If It's Too Loud...

I've been fairly gushing in my adoration for Salem Wolves pretty much since we started If It's Too Loud... Shake  could have been the kiss of death for me with the band. It's definitely more mainstream and almost pop sounding than their previous releases. But Shake ended up working for me and is one of my favorite releases of the year. It's big, loud garage rock, but as loud and as harsh as it is, there are amazing songs and harmonies here. Part of the reason is that singer Gray Bouchard is secretly a crooner despite this being a full out rock album. This album has the crossover appeal of a band like The Hives without changing too much around. I'm still shocked no one has used "B.D.F." in a commercial. This has me waiting to hear what's next, which could be even more different since Harrison, the bass player, is leaving the band and is being replaced by Cat Verlicco of The Knock Ups. Songs of note: "Die Like Dogs," "B.D.F.," ...

I'm not typically one to refer to a band's album as being both more mainstream and their best. I'm a pretty grumpy music fan, and to me more mainstream typically means it's a downgrade in quality. Shake , the latest album from Salem Wolves, shatters my music snob beliefs. Shake is filled with arena ready garage anthems. The opener, "Cindi," is this burst of full force rock aggression but it still keeps an insane amount of melody and it's catchy as hell. "Centipede" almost has a psychedelic feel to it. Almost. "Die Like Dogs" is the closest to a classic Salem Wolves song, and is a fast out of control anthem. Plus, it has "die" in the title. "BDF" might be the song that ends up in commercials some day, and I mean that in the best possible way. You can listen to "Die Like Dogs" below. Shake , the new album from Salem Wolves, is available exclusively on their Bandcamp . For more on Salem Wolves, check out...

My fervor for Salem Wolves has been fairly well documented here at If It's Too Loud..., and based on their new single "Shake," that won't be abating any time soon. "Shake" takes their amped up almost ready for stadiums garage rock and cranks it up a few notches. It's loud, and starts off very reminiscent of MC5's "American Ruse." That quickly goes away, and it becomes a song all its own. "Shake" is a fast, loud rocker with tons of noise and some stutters while it plows forward, stopping for nothing. It's also somehow the most accessible thing Salem Wolves have released so far. You can listen to "Shake" below. The new album from Salem Wolves, also called Shake , will be out August 25. You can pre-order your copy on Bandcamp . For more on Salem Wolves, check out their website . If you're in the Boston area, you can see them live on August 23 at O'Brien's Pub and September 15 at Brighton Music Hall. ...