The Laurels - "Sound System"

Sydney, Australia's The Laurels have an interesting and familiar sound. Their newest single, "Sound System," is a psychedelic blend of shoegaze. What's most interesting is it keeps the upbeat, cheerful sound of psychedelia with the almost dystopian moodiness of shoegaze. This truly creates a whole new sound while still feeling uncomfortably familiar. Singer Luke O'Farrell has this to say about the song:

"High rise apartments and rent prices loom large over this paean to a future dystopian city, the inhabitants of which are doomed to a lifetime of evenings spent in queues waiting to eat at fine dining restaurants after a round of putt putt golf. Sound System finds this group of part-time disc jockeys loading up their van with generators and loud speakers as they seek to reignite the street party."

You can watch the video for "Sound System" below. The song is currently available as a single on The Laurels's Bandcamp. For more on The Laurels, check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Jason Hawk Harris - "I'm Afraid"

Photo via Facebook

The standard definition of outlaw country is too rock 'n' roll for country, too country for rock 'n' roll. The latest single from Jason Hawk Harris is somehow 100% rock/punk and 100% country, obliterating the standard definition. "I'm Afraid" is a loud, fast, rambunctious jam that you'll know if you love it within the first ten seconds of the song. Harris sings "I'm Afraid" like a Southern preacher, which is fitting since the song is about kids being afraid of creepy pictures of Jesus. It's such a huge departure from Harris's previous single, the mostly straightforward, laid back country tune "Cussing at the Light," that we're thrilled to hear what else he has in store for us!

You can listen to "I'm Afraid" below. Love & the Dark, the new album from Jason Hawk Harris, will be out August 23 on Bloodshot Records. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Jason Hawk Harris, check out his website.

Black Belt Eagle Scout - "My Heart Dreams"

Photo by Sarah Cass

As if it was made to make us even more obsessed with Black Belt Eagle Scout, Katherine Paul's musical project has a new single that may be impossible not to like. "My Heart Dreams" is a dreamy, slightly trippy, almost like a folk version of shoegaze song. It's mostly a ballad, but has its bouncy moments to keep you drawn in and cheerful, despite the song's subject matter about wanting to find new love while being brokenhearted. "My Heart Dreams" has just the slightest amount of noise Black Belt Eagle Scout shows in their live shows, instead keeping this song mostly melodic.

You can watch the video for "My Heart Dreams," which was filmed at the Portland Pride parade. Paul says of the video:

“The idea behind this video was to do something fun while showing the resilience of the Indigenous people, particularly women and girls, which is why I chose to have the Black Belt Eagle Scout band be portrayed by young Indigenous girls. In an age where Missing and Murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) are finally getting the attention they deserve, it's important to make their strength visible. The justice around MMIW is something we should all be paying closer attention to and I hope my platform serves to heighten awareness. The girls and extras in the video are members of the Portland Two Spirit Society, a special group of LGBTQ Indigenous and Native American/Alaska Natives and the Portland All Nations Canoe Family."

At the Party with My Brown Friends, the new album from Black Belt Eagle Scout, will be out August 30 on Saddle Creek. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Black Belt Eagle Scout, check out the band's website. Current tour dates are below the video.

Thu. July 25 - Westport, CT @ The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts
Fri. July 26 - Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
Thu. Aug. 1 - Seattle, WA @ ARTS at King Street Station
Fri. Aug. 2 & Sun. Aug. 4 - Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon
Wed. Aug. 21 - Victoria, BC @ Bastion Square Parkade
Thu. Aug. 22 - Seattle, WA @ Olympic Sculpture Hall
Sun. Aug. 25 - Port Townsend, WA @ Thing
Mon. Oct. 21 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Thu. Oct. 24 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Wed. Oct. 30 - Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater *
Fri. Nov. 1 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown *
Sat. Nov. 2 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater *
Sun. Nov. 3 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall *
Tue. Nov. 5 - Memphis, TN @ The Hi-Tone *
Wed. Nov. 6 - St. Louis, MO @ Foam
Thu. Nov. 7 - Lawrence, KS @ White Schoolhouse
Fri. Nov. 8 - Fort Collins, CO @ Surfside 7
Sat. Nov. 9 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Diabolical Records
Sun. Nov. 10 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux
Thu. Nov. 12 - Reno, NV @ Holland Project
Wed. Nov. 13 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
Thu. Nov. 14 - Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Bar
Fri. Nov. 15 - San Diego, CA @ Ché Café
Sat. Nov. 16 - Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
Sun. Nov. 17 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Bunkhouse Saloon
Tue. Nov. 19 - Mesa, AZ @ The Nile
Wed. Nov. 20 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
Fri. Nov. 22 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda
Sat. Nov. 23 - Dallas, TX @ The Foundry
Sun. Nov. 24 - Houston, TX @ Satellite
Tue. Nov. 26 - Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge
Wed. Nov. 27 - Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR
Sat. Nov. 30 - Detroit, MI @ Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit *
Sun. Dec. 1 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall *
Tue. Dec. 3 - Montreal, QC @ L'Olympia *
Wed. Dec. 4 - Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre *
Thu. Dec. 5 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel *
Sat. Dec. 7 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
Sun. Dec. 8 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
 
*= w/ Devendra Banhart

Diablogato - "Lipstick & Cyanide"

Photo by Pat Piasecki

We first discovered Diablogato back in February when I made the trip up to Salem, MA for their show with Salem Wolves and The Devil's Twins. They have new music coming up next month, and today we can check out "Lipstick & Cyanide."

