If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Sarah Cass You're going to want to prepare yourself for this one. "Not How I Hoped," the latest single from Sera Cahoone, is great. Like... really great. It's a heartbreak ballad that combines folk, singer-songwriter, and a little blues and country. As soon as Cahoone's vocals kick in, you're instantly hooked and hanging on her every word and inflection. This ends up being one of the most mesmerizing songs of the year, without doing anything but being a great song. It's the kind of song that anyone that has ever experienced heartbreak will end up loving, from the biggest indie snobs to the most mainstream music fans. "Not How I Hoped" has the kind of universal appeal of Lucy Dacus' "Nightshift." The reward of having a music blog is when you find a song that you know is going to end up beloved by many, and this is one of those songs. Sera Cahoone says of her latest single: "This song flew out of my broken heart many moo...

Photo by Eleanor Petry Telehealth have one of those sounds that's both retro and familiar. Their latest single, "Donor Country (A gOoD cAuSe)," is an amped up and modern version of New Wave and post-punk. It's jerky, and danceable in the way that only that style of music can be. With this one, I'm hearing a mixture of DEVO and Snapped Ankles. It's a fun and high energy synth fest, and it will be impossible to listen without a smile on your face. It's like Telehealth took a classic sound from the early 80's, and are celebrating it while moving it into the modern day. You can watch the video for "Donor Country (A gOoD cAuSe)" below. Green World Image is due out May 15 on Sub Pop Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Telehealth, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook . Upcoming tour dates are below the video, and include an absolutely stacked triple bill at Deep Cuts in Medford, MA with Perennial and Pink Lids. Sun. A...

1994's  ¡ Sim patico! was the album when I first discovered Velocity Girl, so I'm thrilled that it's getting a reissue. The reissue is also an expanded version, so it will include B-sides and rarities, one of which is a cover of New Order's "Your Silent Face." It's an almost unrecognizable cover as the New Wave original is transformed into a 90's alt-rocker. The trademark synth notes are replaced with guitar chords, but New Order die hards will most likely recognize it right away. There is also harmonica replacing synths, which works amazingly well. As a fan of cover songs, this is my favorite kind: It stays true to the original while making it their own. Let's just hope this second Velocity Girl reissue leads to more live dates, preferably in New England. You can listen to Velocity Girl's cover of "Your Silent Face" below.  ¡ Simpatico! (Remastered and Expanded) is due out February 23 on Sub Pop Records, and is available for pre-orde...

Photo by Marisa Chafetz Forth Wanderers are set to release their first album since breaking up in 2018, but the band insists they're not back. The latest single off that album, "7 Months," is an upbeat sounding indie rock song with jangly guitars and dreamlike vocals. The Montclair, NJ band have a sound that's equal parts indie rock, pop, and emo, and have carved out a niche sound for themselves that is both noisy and melodic. "7 Months" keeps evolving over it's two and a half minutes, without staying the same long enough to get predictable while still sounding like a cohesive listening experience. The transitions are gentle and make sense no matter how quickly and unexpectedly they may happen. Since I missed Forth Wanderers' first run, I'm hoping they're back to stay... despite what they may say. You can watch the video for "7 Months" below. The Longer This Goes On is due out July 18 on Sub Pop Records, and is available for pre-ord...

Photo courtesy of The Bug Club The Bug Club have a very specific sound in their latest single that I'm surprised hasn't been explored previously. "How to Be a Confidante" has a very Britpop sound to the song, but instead of the highly polished sound you normally associate with the genre, this one is a more garage rock and DIY sounding version. It gives the song a grittier sound even though it's still an upbeat and bouncy sounding track. There are the roots of punk within "How to Be a Confidante," also. It's rare to find a song that is this cheery while also being this edgy. The Bug Club have created a sound that we never realized how badly we needed to hear it. You can listen to "How to Be a Confidante" below. Very Human Features is due out June 13 on Sub Pop Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on The Bug Club, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook . Upcoming tour dates are below the song. Tue. Apr. 29 - Brugge, ...

