If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Angine de Poitrine Album : Vol.II Quick Thoughts : The buzziest of buzz bands since perhaps the Letterman Future Islands appearance, the whole buildup to Angine de Poitrine's second album feels like the indie heyday. The two performers, a drummer and a dual-guitarist who wear polka-dotted alien costumes and play microtonal instrumental music, are different than most of the stuff out there these days. Yes, there is plenty of math rock playing in this particular sandbox, and AdP will not be the last pseudononymous musical act to perform behind a mask, but this is a case where the narrative does not overshadow the musicality. It's complicated music, it's catchy as hell, and it's just abrasive and weird enough to become a sort of litmus test we haven't seen in ages. For me, I absolutely love this and I haven't stopped loving it since it dropped. Songs of Note : "Fabienk," "Mata Zyklek," "Sarniezz," "Utzp," ...

Photo by Jackie Freeman Vermont's Robber Robber are primarily a post-punk band, but their upcoming album sees them moving their sound in new directions. Their latest single, "New Year's Eve," is a bizarre song that wanders in whatever direction it sees fit. The sound has the kind of danceable beat a lot of post-punk has, but there's also a strong pop (albeit an odd version of pop) along with hip hop elements. Plus, the guitars are straight up mid 90's alt-rock. "New Year's Eve" is the kind of song that's going to elicit strong reactions. Listeners will either love or hate it, but while those that love it are going to love it more with each listen, even those that initially hate it might get won over if they give it a second or third try. Robber Robber are a surprisingly addictive band. Nina Cates (vocals/guitar) says of the band's latest single: “Some of our songs start out as the four of us jamming together and this one was like that....

Photo by Jackie Freeman Vermont's Robber Robber might just be the future of post-punk. The quartet's latest single, "Watch for Infection," is an oddly slinky and fully intense song. There are elements of Sonic Youth's No Wave sound, electronic music, indie rock, and punk throughout the song. Musically, the track is foreboding, and you spend the entire song waiting for it to explode. Nina Cates' vocals add a certain sense of beauty and almost a pop sheen to the song. Without being loud or aggressive, "Watch for Infection" is an intense track. Long before the vocals kick in, you're going to be mesmerized by the hypnotic qualities of the song. If you're looking for a burst of positivity and joy, this isn't the right song for you, but that's kind of why we love Robber Robber. Nina Cates says of her band's latest single: “Real emotions and moments inspired the feelings of ‘Watch for Infection,’ but the story is made up. Internal dialog...

Photo by Jackie Freeman Vermont's Robber Robber keep defying our expectations with every single they release. Their latest single, "The Sound It Made," still fits into the indie rock meets post-punk sound we love of theirs, but it veers off wildly. While previous releases of theirs have had a dance friendly element to them, this latest single leaps into dance music. It's still rock based, but "The Sound It Made" owes a lot to the electronic music and drum and bass of the 90's. It sort of sounds like Gang of Four filtered through The Prodigy and Roni Size. Robber Robber have crafted such an interesting and unique sound, which happens to be something that we love here at If It's Too Loud... You can watch the video for "The Sound It Made" below. Two Wheels Move the Soul is due out April 3 on Fire Talk Recordings, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Robber Robber, check out the band on Instagram . Upcoming tour dates are below the...

Photo by Jackie Freeman Vermont's Robber Robber have just released a cover of Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds," my own personal favorite Elvis song. If you aren't expecting this to be a note for note completely faithful cover, you're correct. Robber Robber turn the 1969 number one song into a bizarre indie rock burst. Musically, it goes off into a vastly different direction that sounds nothing like the original. The lyrics and vocals remain faithful to Elvis', and unlike many similar covers from the 90's, Robber Robber aren't using their cover to mock a classic. This is no novelty, and you can tell they're fans. This version of "Suspicious Minds" is a lot of fun, and a great way for Robber Robber to end their 2025. Robber Robber say of their latest single: “We went through an Elvis phase where we listened to a bunch of Elvis for a couple of weeks and watched those two movies about him and Priscilla, and ‘Suspicious Minds’ has always...