The new song is exactly what I'd expect from Diablogato based on their live show. It's a garage rock/punk hybrid that hints at rockabilly without really going into it full throttle. "Lipstick & Cyanide" may be a mid-tempo song, but it's a full on rocker. The only surprising element to the song is just how hard it grooves. That was a pleasant surprise.

You can listen to "Lipstick & Cyanide" below. Old Scratch, the new album from Diablogato, will be out August 23 via State Line Records. You can pre-order your copy here. For more on Diablogato, check them out on Facebook.

No Sister - "My New Career"

Photo by Jack Riddle

Noisy rock music is typically loud and in your face. The latest single from Australia's No Sister shows noise can be quiet and almost soothing. "My New Career" is discordant, no question about that. But it also plays like a post punk 80's love ballad (even though it's a modern feminist anthem), so as abrasive as it can be, it's also oddly calming. There's something strangely hypnotic about "My New Career," especially after repeated listens. Even if you don't care for this song on the very first listen, try it out an extra time or two. You could be glad you did.

You can watch the video for "My New Career" below. Influence, the new EP from No Sister, will be out August 23. You can pre-order the EP on Bandcamp. For more on No Sister, check them out on Facebook.

Nice Guys - "Exhaustion"

Based out of Boston, MA, Nice Guys have this loud, creative form of what I'm going to call punk. "Exhaustion" is a perfect example of this. It's fast, abrasive, and as discordant as possible while still being a song. To me it sounds like The Jesus Lizard meets Ex Models with a little bit of early The Dismemberment Plan thrown in. This isn't going to appeal to most people, but some of us are going to become quickly obsessed with it.

You can listen to "Exhaustion" below. The song will be included on Nice Guys's forthcoming album due out on September 5. You can pre-order it on their Bandcamp. For more on Nice Guys, check them out on Facebook.

Jason Tyler Burton - "Date Night at the Dairy Queen"

Photo by Erica Chambers

The more we hear from Jason Tyler Burton's upcoming album the more excited we're getting. The latest single, "Date Night at the Dairy Queen," is virtually perfect. It's on the mainstream side of alt-country, or maybe on the alt side of mainstream country. "Date Night at the Dairy Queen" is a slightly rambling Americana/folk/country song with stripped down instruments and lyrics that just nail you in the gut. With lyrics like "We grow our own veggies, make our own amphetamine, but our number one cash crop is crushed hopes and dreams" it all comes across like a combination of Jason Isbell and Bob Dylan, which is a great place to be.

You can listen to "Date Night at the Dairy Queen" below. Kentuckian, the new album from Jason Tyler Burton, will be out September 6. For more on Jason Tyler Burton, check out his website. Current tour dates are below the song.

07.26 Red Ants Pants Music Festival, White Sulphur Springs, MT
09.07 Wind River Brewing, Pinedale, WY 
09.27 Healthy Rhythm, Montrose, CO 
09.28 Escalante Canyons Art Festival, Escalante, UT 
10.03 Goodwood Brewing, Louisville, KY 
10.04 The Twisted Cork, Lexington, KY 
10.05 Rocktoberfest, Campton, KY 

First Listen: New Releases for 20 July

Artist: Darren Hayman
Album: 12 Astronauts
Quick Description: Concept album about history's greatest space travelers.
Why You Should Listen: Darren Hayman is good at what he does, but especially when he's invested in the subject.
Overall Thoughts: This may be DH’s best solo effort in a long time. This is not to say his output has been bad, but H’s foray into themed albums continues with a release about astronauts to coincide with the moon landing. It has a gorgeous alternate version of the HN single “Alan Bean,” but also legitimately one of the better songs of the year in “Genesis Rock.” For someone at this for over two decades, this is a really and truly wonderful listen and something that everyone should easily enjoy.
Recommendation: One of the best of the week.

Artist: Grace Lightman
Album: Silver Eater
Quick Description: Pop with some edge.
Why You Should Listen: Grace Lightman sounds really familiar, and yet is completely different than anything else out there.
Overall Thoughts: Absolutely the most unique listen this week. Futuristic pop music that has hints of a lot of things you already love alongside some interesting flourishes. This album grabbed me at “Zero Impact,” a great song that feels like a 2025 artist taking on 1980s synth music, and it’s truly great. I find this hard to fully describe, but (especially in a short week) it’s something that deserves attention.
Recommendation: Give this a proper shot.

