Partner - "Gross Secret"

Photo by Colin Medley

Partner doesn't make music for me. I'm a straight, middle aged male. Partner are two females in their 20s that, according to their Instagram profile, are "Gay but not for each other." Their songs have a sense of humor but stop just shy of being a novelty act. "Gross Secret" is about exactly what it sounds like: Having a secret habit or act that would make people think less of you if they discovered it. I'm a grown adult with a child and a mortgage. I'm above such things.

But Partner are just so good. "Gross Secret" is a catchy as hell, fun straight out rock song. It's like the hard rock of Eight Arms to Hold You era Veruca Salt meets the quirky humor of Cake Like. Picture the fun, more silly songs of AC/DC, but not as douchey. We should be above this kinda thing at our age, but who doesn't love a fun song that rocks just for the sake of being a fun rock song?

You can listen to "Gross Secret" below. Partner's debut album, In Search of Lost Time, will be out September 8 on You've Changed Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Partner, check out their website.

Twain - "Solar Pilgrim"

Like us, you might be familiar with the name Twain than his actual music. He's played with such current folk luminaries as The Low Anthem, Spirit Family Reunion, and The Deslondes, and has played the Newport Folk Festival. He has a new album coming out in October, and has shared the first song from that album.

"Solar Pilgrim" masterfully merges mainstream neo-folk and freak folk. At some moments it seems like he could be the next Langhorne Slim, and at others he's the next Devendra Banhart. It's a touch line to straddle, since going too far either way could be a disaster, but Twain does it expertly. It's all raw, beautiful vocals with hauntingly spare instrumentation that is still fully fleshed out. "Solar Pilgrim" is brilliant.

You can listen to "Solar Pilgrim" below. The new album from Twain, Rare Feeling, will be released October 20 on Keeled Scales. For more information on Twain, check him out on Bandcamp and Facebook. Tour dates, including some with Big Thief and Langhorne Slim, are below.

August 25-27 | Friendship, IN at Whispering Beard Folk Festival

August 26 | Austin, TX at Radio

August 27 | Austin, TX at Track House

September 13 | Holyoke, MA at Gateway City Arts with Big Thief & Lucy Dacus

September 14 | Ithaca, NY at The Haunt

September 16 | Ottawa, ON at CityFolk Festival with Big Thief & Lucy Dacus

September 17 | Cambridge, MA at The Sinclair with Big Thief & Lucy Dacus

September 21 | Johnsonville, CA at Sierra Hoedown

September 26 | New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom with Langhorne Slim

September 27 | Washington, DC at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue with Langhorne Slim

September 28 | Philadelphia, PA at Union Transfer with Langhorne Slim

BIRDS - Everything All At Once

Those of us that love indie rock far above 60's hippie stuff might get scared of a lot of the press surrounding Everything All At Once, the latest album from Brooklyn's BIRDS. Sure, the album has a lot of psychedelic elements, but based on reviews you'd think they were a jam band. Instead, BIRDS are psychedelic the way Built to Spill are psychedelic. To further the Built to Spill comparison, they're a splendid mix of earlier, poppier Built to Spill and later, 10+ minute epic song Built to Spill. The album opener, "See it All," might be the best example with it's swirling guitars, almost military style drumming, and slacker vocals. "Scatter" pulls a bit away from the Built to Spill comparisons and feels like a melding of The Strokes and Superdrag. "Get Away" might be my favorite track, and is what the early 00's garage rock boom would have sounded like if any of the bands came from southern California.

You can listen to "Get Away" below. Everything All At Once is available now on Greenway Records. You can get a physical copy here, and digital options are here. For more on BIRDS, check them out on Facebook and Bandcamp.

Melkbelly - "Middle Of"

Photo by Lenny Gilmore

Last month we brought you the newest song from Chicago's Melkbelly. I raved about it, and the closest thing to a complaint is that "Kid Kreative" didn't get quite as noisy as I wanted it to. Maybe they heard me, because "Middle Of" brings that noise.

"Middle Of" is still awash in the kind of alternative pop that dominated the post grunge mid 90's. It's an intense, but playful song. It's fast, but not hard. It's bouncy without being sugary. And then there's the noise. It has the kind of crunchy guitars that make me long for my days of college radio. It even has a Sonic Youth style instrumental break down to end the song. But it's early on, when this whiny feedback blast kicks in for far too long and makes you want to almost turn the song off. Almost. For some of us, this is pure perfection.

