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TRINARY SYSTEM
Store 54, Allston, MA 5/30/14The skies are spittin’ tonight outside the coolest second-hand store in Allston, run by Wayne Podworny… I mean Wayne Viens, no, make that Wayne Valdez. Anyway, Wayne steps up to the mic and gives a little history of Store 54 that includes naming the first musician to play there about 25 years ago—Roger Miller. Roger is the leader of Trinary System—a band that unfolded out of the piano/drum duo—Binary System. Adding one digit to the system replaces the piano with a modified Fender Strat in Roger’s hands, keeps steady drummer Larry Dersch, and adds a new face to the mix—P Andrew Willis on bass and extra voice.
The first song, “Misunderstanding the Time,” sets us up for how the Trinary System will deliver the math. First off, it’s loud and noisy, but not ear shattering. A jagged-edged distortion rings from the Strat (the biggest focus of the sound) while Roger sings into a Copperphone mic that automatically pinches the EQ. Andrew roots the sound with his Danelectro Longhorn bass, while Larry slices time into increments like a tide rolling in (he plays a vintage Sonor set with some logo letters blocked out to spell only NO—and his cymbals are flown low to keep him visible). On the third song, “Big Steam,” Roger sticks a kitchen fork through his strings on the fifth fret and slaps it to get an extended flapping of harmonics. I dig the high-end funky guitar action of “This House” in the verse in contrast to the heavy metal riffs in the chorus. They cover Mark Sandman’s “Like Swimming”—Larry played drums on Mark’s original recording. While Roger destroys what you know of guitar, Andrew activates an effect that treks us back to early Sci-fi-ville. “Black Satin” has ridged chopped guitar rhythms and a solo played in one of those unidentifiable modes that Roger masters. Then he tops it off with tooting melodies out of an old cornet. Then it’s “HOV-1 Violator” (not “Fryolator”—though that would work too) with echo on a slide painting everything with crazy psychedelics until Larry breaks down the door with a heavy downbeat—then we’re off to the races with speedy riffs that seem to go where ever Roger’s fingers feels like running. They encore with Sid Barrett’s “Lucifer Sam” and the familiar phrase, “That cat’s something’ I can’t explain” has everyone in the joint rockin’ nostalgic. It breaks down to the point where Roger is done and Andrew’s sci-fi effects beep and bop as Larry dissolves the tide into a puddle, leaving Roger proudly smiling with the realization that this feels like a real band, not a solo project, that is headed into the future.
I look around the room at the many Boston rock notables and get quotes from as many as I can… Bill T. Miller: Bounced down off the wet streets of Allston Rock City into Wayne’s basement of lost nostalgia into a sonic delusion of Roger’s micro-dot dreams in sync with Larry’s pounding groovz with Andrew’s Longhorn bass while the crack in the wall taunted me to enter the vortex of dimension of T Max’s fabled land of pyramid excursions. Eric Van: Opener “Misunderstanding the Time” is a contender for Roger’s best non-Burma guitar song—a great way to start. “Living By Flashlight” is very Barrettesque. I wonder if Roger thinks so. Roger’s reply: “Never occurred to me but he’s always in the back of my mind.” Wayne Valdez: My fave part was when Roger was shredding and dipping into psychedelia. Bob Colby: I’m fascinated looking at that tube-shaped microphone (the Copperphone). Sheri Hausey: It’s exciting to see Roger doing noise on guitar (instead of the piano in Binary System) with different interplay with Larry. Greg Shea: Write it up as a smash. Roger shakes his nervousness and wows the crowd. Debra McLaughlin: There are so many facets of Roger’s projects—look at the range from Alloy Orchestra, Mission of Burma, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Trinary System, composing for an orchestra, and a night of surrealist games. Nick Moon: Songs so memorable that you swear you heard them before. And as far as the volume—it wasn’t terrible.
There you have it. Trinary System invades Store 54 and history rewinds to a new beginning. (T Max)
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THE JON BUTCHER AXIS
Celebrating the Music of Jimi Hendrix
Larcom Theatre, Beverly, MA 4/26/14If you haven’t ever been to the Larcom Theatre in Beverly to see a show, I suggest that you do as soon as possible. It is a beautifully restored theater that originally opened in 1912. The venue is bright and clean and the sound is tremendous. Everything about the theater is welcoming and pleasant.
Jon opens with the national anthem, rolls into “Spanish Castle Magic” and on to “The Wind Cries Mary.” A solid version of “Manic Depression” comes along next. It’s a fine version but I find myself missing Jimi’s manic guitar playing, as Jon favors a more refined style for this song. The band’s interpretation of “Little Wing” is fabulous, made even better by a bass solo which brings to mind Pink Floyd’s “One of These Days.” In my opinion, “Foxy Lady” is maybe the one misstep of the night. The cheesy, funked-up version they play is a little kitschy for my taste. They roll on through the set of classics clearly enjoying every moment—and they should. I can’t imagine what would be more fun than jamming through a set of Jimi Hendrix classics. And as an audience member—when would I ever get to see a band as accomplished as the Jon Butcher Axis take a swing at these tracks. I’ve spent a lifetime watching crappy bar bands destroy these songs. What a treat to see them given the respect that they deserve. They absolutely rip through an hour and a half of Jimi Hendrix’s greatest hits. Jon’s reputation as a tremendous guitarist precedes him and he is more than up to the task of taking on the works of the most venerated guitarist in rock history. “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Purple Haze,” Crosstown Traffic,” “Fire,” and “Wild Thing” close out the night with a bang. (George Dow)
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JOHNNY A.
Record release party for Driven
Sculler’s Jazz Bar, Boston, MA 6/11/14Although this gig is billed as a record release party, it is also a public lesson in guitar playing and making a four- piece band sound like the footsteps of Agamemnon. For the past few decades, starting with The Streets, then Hidden Secret, Hearts On Fire, and stints directing both Peter Wolf and Derek & The Dominos legend Bobby Whitlock’s bands: there is at least one thing you can expect and count on from Mr. A.’s guitar sound: his love for The Beatles and for Jimi Hendrix will be audibly evident and mixed with his own expertise, will enthrall and impress everyone with ears.
The set starts with long-time DJ legend Carter Alan announcing the show. Johnny mentions a bit later that Carter first started playing his music back in the late ’70s at WMBR; M.I.T’s great college station. He verbally appreciates that Carter continued this trend during his almost twenty years at WBCN and now continues it by his just airing the new release over the air at WZLX.
