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Live Reviews

HAYLEY SABELLA  

CD Release Party 

The Spire, Plymouth, MA  

4/18/14

Hayley Sabella celebrates the release of her first full-length album, King Solomon, on Friday night, April 18, but to call it a celebration is an understatement.

The night starts off with a full 30-minute Hollywood-worthy video of The Making of King Solomon, which segues seamlessly to a performance that the crowd of nearly two hundred will not soon forget. The “cast” includes some of the most prolific singer/songwriters around ,including Jake Hill, Eva Walsh, and Mark Whitaker. The band is a perfect combination of rolling rhythms and spot-on harmonies featuring Austin Troy on guitar and banjo, Ben Trussell on drums, and Eric L’Esperance on bass.  Hayley owns the stage; her performance exudes that special something to everyone in this new downtown Plymouth venue, which is easily one of the most comfortable and inspiring (no pun intended) performance halls to ever grace the South Shore. The songs weave in and out with clever lyrics, and melodies that are fresh and easy to digest. The crowd feasts with great glee and fondness of this fine pop music. Hayley is one of those rare finds that is self-sufficient in every way.  A farmer by day, she sells her own hand-knitted hats at the show—special attire of many of her dedicated fans who require two encores. She finishes the evening by bringing up her dad to perform a heartfelt father/daughter rendition of the Mancini/Mercer classic, “Moon River.” The performance brings down the house and the fans are left open-mouthed and stunned.          (Mark Bryant)
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THE CHARMS/ 

THE FLIPSIDES/ 

COROLLA DeVILLE

Spotlight Tavern, Beverly, MA 

5/10/14

This transmission comes to you from the distant future. From a world not ruled by super-intelligent talking apes, but one where live New England rock ’n’ roll can only be found in the farthest reaches from Boston. In the Forbidden Zone! Heed my words, faithful Noise reader: Dispose of your stupid cell phone, protest DJ nights in Central Square, and support the bands! Or you, too, may find yourself in downtown Beverly on a Saturday night…

Y’know, I’d heard awhile back that Corolla DeVille had called it quits, but I’m totally thrilled to report that rumor is completely false. Singer Lisa Connelly is long gone but that ain’t stopping these axe-slinging mamas. While they’ve got a couple of ace new originals, they’re not abandoning the back catalogue at all: The vocal chores are now being shared between the three Bugden sisters, with the right voice doing the right song. Hell, “Terry Go Round” sounds exactly as it always has. This is great!

One song into The Flipsides set and…! I…! Holy…! Wow…! Chris Horne, man! 225 words per band isn’t enough, T Max! Right beside me, BFace sez, “With her in a band, the coolness factor rises exponentially!” Past, present, and future blurring right before my eyes. I count at least four songs where “Come on!” are the key lyrics! Unlike Chris’ previous bands (The Brood/ The Beatlords), Flipsides are more a mix of  ’50s rock and early ’60s frathouse. I’m not enough of an aficionado to pick out the originals from the covers, but it all works incredibly well for her. It’s taken two years for The Flipsides to come down from Maine for a visit, and the wait has been worth it. Thank you, Terry and Spotlight! Finally, I have found religion.

Whew! I’m still too Horne-icated from the previous band to come up with anything that’s gonna do The Charms any justice here. However blastfied I am, though, I can’t help but notice The Charms are putting on one helluva set. The most polished and energetic of the night, in fact. Pretty exceptional feat considering the band hasn’t played in a while. ’60s garage complete with organ, in case you ain’t hip to these guys. What works in The Charms’ favor is how they satisfy that ’60s garage craving without sounding completely retro—similar to the way Jenny Dee & the Deelinquents approach the girl group sound. They’re a prime example of exactly why you need to trash the cell phone and support live music locally.    (Frank Strom)
…

EMBRIONIC 

Single Release Party 

T.T. the Bear’s, Cambridge, MA 

5/10/14

The statuesque, long-haired beauty wearing the Mardi Gras mask and singing about people seeing through cracks in windows is Mor-Rioghain Siobhan Mcauley. And then she’s doing her best Marilyn Monroe and crooning “Happy Birthday Mr. Guitar Player” to James Bryon as he tunes his lime-green ES-335. James is giving out the presents today: a two-song single wrapped in an Embrionic T-shirt.

There are other influences evident in Siobhan’s singing style, but hers is not one of imitation as much as continuation—the continuation of a line of powerful, sensitive singers who can deliver their own lyrics, kick some ass, and mesmerize you while fronting a very cool rock band. Listening to her sing is a pleasure, almost as much pleasure as she seems to get from doing it. 

At times, it sounds like Pat “Trick” Wallace, one of the hardest working musicians in local music, is driving the band with the harmonic tension and resolve he employs so satisfyingly on the bass guitar. But then you notice the power and the reserve of Jeff Allison on the drums. Oh, he must be driving it. But wait, could it be James’ full chording, gentle picking, and atmospheric brilliance on the guitar? All of the above is the right answer and they all lead back to Siobhan and her slithering stage presence, her subtle smiles, her lyric acumen—from “Evensong”: “…what have we done/ when the glass half-empty is full of pain/ and the glass half-full is full of nothing you can’t swallow without shame/ when the love is gone.”

“Evensong,” along with “Superfantastik,” are on this limited edition single, a pre-release for a full-length CD produced by Ducky Carlisle and due out in the fall.         (Heath Cropper)
…

BIRD MANCINI

In A Pig’s Eye, Salem, MA  

5/3/14

I’m at the Pig in Salem to check out my good pals Billy and Ruby who make up the ever-inspiring Bird Mancini (tonight a duet—sometimes a four-piece). I’ve written about them before so I’m thinking of a new kind of review that includes the other opinions from members of the audience. This idea came up because WMBR/WMFO DJ Chuck U. had a Facebook event following along with one his radio show while it was happening—so any listener online could add his or her two cents.

Billy and Ruby are good at greeting their fans, even when they’re in the middle of setting up all their equipment. They tell me they’ve got surprises for the night. The place is a little noisy when they start playing, but I can still appreciate their familiar songs—especially when Ruby starts belting out the vocals in “Magic Flirtation.” The two look dashing tonight—Billy’s got a cool-looking Sgt. Pepper-ish black and white shirt with his signature derby atop his head, and Ruby has this mod striped hanging top with green jewels, and jingly percussion wrapping her white short-top boots. I notice that Sue Grillo, sitting at my table, is drawing Billy and Ruby while they play. I pass my notebook around to get the first impressions from those in attendance. Ed Morneau writes, “Bird Mancini is a melange of pop perfection, incorporating virtuoso musicianship, a knowledge of musical forms, and the smarts to deliver everything with joy and gusto!” Then Ed’s friend Ray takes the notebook and jots, “Impossible thunder of voice from a small frame.”  The next new musical highlight in the duo’s set is the Fab Four’s “Hold Me Tight,” a song that Billy considers the lost gem on Meet the Beatles. They start pulling out their surprises with a beautiful cover of Sal Baglio’s “Water Colours”—Chuck U., to my right, leans in and says, “Nice surprise.” Then one song later they flatter me by performing one of the songs from my folk-rock opera Why Do We Go to War? Ruby sings “Come on Home,” letting everyone know she was once part of Sgt. Maxwell’s Peace Chorus, and I am totally touched. From their Year of Change CD comes their biggest online seller, “You’re My Obsession.” Then Ruby and Billy split the lead vocal in Ray Charles’ gospel rollin’, “Night & Day.” Diane Andronica flippantly jokes, “They’re stealing music from black people.” The duet takes a break and I stroll around the room. Booker Terry Brenner announces to the Pig patrons, “T Max is taking notes.” I approach the fascinating High Priestess Therese Devoe, who spreads magic wherever she goes, and she adds, “What a wonderful light-hearted fun time we’re all having! Great music by the greatest musical couple of the century, Bird Mancini.” The famous Bit Stripper Paula Worsley arrives and flat-out states, “I love Ruby.” And I know she’s not alone with that feeling.

Back on stage, Bird Mancini starts the second set with one of my favorites of theirs, “Tuning In, Tuning Out,” the title track of their 2010 CD. They also do “(I Want My Own) Brian Epstein” from that same album.  Ellen H. grabs my notebook and pens, “I don’t know what’s happening here. What it is isn’t exactly clear. There’s a man with a drum over there, telling me I got to be near.” Funny thing is the band did not cover “For What it’s Worth.” They did cover the song “One”—to which Sue Grillo tosses out, “I love Three Dog Night.” Then Chuck U. thoughtfully injects, “If one is the loneliest number, why does everybody want to be number one?” Okay, he has a point there. Chuck also has a vinyl EP with him that he’s delivering to Billy Carl Mancini. It has a cover that is a take-off of Herb Albert’s Tijuanna Brass Whipped Cream & Other Delights—and Paula Worsley insists that she was the model for the original album, and goes searching for evidence on her phone. Things start getting a little hazy here when I stop taking notes, but I remember there was something about John Lennon with a tampon on his head. I hand my book to Terry Brenner, who scribbles, “Wall of sound from my married friends, channeled by Brian Epstein input into Why Do We Go to War?” Then before last call, I hit up Chuck Rollins who was sitting next to the band all night, and ask him for his thoughts—”The band was fantastic. The Pig’s Eye always has such great entertainment. The people are great here—so friendly.” I’m feeling pretty good with all the positive vibes. I later receive two post-show emails from Diane Andronica and Chuck U.  First Diane, “I thought they were fabulous and did a great version of your song.  I am always amazed at how Ruby switches from percussion instrument to harmonica, to accordion, to melodica and then plays percussion at the same time. Bill is a great guitarist and Ruby adds so much color. How does she remember it all while she sings?” and from Chuck: “The show was wonderful.  Bird Mancini had lots of new material, and obviously it was well rehearsed, because their performance was very tight.  They were both spot on, and really into it, and that came through in the music.  I was sure glad to have been in attendance.”  So was I.

Thanks to everyone who helped out.   (T Max)
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BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC SENIOR CLASS 

2014 Commencement Concert

Agganis Arena, Boston, MA 

5/9/14

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to play with more than a few Berklee grads and I can testify that they are amongst the best musicians you will ever encounter. If my word wasn’t good enough, all one has to do is attend one of the Commencement concerts Berklee hosts each year.  This year, a crop of senior Berklee musicians play a big concert, in the sold-out Agganis Arena to honor the work of Valerie Simpson, Geri Allen, and Jimmy Page. Soon-to-be Berklee grads play, interpret, and jam out on songs from those specific artist catalog. In some cases, the artist themselves come up and join them. While it’s great to see Jimmy Page, I’m disappointed that he doesn’t take the stage, but in his defense, the local Berklee kids might have outplayed him—they were that good. Motown legend Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson) and prestigious jazz pianist Geri Allen did however take the stage and jam out on a few tunes with the kids and had the whole crowd on its feet. What an opportunity for these musicians, to culminate their academic career with a concert like this. And what an opportunity for us to have the chance to listen to it. Thank you Berklee!                              (Kier Byrnes)
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KATEY BRANCH & DEB HENSLEY

A Joyful Celebration of Motherhood

Bhakti in Motion, Portland, ME  

5/10/14

I climb the three flights to the Bhakti in Motion Yoga Studio, in Portland, ME, and find a circle of chairs in the center of a big space, with a wooden floor and walls painted shades of orange and deep red. There are a couple of guitars and a harp and a group of mostly women waiting for the performance. Two singer/songwriter mothers are there to entertain us and to honor motherhood. It feels unusually intimate because we are sitting in a circle. The distance one usually feels between performer and audience has been eliminated. They kick off the concert with Kate Wolf’s great song, “Give Yourself to Love.” The rest of the evening is mostly original tunes written by the two women. They sing about motherhood, birth, love, broken relationships, the earth, fairies, and stars. They are both of the glowing woman variety—they sing, they harmonize, they belt out tunes, they dance, they teach us to sing some of the tunes in rounds. We, in the audience, are suddenly privy to intimate stories of their grandmothers, their mothers, their children, their lovers, and husbands. I find myself acquiring a lump the size of a watermelon in my throat and I don’t know what to do with it. I am moved by the songs themselves, by the way they are performed, and by the character and heart of these two women. Suddenly our little audience is transformed into a kind of family. It is a remarkable experience. They give us the gift of their stories set to music, and we get to witness this in close proximity. We share our common experience, we honor motherhood and feel honored, and suddenly this little moment in time becomes more than special. Two hours is more than a concert, it is a ritual that honors our lives.    (Kimmy Sophia Brown)

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COTTON CANDY

Rock ’n’ Roll Parents Photography Project

Jam Spot, Somerville, MA 

4/25/14

Tonight photographer Kelly Davidson has taken over Jam Spot, one of the area’s top rehearsal studios. She’s hosting her gallery opening for her Rock ’n’ Roll Parents photography project here tonight and the place is packed.  Hung throughout the walls of the Jam Spot complex are photos Kelly took of local rock luminaries like Sarah Borges, Lyle Brewer, Dennis Brennan, and Steve Morse with their children. In Jam Spot’s showcase room is the duo called Cotton Candy that features the dazzling Evelyn Hurley on vocals and the sharply dressed Mark Robinson on guitar and vocals. The duo is unlike your average band, as they play primarily radio jingles from the past several decades. Soon they have gathered a crowd of onlookers of all ages.  The songs go quick but are a lot of fun to watch. Between this and the gallery opening, it’s been an A-plus night. Thank you for putting this together, Kelly!       (Kier Byrnes)

[editor’s note: Kelly—Kier of Three Day Threshold recently became a dad… wink wink.]

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ANTJE DUVEKOT/ 

JENNA LINDBO

me & thee coffeehouse, Marblehead, MA   

5/2/14

Ahh, back at me & thee, where the folks are real and the audience can hear a pin drop (until the end of a song). First up tonight is Jenna Lindbo who has has some proverbial spring in her step and a positive approach to connecting with her audience. She from Portland, ME, via Oregon and North Carolina, and is still getting down the geography of New England. She replies to host Tony Toledo’s big time introduction by saying “I had to buckle my seatbelt after that.” Her sometime breathy vocal delivery plays well with the dynamics of her songs, that she coaxes out on a sunburst Guild acoustic guitar.  She’s excited to tell us that taking the 17-minute ferry ride to Peaks Island from Portland is well worth our time, before she plays her true story song from when she worked in a coffee shop in “Rainy Day Medicine.” It’s a cool song that encourages us to come up with different ideas on how to perk up a dull rainy day. She breaks out Annabelle, her banjo, for “When You’re Gone,” then moves to the piano for a couple of songs, ending with “Angels On the Subway,” a lovely one about about all the angels around us—and don’t forget to count yourself as someone else’s angel. It’s a brief, but engaging set by Jenna Lendbo. Time to mingle and pick up coffee and treats—the intermission works well on many levels.

The lights blink and we’re back with host Tony Toledo introducing Antje Duvekot as a winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and he admits that her songs give him a hug. Antje tapes down two keys on her keyboard, turns the volume down and asks Jenna to control the volume slider on a song that will ride over those drone notes. Antje picks up her guitar and silences us with, “The  Ballad of Penny Evans,” written by Steve Goodman. It’s the tale of a Vietnam war widow, with two daughters. She refuses to accept the checks that are mailed to replace her husband’s life. Not all Antje’s songs are that sad, in fact, she is pretty funny with little antidotes about her life travels. She’s a beautiful woman, but Antje claims to have risen from the nerds in high school, and expresses it in her anthem to nerds in “Dandelion.” She mentions an animated video she created for the song “The Butterfly Effect”—I already saw the video online and it’s the childish imperfections in the amateur animation that make it so dear. She talks of her hero songwriter John Gorka a number of times during the night. She even celebrates September 23, the day she met him. Tony Toledo requests “Long Way” and Antje gives him the song of when she was young, romantic, and on the road. She states that taking risks is essential to happiness… and sings that idea in “Vertigo.” From song to song she switches between a little acoustic guitar, her regular acoustic guitar, and the grand piano. She previews a song about a bad boy, “Gypsy,” from her next CD (possibly called $20 Leap Year) and gives us another new one about a carnival, “Half Life,” that she admits may not be good—maybe that’s to get our expectations down—and maybe it worked. She’s recorded Seth Glier playing her piano—and hands-free she sits back delivers a jazzy ballad, unlike most of her folk material. She asks Jenna to join her on “Sweet Spot” and we find out that these two artist met at song camp. Kathy, who booked the two of them separately, had no idea they knew each other. Then Antje straps on African cabasa foot percussion and lets us know that she’s raising money for the Malayaka House, a children’s orphanage in Uganda, and ends with the song that was all the kids wanted to hear—a short rage number, “I Wanna Be Loved.” And so the audience responds—showing her a lot of love. Another wonderful night at me & thee.         (T Max) 

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LEO*LEO

P.A.’s Lounge, Somerville, MA   

5/7/14

P.A.’s Lounge has a retro, U-shaped bar with espresso machine, and rotisserie oven (sans chicken carcasses) embedded into brick, and honey-hued hardwood floors. The stage is off of the ground but intimate for the 23 folks who join in by 9pm.

All eyes are on stage when Vanessa Wheeler, Leo* Leo’s  vocalist and electric guitar player, announces tonight’s set is stripped down from their usual production.  Having seen them before, I’m disappointed that I won’t be hearing the deep base lines in the songs, “Fever” and “You.”  Percussionist Sarah Hope dives into the cajón with grabbing, rhythmic energy. Her hands move to and from a standard high-hat while the left foot beats on the cajón’s kick pedal.  Wheeler’s effortless vocals are smooth velvety streams of rock stylings pulling on the coat sleeves of jazz appropriations.  A drunken man peers through the window during “Water” and ends up taking a seat on the pew against the wall. Between “Lake Street Dive” and “HAIM” Leo*Leo feeds the crowd jokes, that are light-hearted check-ins.  “Dancing Queen” is different from their radio single.  We sway as Hope oscillates with reggae and Haitian beats.   Wheeler’s baby-pink Fender guitar has rich ’60s tones and she plays it with soul. The duo’s music is a combo of different genres—soul, bossa nova, funk, and rock. They end with a reminder that Mother’s Day is approaching. These girls put on a hell of a show and share sincere appreciation for their listeners.                        (BBGB)

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THE COUNTRY HITS 

Cuisine en Locale, Somerville, MA  

4/26/14

One of my new favorite caterers in Somerville, Cuisine en Locale uses all natural, locally-grown ingredients to whip up some of the best meals around.  Today they are also serving a brunch in one of their function rooms that also features some locally grown musical talent, The Country Hits, a trio of local rockers playing classic country songs that are suitable for the entire family. Their guitarist, Tom Combs, dishes out hot licks that are as tasty as the food and has the kids all shaking their stuff on the dance floor. Rounding out the sound is Thatcher Tiffany on keys and vocals and Chris Mancini on drums. If you plan to head over to Cuisine en Local for their next brunch, I recommend getting a seat by the band and ordering my favorite dish, the P.O.P., also known as the Pile of Potatoes. Delicious!         (Kier Byrnes)

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WHEN PARTICLES COLLIDE (wild card)/

WESTERN EDUCATION/

PETTY MORALS/

AWAIT RESCUE

Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble semi-final #1

T.T. the Bear’s, Cambridge MA  4/17/14

When Particles Collide (Sasha Alcott, vocals and guitar; Chris Viner, drums) is a married duo from northern New England (originally Maine, currently New Hampshire). Give them props for varying their show from the act’s preliminary performance a week-and-a-half ago; Chris’s drum kit is up front, stage left, opposite his better half; yes, they generate ample volume, but Sasha’s vocals are nonetheless clear. Mr. & Mrs. When Particles Collide are competing as a wild card, but this listener assays them among the very best of the Rumble.

Western Education is Greg Alexandropoulos, vocals and keyboard; Georgio Broufas, guitar; Will Hunt, bass and production; and Mark Ragusa, drums. To look at their setup is to think, “Synth City, here I come.” Front and center is what looks like over-and-under keyboards.. yet then the performance gets underway and gregarious Greg Alexandropoulos is crooning almost conversationally to members of the throng closest to the stage; meanwhile, the stringed components and the percussionist are getting it done in lively support; here’s hoping these Merrimack Valley lads develop a Greater Boston following.

Petty Morals are Tai Heatley, vocals; Chrissy Vaccaro, guitar and vocals; Chrissie Tierney, bass; Lauren Recchia, drums; Allison Sigrist, keys; and Helen McWilliams, vocals. An enduring image from this set is of the vocalists and pickers standing athwart the proscenium, rhythmically clapping their hands in unison over their heads; while there’s visual appeal in that, the unfortunate downside is a certain canned feel to the performance… which is subsequently exacerbated  by a slick cover of “Neutron Dance”… just like on Petty Morals’ preliminary night. Oh well, that’s just one man’s opinion (moreover, a cranky man).

Await Rescue are Johnny Cutulle, guitar and vocals; Drew Morse, guitar and vocals; Corey Fyfe, bass and vocals; and Matt Morse, drums. A popular school of thought holds that the signature sound of the Rumble is hard rock (don’t take it from moi necessarily, rather, consult someone who knows what he’s talking about, say, Jed Gottlieb); on that score, Await Rescue is a weighty contender… which is why, if I were managing these guys, I’d put a shock collar on the frontman and throw the switch whenever he tried to engage the audience; dude, just blow their faces off and challenge them to be grateful for the assault!

Petty Morals makes it to the final round. (Dr. Swig McJigger)

…

YELLABIRD (wild card)/

TIGERMAN WOAH/

GODDAMN DRACULAS/

BARRICADES

Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble semi finals #2

T.T. the Bear’s, Cambridge MA  4/18/14

Yellabird  is made up of Martin Stubbs, vocals and guitar; and Felipe Gaviria, drums. Consternation is the overture to the penultimate installment of the XXIV Rumble: The wild card selected for this spot was Feints, however powerhouse Amy Douglas has been sidelined by ailing vocal cords. Though some in the audience aren’t bullish on Yellabird’s toggling between blues and heavy metal, the duo earn the esteem of most cognoscenti, two of whom are overheard opining that if a bass player were added Yellabird’d be truly redoubtable (or words to that effect)…  

Tigerman WOAH is Adam Kaz, lead vocals and banjo ukulele; Kevin Landry, upright bass and vocals; Jon Feinstorm, guitar and vocals; and Adam Lentine, drums and vocals. The Tigermen are the 2014 Rumble’s Americana entrant, as you can deduce from their instrumentation (and their luxuriant beards). Adam Kaz’s gravelly voice is ideal for their repertoire (featuring selections such as “Old Plank Road” and “Guess So – Take Me Home). Kevin Landry’s vigorous wielding of his upright bass is worth the price of admission. These guys take a lot of joy in making music.