You can watch the video for "Middle Of" below. Melkbelly's new album, Nothing Valley, will be released on Wax Nine, aka Sadie Dupuis' imprint. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Melkbelly, check out their website.

Wed. Sep 6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo w/ Protomartyr
Thu. Sep. 7 - Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery w/ Protomartyr
Fri. Sep 8 - Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Festival
Sat. Sep. 9 - Asheville, NC @ Mothlight w/ Protomartyr
Sun. Sep. 10 - Cincinnati, OH @ Northside Yacht Club w/ Protomartyr
Fri. Oct. 13 - Chicago, IL @ The Hideout (Record Release Show)
Fri. Oct. 20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville

First Listen: New Releases for August 18

A slowish week with some real gems.

Album of the Week

Artist: Rainer Maria
Album: S/T
Quick Description: Comeback album from the indie rock darlings.
Why You Should Listen: Because Rainer Maria rules, that's why.
Overall Thoughts: I got into Rainer Maria VERY late. They had already broken up by the time I discovered them, most likely in a post-Reputation haze, and they've played a few comeback shows but the new album was a long time coming. It's here now, though, and it's basically exactly what I wanted. No, there's no "Ears Ring" here, but this sounds like a band that's known for an out-of-style genre that's back together for another run. It's just simply a must-listen, and the best of the week. A very welcome return.
Recommendation: This is so good, guys.

Artist: The Two Tens
Album: On Repeat
Quick Description: Garage-style power pop.
Why You Should Listen: You always wondered what the love child of The Hives and The White Stripes would sound like.
Overall Thoughts: Some interesting power pop with a little bit of a punk bent to it, this duo has some great chops and gives a more melodic White Stripes feel to an album that doesn’t always hit the mark, but when it does nail it (like with “Not Alright”), it sounds like it’s straight out of the early-aughts garage revival. This will appeal to plenty of people here even if it didn’t quite work for me.
Recommendation: Give it a shot.

Artist: The Yawpers
Album: Boy in a Well
Quick Description: Risky folk rock.
Why You Should Listen: You don't mind when roots music takes chances.
Overall Thoughts: A somewhat schizophrenic effort that has a foundation in the rootsy genres, with songs like “Mon Dieu” having a neat rockabilly feel while others more folky, but this album combines a very low-fi feel with a little too much going on, and the result is, unfortunately, a very uneven record that ultimately didn’t work for me. I like it when bands take chances and try to shake it up...
Recommendation: ...sometimes, though, it just doesn’t succeed.

Artist: Kacy and Clayton
Album: The Siren's Song
Quick Description: Purist roots music.
Why You Should Listen: You wanted something more traditional.
Overall Thoughts: Another rootsy effort this week, this one feels a little more traditional and a little better as a result even while it wears its influences on its sleeves. This is a solid listen on a whole, and one of the better ones this week.
Recommendation: Give this a listen.

Artist: Amanda X
Album: Giant
Quick Description: Alt-rock revival record of the week.
Why You Should Listen: Amanda X feels really pure and solid.
Overall Thoughts: In the continuing revival of the sort of grungy 1990s alternative music, Amanda X is somewhat channeling the lo-fi corner with this album. I spent a lot of time wishing it was louder, if I’m being honest, but there are so many good songs here that I can ultimately forgive what I feel are some production errors. In a way, this album is almost what I wanted Mitski to be with Puberty II last year.
Recommendation: One of my favorite listens of the week, and you owe it to yourself to give this a listen. Just turn it up a bit.

Artist: King Gizzard the Lizard Wizard and Mild High Club
Album: Sketches of Brunswick East
Quick Description: Prolific indie rockers with yet another release.
Why You Should Listen: You're along for the ride, right?
Overall Thoughts: The band is intent on pushing out five albums in a twelve month period, and here’s the latest even though I’m still not recovered from their prog rock experiment a few weeks back. This album here is more along the psych folk lines, and is a lot more pleasant and much less aggressive. Your enjoyment may continue to rely on how much you enjoy this overall schtick, but kudos to them for mixing it up in a time where an ambitious project like this could end up with a lot of repetitive stuff.
Recommendation: Worth your time, again.