Johnny sits on a stool with four thin wooden feet and starts to play. The songs that mesmerize me and the audience tonight from his new release Driven are: “A Mask You Wear” with its great George Harrison-sounding slide guitar, his opener “Ghost,” “From A Dark Place,” “Out Of Nowhere” with more Harrison-like slide, “Gone… (Like A Sunset),” and “C’mon C’mon.” The stunning band includes second guitarist Greg Tawa, bassist Evan Coniglio, and drummer Marty Richards; and is phenomenal. Listen-ing to Greg’s beautiful chord’s and picking during the Fab Four’s “The Night Before” from Help is really cool, as are Richard’s crisp pounding and Evan’s thumping bass lines. Johnny introduces the psychedelic “Yes It Is” as the B-side of “Ticket To Ride” and his use of effects like the wah-wah pedal, reverb, delay, and an occasional octave pedal are tasty and spellbinding. I also love how this hard driving group plays like a whisper behind Johnny during “Superstition,” which is much more Jeff Beck than Stevie Wonder, and “Get Inside” the title song of his second album, where he includes a few measures of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” You don’t often hear great dynamics as part of a set these days. He throws in brief snippets of classic melodies a few times and the crowd goes nuts when he does his own “Jimi Jam” from One November Night and breaks into Led Zep’s “Whole Lotta Love.” What’s REALLY cool is how Johnny ends this cover with the opening six notes of Jimi’s “Star Spangled Banner,” and I’m left with a taste of “Ooooh Say Can You See…” in my mind as the amps get quiet and the tune terminates. Hearing The Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” done by this guitar virtuoso is a real treat. My mind nearly explodes when right in the middle of a very jazzy version of The Allman Brothers’ “You Don’t Love Me” he does a few measures of Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water” and then goes right back into The Allman Brothers but with a Wes Montgomery slant. About two hours and seventeen instrumentals later, the festivity may be over but the stunning discourse remains; there are not many other guitarists alive who play with the same passion, creativity, and dexterity that Johnny does. What a guitarist. What a band. What a night. (A.J. Wachtel)
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SAL BAGLIO/
ANNIE KEITHLINE
Right Turn, Arlington, MA 5/10/14The inimitable Sal Baglio does a lot of fidgeting during these rare performances, where he gathers some of the premier talent of Boston to adorn his meticulously crafted pop songs. Away from his legendary Stompers, Mr. Baglio’s solo repertoire cannot be put on a shelf. And despite the single rehearsal he puts this night’s performers through, only Baglio can hear the stuff that bugs him. Such is the burden of perfection. This speaks to the heart of the great progressive songwriters of any dynamic musical age. That Mr. Baglio can somehow summon Sam Cooke, Brian Wilson, Ray Davies, and Ray Charles into the swirl of his influences and still arrive quickly before them at his own doorstep of invention is something joyous and alarming to behold. Joyous because the melodies possess a mystery of chords that beg for a hundred repeated listening’s; alarming because his songs awaken us from the slumber of sameness to which today’s generic pop music has so numbed us. But first…
The Right Turn in Arlington is an intimate place to hear such beautifully crafted and performed songs. It is more than a concert venue. As CEO and Founder Woody Geissmann says, “Anyone with a desire for artistic expression, recovery from substance dependence and the support of a kindred community will feel welcome here.” So people come here with their hearts full of something else other than fist pumping and recycled riffs. It is with this spirit and generosity that Sal introduced Annie Keithline for a brief opening set.
Clearly nervous and unaccustomed to the stage, Ms. Keithline informed me, “The songs I’ve been playing recently I mostly wrote while walking from Massachusetts to Florida to California. I sometimes played for people who let me stay with them, if they asked. But mostly I just played by myself wherever I was.” With her nylon stringed guitalele and a whisper in her voice, she opened with “The Holy Mountain”: “Do you wish to hear with me the songs of his sparrows / Do you wish to feel with me the bite of his arrows / In that place, way up high, / On the Holy Mountain.” Quiet in the extreme, the song was stunning. The melody was complex and gorgeous, exploring chord extensions and risking everything for the lyric. Two more songs, “Spring on the Delta” and “Living on the Interest,” completed a very short set, but left the impression of a bright, adventurous songwriter, a fellow traveller—literally and figuratively—and an interesting talent we should all hope to see again.
In contrast to Keithline’s fragile voice, Mr. Baglio’s incantations, the four part harmony, the grinding bass vile chords by Annie’s father, Jeff Keithline, and the heavy toms by drummer Jon Cohan, lifted Rolf Harris’s “Sunrise” as the gospel light that shone upon what would be a set of tunes special for those who have come to know this performer’s capacity to surprise. Sal Baglio (guitar and lead vocals) is also joined by the fabulous Bird Mancini— Billy Carl Mancini (guitar and vocals), Ruby Bird (accordion, melodica, harmonica, percussion, glockenspiel, and vocals), and the elegant Erica Rodney (vocals). As I said, though Baglio fidgeted, he and his band do not disappoint. The rest of Baglio’s set consists of ten stunning originals, most of them new, all of them sounding familiar by virtue of what makes good writing accessible: risk, wit, and mystery.
Song after song crackles with the crisp playing of the entire band. It is nice to see Billy Carl not have to play three guitar parts at once and instead supply the nuanced fills, leads and counterpoints that beautifully decorate Baglio’s songs, especially “Water Colours”—a glorious XTC-like pop ode to a heart-of-many-colors in love: “Some see art in a gallery/ Some on a motel wall/ Some believe in Jesus Christ/ Others in John and Paul/ She believes in a velvet kiss/ And the sun shines on us all/ I paint her in water colours/ Each day in the afternoon/ Apple, red, and yellow orange / Water colours sure look good on you.”
On “Butterfly Twins,” perhaps the night’s most sonically tempered song, Ruby Bird’s accordion, her vocals and those of Erica Rodney, combine with Baglio’s to make the solemnity of the words recall a more terrifying memory of beauty and innocence: “Do you remember when they were young and pretty/ The farm outside of town they called home/ In the hall/ The alcohol/ The pinning of pretty things/ And butterfly wings/ On the wall.”
This is the great thing about smart pop—it never lets you off the hook. And I’m not just talking about Sal’s penchant for writing catchy tunes. As Aristotle once said: “Spectacle without cerebration is candy floss.” Actually, I said that. But a tale of woe chasing a melody or three is often just the thing for you and me. Case in point is Baglio’s homage to Bill Haley—“Black Windows.” Apparently at the end of his days, when the clock struck twelve, Mr. Haley went insane and painted his windows to block out the world. While that’s not funny, what inspired Baglio to write this is the universal desire we all have to, on occasion, block out the windows. Yeah, I know, nobody will boogey to that.
Finally, the performance of “The Boy with the Amplifier Head,” from his box of lo-fi miniature song masterpieces, Memory Theatre, always tears me in two. As a teacher I had to intervene with the culture of bullying for my entire career, and no song captures the oddness of its cruelty better than this tune: “He was the kind of kid in the neighbor hood/ He was always told that he was no good/ And everybody let him know it/ When he went to school, you see/ The kids there would not let him be/ They would make him grovel and cry/ Everybody knows the Emperor’s got no clothes/ But nobody really wants to see/ The boy with the amplifier head/ Everybody thought that he was born that way/ When they shut him down/ He made that awful sound.”
