If It's Too Loud...

There are many different styles of post punk, but they rarely rock quite as hard as States of Nature do. The Oakland band's latest single, "Papered News," has the post punk jerkiness of bands like DEVO or The Dismemberment Plan, but it is also just a straight up killer rock song. The song is propelled forward by driving guitars that just scream out at you. At times it sounds like a hyped up version of Joan Jett, or if Tom Petty decided to go punk. All while still being post punk. States of Nature have an intense sound that is completely fresh, but wrapped in a warm embrace of the familiar. You can watch the video for "Papered News" below. Brighter than Before is due out February 16 on Sell the Heart Records in the US, Little Rocket Records in the UK, and Epidemic Records in Italy. For more on States of Nature, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram .

We both love covers here at If It's Too Loud..., and I have a certain fondness for 90's era Warped Tour punk, so when I heard there was going to be a tribute album to Rancid's 1995 classic ... And Out Come The Wolves , I knew I was fully on board. ... And Out Come The Lawsuits!  features Bay Area bands each taking on a song from the album. The first we can hear is Link 80's take on "Junkie Man." It's pretty much a dead on cover, maybe with the ska element cranked up a notch or three. That also means the song is a little more bouncy and fun, but that's kind of the point of covers, isn't it? You can listen to Link 80's cover of "Junkie Man" below. ... And Out Come The Lawsuits! is due out June 4 on Lavasocks and Sell The Heart Records. You can pre-order a copy via Bandcamp .  ...And Out Come the Lawsuits by Link 80

Considering "Gary's Making Biscuits" was less than a minute long, the newest single from Oakland's queercore sensations Middle-Aged Queers is a downright epic at almost three minutes. "Theme Song" sets the tone for what Middle-Aged Queers stand for. According to lead singer Shaun Osburn, " Our Theme Song is about loving yourself as a seasoned queer person in a culture that prioritizes youth and heteronormativity. The line 'go fuck yourself' is actually meant as a positive; masturbation should be sex with someone you love!" "Theme Song" might be my absolute favorite kind of punk. It's fast, loud, and edgy, but it's also fun as hell. If you want to get a feel for Middle-Aged Queers sense of humor, just notice that their band bio includes the line " Crawling out of the primordial ooze of punk past, Middle-Aged Queers are a quartet of Jurassic Punx barreling down Interstate 580 on a mission to save Rock ‘n’ Roll with br...

Haling from Oakland, CA, "queercore sensations" Middle-Aged Queers have a new song out called "Gary's Making Biscuits." Literally a song about a cat "making biscuits," it's a just barely one minute punk jam about a cat. If that's not enough to get you to listen, maybe these gems from their press release will: " Crawling out of the primordial ooze of punk past, Middle-Aged Queers are a quartet of Jurassic Punx barreling down Interstate 580 on a mission to save Rock ‘n’ Roll with broken limbs and gear held together with duct tape." Also: " Seasoned veterans of DIY-Punk, Middle-Aged Queers feature ex-members of bands such as Flipper, Fang, Yaphet Kotto, Bread and Circuits, The Cost, Wet-Nap, Saviours, The Shudders, S.P.A.G., The Insaints, and No Alternative." If you're still not listening, I don't even know who you are any more. You can watch the video for "Gary's Making Biscuits" below. Too Fag for ...