresh. Their latest single, "The Chasm," is just loud garage rock and roll with a cleaner, fresh sound that accepts it's own poppy side. It's power pop with an emphasis on both the power and the pop. It's reminding me of the speed of the Ramones with the arena rocking guitar solos of Cheap Trick and the gorgeous grit of Belly. This is the kind of song that will remind you why you love rock so much. In a Bandcamp post, songwriter Justine Covault says of the new song: "This song is about when a breach of trust between two people causes a blinding flash of insight. Sometimes pain can be very instructive. "I'm really excited about what The Unclean brought to this song. I told them that in my mind, it should sonically resemble The Who's power chords and bombastic rhythm section -- and so, instrumentally they channeled Pete, Keith,...

Photo by Kelly Davidson The latest from Boston's Girl with a Hawk is a stunning power pop ballad that's beauty hides a heartbreaking tale. "Same Stars" is about singer Linda Viens' brother, who was sentenced to a Connecticut prison for eleven years for holding up a convenience store with a toy gun while suffering from heroin addiction, and how much it affected their family. The song is filled with fuzzy and droning guitars, and has a little bit of a Wilco meets The Velvet Underground sound. You can still feel the pain in Viens' voice all of these years later.  "Same Stars" is a powerful piece of art that is still uplifting in spite of the pain it reflects. Linda Viens says of the new song: “There are times, lucky times, when songs come through the ether to the writer fully formed. ‘Same Stars’ is one of those songs. In the middle of the night as I tossed and turned, feeling my brother’s body and mind and spirit simultaneously  tossing and turning and...

As small, independent venues seem to be dying out in Boston proper, breweries in the suburbs seem to be filling that gap. The most prominent one is Faces Brewing Co. in Malden, MA, which has a dedicated backroom with a stage that puts on shows regularly. I've been meaning to check it out for a while, and I finally had a chance to with a killer Boston garage rock punk triple bill filled with bands from two of my favorite record labels: Rum Bar Records and Red On Red Records! In a weekend filled with fantastic shows, I could not pass up seeing The Dogmatics, The Shang Hi Los, and The Chelsea Curve! Opening the night were Boston legends The Dogmatics, who have been kicking around in various forms since 1981. They play a blend of punk and garage rock that has barely slowed down in their forty plus years. It's the kind of gritty rock music that you wouldn't expect to see in a high end venue/restaurant, but that's what happens with a band starts hitting their fifties and sixt...

The last time we brought you a new song from Boston's Cold Expectations was "Summer Dress" back in May 2021, which we called "... a perfect, laid back summer song." Now they've decided to take on winter with "Coat of Snow." The new single is still laid back although a bit upbeat as well. It's a jangly pop rock song that has a bit of a sonic chill to it despite being mostly warm sounding. The chill is mostly in the keyboards with the warmth coming from fuzzy guitars and wonderfully harmonized vocals. With that dichotomy Cold Expectations may also have perfectly captured the spirit of winter and the holidays in Boston.  Despite the jingle bells towards the end, this is definitely not a Christmas song. Songwriter Steve Prygoda explains the song via the YouTube description: "It’s a pseudo-holiday song. I wanted the lyrics for ‘Coat of Snow’ to capture the soft, almost tender-hearted feeling that arrives in the small pocket of days between Chri...

Sweden's Stupidity featuring Keith Streng have released new Christmas song for this year. "Reindeer Twist" has that old time rock and roll sound you would expect with song with "twist" in the title, but it has a surprisingly dark feel. It's the kind of vintage rock and roll song you'd hear in a Quentin Tarantino or David Lynch movie that hasn't been made yet. That doesn't mean there isn't the needed sense of joy from a Christmas song, but this is just an oddly groovy but dark version of that joy and wonder.  Drummer Tommy Sjostrom says of the new song: "The song came from a crazy dream I had after watching a program about reindeers in Lappland, north Sweden where they live. In my dream they could talk and dance, so I added the twist and Santa and Christmas seemed pretty natural here too." You can watch the video for "Reindeer Twist" below. The song is available as a single via Red On Red Records, and can be downloaded thro...

Boston's The Jacklights specialize in ultra-hyper pop punk, and their latest double single is a perfect example of that sound. "Womanchild" is almost too fast to be this melodic. It's the kind of pop punk song that's impossible to sit still during. It's an absurdly fun song that seems to mostly be Nilagia McCoy apologizing for bad behavior, which is very, very genre specific. While many of their peers could make this kind of song sound crass or immature, McCoy comes off charming and genuine. "Underachiever" slows it down a bit, but it's still a fuzzed out as possible upbeat pop punk song. It's rare to find a band in this genre that makes music equally fun with clever lyrics, but The Jacklights are quickly becoming masters of that. You can listen to "Womanchild" and "Underachiever" below. The single is currently available via Red On Red Records, and you can download a copy via Bandcamp . For more on The Jacklights, check ou...