Noisy or quiet, aggressive or restrained, Sal Baglio and his ensemble never deceive the melodies he writes, nor the delicate subject matter, which make these rare “solo” performances even more special. Baglio may fidget during these performance, but I’m certain a lot of us fidget for more. (Ed Morneau)
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THE COWSILLS
The Lynn Auditorium, Lynn, MA 5/17/14Rhode Island’s first family of rock, The Cowsills, are back in town at an oldies show and ironically enough have two next-generation members in their family band. Bob’s son Ryan is now on keys, and Paul’s son Brendan is on electric guitar. Welcoming two talented members of the next generation at an oldies show: I love it. Susan on acoustic guitar and vocals, along with Bob also on vocals and acoustic guitar, and Paul on vocals, are the last of the original siblings still in the group. They do their own hits “Hair,” “The Rain, the Park and Other Things,” “Indian Lake” (Paul introduced this tune saying “older brother Billy HATED this song until he heard that Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys loved it; then he loved it too!” as the packed house laughed), “We Can Fly” and the TV theme for “Love American Style”; and their incredible five-part harmonies are just out of this world. On songs like CSN’s “Helplessly Hoping,” The Mamas and The Papas’ “Monday Monday,” Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer,” and even Paul singing lead on The Partridge Family’s “I Think I Love You” (an inside joke the crowd appreciates. The Partridge family was based on The Cowsill family) their instinctual, always perfect harmonies make me think this group should be considered one of the Modern Wonders of the World. Powerful pounder Russ Broussard and bassist Mary Lassaigne are the only band members without the last name Cowsill onstage in tonight’s seven-piece band. Susan’s “Just Believe It,” brother Bill’s Americana “Deliver Me” and Brother Barry’s “River Of Love” are all great original compositions that the crowd loves. It’s almost like The Cowsills are playing to a packed house of friends and relatives and this feeling adds to the good feeling during their show. Also in the oldies show is the non-local Jay & The Americans who are still a tight band and do a bunch of recognizable hits including “She Cried,” “Cara Mia” and “This Magic Moment” and the audience is singing along to all of their songs. The Brooklyn Bridge do a bunch of doo-wop classics including “Lonely Teardrops,” “16 Candles,” and The Platter’s “My Prayer” and I’m standing offstage loving it. All three bands are red hot and it’s cool to see a show like this every once in a while to keep my ears in perspective. Music from another era I am enjoying a lot in the present. (A.J. Wachtel)
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CLASSIC RUINS/
FRANK ROWE
In A Pig’s Eye, Salem MA 5/23/14I’m back at the Pig and here to do another group review—that means getting the audience to contribute to what I’m jotting down in my notebook. At 9:15 Frank Rowe, leader of the Classic Ruins, straps on a resonator guitar and approaches the mic. He holds one long vocal note, basically getting all 24 people in the room to realize the entertainment portion of the night has begun. The long note slips right into a song about a pub performance and how buying beer keeps the whole economy of the night rolling—all to the tune of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The volume’s low on Frank’s voice and the natives are restless as the bubbly Marianne Palmer asks, “Where is Chuck Barris [The Gong Show]?” By the time Frank pushes the gain on the vocals, singin’ “Dogs begin to bark all over my neighborhood” from Jeff Beck’s “I Ain’t Superstitious,” the crowd starts settling in. After a suitcase song and one about a pet tarantula, Frank is ready to invite the other two thirds of Classic Ruins on to the stage to beef up the proceedings.
He switches to his cool-looking Epiphone Wildkat and “I Can’t Spell Romance” gets the Ruins rolling. Immediately I get a clever response from the guy sitting behind me—who happens to be Bob Cenci (Jerry’s Kids)—who quips, “They could improve on that song if they tried to spell romance, and got it wrong.” He spells out, “WRO—MANCE.” My response is, “How ‘bout ROWE—MANZ?” In “Rocco’s Wake,” bassist Carl Biancucci turns up the heat with his explosive Jack Bruce-type fills hammering up and down the neck. Artist Sue Grillo plops herself in front of me and proclaims, “Carl is a bad ass mofo bass player.” Drummer Dave Kowalchek (The Time Beings/ Muscle Cah) is solely responsible for keeping the downbeat—his black wife-beater exposes a lot of tats. When Frank introduces a song by a great 1990’s songwriter, Bob Cenci perks up again, noting that Dylan’s “Highway 61” wasn’t written in the ’90s. Chalk that up to Frank’s sense of humor. George Hall (Kingsley Flood) scribbles out a whole paragraph on a napkin that reads—“Frank is the best kind of documentary songwriter. His secret weapon is brevity, a bone-dry New England wit, and a deep understanding of rock ’n’ roll fundamentals.” Classic Ruins run through Terry Brenner’s request for “He’s Got It,” “Slow Down,” and an instrumental version of The Beatles’ “Please Please Me.” Drummer Dave’s wife, Michelle, says with her Australian accent, “Nothing’s loud here and people will get up and dance.” She’s adds, “It’s purer.” The band cruises through the “Peter Gunn Theme,” The Beatles “Bad Boy,” and the well-suited Cream classic “I’m So Glad.” In the audience, harp player John Devine adds, “I love Frank’s songs. I was a big punk guy—he plays it well, with his own signature.” John’s wife, Peg, admits, “I’m a child of the ’70s and it’s not my genre, but I appreciate the diversity on Derby Street.”
With his 1960’s Fender Esquire strapped on, Frank starts the third set with a Lawrence Welk introduction. By now the patrons are wobbling, Sarah the bartender is cleaning up empties, and Marianne Palmer and Paula Worsley have been designated the official go-go girl dancers for the band. Frank tries to put one over on us when he brags, “Last time we played this, I got compliments on my vocals,” and the Ruins proceed with an instrumental. I’d still like to know if he writes the lyrics or the words first. The band goes for few sloppy seconds including another attempt at spelling romance, and then they finally do my favorite, “Geraldine.” I ask about the wacky time signature of the song and Frank says it’s in 16/16. The room starts thinnin’ (maybe spinnin’ too) as Paula leaves us with the last word—”My favorite bar, my favorite band.” (T Max)
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DIGNEY FIGNUS
Smokin’ Joe’s BBQ, Brighton, MA 5/29/14Dig no longer is a new wave artist and is now into Americana/folk/pop rock; and he puts on a great show. In a purple shirt and acoustic guitar, Digney leads his quartet through two seventy-five minute sets that showcase songs from all of his career; along with a few very well done covers. Backing him are Chris Leadbetter on harmonies, guitars, lap steel, and mandolin. Most of the song’s solos are done on mandolin by this virtuoso and this is different and very cool. Russell Lane on drums and local legend Wolf Ginandes on bass. Songs I really like tonight are: “Gone Little Sister,” and “Fallin’ For You” from his 2006 album Trouble on the Levee, “Never Mention My Name” and “No Worry For The Berry” from his 2008 album Talk of the Town, “High Heeled Shoes” from his 2011 album Last Planet on the Left and a ska-version of his ’80s Columbia Records mega-hit “Girl With The Curious Hand.” I also dig two new songs of his he introduces as “Margarita and Juan” and “She’s Good Lookin’ .” In both sets, he occasionally does a cover Digney Americana/folk style: “Fisherman’s Blues” by The Waterboys, Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” and The Stones’ “Spider and the Fly.” A lot of fun tonight seeing Digney and his band. (A.J. Wachtel)
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CAT SOUNDS/
RUBIN BETTSAK (Guillermo Sexo)/
THE WRONG SHAPES/
LEESA COYNE (Naked on Roller Skates)/
SLANT OF LIGHT/
KINGDOM OF LOVE/
ERIC WAXWOOD (Sugar Blood Jinx)
Bo & Rachel’s House Concert, Somerville, MA 6/8/14I luckily spot this invite to a Sunday afternoon house concert in Medford—no it’s not Medford? It’s Somerville—who knows where the town lines are drawn? Edible treats are on the kitchen table and it’s a BYOB affair. Warm tones of red and orange soak the performance area where 12 members of the audience sit comfortably and more peek in via the kitchen—there’s a feeling of comfort and friendly excitement in the air.
Eric Waxwood (who plays every Sunday at the Independent with Sugar Blood Jinx) sits facing the audience with his metal resonator guitar with little F holes and knocks out some authentic old time Delta blues. He covers Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, and does one tune in Hokum Style (dirty and vulgar) called “Gimme Some Of.” Linda Viens asks out loud, “When is that from?” “1932,” Eric responds. He’s flashy and slippery with his own originals “Loose Like We Used to Do” and “Under Heavy Water.” Eric is a great player that can keep the excitement up—and I love his goat beard.
Kingdom of Love, the duo of Richard Lamphear and Linda Viens stand before their listeners and dish out cool interplay of vocal melodies, always mixing it up between unison, harmonies, octaves, and echoing lines. “Solitair” starts with the chords of “A Space Oddity,” then the two trade lines throughout, repeating the refrain “Don’t forget to Tell Me.” “My Lady Day” uses counter vocal melodies and then join together on the line, “Oh, don’t go away.” It’s a new modern type of folk rock that is friendly and easy on the ears.
