If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Bill Sitzmann Cursive are one of those bands I've known more by name than by actually hearing them, but apparently I need to go back for a deep dive into their catalog. The Omaha based emo/post-hardcore band just released a new single, "Imposturing," that is quickly winning us over. It's an extremely melodic song that still has a rough edge to it. It's that perfect mixture of punk and pop without going anywhere near the pop punk genre. "Imposturing" is more late 90's emo than the early 00's mainstream sound that has been dominating the style ever since. Plus, the song includes some killer cello, and who isn't into that? Singer/guitarist Tim Kasher says of the band's new single and video: "The overall conceit of 'Imposturing' is, 'make it up as you go along,' so I concocted a story of a monster seemingly made up from the insecurities of this main singer guy (me). Once fully formed, the monster goes on a rampag...

I'm typically more of a fan of hip hop that sounds more like classic hip hop from the 80's and 90's than more modern takes on the genre, but Snotty Nose Rez Kids are the rare exception to that. The First Nations duo always sounds like they're pushing hip hop forward instead of just staying with what's comfortable. Anishinaabe producer and DJ Boogey the Beat has enlisted Snotty Nose Rez Kids for his new single. "Run for Cover" is decidedly current hip hop, and that is on of the charms of "Run for Cover." Snotty Nose Rez Kids are just such a captivating and unique sounding hip hop group that even if you're typically set in your glory days of hip hop, you owe it to yourself to give them a shot. Boogey the Beat talks about his new single: “I imagined being in an old-time western movie where the Indigenous people were often represented as the ‘bad guys’,  ‘Run For Cover’” portrays a reversal of that trope, with our oppressors and enemies ‘running ...

Photo by Santiago Dietche Austin, TX's Sun June have an expanded version of their 2021 album Somewhere coming out in January and have released the first bonus track from that release. "Easy" fits perfectly with the band's excellent album. It's a light, breezy track that fits into the space between indie rock, dream pop, and folk perfectly. Fans of all three genres could make a case that Sun June are theirs, but a song like "Easy" belongs to them all. It's the kind of song you're going to want to pull out during the summer. It's such a wonderfully laid back track that deserves to be listened to driving around or hanging out on a porch when the weather is much kinder outside. Laura Colwell says of the new song: “‘Easy’ is a romantic struggle song. It’s about love and partnership and longstanding arguments that are hard to get past.  We started working on it after quarantine was lifted. Everyone had been cloistered alone for months, so frustrati...

Photo by Santiago Dietche  Most of us are excited for 2021 simply because it's not 2020. Now we have another reason: Sun June's upcoming album! "Karen O," the first single from the Austin, TX band's new album, is a masterpiece of the whole indie/folk thing going on right now. It's a quiet, near dream pop song, that slinks about calmly, sucking the listener right in. It very slowly builds and builds into a crescendo that never quite pays off, but you're kinda glad it never did. It's a gorgeous song that will have you desperate for 2021, finally for a good reason. The band explains the new song:  "' Karen O' is one of the only songs we've written that takes place over the course of a single night, and we hope we captured what it feels like when you're completely worn out but can't bring yourself to go home and go to sleep. It's about the kind of night you let heartache swallow you whole, and you find yourself heading straight...