Goddamn Draculas are Chris Duggan, guitar and lead vocals; Bice Nathan, bass and vocals; Dennis Carver, guitar; Jeff Nicolai, keys and vocals; and J.R. Roach, drums. The Dracs set the bar ridiculously high eleven nights ago with their preliminary Rumble appearance, consequently one can’t really knock them for sticking to formula. Their final original number ends a bit randomly (likely the musicians weren’t all on the same page for a moment), and some of us might frown on wrapping up with a cover (“Fat Bottomed Girls,” Queen), but Goddamn Draculas’ momentum has hardly been checked.

Barricades is Dan Norton, drums; Jared Walsh, vocals/guitar; Chris Norton, guitar/vocals; Matt DiVito, guitar/vox; and Justin Lutz, bass. It’s hard not to feel a tad sorry for the act that both follows Goddamn Draculas and goes on last, at quarter-’til-midnight; that said, let’s stipulate that this has been a successful Rumble for Barricades, whose origin is the theater department at Braintree High School (the band name comes from the stage adaptation of Les Miserables; they won their preliminary night back on Tuesday the eighth and they’re good enough musicians that they can legitimately aspire to become the next Goddamn Draculas.

Goddamn Draculas flap finalward.  (Dr. Swig McJigger)

…

AWAIT RESCUE (wild card)/

PETTY MORALS/

GODDAMN DRACULAS/

THE INFORMATION (special guests)

Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble Finals 

T.T. the Bear’s, Cambridge MA  4/25/14

We should be thankful that hard rock is represented in the Rumble final via the wild-card selection of Await Rescue; nevertheless, the glass-half-empty types (yours truly included) will gloomily note that the other contenders are customer-friendly slicksters. Perhaps it’s hopelessly contrarian to recommend that Await Rescue ride the squalling ax of Drew Morse and the power vocals of Johnny Cutulle (sort of a bargain-basement Chris Cornell) rather than attempt currying favor with the audience.

Under the ol’ “If you can’t beat them, join them” rubric, I am at last amenable to doling out kind words for the no-Y-chromosomes-need-apply band Petty Morals. With such acts as The Grinds, Cult 45, Tijuana Sweetheart, and Gunpowder Gelatine on the members’ resumes, the personnel boast a sound collective pedigree, and they adeptly present both original material and covers. Petty Morals is nominally based in Salem, so an old Essex County Hand has to dig that about them. Lastly, if I record any more derogatory comments about the group I might destroy my chance ever to knock boots with Helen McWilliams… or Chrissie Tierney, etc.).

Certain individuals, cough cough. recognized during Goddamn Draculas’ set they’d be awfully tough to beat, and that was with them appearing seventh with seventeen acts to come. Once again they enthusiastically deliver  polished power-pop for a half-hour, and can be forgiven for replicating “Fat Bottomed Girls” to cap their performance being that it adapts well to their sound. If you want a taste of the bloodsuckers’ feast, the good folks at Boston Emissions will be happy to spin “Don’t Be Afraid” or “Jenny” for y’all.

To be honest, The Noise’s coverage of the Rumble wasn’t gonna include the special guest, The Information, until its correspondent paused for a glimpse on his way to the egress; ’tis a good thing, ‘cause now I can tell other people’s grandkids (I’ve been deemed too hideous to reproduce; please don’t let Helen McWilliams and/or Chrissie Tierney know that) I observed a bona fide rock star from perhaps ten feet away. Max Fresen hereby joins Julius Caesar and Dr. Doom among my heroes.

Your 2014 Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble titleholder: The scourges of Transylvania—Goddamn Draculas.  (Dr. Swig McJigger)

…
…

We get a lot of calls and emails from bands requesting coverage of their live shows. Please be advised that shows are never assigned for review. Noise writers cover what they choose to attend. It’s logistically impossible for us to honor or acknowledge these requests.The Noise has always had its ears close to the ground in Greater Boston. If you’re doing something even remotely exceptional, we’ll be the first to tell the world. If you’re horrible, same thing.

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THE HUMANOIDS
Imperial Phonographic Recordings
Dirty Moves
10 songs

If The Hellacopters smoked more dope and came from Boston, where the ghosts of The Del Fuegos, The Neighborhoods, and The Bags hover overhead making the streets safe for rock ‘n’ roll, they would be The Humanoids. Music, lyrics, and image, it’s all about swagger-rock with an emphasis on the rock, and cooler by virtue of the fact that they’re Americans playing American instead of Swedes playing American. Yet another case of Sleazegrinder getting there first and doing a better job of describing them. Seems folks see a big Kiss-worship thing going on here, but my vote is for MC5 being the mother-influence. No shock that crackheads like Cokedealer had a hand in the production; none better in this town for this kind of rock.

Personally, I could have used a slightly higher hammer-dropping factor, but the rave-up five minutes into “Biker Meth Lab” goes a long way toward satisfying my jones for ass-kick, and the title track has the same snake-oil raunch that made Link Wray’s “Rumble” so wickedly evil, like a satanic Black Crowes. Can’t get your head around that? Take a bigger hit next time. Remember when most great songs were constructed around one big fat riff? They still are. (Tim Emswiler)

THE DARLINGS
Artist Friendly Records
New Depression
14 songs

This debut showcases many strong tunes. The harmony vocals are sublime; pedal steel ditto, and the drumming is versatile and always workmanlike. Lead thrush Kelly Jean Knapp sometimes strains or sings above her range, but acquits herself admirably on heartfelt hokum like “Ol’ Guitar” and her closing, epic lament “Yours for the Asking.” Simon Ritt’s vocal pitch seems off on “When the Blues Arrived,” but he pours his soul into “Another Girl Gone Boys,” and the quavery but immensely appealing “A Little Like You.” Complaining that country deals overmuch with cheatin’ lovers and chemically-induced mania is akin to pricking rock for its macho swagger but I think all good latter-day rock-suffused country ought to at least give a nod to folks like Dave Macon, Bill Monroe, Jim Eanes, and especially Hank Williams. Does old Hank smile down from heaven on songs like “Stoned and Blue”? Indubitably. (And country-rockers like Green on Red would’ve probably killed to have waxed Ritt’s brilliant lover’s lament “Juanita.”) If you profess to loathe country music you might just consider that it was often good enough for The Beatles and The Stones to admire inordinately. So try The Darlings. I did. And I’m glad. (Francis DiMenno)

THE IN OUT
Emperor Jones
Il Dito and Other Gestures
11 songs

“Il Dito” means “the finger” in Italian, and if The In Out are flipping us off it’s only because we’re too dumb to understand them. Only Todd Nudelman would use, in the ominously groovin’ “Trapped Body,” a phrase like “auscultate me” (it means listening for sounds inside the body, either by ear or through a stethoscope). On this, their first album as a trio, The In Out deliver manna for the post-punk intelligentsia: Todd’s oblique, deadpan-intoned lyrics and tinny guitar, Andy Abrahamson’s fluid, revolving bass lines, and a panoply of drum patterns from Eric Boomhower. Just to fuck with us, there are also remedial keyboards and a tweaked tape loop interlude with Todd repeating, “last time around.” “One Hand Loose” is quieter than their usual raucous fare, with a sweet keyboard melody. “Pursuit of You” seems to be about the hunt for Osama: “give us a clue/is there something to do in Kandahar?” I also love their dry humor: “please come to Kabul for the springtime.” “The Turning” and “Sense and Withdraw” are my favorites-brooding, instantly memorable songs. “Il Dito” closes out the CD; it’s an epic anthem sung in Italian with searing fuzz guitar from Dave Beach (a.k.a. Violet Squid) that contrasts nicely with Todd’s minimal, scrubbed chords. Hard to believe this was only take two. As for “other gestures,” I give this a big thumbs-up. (Laura Markley)

THE DOWNBEAT 5
Sympathy For The Record Industry
The Downbeat 5
14 songs

The competition is going to find this hard to beat as The Downbeat 5 deliver the goods on their long awaited, debut full-length. One of Boston’s best rhythm sections, Heartbreakers’ blazing guitars, and furious punk vocals come together to create what is the lead contender for number one rock ‘n’ roll recording of 2003. The CD contains fourteen rockers and all but three are JJ and Jen Rassler originals.

The opener, “Kicked Around” surprised me. The Downbeat 5 have been one of my faves since I first heard them at the Kirkland in November 2000. But here the girl group and bubblegum elements are gone. This music takes me back to ’80s Manhattan, Max’s Kansas City, conjuring up a dream band of Heartbreakers’ guitars, Cramps-style rhythm section-primal and sexual, with Joan Jett- style screaming fury.

Speaking of surprises, other than “Kicked Around,” “Too Hot To Handle,” and “Cryin’ In The Night,” these CD cuts are all new to me. Moreover the Downbeat 5 have become the rulers of the riff. That guitar lead in “Big Nowhere” emanates danger. As usual JJ never veers into histrionics, always delivering just the right lead to crank up the excitement level of each song to the highest pitch. This acute sense of dynamics is underscored in my new fave, “I’m Not Waiting,” where the Rasslers rewrite the book on thrilling guitar interplay. (Nancy Neon)

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY
Lowbudget Records
RAM
10 songs

The band’s second full-lengther, betimes a seeming throwback to ’80s proto-electronica, thankfully has little in common with those traits which gave the genre a fatally bad name some 20 years ago. Sometimes it’s almost deterministic a la Genesis (see the brilliant, ethereal “Your Eyes”), or King Crimson (see “The Golden Age”). More often it’s frothy and frivolous like XTC, or latter-day Sparks (see “The Water’s Edge”) or Beach Boys (see “Negative Man”). Flaunting no cheesy ambient noise or synth flatulence for the mere sake of same, these tracks come across as actual compositions while still retaining the crunchy organic texture of old fashioned, um, songs (see the countrified “It’s Getting Better”). Genres are tweaked and churned, but with grace and intelligence (see the Kinks-like ska raver “In My Room,” and the poppy, skiffle-laced vaudeville turn “In From the Cold”). And always there’s texture, their saving grace. Texture, even too much, is great, but that way lies madness; ask Brian Wilson. Thankfully, these avant-savants seem to know this, even when they trip up (and out), as on their noble-but-failed soul-psychedelic amalgam “In My Dreams.” (Francis DiMenno)

WILDMAN
Indecent Music
Flag Retirement
7 songs

David Wildman is a local peace activist, and if I wasn’t reviewing a CD I’d be saying nothing but nice things about him, but I’m a rock hack, damn it, not a political pundit. And frankly, I prefer my politics a little less in-my-face than “What if Hitler had the bomb, and lasers up in space, that’s the kind of road we’re on.” Dude, the answer’s been blowin’ in the wind for like 25 years now. Make no mistake, I’m as un-American as the next guy and I am completely in favor of songs, poems, bumper stickers, and bathroom scribblings about how far this country has its head up its own arse, but when it comes to music, there had better be some songs that could survive if the lyrics got up and walked away. Sadly, not the case with the majority of the songs here, which are of the semi-hippie frat rock variety. Wildman’s backing band is pretty capable, and Paul Lenart provides some surprisingly ripping guitar solos, but this is still only for the most Cambridgian among you, and of course I mean that in the nicest possible way. (Tim Emswiler)

HAZIE MAZE
Bring Us Together
10 songs

The musicianship is impeccable, but much of this sophomore attempt still comes off as brassy, sassy, burbling animatronic funk which is inoffensive, ineffectual, and ultimately sterile. The title track is appealingly slick AOR fodder but smells formulaic and rote. The half-inspiring, half-miasmic “Usual Storm” has an interesting raga-fied coda but is mostly a failed study in contrasts. “So New” treads well-worn anthemic Sly Stone territory to gratifying effect, though the idiotically incessant horn obbligati are unnecessary and annoying. From “Peaches in My Pocket” I would guess they’ve listened to Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” few times. Would that this innocuous, overbusy and mostly overproduced collection had a fraction of that song’s originality and grit. (Francis DiMenno)

POP*A*WHEELIE
The Shape of Fuzz
14 songs

Pop*a*Wheelie are not breaking any new ground with their follow up to “2000 Lite Beers From Home” but what they are doing is smart, energetic punk-pop with a bit of cheek thrown in for good measure. Fourteen songs on an album is quite an undertaking, but it’s done with style. They open the door with “The Cave,” a fuzz heavy, Mudhoney-esque song that rocks your ass; they manage to keep the energy going all the way till the end of the album. Standouts are “Smallest Violins” again, heavy on the fuzz but with a great melody. “Fuzzy Sweater,” the eighth track rocks-the chorus is singalong worthy, with the requisite number of F-bombs thrown in for good measure. Bratty, brash with a fair amount of adrenaline is the theme for “The Shape of Fuzz.” If you’re into Mudhoney, and the like, Pop*a*Wheelie will definitely do it for you. (T.Lo)

ELROY
Imaginary Cat Recordings
Elroy
11 songs

Resurrecting the days when guitar riffs ruled and solos were never too long, rock quartet Elroy sounds more like a band raised on good-ole Southern blues than a group of laid-back guys from New England. Heavy on the classic rock, complete with a Hammond organ, the album pumps out songs about heartache, loss, and of course, in true blues fashion-bitches and brews. Yet the whiskey is in far less abundance than the crying and moping over loves lost. How singer Marc McElroy could find comfort in lyrics as bland as “Love is cruel/ And there’s nothing that you can do” is beyond me. Most of the album’s songs are too repetitious, and coupled with simplistic, dull lyrics, the energy that makes their music captivating quickly fades.

There wasn’t a lot that stood out in my mind after hearing this album, besides the song “Smoking Dope and Watching TV.” Regardless of any autobiographical truth, Elroy pays tribute to those of you out there who would rather spend time playing a Gibson SG and, well, you can figure out the rest. If you love your guitar and chill to the sounds of straight rock, this may be an album for you. (Lisa Herforth-Hebbert)

WHITE TRASH DELUXE
Ain’t That a Bitch
7 songs

Ain’t That a Bitch is the musical embodiment of pure rock music. In seven songs, and 20 minutes in length, White Trash Deluxe rock in a way that make people do unusual things in normal circumstances.

A strange thing happened as I tried to listen in the car on the way to the grocery store. I cranked the volume as “Cracker Box” started. By the time I discovered that there was a secret track, I found myself surrounded by police. I had somehow smashed through the fence of the State Capital with my car. I could hear the faint muffles of my landlord locked in the trunk with last month’s rent check in his hands. A woman I didn’t know was strapped to the roof. Painted on the hood of my over-revved engine were the words “Hey Mitt, Cut This!” Sitting in jail the next day, tied in a straightjacket, I realized that I had heard a damn good album.

Do not go out and buy one copy. Buy as many copies as possible, and go hand them out to people who need their life scared back into them. (Jerome Leslie)

THE TIMBRE PROJECT
Ice Cream Headache Records
Ruining Perfectly Good Songs
14 songs and 3 promos

Of the 14 tunes contained herein, I hear a peculiar (but by no means displeasing) amalgam of Nick Drake, Warren Zevon, The Zombies, and other avatars of singer-songwriter renown, with plenty of zany psyche effects thrown in (presumably via Pete Weiss at Zippah). “Getting to Nicholas” is brilliantly textured and paced and highly melodic; “Jack” displays the intensity of a classic tune like “Arnold Layne”; “Dead Aim” is a touching stop-and-start story-song-like Tom Petty sans bullshit. “F’N F” could have been an out-take from XTC’s ‘Skylarking’-or, for that matter, ‘Something Else by The Kinks.’ The wrenching “DC & CU” creeps in its petty pace and seemingly lights the way to dusty death. “My Wasted (Time)” is irresistibly catchy. Occasionally this mondo pop approach is less than successful: the magisterial “Message Received” too blatantly cops the best part of “A Day in the Life” for its middle eight; the lyrically excellent “Cranky Pants” seems a rote Chuck Berry homage. In one of his three promo spots Jaime D’Almeida implies his compositional style borrows liberally from past masters. Seems accurate. But the title is a misnomer. “Quality rock with real variety” is a more accurate self-assessment. timbreproject.com (Francis DiMenno)

CLOSER THAN KIN
Overlook Records
Seven Songs You’ll Never Hear Again
7 songs

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for bands that stomp all over the line between punk and metal and just don’t care what you call them, dating all the way back to the godly Straw Dogs, and Closer Than Kin pummel away in that same vein, loud, fast and tight, but I’m afraid they’re somewhat lacking in the department of Truly Memorable Songs. Fun as hell when it’s playing, gets you headbanging and fist-waving regardless of what else you’re doing, but when it’s over, you find yourself wishing there had been a little bit more in the way of a hook somewhere. Spelling counts in the old school, kids-points were taken off for “serman” instead of “sermon.” Ah, the sad state of education in America. (And yeah, I’m trying to pad out the review, you got a problem with that?) “Take Time” wins the award for The Song That Made Me Air-Drum The Hardest, but, as much as I dig what they’re doing, I fear the CD title may be prophetic. And seven songs in 16 and a half minutes? Pacing, boys, pacing. The apocalypse is still a few days off. (Tim Emswiler)

EDDIE McGARRY
Green Line Music
Heat from the Spark
10 songs

Eddie is a fire fighter by trade-it’s hard to fault a guy who is willing to risk his life every day. In terms of the musical adventures on this disc there are barely any that I could find. It’s essentially folky easy listening with touches of soft rock. The songs are well written and Mr. McGarry has a voice reminiscent of any variety of other folk rocker types. I guess that is the issue-it’s not bad-it just is. One diversion is on “Older Each Time,” easily the most interesting track. It has a creepy haunting flavor, with a verbed out kick drum that adds a hint of strangeness that the rest of this disc begs. Additionally the strings on the title track add some weirdness and make an average song stand out from the others. I can see bigger things coming from him if he focused on making the balance of these songs as engaging. He obviously enjoys writing and probably isn’t out to change the world or the course of modern music. eddiemcgarry.com (Shady)

ROXIE
Make-Out Party
12 songs

Red-blooded he-men might want to check out the incipient lesbo action on the sleeve of Roxie’s full-length debut. But they might also blanch at the mindlessly hooting, churning, crooning, blobby plastic new-wave and purblind buzzsaw power pop contained on the disc. Their joyless, almost affectless inanity would be refreshing if it weren’t ultimately so inexcusably banal. Pre-fabricated, yet at least synthetically entertaining romps such as “Down on the Beach” and “Jennifer” are too few and far between. After enduring a lilting yet listing and ponderous tune like “Someone Like You,” I’m tempted to liken them to a totalitarian version of The Outlets. (Francis DiMenno)

ELLISON
Halfman Records
Always Something
9 songs

Providence indie kids Ellison describe themselves as “rock geeks,” a three-member band whose influences stem from all spectrums-the likes of Tom Petty, New Order, My Bloody Valentine, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Tool. Perhaps it is their vast difference in musical tastes, or their mission to not emulate “one band or another from song to song,” but even with the somewhat crappy quality of their recording, Ellison works. Singer Bill Paukert warbles over fuzzy instruments and distorted guitar, voice never completely meshing with the music, but still enjoyable. Whether it is simply my love for the synchronized handclap, or an unpredictable intro, “Breathe” is probably the best track on the album, music and vocals reminiscent of the early work of Irish band Ash. The use of the viola in “Fade” adds a pleasantly haunting quality, and it stands as one of the only somber songs on the album.