Slant of Light fills the room next—they’re a three-piece with banjo, guitar, and standup bass, and most importantly they all sing. Tight three-part harmony fills the living room—and so does the standup bass. They play short songs that tend to end abruptly—showing that they’re well rehearsed. They cover Cake’s “Stickshifts and Saftybelts” with the funny chorus, “I need you to be here with me, not way over in a bucket seat.” The trio has a folk feel that mixes half the time with more of a Grateful Dead sound minus the jams. They display their 12” vinyl sleeve jacket as if it’s a drum head with a logo on it. “Business” (Mississippi Hurt) is the one that really catches my ear with it’s slap bass and interesting lyrics that grow out of “Ain’t no body’s business how my baby treats me.”
Leesa Coyne follows with her soulful vocals and a style that runs from folk to blues to acoustic rock. It’s her voice that really hold your attention—she’s in league with Adele—but Leesa carries an underground cred that would fit more in a pub with a bunch of drinkers getting rowdy. Leesa (a member of Naked on Roller Skates) asks some other members of the band to join her but they are instrument-less—and she can carry the show alone anyway. She picks up the entertainment by sharing a story of a recent breakup. Instead of going whacky on the guy, she put the energy into a song and got a real keeper with “F**king in Your Sheets.” That’s how she’s going to pay him back—and return his used sheets after she’s done.
The hosts of the day, Bo and Rachel Barringer, make up the next act that steps up the presentation. The Wrong Shapes incorporate an acoustic guitar, a cello (with loops), generated beats, and vocal effects, all adding up to a full band sound of modern rock from this good looking duo. Their first song “Right Man” ends with the cello purposely degenerating in sound quality, adding to the creative aspects already established. For “Gonna Be Right” the cello loops a bass pattern that the two can play off of. Bo’s low effected vocals on “I Put A Spell on You” add creepiness to a familiar witchy tune, that they’ve further mangled into a dark cha cha. I like. Rachel, frustrated with a pre-amp rips it out of her effects chain saying, “I’m taking this piece of crap out of the loop.” Bo responds, “It’s only $300.” They end with a punish refrain of “Alright alright” and Rachel displays a nifty little harmonic solo that loops into the mix. This duo is refreshing.
Rubin Bettsak of Guillermo Sexo plays solo next with a hard banging right hand on his acoustic guitar that takes on many different open tunings. “Revolutionary Earthworm” came to him when he read a sign on an old building—but he read it wrong—it was Earthworks. Did I say this guy chops hard on his guitar? Most of his songs are filled with inventive chords that sometimes include droning bass strings. He sings deliberately and focuses the movement of his songs on that right hand rhythmic chop. He end with “Transformation”—one long drone of alternate tuned chords. I can see how the extra colors a band would provide would flush these songs out.
Last up for the day is photographer Mary Flatley on bass and Curtis Wyant on acoustic guitar. They call themselves Cat Sounds and sing some fun pop songs. The audience responds with lots of meowing. This duet has a gentle sound reminiscent of the ’70s chart-topping band Bread. Mary’s bass is smooth and rhythmic and Curtis has a very gentle way of presenting his vocals. They mention that they usually have a trumpet, keys, and drums in the band—now that would totally transform what’s being displayed today. They end with a wonderful pop song called “I Love You” that has some super Paul McCartney quality melodies and harmonies.
This house concert added up to a quality Sunday of music and people. (T Max)
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MICHELLE WILLSON
The Beehive, The South End Boston, MA 5/22/14The Beehive is a good example of what is happening on the local scene today. New clubs aren’t opening up much anymore because of high insurance costs, antiquated state blue laws, and angry neighbors. The new phenomena in the Boston scene is restaurants already armed with food and entertainment licenses are pushing tables back at 9pm, and inviting bands to help them increase their bottom line during this recession. The Beehive is a high-end restaurant bar in my South End neighborhood within walking distance of my house and I am looking forward to hearing this very talented R&B/blues band while I sit comfortably eating and drinking at a table. This is a great atmosphere to hear “Evil Gal” Michelle Willson, and seeing an after-dinner show makes me feel like I’m in Vegas waiting for the Rat Pack to appear onstage. Standing in front of two downstairs rooms filled with tables covered in white tablecloths and candlesticks, the band starts and I listen to two cool sets of Dinah Washington and Ruth Brown-inspired swing and jump blues. Guitarist Mike Mele, with his big hollow body jazz guitar, bassist Sven Larson, and local legend Seth Pappas on drums, back up Michelle’s awesome vocals. My foot can’t stop tapping along with Dinah’s “Fat Daddy,” “Fortune Cookie” the title track from their last live at Sculler’s CD, and “Hallelujah, I Love Him So,” a Ray Charles cover that shakes the roof. I also love when they do “Summertime,” the George and Ira Gershwin song from the opera Porgy and Bess. “It’s to kick off the Summer,” Michelle smiles at the audience. How many bands play music like this anymore? Not enough. Great music in a great place. (A.J. Wachtel)
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BRENDA McMORROW/
JOHN de KADT
Crowell Chapel, Manchester MA 5/31/14It’s hard to believe that last night I was enjoying a blasting noise fest in Allston and tonight I am in a chapel about to take in my first sample of kirtan—a peaceful but joyous call-and-response chanting of mantras and hymns. It is a major practice in Vaisnava devotionalism, Sikhism, the Sant traditions, and some forms of Buddhism. For a rock reference to this kind of music, see Kula Shaker, who had a number one British release in 1996 titled simply K—their song “Govinda” is sung totally in Sanskrit.
At the front of the chapel sits four performers. From left to right are Richard Davis (lead guitar), John de Kadt (percussion/voice), Brenda McMarrow (rhythm guitarist/ lead vocalist) and Irene Soléa (harmonizing vocals). Brenda sets a peaceful tone and John adds a short history of kirtan—how this form of playing and dancing our way to God spread all over India. We start with a long “om” then it’s into the first chant that honors Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of Abundance. The repetitive melody of Jai Ma (literal translation: victory) rolls on and on, building to a peak, then brakes down where John speaks, “In the end all that matters is how much we gave and how much we loved.” The piece ends gently and then to my surprise it’s as if a giant vacuum sucks all sound out of the room for a good minute—people fall into meditative state of blissful emptiness or abundance (depending on how you’d like to look at it). John puts his hand drums down and moves from his chair to the floor where an object sits before him that looks like the base of a legless upside-down round barbecue unit. It’s an inverted steel drum that he proceeds to play with a melodic flair. Another chant is repeated for eight to ten minutes and then it’s back to silence. These songs have an appeal similar to the endings of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” or “Hello Goodbye”—long and somewhat simple repetitive phrases that everyone can join in on easily and raise the overall effect of the music on the entire group. Brenda says she chants to get to the time of silence, then opens a direct channel to the divine, originally written in old German—”Om Namah Shivaya”—for another round. Irene Soléa, the harmonizing vocalist, has this beautiful way of expressing her singing with simple hand movements and a smile that can only come from someone totally at peace with themselves and the world in the moment. She sings lead in one verse in the Rumi poem “Oh Beloved.” Richard adds delicate guitar melodies when he is nodded to—this is not a rehearsed music—he has pages of notes on the floor to follow his way through the chants. This is the first sacred music event at the Crowell Chapel. Brenda is headed to India and Puru. They complete the evening with a lullaby to the divine mother—“Bliss Filled Mother,” a slow soft chant that John adds his warm gentle words to. Then it’s a big om in octaves and unison—and the final parting words… “I honor the place in you that holds the universe—namaste.” (T Max)
…
EZEKIEL’S WHEELS/
ALBA’S EDGE
Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 6/01/14Ezekiel’s Wheels is a Klezmer band and when I first hear them I start to grin widely. They are all first-rate musicians and they remind me right off the bat of Fiddler on the Roof music. Think “If I Were a Rich Man,” and then suddenly mid-song, the clarinet, two fiddles, upright bass, and trombone start going avant jazz for a bunch of measures and then go back to the original melody later in the song. Very interesting and a lot going on in terms of creativity and arrangements onstage right now. Nat Seelen on clarinet, Peter Fanelli on trombone, Kirsten Lamb on bass, and Abigale Reisman and Dr. Jon Cannon on violins play so well together even though in each song there are periods where they are all going off in their own directions! They sound like The Klezmatics and I laugh out loud when I hear them start to do Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” and later Britney’s “Crazy.” Their originals “Moldovan Wedding,” from their 2012 EP and “Honga” from last year’s CD Transported are also very good and creative.
