If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Courting Album : Guitar Music Quick Thoughts : The name of this album came across to me as either super earnest or super sarcastic, but it turns out it's neither. Instead, it's a pretty impressive indie record with hints of post-punk that had impressive song after impressive song. This is one that really shouldn't be missed in a week full of good stuff, so make time. Songs of Note : "Cosplay / Twin Cities," "Tennis," "Crass (Redux)," "Jumper" Artist : The Barbaras Album : Oh My God Barbara Quick Thoughts : It's been a little while since we've heard from any of the Ford sisters, and The Barbaras (Sallie and Weezy) provide a welcome return. It's definitely country-fried fun throughout, and I think part of the record's charm is that it's a serious album without taking itself too seriously. I knew I'd like this, but songs like "Walk of Shame" just ensured that I'd love it. Songs of...

Photo by Molly Keane Dublin's Sorcha Richardson has created a song that defies your typical expectations. "Archie" starts off as a fairly standard mainstream folky, singer/songwriter style song. Even if it stayed with that sound all the way through, it would be a terrific song I'd be thrilled to tell you all about. But, slowly the song morphs into this epic pop and alt-rock song. It has elements of folk still lingering, but also some more electronic pop sounds and even a little shoegaze poking around. It's an interesting sound that reveals more and more to a listener upon multiple listens. Sorcha Richardson says of the new song: "Archie is a song about teenage hopes and dreams and about losing touch with the people who you once shared them with. I wrote the earliest version of it at a writing camp in the Spring of 2021 with some of my favourite Irish songwriters. It was the one song from the camp that I kept coming back to but I would have left it off the alb...