Always Something is definitely weak at points, particularly in the sloppy drumming and sporadic breaks in “True,” which succeed in catching you off guard, but feel misplaced and incomplete. As a whole, however, the album isn’t bad. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear more from them in the future. (Lisa Heforth-Hebbert)

12 CENT
Olde Tyme Productions
Bastard Music
11 songs

“Olde” Tyme?? Judging from the photo in the CD tray, these are some still-wet-behind-the-ears next-generation skatepunks, and the sophomoric lyrics don’t do much to dispel that notion. Case in point: “12cent (sic) coming through, you better get out of the way, could be in your city any fuckin’ day.” Umm.. yeah. But that doesn’t mean that this isn’t actually pretty cool in its own way, because it is. These boys can play fast without getting sloppy, they can slow it down and sound almost pretty, and as dopey as the lyrics might be (and they could just be intentionally ironic in a postmodern kinda way and I’m just missing it-but I doubt it), they sound like they’re digging singing them. It’s nothing terribly original, but they do a solid enough job of walking the line between punk, pop, and metal (wait, that would be walking a triangle). Some blistering guitar solos, guaranteed to endear them to air-guitar-gods like myself, but I think I’m a good 20 years too old to be part of the target demographic here, although I’ll admit that I still get a juvie thrill from shout-along choruses with the word “fuck” in them. (Tim Emswiler)

TINYHUGE
Gr8Trax
You Are Here
12 songs

Tuneful, well-crafted songs, many in an early-’70s post-Beatles melodic mode, but there’s nothing retro about eccentric but heartrending gems like “Dad Lost His Mind,” or the zany, careering recitative “Junior,” both definite keepers. Goofy romps like “My Crowd” and the Creedence-like incantation “I Wanna See You” are also hugely entertaining. Fans of T. Rex and Leon Russell will find a lot to like here. The spartan but crafty production is a model of less-is-more style economy, though the vocalist sometimes sings beyond his range, as on the otherwise exemplary ballad “Watercolors.” (Francis DiMenno)

FETISH CHICKEN
American Chop Suicide
15 songs

Let the press kit speak: “Punks who wanted to be prog but grew up listening to Iron Maiden and Sonic Youth.” What the hell can I possibly add to that?! If you grew up listening to Iron Maiden and Sonic Youth, then this is for you, unless you jumped off a roof with a head full of PCP back in the day. This is a freakshow of an album with a bit more filler than I’d like, but I’ll be damned if there isn’t a dark metallic heart beating at the center of it all-if it’s got drums pounding at near blast-beat velocity, I tend to call it metal, kids. But there are also excursions into more emo territory, and more than enough nods to eclecticism for eclecticism’s sake (kinda like Sonic Youth, if you ask me) to make sure this one never gets pigeonholed by a lazy rock hack working under deadline pressure. And I swear that they got a possessed Paul Westerberg to sing on track 7 (I’ll be damned if I can read the song titles on the CD)-if they didn’t, they should have. Points off for mentioning Queen and Anal Cunt in the same sentence in the press kit, though. (Tim Emswiler)

STEADFAST
Steadfast Records
She’s Got The Eyes
7 songs

This is almost too good to be punk. Vocal harmonies, time changes, guitar interplay… the vibe is sort of punk, but overall the songwriting is more pop than anything else. “Dollar Sign Eyes” has some drum flubs, which makes me wonder why they didn’t just do a second take. Or maybe I’m just not hearing it right? Maybe they meant to do that. “One More Time” begins with chiming acoustic guitar, then more vocal harmonies, into a melodically intricate chorus, with some very interesting guitar parts. The bio states that this band’s been around since the early ’90s, so clearly they’ve had time to hone their craft [read: got old]. The vocals on “Suzie” are very loud, and I’d have to say it’s more distracting than anything else. So other than the wildly uneven production values, this is a fine record, even though it’s about 10 years too late. (Jesse Thomas)

NATALIE FLANAGAN
One Way Productions
Let
9 songs

Ricki Lee Jones meets Mark Knopfler to the power of Chrissie Hynde? An over-simplifiction, perhaps. Throughout, the band strives, creditably, for, say, a funky Stones ambiance, as on “Patience” or “Cousin Tony,” or a magisterial Dylanesque or Pretenders-like tone as on “Come In Tokyo” or “Margot’s Arms”-but I don’t feel much of anything genuine as a result: no sense of uplift, or pleasure, or pain, or even annoyance. Maybe because in spite of the impeccable settings, the vocals come across as just so much aural wallpaper-and the hell of it is, I can’t quite pinpoint why. I’d rather blame my own affect-poor tendencies than those of the singer, but I’m not so sure it isn’t more than just a little bit of both. This is not to say that at her most dour (as on “Long Live the King” or “Water Under the Bridge”) Ms. Flanagan makes some of the more depressive peregrinations of Nico sound like Maria Callas or Lady Day-but she comes close. (Francis DiMenno)

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Swallowed By Machinery Volume 3
17 songs

Here are some band names, you draw the conclusions: Fusaine, Deerhoof, Zann, Ene, Tempis Fugit. It was only after writing this review, did I realize that this was a compilation CD, and not an album. Stupid girl, you say. No, no! I did not realize this until I took this piece of crap out of my discman and put it into my computer. Nowhere on the CD does it say that these are 17 songs by 17 bands. I give them mad amounts of credit for finding 17 bands that suck, and putting them on one album. Does this mean, that these bands have now had their instruments destroyed and all musical aspirations zapped from their brains? What is this? Is it prog-rock? Perhaps a smidge. Is it geek-rock? Definitely. Is it any good? No. Swallowed by Machinery surfs through its own planet of shit. Song 3 by Deerhoof is a mess. I feel like I am listening to the soundtrack to a Coneheads sketch. Is it even a girl singing? I don’t know. What is she saying? Sounds like something about pickles. No discernible rhythm and fucking weird for the sake of being so. It irritates me. The contribution by Zann-now here’s a surefire hit. This song will definitely get them a Tuesday night at their local Elks Lodge. Guttural, nonsensical yelling. No words that I can make out, just someone yelling at me. I’m listening to their song, and I am being yelled at. Stop yelling at me. Stop putting out music. Stop encouraging every single band on this compilation. Please. (T.Lo)

GLADSHOT
Frankly Mills Music
Relic
12 songs

Gladshot definitely drinks from the same trough as the Gin Blossoms circa 1996 on this release. That’s not a slag against the band-it’s just reality. They blend pints of roots rock and straight shots of pretty pop effortlessly. Mike Blaxills’ voice is clear and full, as heard on “Pink Sky.” The song contains a killer hook and soaring chorus. The Hammond organ adds a nice velvety blanket underneath as well. Debbie Andrews also possesses a fine voice, and I’d like to hear the two singers blend their voices instead of swapping lead duties on every other song. The songs are written well and the production is strong, if a bit square sounding. All that said, there is nothing here that would cause me to stop in my tracks or for that matter stay glued the radio station that was playing any of this. It’s almost unbelievable and a bit boring at times. Which is too bad because I think Gladshot has some real talent. I guess putting out overtly polished pop isn’t the end of the world. I can think of far worse crimes. gladshot.com (Shady)

PLASTIC PILOT
Plastic Pilot
15 songs

Plastic Pilot takes all the best parts of Weezer’s Pinkerton (melancholy boy vocals, super distorted bass, hairy production values) and beats them to death. “Numb” (not a U2 cover) has some pretty interesting changes in it, unfortunately those are repeated ad nauseum. If it weren’t for the Nirvana-ish sloppy beginnings and absence of endings, this could all be one song. I don’t mind the CD package being cheap and hastily thrown together. It’s too bad the music feels the same way, like they were in a rush to match lyrics to music or something. The guitar work is amateur, the bass lines predictable and the drums… well, it’s all in 4, isn’t it? No surprises here. (Jesse Thomas)

MARION WALSH
Song Garden
9 songs

Marion Walsh’s Song Garden, recorded at Kissy Pig Studios, is her first as a solo artist. As lead vocalist, guitarist, and mandolinist for a number of groups and with 21 (yes, twenty-one) full-length CDs under her belt, Ms. Walsh’s command of voice and instruments stringed cannot be ignored. Musically, Song Garden transcends the boundaries of what passes for folk today. Its beautifully haunting arrangements would have been ripped-off in a heartbeat by Jimmy Page for Zep III. Lyrically, however, Ms. Walsh is as banal and unimaginative as the CD title suggests. The granola crunching visions of urban folkie posers abound in such common themes as the great outdoors as a metaphor for inner turmoil, etc. Sophomoric lyrics, such as “Today I am a mountain, Strong, But a mountain, Cannot bring a friend along,” mar what could have been one of Boston’s best singer/ songwriter albums of 2003. (Marc Friedman)

NATURAL TOY
Natural Toy Records
Are We Here Yet?
12 songs

Sing-alongs aren’t just for kids anymore. With catchy hooks, effortless melodies, and some tongue-in-cheek lyrics, I can just picture that bouncing ball now. Yet Jeff Kauppi’s short pop ditties have a bizarre feel. Subjects range from John Hinkley’s failed attempt at murdering Reagan in “The Jodie Foster Song,” to Brigitte Bardot, members of Peanuts, and a cocaine enthusiast president in the hokey country tune “Larissa.” You can’t help but be amused, if not slightly disturbed, by this strange and wonderful creature.

However entertaining and light, I soon found that the novelty wore off. Natural Toy is reminiscent of that favorite tune “It’s a Small World.” Fun for the first three minutes, but soon you’ll want to start jabbing away with a pickax. “God Made Me” was reminiscent of a creepy Christian children’s song, the chorus, “I am beautiful, I am beautiful/ ‘Cause that’s the way God made me”-just too sickeningly saccharine. Worse is the album’s attempt to place serious songs alongside silly tracks, unintentionally creating a satire of love songs and feelings. But perhaps I’m just missing the punch line. (Lisa Herforth-Hebbert)

JENNY REYNOLDS
Pretty Okay Music
Bet On the Wind
12 songs

Bet On the Wind is not a collection of songs nor a sound that is ground-breaking. Reynolds’ voice is thin, and sounded to me like a scratch track, rather than final vocals. The lyrics aren’t incredibly original.

But, I like it. I really like it. The songs are solid, beautifully arranged, and infectiously singable. I like the images the words evoke of roads and sunshine and strong yet tender women. Simple pretty pictures. I like Bet on the Wind because you could pop it into your car CD player, point your Honda west, and drive to Oklahoma with it being the perfect soundtrack. It’s American, and rootsy, and folky, and doesn’t suffer the common pitfall of being overly eager or corny.

Duke Levine, firmly established as the guitar god session dude of this ilk of singer-songwriter, trails his delicious, smoky, countrified licks across the album. Catie Curtis wanders around the background, singing harmonies. Chunks of cello, dobro, and mandolin are sweetly woven throughout. Overall, an inoffensive, pretty bunch of songs. (Cherub Bothe)

JOHN HAYDON
Independent Records
She’s Gone
12 songs

For the most part this is midlevel, country-tinged electric-folk singer-songwriter fare akin to Jackson Browne or Ray Mason, sparsely produced, yet chock-full of surprisingly resonant and heartfelt numbers such as the sprightly love song “You Got Me Lost,” the woeful, mandolin-seasoned slice-of-life ballad “Where There Used to Be Tears,” and, especially, the treat-her-right anthem “This Time.” In places, this collection is a cut above the ordinary; even a band of duffers like the Eagles might well have envied the sheer rightness of tune like the classic “Could Have Said Goodbye.” For that matter, Neil Young himself might well find much to like in a tune like “Broken Too.” (Francis DiMenno)

THE BRAINLESS WONDERS
Plloyd Lumstead
10 songs

Heh. Well, at least they’re self-aware. Free of pretense and filler, the Brainless Wonders offer the world more of the same kid-tested, mother-disapproved punk rock the kids seem to love. The singer sounds like damn near everyone I know, and the band just seems to be doing a lame version of the Queers. They’re practically a Queers tribute band for chrissakes. I get the feeling these guys have a pretty good sense of humor, and it’s too bad that doesn’t come across more in their music [not that I’m not laughing, ’cause I am, just not with them]. My favorite is “Taco Salad,” which is a chord progression and a corny guitar lick, over and over and over, until the end, when the lead singer yells “Taco Salad.” Also, I think there might just be some sort of track listing error… it says here there’s 10… but it just sounds like one song, over and over and over… (Jesse Thomas)

CHOCOLATE SPINACH
There Was A Need
11 songs

I’d like to start out my Chocolate Spinach review with a quote by NME writer Marc Beaumont. Here you go: “They sound like stinking snakes of the dorkoid gutter.” Nothing could possibly be more fitting. I was sitting on the floor at T Max’s house, picking my CDs and I chose this one based on the name. I made the assumption that it would be bloody awful, and you know what? Awful does not begin to cover it. There are no words to describe this. What is this band? The first song is a ska-tinged whiner, the third one is a feel-good CSN-style song that rocks about as much as a lobotomized 90-year-old woman. Lyrically inane, and vocally weak, Chocolate Spinach may just be the worst thing I have ever heard. They’ve got this hippie vibe, yet the singer has some type of Scott Stapp thing going on. It makes no sense. It’s terrible. I’m turning it off, and I wish I could be reimbursed for the time I’ve wasted listening to this. (T.Lo)

KELLY WALSH
Zazen Records
Sea Notes
9 songs

The production on this disc is exasperating. It’s totally washed out in reverb, which I actually enjoy as a rule. On this particular release it’s seriously annoying. It buries the vocals and makes the words difficult to comprehend, not that I seem to be missing much. Most of this is just singer/ songwriter drivel. Seriously, how many of these discs need to come out every year? Maybe a few of them could get together and start a band. Kelly Walsh can’t really sing well enough to be a singer either. If her voice was at least interesting, I could deal. This disc really is just downright horrible. The worst offense is on “Anymore.” If T. Rex were still alive he could sue for the apparent stripped and stolen “Jeepster.” I actually liked “Visiting Frances” until she Pearl Harbored my ass with a guitar solo worse than any glam metal band you can name. I imagine that this is her first attempt at a solo disc-at least I hope so. She needs to figure out who and what she wants to be musically then maybe she can start again. This just isn’t quite up to the bar. kellywalsh.com (Shady)

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LOVELESS, GODBOXER, KAY HANLEY

The Lizard Lounge 5/6/03

Opening tonight, oddly enough, are Kay Hanley and Michael Eisenstein. Kay’s a big star, at least here in Boston, so I’m not entirely sure how it came about that she’s opening at The Lizard Lounge on a Tuesday night. She and her husband play guitars, she sings and he sings occasional backup. It’s… nice. The place is packed with frantic, loving Kay Hanley fans, and I wish her well, but the music just seems… nice. Pretty and safe. But that’s how you get lots of fans, I suppose. Anyway, I’m happy that the fans get to see her at the Lizard on a Tuesday night, and I’m even happier that they all leave immediately afterward so that I can actually see the remaining bands.

This is the first week of Godboxer’s Tuesday night residency at the Lizard. I’ve never seen this band before, and I like them. Kind of Gigolo-Aunts-y melodic/ harmonic power pop. The frontman/ lead vocalist, Aaron Lippert, mostly plays rhythm guitar, but takes a few leads. He’s a great singer and a decent guitarist. The other guitarist plays excellent leads and sings really good harmonies; I like him a lot. The drummer could be a bit more accurate, but he’s not bad. I probably won’t stalk them, but I’ll definitely see them again.

Headlining the evening is the return of Loveless. Dave Wanamaker, Loveless frontman, used to be in Expanding Man with Aaron Lippert, and they seem really happy to be sharing this bill. Dave is in rare form, firing on all cylinders. His voice sounds smooth, rich, and controlled, and then he throws his head back and lets out one of his magnificent screams. His guitar leads, which were great before, seem to have gotten better during the semi-downtime. And he seems really happy to be playing, which has not always been the case. The band is tight and rocking, and it’s so, so good to have Jen Trynin back. She’s the Wild Witch of the Wah-wah Pedal. I really don’t think I can describe or explain what she does with that device; it’s like she’s using it as a whole other instrument. Loveless close with “Suicide Machines,” on which the wah-wah is most indispensable, and the ending goes on and on and on in frenetic glory. Jen’s voice sounds great, and the mix is such that I can actually hear both of them singing! This is a rare and beautiful thing. I wish that this band would record these songs, so that I could hear them when they’re not playing, but as long as they keep playing shows as good as this one, I’ll keep coming back. (Steve Gisselbrecht)

THE STOVES, THE DRAGS, WHITE TRASH DELUXE
Midway Café 6/6/03

Still conscious at 10PM on a Friday for the first time in years, I shuffle my caffeinated ass to JP for this guaranteed doozie lineup. Hell, I’d gotten the tingles just hearin’ about it, and I wasn’t let down a smidge. WTD roll out large barrels of Thunders-ish pummel-rock, with switcheroo guitar leads and mock (?) macho forays into the crowd to get the chickies chirpin’. Drinks are ordered, served and powerslammed at tempos as snappy as the ones boomin’ offa the band, and suddenly life is good again. These guys are a regular barf-bag of happiness, and I mean that nicely. You gotcher elements of pain, abuse (self-, substance- and otherwise), smut, grease fumes, suicide, and all the usual worthwhile stuff, squinched into a big, bloody sausage of slobberin’ significance. As with all my faves, they got songs, chops, and a sense of humor. I feel I belong, and it doesn’t suck.

I’m further reassured to see Drags vocalist Rich Hoss gargling with Drano before their set. This guy’s voice makes my eyes bleed and my asshole slam shut. These are the moments I live for. It’s difficult to approximate with words, but if you can’t get out to see The Drags, you could always find a construction site and stand directly behind the dumptruck when it unloads about 17 tons of boulders onto yer worthless noggin. They’re beyond all those bullshit “galvanizing,” etc., dress-up terms. They show up, they scour your crotch with barbed wire, and they go home. I don’t ask for much more from musicians, especially at these bargain rates. At times, I wish they had two guitars, but I’m kind of a dork that way. And even though they skip their magically scabrous Elvis cover, my face still feels like raw hamburger when they’re done. This is turning into a great night.

A palpable buzz fills the room, and my skull. I love The Stoves’ dumb name and stupid stickers. They have lotsa fans who look like I’d actually enjoy talking to ’em, which is rare. I learn why in a hurry, because these guys promptly blow up into Sonic Spazz-ola Supreme, leapin’ and barkin’ and flailin’ and all that, but never like the choreographed douchebags you see on MTV. It’s that most exquisite kinda retardation that only those most un-ironically dead-serious about it can even begin to pull off. The singer is that in-your-face wise-ass from junior high who always managed to escape a beating because he’d make ya laugh right before he stopped fuckin’ with ya. Besides, no one is gonna top the lyrics, “I’m SICK! Sick of your SHIT! Sick of your TITS! Sick of your DICK!” anytime soon. If I had tits OR a dick, I’d have proudly displayed them in honor of this evening’s marvelous entertainment. (Joe Coughlin)

PLAN B, MAPPARI (CD release party), JABE, THE IRRESPONSIBLES
The Middle East 4/26/03

Cutting right into their set, The Irresponsibles have all heads turning their way. Boston-esque backing vocals – sounding like a rock musical, but without the need to tell a story. Lead singer Peter Montgomery high fives a kid in the front row wearing a Yanni jean jacket who’s hyped up ’cause this is no New Age crap. Just plain and simple-straight-up-rock ‘n’ roll. Good stuff. Such a fresh change from your typical Boston rock band. There’s some great songwriting here. Moving through the set into a slow jam, Peter Montgomery dedicates one to the ladies, the most over used line in rock. It’s effective, but reminds me too much of the lead singer from the Silhouettes in the film La Bamba. Completely redeeming himself, he screams in Sam Kinison fashion about a girl who did him wrong. Great songs. Great vocals. Tony the Tiger never tasted music like this.

“We are Jabe and here we go.” The crowd looks to the stage, ready for a roadhouse rock show. Watching Jabe on stage, you know each member just breathes music. You can smell it on them. The party starts and everyone’s taking part. The girl a few feet away from me knows what’s up. She accepts the invitation from the songster. She’s doing the poney dance. You know the one… Phish heads adore it and your feet (even the clean ones), just can’t help it. The place heats up as Jabe rips into “Kelley Maguire,” Sean Staples rocks hard with the mandolin and head-bangs to the train moving through the stage. Jabe introduces the next song as a Dylan tune. All out jammy-jam at the finale. Dave Westner sets up some great fills on the drums and Jabe takes the lead. Staples kicks Jabe in the ass to start the final number. Honkey Tonks and broken beer bottles are non-existent, but the music: that’s poetry, written with some spine. Gets you right here. Amazing band.

A packed house moves forward to join the only Yanni fan in the Cambridge area and Mappari takes the stage to celebrate their new release, the Firecracker EP. Word. These guys are professionals, no slackers on the music scene and the girls in front of me bumping butts show they dig it the most. The place erupts to the start of the set. Lead singer/ guitarist Will Dailey gets the crowd clapping during the opening song. Harmonies between Will Dailey and guitarist Cris Driscoll are killer. Not sure how to describe their sound, maybe early Police. Just great songwriting with kicking guitars and sick rhythms. Crazy presence. Will and bassist Glen Cancelleire do a signature back-to-back classic rock era photo pose as the crowd laughs with them. Kicking into the “Eye of the Tiger” riff, they let the crowd know that round 12 is over. Judges? Confident-assertive-in-your-face-rock. The sound will not escape you.

Plan B is like Mike Tyson’s punch-out with flashing red lights. They’re a very energetic band. Working the crowd like Little Mac did for Nintendo. 8-bit style. YEAH! The lead singer gets too close to a stage light and smacks his head during the opening number. The drummer must be a Danny Carey fan. He’s lovin’ the double kick drum. The music isn’t anything new, but they work the stage so hard that it’s hard not to find it entertaining. Kind of punk-core. Lots of running around the stage and synchronized jumping. Not really my thing, but they’re good at it. The lead singer gets the crowd to start the arm-waving ceremonies, while the lead guitarist goes on a Yngwie Malmsteen kick. Okay, we’ll let it slide. Mosh-pit fever hits the crowd. Some meathead pushes a kid down from behind. Security doesn’t seem to like that. Later dude! It’s over. This night has seen everything. (Joseph Kader)

WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE, INDU (CD release party), DRYFT, MEDICINE 4 TIM
O’Brien’s 6/13/03

I arrive too late to catch the first band, PLP. Depressing, because I’m told they have a very technical style in the mode of Faith No More, one of my favorite bands.

This is the second time I’ve seen Medicine 4 Tim, and I can’t believe how much heavier they sound this time. They’re like a blast of nitro-spiked gasoline, at times full of Black Sabbath heaviness, at others spitting out punk/ hardcore/ straightedge venom. Like Led Zeppelin, they encompass so many styles that they’re hard to classify. The lead singer is invoking Ian Astbury frequently, but just as often outputs a rich, powerful, feral growl/ roar. He’s a relentless desert sirocco of vocal onslaught. Tim the drummer seems happiest when the song structures crank at a balls to the wall pace, yet he revels in deft technical work as well. The rest of the band rages in between, grounding the forces of singer and drummer, etching out the compositions like welders cutting metal. They close with a Slade-like tune with Tim on the bagpipes, and the whole audience is clapping along in time.

The first thing I notice about Dryft is the bassist. He’s clearly the driving force in this group. The rest of the band radiates out from his sound. I really want to like these guys, they’re up there working hard, and they’ve got one of the best vocalists I’ve seen in a long time. He has a pleasing, mainstream voice when he’s not roaring, thus the mainstream sound of many of their songs. However, there are more than a couple of tunes that sound completely fresh. Compositionally, Dryft has a lot of potential with this talented lineup, but some of the songs just fail to deliver the explosive grand finales they’re very capable of achieving.

Indu is psyched. This is the CD release party for Borrow Your Barrels, their first full length release. They erupt upon the O’Brien’s stage with disciplined ferocity. This power trio’s tightness and musical prowess cannot be overstated. They get better with every show. Drummer Tom Lorusso is one of the best rock drummers this city has seen in years, and he and guitarist Mario Puente are hard wired, sticking to each other like glue. Bassist/ vocalist Paul Morrison is changing roles with each song. Sometimes he’s anchoring the rhythm while Lorusso does some lead drum work, other times he’s right next to Puente while he’s doing his frantic, legato power runs. This is rock ‘n’ roll on the edge, heavy metal for a world twisting in torment – complicated, risky, violent. I have no idea what they’re channeling up there, but it’s really not of this world. Awesome.