Artist: Allison Moorer and Shelby Lynne
Album: Not Dark Yet
Quick Description: Surprisingly great collaboration.
Why You Should Listen: Actually, it shouldn't be surprising that this is great at all.
Overall Thoughts: Two (in my mind) underrated country artists come together in a collaboration that feels right within moments of its start. It feels fun yet serious, gritty while still professional. I have no complaints at all and can’t wait to go back, even if it’s to put their country folk take on Nirvana’s “Lithium” on repeat.
Recommendation: A must-listen.

Artist: A$AP Ferg
Album: Still Striving
Quick Description: Latest A$AP Mob release.
Why You Should Listen: You're into all things A$AP.
Overall Thoughts: As a fan of the A$AP Mob, I guess I’ll come out and say that I think the A$AP thing might be worn out for me. Either that or I just really prefer Rocky’s stuff. I didn’t love Ferg’s first record, and this one was absolutely better but just didn’t grab me at all.
Recommendation: Unfortunate, but there we are.

Artist: Dent May
Album: Across the Multiverse
Quick Description: Latest from the summery indie uke star.
Why You Should Listen: Dent May is a genre all his own.
Overall Thoughts: Dent May made a name for himself somewhat with his ukulele stuff long before ukuleles became trendy and cool. His tone has shifted to more of an indie poolside vibe now, and it works for him but also doesn’t quite make for an exciting listen. I’m a fan overall, but this album feels like more of a background thing than something I can see myself loving and enjoying. In a short week, it’s worth your time, but you might not love it the way you want to.
Recommendation: Try it, you might like it.

Artist: Grizzly Bear
Album: Painted Ruins
Quick Description: Indie chamber rock.
Why You Should Listen: Grizzly Bear has done enough solid stuff to give this a look.
Overall Thoughts: Grizzly Bear continues to do their own thing, and do it well. I’ll be honest – I thought “Two Weeks” was brilliant, but that’s ultimately where it ended for me. I haven’t loved much else of what they’ve done, and this album feels like more of the same from them. Ultimately, if you like Grizzly Bear, you’ll probably like this.
Recommendation: For the rest of us, there are other options.


EPs of note:

* Scarborough - Welcome to the Monkey House (EP from Joe Scarborough of MSNBC fame - this is surprisingly competent)
* Lilith - Apology Plant (full album now pls thx)
* The Mynabirds - Be Here Now Part II
* Alice Glass - Alice Glass

Also out this week:

* Everything Everything - A Fever Dream
* Coasts - This Life Vol. 1
* KMFDM - Hell Yeah

Anna Tivel - "Illinois"

Photo via Facebook

You ever listen to a new song from a brand new artist and just know you're hearing from someone special that's going to be huge in a few years? That's how I feel while listening to the new song from Anna Tivel.

"Illinois" has that rarity in modern folk in that it will work for mainstream music fans and for more indie loving purists, the way Iron & Wine does. Listening to the song, it seems like standard singer/songwriter fare, but something just makes it more vital. Tivel has a quality to her voice that just sucks you in and makes you need to pay attention, much like Tori Amos or Cat Power. "Illinois" is about a friend of Tivel moving away for a toxic relationship and imagining her finally leaving and driving home. It's deeply personal songs like this that lead to audience members breaking out in tears during her sets. Tivel will truly be something special.

You can listen to "Illinois" below. Anna Tivel's new album, Small Believer, will be out September 29 on Fluff & Gravy Records. For more on Anna Tivel, check out her website.

The Shods - "Girl I Got You"

Photo via Facebook

Back in March, we got a taste of new music from The Shods. Since then, they've started a GoFundMe to help pay for the recording of a new album. We now know a little of what the new record will sound like with the early release of "Girl I Got You." It's a very rough cut (it's not mixed or mastered, needs some more vocals, and there are some unrecorded string parts), but we'll take any new Shods songs we can get. It's definitely an "Unfinished/Rough Cut," but the foundation for a great power ballad is definitely there. Plus, hearing early, rough, demos for songs always make the finished product that much more interesting.

You can listen to the unfinished version of "Girl I Got You" below. The Shods are still looking for some financial help to finish the song and album, which will be titled Exarchia. You can find their GoFundMe here. For more on The Shods, check out their Facebook.

