Forgotten Fridays: Freedom Of Choice (Yesterday's New Wave Hits As Performed By Today's Stars)

Forgotten Fridays is an occasional feature here at If It’s Too Loud... where we go back and find the lost records of our glory days. We played these on our college radio shows, put them on countless mix tapes, and then forgot they existed. We go back and remind you of their existence, and help decide if they were any good.

I really miss these cover song compilations from the 90's. Back in 1992, Freedom Of Choice (Yesterday's New Wave Hits As Performed By Today's Stars) was put together to as a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood. As the title says, it's "Yesterday's New Wave Hits As Performed By Today's Stars." Well, by stars they mean indie rock stars, and this one does have some of 1992's finest indie rockers contributing. It also has a bunch of artists I've never heard of outside of this compilation, but I'll focus on what I find to be the highlights. 

I'm always going to lean towards any contribution from Sonic Youth. Here they cover Plastic Bertrand's "Ca Plane Pour Moi." It includes Sonic Youth's typical noise, but it also sounds like they're having a blast with this song. Sonic Youth is my favorite band of all time, but they don't tend to have a sense of fun in most of their songs. This one is fun. 

Mudhoney does a remarkably faithful cover of Elvis Costello & The Attractions's "Pump It Up." Mark Arm sounds much more like Elvis Costello than Mark Arm. Yo La Tengo covers Blondie's "Dreaming" to absolute perfection. Superchunk does DEVO's "Girl U Want" which sounds exactly like you want Superchunk covering DEVO to sound. The Muffs sound like the band meant to record "Rock & Roll Girl" (no insult meant to The Beat).

Mountain Man Covers Kasey Musgrave, Neil Young, and Fiona Apple

Mountain Man (the formerly from VT now from NC folk trio, not the Worcester, MA metal band of the same name) are kind of a forgotten favorite here at If It's Too Loud... They popped back up into our radar with an Everly Brothers cover for the Our First Hundred Days project before finally releasing a new album last month. Now they are back with a trio of covers for Aquarium Drunkard's The Lagniappe Sessions. It's an interesting assortment of songs from Kasey Musgrave ("Slow Burn"), Neil Young ("Through My Sails"), and Fiona Apple ("Hot Knife"). Mountain Man truly make each song completely their own with their blend of quiet harmony based folk. Fiona Apple's "Hot Knife" is completely reimagined as an a cappella song, with Mountain Man's voices swirling around each other. For someone who loves cover songs, these three are a true treasure.

You can hear Mountain Man's The Lagniappe Sessions over at American Drunkard. For more on Mountain Man, check out their website.

Caroline Rose - "Jeannie Becomes a Mom"

Photo by CJ Harvey

We don't typically cover new video releases if the song has been out for a while, but as always there are the occasional exceptions. "Jeannie Becomes a Mom," the latest video from Caroline Rose's excellent 2018 release LONER, is the type of video that just doesn't get made any more. It reflects what is truly great about Caroline Rose's current sound: It's both insanely fun and serious, and has a strong DIY feel while still looking/sounding great. The song itself is about not being able to outrun time. Rose has this to say about the song/video:

“Jeannie was my first foray into making really fun, sort of weird pop music. I wrote the whole song, including the programmed drums, on a little digital synthesizer called the OP-1. It felt like a relief making something that still told a serious story but tasted like candy to my ears. It's a direction I'm definitely going to keep exploring. The story, like life, is meant to be a kind of grotesque, whimsical tragi-comedy. This was especially fun for me because I get to play more of a voyeuristic role, which is how I feel in the narrative of the song itself.”

You can watch the video for "Jeannie Becomes a Mom" below. LONER is available now via New West Records. For more on Caroline Rose, check out her website. Her current tour dates are below the video (including ones with And the Kids!)

Thu. Nov. 1 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Fri. Nov. 2 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
Sat. Nov. 3 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Tue. Nov. 6 - Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
Wed. Nov. 7 - Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
Thu. Nov. 8 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Fri. Nov. 9 - Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
Sat. Nov. 10 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Tue. Nov. 13 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
Wed. Nov. 14 - Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
Thu. Nov. 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
Fri. Nov. 17 - Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel

Friday (on a Wednesday) Freebie: Matt Pond PA - Deer Apartments

Normally when an artist realizes that their classic album is twenty years old, they release a deluxe reissue with every version of songs ever recorded, rarities we already bought on UK only singles, and maybe a live cut or two just to make sure to squeeze every last dime out of us (and with the music industry being what it is, can we blame them?) Not Matt Pond PA. This is the twentieth anniversary of their debut album Deer Apartments, so they're just giving it away as a free download. For some reason I have never delved this far back into Matt Pond PA's catalog, and I somehow missed this back in my college radio days, but Deer Apartments is simply brilliant. While there is still the fantastic hook filled songwriting rooted in Tom Petty style Americana, it's all immersed in a heaping helping of late 90's indie rock. I'm pretty embarrassed this is my first listen of this album. 