We’re All Gonna Die is one of the best rock bands in Boston right now. There’s a balance of talent in WAGD that makes for an even discharge of power out into the crowd. A sweet, crunchy, cranky guitar voice gives them a distinctive sound all their own, but it’s the intensity, the hard rock ethic that makes them a force to be taken seriously. While it’s definitely a matter of punk meets hard rock meets metal, there’s a lot of the energy in WAGD that made bands like Sabbath and Zeppelin so tremendous. Their songs are extremely well composed to take advantage of the power of this power trio. This is what grunge wishes it had been. These guys have the power to fill a room much bigger than O’Brien’s, and if they keep this up, I think it’s likely that one day they will. (Joe Hacking)

THE COLLISIONS, THE IN OUT, ALLEN DEVINE
The Abbey Lounge 5/23/03

Allen Devine start it off, a three piece who remind me of one of my all time favorite bands, Big Star. Devine has played with everybody but mainly Asa Brebner these days. He specializes in catchy, mid tempo songs with memorable melodies and lyrics and amazing guitar playing – ringing solos spun out with easy, not-trying-to-impress-anyone sincerity. The songs: “Wrecking Ball,” “Change,” “Is It Me,” and “And Your Bird Can Sing.” Just when I want them to rock out they do, on “Shiver and Shake.” I need his CDs if he’s got any.

Well, it’s a Friday night but the Abbey still isn’t crowded. That’s all right because only the elite are here, we who appreciate true art punks – The In Out. The rest of you might catch up some day. Pints procured, we take our posts before the stage. Dave Beach of Violet Squid guests on Flying V guitar and op art vintage Mosrite amp, providing an ominous tremolo underbelly to the brooding “Sense and Withdraw” – perfect. “Caravan” rocks down the road as “those arms and legs keep moving” and Todd plays a fractured yet inspired guitar solo. Andy keeps a steady groove on bass while Eric bashes out the beat. Mark Heng of The Jumblies guests on “The Turning,” providing, as Todd requested, an “Eno meets Amon Duul” touch. They leave us with “Scanned Document Jam,” a loosely structured effects fest with the lot of them freaking out in the key of strange.

Next are The Collisions, a three piece who play manic punk rock with a bit of klezmer thrown in. There are no horns tonight but the klezmer rhythm does bounce along on one number. Funny how close to punk that sounds. The blond bass player from Caged Heat fronts this band with snotty vocals and attitude to spare, even dropping his pants at one point. “She’s getting in touch with her evil side” must be about me. Jill Kurtz joins them on harmonica for one tune and was there an accordion, too? “You’re schizo!” he screams – that one’s about me again. It was a fun-filled, beer-soaked evening with Dave and Todd doing a Russian dance to the Collisions and jokes about a rich lady on Beacon Hill’s sex parties, as seen on Craigslist. (Laura Markley)

FREEZEPOP, TUNNEL OF LOVE
T.T. the Bear’s 6/6/03

A trio of shirtless waifs stand in front of the stage at T.T.’s, clad only in tiny shorts and striped stockings. A tom, a snare, a tambourine, and a crash cymbal have been set up in the audience area, as well as a tiny amp, a guitar, a mic, and a plaid suitcase adorned with Christmas lights. Tunnel of Love hardly seem ready to take the stage. In fact, they never do. Instead, the show begins with the gold-crowned, red-caped singer calling the audience “pussies” and then launches into an Iggy Pop-ish bit of thrash rock. TOL’s drummer remains standing throughout the entire set, stomping on the floor in place of an actual kick drum. The singer gropes, fondles, and wraps mic cords around the audience members throughout the set, which includes extremely trashy covers of “Wild Thing” and “Hey Joe.” Now that’s what I call a rock show.

When Freezepop takes the stage in color-coordinated tennis outfits, backed by colorful video projections and fronted by a fog machine, I can’t help but think, “These kids have money.” Unfortunately, all the money in the world couldn’t buy them any stage presence. The lead songstress, or rather, vocoded talkstress, bounces along to pre-prescribed Reason-ish drum loops in manner of a high school cheerleader while two bored keyboardists play along. I like synth-pop as much as the next girl. I love dancing to Adult or The Faint, or even Cibo Matto. But this sexless brand of dance music loses my interest after three songs. No one in the audience really dances. The video never synchs up very well. A kind woman in the bathroom explains to me that Freezepop is “ironic” and “sarcastic.” You call it irony, I say it’s “pastiche.” (Jenn Westervelt)

RED CHORD, THE CHARMS, SCAMPER, MALIBU LOU
Harper’s Ferry 6/19/03

As I enter Harper’s Ferry, Malibu Lou is treating us to his acoustic guitar stylings and some of the worst singing I have ever heard, toneless and miles off-key. Mercifully, it seems to be his last song.

Scamper is a sunny, melodic four-piece that make catchy, hooky pop songs with pretty melodies and great harmonies. If these songs had cheeks I’d want to pinch them, they’re that sweet. I’m reminded of a de-quirked They Might Be Giants. Nate is struggling audibly with a cold, which impacts his vocals, but he gets points for soldiering through, and some of the raspiness actually adds some depth at times. They should maybe scream more often. The guitar solos are infrequent, short, and simple, and I could stand an occasional minor-key excursion. But it’s impossible not to smile when this band is playing.

The Charms proceed to supply everything that was missing. Raunchy, sweaty rock? Check. Smokin’ guitar solos? They’ve got ’em, and they’re brilliant, spiraling deliriously out of control before landing back at the melody just in time for the chorus. The song they identify as a new one sounds like a punked-up ’60s girl-group number, and the Farfisa is the perfect accompaniment. The drummer is noticeably tighter than the last time I saw them, and lead singer/rhythm guitarist Ellie Vee is a sexy, sassy bundle of energy and attitude. My favorite moment in the set comes when she notices the bassist blocking her path to the mic, saunters over, and expertly hip-checks him out of her way precisely on the downbeat. How rock is that?

Headlining is Red Chord, a bluesy, boozy six-piece. A bluesy six-piece is a scary thing at Harper’s Ferry, home of Jam Band Hell, but if anything their songs are too simple and straightforward. Lead singer Andrea Gillis is in full-on Janis mode, drunkenly swearing about not being able to smoke and missing her entrances, but then howling and growling and rocking the room. She has pipes for days. The melodies are simple and kind of monotonous, and the various solos – guitar, keyboard, and saxophone – never really stray from blues basic. But it’s all about the singer here, and if she had to carry the entire band on her growl alone, she’d be up to the task. (Steve Gisselbrecht)

THE DECEMBER SOUND
The Milky Way 5/30/02

The lingering gourmet pizza eaters didn’t know what hit them. Singer/ guitarist Zack, bass player John and drummer Drew are a power trio to contend with. They sound so tightly interwoven, in synch (except for the beer damaged version of “Summer’s Gone”) and drunk on volume that you feel your head may explode. “Training Wheels” sounds like the new hit, with an upbeat, memorable guitar hook. “Un Morte de un Soldato” is a dynamic, exciting composition. On the slow paced “What’s Up With Being Down,” Zack’s yearning vocals make women feel faint while John’s loud, sexy bass line carries the melody. Drew deals out le rock with his dramatic style, lots of rolls and crashes. Zack’s wah pedal solo on his vintage Vox guitar sends the song into outer space and cymbal splashes punctuate the end. The finale: “Here Today,” which rocks so hard it’s like they’re all trying to outplay each other. These guys have December in their name but they sound (and look) very hot. This is nothing to drink cocoa to! (Laura Markley)

BARRY & THE REMAINS
The Regent Theatre, Arlington 5/17/03

The Remains set is an impeccably chosen mix of original material and covers from their 1966 Epic album and their Capitol demos that ended up on A Session With The Remains (Sundazed). Their 2002 CD, Movin’ On was represented by the ’50s, rootsy “Big Ol’ Dynaflow” and “Man’s Best Friend Is His Automobile,” the Tex-Mex tearjerker “Hard To Find (So Easy To Lose)” and my favorite, “Don’t Tell Me The Truth,” their 21st century nugget.

The Remains deliver their ’50s oriented songs sounding like a Billion Dollar Quartet of Chuck Berry on guitar and Jerry Lee Lewis on keyboards with a Bo Diddley beat. Barry Tashian and bass player Vern Miller play off of each other like the combo never parted. Billy Briggs magically conjures the perfect vintage sound out of his Yamaha. And as Tashian says, drummer Chip Damiana is the “heartbeat” of the band. Miller has the musical degree, but tonight reiterates that all The Remains are PhDs of rock ‘n’ roll. (Nancy Neon)

ERIK LINDGREN & SONARE WIND TRIO, LEAH CALLAHAN
The Lizard Lounge 5/7/03

Back once again to the Lizard Lounge, for another Scara’s Night Out, meaning more of The Inexplicable Sinus Brady. I arrive in very timely fashion, just as Leah Callahan is about to go on. I want to see her set because Brian Viglione is drumming for her. I love Brian. I’ve decided that I like Leah, too, as long as I don’t try to think of her as a musician, per se. She’s kind of a decent singer who writes okay-but-not-very-interesting songs. But she’s a really good performer, with gobs of stage presence, and if I just think of her as a performance artist, she’s wonderful. So tonight’s set is very enjoyable, and it’s really good to see Brian in another setting besides the Dresden Dolls. Amanda is so overwhelming, it can be hard to focus on anything else when she’s onstage. I’m particularly impressed when I learn afterward that Brian has improvised all these drum parts on the basis of one rehearsal, since it all seems perfectly smooth and polished, and his gift for dynamics is put to very good use in this set of widely varying songs. And he plays one song with an electric mixer!

After a bit more patter from The Inexplicable Sinus Brady, we are treated to the truly bizarre experience of Erik Lindgren & Sonare Wind Trio. Erik Lindgren is a longtime member of brilliant local institution Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, composing, arranging, and performing instrumental music that combines jazz and classical influences, and rocks. This is a similar project, even covering a Birdsongs piece, but his keyboard is accompanied by, yes, a wind trio. I can’t be sure, of course, but I’d be willing to bet some money that this is the first time a bassoon has been played at the Lizard Lounge. (Go ahead, prove me wrong.) More rock bands should have bassoons. I’m serious. It works exactly like a bass in the songs, but with a richer, woodier tone. I love it. From where I’m standing it’s a bit difficult to hear the flautist, but she seems to be coping well with some radically fast and complicated parts. This is just a really different, really interesting musical experience for someone who normally only sees guitar bands. My only complaint would have to be with the audience; if you don’t like the music, couldn’t you maybe duck outside to carry on your loud conversation? (Steve Gisselbrecht)

BOTTLE FIGHT, SALACIOUS CRUMB
The Middle East 5/20/03

It’s Tuesday night and to be honest, I don’t really feel like going out. However, one of my favorite punk bands, Chanticlear, is upstairs at The Middle East, so I slowly motivate for the long trudge to Central Square. Unfortunately Chanticlear is already finished when I arrive. However, another batch of old school punk hellions, Salacious Crumb, are taking the stage so I give the doorman my last few bucks and go in to check it out. Salacious Crumb, named for an obscure Star Wars character, like Chanticlear seem to be regulars at the punk rock dive on the other side of town known as The Chopping Block. It’s a familiar scene as the guitars and bass blare as a bunch of screaming hooligans knock each other around in front of the stage. They end with a good cover of The Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop” in which several members of the audience pop up on stage and sing along. Hey Ho! Lets Go!

Next up is Bottlefight, who get my vote for possibly the worst band on the planet. They are playing way too loud, and not in a rocking sort of way. Its more like they have no idea how to play their instruments, let alone play the song so those problems will be solved by just cranking it all up and hopefully it will all work itself out in the mix. Man, did I feel bad for the girl working sound at The Middle East that night. So the bass amp starts cutting out but what does the guitarist do, just turns up and keeps playing an ear piercing solo. Not a fun time. If Bottlefight’s utter lack of stage presence and halfway decent songs didn’t scare people away, this pushed everybody out of the room. Thank God I am out of here. (Kier Byrnes)

GOO Zeitgeist Gallery 6/18/03

It is unclear what band I am seeing tonight; previously called Supergoo, they’ve threatened to shorten it to Goo, but apparently there’s already a Goo. I’ll stick with Supergoo while the jury remains out. (Sorry, I got the word it’s Goo for the time being… Ed)

They are already playing when I arrive at the Zeitgeist just after ten, and they play until midnight with just a short break. The concept here is loose, jazzy improvisational grooves that sometimes crystallize into song-like space rock. DJ Pace occasionally provides beats – an unnecessary distraction in a band with two drummers, in my opinion – but mostly adds snippets of speech or melody and some excellent rhythmic turntable fireworks. Peter Moore has the Zeitgeist’s grand piano to play with, which sounds really great when I can hear it. This is my great complaint with tonight’s show: no sound person. Eric kind of drowns everyone else out with the drums when he really gets going, and the turntable stuff is also turned up too loud much of the time. Dave looks like he’s probably playing subtle, interesting percussion on a variety of hand drums, but I can’t hear a bit of it while anyone else is playing. I ask Wil to turn the guitar up at the break, and that helps, so a sound person could probably fix all these problems.

I’m not normally a jazz/jam fan, so musically I find that this gets a little boring sometimes, while they cast around looking for a structure and listen to each other’s ideas. Those ideas, though, are first-rate; this show confirms my long-held opinions about Wil and Peter’s brilliance, and when they’re all locked into a groove and Wil solos, it’s a truly great show. (Steve Gisselbrecht)

SMORGASBORD
Zeitgeist Gallery 5/2903

Samburrito, a jagged samba-like jazzer infused with trademark dissonant melodies and stop-time perfection, Mark Bowden’s melodic solos and Derrik Albertelli’s manic guitar, kicks off Smorgasbord’s 30 minute acoustic set.

“Tardis” showcases Shah Hadjebis’s jazz bass dexterity while “Back To Earth,” a tastefully complex tune, proves Shawn McLaughlin, normally a seated behind a massive drum set but for this gig using a “blues” kit and mounted bongos (which he fluidly plays with his left hand while playing the rest of the kit with his right hand and feet) a drum god.

On “Tambourine Dreams,” Shah demonstrates that bass solos can be tasty, entertaining and succinct.

In a daring and successful move, the band closes with Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk.” If you never thought metal double-bass drumming could be thrown into a complex-time signature jazz tune, Shawn proves you wrong. (Marc Friedman)

BANE OF EXISTENCE, KURIXIS, RAISING KUBRICK, PHANTOM LIMB
Boston’s Dead
O’Brien’s 6/5/03

It’s been a while since the death metal band Phantom Limb said “fuck it” and decided to forge ahead as a two-piece. It’s not really a gimmick, it’s just that rather than wait around for the right bass player to come along, they’ve decided to keep gigging. This is Darwinian Theory in action, folks. Adapt to the loss of that limb or die. The singer/ vocalist looks like the most pleasant guy offstage, but up there, he is a channel for Beelzebub while simultaneously laying down an unscalable wall of death metal guitar. The drummer is right there next to him, never letting up, working hard to fill that bassist void. If these guys ever decide to get a bassist, he’s gonna have to be really good to keep up.

With the late genius movie producer’s name involved, I had expected Raising Kubrick to produce an artsy take on metal. What we’re getting is a savage three piece with two lead singers, a very unassuming looking metal chick and some severely disenfranchised dude. The chick is screeching like a Valkyrie descending from a blood red sky, the dude is growling a unique rumble-roar. It’s like a heavy metal Johnny and June Cash. They’re either exchanging romantic niceties or invoking a demon from the sixth level of Hell, I can’t tell. But it’s very interesting. Meanwhile, the three piece component is hammering along like an army of Dwarven smithies in the bowels of Khazad-Dum. They’re infusing the music with the kinetic energy of their leaping and gesticulations. There’s a cohesion to raising Kubrick that bespeaks a fortunate chemistry and a passion for metal. The crowd rewards their efforts with enthusiastic applause.

The three piece of Kurixis is very ambitious up there on the O’Brien’s stage. As their set begins, it seems the drummer is laboring under the demands of that ambition. Staccato rhythms interspersed with complicated prog rock bridges, runs and changes have everyone unsure of themselves at first. They sound nervous, like this is their first gig. And they have every reason to be nervous; O’Brien’s is now full of hardcore metal fans of every stripe. But Kurixis shakes off their apprehensions, finally tightening up and fulfilling their prog metal vision. Some compositions are just plain awkward and unsatisfying, but some are very strong, well synthesized pieces, full of what metal is all about. The crowd’s polite applause turns into genuine appreciation. They tap that energy and get really Megadeth-ish towards the end, winning the crowd over totally by the time they leave the stage.

With the memory of their performance at Metal Fest still in the minds of many in the room, Bane Of Existence take the stage. Their beautifully sludgy sheets of guitar distortion have me flashing back to Deringer’s in the ’80s at points, but Bane’s sound is very current at the same time. The vocalist sounds like he’s under contract to do commercial voice-overs on HELL TV. The drummer is going off like a chin gun on an attack helicopter, complete with rotor chop. Like John Bonham in Zeppelin, this drummer is the vital force in this band. It’s all rage and ferociousness up there, a bath of simmering anger drawn for all the room to bathe in. The place is packed as they work through their set. These guys are making a name for themselves, and they leave no one in the room curious as to why by set’s end. (Joe Hacking)

A .45 TO PAY THE RENT, HUMAN SHIELD
Charlie’s Kitchen 5/19/03

Things didn’t go so well the last time I saw Human Shield, which ended with them being forcibly removed from a club in Somerville back in November. Everyone deserves a second chance, though. Tonight, Human Shield seems to be on better behavior and with better stuff than they had during my last visit. Human Shield announces that tonight is the finals for their lead singer auditions, which is going to be held live in front of an audience. Well, it would have been if there was an audience here. Unabashed, Shield launches into a noise-laden set that consists of about a handful of songs. The first song actually shows some promise and has a definite groove to it. There might not be a lot of structure to these, ahem, songs but it seems like the band members are listening more to what everyone else is doing now rather than just trying to create noise on their own for the sake of making noise. Through three different singers, Human Shield eventually ends up doing their usual schtick, which is being notorious for being notorious with noise.

A .45 to Pay the Rent has a lot of sound. But how could they not with a kick drum that can be seen from space? A .45 displays some classic rock sounds with some good old metal influences flavored with a ton of rock and a healthy dose of Motorhead and GnR. Cool breakdowns and tight tunes make this band one to see. I even hear some early Aerosmith stuff in there for good measure. Apparently one of the hardest working bands around, I hear that this is their fourth show in five days. But they do not seem tired at all, even for a Monday, as they rail through a gasoline, oil, and fire set of rock. (Richie Hoss)

JAMES NOLAN, FRITTER, THE SCISSORMEN
The Lizard Lounge 6/11/03

At 10:30 The Scissormen take the stage to play to a Lizard crowd consisting largely of Fritter and me. This is very bluesy roots rock, a perfect soundtrack for the guy pounding Bud, chain-smoking Winstons, and drunkenly hitting on every woman who passes within hailing distance. There are three people on stage, but the drummer and percussionist don’t do too much that’s interesting; they’re there mainly to fill in the sound a bit around Ted Drozdowski’s slide guitar heroics. He’s fiery, and he works hard to raise the energy level in the nearly empty room, at one point embarking on a blues-mariachi tour of the room and playing at every occupied table with beer bottles, ashtrays, and other miscellany.

Next, at nearly midnight, Fritter play to a crowd that could charitably be described as “small but enthusiastic.” (Uncharitably, you might call us “nine obsessive-compulsives and the bassist’s girlfriend.”) Only three members are shared with the Fritter line-up I saw two weeks ago. In fact, this line-up is Count Zero, minus Brendan (who was there two weeks ago) and rearranged slightly. I like the idea of two different configurations of the same people as two different bands, and I can’t wait to see them open for themselves. They sound great; the songs are complex and beautiful, Peter Moore’s backing vocals are wonderful, and Wil Ragano masterfully plays all the guitar parts by himself, all to the accompaniment of Elizabeth Steen’s mighty Wurlitzer. I dream that one day this band will play to dozens of people all at the same time!

We shout for an encore, but there’s one more act scheduled, and precious little time for him to play. James Nolan plays solo with acoustic guitar, and sings rambling, countrified story-songs about woman troubles and life on the road. He does it well, and has a great voice, but it’s late and not exactly my scene. (Steve Gisselbrecht)

DISENGAGED, BANE OF EXISTENCE, RAVAGE, GUT
The Middle East 6/16/03

Lead singer Brian Morse is driving Gut tonight. His mic cord is spooled loosely around his hand, making it look as if he’s just pulled the electronic heart out of the machine that rules our society. He’s on fire tonight, and he’s bringing the rest of Gut with him. The opening slot sets the tone for the rest of the show, and the band is intent on setting a savage one. They quickly ease into their distinctive brand of scrap metal, a melding of metal, jazz, hard rock and thrash. They get themselves psychically interlocked and keep the room energy at an even, knife-edged peak for the duration of their set. Jeremy’s lead guitar work is standing out tonight, intricate, yet resisting overindulgence. As point men, Gut have achieved their goal – the crowded room is psyched on them and pumped up for the bands to come.

I was told Ravage are old school, and it’s true. They’re totally in the spirit of Iron Maiden and the other metal forefathers. Being from the old school, I can’t help but feel biased, but their compositional, vocal and lead guitar styles are refreshing to hear. The vocalist invokes such greats as Geoff Tate, Bruce Dickinson and Michael Kiske. In all honesty, the drummer is the only member of the band who isn’t up to the comparisons with the old school metal. He’s a solid drummer, but lacks the power and technical skill of the McBrains, Burrs and Rockenfields from back in the day. However, the band’s music is written with him in mind, and the overall effect is that of a time machine. If there’s a local band that does retro-metal better than these guys, I haven’t heard them yet. The crowd agrees with me.

If Ravage represents the Maiden/ Queensryche school of influence, then Bane of Existence represents the whole Wargasm/ Slayer school of metal. The vocals are more contemporary, but the soul of the sound comes from another old school. These guys are The Who of the Boston metal scene, and yes, the drummer is as decisive in the mix as Keith Moon. They’re producing a solid wall of dissonant, dirge-like channeled anger. The crowded room gets rambunctious as they play, and a group of hot chicks starts a mosh pit. You know it’s brutal when you see that. This is barrage metal, carried out with scientific precision – choppy, chunky slabs in sludgy pools of tuned down magma. Thrash overdrive refrains driven by that crazy, stoic drummer. The bass has the small hairs on my arms bending and the lead vocalist has insane vocal control. The crowd is losing its collective shit.