Artist: IDER
Album: Emotional Education
Quick Description: Pop duo going mainstream.
Why You Should Listen: This feels radio friendly without being too glossy.
Overall Thoughts: I’ve been a fan of ID for some time, but this album certainly feels like a poppy version of some of our favorite indie folk duos. This is not bad – basically every song is packed with infectious hooks and the production is right on track. This might be a little too mainstream pop for some listeners, but I definitely found a lot to like here.
Recommendation: A solid listen.

Artist: Ada Lea
Album: what we say in private
Quick Description: Strange, compelling indie music.
Why You Should Listen: This is a cohesive whole that demands your attention.
Overall Thoughts: This is one of the more enigmatic listens of the week and I think I’m in love with it. On the surface, it’s an above-average indie rock record, but there is a lot of atmospheric experimentation throughout that really grabbed me and kept me engaged for the whole thing. Some listeners might find it a little too precious at times, but it reminded me a lot of some of my favorite albums of the early aughts.
Recommendation: Might be a favorite of yours, too.

Artist: Ed Balloon
Album: The Dubs
Quick Description: Offbeat rap music.
Why You Should Listen: An intriguing and different listen.
Overall Thoughts: Why do I like this so much? I think the delivery here is interesting and different, I think the production and instrumentation is unique, and this just really had me hooked throughout. I don’t know if it’s a great rap album, but it’s definitely a good rap album that I will absolutely be going back to.
Recommendation: Worth your time.

Of note:

* GOON - Heaven is Humming (Solid, swampy indie-alt stuff.)
* Emily Mae Winters - High Romance (Don’t have much to say, but this is great, smoky barroom roots country.)
* The Orwells - The Orwells (Lead singer puts out the music the band was working on before they were canceled.)
* Joe Pug - The Flood in Color
* Generationals - Reader as Detective
* Chuck Cleaver - Send Aid
* KinZie - Dead Eyes

EPs:

* Knife Party - Lost Souls EP
* Sub Dio - Sub Dio
* Sarah Jaffe - This Is Better, Part 1
* Sarah Jaffe - This Is Better, Part 2

Also out:

* Iggy Azalea - In My Defense (Has anyone ruined their brand quite the way she did in such a short time? I just wish the parts I liked were worth what it takes to get to them.)
* Pekoe Cat - Jungle Cop

Live Shows: J Mascis, Prescott Park Arts Festival, Portsmouth, NH 7/20/19

Photo via Facebook

Two of my obsessions are J Mascis and seeing shows at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, NH. Something about seeing world class musical artists and legends playing in a waterfront park for an $8.00 suggested donation is just perfect for me. It's especially great when Prescott Park breaks from their normal Americana/roots fare for 90's fuzzed out noise.

With temperatures still in the nineties at showtime, it was a very laid back crowd. There were definitely people there who most likely have season passes or just came down since it was a cheap Saturday of entertainment, the amount of Dinosaur Jr shirts in the crowd showed that the park was filled with fans for this night. And J Mascis did not disappoint. Opening with a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Every Mother's Son" (which is a J Mascis staple at this point), he quickly showed that this would not be a typical acoustic singer/songwriter show. Mascis brought the pedals and the distortion, if not the noise. Prescott Park has a very strict decibel limit, making this the rare J Mascis performance that didn't require earplugs.

The only surprising thing of the evening was how few J Mascis solo songs were played and how much the set was filled with Dinosaur Jr songs. Only four songs were from Mascis's solo albums, while nine were from Dinosaur Jr's catalog. Solo songs like "See You At the Movies" and "Elastic Days" fit in quite well with the better known "Repulsion," "Little Fury Things," and "The Wagon." It all flowed together perfectly, with only die hards not knowing the difference. The two song encore of covers featured two well known songs to Mascis fans: The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" (which Dinosaur Jr has previously covered) and Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You," which Mascis has covered quite a bit in the past.

Even something that could be gimmicky worked well for Mascis. He looped his guitar bits multiple times, and would take a drink while it looped and he wasn't playing. At first it seemed like it could be a joke, but he did it enough times that it more seemed like he was just thirsty. And that fits into the awkward charm of a J Mascis performance.

Jonah Ray Covers "Weird Al" Yankovic

Photo via Twitter

This is a very "Weird Al" heavy day, but we do love covers here at If It's Too Loud..., and we simply can't resist this one. Jonah Ray has announced an EP of punk covers of "Weird Al" songs, and the first one we can hear is "Amish Paradise."

First, the song isn't as punk as I'd expect it to be. Jonah Ray may be known more as a comedian, but he did grow up playing in punk bands, so he has enough cred. Ray's "Amish Paradise" is much faster than the original parody of "Gangster's Paradise," but it's more of an edgy acoustic rock song. It's more like earlier Frank Turner than I expected. That said, it's a "Weird Al" cover from a devoted lifelong fan, so it's ridiculously fun and a must hear. Also, I've been saying this for years, but enough bands do sets as Guns 'n' Roses, Weezer, and The Misfits every Halloween. Someone needs to start doing "Weird Al" sets.

You can watch the video for Jonah Ray's version of "Amish Paradise" below. You Can't Call Me Al, Jonah Ray's "Weird Al" covers EP, will be out August 16 on Asian Man Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Jonah Ray, check him out on Twitter.