Alba’s Edge draws mainly from Scottish and Irish traditional music with all-original, layered arrangements using jazz, latin, and funk influences. In other words—original jazz with folk sensibilities merged with traditional Celtic melodies. Neil Pearlman is on piano, Lilly Pearlman on fiddle, Charles Berthoud on bass, and Jacob Cole on drums. Neil’s “The Sordid Life of Scientists,” “Blue Graze,” and the opening song “For Grada” are the names of a few of their original parts incorporated into the traditional tunes. I’m having a blast in Harvard Square listening to the creativity of a bunch of young artists and I remind myself how great our diversified music scene really is. (A.J. Wachtel)
…
HDRNB
The Cavern, Plymouth, MA 6/14/14According to Mapquest, I walk 1,536 miles tonight, even though in reality it’s only three blocks. I double check, because I think I somehow ended up at DBA on Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, but in reality I am in downtown Plymouth at one of my favorite hangs, The Cavern, where I’m about to immerse myself in the N’awlins funk and R&B of HDRNB, aka The Henley Douglas Rhythm & Blues Band.
If you’ve seen and heard these guys play, then you already know what kind of night I going to have. They are about as good as it gets when you want some down and dirty Pontchartrain funk. The band features the smooth but in-your-face vocals of Douglas Gimbel and funk sax hero Henley Douglas, as the more than capable frontmen, with a rhythm section that would have made Stax Records proud—Dave Walker on bass and John Iltis behind the kit. The guitar duties are left up to Charlie O’Neal and Eric Reardon who trade off leads and rhythms on more than one occasion while bringing the songs to atmospheric levels. Squantch on trombone adds the final touch of N’awlins seasoning. If you ever get the hankerin’ to visit southwest Louisiana but are stuck locally, find this band and make haste to a watering hole near you, and while you’re at it, grab an Abita or two! (Mark Bryant)
…
EARTH HEART/
JARVA LAND
Sweetree Ink, Watertown, MA 6/7/14Tonight I’m off to the Spring Spectrum Art closing party, an art exhibit/rock show at Sweetree Ink in Watertown, the gallery/studio of partners Dave Tree and Tyler Sweet. The place is adorned from ceiling to floor with artwork of all kinds. One wall is covered with original silk screen T-shirts—Dave’s forte. Pacing the floor is Luche, a white Siberian husky, who is getting attention from everyone she passes. As I make my way through the somewhat narrow confines of the room, free Pabst Blue Ribbon is flowing and people gather around the exhibits. It’s always good to see artist Alvan Long in attendance.
Besides the aformentioned Dave Tree, tonight’s party features four young female artists—two are in bands that will perform. The first artist I speak to, Antonia Villa, works with fractals. She explains it’s mixed media work that has to do with the interaction between surfaces. For a more detailed explanation you can look her up on the web. The work is very textural and I want to touch it. Two very large matching pieces dominate her exhibit.
Katie Baker’s work seems almost familiar to me. She creates dimensional art as well, although its imagery and found pieces are more earthly than Antonia’s. There is a picture frame with a painting inside, and then objects in front of the painting flowing out and onto, or perhaps into the frame, defying the purpose of the frame itself. Katie Baker’s home page is on Twitter under snappybakes. Seeing a gallery with all this work can cause you to reconsider some of your own limitations.
When I walk into the studio there are hundreds of small pieces of cardboard hung from the ceiling throughout the room. This is artist Jessica Jarva’s exhibit. Upon a closer look they are miniature works of art. They hang from above because there is art on each side. Jessica says each two-sided piece is done on a separate day, and each is dated. They are very intricate, small, and detailed. I think of how many places around the house it would be cool to have one hanging. Jessica Jarva can be found on blogspot.com.
I was already familiar with and enamored of Katie Coriander’s paintings before attending tonight show. I had met her once at Curve of the Earth with her drawings. Katie works in bright, basic colors for the large part, and her painting sketches are often symbolic. I like them. She paints things that are personal to her, or what is right in front of her, such as a box of mac and cheese that has wonderful colors in it. Katie borrows her philosophy from the old adage D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself)—she calls it D.I.A. (Do It Anyway). Can’t play guitar, paint a picture, or write a song? Do it anyway! No one likes your music, your band, your drawings? Do it anyway! I love this concept. I’m adopting it. Much of her work can be seen on Facebook under thisluckybrush.
It’s time for the first band, Jarva Land, to go on. It features the young blonde artist Jessica Jarva who wears a jacket and tie, louvre glasses, and a painter’s hat emboldened with the F word. She looks like a cross between Deborah Harry and Marilyn Monroe. This works to her advantage as she cries out the stream-of-consciousness lyrics of her songs. Swinging around an imitation red Stratocaster, at times the music sounds like Velvet Underground, although it defies conventional form. Suddenly Dave Tree dims the lights and Jarva explodes with emotion in her performance, charging the audience with reaction. Jarva seems to write what she feels without filtering it through any particular song process. Find the music on Band Camp under jarvalandandco.
After a short intermission it’s time for Earth Heart, Katie Coriander’s band. Keep in mind that in both cases the bands consist of two people—the artists on guitar and vocals, and a drummer (Travis Long and John Glancy, respectively) playing a custom trap kit that consists of an eight-inch snare drum, a paint can, a tambourine, and a trap case.
The slender Katie hangs an infamous 1964 Fender Jaguar around her shoulder and begins by having Dave Tree sing a couple. Soon she on to her own rather pensive and brooding song. It is clear that she is a more experienced guitarist than Jessica, and the songs have more conventional form. She smiles while talking and introducing songs to the audience. A tune about the NSA has many pogoing in place. She’s feeling it, as are the spectators, then suddenly folds down to her knees, her white skirt billows around her as she jams out on the Jag. Her music reminds me at many times of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon. Katie is expressive, even taunting, working her eyes and smile to drive the song into the audience. Earth Heart can be heard on Band Camp under earthheart1. (Joey Ammo)
…
RANDY NEWMAN/
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON/
ELVIS COSTELLO/
ROSEANNE CASH/
ALLEN TOUSSAINT
PEN New England Song Lyrics Award for Literary Excellence
JFK Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA 6/2/14On a beautiful Monday afternoon in June I decide to fight my way through cross town traffic to see Randy Newman and Kris Kristofferson receive the PEN New England Song Lyrics Award for Literary Excellence at the JFK Presidential Library. After waiting in line for about an hour my singer/songwriter friend Craig Carter and enter the hall and sit behind the velvet rope. The first several rows are reserved for people with nicer clothes and hairstyles than us. We notice actor Chris Cooper sitting a few chairs away.
Elvis Costello is the funny and well-spoken master of ceremonies. He introduces T Bone Burnett who speaks reverentially and a little teary eyed about Kristofferson. Then Elvis, with his little Guild acoustic guitar in hand, and Roseanne Cash perform Kristofferson’s “Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” followed by a slightly shaky Kris on his well-worn gem “Me and Bobby McGee.” The audience is riveted and clearly touched.