Disengaged know what they have to do after Bane’s ridiculously sick set. They unleash all they have upon the audience. Of all the bands this night, the guitars are the main element in Disengaged. The drummer is working with them, providing a solid but ever-changing foundation upon which the strings can do their thing. This is a band showing great promise for the future. They have what it takes. The lead vocalist is a relentless force, with a power of lung and vocal cord that is impressive even after the amazing lineup of bands which came before him. Things get really cacophonic up there in a very organized way, and the audience is right there behind them, pleased with their ability to follow up Bane’s awe-inspiring performance. Best metal night yet! (Joe Hacking)

CLONES DON’T HAVE BELLYBUTTONS, CANCER TO THE STARS
The Skybar 5/11/03

“Is it punk? Is it emotional? Is it new wave? Is it rock? YES!,” read Cancer to the Stars’ flyer. I feel relieved to have these questions answered because their intentions would’ve taken me much longer to decipher alone.

Punk? Let’s define punk: (adj.) utilizing minimal chords, and an ABAB form in two-and-a-half minutes or so. The songs consist of harmonic complexities and droning vocals. Many had no lyrics, just vocal sounds. The only “punk” element is their adorable singer maneuvering across the stage, flinging his guitar and nearly smacking their bassist.

Is it emotional? Seemed sad enough. As for new wave, was there a keyboard? Was it danceable? No. Now, as for rock, well, CTTS possess many elements of a good rock band. Power chords. Flashy moves. Crashy drums. But they lack songwriting, remaining liberated from hooks or choruses. A good band? Yes. A memorable set? No.

In the past year, I have gone to several Clones Don’t Have Bellybuttons shows. At every show, sprightly singer Jack Adams keeps me wondering how an enormous sound and incredible range comes from such a slight fellow. Jack doesn’t sing. He croons. He groans. He belts. And then he croons again, with lyrical whispers evolving into guttural screams. Adams turns red and his eyes roll back into his head. The madness continues with auxiliary spookiness supplied by Rob Barbato, who’s set up his bag of tricks on stage right. These tricks include a CBS Rhodes and a theremin. Rob plays carnival-esque melodies on keyboard and occasionally howls ethereally into his mic. Bassist Wes Stannard’s eyes remain downcast throughout the evening but stays in perfect time with drummer Orpheo McCord.

An appropriate Clones’ flyer might read: “Is it erotic? Is it eerie? Is it rock? Yes!” (Jenn Westervelt)

ACOUSTIC ALLIGATORS
Scioletti’s (Hudson, MA) 6/14/03

I was interested to hear this alternate, unplugged version of Alan & the Alligators. I know they can pull off their louder, more aggressive live act, but this was to be an encounter unlike any other. It’s one thing to hear a band do an acoustic version of their music, it’s another to hear it done in such a way that the song has a completely different format. I am not just talking about a song played slower, but a song that can be set to anything. When you hear the song rockin’ out on their CD, and then hear it acoustically, it could be folk, country, easy listening, whatever. It doesn’t necessarily have to fit into any particular genre with these guys. I think I like this version of their live show better, because it allows the audience to think. Alan’s smooth voice and universally appealing lyrics can be set to any tune you may have humming through your head, and I know the audience was humming along. It’s nice to feel mellow and mentally enlightened and have it be legal. Groovy. (Sue O.)

THE HIDDEN, BEYOND THE EMBRACE, CHRIS EVIL

The New Wave Cafe 5/30/03

We speed from the outer reaches of Cape Cod in an effort to make The New Wave before it closes, hoping to catch an enticing lineup. Several delays mean that we don’t arrive at the packed club until 11:30. Unfortunately, we just miss Day Of The Lords, the Joy Division tribute. We are, however, in time to hear Chris Evil. Evil’s punkish songs are colored by interesting rhythmic flourishes, but overall, the set is rather tame and unremarkable.

When Beyond The Embrace take the stage for a homecoming performance after touring with Opeth, it’s clear from the crowd’s excitement that their return has been greatly anticipated. Their hard-thrash assault is tempered by the melodies of singer Shawn Gallagher and the intricate, classic-metal harmonies of their three guitarists. BTE’s triple guitar lineup, while viewed as redundant by some, is a perfect method to bring to the stage the layered harmonies that so many metal bands can only achieve through studio overdubs. The rich blend of the three trading rhythm, lead, and harmony passages over the charging bass and drums is arresting as well as innovative. Beyond The Embrace are more evidence that Massachusetts is becoming a haven for sophisticated metal. Who would have thought?

The show is running late, and it is past one before punk-metal pounders The Hidden begin. Their signature hypnotic rhythms and infectious choruses convince many to stay later than they may have planned. Singer Kevin Grant’s heavy melodies sail over drummer Tanya Paglia’s tom/kick thundering, Mario’s solid bass, and the twin guitars of the brothers Brockman, whose alternating leads and syncopated chords achieve a unique stereo effect. After a powerful set of originals and a Mission of Burma song, The Hidden start Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown,” while Grant, still singing, snakes through the crowd. The amiable tension he invokes suddenly boils over as a confused spectator attacks the singer; equipment crashes to the floor as the crowd tries to separate the two. Grant, fueled by adrenaline and enraged from being sucker-punched, gets in a few kicks before it’s over. After an awkward moment of silence, the thoroughly rocked crowd applauds.

Kudos to The New Wave Cafe staff for hosting such a great show, for having an exceptional soundman, and for wiping up the blood so promptly. (T. Graham)

THE GENTLEMEN, QUICK FIX
T.T. the Bear’s 5/23/03

Tonight is Quick Fix’s record release party for The Push. I come in a few songs into Quick Fix’s set, and they’re already drenched in sweat. TT’s is packed. The crowd is totally worked up and loving the band, who are rocking hard and seem to be having a great . to be playing for a crowd that actually came to see them. The new songs sound great, as do the old ones. (But do they really have a song called “Bloodsucker” and another one called “Soulsucker”?) Lead guitarist Eric Barlow does some really amazing five-string work with a broken string flailing all around him. The vocals sound fantastic, although it’s hard to hear the lovely harmonies when standing in front of the bassist; as a consolation, I get to focus on his monstrously chunky bass lines, which come stomping in to drive the songs like an overloaded tractor trailer doing seventy that doesn’t crash in the tunnel. A great, rocking set and a band/crowd love-fest.

Headlining are The Gentlemen, whom I have never seen before. It’s kind of interesting to see last year’s Rumble winners the night after we saw this year’s winners crowned, but The Gentlemen are not my scene: too country/ bluesy/ rootsy for my tastes, by a lot. I give them the regulation three songs, and then make my way to the merch table to buy The Push and head home. (Steve Gisselbrecht)

Bands: Please be advised that shows are never assigned for review. If you’re doing something even remotely exceptional, we’ll be the first to tell the world. If you’re horrible, same thing.

The Noise

Music New England

April 2012

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Live Reviews

ANAIS MITCHELL Club Passim, Cambridge MA 2/23/12 Having observed the local music scene for so many years, I often wonder about the hubris of “making it.” There’s enough blather, bling, and prattle out there on the boards to make the rafters weak. And then, there are those artists of pure poetry and substance that, once discovered, will never fail you. They keep on reaching and achieving, knowing that the work must get done—songwriters who show me the enviable task of … Read More >>

Live Reviews: March

CHELSEA BERRY, CHRIS O’BRIEN Shalin Liu, Rockport, MA 1/27/12 “This might be the nicest room I’ve ever been in, nonetheless performed in,” Chris O’Brien states as he takes center stage in the beautiful 330-seat Shalin Liu Performance Center. He steps into “Rosa” with the phrase, “She’s lightning, I’m thunder”— this song was in a competition that led him to being flown to Minnesota to appear on A Prairie Home Companion. He continues to sing along with a combination of percussive … Read More >>

Live Reviews

DARLING PET MUNKEE, DOWNBEAT 5 Radio, Somerville, MA 1/14/12 It’s the first review of the new year and I’m thrilled to report it’s a Downbeat 5 show. Savvy longtime Noise readers are predicting more glowing, sycophantic praise for DB5 out of me. I will not disappoint! Why not? This show’s like getting an extra Christmas present. JJ Rassler’s been sidelined for months due to hand injury, so they may be playing things cautiously (though likely my imagination). They keep the … Read More >>

Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEWS DECEMBER 2011 CARAVAN OF THIEVES, HEATHER MALONEY One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME 10/28/11 I arrive full of anticipation of this show dubbed the Caravan of Thieves Freakfest. The crowd is mostly over forty and everyone is eager for the entertainment to begin. Fooling us into thinking she is a substitute act named Amelie, Heather Maloney comes out in a black pageboy wig and long red dress, accompanied by a little ceramic gnome sitting on a stool beside her. … Read More >>

November 2011

LIVE REVIEWS NOVEMBER 2011   ALOUD, SARAH RABDAU & THE SELF-EMPLOYED ASSASINS Great Scott, Allston, MA 9/13/11 I’m at Great Scott on a Tuesday, but the crowd is, surprisingly, a decent size. I’m a little bit distracted by all the burlesque madness that’s going on in between bands. The guy I’m talking to actually says, “It’s been great talking to you, but… boobs,” a quote which aptly sums up the first hour of this show. Sarah RabDAU is the first … Read More >>

October 2011

Comment on any Live Review in Reader’s Respo™ Make sure you title your comment so we know what you’re talking about. You can also discuss local music 24/7 at The Noise Board  LIVE REVIEWS OCTOBER 2011   DROPKICK MURPHYS, MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES Fenway Park, Boston, MA 9/9/11 I can hear the music from a half mile away as I walk down to Gate B of Fenway Park. The anticipation builds as I emerge deep in Fenway’s right field stands. The … Read More >>

LIVE REVIEWS: September 2011

Comment on any Live Review in Reader’s Respo™ Make sure you title your comment so we know what you’re talking about. You can also discuss local music 24/7 at The Noise Board  LIVE REVIEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 SARAH BLACKER & ALL KINDS OF SUGAR Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 8/13/11 I arrive at Club Passim just a few minutes after Sarah’s taken the stage with her band, All Kinds of Sugar, that includes Sean McLaughlin on bass and Chuck Fisher on drums. … Read More >>

September 2011

Comment on any Live Review in Reader’s Respo™ Make sure you title your comment so we know what you’re talking about. You can also discuss local music 24/7 at The Noise Board  LIVE REVIEWS September 2011   SARAH BLACKER & ALL KINDS OF SUGAR Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 8/13/11 I arrive at Club Passim just a few minutes after Sarah’s taken the stage with her band, All Kinds of Sugar, that includes Sean McLaughlin on bass and Chuck Fisher on … Read More >>

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FREEVOLT

Once You Say

7 tracks

This North Shore band’s music is roots rock/ Americana/ pop with a strong reggae foundation, and dread locked acoustic guitarist/gruffy vocalist Michael Bernier is the motivational muse behind this great groove band.  I really dig “Bump Bump Bump” and “Bring The Humans Back” with the nice horn arrangements, “We Never Knew” with its cool piano opening, and the real radio-friendly opening cut “Once You Say” with the enjoyable guitar and horn tracks. Songs with only a hint of Jamaica are the electronic and jazzier “The Helm” and the poppy “Without A Plan (Whoa Nah Nah).” Both are moody ballads with good playing. In all the melodies Bernier writes messages of triumph, freedom, love and pursuit, and all of the music is uplifting and relaxing. The closing cut, the funky reggae tune “Mighty Leader” has a neat break in the song where the music halts when the vocals implore “STOP!… We won’t take it no more” and then continues after the sentence is completed. An effective arrangement for sure. Spark up a blunt and listen to da music mon!   (A.J. Wachtel)

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BLACK CHEERS

Sick Gun

9 tracks

Its been a while since I’ve heard a band in this town as authentically seedy as the Black Cheers. They sound like they’re ten days late for the rent and haven’t been to the dentist in a decade. Sick Gun (gross spoiler alert: it’s a diseased penis) is a greasy wallop of street rock with whiffs of glam and hardcore, not unlike The Black Halos, if you remember those dudes, or (really) early Replacements. It’s catchy and rip-snorting and feels like the real deal, always. You will wanna hang out with these dudes after listening to this but only for a couple hours because after that it’s just gonna be puking and crying.   (Sleazegrinder)

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THE LINCOLN TUNNEL

75 Or Less Records

Today 2.0

10 tracks

Christian Calderone is a smart songwriter and lyricist; one of the best around, judging from this debut effort. “Damn, I Wear It Well” begins this epic collection of brilliant songs with a circus-like romp, replete with a bass played like a trombone, an attenuated oompah rhythm, and some scorching guitar. “Big Decision” has a preening and brittle punk guitar rhythm and world-weary trailing vocals. “All Together Wrong” is lively, frantic indie rock bravado in the vein of the DBs; eminently hit-worthy. “Friend of the Roses” is a tuneful romp with an electrifying guitar-bass-drum hook and wistful trumpet filigrees courtesy of Ellen Block. “Makin’ Cents and Takin’ Vows” features liquescent guitar and is otherwise an inoffensive ballad. “Elemental Sun” features slapping drums and ingenious harmony vocals in the lead-up to the chorus. “Our Mother’s Sons” combines twangy guitar and echoey glad-making vocals with a lonesome trumpet melody. A surprisingly touching song, and Best of Show. “Ordinary Sky” is elevated psyche interspersed with an irresistible cascading guitar riff; it comes to a climax which is short and sweet. “Memphis” is a straight-ahead, paint-peeling, numinously buzzing rocker. “Line My Pockets” is a mysterious and spacy yet upbeat and surly love song. This is mostly excellent all the way through; the songs are smart and the band uses instrumentals like a good painter mixes colors for effect. Definitely a band to watch.  (Francis DiMenno)

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RADIO CARBON

Caveman Ballads

7 tracks

75orless Records

There are no ballads on this record, although there might be some cavemen. The Troggs have influenced all punk and rock in a way, but that’s about it. This Providence band can destroy you, literally, if they want to. (The singer is a big man.) Based on my experience of seeing Radio Carbon live a few times, the only thing they want to hurt is your ears. The volume and energy is intense, and the songs and musicianship are polished but gritty. A solid release with one good song after another. It’s punk with elements of stoner and noise rock, and all that’s still good in this world.    (Eric Baylies)

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MATT YORK

Boston, Texas

9 tracks

This one comes in shrieking out of the gate with “Big Fan of Why,” some straightforwardly raucous rock ’n’ roll that would melt a stone gargoyle. The rackety rock continues with the ostinado-insistent “Let’s Go to the Beach.” What is most striking about the best of these songs is their energy and brevity, even on a country-flavored romp like “Saw You On Friday,” replete with a soaring fiddle solo by Katy Boc. Less successful is the ballad “Losing Streak” which is taken at too brisk a tempo for the vocalist to sound convincing. “New to You” is a somewhat over-frantic hook-filled riff-a-thon with keening telegraphic guitars in the middle eight and some intriguing tempo shifts in the instrumentals. “Tomorrows” is a winsome, country-inflected barn-burner; “I’m Back” features smoldering, ominous Johnny Cash style vocals, and a dynamic bass and fiddle rhythm section. “In “Love You the Same” the vocalist sings above his range, although the underlying melody is gorgeous. This is a mostly dynamic, briskly-paced solo outing with several quality tunes. (Francis DiMenno)

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JETS CAN’T LAND

You Can’t Linger On

6 tracks

Some tasty retro ’9’s alt-pop from Rhode Island that you could probably seduce middle-aged chicks with, especially if you were slumming it in Providence. Very lightly psychedelic and jangly (in a non-’80s way), You Can’t Linger On will remind you of whatever obscure local indie-rock sensation you were into in 1994. Plus the lyrics are good, with MASH and ELO references and bummer lines like “Here I am watching things go bad again.” I’m not sure that I would personally listen to this regularly – I hate the ’90s except for that one song by Matthew Sweet – but if you’re still laboring under the delusion that everything was swell back when we were young and eating ramen for dinner six times a week, then this is your new favorite band.  (Sleazegrinder)

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TIM MANN

Chasing Dreams

11 tracks

The acoustic folk/ rock sound on this release is unique, interesting, and very good. Check out the artists and their instruments in the credits: Greg Allison – acoustic guitar/baritone uke, Greg Hawkes (The Cars/ The Greg Hawkes Ukulele Trio) – uke, Zacharia Hickman – bass/euphorium, Lawrence Scudder – viola, Craig Robertson – harmonies and Tim Mann on all other instruments and vocals. Mann also plays the ukulele with Hawkes in Greg’s own string uke trio. Very interesting reading on the cover. Even more interesting listening to the disc. Mann wrote all the ballads and there are lush harmonies all over the place. Listen to “In My Arms,” “Days Go By,” and “The Maybe Song” to hear the angels sing. I also like the more rocking “You Can’t Go Home Again,” the mellow “Longing” with the soulful viola, and the cool uke/viola playing on “Another Moment.” Sorta like the youthful optimism of John Denver meets the storytelling soul and delivery of Donovan. Great stuff. Check it out.  (A.J. Wachtel)

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BENT SHAPES 

Feels Weird

11 tracks

This is dreamy like Chris Isaak (his guitar playing, not his cheekbones) but looking more to the future than the past. The softer side of the Velvet Underground is evoked, but faster tunes like “Brat Poison” take on a dreamlife of their own. Boston’s Bent Shapes have been transmogrifying rock and pop for a few years now and are really crushing it. They have a new album due for release this spring and I cannot wait to hear it. The album Feels Weird feels great! (Eric Baylies)

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POSITIVE NEGATIVE MAN 

Broken

10 tracks

Let’s file this review under “Tough Love.”

Allow me to get my bias out of the way up front, as I have to heavily criticize this album. I am a music snob. To me, music is about artistic expression more than random entertainment. Many music lovers feel like I do, while many others don’t care about anything other than whether they like it or not. Both are fair outlooks.  For instance, when one singer in this band sounds like he’s imitating Iggy Pop (which is often), that pisses me off, because I like artists to express themselves, not someone else. I don’t like bands that sound like their favorite bands. I like originality. It’s a form of honesty. (It means you are not going to steal your ideas or sound or look from someone else.)

Meanwhile… many people would say “I love that he sounds like Iggy Pop.” Fair enough. I still enjoy bands that ape Pink Floyd. I just don’t respect them. I think bands should aim to both entertain us and innovate for us, just as all the greats were able to do. Aim higher, musicians!

I also like to review an entire album, not just the music, and I like constructive criticism, since most bands aren’t going to get the truth from friends or family. Broken is a bland name for an album (sorry), and the album cover is not too good either. (I don’t mind that it’s all crappy and low-budget… but, if you’re going to save money and time, then really commit to it and make it wild-and-crazy-crappy, instead of like you wish you could’ve afforded less-pixelated album packaging. But couldn’t.)

A good band is going to have interesting song titles. (Smart people hate cliches.) This band has an interesting name (although I think “Negative Positive Man” rolls off the tongue better), but do any of these song titles portend a thrilling listening experience? “Gasoline.” “Keep It Together.” “Newport Beach.” “Just Don’t Think.” Interesting song titles not only make things more fun, they invite the listener to care more. Postitve Negative Man has a few interesting song titles, like “The Ice Queen of Space,” so we know they can be fun when they want to be, so it’s yet again simple laziness. (That’s the top cancer in all fields of entertainment and art, I’ve found.)

From what I gather, the band is a duo of one male singer on bass, and one male singer on guitar, with a drum machine. (Very little detective work suggests Pete is the melody singer on bass, and Mike is the Iggy Popper on guitar.) Sort of a post-pop-punk rock band.  I like the scuzz guitar sounds and the drum machine is fine too but the dude with the “prettier” voice needs to practice more, because his going off-pitch a lot really doesn’t work in this context. (“With No Machine” is the most glaring.) Yet his voice works great on “Keep It Together” (which they surprisingly make a damn-catchy chorus out of) – it’s sort of a Queen of the Stone Age thing. Pretty great. (The dude on Iggy Pop vocals doesn’t need to sing in pitch for his type of vocal.)

The album is quite schizo. The influences of Pete and Mike haven’t gelled into a whole, yet. (You can hear like 30 bands overall. Here’s the Buzzcocks thing. Here’s one that sounds like a bad Foo Fighters leftover.) One minute I’m enjoying it, and then the next I’m not. Even in the same songs. (Generally, I’m not a fan of standard punk rock riffing, or predictable rhymes, for instance.) Whoa, there’s a bridge that sounds like Cheap Trick a bit.

Ironically, if some of Mike’s tunes were actually on a new Iggy Pop album, I’d think it was pretty good stuff. I’ve listened to the CD a few times and it’s interesting how the first listen I found it to be awful, and how much it grew on me. It’s like a strange mix of good and bad, and both Pete and Mike take turns on being great and sucking. Weird. 

Mostly, it sounds like they need to play more and get more comfortable with what they’re doing. Turn the laziness down, and this album could’ve been killer.  (Shauna Erlbaum)

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WHIRLPOOLS

E.P.

8 tracks

This debut and swan song release by Whirlpools opens with a heartfelt throbbing acid garage declamatory (“Song In A”), proceeds to showcase emergency-siren-urgent spacy psychedelia ala the Three O’Clock (“Outside Looking In”), and then messes up our minds with some warbling and warped quasi-Beach Boys balladry (“Summer Sun”). The ominous “Fire Alarm” is a Pebbles-ready murky recitation replete with shimmering and spooky organ atmospherics. “Sur La Plage” is a snazzy flute-raddled persnickety instrumental. “Boundaries” has the feel of a backwards composition, albeit with a chiming instrumental hook and a sing-songy vocal that bursts into a fiery climax. “Detritus” changes the pace: it’s clamorous slurpy Buzzcocks-tinged punk rock with a Pixies-like dynamism. “Waiting” is a cracked-voiced and nearly bottomless lament a la The Only Ones. This is quality goods, despite the somewhat muffled production values.  (Francis DiMenno)

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JOCELYN ARDNT

Strangers in Fairyland

7 tracks

With the intense, punchy, “Cinderella,” this album is off to a killer start. This sibling-led rock band brings a great blend of tunes, riding some interesting highs and lows. “Nevermind” takes a slower beat, giving Jocelyn Ardnt a chance to let her vocal skills shine. From the epic rock tunes like “Cinderalla” to the mellow, jazzy “Gaslight,” she shifts her sound smoothly, showing a good range of abilities on the mic. Fellow band members Chris Arndt (lead guitar), Kate Sgroi (bass guitar), and David Bourgeois (drums) help create a beautiful landscape of sound that gives listeners an ever-changing scenery as they journey from the first track to the last.