If you have a love of 80's music, you're going to love the latest from Tunde Adebimpe. The TV on the Radio frontman has released "Somebody New," which is a synth heavy, 80's style party jam. It's probably a little more lo-fi than your typical 80's song, but that's mostly because music back then was supposed to sound futuristic and this is meant to be retro. "Somebody New" is a joy to listen to, and is brimming with good times. Seriously, this is going to make you want to dance, and you'll be Googling "80's dance nights near me" by your fourth listen in a row. Of course, this one has a light layer of 00's indie sleaze over it, but that just gives it a layer of grit to keep things interesting. Tunde Adebimpe says of his new video: “I’m positive I fell asleep on a couch with the TV on sometime in 1982 and fever dreamt this exact thing.” You can watch the video for "Somebody New" below. The Black Boltz is due out A...

Photo by James Caswell Australia's Girl and Girl have this fantastic mixture of sounds that make up something completely their own. Their latest single, "Okay," is a fuzzy song that combines the early 00's garage rock revival with post-punk. It's all fuzzed out guitars with post-punk drums along with a killer bass line that is the key to sucking you in. It's a song that grooves just as much as it rocks, and will make you a fan within seconds of it starting, well before it even truly kicks in. "Okay" is the type of song that you'll initially kinda like, then after a few listens it will become nearly an obsession for you. Frontman Kai James says of the band's latest single: “You give yourself enough time, things will be okay, sometimes not great, or even good, but more often than not, things, at the very least, end up okay. And that’s okay, it’s okay to just be okay. That’s what the song’s about.” You can listen to "Okay" below. The s...

Photo by Xaviera Simmons TV on the Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe is set to release his debut solo album, and released a new single from it. "God Knows" is a raw break up song that is a sort of R&B and soul song, just done in the way that only Adebimpe can do it. This is a modern indie rock song in the style of a classic doo wop single from the 1960's. It might take you or minute or so to acclimate yourself to the sound of "God Knows," since it's comprised of such familiar and classic elements but sounds quite different from how those pieces are usually assembled. Plus, Adebimpe is using what sounds to be country steel guitar in this one, but that somehow pulls everything together into a complete sound. Tunde Adebimpe says of his latest single: “Breaking up is hard to down dooby doo down do." You can listen to "God Knows" below. Thee Black Boltz is due out April 18 on Sub Pop Records, and is available to pre-order here . For more on Tunde A...

Photo by Xaveria Simmons TV on the Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe has signed with Sub Pop for his upcoming debut solo album, and has released a new single to prepare us for it. "Magnetic" is a dance song... of sorts. It sounds more like a lo-fi, DIY version of dance music, which isn't a sound typically associated with the genre. That, plus Adebimpe's vocals, give the song more of a punk feel in contradiction to the dance vibe of the song. "Magnetic" is an interesting one that demands multiple listens to make sure it has all properly soaked in. You can watch the video for "Magnetic" below. Tunde Adebimpe's debut solo album is expected in 2025 on Sub Pop Records. For more on the artist, check him out on Instagram .

Photo by John Falls It may be hard for the under forty crowd to understand, but Peel Sessions recordings used to be gold. We used to pay top dollar for import CD singles to get a song or two from our favorite artists, and some bands would release entire Peel Sessions albums. The recently reunited Velocity Girl have made a version of "Copacetic" available from the upcoming re-release of Copacetic , and it shows exactly why these recordings are so cherished. The Peel Session version of this classic song has all of the noise and energy of a live performance but recorded in a top notch studio. It also shows why the two times I got to see Velocity Girl live are such great memories. This is a top tier 90's indie rock (and what we'd now call indie pop) artist in their absolute prime, and it shows why fans are so thrilled to have them back for live performances. You can listen to "Copacetic "Peel Session version)" below. UltraCopacetic (Copacetic Remixed and Ex...