Next up is long-time New Orleans session guy, pianist, and songwriter Allen Toussaint in his psychedelic blazer and white afro to perform Randy Newman’s classic “Louisiana 1927.” Randy Newman is blown away by this performance and mentions that he could never play those kind of elaborate, embellished chords. Newman then takes to the piano but has trouble adjusting his mic stand. He requests that a “gentile” come fix it but no one shows up. I overhear a sound tech guy say “We’re all Jewish here!” Randy stops several times in the middle of his rendition of “The World Isn’t Fair.” Seems he forgot the chords to his own song. It doesn’t matter—the audience is spellbound.
Boston rocker Peter Wolf reads letters and emails from the likes of James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and John Prine, all singing their praises for Mr. Newman’s abilities.
I run into several local Boston singer/songwriters as I head for the door, including Susan Cattaneo, Thea Hopkins, and Michael Borkson. We all agree that it was fun to sit in the same room and breath the same air as the big boys. It all had the feel of an elaborate open mic coffeehouse gig… no pretense and lots of talent. (Billy Carl Mancini)
…
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 these requests. The Noise has 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.
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Gigs
T Max has played more farmers markets The Beatles (this year). Thursday, August 2, 2018, 3-6pm – Medford Farmers Market, Condon Shell Park, 2501 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford MA Saturday, August 4, 2018, 11:00am-2:00pm – Chelmsford Farmers Market, 7 Academy St, On the Common, Chelmsford, MA. Tuesday, August 7, 2018, 7:00-8:00pm, Rowley Public Library, 141 Main St, Rowley MA Thursday, August 9, 2018, 6-7pm – Harbor Loop Concert, Waterfront Park, Gloucester, MA. Free outdoor show. Friday, August 24, 2018, 7:00-9:00pm … Read More >>
Upcoming Gigs
T MAX co-host the Julie Dougherty Open Mic on the last Wednesday of every month at the Salem, MA, VFW (95 Derby St.) Wednesday, Jan 31, 2018, 7:00-10pm, Julie Dougherty’s Open Mic (the last Wednesday of every month), featured artist Brian Corcoran, at THE SALEM VFW, 95 Derby St, Salem, MA – free admission – donation taken for the feature Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018, 7:00-10pm, Julie Dougherty’s Open Mic (the last Wednesday of every month), featured artist Lyle Brewer, at … Read More >>
T Max Tour
Sun OCT 1 SWAMPSCOTT Farmers Market 22 Monument Ave. 10am-1pm Fri OCT 6 REVERE Farmers Market 249 Broadway 12:30-4:30 Thurs OCT 12 WATERTOWN Farmers Market Arsenal on the Charles 2-6pm Wed Oct 18 LAWRENCE Farmers Market 155 Haverhill St, Lawrence MA Noon-2pm Sat OCT 21 WINCHESTER Farmers Market Town Common tween Laraway Rd, Church St, and Waterfield Rd 11:00-1:30pm Mon Oct 23 SO. BOSTON Farmers Market 446 W. Broadway noon-3:00 Wed Oct 25 SALEM MA Julie Dougherty’s Open Mic (co-host) … Read More >>
T Max Tour
In 2017 T Max was inducted into the Music Museum New England. Oedipus (WBCN) wrote these words about him… T Max, who in the local Boston rock scene doesn’t he know? A local renaissance man, T Max is a writer, publisher, musician, songwriter, producer, storyteller and visual artist. Beginning in 1981 T Max stapled together the first issue of The Noise, a fanzine that focused on the burgeoning local underground music scene, concentrating on bands in need of exposure beyond … Read More >>
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Erin Harpe
ERIN HARPE
& THE DELTA SWINGERSby A.J. Wachtel
For many decades, Boston’s music scene has been ahead of the curve in different genres including rock ’n’ roll, folk, punk, and new wave. Berklee College of Music attracts musicians from all over the world to study, and world class ensembles like the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops cover the classical and the orchestral sides of the panorama perfectly. But behind everything, and still standing as tall and as important and popular as ever, is the blues. One of the best blues bands around is Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers, who keep the flame alive and just keep getting better and better gig after gig.
Noise: Erin and Jim just got back from an acoustic blues duo tour of the U.K. in April and May. Tell me some of the high points and low points of your tour. How are audiences different in the U.K. than in New England? And who was the craziest character you met on tour?
Erin Harpe: Some high points: There we so many. Every host we had and venue were really great. We stayed with a fan and friend of my dad’s, Philip Ratcliffe, in Dunoon, Scotland. He featured us on his blues radio show and we also got two newspaper articles written about our gig, plus a photo shoot to promote our gig that week! There was a line out the door at the show! We were at his farm for several days, hung out with chickens, and checked out his guitar collection. We talked about Mississippi John Hurt (Philip wrote a book about him!). We also were hosted by Scottish bluesman/slide guitarist Dave Arcari in a great gig in a beautiful area in Scotland on Loch Lomond. Then there was the Isle of Mull! The Isle of Skye! I guess you could say the highlight was Scotland where it was sunny the whole time – unbelievable! All the parts of England we went to were very cool. Low points: the amount of whisky one is tricked into drinking, and driving a stick-shift the wrong way around a roundabout!
Jim Countryman: The acoustic blues duo tour was fantastic. I was apprehensive a bit to see what types of venues we would be playing. Our U.K. booking agent did a great job placing us in listening rooms and pubs where the gigs were so much fun. We had several sold out shows, including our second gig in London at Brooks Blues Bar where U.K. great harp player, Alan Glen, sat in with us for our two sets and was killer. He had been in The Yardbirds. The rest of the shows were packed—so surprising! We had a lot of people come out who are blues fans and are familiar with Erin or her dad Neil Harpe (Stella Guitars) so we had a built-in audience in most places. The best part of the whole trip was the quality of the music fans. They all were fans of delta blues and very informed. They loved Erin’s singing and finger-picked guitar playing. Erin and I have been developing our duo for the last year in prep for this tour. It doesn’t have a name yet. We were billing it as Erin Harpe’s Delta Blues Duo, but that may change. Erin plays all acoustic guitar and I play bass ukulele (U-Bass!), Erin also plays kazoo and a toe-fitted tambourine dubbed “toebourine.” A portion of our fans actually prefer the acoustic format so we will still continue to develop this side act with performances and recordings.
The craziest dude we met was a fan at a gig on the Isle of Skye. He was in his 50’s and was on the dance floor twerking along to our whole set. He also did a killer version of a U.K. police siren where he continually karate chopped his vocal cords with his hand while screaming like a banshee. We also met an elf of a mussel diver who was so drunk on single malt that he just stood near Erin during the break and breathed VERY hard on her neck, enough for her to ask: “Are you actually breathing on my neck?” His response in Scottish whisky slang: “Aye, I am!”
Low lights was the trial-by-fire driving in the U.K., Erin drove the whole time, over 3000 miles, I tried to work the Sat Nav (GPS) and keep Erin on the left side of the road. The Sat Nav pretty much got us lost going to each gig and we had no smart phone with a data plan so there was no other way to check out where the clubs were. The roads in Scotland were often single lane with a 60 mph speed limit and if someone is coming the other way, you just have to pull over—crazy with all of the blind turns and cliffs, actually very scary! We need to have better Internet next time. The U.S. is surprisingly ahead of the U.K. in this department. We only got pulled over once for going through a red light and so far have only been charged $175 in damages for the rental car scratches. We will see if that figure goes up. They have access to my credit card and can charge what they want.
The big difference in the type of fans was that people seemed like they were true fans of the genre, sort of like the sports followers in Boston, but for old delta blues music —they were fanatics—not just out to get wasted and Go Bruins, but Go Memphis Minnie! I thought it was a hoax at first, but they were sincere and bought merch!
Noise: You won the 2012 Boston Music Award for Blues Artist of the Year. Does winning a BMA have any concrete gains to it, or is it more about bragging rights?
