If It's Too Loud...

"Sometimes" marks the first song from Boston alt-country supergroup Other Brother Darryl that doesn't include any recording contributions from bandmember Dave Mirabella, who passed away in 2022. The song is appropriately melancholy, which is also kind of a trademark of the band's sound. The other trademark is that their songs are surprisingly uplifting, which is the case with "Sometimes." It's the kind of song that can start off as background music, but by the end you're going to have stopped whatever you were doing to give the song your full attention. If you get to your destination before the song ends, you're going to need to stay in your vehicle until it ends, and probably start it over again. Other Brother Darryl have made one of the most powerful and compelling tracks to come out of the Boston scene in a long time. Dan Nicklin says of his band's latest single: “It’s a song to the universe and our loved ones, or maybe a self-help note ju...

Photo by Millicent Hailes Mannequin Pussy are the best example of modern punk that has pop elements but still the biting edge of punk. They're latest single, "Sometimes," may be their best yet. The song travels between being a pop song with jangly guitars and a punk song with more rough guitars. It starts off as a beautiful track that isn't quite dance music, but is certainly dance friendly. And then the heavier guitar kicks in with this swirling burst of noise and aggression. It may get heavier at times, but "Sometimes" keeps sounding beautiful throughout no matter what is going on in the song. This is top tier rock music, and I'm already preparing my Best of 2024 list for Mannequin Pussy. Marisa Dabice says of her band's new song: “ ‘Sometimes’ is the internal conversation and subsequent battle that comes with facing your own desires. It is a song about the struggle of feeling a deep need for one’s independence while at the same time accepting that...

Air Traffic Controller have become a fixture of the Boston music scene for the past eleven years. Their blend of indie pop even sucks in indie rock snobs that hate all things pop (myself included). Their latest single, as with their upcoming album, was recorded in quarantine using socially distant techniques. Singer/songwriter Dave Munro had one of his bandmates recording him on a laptop while he performed vocals in a booth her constructed in his garage. Luckily, home recording techniques are at the point that "Sometimes" is just as shiny and polished as anything else in Air Traffic Controller's discography. It's the kind of upbeat, cheery song that we kind of need to hear in times like this. Positive vibes are welcome these days, and "Sometimes" delivers those. This is despite the fact that the song is about the end of an actual relationship.  You can listen to "Sometimes" below. Air Traffic Controller are still working on album number five, w...