Photo via Facebook Boston is home to some killer indie garage rock bands, and our latest discovery is Canyons and Locusts. The duo just released the single "Night of the Locust," and if you're a fan of noisy garage rock this one is going to work for you. It's a mostly straightforward rocker, except for the inclusion of a more indie rock vibe and sound than you normally hear with garage rock. Singer Justin Keane also has a little bit of a twang to his vocals, giving the whole thing a Tom Petty meets Archers of Loaf sound, with a little of The 13th Floor Elevators thrown in. You can watch the video for "Night of the Locust" below. Roll the Dice is out now on Red On Red Records and can be found on Bandcamp . For more on Canyons and Locusts, check out the band on  Facebook .

J. Geils Band is just one of those bands I really need to make more of an effort to get into. Being a huge supporter of the Boston music scene, it's a deep shame that I haven't gotten more into them, especially considering how many artists I love and respect regularly cover their songs. The latest is Andrea Gillis, who has released a rollicking cover of "I Don't Need You No More." Gillis's version is a little more smooth and modern, and is mostly missing the 1970's grime. (Hey, in the 70's everything was a little sleazy, especially Boston.) You can feel the love Andrea Gillis has for J. Geils Band in this cover, and it sounds like it was an absolute blast to record. Peter Wolf, the writer of "I Don't Need You No More," gives his thoughts on Andrea Gillis's cover: “Andrea Gillis takes this Geils’ tune and rocks the house with it in a way that Etta James might ‘ve done…She kicks it high!” You can listen to Andrea Gillis's version of...

If you're not excited about Andrea Gillis and Tanya Donelly working on a song together, I don't know what to tell you. "About a Girl" is a perfect song for both Gillis and Donelly. It's a mainstream singer/songwriter, folk adjacent pop/rock song. It's right on the edge of being fully pop, but Gillis keeps just enough edge in her voice to keep it rock. Plus, I don't think anyone could ever complain about hearing Tanya Donelly's vocals for back up. Gillis's grit and Donelly's dream like harmonies make a stellar combination. Andrea Gillis says of her new single: "This song is about a girl; a girl in your world likely to forget... "I wrote this tune not only with myself in mind, but also for all the girls that never really wanted to do the whole 'gotta be sexy so people will pay attention thing.' Though it is unavoidable, we all go through the phase, uncomfortably. We just do our thing. "Hanging with our pals, rockin' out...

Photo via Facebook In a city full of great garage rock and power pop, Kid Gulliver remain one of Boston's finest purveyors. Their latest single, "Nothing But Trouble," is a throwback to both the 60's and 90's. It has that upbeat and groovy vibe of the 60's (especially the drums on this one) but a little of that 90's crunch to it. This is reminding me a lot of a band like Cheap Trick, but more like all of those power pop bands of the 90's that led to a Cheap Trick revival. Plus, the guitar is just a little more ferocious than you might expect in a song like this! You can listen to "Nothing But Trouble" below. The song is available as a single via Red On Red Records, and can be found on Bandcamp . For more on Kid Gulliver, check out the band's Facebook . Nothing But Trouble by Kid Gulliver

We've been a fan of Linnea Herzog since Powerslut and into her latest musical project Linnea's Garden. On her band's latest single, "Cut & Paste," they switch up their sound once again. According to a Facebook post the song "... draws heavy inspiration from late '70s new wave as well as modern dance-punk artists like LCD Soundsystem." I certainly can't argue any of that since "Cut & Paste" is one of the most New Wave songs we've heard in ages while still having that modern dance-punk sound sweeping the music scene these days. I'll go a little more and mention that it's also filled with some grunge era crunching guitars and maybe even a little ska guitar here and there. It's a fun party song just waiting to erupt on a dance floor, but that's what you're going to get with Linnea's Garden. You can watch the video for "Cut & Paste" below. Fashion Show is due out April 1 on Red On Red Records...