Erin: I think that the Boston Music Award makes us stand out just a little bit. To a new club you’re looking to play or to a potential concert-goer that may not have heard of you, it’s like, “maybe they’re good.” There is so much these days competing with people’s attention, and they want to be convinced. Why would I like this band? Why should I leave my house? That’s how I feel like it is in America. In the U.K., from the perspective of this tour, people seem to love live acoustic music, which is what we were hoping! Our last gig was on a Monday night, which we were very skeptical about, but it was packed! It was a very cool venue, a farm-to-table store/restaurant that had music.
Jim: Nothing really has come about because of this. The crowds at our gigs are the same, and the venues are the same. When Lovewhip (Erin and Jim’s side project) won a BMA in 2004, we were able to land a deal with a booking agent who was then able to get us paid gigs regularly. I don’t think awards really do anything anymore, the most important thing is to always keep developing your fan base and keeping that connection going. Playing to the academy seems to bring crickets these days in Boston.
Bob Nisi: It was more of a bragging rights deal I suppose, but we may have gotten more high profile gigs out of it.
Noise: You were International Blues Challenge semi-finalists in 2011 and 2013, and in 2010 and 2012 you were the Boston Blues Challenge Competition winners. When you were competing in the international blues challenge were other artist’s impressions of the New England music scene mostly fact or fiction? And are their struggles similar to the difficulties you see locally?
Erin: Most musicians I talk to in Memphis or the U.K. or anywhere really are faced with the same thing —the difficulty of doing it all yourself and not making much money. It’s everywhere!
Jim: I often had to educate people when we were in Memphis as to the great rock history in Boston. No one seemed to know how rich and diverse the music scene in Boston was and in some ways still is. Some of the older blues guys knew Bonnie Raitt got her start here. After hanging out with Rosy for the last four years and listening to the stories of Boston’s blues past, you would think this town would still be on top of the blues scene. It must have been so exciting back in the ’70s and ’80s for both blues and rock.
It seems like music everywhere is decreasing in importance though, so the problem is not Boston specific. Hopefully, things will come around to live music again. They sure do like live music in the U.K.
Bob: Most artists were curious about the scene in Boston and compared it to their own. Some sounded similar to Boston with minor differences— the same struggles really… “keeping the blues alive” in a constantly changing music scene.
Noise: Erin, your dad, Neil Harpe, is a known guitarist and you recently released a CD with him called Delta Blue Duets. What was it like recording with him and playing live with him?
Erin: Delta Blues Duets was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I had been offered two days for free in a studio. We rehearsed some songs we play together, went in to record the next day, and mixed the second day. So far, my dad’s joined us onstage once (my birthday last year), and it was great. He knows most of my Delta Blues material, and he’s got some incredible acoustic guitar counterparts he plays to what I’m playing on electric guitar.Noise: With a last name Harpe, why don’t you play the harp?
Erin: I really should have been an auto-harpest. If I’d been a boy, my name apparently would have been Otto Harpe. [laughs]
Noise: Where does your unique finger picking style come from and who were your guitar influences?
Erin: There are all the delta blues guitar players I grew up with—my dad and the people he played with—Eleanor Ellis and Rick Franklin, and other local guitarists like John Cephas, Warner Williams, and Archie Edwards, that were all a big influence on me. I was also really into Bonnie Raitt, Rory Block, and most especially, Memphis Minnie. There are so many others that I love for blues guitar! Tommy Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, Robert Johnson, all the Johnsons… and lots of other delta blues from my dad’s record collection. Then later, I got into everything else besides blues, afropop and reggae, disco, etc.
Noise: You have been recognized along with Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Shemekia Copeland, Rory Block, and Ana Popovic in 2013’s 30 Women Burning Up The Blues in the Alternate Root Magazine, and your soulful vocal style has been compared to Memphis Minnie, Bessie Smith, and early Bonnie Raitt. Are these comparisons fair?
Erin: Growing up, Bonnie Raitt, Memphis Minnie, and Bessie Smith were my favorites, so it’s always nice to hear that I sound like my idols! Other singers I love who were a big influence are: Koko Taylor, Phoebe Snow, Tom Waits, Billie Holiday, and let’s just throw in a little Debbie Harry (Blondie), and Diana Ross.
Noise: Rosy, you have a long history performing in the international blues scene and you are a partner in the VizzTone label group. You also owned blues label Tone-Cool for 20 years. How did you get involved with these youngsters?
Rosy Rosenblatt: I first saw and heard Erin online, and I realized right away that she had something unique—she was playing and singing great classic delta blues, but with a very contemporary attitude. She was obviously an extremely accomplished singer and guitarist, but soon I realized that her personality and stage presence transcended even the very cool music she was playing. If my many years on the record side of the music biz have done anything, they’ve made me very picky about female vocalists and, if I may say so, a pretty good judge of star quality. I saw that in Erin, so of course I kept stalking her until she put me in her band. I told her we should tighten up the band, win the Boston Blues Challenge, and then go on to play in front of my blues industry buddies at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. So far, all of that has gone according to plan. The next stage of the plan is to record and release a killer record, and proceed toward world domination. We’ll keep you posted on that.
Noise: What other artists are you checking out today?
Erin: There’s this band called Lovewhip. I really dig the blonde guitar player! [laughs] Kidding aside, Streight Angular are really fun, I also like Tallahassee. There’s lots of great blues I dig locally, including Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, Gracie Curran & the High Falutin’ Band, and the Ten Foot Polecats.
Jim: I like the Ten Foot Pole Cats, Sonny Jim Clifford’s rare solo performances. What I really want to see is an accordion led polka/ska band that performs drinking songs. [laughs]
Bob: So many, but I like 10 Foot Polecats, Coyote Kolb, Gracie Curran & High Falutin’ Band, and Peter Parcek, just to name a few.
Noise: Where do you see the band in three years?
Erin: In the next three years, we’re hoping to take Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers to more music and blues festivals; to more parts of the U.S. and to Europe! Our new (debut album) comes out at the end of the summer. We have some of the mixes already and we’re anticipating it being something really special and different, and we hope that people are going to love it (as much as we do)!
Jim: Festivals!!
Bob: To get the record out and go from there! We’re really excited about it!
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The Noise 09/03: CD Reviews
PAULA KELLEY
Kimchee Records
The Trouble with Success or How You Fit into the World
13 songsEmbrace Paula Kelley. She has earned this moment.
After spending time establishing her delicate voice with shoegazers The Drop Nineteens, and local indie outfits Hot Rod and Boy Wonder, Kelley debuted her solo self with 2001’s Nothing/ Everything. Her second album takes the shimmer of her debut and magnifies it, fusing space-age pop vocals with sassy hooks. And if it ended there The Trouble with Success would be brilliant enough. But Kelley doesn’t stop. Throw in some orchestral maneuvers and plenty of horn play and Kelley and the 38-member PK Orchestra dazzle with delectable pop magic.
Kelley’s got this engaging voice that takes over where Lisa Loeb labors and where the sound of Cardigans frontwoman Nina Perrson starts to lose its beauty. Flanked by The PK Orchestra string section on “Could There be Another World,” Kelley makes a depressing story sound promising with her enchanting echoes, while on “My Finest Hour,” Kelley explores a bouncier pop sound which yields similar results. Many albums fail to carry throughout without sagging somewhere along the way. The Trouble with Success doesn’t do that. Actually, it will have you begging for an encore. (Ryan Wood)
QUICK FIX
Lonesome Records
The Push
12 songsThe first Quick Fix CD captured the band’s live sound perfectly. Crank “Rampage” and a crystalline vision of Jake Zavracky screaming “Yeah!” over the din of a pentatonic riff comes to mind. The second Quick Fix CD was more song-oriented and melodic, but sometimes bordered on clichéd (see “Holiday”).
