If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...

Photo courtesy of the band The Cosmic Vultures formed about ten years ago and became a New England favorite thanks to their live shows and eclectic version of rock and roll. Singer Derek Smith released a pair of well received solo albums in 2022 and 2023 to further explore different musical branches, and now the band is back and have renamed themselves Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures. Their latest single, "Waiting," shows off just how varied their sound is. It starts off with a killer alt-rock guitar that sounds like it's lifted right out of the 90's. And then there's the harmonies. Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures are using vocal harmonies that you don't hear outside of traditional folk. "Waiting" is a beautiful power ballad that still packs a rock punch. This is an engaging one that's going to sweep you away with its epic size. Derek Smith says of his band's latest song: “‘Waiting’ is about waiting for something to happen. Waiting fo...

Photo by Keiko Icihara The latest single from Arny Margret may be the one that causes the Icelandic singer/songwriter to finally explode. "waiting" is a straightforward modern folk song. This might be the most mainstream Margret has sounded, and I mean that in a great way. "waiting" still sounds like her very own blend of singer/songwriter material, but this is just about as great as the genre gets. This one is sure to pull anyone in based on just the strength of her voice, and then the bare instrumentation will just hold you there. "waiting" keeps just enough of the more odd side of the genre to keep music snobs happy, but this song is just simply spectacular.  Arny Margret says of her latest single: “ The song is about always feeling like you’re waiting for someone, or a moment to say something, but the person doesn’t really see or give you the time .  It’s about that feeling of saying to someone ‘Hello, I’m here’ but they don’t notice. It’s another wher...

Photo via FEEP The latest from Boston's FEEP (aka the band that took their name from WNAC-TV's 1960's horror host) is pure classic garage rock. "Waiting" is just soaked in psychedelia. The keys are going to remind you a lot of ? and the Mysterians, and then the tremelo on the vocals give the song a 13th Floor Elevators vibe. Of course, neither of those bands had as much background screaming as "Waiting" does. FEEP have crafted a ridiculously fun song with some killer vintage vibes. Let's hope this new band sticks around for a while to keep gifting us quality tunes. Guitarist and co-vocalist Bobby says of the new song: “It’s a bit of a personal story, so I’d rather not say too much. But I’d say generally it’s about a sense of existential ‘couch lock’, wanting to move but liking the comfort of your current situation at the same time.” You can listen to "Waiting" below. FEEP Has Landed is due out sometime in the Fall. For more on FEEP, check o...