What I like best about this album is how easily I run through it multiple times while on the road. At about 25 minutes I can finish it a few times going to and from work, and never feel bored or looking for another CD. That’s what tells me that this one is a keeper. (Max Bowen)

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LADY BONES

Dying

10 tracks

Boston’s Lady Bones deliver an exciting collection of songs, despite the non uplifting title of the album. This record will lift you out of the abyss and into the Elysian Fields. Too noisy and abstract to be the Killers, too polished to be And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, this record exists on a plane of it’s own. Lady Bones are here to save you, Allston, Rock City! (Eric Baylies)

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B11 (two CDs)

B11     15 tracks

Surf My Spy    3 tracks

B11 is a Brighton band led by Bulgarian born guitarist extraordinaire Boyan Hristov. They are a pro jazz trio that puts an attitude in surf, r&b, soul, funk, reggae, and Latin – and all their music is instrumental with no vocals. The  self-titled CD showcases this Berklee grad’s great technique, creative repertoire, and soaring leads, backed by bassist Tom Appleman and drummer Mike Levesque. Hriston covers Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn Theme,” “The Pink Panther,” and “Moon River.” They also do a very sweet version of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” These are all straight ahead versions focusing on his guitar virtuosity. In fact, changing “The Pink Panther” from a horn tune to a guitar tune gives a tres chic and different perspective on this classic.  His nice guitar work is all over the original compositions too. “Waltz in A,” “The Gospel Of Me” and the bluesier songs “The One Note Piano” and “Boyan’s New Tune” are impressive and well thought out. The second release, Surf My Spy, is sorta like The Ventures meet The Surfaris meet Dick Dale, who once said “real surf music is instrumental.”  The three cuts, “Space Age Tragedy,” “Spooky Soca Surf,” and the title cut “Surf My Spy” are short nicely arranged trips with the whammy bar leading the way. Great chops. Great tone. Great music. This cat can play!   (A.J. Wachtel)

…

THE INSTINCT

Mostly Awake

14 tracks

Hook-infested rock with that late seventies/early eighties jittery punk rock feel. Highlights include the sputtering guitar on “Sleeping”; the gnarly guitar fragment “Flutter”; and the telegraphic guitar and drums on “Going,” replete with frantic sax by new band member Frank Freedman and a full-bore rocking coda by Mssrs. Bowie, Bowie, Landry and Jordan. Other highlights include the snazzy guitar and affectless vocals on “Over It”; the ingenious backward bass line on “Long I Walk, ” and, on “Lone Gun,” the dynamic bass thrum and jittery insistence of the instrumentals. Overall, this is a decent meat-and-potatoes punk outfit with an added dimension in the sax and keyboards. (Francis DiMenno)

…

GAVAGE

POP records

Gavage

10 tracks

Gavage is a Providence punk rock group. There are catchy parts, heavy parts, and sax from Adrienne from one of the town’s best bands Downtown Boys that adds a slight undercurrent of avant garde to the rock ’n’ roll. I like that the CD comes with a lyric sheet, not many bands bother with this anymore. This is a good album to listen to as you stroll drunkenly down a dark alley, just before something crazy happens. If you make it out of that alley, you’ll want to listen to this album over and over again. (Eric Baylies)

 

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Hello Shauna Erlbaum, of the 16 reviews on this page you write the lengthiest, and it is a huge hatchet job on one of the many great bands who play Club Bohemia, the Cantab Downstairs. This writer is publicist for both nightclubs, so let’s put that front and center. All due respect, Ms. Erlbaum, you seem to be trying to write a review rather than giving readers an objective opinion about the Broken CD. In the first two paragraphs you reference yourself 10 times. A Marie Osmond autobiography had her averaging “I” about 26 times per page. Marie can be forgiven for splashing “autobiography” on the cover of her book. This should be about the artist and the music. I respectfully request that T Max give this disc another listen. Positive Negative Man is one of the many great bands at Club Bohemia/Cantab and my opinion is that the review is unfair, biased and not helpful to the readers. Thank you.

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JENN VIX feature291

JENN VIX

VIX’S ELECTRIC
MIDNIGHT

by DJ Matthew Griffin

If you want mood and
attitude, then you’re in the right vicinity. Just step a little closer.
Enter the web of Jenn Vix’s electronic rock and its dark and cinematic
undertones. Vix’s manifestations are full of atmosphere and musical
hooks. Tenebrous melodies arise from the shadows and the seduction and
destruction of the listener is complete with the entrance of Jenn’s
irresistible vocals.

Dark textures cut like
a finely honed blade. Music bleeds and makes you bleed. Vix digs down
deep into her spirit of red-hot passion to find the fire for her cutting
edge music. “Music and memories go hand in hand,” she says. “That’s
my reality.” In other words, here is a person unafraid to explore
her own heart of darkness to summon personal pulse that fuels her songwriting.

To reach into one’s
self is the truest method of artistic expression. It’s the purest
source of creativity. And so Vix ventures without fear into the gloom
of life and wraps it in melody and groove. Vix has received critical
acclaim in Rolling Stone and one of her tracks nabbed a spot on the
CMJ New Music Monthly
Magazine CD. Once her upcoming
album, Electric Midnight, is completed, Vix plans to tour.

Noise: How long have you been recording as a solo
artist?

Vix: I officially released my debut album Jenn Vix
in 1995. I began recording it the prior year. I sent hundreds of them
in bubble wrap out with an issue of the CMJ magazine for radio stations.
The album got quite a bit of airplay all over the country, and I charted
in the top 10 on many college stations for a few weeks. I didn’t even
have a distributor for this album. I sold it out of a P.O. box, and
then later on Dutch East India decided to help me out by handling some
of the sales via mail order.

Noise: Do you have any stories about your recording
sessions?

Vix: The first time I stepped into a recording
studio to do a full solo album, tape was required. I was in a 24-track
analog studio with digital assist in Massachusetts. The mixing desk
was a very large Soundcraft analog board. After one of my recording
sessions, at the end of the night, I walked out to my car and drove
home. My friend and guitarist at the time, Mike, was with me. I drove
him back to his place, and then went back to my apartment. When I got
out of the car and reached into the back seat, my tape reel box was
gone! I freaked out. I got back into my car, and drove back to the studio,
thinking that perhaps I left my tape there. Robert, my engineer, told
me that it wasn’t there and suggested that I check the road on the
way back home. I slowly drove the road I took home and when I got to
the highway entrance ramp I saw my tape box on the side of the road.
I’d completely forgotten that I left my reel on the roof of the car,
while loading in my bass, and other gear. It’s like when someone accidentally
leaves a cup of coffee on the roof of their vehicle. During my next
recording session, I explained how I found my tape on the side of the
road, half hanging out of its box, in the rain. We had to unwind the
reel with our hands, clean and dust metal shavings off of it from when
it hit the ground hard, and then slowly wind it back on to another clean
metal reel.

The last time I recorded
on to tape was in 1998, and every time I had a session I made sure that
my tape reel box was placed on the backseat of my car. I was very cautious
from that point on. [Laughs]

Robert Leonardo’s
studio was very well put together, and he is an amazingly good engineer
and producer. He’s also one of the best drummers I’ve ever heard.
We still sometimes work together on things, like commercials and voiceovers,
even though I now own my own recording studio Villino Sound, in Newport,
Rhode Island.

Noise: What kind of struggles have you been through
to create this music? Has it been difficult?

Vix: I’ve recently joined forces again with
Ryan Tassone, who played on my last album, 3. Before him, I’ve hired people to do sessions,
or I’ve just played on things. I’m not much of a rhythm guitarist,
because I have small hands, and back then there were no Daisy Rock girl
guitars, so it wasn’t easy for me. My hands would cramp up. I can
play lead guitar a lot easier, and I tend to do that more often.

I have been searching
for years for people to play with. In 2003, my friend Paul came up here
to play bass with me, so I wouldn’t have to play an instrument on
stage. I can do it, but I prefer to just put my focus on singing. Paul
has been here since then, and I am in a relationship with him. He’s
played on a couple of songs on the new album, but I still play most
of the bass parts on the recordings. He prefers it this way, and I am
okay with that. He’s really more of a “live” guy.

I was on food stamps
for most of 2002 so that every last dollar I had could go to the recording
of 3.
I barely made any money at my job. It was a very important thing for
me to do, and I’m not complaining about being on assistance, I just
want to state that I have gone without for the sake of my music, and
I would any day. I love being a musician. It is in my soul, and it is
my life. I am also an abuse survivor, and some songs on 3
are about that situation.

Noise: You’ve been through some pretty tough times
before you even stepped into a studio. Tell me about that.

Vix: When I was a teenager, I ended up homeless
on the streets of New York City. My family situation was a mess, and
I had to leave. I could not take listening to rages anymore. I’d been
through a very bad situation prior to that one, with my stepfather.
I endured several years of intense physical and mental abuse from him.
I actually did everything I could to stay in school at first. I stayed
with some friends downtown on the west side, and attended middle school
there for about three months. Then, I dropped out mid-year in the eighth
grade. I ended up sleeping in doorways, in friends’ closets; on the
floor, and under friends’ beds. I would hide from their parents. My
friends used to sneak me in after their parents went to sleep and during
the day I would be able to take a shower while the parents were at work.
I also sometimes slept in Penn Station. I wanted to stay in New York,
because I had a couple of good friends there, and I really liked being
able to go to the clubs at night. I met so many talented musicians in
those clubs. I got to see some great performances. Even though it was
difficult, and sometimes scary, when I look back on it, I’m thankful
I was exposed to all of that music culture, art, and fashion. I ended
up moving back home for a little while, off and on when I was 17. and
then returned to New York City to work part time for jazz drummer Art
Blakey, and his wife, Anne.

Noise: What instruments do you play?

Vix: I sing, and as before mentioned, I play bass,
and lead guitar. I also play keyboards and percussion. I don’t consider
myself a drummer, but I can get by on drums. During the recording of
my albums Hope Springs
Nocturnal and Jenn
Vix we experimented with different
things in the studio. Once, the engineer played drums on a tire rim
and I swung around a hollow plastic tube in the air, and we sampled
it. We also recorded samples of me moaning, and saying, “I love you,”
and then reversed the tape to play it backwards. When you do that, it
sounds like “we’re evil now.” It’s pretty cool.

When I drum, it’s
mostly on electronic pads or the keyboard. I’d like to get a set of
electronic drums soon. I also know my way around several drum machines
and I use them often. I really enjoy them.

Lately, I have not
only been playing music, but producing and remixing for other artists
in my own studio. I love doing this. I just finished working on a remix
for a Vienna, Austria band, Whispers in the Shadow. The song is
called “Killing Time” and I sang backup vocals on it.

Noise: How many releases do you have?

Vix: I have three releases out at retail, and
a new one coming out soon. My first album is Jenn
Vix, the second is Hope Springs Nocturnal, and the third is 3. My new album is titled Electric
Midnight. The first single
off of it is “Vampires.” It’s a bit of a dancy rock track. It’s
being played in clubs now internationally. I think this new album may
surprise some people, as it has a different vibe than the last one.
It’s a lot more rocking than 3 and has a lot more guitar on it. There are
some slower, moody tracks on it, as well.

Noise: Tell me about your press kit.

Vix: I have a great review from Rolling
Stone magazine in my press
kit. I got it shortly before the release of my debut album. I just decided
to send it in for the hell of it, and about a week later, I got a call
from editor/ writer Anthony DeCurtis telling me that it was going to
be reviewed. I was ecstatic, because I didn’t even have one review
from anywhere else, including my own local music paper. After I got
the Rolling Stone review, it was easier for me to get the album
reviewed in other publications. The staff at my hometown paper, the Providence Journal, was very good to me. They did a feature story
on how I got into Rolling
Stone. I’ve actually been
written up in that paper a couple of times. I’ve been in other magazines,
and in 2003 I got a five star review in Gothic
Beauty magazine, for my album 3.
I’ve also received a great review from UK music writer, Mick Mercer.
I appear in his new book, Music
To Die For, as well as his
previous book 21st Century
Goth.

Noise: What other positive things have happened
to you over the years?

Vix: When I sent my debut release to the Late Show with David Letterman, they called me back to tell me they liked
my album. I was so flattered, even though I wasn’t at all ready for
a television appearance. I didn’t have enough fans at the time. I
was just starting out. I figured it was a good thing to do to send it
to them, because perhaps in the future they might remember me and consider
having me on the show. Hey, you never know.

One of the songs from
this release, “Devils Chasing Angels,” appeared on a CMJ New Music Monthly CD, along with Throwing Muses, the Stone Roses,
and others. I had a full-page ad in that issue, and they did a little
write up about my song being on the CD in the magazine that came with
it. I’ve also had a quarter page ad in Alternative
Press at the time.

Noise: What are your plans for the future?

Vix: I would like to be able to go out and support
this new release on the road. I would especially like to be able to
perform one of the new songs on television. I want to do another music
video as well. As it is, I have two music videos. Scott Bateman just
animated a music video for my new single, “Vampires.” I’m currently
working on getting that played on television, and it’s online right
now. I have another music video that I did in 1999, for my single, “Blind,”
which did well on RollingStone.com, as well as on local music programming
shows on cable access.

Noise: Tell me about your Internet presence, listening
places, and where your albums are sold.

Vix: My web site is online, but it’s currently
under construction. I have a MySpace page that has over three hundred
thousand hits on it. I am on RollingStone.com, as well as Facebook,
and Twitter. My albums are for sale at most online retailers, such as
Amazon, CD Baby, and iTunes, in both CD form and digital downloads.
My 1995 debut release is available exclusively at CD Baby.

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This Noise poll focuses on the Boston music scene from December 2002 to December 2003. The poll combines the results of two polls conducted at the end of 2003. The first poll consisting of 25 hand-picked ardent local music followers to determining the nominees, and the second, a public poll held here on our wesite, thenoise-boston.com.

JJ Rassler’s acceptance speech at The Maxie Award Ceremony pretty much defined this poll. He said, “Thanks to the Dresden Dolls for not having a guitarist.” This is an all-time record in The Noise poll. The Dresden Dolls take the honors in eight of the eleven categories they were nominated in.

Live Band: Dresden Dolls
The second place band, Waltham, was far behind the winner. Last year, Damn Personals won best live band.

New Band: Apollo Sunshine
Jesse Gallagher’s dad, R.G. Gallagher, still an active Boston musician, accepted the award for Apollo Sunshine at The Maxies. Guess who won best new band last year? Dresden Dolls. The Information, Read Yellow, and The Hidden all tied for second in the web poll.

CD: Dresden Dolls
At The Maxies, the Martin brothers (Dresden Dolls website designers) were accepting all the awards. They got into doing a little dance and other performance activities in their eight trips to the stage. In the poll, Bleu and Paula Kelley placed a close second and third. Last year, The Brett Rosenberg Problem delivered the top CD.

Song: Dresden Dolls – “Coin Operated Boy”
In a majority of these categories the Dresden Dolls wins are decisive, with more than a 10% point lead. Reverse’s “Helicopter” placed second. Last year, Red Chord’s “Taxi” won Best Song.

Vocalist (m): Aaron Perrino (Dear Leader/The Sheila Divine)
Luckily Dresden Dolls’ drummer Brian Viglione doesn’t do much singing. Bleu came in a close second. Last year, Ad Frank won this category.

Vocalist (f): Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls)
Andrea Gillis (Red Chord) and Jen Rassler (The Downbeat 5) followed. Last year Andrea Gillis wore the Best Female Vocalist crown. At the Maxie Awards Robbie Road Steamer did the presenting and totally hijacked the show. Tina, the owner of Johnny D’s, was so offended by Robbie’s presence that she insisted he stay off the stage for the rest of the event. He didn’t.

Guitarist: JJ Rassler (The Downbeat 5)
Dave Pino (Waltham) tied JJ Rassler in the web poll, but JJ was the highest voted nominee, breaking the tie. Last year, the lovely and talented Irina Yalkowsky was the best guit slinger.

Bassist: Ed Valauskas (The Gentlemen)
There was a big difference between the two polls in this category. Ed grabbed first in one poll and second in the other, securing him the top slot. Last year Mission of Burma’s Clint Conley took the honors.

Drummer: Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls)
A whole two categories pass with no Dolls in sight, but Brian decisively won over Mike Piehl (Reverse) who hands over the crown from last year.

Keyboardist: Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls)
Rick Berlin (Shelley Winters Project) placed second. He and Amanda shared first place last year.

Other Instrument: Kier Byrnes – banjo (Three Day Threshold)
At The Maxies, Kier brought his entourage up on the stage which included a beautiful female specimen who had graced the pages of Hustler. In the poll, Meredith Cooper – violin (Shelley Winters Project) placed second. Kier has won this category three of the last four years.

Stage Presence: (tie) Kier Byrnes (Three Day Threshold) and Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls)
We couldn’t break the tie between two polls. Each winner won one poll and the percentages of their wins were exactly even. This is the only new category added to The Noise poll this year.

Radio Station: WFNX
WZBC was the top nominated station, but WFNX ran away with the popular vote. Last year, WZBC won with ‘FNX nowhere in sight.

DJ: Anngelle Wood (WFNX)
Last year, Shred (WBCN) took the honors. Carmelita (WAAF) and Bob Dubrow (WMBR) also did well this year.

Critic: Joe Coughlin (The Noise)
Joe nosed out Mike Baldino (The Noise). Sleazegrinder was on top last year. At the Maxies, Joe’s old Incoming Mail rival-Bob Dubrow, accepted his award.

Photographer: Liz Linder
Liz’s percentage margin of winning the top nomination outweighed the percentage that Lindsey Walker had in the popular vote. Kim Genereux clicked the best shots last year.

CD Cover Art: Dresden Dolls
The Dolls gathered twice as many votes as second place Ad Frank received. 27 won last year with the art on Animal Life.

Website: rockschool.com
The two polls differed in this category. The Rock School website had a better percentage win over the Dresden Dolls website. Last year, thenoise-boston.com took the honors, but this year, their nomination was voided because the site was taking the poll. Since it seems unfair to selectively void the website’s nomination when everyone else at The Noise can be nominated, next year thenoise-boston.com will be eligible for nomination in this category.

Local Record Label: Kimchee
Kimchee has won two years in a row. Traktor 7 took a strong second place. There was also a good showing from Fenway Recordings, Q Division, and, now defunct, Pig Pile Records.

Producer: David Minehan

David, six time winner and also last year’s winner, made a rare appearance at The Maxies this year. The highest voted nominee was John Dragonetti. Ducky Carlisle placed second in the popular vote.

Club: Abbey Lounge
In a percentage count between the two polls, The Abbey Lounge edged out 11-time winner The Middle East, who took the honors last year.

Personality (m): Joe Coughlin (The Noise)
This category had major differences in the two polls. Kier Byrnes placed a close second in a percentage point battle. Gene Dante (Hedwig/ Project Eno) walked away with last year’s Male Personality crown.

Personality (f): Lexi Kahn (The Noise/ Low Budget Superhero)
At the Maxies, Lexi was in shock. She thought she had no chance against the multi-winning Amanda Palmer. Again, a difference in the two polls led to a percentage battle that Lexi won. Lexi’s been wearing the Female Personality tiara for the past year.

Highlight of The Year: The Smoking Ban
I’m glad to see that even with the big backlash from smokers that the Smoking Ban is acceptable among the majority. Last year’s Highlight was Mission of Burma’s reunion.

Disappointment of the Year: Mikey Dee passing away
Mikey Dee (WMFO/ Planetary Group/ The Noise) had such an effect on so many local musicians, the lack of his presence hurts the entire music scene. Last year, the loss of 608 (Lilli’s) won this sad category.

Hall of Fame
Only The Noise Editors vote on the members of the Noise’s Hall of Fame. Already in The Noise Hall of Fame are:
Willie Alexander, Roger Miller, Jeff Conolly, Rich Gilbert, Albert O, David Minehan, Mark Sandman, Tristram Lozaw, Thalia Zedek, Aimee Mann, Oedipus, Billy Ruane, Kenne Highland, Dickie Barrett, Mikey Dee, Richie Parsons, and Alvan Long.

The newest inductee to The Noise Hall of Fame is…Asa Brebner (Family Jewels)

I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to vote, and everyone who came to the Maxie Award Ceremony. I’m interested in any feedback you may have on the poll. And, as usual, there’s already been a lot said about the poll and the Maxie Awards Ceremony on The Noise Board. So, until next year… but maybe it won’t be that long. We may run a shorter poll half way through the year-The Summer Survey.

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WRITE A LIVE REVIEW

You can improve your local music scene by taking the time to write about a show in your area. Write a live review of a New England act or acts of your choice at any venue you prefer. Email it to tmax@thenoise-boston.com with LIVE REVIEW in the subject. It will be posted on our website so all our readers can learn more about what you have experienced. Write to T Max at the same address for the live review guidelines.
…

SPEEDY ORTIZ/

DOWNTOWN BOYS/

URSULA

The Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA

12/9/15

Speedy Ortiz cranked out a short winter tour with its Middle East date benefiting Girls Rock Campaign Boston. The GRCB is a program, which, though music education and performance, provides a supportive community to girls in order to foster self-expression, confidence, and collaboration.

Sadly I had to miss the early performances by graduates of the program in favor of my son’s high school holiday chorus production. I arrived just in time to catch the last few songs of Ursula’s set. The duo – guitarist and drummer –were a dark, gothic pair of ladies. There was much noisy grinding of guitar and banging of drums, accompanied by copious screaming and moaning. If you have ever seen any movie from the’80s depicting a goth or punk band, then you’ve seen something akin to Ursula. If you have ever heard the sound of cats mating while Black Sabbath plays in the background, then you’ve heard something akin to Ursula.