Photo by Grateful Doug Ever since Powerslut disbanded, we've been huge fans of Linnea Herzog's new band, Linnea's Garden. With singles like "Like the Patriarchy" and "Non-Dramatic Breakup Song," they were continuing Powerslut's legacy of fun songs with a cheeky sense of humor, that mixed power pop and punk with some electronic dance friendly elements. Their latest single, "Looking," is still insanely dance friendly indie rock that borders on dance music, but it's a much more straightforward song than we're used to from the Boston band. It's also bordering on being a ballad if the beat wasn't just too fast. Plus, "Looking" has one of the catchiest melodies we've heard in a long time. Even if you don't know any words, you're going to end up humming it as you go about your day. You can watch the video for "Looking" below. Fashion Show is due out April 1 on Red on Red Records. For more on Linnea...

Red on Red Records just celebrated their first anniversary, and they've quickly become a go to label for fantastic local multi-genre rock. Their new holiday music EP shows off that diversity perfectly. Home Fires Burning: A Holiday Compilation from Red on Red Records starts off with "Reindeer Twist" from Stupidity and featuring Keith Streng from The Fleshtones. It has this early punk meets rockabilly sound of bands like X or The Cramps, but a toned down one for holiday consumption. It also includes "An Irishman for Christmas" by Berk/Lehane which came out last year. It's a song by Simone Berk (Kid Gulliver, Sugar Snow) and Dennis Lehane (The Dogmatics) that's a holiday power pop song about wanting an Irishman for Christmas despite being Jewish. One of our favorite Boston punk bands, Linnea's Garden, gives us "All Eight Nights" which, in true Linnea's Garden fashion is a double entendre about lasting all eight nights. This one is more of...

Red on Red Records recently unearthed a Boston surf rock classic from 1989. Boston and surf rock don't sound like they'd exactly work, but this one from Quest for Tuna somehow does. Maybe it's the fact that it's called "She Can't Surf But She Sure Can Bowl" since New England is a bizarre haven for bowling, particularly around 1989, which is when my dad and I would battle over control of the TV. He'd insist on local candlepin bowling, I'd want to watch wrestling, but I digress... Quest for Tuna sound more like vintage Boston punk with some surf guitar. Jay Allen's vocals are wonderfully rough. These guys are definitely an ancestor of Dropkick Murphys and other 90's Boston punks. You can listen to "She Can't Surf But She Sure Can Bowl" below. The song is currently available as a single via Red on Red Records' Bandcamp .  She Can't Surf But She Sure Can Bowl by Quest for Tuna

You just know that any song named "Pegasus" is going to be an epic rock song, most likely in the prog or metal side of things. Nightspell's song definitely fits that, although with members from legendary indie bands like Scarce, Swirlies, and Pistolwhip, their "Pegasus" is a little more indie than prog or metal, although not entirely prog or metal free. "Pegasus" is a giant indie rock epic, filled with swirling guitars, primal drumming, and more fuzz than you'd think possible. In all of this indie rock goodness is also some oddly catchy vocals and this hypnotic hum droning in the background off and on. This is a huge song for a band you're going to need to keep an eye on. You can watch the video for "Pegasus" below. The song is available as a single via Red On Red Records. You can get a copy over at Bandcamp .

The fourth single from The Chelsea Curve's monthly singles project might just be their finest yet. The Boston trio just released "A Better Way," and it's virtually perfect. The song is a jangly as hell pop punk/garage rock jam. It's a bouncy song dripping with punk attitude despite being filled with pop hooks. As sneering as "A Better Way" sounds, you're going to be sneering with a gigantic smile while you listen. Plus, the song is filled with these huge Cheap Trick style guitar riffs, making it a song you need to listen to right now. You can listen to "A Better Way" below. The song is available now via Red On Red Records, and can be purchased over at Bandcamp . For more on The Chelsea Curve, check them out on Facebook . A Better Way by The Chelsea Curve

According to The Jacklights' Bandcamp profile, they are "Melodic punk with a 90s vibe." If that sounds appealing to you, you're going to love "Eat the Young." To get very specific, it reminds me a lot of Letters to Cleo's pre- Aurora Gory Alice output that was collected in 1998's Sister , but with a little more of a punk edge. "Eat the Young" has that same raw feel and energy. It's what it would have sounded like if mid-90's post punk/power pop bands leaned even more heavily into their Ramones influence. (I didn't think that could be possible, but The Jacklights have proven it is.) This is a really great fun punk song by a still brand new artist we can't wait to watch grow for a long time. You can listen to "Eat the Young" below. Drift is due out July 27 on Red On Red Records. You can pre-order a copy over at Bandcamp . For more on The Jacklights, check them out on Facebook and Instagram . Drift by The Jacklights