Photo by Yoshio Nakaiso For the singles off their upcoming album, Japanese quartet CHAI have been delving into the 80's. Their latest single, "GAME," keeps the trend going. "GAME" is a chilled out synth-heavy track that has an insane amount of groove throughout. As with any song from CHAI, the new song is beyond fun. It's about as stripped down as a song predominately tracked with synthesizers can be, and it lands somewhere between early New Wave and early hip hop can be. CHAI is always a fun band, and "GAME" somehow steps their typical level of fun up a few notches. MANA (vocals/keys) says of the new single: “Winning isn’t the goal, it’s the strategizing and challenge that matters♡ So it doesn’t matter if you lose. Take that loss and turn it into an even better strategy! Life’s a game! We made the video with our lovely friend Ginger Root♡ It’s fun and NEO KAWAII♡ As long as you’re living, you can play the game as many times as you want. Be honest ...

Photo by Kana Tarumi I'm so glad I got over myself and started appreciating the music of CHAI. The Japanese four piece has released a single that is just soaked in 80's goodness. "Neo Kawaii, K?" is just a joy to listen to. It's fun dance music that will remind you of an oddball 80's that looks kinda familiar to us, but none of us actually lived in. There are elements of pop, New Wave, hip hop, and maybe even some punk in "Neo Kawaii, K?" This is just fun, energetic music that is perfect to just let loose and allow yourself to fully enjoy. Mana (vocals, keys) says of the new song: “Everyone is NEO KAWAII! This is CHAI’s answer, this is a fact in this world! We can finally say what it really means to us♡ Everyone’s a bit weird. Everyone’s different. Everyone’s awkward, almost to a point that it’s hard to relate. But that’s what’s interesting! That’s what makes it beautiful. To everyone who’s pushed around by these notions, we want to tell you this! We...

Photo by Kana Tarumi I'm truly mad that it took so long for CHAI to click with me. The Japanese quartet have just released a new single, which is a tribute to the 90's dance craze in Japan. "Para Para" even sounds like a 90's R&B hit. Seriously, this could not sound more like something that was released in the 90's. It has that smooth jam feel you'd hear from artists like TLC and SWV. For a song that is meant to invoke 90's nostalgia, "Para Para" does its job perfectly. I implore you to drop your indie snobbery and just enjoy the absolute fun that CHAI will bring you. Vocalist/keyboardist Mana says of the band's new song: “There’s not a deep meaning to that song, it’s really just about the dance,” says Mana. “As long as you can feel the two-step, any dance is possible! Let your body just move to your dancing heart ♡ When your body moves to the beat of your heart, you’ll realize that the world is smaller than you think, and all your pr...

Lawrence, Kansas' Sweeping Promises specialize in this brilliant blend of DIY, dance friendly post-punk. For their latest single, the duo branches off a bit into a more synth heavy sound. Everything we've loved out them so far is still there, just tweaked a teensy bit. "You Shatter" is oddly psychedelic, and maybe it's just because yesterday was the anniversary of the release of The Cars' debut album so I have them on my mind, but I'm hearing a lot of The Cars in this one. It's a bit slower and trippier than we're used to from Sweeping Promises, but "You Shatter" is a terrific song and an interesting change up from the band. You can listen to "You Shatter" below. Good Living Is Coming for You  is due out June 30 on Feel It Records in the US and Sub Pop internationally. It is available for pre-order through Bandcamp . For more on Sweeping Promises, check out the band's website . Good Living Is Coming For You by Sweeping Promi...

Lawrence, KS's Sweeping Promises have this wonderfully original post-punk sound. Their latest single, "Eraser," is that perfect dance friendly post-punk sound that almost borders on being a pure dance song. But there is also a very lo-fi/DIY sound to "Eraser" that gives the song more of an edge. It just dances along this line between punk and pop (without being even remotely pop punk) until the line is completely blurred. It's like a mixture of Le Tigre and Perennial while almost sounding as intimate as a bedroom recording. Sweeping Promises are a fun time, and we can't wait to bring you more from the duo. You can listen to "Eraser" below. Good Living Is Coming for You is due out June 30 on Feel It Records in the US and Sub Pop worldwide. The album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp . For more on Sweeping Promises, check out their website . Good Living Is Coming For You by Sweeping Promises