Next up, Providence, Rhode Island’s, Downtown Boys rip out an energetic set of political punk. Their sound combines the X-Ray Specs with the Plasmatics, and some Voodoo Glowskulls (sans the ska). It’s a killer combination that suits their far-left political passions.

Speaking frankly, I could do without the nonsensical political ranks that blossom between each song. Most sound like random non-sequiturs – combining fascism, abortion rights, religious tolerance, and revolution – than any cohesive statement of position.

Nonetheless, the music is stirring. Played hard and fast, bouncing from English to Spanish, they barrel through their half hour set like a multi-ethnic tornado. The most impressive aspect of Downtown Boys is their sax player. She looks and dresses like Cindy Williams – Shirley from the classis sit-com, Laverne & Shirley – and plays her sax like a lead guitar. She pulls out solos for every song and bounds around the stage unleashing Pete Townsend-esque leg kicks and mighty squawk from her instrument.

There is so much to say about Speedy Ortiz. It’s hard to know where to start. They came out of nowhere (well, out of North Hampton, Mass.) in 2012 and have taken Boston and the national indie underground by storm with their noisy ’90s alternative rock style. Speedy Ortiz sound a little like every one of your favorite bands from that era without ever sounding like a knock-off. You’ll find some Breeders, some Belly, some Letters to Cleo. There’s some Liz Phair, some Throwing Muses, and some Juliana Hatfield. How can you possibly go wrong?

As amazing as the players are, this is clearly Sadie Dupuis’ show. As she takes center stage in her baby blue and silver party dress, under blue and white lights, the band fades to the background. Her silver and blue hair, pale makeup and blue lipstick make her look like a like a cross between iZombie’s Liv Moore (Rose McIver) and Else from Disney’s Frozen. The effect is pale and icy while, at the same time, she pops like a sparkling, animated Cinderella. She is stunning and commands the audience’s attention without ever really having to try at it.

The music is pure ’90s alternative guitar noise buoyed by Sadie’s effervescent vocals. When I say noisy, think Pavement or the Pixies at their most abrasive; but mixed with a little Sonic Youth at their most tuneful – now you have the picture. The masterful mix of melody and noise is something that I have missed immensely over the past 15 years. Speedy Ortiz performs a master-class on this technique. I’m instantly transformed into my 25-year old self, circa 1995. I pine for they heyday of WFNX and the alternative rock boom of that decade.

Don’t get me wrong though. Speedy Ortiz is not a throwback act. This group resonates with both aging hipsters and the up and coming generation of indie rock fans. It is a pleasure to have been around long enough to experience up and coming bands take inspiration from the underground of my youth. And to be able to see someone do it as well as Speedy Ortiz is a true treat.

When I sit back and recall the fact that this entire show is being put on for the purpose of supporting female empowerment through music and performance, it’s hard to think of another band that would represent as well as Speedy Ortiz.    (George Dow)

…

THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES/

GANG OF ONE/

THE NEIGHBORHOODS/

THE UPPER CRUST

Hometown Throwdown “At The Rat”

House of Blues, Boston, MA

12/26/15

I’ve been following The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and going to their shows for over 20 years now, but I was especially excited for this Hometown Throwdown when I found out that The Neighborhoods were one of the openers.  They are one of the many great Boston bands whose shows I missed in the early days, but have always wanted to see!

First, the noblemen from The Upper Crust stride snobbishly onto the stage, adorned in their gilded 18th-century attire. These guys may not reveal their souls onstage but Lord Bendover, Count Bassie, The Duc D’istortion, and Jackie Kickassis, sure do bring on a kickass performance.  They play a timeless hard rock enjoyed by all!

The Neighborhoods, definitely a part of Boston’s rock royalty, come on next.  They exert incredible energy, covering the stage from end to end, running and jumping while playing nonstop.  Their excitement is contagious and I feel the music running through me – the whole reason I love to see bands play live!  They play so many great songs, fantastic covers, a bunch of hits and all my favorites… save for one.  I get it, I get it, perhaps I would feel like taking a bunch of kindergarteners hostage too if everyone demanded that I play “Prettiest Girl” at every show for over 30 years.  They make up for it though playing a great cover of The Clash’s “Safe European Home.”  Before the song lead singer/guitarist Dave Minehan reminisces about seeing this great band perform in Harvard Square and how that day changed his life. “I started a band because of them, just like everyone else.”  As the song winds down, he sings loudly “And I’ve got so much gratitude.” Make sure you check out the Big Shot in this issue to see the man filled with gratitude.

The evening continues now with a different vibe, a few songs from Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One.  Just one guy off to the side of a dark and empty stage. Alone with his guitar, he stands resolutely with a spotlight shining down on him.  His acoustic tunes don’t call out angrily, but tell stories with words that everyone can feel.

Now, as the curtains are ripped down, The Bosstones pour out and we see a stage set to honor the old Rathskellar, “the granddaddy of Boston rock venues.”  The back of the stage is decked-out to look just like the brick front of the club, including the signs “Food – Drinks – Music” and above that “Rathskellar” in the old-style German font.  My introduction to the Boston music scene began in the seventh grade.  I wasn’t as immersed in this scene growing up as I would have liked, but I went to a few memorable all-ages shows at some of the Boston clubs.  For some reason though, I never made it down to that club, also affectionately known as The Rat.  It’s great to see this historical part of the Boston music scene, just as I imagine it once looked, and to see the bands that played it then playing it now!

The Bosstones get the crowd excited just as soon as they enter and they keep the energy going. This is nothing new: every Bosstones show I have been to is like this.  The crowd is filled with hundreds of the faithful who plan for this show all year and book their flights well in advance.  They come in all ages, know all the songs, and sing along to every one.  There are also plenty of new fans: for some this is their first concert, for others it is just their first time seeing The Bosstones.  You can usually tell the groups of people apart by their expressions: the virgins are just as excited, but also pretty wide-eyed.

The Bosstones are resplendent, all decked out in matching red plaid suits.  It is not unusual to see a few in the audience with the same eye-catching suits.  It is a Plaid Plaid World after all!  These guys put on a tight show.  It all looks so natural, just playing around, but then they break into synchronized dance moves, horns included.  And Dicky Barrett, the lead singer, smoothly tries on the many hats that are passed to him from the audience as he sings, “That’s a Helluva Hat You’re Wearing.”

The reminiscing continues as we are introduced to surprise guest, Jimmy Harold, former owner of The Rat.  Dicky exclaims sardonically “He hasn’t aged a day, but then again he looked old back then.”  The laughter continues through the night, as do the songs.  Many hits are played as well as cover songs, including the appropriate one titled, “At the Rat” (by Willie “Loco” Alexander & the Boom Boom Band).

After almost 30 songs, the night comes to an end, at least for the performance.  Dicky comes down from the stage to shake hands, sign autographs, and chat with the many new and familiar faces.   (Maia Kennedy)

…

TRIGGER/

DYR FASER 

Out of the Blue Gallery, Cambridge, MA

12/16/15

I must begin this review by applauding the bizarre and cozy “gallery” this show was held in. More accurately, it’s one of the best venues I’ve ever been in, because it’s so unique and so comfortable and casual. Part odd-gift-shop, part indie-rock art-studio cubicles, and a sprawling schizophrenic “gallery”. You can even see that some cheesy clothing store used to occupy this space, by the mirrors on the ceiling! Across the street from the Middle East Cafe, this space should hold concerts every night!

This show was put together by the lovely folks at the Boston Hassle, so I went blind, having heard none of the bands. And it couldn’t have been more perfect. Dyr Faser are a duo (possibly containing indie rock legend Thalia Zadek) doing lush, simple, vulnerable music, with twin reverb guitars over casio drum machine beats and a bit of cheap organ, while the video projections on the musicians made it look and feel like we’re seeing early Pink Floyd / Velvet Underground… except those bands didn’t play in a weird gift shop! I’d call it paradise– but then you’d think of a more-normal rock club! The audience even has a choice between love seats and recliners, or sitting on the carpeted floor, befitting the post-psychedelia of this first act.

The poor lads in Trigger.  They would’ve made my Top Ten of 2015 had they only come up with a better band name and had some visual style, because they are thrilling and masterful: post-King Crimson (circa Red) indie-rock power-trio math rock, but not as derivative as most bands influenced by KC usually are. They have some monster riffs, but never fail to keep surprising me in new areas. Their sense of humor is also better than KC’s. And they are more fun than KC, too. Honestly, they are a lot better than I’m making them sound. I probably should’ve taken notes. Please, musicians – it’s not that hard to come up with a good band name. There are so many great words out there. Or invent your own. A name should advertise your music. If your name is boring, that means your music must be. See how that works? Make exciting or innovative music? Then come up with a band name that is innovative. See how that works? We’re all in this together!    (Shauna Erlbaum)

…

LENNY SOLOMON/

MARINA EVANS

Cat in the Cradle, Byfield, MA

12/12/15

Back at the entertainment hub of Byfield, Massachusettes we’ve got Marina Evans opening for Lenny Solomon and his band. Every table is full in this big, square, high-ceiling room with the four-foot high stage. Host and booker Heidi Fram greets the audience and warmly introduces dues Marina who’s currently living between Rockport, MA, and Italy.  Marina presents herself well – with God-given pretty features and a well trained voice she’s got a lot going for her. She starts with “Blue Yonder” and from from her banter you get the feeling that having a husband living in Italy and family and friends in Rockport is pulling on those heart strings. “Middle of the Ocean” also reflects on her current situation. Her sets peaks with a lovely song that she sets up perfectly. During last year’s brutal winter she spotted a solo mitten in a large melting pile of snow. “One of Two” takes the lone mitten and turns it into a wonderful metaphor of one hoping to be reunited with another. I guess this song also falls nicely into place with her pair of homes.

Lenny Solomon is up on the big stage next with the accompaniment of Andy Hollinger (lead guitar/ mandolin) and Don Barry (double bass). Lenny wears the classic country performer look well. He’s dressed in blue with long white hair and matching chin beard, topped off with a cowboy hat and a turquoise belt buckle.  The trio does songs about Robert Frost, fracking, a rockabilly singer, drinking the blues, a cat… and my favorite of the night, ” The Ballad of Little Squirrel,” that is set up perfectly with a story. On August 27, 2013, Lenny was walking his dog when saw a baby squirrel on the ground looking pretty dead. He scooped him up and set him on a picnic table, left him there and decided he go back to check on him the next day after breakfast. When he returned he saw that the little guy made it though the night, so Lenny took him in as a pet and gave him a small bird cage to live in while he recovered. The squirrel grew in strength, graduated to an aquarium home, and became a good friend. When the squirrel was healthy enough, Lenny set him free. And to this day the fuzzy-tailed rodent comes back to visit almost every other day. The song is as wonderful as the story. It made my night. (T Max)

…

HUMMINGBIRD SYNDICATE

Hibernian Hall, Watertown, MA

11/21/15

Sometimes there’s a great notion to create a multi-purpose band that features sympathetic talents. As long as there are people that like to sing and send words into other ears, there will be a band that is required to have lived with the past to reaffirm their influences and still stay focused on creating modern music. Let’s say hello to Hummingbird Syndicate, featuring local luminaries Jon Macey (Fox Pass), Lynn Shipley (Adam & Eve), Chris Maclachlan (Human Sexual Response), Lenny Shea (The Stompers), and two Californian folks I don’t know, Mary Jaye Simms and Dan Coughlin (Children of Paradise) who are not here tonight, being replaced by Tom Hostage (Macey’s Parade) and Rich Lamphear and Linda Viens (Kingdom of Love) and additional singer Jennifer Lewis Bennett.

The Syndicate is built around an equal partnership of men and women with their merger of voices and three guitars. It’s a lot of wonderful songs with a guitar solo here and there, and a vibe that’s both sprightly and distinctly beautiful. For me, it feels like this group is bringing back the ’60s (in sound and spirit). Right out of the gate, we have pop for pop’s sake with upbeat melodies and lots of harmony. It is unusual to hear such a high concentration of covers (Monkees, Velvets, The Band, Dylan, Johnny Rivers, Grass Roots, Lefty Frizzell, Gene Clark, Flying Burritos, Ernest Tubb, lots of country/folk) amidst a handful of originals, but I guess that will change in time. The focus tonight is the release of their single, “Waterfall Away” b/w “I Want You to stay,” two lightweight retro-sunshine-pop tunes (which they play in both sets). They promise the imminent full album will include more pop, as well as moody tunes and non-pop stuff. Since this is only their first gig, we can only wish for more of their best. Good luck!   (Harry C. Tuniese)

…

RONNIE EARL & THE BROADCASTERS with DIANE BLUE

The Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA

11/21/15

Everyone in this packed old theater is expecting a red hot and blue night. For the first time in almost two decades the band has a female vocalist fronting them. Well known for his passionate instrumentals, Mr. Earl was named the 2014 Best Blues Guitarist of the Year at the Blues Music Awards, in Memphis, by the Blues Foundation. The addition of Diane Blue and her stunning vocals should bring the group’s performance to another level. The band starts and I am immediately struck by the look and sound of Ronnie and his playing.  He plays his crisp and very imaginative and technically impressive licks on his old Stratocasters (one white and another sunburst) and he’s dressed all in black with a white shirt. He’s also wearing a black beret that he tells me is a sign of support for the people massacred in France.  Eyes closed, lips tightly pressed together, clenched jaw, slightly hunched over and shaking his head no, Earl’s tone and chops are magnificent. You can hear a pin drop as the audience listens to every note he plays and every nuance he emotes. The supportive blues groove band consists of David Limina on keys, Lorne Entress pounding, and Jim Mouradian on bass. Throughout the long 20 song, almost three hour set, I really enjoy seeing Earl walk around the stage mid-song and support his band mates.  I love when he plays a beautiful chord and lets it ring for a couple of measures right in the middle of a lead solo. It’s just beautiful. Some of the best interplay of the night is when Ronnie and David duel it out. The sound in this “Fillmore West of Cambridge” Regent Theatre, built in 1916 almost a hundred years ago, is clean and clear. The set goes from jump and traditional blues instrumentals to country blues where Diane Blue is front and center. My favorite songs are Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind” (from Ronnie’s album Just For Today), “Higher Love” and “I’ll Take Care Of You” from last year’s Father’s Day, “Double Trouble” an Otis Rush cover, “As the Years Go Passing By” an Albert King chestnut, and Magic Sam’s “What Have I Done Wrong?” Diane has an incredible voice and her stage presence is impeccable. You should hear her sing country blues classics “Malted Milk” by Robert Johnson and Tom Rush’s “Take A Little Walk With Me.” We got a lot of great music tonight!   (A.J. Wachtel)

…

MATT BEDNARSKY

Dedham Square Coffeehouse, Dedham MA

12/11/15

Originally from Connecticut, Matt Bednarsky has called Nashville home for some time. Tonight, he makes his return to the East Coast at one of my favorite little venues. His solo performance is a range of original tunes and covers, and even includes a mashup of well-known songs that delights the crowd. There’s little conversation among the two dozen people in attendance, some clearly there to enjoy the music, others walk-ins to get dinner or a beer.

Matt tells all kinds of tales that night, including one of the time his guitar was damaged in a wind storm in a small town. The local repairman said it couldn’t be fixed, so he went to another to get a second opinion – this person happened to be that town’s mayor.

Bednarsky’s voice is subtle and intense at the same time, with such a passion for his calling in his words, but spoken at a light volume. He debuts a few new songs, even one that “had only been spoken aloud a few times.”    (Max Bowen)

 

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Issue 301/ May 2010

Support Local Music

MUCK & THE MIRES, THE CURSES, THE SPRAINED ANKLES
Great Scott, Allston MA
7/19/08
I’m not often out here Allston way, but how in God’s name can I pass up this line-up?
Truth be told, I came here looking for a fight—with those goofy punk rockers the Sprained Ankles. Y’see, these heathens had cleverly written an ode to late lamented pro wrestlers (“Andre The Giant”), but in the most heinous of offenses, they excluded the legendary Bruiser Brody! Such a crime is impossible to overlook, so I’m prepared to rush the stage and clobber frontman Drew Kazoo with the stiffest lariat shot this side of Stan Hansen… when the band abruptly revises the song to include Brody! Disaster averted, I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the set, which is plenty fun indeed. The large Great Scott stage allows background singers the Brides of Tankenstein to really shine, striking campy poses to enhance the drama of “The Grandma Song,” and “Randy the Rock & Roll Pizza Wolf.” The big standout is new song “Sweethearts At The Mall”—delicious Brill Building glory. Sprained Ankles return to the studio soon for a new album, so hopefully they’ll get out at play more shows to go with it.
The crowd picks up for the Curses, which is a good sign—for years now these guys have been one of the most dependable but overlooked bands in town. Unsung heroes, they always strengthen an otherwise so-so lineup. Whether The Curses drew the crowd tonight or not, as soon as they get going with their loud sweaty power-rock, the audience is in love with them. It’s a phenomenon I’ve seen over and over with them. Beforehand, frontman Brian Hammond apologetically predicts a sloppy set, but the Curses have their material down cold, so it’s another confident winning performance. Might I suggest some of the local music radio shows (rumor has it they exist) take note…
Lastly it is with a tear in our collective eye that we say farewell to Muck & the Mires. Farewell for the next month or so, that is—they’re off on a West Coast jaunt, so we’ll have to buy a Muckotene patch and muddle through as best we can. At this point, with four albums, Muck has so much material that there’s no guarantee you’ll hear all your favorites every show. But tonight they manage to deftly cover many of the bases, including favorite covers “Lies” and “This Town.” I could suggest “Caught In A Lie” and “Girl Next Door” be permanently reinstated, but that’s like demanding caviar after being served filet mignon! (Unless you’re vegetarian—then it’s completely different.)    (Frank Strom)

ELI “PAPERBOY” REED & THE TRUE LOVES
Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago, IL
8/3/08
If this year’s Lollapalooza festival proved anything to me, it’s that our beloved Allston homeboy Eli “Paperboy Reed” missed his decade by a long shot.
In spite of his, ahem, whiteness, Reed seems to channel the spirit of old guard soul singers like Eddie Floyd and Sam Cooke with almost effortless ease. Decked out in what could best be described as a Mr. Rogers-influenced wardrobe, Reed leaves it all on stage today, belting the living shit out of his vocals while his stellar backing band, the True Loves, follow his every cue.
Tucked away on one of the tiny side stages, Reed is far from the main attraction. But the upside to playing to a festival of 80,000 spectators is it’s almost impossible not to draw a crowd, and those who made a point of taking in Reed & the True Loves’ Memphis-style soul sound seem to appreciate they stopped by.   (Ryan Bray)

SUPERHONEY
Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA
8/8/08
Okay, so I’m admittedly behind the times since I’ve never seen Superhoney live but I’m determined to rectify this shocking folly by heading out to Johnny D’s tonight.  Superhoney takes the stage and their high energy funk and soul works like a magnet.  The Euro guy soaked in white leather can’t escape the vibe, grooving hard as he bumps into a dude with dreadlocks down to his ass who just bounced off an Asian chick who moves like Gumby next to the ghostly pale gamer… everyone is dancing. You can’t stand still to this stuff.  Joan Pimentel fronts with a resilient voice and incredible poise. Doug Sherman’s (guitar) too-kewl-for-school grooves are awesome to watch.  This amazing seven-piece performs a couple oldies but goodies like “Super Duper” and “Taste My Wine” along with a few new ones. If you wanna shake yer tail feather, go see Superhoney.   (Kitty Speedway)

ANDREA GILLIS BAND, NEW FRUSTRATIONS, TRIPLE THICK
Cantab Lounge, Cambridge MA
7/11/08
There’s gotta be something off-putting about Triple Thick these days. I can’t exactly put my finger on what, but there must be—they’ve been playing around a lot in recent months, yet not attracting any attention. Their sound is a stripped down fury of 60-second bursts of angry and funny expressionist art.
They’re kind of a less poetry-oriented version of Television! While that’s more than enough to amaze and amuse this critic, I’m further astounded by drummer Jim Seeley’s leg. Seriously. It’s a total blur—like an optical illusion—that’s how frenetic his drumming is! They struggle with some serious feedback, but these are capable people—technical problems or not, they still completely bowl over the audience (all ten of ’em).
While I’m by now accustomed to the general apathy that greets Triple Thick, I’m surprised by the very cool reaction that New Frustrations get tonight. Last time I saw them, they drew a hot and (deservedly) appreciative crowd. Strange as it sounds, this revved up power pop the NF spew out is very serious business. They work hard to make it sound as breezy and affable as it does! I confess that I’m still confounded by their dubious Who cover (“Substitute”), which doesn’t fit them well. But that’s nothing compared with the deviltry they’ve got up their collective sleeve—they audaciously close the set with a cover of Paul McCartney & Wings’ godawful hit “Jet”! Jaws have hit the floor throughout the room. When the Dickies handle a cover, they either soup-up a wacky selection (Banana Splits theme) or trash some absolutely hideous composition (“Nights In White Satin”). This, however, is something different. Kudos to New Frustrations! It is the most singularly galling musical moment of 2008!
The problem with writing about the same bands all the time is that I eventually hit a creative wall. The first time, I simply describe them. The second time, I describe them with a better perspective. After that, I laud them… then extol their myriad virtues, which the uncomprehending public are missing… then I write diatribes on the bands’ behalf and insult the local music scenesters. From there, I can either continue with that schtick or go back to square one and start over. I can’t just write, “Wow, man—they are so awesome!” and leave it at that. I wouldn’t be doing my job. So here I am writing about the Andrea Gillis Band again. What’s left to be said? Wow, man—they are so awesome! Also the set is way too short at forty minutes. We expect three-hour marathons from AGB.                         (Frank Strom)

BANG CAMARO
Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago, IL
8/1/08
Lollapalooza has always been about bombastic grandstanding, but it’s only gotten bigger since its reinvention as a three-day Chicago based festival in 2005. So how do they decide to kick off what many have come to call the most kick ass Lolla in recent years? Hair metal. Shitty wannabe hair metal at that.
Organizers may mean to draw a few ironic laughs and smiles out of booking Bang Camaro as the opening band of the 2008 festival, and by that measure they’ve succeeded. But having seen these guys before, I already know better than to expect much else. Sure, when the band’s 20 or so lead singers storm the stage, there is a momentary rush of excitement that comes from such a what-the-fuck moment. But it all quickly subsides when I realize I’m left to sit through roughly a half hour’s worth of schticky Warrant and Ratt inspired pseudo metal. I’m actually getting bored as I write this   (Ryan Bray)