Photo by Jackie Freeman Burlington, VT's Robber Robber released Wild Guess  last year, which was a musical highlight for 2024. Now, they're back with a new single, their first on Fire Talk Records. "Talkback" keeps the band's post-punk sound, but it's a more dance friendly, almost more poppy version. Of course, calling a song poppy is a relative term, as it's still a fairly dissonant song, but one you're going to want to dance to. It's also perfect for just listening to as you try to dissect all of the elements of the song. As with most songs from Robber Robber, "Talkback" is fairly undefinable, so just sit back (or stand and dance) while you let the song wash over you. You can watch the video for "Talkback" below. The single is out now on Fire Talk Records. For more on Robber Robber, check out the band on Instagram .

Photo by Connor Turque Burlington, VT's Robber Robber have their new album due out this Friday, but we have one last single to check out before it arrives. "How We Ball" is a chaotic post-punk meets indie rock track. It's high energy all the way through, with a disjointed sound that comes across much more fun than you typically get with a song this noisy. It's a raw track that might be the most punk and most straightforward (relatively speaking) that we've heard from Robber Robber so far. Despite being a little over three minutes long, the track feels like a much longer epic. It might just be because songs with this much energy usually only make it for two minutes or so. Singer/guitarist Nina Cates says of the new song: “This song is about how we have to present ourselves. It's a playful look into saying the right thing and thinking about how you come across to others. Sometimes it's so simple and sometimes you go home feeling like you said all the wro...

Photo by Connor Turque Burlington, VT's Robber Robber are going to blow you away with this one. The band describes their new single as "steamed punk," and I'm not totally sure what that means, but "Dial Tone" is a killer song. It starts off as this jerky post-punk style song, with an underlying menace just waiting to explode. And "Dial Tone" definitely explodes. It has a Sonic Youth and Nirvana style eruption, and is the best example of loud/quiet/loud we've heard this year. If feedback squalls are your idea of beauty, Robber Robber have you covered on this one. Despite everything I've just written, at no point does "Dial Tone" sound like a 90's throwback. Instead, this is an updated version of that sound. Singer/guitarist Nina Cates says of the band's latest single: “It’s kind of a voyeuristic perspective of everyone scrambling around to see each other and connect but also never feeling quite like you’re keeping pace with...

Photo by Connor Turque We've only heard one other song from Robber Robber, and already the Vermont band have surprised us with a second single. "Backup Plan" still has that 90's indie rock inspired sound that we loved with "Sea or Water," but there's almost a dance element with the new song. It starts off with a beat that sounds like a cross between an electronic dance beat and a more industrial sound. (And by industrial we mean like a factory and not the genre industrial.) And then the indie rock guitars come in, sounding slightly and gloriously off-tune. While many artists inspired by 90's indie rock mimic the style, Robber Robber and pushing it forward into new territories. Nina Cates (vocals and rhythm guitar) says of the band's new single: “I wrote ‘Backup Plan’ while I was helping a friend through a sticky relationship moment and was reflecting a lot on when it’s worth putting in the effort and when it’s best to call it. The song explores t...

Photo by Joey Krouse Hailing from Burlington, VT, Robber Robber have one of the more unique takes on the current 90's indie rock revival sound. Their latest single, "Sea or War," is an intense song that feels like it's moving much faster than it is. The speed of the music doesn't quite match up with Nina Cates' vocals which creates a strong tension throughout the song. The entire song feels like that moment in a Sonic Youth song where it's just about to explode. But "Sea or War" never does. Plus, Robber Robber adds in some electronic/dance elements to the song, and I may be detecting a hint of jam band influence, but that could just be because I know they're from Burlington. Robber Robber says of their new single:   “‘Sea or War’ explores how fine the balance feels between comfort and futility. There are various opposing forces being fused together, which can be felt in the lyrics, musical arrangement, and production.” You can watch the video...