Duds - "Elastic Feel"

Duds are an odd band that won't be for everyone. The newest song off their upcoming album, "Elastic Feel," is just about as punk as post punk can get, without being heavy. I know I'm the same guy that always mentions that bands called "punk" today don't seem heavy enough to be truly punk, but this just is. Plus, it has some of the same quirky indie rock elements of bands like Archers of Loaf and Pavement, so it should be even further away from punk, but it's not. And then it all ends in a James Chance and The Contortions style squealing noise burst. Like I said, this won't be for everyone, but if it's your thing, you're going to love Duds.

You can listen to "Elastic Feel" below. Duds' debut album, Of a Nature or Degree, will be out September 22 on Castle Face Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Duds, check them out on Facebook and Bandcamp.

First Listen: New Releases for August 11

A solid week!

Album of the Week:

Artist: Matt Pond PA
Album: Still Summer
Quick Description: Latest from the indie rock act.
Why You Should Listen: This is their best effort yet in a series of solid listens.
Overall Thoughts: Matt Pond PA’s continuing to put out high quality records. This might be their third since the band announced they were finishing up, but I’m fine with seeing more releases if they’re this good. The title track is great indie power pop with a light touch, and of course we love “The Ballad of Matt and Laura” around these parts. Truly, they’ve put out three of their best albums in recent succession, and this is continuing along those lines.
Recommendation: A solid listen and the best of the week.

Artist: David Rawlings
Album: Poor David's Almanack
Quick Description: Gillian Welch collaborator with a new album of rootsy goodness.
Why You Should Listen: David Rawlings is responsible for some of the purest roots music going.
Overall Thoughts: Dave Rawlings is probably best known for his collaborative efforts with Gillian Welch. Considering how scant her output is, it’s great to have a new record from Rawlings this week. In a way, it’s more of that gritty, old-style country folk that he and Welch are so skilled at producing, but it does have a more modern feel to it from a production standpoint that ultimately works. Really, you can’t go wrong anyway, but this is a great listen this week regardless.
Recommendation: Make sure this hits your rotation.

Artist: Jeremy Pinnell
Album: Ties of Blood and Affection
Quick Description: Roots rock with a very populist sound.
Why You Should Listen: You're looking to dip your toe in the mainstream, not dive right in.
Overall Thoughts: It’s kind of odd to hear Jeremy Pinnell’s purist country in a week with a Dave Rawlings release. This feels like what you’d expect from so-called “Outlaw Country” a decade ago, which is all well and good, but when you have people like Sturgill Simpson changing the game a bit, this starts being a little less solid. This is not a bad album by any measure – it just feels a little out of place. It’s too traditional to be alt-country, too left-of-center to fit into the modern mold. It’s fine that it stakes its own ground in the modern era, but my takeaway was “yeah, this is great, but I still would rather hear X” during certain songs.
Recommendation: Absolutely give this a listen, don’t get me wrong – this just might not hit the notes you want it to.

Artist: Suzanne Santo
Album: Ruby Red
Quick Description: Genre-straddling singer-songwriter stuff.
Why You Should Listen: This is a solid and unique listen this week.
Overall Thoughts: I don’t know what drew me to this album or what, but this was a great listen on a whole. Suzanne Santo is making some interesting stuff here, and there’s a bit of a folk/country feel to this while still feeling more like a gritty solo rock record. It’s always difficult to straddle the line this way, but Santo mostly pulls it off in this album. Some of the more soaring vocals might be a turnoff for some listeners, but it wasn’t a negative for me
Recommendation: Overall, a positive listen.

Artist: Dan Wilson
Album: Re-Covered
Quick Description: Semisonic singer and songwriter sings songs he scribed.
Why You Should Listen: Dan Wilson's won Grammy awards for this stuff.
Overall Thoughts: I missed this one last week, and I’m disappointed that I did given how much of a fan I’ve been of Wilson’s post-Semisonic work. His work as a songwriter? He doesn’t write for a lot of acts that I consider myself a fan of, and this album of performances of songs others made famous works for what it is, but since I don’t know a lot of the originals… I will say that his take on “Someone Like You” is really great and I think his voice is better for it than Adele’s (#hottake) but on a whole...
Recommendation: ...I’m not sure how I feel about this.