Photo by Emily Rieman 2023 is the thirty-fifth anniversary of Sub Pop Records and Mudhoney, so it's fitting that we get a new Mudhoney album on Sub Pop this year. The grunge icons have released that album's first single, "Almost Everything." It's much more psychedelic than you might expect, but Mudhoney has delved into psychedelia before. You know how The Stooges used to put one freak out song per album? This is like a tighter, more cohesive, and heavier version of one of those. "Almost Everything" is a driving hard rock song filled with tons of fuzz and hypnotic drums. Seeing that Mudhoney have averaged an album every three or so years, getting new music from them is always welcome. Mark Arm says of the band's longevity: “We like each other and we like being in a band together. Some people have poker night or whatever the fuck, and they have the excuse to get together with their friends. For us, this [band] is that. This is what we do.” You can watc...

Photo by John Clark Pacific Northwest legends Quasi are back with a new single ahead of their upcoming album. Following the previously released "Doomscrollers" and "Queen of Ears," "Nowheresville" gets surprisingly funky. It's a bizarro indie rock version of funky, but this one is a little unexpected in just how funky it is. It still has that discordant version of pop thing going for it, but "Nowheresville" grooves harder than the previous singles. Not to mention it has some killer guitar and keyboard solos going for it, and it's just dripping with its own version of harmony. You can watch the video for "Nowheresville" below. Breaking the Balls of History is due out February 10 on Sub Pop Records. The album can be pre-ordered here . For more on Quasi, check out the band's Twitter and Facebook . 

Photo by John Clark Quasi (which we all know is the collaboration of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss) have a new single that is exactly what we expect from them and a refreshing change at the same time. "Doomscrollers" is an upbeat, happy alt-rock/pop song, but it's also shockingly dark at the same time. The song is called "Doomscrollers," so you're going to expect some level of darkness, but tying this level of dark with this level of upbeat is almost whiplash inducing. It's also a straight up alt-rocker for the most part, but at times there are added strings that give the song a cinematic feel. Quasi's upcoming album will be their tenth, so it's great to see a band with that much music still finding ways to surprise us. You can watch the video for "Doomscrollers" below. Breaking the Balls of History is due out February 10 via Sub Pop, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Quasi, check out their Facebook and Twitter . Upcoming tour dat...

Photo by John Clark Quasi, the project of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss, assumed their 2013 album Mole City  would be their last album. Then 2020 happened, and without much else to do, Coomes and Weiss decided to play music together every day as if they were on tour. Now they're back with a new upcoming album (which will be their tenth) due out next year (their thirtieth as a band).  The first single off of that album is "Queen of Ears," and it's quite simply perfect. It's equal parts melodic and noisy. It's rare to find a song that is as discordant as it is poppy, but that's the beauty of Quasi. It's pure, abrasive indie rock mixed with the kind of pop you would get in the 1960's. It's a fun song with charming harmonies and a drilling indie rock guitar sound. And who doesn't want that? You can watch the video for "Queen of Ears" below. Breaking the Balls of History  is due out February 10 on Sub Pop. The album can be pre-ordered her...

Image by Alex Graham Indie rock stalwarts Built to Spill have always been a trippy band, but the singles for their upcoming album are a whole new level of trippy. Their latest, "Fool's Gold," continues on the pattern of laid back songs that are fairly straightforward alt-rock songs at a normal length of three to four minutes that are just trippy as hell. "Fool's Gold" plods along seemingly in circles for three minutes, and, as with any Built to Spill song, truly propelled forward by Doug Martsch's epic guitar solos. And, yes, despite the four minute length Martsch does manage to cram two of your favorite guitar solos in the song. Despite a complete line up change, "Fool's Gold" tweaks the classic Built to Spill sound to keep things interesting while keeping everything we long about the band intact. You can watch the video for "Fool's Gold" below. When the Wind Forgets Your Name  is due out September 9 on Sub Pop Records, and c...