You can download Deer Apartments for free over at Matt Pond PA's website. Of course, if you want a physical copy of the album, there are pre-sale bundles of the limited edition cassette available here. In an email, Matt Pond is promising a new EP, Free Fall, due next week. We're not sure if it will be under the retired name of Matt Pond PA, the newer name of Spaceland, or an as yet unannounced name. We'll let you know once we do.

Daisybones - "Beautymark"

The latest song from Boston's Daisybones is a weird little mix of power pop and indie rock. Typically power pop is associated with a huge sound made specifically for arenas or at least large theaters, and sure, "Beautymark" does have a big sound. But somehow it's a big sound in a lo-fi kinda way. Plus, there's a slightly odd, not quite quirky late 90's feel to it that reminds me of bands like Cornershop. For a little added 90's feel, listen for lyrics like  “I'm such a narcissist, I love the way I hate myself.” It's a great huge while still feeling grounded sound we highly recommend. 

You can listen to "Beautymark" below. Gold, the new album from Daisybones, will be out November 9. For more information on Daisybones, be sure to check out their Facebook and Bandcamp.

Tiny Ruins - "Olympic Girls"

Photo by Georgie Craw

Adding to the insane amount of great music coming from New Zealand lately is Tiny Ruins. "Olympic Girls" is squarely planted in our current favorite genre of music: Equally in the worlds of both indie rock and neo-Americana. There are strong elements of roots music, but the instrumentation pulls it away from folk a bit and indie the realm of indie rock. It also includes just the slightest hints of Celtic music, particularly in Hollie Fullbrook's vocals. It's generally a straightforward song with these odd and interesting flourishes that keep sucking you right in.

You can watch the video for "Olympic Girls" below. Olympic Girls, the album, will be released on February 1 via Ba Da Bing. It's Tiny Ruins's third album but first American release, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Tiny Ruins, check out their website.

First Listen: New Releases for 19 October

A fairly busy week again.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Carly Dow
Album: Comet
Quick Description: Deliberate and meaningful folk music.
Why You Should Listen: Carly Dow is a name you should know, and is a name I hope becomes more well-known.
Overall Thoughts: A friend for another publication turned me onto this one (link) and it’s a really solid, workmanlike folk record. Hints of a lot of different influences and song structures throughout make this a really enjoyable listen with a lot going for it. I feel like we haven’t had a roots record come out as of late that is this good, so put it in the rotation- it’s probably going to end up as your favorite listen this week.
Recommendation: Best of the week by far.

Artist: Wolf Girl
Album: Every Now and Then
Quick Description: New indie rock with some lo-fi flair.
Why You Should Listen: Feels like those great early indie records of 15 years ago.
Overall Thoughts: A favorite this week, this is a great, semi-lo-fi alt-rock record with a lot going for it. The melodies are sound, the instrumentation interesting, and the only complaint is how relatively short it is in comparison. Definitely an act to look out for.
Recommendation: One of my favorites this week.

Artist: Karine Polwart
Album: Laws of Motion
Quick Description: A great folky singer-songwriter teams up for a wonderful record.
Why You Should Listen: Karine Polwart is unjustifiably under the radar.
Overall Thoughts: I really liked the previous record, and this one has a more theatrical flair to it in many regards. Beautiful songs from a beautiful voice, and even the spoken word bit in the final track had a compelling and haunting feel to it when most songs like it end up being more cringeworthy. You owe it to yourself to give this a proper listen.
Recommendation: A must-listen.

Artist: Peter Bjorn and John
Album: Darker Days
Quick Description: The European pop rockers are back with their best album in years.
Why You Should Listen: "Young Folks: was never a fluke.
Overall Thoughts: Peter Bjorn and John are back with a new album, and, while they’ve never gotten close to returning to the highs of the “Young Folks” days, this might be the closest they’ve gotten to it for me, at least. The band has always been a little bit of an enigma, being just as much a nostalgia-inspired act as a more modern listen, but this album is really just a lot of ideas bundled together in a cohesive package, and I really enjoyed it. If you jumped off the bandwagon with these guys, this is not a bad spot to jump back on.
Recommendation: Worth your time this week.

Artist: Weakened Friends
Album: Common Blah
Quick Description: A favorite around here is back with a favorite this week.
Why You Should Listen: Weakened Friends should be your favorite alt-rock act right now.
Overall Thoughts: Ken said to me that this album is where Weezer should have ended up, and I think I agree with him. That Weakened Friends are not a huge alt-rock act yet makes no sense to me, as the songwriting is tight throughout most of what they do these days. For a band that I felt hit a good stride last summer, this album is quickly showing how they’re on a different plane than their indie alt peers.
Recommendation: One of the best releases for this week.