Artist: Jen Cloher
Album: Jen Cloher
Quick Description: New album from a talented singer-songwriter.
Why You Should Listen: Her influences ring proudly and it works really well.
Overall Thoughts: A very interesting release this week. Cloher feels like a cousin of folks like Courtney Barnett who are turning the whole singer-songwriter thing on its ear a bit. This doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into any specific genre, which is to its benefit, but it’s hard not to hear a lot of favorites, from Barnett to Liz Phair, influencing the proceedings. This is a great listen, and was one of my favorites this week.
Recommendation: Definitely worth giving a shot.

Artist: Guided by Voices
Album: How Do You Spell Heaven
Quick Description: Latest from the indie rock superstars.
Why You Should Listen: Guided by Voices may as well be Pavement considering their importance.
Overall Thoughts: GBV has been around forever, Robert Pollard one of the most productive songwriters in modern times, and with the amount of music he puts out, GBV hasn’t had an album full of gems in a while. For this album, there are definitely a few solid tracks (“Steppenwolf Mausoleum” is a true highlight) mixed in with a lot of forgettable stuff, which could probably define GBV anyway.
Recommendation: Listen once, take what you like, and move on. No losses here.

Artist: Downtown Boys
Album: Cost of Living
Quick Description: Political Providence punks with a timely new record.
Why You Should Listen: They're a favorite around here for good reason.
Overall Thoughts: A political punk favorite here at the blog, the new album accomplishes what it seeks to do. There’s a lot of this that isn’t my style, and I don’t think I would agree with much of anything they would have to say within their politically-charged lyrics, but there’s a real fun urgency here that pushes the punk aesthetic they’re putting forward into a different gear than many of their peers. This could be a breakthrough of sorts for them given the climate (especially after this weekend), so if you like your punk rock with a side of ideology, keep your eyes on this one.
Recommendation: Will scratch this itch if you have it.

Artist: Frankie Rose
Album: Cage Tropical
Quick Description: Busy singer-songwriter gives us a new solo record.
Why You Should Listen: It's maybe the best work she's put out.
Overall Thoughts: Another favorite of mine this week. While I’ve really been into the whole 1990s alternative aesthetic as of late, I feel like the synthy stuff has been more hit-and-miss. Frankie Rose has been in a number of solid bands over the last decade, and this solo take is some great songwriting. I feel like the overall tone of it doesn’t always hit the mark, but when it’s clicking on all cylinders it’s arguably better than anything she’s done post-Dum Dum Girls.
Recommendation: You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check this out.

Artist: Oneohtrix Point Never
Album: Good Time Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Quick Description: Movie music from a challenging electronic artist.
Why You Should Listen: Oneohtrix Point Never is doing some of the most interesting electronic music since Aphex Twin's height.
Overall Thoughts: I’m never going to complain about new music from Oneohtrix Point Never, even if it’s in a soundtrack/score form. This is challenging and atmospheric and sparse while maintaining the urgency I’m looking for, and that’s kind of this act in a nutshell anyway.
Recommendation: You should give this a shot.


EPs of note:

* Jess Penner - Imagination (Jess Penner offers an EP of takes on family-friendly classics. This might be a little *too* on the nose from a quirk standpoint, but I won’t sit here and say I didn’t enjoy it.)


Also out this week:

* The Districts - Popular Manipulations (fairly basic alt-pop/rock)
* Donnacha Denney et al - Tessallatum (interesting modern classical)
* Kesha - Rainbow (as someone who likes pop music, this is Not My Thing.)

Magic Shoppe Covers The Velvet Underground

Photo via Facebook

If you've been paying attention to If It's Too Loud... for any length of time, you're most likely aware of how much we love cover songs, and how much we love free music. That brings us to being huge fans of The Blog That Celebrates Itself and their free tribute albums they put out virtually constantly. Their latest is After Hours, Velvets in Another View, which is a tribute to The Velvet Underground. Immediately we noticed a submission from Boston's Magic Shoppe. For some reason, The Velvet Underground don't really get credit for being an insane psychedelic band, and "Heroin" might be the ultimate example of their psychedelic side. Because of that, Magic Shoppe take on that song. It's a fantastic rendition, staying right along with the original but ramping up the noise and going a little heavier. It's a noisy and perfect way to play "Heroin."

You can listen to Magic Shoppe's version of "Heroin" below. You can get your own copy of After Hours, Velvets in Another View for free thanks to The Blog That Celebrates Itself on their Bandcamp. For more on Magic Shoppe, check out their Bandcamp.