FACES ON FILM
The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
7/9/08
When you’re a local band no one knows, having a gimmick helps make a good first impression—which is just what Faces on Film pulls out to kick off their set opening for Bon Savants.  As the crowd grows antsy wondering why the stage is still empty, a faint acoustic guitar begins to chime through the room.  As people quiet and look around, they find lead singer Mike Flore, having made his way into the middle of the packed floor, strumming his guitar to begin “Natalie’s Numbers.”  As he pushes his way forward to the stage, the show was just beginning, but the impression was made.
With a full band behind him, organ shimmers and drum thumps propel songs that often have only one chord and no discernable verse-chorus structure, but stay bouncy enough to stay interesting.  Like a more sincere Decemberists, he sings rogue ballads that could be from this century or any other, and the suspenders and newsboy hats the band wears complete the image.  The group is tight and focused; no one fights for air time or soloing showcases, content instead to create swirling backdrops for Flore’s melodies.  As his voice soars over the crowd, these indie kids prove they’re more than a gimmick.   (Ray Padgett)

THE NEW COLLISIONS
T.T. the Bear’s, Cambridge, MA
7/21/08
The in going crowd is promising and lively as I approach the entrance of T.T.’s on a Sunday evening around 9:30. To my surprise, there is hardly a soul standing around the bar as forty-or-so fans are front-and-center by the stage in this rather small room, patiently awaiting the next band. During the moments it has taken to order my drink, an additional 10 to 12 fans walk in and scatter about the venue. Just minutes after 10:00, the next band takes to the stage and introduces themselves as the New Collisions. Female-fronted, the band kicks off with “Losing Ground” and seamlessly begins “Ones to Wander.” Vocalist Sarah Guild, whose voice is a cross between Deborah Harry and Kim Gordon, rocks hard with husband Scott on guitars and their bassist named Alex, who blends perfectly with Mike and his tonitruous drumming. The room cheers along during “Underground” and “Sharp Citizen” and is rewarded with the quartet’s  rendition of Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield.” They wrap it up with “Names” and forty-five minutes later, take to the floor to receive some well-earned handshakes and high-fives from satisfies listeners.   (Rob Watts)

HARRY & THE POTTERS, MATH THE BAND
Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA
6/25/08
Shows that have a unifying concept beyond just an assortment of bands are usually worth checking out, and this show has a theme better than most: summer camp.  For what was billed as the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo musicians wear pigtails and headbands, costumed lizards and lobsters roam the floor between acts, and fruit punch flows endlessly. Families run around after their young children while the thirty-somethings chill by the bar; a true all-ages show.
The bands fit the theme perfectly, none traditionally “good,” but all with enough energy for even the cynical bar crowd to have some guilt-free fun.  Brooklyn three-piece Uncle Monsterface kicks things off with Popeye shirts, Madonna covers, and a sock puppet show to accompany their frenetic A.D.D. pop.  The synthesizer showdown continues with Providence’s Math the Band.  Coming onstage to a choreographed dance routine, they bounce around as much as they actually play, jumping and parading about while a MacBook does most of the musical legwork.  Lasting about a minute and a half each, the songs end before the audience can get sick of them, though a rave-bop “Home on the Range” sing-along keeps the hyper crowd going for a little longer.
It’d be nice to say that local heroes Harry and the Potters are more than a novelty act, but they seem content there.  Though I consider songs about Ginny Weasley and Albus Dumbledore funny but stupid, I am in the minority.  Most of the crowd seems to know all their lyrics, taking the group quite seriously.  Luckily the band itself doesn’t make the same mistake.  Dressed as two Harry Potters, the group rocks broomstick-shaped guitars backed by a werewolf drummer, bouncing around in their vests and glasses for such classics as “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock.” Like the Sex Pistols via Hanson, the songs are absurdly danceable for a crowd crazy with enthusiasm.  By not taking themselves too seriously, the band compensates for lack of talent with abundance of energy.  An indulgent night-out for anyone sick of “respectable” music.    (Ray Padgett)

BLACK MOSSETTES, THE SOUR CANDY ORCHESTRA
Abbey Lounge, Somerville, MA
8/9/08
While arriving late may be the height of fashion, every now and again the early birds are rewarded. Case in point: the Sour Candy Orchestra playing the pub stage! No, I’ve never heard of them, but like all Noise writers, I’m psychically linked to the Internet, so let’s check their myspace page. Hmmmmm. Says here they’re Ian Schwartz leading an all-girl band. Obviously inaccurate—the guitar player’s a dude. Regardless, there are a whole lotta instruments in play—guitar, cello, trumpet, flute, and clarinet! The songs are great—they mix pop with classical and even some vocals in español. Some of the tunes are sad, some quite funny, and all of them pretty. One even sounds like a Muppet song, with singer Beth Goodman doing a more than reasonable Frank Oz impression! If you get the opportunity, don’t miss ’em—they’re charming as hell.
After a nearly year-long hiatus, Black Mossettes are at last back in action. And I do mean action. As before, singer Rockin’ Ronnie is a godlike force with powerhouse voice, bassist Andy Mossette acts as band rooting section, and the rest of the guys more than keep up with them. They’ve picked up exactly where they left off, playing a very eclectic mix of soul, disco, R&B, new wave and more—the only new element is the addition of a second guitar, and that’s working out fine. Actually, the serious debate is whether they sound as good as they did last year…or better. While mulling that over, I’m struck by another mystery: what can Black Mossettes do to find an audience? They are absolutely one of the very notable bands in town, but no one has figured that out yet…   (Frank Strom)

FOREST HENDERSON, PALACIOS, ITTHEVERB, THE SPOTLIGHT CRISIS
Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA
6/18/08
The twenty or so people at tonight’s Darfur benefit concert probably didn’t raise enough money to do much for the troubled region.  Heightened awareness doesn’t seem on the agenda either, since no one’s speaking more than two or three words about the crisis.  But when the line up consists mostly of area high school bands, not much more can be expected, and though the benefit aspect seems largely ignored, awareness of local talent is running high.
Opening with the Inspector Gadget theme song helps the Spotlight Crisis make that ever-important first impression, but their own tunes keep the crowd’s attention without needing the novelty.  Though they betray their age, nervous and unsure on a stage larger than their parents’ basement, their brand of psychedelic metal shows promise that with a little more practice and confidence could evolve.  Though the mix is off, one too many guitars cluttering everything up, close listening reveals tight melodies amidst all the thrashing and headbanging.  Clearly the most talented musician of the bunch, the lead guitarist’s thin cascading lines recall Black Sabbath, so it was a shame they’re so hard to hear over the enthusiastic strumming of the two rhythm players.  They finally come into their own on a Coheed and Cambria cover, forced to tackle a song that requires delicacy and precision amidst the noise.
On first sight, it would be easy to compare ITtheVerb to fellow two-piece groups the White Stripes and Black Keys.  However, this guitar-and-drum duo owes little to those bluesy sounds, taking far more inspiration from ’80s pop.  Displaying talent far beyond their age, the off-beat jangly guitar riffs duel with furious improvisational drumming for air time.  The item missing in that equation: vocals.  Taking minimalist to the next level, the group performs tight instrumental suites that jerk and swing in turns, the boys seeming far more comfortable playing together than their eight months experience would indicate.  Spastic and erratic, the guitarist breaks three strings over the course of the thirty-minute set, but his constant instrument-changing only provides an opportunity for the drummer to bust out wild solos, little songs in themselves, to cover the downtime.  With fellow instrumental pioneers Explosions in the Sky making blog waves, it could be IT’s turn soon.
An assortment of unheard-of high school bands is bound to be hit or miss, and following IT’s hit comes the big miss of Palacios.  Punk at its most generic, the singer screams and growls his way from one loud banger to the next, with nothing to distinguish between songs besides the level of my headache.  Though covers of better-known punk tunes appease a crowd itching to mosh, the group seems largely unable to play their instruments.  Though admittedly that is sometimes the appeal of punk—see the Sex Pistols—in this case volume does not make up for lack of talent.
By the time the decidedly not-in-high-school Forest Henderson comes on for the headlining set, the floor is all but deserted.  Apparently unfazed, the band’s set shows the advantage their maturity gives them over the earlier groups, playing as a tight unit comfortable enough to tease and challenge each other without losing focus.  Playing southern rock in the tradition of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Drive-By Truckers, the band wears their influences on their sleeves, copping Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” guitar riff for a song titled “Tom Petty.”  They’re clear on where they came from, but the music avoids being labeled derivative.  High-energy and jumping, Billy Hubbard’s soulful voice croons and yelps through big choruses built for singing and fist-pumping along.  Though heavy on guitar solos, the instrumental forays are never indulgent, the sprawling band serving the tunes even at their most jammy.  “We appeal to the over forty crowd,” Hubbard sings as the empty room underscores the point, but the high school upstarts should have stuck around to learn a thing or two.   (Ray Padgett)

THEA HOPKINS, JUD CASWELL, ALASTAIR MOOCK, SUSAN LEVINE
Passim, Cambridge, MA
8/10/08
I’ve been more interested in the folk side of rock lately, so I head over to Passim, Cambridge’s iconic folk club that’s been around since 1958. I walk in and the show is in progress. Four musicians (two of each gender) are on stage, each sitting with their acoustic guitar. Alastair Moock on far right sits lower than the rest, who are up on stools, has a gruff Tom Waitts-ey voice and sings about sewing up his mouth because it always gets him in trouble. His interesting personality makes him very likable. After Alastair’s one song the floor is handed to Thea Hopkins. She places a capo on the seventh fret and leads us through the country-twinged “Medicine Line” from her latest CD Chickasaw. She possesses a strong yet vulnerable character in her voice and hits me with piercing but sweet eyes. Then Jud Caswell from Brunswick, Maine, with his boyish face and Sox cap, talks and sings about how moving surveyor’s marks is the best way to screw up what they’re planning to build, when what they’re building is unwanted. Susan Levine is next in line to finish the first round of songs. Her parents are celebrating their 45th anniversary and she proceeds to play a song about gratitude. Her nasally voice distracts me from her song presentation. A repeating theme in all four’s banter is that they’ve each been through songwriting contests and basically met each other at these events. They continue their round robin performance where we learn that Alastair is currently putting together a kid’s CD—his masculine vocal approach doesn’t lend itself to this genre—but he’s a new dad and that’s where his music is taking him. Okay—“Cow Says Moo” is a fun sing-along. Thea shares her experience of getting a phone call from the tall bald guy who stand in the middle (that’s how he introduced himself) of Peter Paul & Mary. He called to ask permission to record her potent song, “Jesus on the Line.” Jud steps up with “the Insurance Plan” a wonderful take on marriage and later lashes us with a song for his mom (who loved a political writer from Texas—Molly Ivins)—“Man Behind the Bushs”—and ups the anti with tonight’s songs. Susan adds a touching song about a boy with autism. Overall the round robin approach to performance is excellent in that it offers variety—and it works great when all four artist are talented songwriters.   (T Max)

THE CRASH SOCIETY
Kc’s Tap/Cat’s, Pawtucket, RI
8/1/08
Supported tonight by Boston’s the Luxury, the Crash Society comes on with a quick guitar burst that fades into feedback, as the bass and seductive vocals enter. “You and Your X” tempts me to piss caution to the wind with the animalistic line, “you really are a dirty girl.” It’s got a retro Bowie-esque swagger with an immediate hook laden sensibility driven hard by the rhythm section. Other songs feature soundscapes of analog machine noise, interwoven rhythms, tasteful guitar, and strong choruses, while questioning your purpose. It’s obvious that this band is not the flavor of the month or a one trick pony.
The Crash Society is not afraid to let their ’70s, ’80s and ’90s influence shine through like the Ranconteurs, Wolfmother, and others of this genre of retro-flavoured energetic rock. With a charismatic front person and a band focused on good songwriting, let’s hope that their influence will be broad enough to keep this new wave in motion.  (DJ Matthew Griffin)

ALOUD, THE LIGHTS OUT, BRIAN McGEE & THE HOLLOW SPEED
Church, Boston, MA
6/27/08
For Brian McGee & the Hollow Speed, the crowd in Church is grouped in the back of the room by the bar.  The area directly in front of the stage is empty.  The band consists of Brian on lead vocals and acoustic guitar accompanied by a fiddle and drums.  The band plays a mixed set including elements of rockabilly, folk, and punk.  Brian’s distorted acoustic guitar, played through the dirty sound of his Fender amp, allows this group to be more versatile than one might expect.  The band is tight, and McGee’s baritone does fit nicely with the arrangements.  Lacking their regular bass player, however, the group does not achieve as high an energy level as they seem to be capable of.  Nevertheless, the trio achieves some great dynamic changes, keeping the attention of the few who are watching the band.
By the time the Lights Out start to play (their CD release party), the crowd has made the migration from the bar to the area in front of the stage. The band gives away free copies of their new EP ¡Heist!  They’ve got great energy as they tear through their songs in rapid fire.  The rhythm section is tight, and the guitar and vocal hooks are catchy.  As I check out their merch stand, I notice their large three-ring binder, full of press clippings about the group.  I could go on and on about these guys, but since, evidently, they’ve already been well covered, I’ll just recommend Googling them.
Aloud starts at about midnight.  The crowd has thinned, but they play a strong set nonetheless.  They open up with “Fan the Fury,” the catchy title track off their latest release.  Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa, co-lead singers, guitarists, and keyboard players, share an interesting dynamic.  At times, they sing together in super-tight harmony that leaves little to be desired.  When Henry takes the keys midway through the set, Aloud transitions from their regular indie/mod-rock sound to a Jefferson Airplane feel, showcasing the vocals of Jen, whose voice is comparable at times to Joan Jett and Ann Wilson.  The energy builds steadily until the end of the show.  Although the band is extremely tight, there seems at times to be a disconnect between Henry and Jen and their rhythm section, who seem less passionate and energized.  Overall, though, a great performance.  (Andrew Leader)

LANNEN FALL, ROGUE HEROES, DON’T SAY BINGO, BANK CLOTHING, ALOUD, TRUE2LIFE MUSIC
Rock the Runway Fashion Show
Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA
6/12/08
I love when bands come up with a new take on putting together a concert.  While rock and fashion have been closely tied since day one; the mod look inspired by the Beatles, the baggy pants of Rappers MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice of the ’80s, even the flannel look made it big thanks to Grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, it’s very rare that local bands team up with local fashion designers to create their own night.
Kicking it off was a rap band called True2Life Music. Despite what seemed a late start, the guys quickly get things going and providing a level of energy that was to set the tone for the night.  The crew of True2Life has their hip hop down but seems like they could work on their promotional/marketing aspect. While they have a great performance, they draw almost nobody to come see it. In a room as big as the Middle East Downstairs, that’s a big rock and roll faux pas.
Next up is Aloud. I’ve seen this band before and been very impressed. Tonight is no exception with lots of catchy tunes, poppy hooks and songs that kick ass. Overall, they’re a great band, unfortunately the crowd seems a little standoffish. Many are still hovering by the bar, distracted by the Celtics finals playoff game that is showing. It’s too bad as Aloud is on fire tonight. Swapping lead guitar licks and trading off vocals, Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain, prove that the only thing better than one great frontman, is two great frontmen.
Meanwhile, between the craziness of Aloud’s rock and roll show, the models from Bank Clothing are struting their stuff. The clothes, designed by college students/indie rock fashionistas Nani Stoick and Sophia Sunwoo, feature mostly ornate hoodies and t-shirts that possess a flashy, edgy look that is certain to win the wearer some indy rock street cred. Though, I don’t plan giving up my cowboy shirts anytime soon, I can see these clothes being a big hit in the 16-23 year old age demographic.
It takes a while for the buzz to wear off from Aloud and the Bank Clothing show, but the models from Don’t Say Bingo have no problem creating a buzz of their own.  With Boston’s popular DJ, DJ Shyne spinning tunes and dropping beats in the background, the whole room comes alive with a groove of its own.  The clothes from Don’t Say Bingo were created mainly by NU Alum and local fashion icon, Alvin Carter and have an urban, hip hop theme. He’s designed everything from boutique hoodies to skateboards. It’s a pretty impressive collection and I start wondering maybe it is finally time for me to re-evaluate my fashion sense.
Rogue Heroes take the stage and immediately catch the attention of the bar. The Celtics seem to have a win firmly in place and the Rogue Heroes are already celebrating.  This three piece, made up of Tom Jewitt, Jon Clancy and Kevin McDevitt, are as good a punk band as you’ll find, combining musical elements of Rancid, The Clash, Buzzcocks, Suicidal Tendencies and The Jam. To lighten the mood, a little funk and pop are thrown in here and there for good measure.  The music inspires me to go up to the prettiest girl in the bar, grab her hand and drag her out on the dance floor. It’s a great time as the band rocks out and we dance up a storm.
Last up is Lannen Fall. Full of rock n roll and piss and vinegar, these guys do an excellent job as well of stirring up the crowd.  They are a bit indy rock, a touch emo, one part rock and roll and the other part swagger.  Overall, it makes for a delightful cocktail. Their “take no prisoners , no holds barred” approach style of rock and roll wins me over instantly.  I shuffle my way to the front of the stage to get a better view. It’s a hell of a show and a one of a kind night in Boston.   (Kier Byrnes)

HOT MOLASSES
The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
7/23/08
Though onstage energy goes a long way live, it can’t compensate for lifeless music in getting the crowd engaged.  Cowboy bop band Hot Molasses learns that lesson the hard way as the rip-roaring good time the band seems to be having never quite translates to everyone else.  Busting out as many ten-gallon hat rock star moves as he can muster, bassist Aaron Cohen leads the power trio (plus a girl idly hitting a tambourine) through one loud country rock song after another, high-kickin’ and lip-pursin’ with every note.  However, with generic tunes, indecipherable lyrics, and a band that appears to have only recently learned to play their instruments, any attempts at audience participation fall painfully flat.  The collective level of audience inebriation would have had to be significantly higher for anyone to get much out of what sounds like a Skynyrd cover band minus the good songs.   (Ray Padgett)

JAKE HILL & THE LAW, THE EAGLE HILL BAND
The Plymouth Schools Out Summer Concert Series
The Plymouth Waterfront, Plymouth, MA
7/11/2008
Tonight’s waterfront show put on by Brewster Productions features some lively entertainment geared to a younger fan base than usual at this venue.
The first set belongs to the Eagle Hill Band whose lively performance entertains with a mix of up-tempo covers like Tom Petty and a few catchy originals. I guess these guys used to be the Clams Of Death but must have lost interest in the red tide this summer.
Jake Hill & the Law follow up with a flawless set of nearly all-original songs of which any could be past or present day hits. Hill’s songwriting and performance of them is as infectious, melodic and masterful as anything that has ever come out of this area. His soprano style voice and songwriting is not unlike that of a Muswell Hillbilly era Ray Davies and his onstage antics are as cool as they are awkward. The topics of his songs range from new found love “Bird Food,” to insecure relationships “Out Of My Hands” and “Heave To” a song about dying on a sailboat! His backing band, the Law, feature Dave Robertson on bass and Rick Crowell on drums. Together the rhythm section (who also play as a unit in a number of other bands) holds down the beat and are a perfect support system for Jake’s music.  (Mark Bryant)

BOSTON
U.S. Cellular Pavilion, Gilford, NH
8/2/08
So here I am, inside the confines of the venue, sheltering myself from the rain, waiting anxiously to see that band. You know… the one that was just another band out of Boston, on the road to try and make ends meet?
As the lights dim, hundreds of fans jump to their feet. The chord strikes, and out they come, the boys of Boston… and one girl. Strange as it is to see a female in the band, I’m still able to enjoy the tunes as Boston plays familiars such as “More Than a Feeling,” “Smokin’,” and “Longtime.” Though their energy is less than par, with the occasional off-time song, the intentions are there. Decarlo does a good job filling the shoes of the late Brad Delp.  As I close my eyes, and try to picture myself 30 years earlier, enjoying Boston in their prime, I can almost imagine I’m there. (Angela Mastrogiacomo)

BEN PILGRIM, ALICE AUSTIN, DAVE GODOWSKY
Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA
6/30/08
A rootsy Americana night at the Middle East, with indie underdogs the Rosewood Thieves playing their first Boston show. Not having brought their own support, they have three local artists kick things off.
First up was singer/songwriter Dave Godowsky, who seems to be doing everything in his power to pull off a young Bob Dylan look: acoustic guitar, neck harmonica holder, scruffy curly hair, and shy, awkward banter. The songs fit the image; though some attempts to be “deep” miss the mark, others sound great. “It ends in a coffin and it starts with a cough / The past is a debt you can never pay off” is straight out of Dylan’s “To live outside the law you must be honest” school of songwriting, and “Take a look at the world / It’s an oyster with no pearl” sounds like Tom Waits at his most pessimistic. Though his melodies are bland and energy nil, clear delivery keeps the small crowd focused on his lyrics, which proved to be enough.
Currently living in Cambridge herself, Alice Austin didn’t have far to walk. A good thing too—the knee-high platform pumps she’s wearing can’t be comfortable. Image, though, is clearly something Austin takes seriously. Like an edgy Dolly Parton, her cascading blonde hair contrasts sharply with her miniskirt and glittery electric guitar. If the look is conflicted, the music matches. Playing country torch songs loud and fast, she touches on casual sex and road kill in her thirty-minute set, backed only by a bassist similarly attired. She shows punch, attitude, and sass, though the affected southern twang eventually grows tiresome.
Cultivating a similar style as Godowsky, Ben Pilgrim looks more like an Urban Outfitters Dylan, complete with newsboy cap and spunky four-piece band. His songs veer from generic anti-war protests to livelier numbers like the Beatles sequel “I Want To Hold Your Hand Again.” His voice harmonizes with his female back-up singer for some catchier call-and-response numbers, but it’s the cover of Buddy Holly’s “Oh Boy” that really shakes things up. Moving closer to punk than he had before, it attacks, dark and aggressive, making lines like “You were meant for me” sound not joyful, but obsessed.  Though most in the crowd were there for the Grey’s Anatomy-promoted Thieves, had they never come on everyone would have left satisfied.   (Ray Padgett)

 

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