Artist: Richard Ashcroft
Album: Natural Rebel
Quick Description: British musical icon returns with a new solo album.
Why You Should Listen: Ashcroft's solo work has been solid for some time.
Overall Thoughts: The Verve frontman has put out a number of solo albums over the years, and while none of them have been nearly as good as his original debut (or, for that matter, anything with the Verve), this was a very mature-sounding record by someone who is clearly beyond the glory years of his career but is still able to make some great music. This isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind, but it’s not really designed to do that – it’s just a solid record by a popular artist.
Recommendation: Give this a listen.

Artist: Empress Of
Album: Us
Quick Description: Latest from a favorite here.
Why You Should Listen: Empress Of will always surprise you.
Overall Thoughts: We loved the last album by Empress Of, and this album turns the heat up a little bit. It’s less weird and more weird mainstream, which makes it a strange listen in a lot of ways but an utterly compelling album otherwise. There are a lot of ways this album won me over, but “I Don’t Even SW” was a key highlight for me that brought this from good to great.
Recommendation: Another favorite this week.

Artist: MØ
Album: Forever Neverland
Quick Description: European pop star tries to make the leap.
Why You Should Listen: Her debut was outstanding, this is also great.
Overall Thoughts: I know I like too much pop music, but honestly, if you want a modern pop album done right? Look no further than here. Sharp production, catchy songs, and you’ll wonder why MØ is not hitting the upper echelon of pop stars at present.
Recommendation: Worth it if you need some pop in your rotation.

Of note:

* Superhuman Happiness - Beacon (Odd, cross-genre record that works most of the time)
* Callow - Mothdust (Feels like a sludgy Alabama Shakes at times)
* How to Dress Well - The Anteroom (A solid, strange listen from start to finish)
* Will Oldham - Songs of Love and Horror (Solid, quiet folk music)
* Neneh Cherry - Broken Politics
* Farao - Pure-O
* Linen Closet - Linen Closet
* Elle King - Shake the Spirit
* Papercuts - Parallel Universe Blues
* Doe Paoro - Soft Power

EPs:

* Open Mike Eagle - What Happens When I Try to Relax
* Minus the Bear - Fair Enough
* Tangerine - White Dove
* Belle Mare - Liars
* Moaning Lisa - Do You Know Enough

Also out:

* R.E.M. - R.E.M. at the BBC
* Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Live at the Ryman
* Kings of Spade - Kings of Spade
* Jr. Thomas and the Volcanoes - Rockstone
* The Runouts - Bohemian Catastrophe
* Arkells - Rally Cry
* Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army
* Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning
* Lee "Scratch" Perry - The Black Album

Rayland Baxter Covers The Kinks

Photo by Shervin Lainez

I'm beginning to love Spotify's Singles Sessions. They typically feature an artist performing one of their own songs followed by a cover. As I'm sure you know, we love covers here at If It's Too Loud..., and considering we love Rayland Baxter and The Kinks, we're obligated to tell you about Rayland Baxter covering The Kinks. (Oddly enough, this is the second cover of The Kinks's "Strangers" we've brought you this year, the first being from Major Murphy.) Baxter's version is completely true to the original, with just the slightest hint of his country/folk sound. We're pretty sure if you're into either Rayland Baxter or The Kinks, you're going to want to hear this. And since you're obviously a fan of both, it's completely a must hear.

You can listen to Rayland Baxter's version of "Strangers" below. For more on Rayland Baxter, check out his website. 

Leland Sundries - "If You're Gonna Drive, I'm Gonna Drink"

When a band calls their song "If You're Gonna Drive, I'm Gonna Drink," no matter what style of music they play, you know exactly what you're going to hear. Leland Sundries might not normally play old school honky tonk style country, but "If You're Gonna Drive, I'm Gonna Drink" certainly fits that. The song does go off into an unexpected 90's alternative by way of The Beach Boys towards the end, so it does remind me a bit of Cracker's country output. 

What is strange is that you would expect a b-side called "Lone Prairie" would be more of the same, but while it does have some country elements, it's much more straightforward alt-rock. It's the kind of 90's alt-rock that was heavily country based and influenced even though none of us could or would recognize or admit that back then.

You can listen to "If You're Gonna Drive, I'm Gonna Drink" below. The latest single from Leland Sundries is available now via Bandcamp. For more on Leland Sundries, check out their website.

Wargirl - "Poison"

After listening to the newest single from Wargirl, I was surprised to find out they are from Long Beach, CA. Their sound is more English, or at least New York than outside of Los Angeles. "Poison" is a slinky disco meets post punk song. It's a really unique sound that they credit from being from Long Beach. According to guitarist Matt Wignall: “No matter whether you see us or hear us, we always come across as a diverse bunch: ethnically as well as in terms of gender and preferences. However, whilst this may be considered colourful elsewhere, in Long Beach it is totally normal. Nobody else sounds like us, and yet we sound like the environment we come from.” Wargirl also credits The Clash's Sandinista! as a major influence, which makes perfect sense.

You can watch the video for "Poison" below. Wargirl's self titled debut album will be released on October 26 on Clouds Hill. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Wargirl, check them out on Twitter and Facebook.