If It's Too Loud...

Artist : They Are Gutting a Body of Water Album : LOTTO Quick Thoughts : I was unsure how much I would like Lotto based on some of the stuff I had read, but when this turned out to be exactly the type of dirty, grungy shoegaze I love, well, this album quickly became a favorite. It's a short record, but one with basically no skips from beginning to end - "sour diesel" and "rl stine" are highlights, but if you generally love the stuff we highlight here, you'll love this. Songs of Note : "sour diesel," "trainers," "slo crostic," "violence iii," "herpim," "rl stine" Artist : bar italia Album : Some Like It Hot Quick Thoughts : I can't say for sure that this is a bit of a change of pace for bar italia, but the sort of polished twee-ish Britpop that feels current and nostalgic is amazing and worth your time this week. Between the high production values and great songwriting, don't miss ...

We almost missed this one, but once you hear the latest from Sadlands we hope you can find in your hearts to forgive us. The Brooklyn/Queens band released "Bandits" last month, and it's a punk anthem that leans a little more into indie rock territory. The song is about how "... unhinged the depths of the internet can become when everyone is quarantined at home." It's a surprisingly upbeat sounding song considering the subject matter. "Bandits" is an energetic song that's both pop and punk, but not pop punk. It's reminding us of a dream collaboration between Letters to Cleo and Weakened Friends. You can listen to "Bandits" below. For more on Sadlands, check out the band on Bandcamp and Instagram .

Sadlands hail from Brooklyn/Queens, and are a supergroup of sorts as they are comprised of members of Answering Machine, Choke Up, and Ellen and the Degenerates. Their new single, "Flowers," is a burst of 90's style power pop. It's reminding me a lot of that time in the early 90's when grunge was still fresh (and bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana were still blowing us away), but a more power pop style of alternative rock was poking through. This song is reminding me of Belly's first album mixed with Ash. It's an absolutely epic indie rock song with some shades of folk.  You can listen to "Flowers" below. Sadlands' debut EP is due out September 29, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Sadlands, check out the band on Instagram . Upcoming tour dates are below the song. 8/24 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Bond Street Basement 8/25 - Queens, NY @ TransPecos 8/26 - Malden, MA @ Faces Brewing 8/27 - Providence, RI @ MayDay