“The Push” seems to take both sides and improve on them both simultaneously. It’s more musically ambitious; they use the studio as a member of the band and not just to capture the band’s sound. The guitars are thicker; I hear acoustics in the mix and more adventurous guitar effect. The songs are better too; “Adrenaline Junkies” has to be the song of the year so far.
The closing track “Time to Say Goodnight,” is a microcosm of what Quick Fix has added to their already stellar live show: serious lyrics, a sense of song, great harmonies (kudos to new member Eric Barlow) and a majestic, understated approach to melodic guitar soloing. A stellar CD. (Glenwood)
THE WEISSTRONAUTS
Stereoriffic
Pete Weiss Presents the Weisstronauts Featuring “Spritely”
15 songsWhat if JFK hadn’t been slain, and bands like The Raspberries and Big Star and The Ventures had unaccountably elbowed disco and punk out into left field? Then maybe an assemblage of pan-instrumental, feel-good, easy-to-swallow genre exercises would be tearing up the airwaves even as we speak. Well, wait no more for such a world, because we have the next best thing while we listen to this invaluable CD. Tell me Alex Chilton couldn’t have written “Fruity” and I’ll tickle your catastrophe. The CD is chock full of musical laffs (check out “Tawdry”) and folksy genre send-ups (“Spritely”) but it’s more than just a joke. The coda to “Cha Cha Ho” is heavenly; the riff and sock-o-delic middle eight from “Cranky” deserve a prize, and “Space Jaunty” is wretched excess at its most likable and listenable. Times are tough and this frivolous but musically sound assemblage is great ironic lounge music even for when you’re waiting for the Apocalyptic horse – and if hedonism rather than geopolitics is your bag, so much the better. You’ll dig this the most. It would make even Catullus gyrate like a toy boat caught out at sea in a wind grown wild with adult pain. (Francis DiMenno)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Sleazegrinder Records
Cock ‘n’ Roll
26 songsLet me say up front that I’m a Sleazegrinder fan. Sleazegrinder, for the cave-dwellers among you who may not know, is the closest thing our fair city has to Lester Bangs (if you said “Lester who?” stop reading and go do your homework, child), and he has put his money where his gonzo-rock-crit mouth is by unleashing this massive compilation of the sleaziest rock he could track down. And if you have to ask what, exactly, comprises sleazy rock, odds are good that this comp just ain’t for you. Okay, so only two of the 26 songs are by local bands – Rock City Crimewave’s Cramps-meet-The Gun Club “Jersey Devil” and Sugabomb’s “Speed Thrill,” which rocks just the way a song called “Speed Thrill” ought to rock, with kinda Runaways’ vocals to boot to add that bad-hot-rod-chick vibe. I could have lived without Porn Rock’s track, “Porn Star,” but it’ll get the yucks at your next party. And with 26 freakin’ songs on the disc, you can’t expect ’em all to be gems.
But most of them are.
Screw the local angle. Buy this because Sleazegrinder has found redemption through rock, and he is beckoning you to join him. (Tim Emswiler)
ERIK LINDGREN
Arf Arf
Sound on Sound: Ambitious Teenage Pop Rock 1973-’74
22 songsErik himself mentions his sound-on-sound demos from the early seventies in the same breath as the songs of Emitt Rhodes, former front-man for the LA psychedelic band as the Merry-Go-Round, and other influences also mentioned in the liner notes – solo Townshend, Brian Wilson, and Left-Banke style chamber rock – when not wholly obvious, are at least evident. If you are as ardent an aficionado of all of these, you will be well pleased. I myself am bound to admire the outright strangeness of these piano-driven pop-inflected finger exercises, enough to discount iffy vocals and sound quality and to focus instead on the considerable compositional ingenuity on display throughout. The songs are more than merely enjoyable and tunes like “Funny How You Treated My Friend,” “Searchin,” “Words Came Through,” “One Right Way to Win Me,” “The Leader,” and “Back Then” are downright swipe-worthy. Cynics might sneer at this unleashing of 79-plus minutes of 30-year-old juvenalia as self-indulgent at best – though admittedly, few egomaniacs would have waited until the 93rd release on their own label! (Francis DiMenno)
JEFFREY SIMMONS & THE SYMPTOMS
Sodapop
Almost… All The Way… Down
11 songsRemember when Neil Young wasn’t some whacked out fogey doing third rate Preservation remakes? When The Beatles were all hopped up on LSD, singing about raccoons and walruses (walrusi?)? Jeffrey Simmons remembers. Not only does he remember, he remembers what was good about them and what was worth saving.
The music on his second disc – the first one to feature his band, The Symptoms – ebbs, flows and enters your brain like a drug. “Fill Your Glass,” “Unkind,” and “Broken Tire” hint at a beauty that Nico could have held on to, or the sad-dreaminess of a John Cale electric viola. Nate Bacon’s bass lines prove to be generations separated from the clodding, one-note thump of most of his peers, and Thomas Valicanti’s understated guitar work seems to weave in and out of the songs, reminiscent of a restrained Tom Verlaine.
This is pop genius we haven’t heard since Andy Partridge. (Amanda Nichols)
UNDO
Undomusic
Deux
7 songsThis is portentous synthesizer music with symphonic pretensions which, for all its bleak grandeur, it occasionally achieves, such as on the opening track “Ataraxia II,” which reminds me of OMD’s maleficent “Stanislow.” The longer, more ambitious “Moon Life” puts me in mind of the souls of the dead and dying who are longing to be expressed to heaven. It’s a bit like the sound you hear just before you wake up with a big knot on your head next to an empty nitrous oxide tank. Its companion piece, “Sun Life,” is both pacific and ominous, a tricky feat. As Abe Lincoln might say: “For those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they like.” (Francis DiMenno)
MY OWN WORST ENEMY
Elis Eil
No Guarantees
13 songsToo often, between a first demo, a first EP, and a first full-length release, some intangible quality which helps to make a band great gets lost or misplaced in the mix. This happened to Throwing Muses and The Pixies. My Own Worst Enemy, on the other hand, has made the same transition with grace and aplomb. The older material is kickass as always: “Who Knew” is akin to “Roadrunner” fronted by a sloe-eyed chanteuse; “MIA” is like electroshock that makes you smarter. Delicately bleak and lovely ballads like “Why Not Beautiful,” “Pills and Pride,” and the superb “Late Show” vary the pace. “Poison” is a nascent classic with a desolately lively feel right up there with Human Switchboard; ditto the downright catchy dirge-cum-drunken-chantey “(I’m the One You Wanted) Not the One (You Got).” This isn’t a perfect CD, but even interesting experiments like the quaintly odd “Mr. Leatherboots,” overproduced declamations like “Throw It All Away” and the dynamic but misguided power-pop cover of “Never Talking to You” are ambitious efforts. And the CD’s craziest song, “Yearbook,” with its start and stop dynamic and inspired xylophone obbligatos, belongs on every college radio station playlist in the Western world. (Francis DiMenno)
EAT MY FUK
Bestial Onslaught Productions
Wet Slit And A Bottle Of Whiskey
15 songsHey, let’s all play “Spot The Influence.” Here are some hints: 1. The band’s name is from an album title by their chief inspiration (who, by the way, goes conspicuously uncredited); 2. Song titles include “Slit Lickin’ Scumbag,” “I Wanna Cum On You,” “Drink And Bleed,” and “Kneel Before My Cock”; 3. They mention toilets and Jim Beam a lot; 4. The artwork has lotsa porno clips and a naked woman vomiting; 5. The artist in question has been dead for ten years; 6. The band requested I get this because of my involvement with said guy pre-croak. (Although CDs are not assigned as such, I ended up with it anyway.)
If you guessed John Tesh, you lose. I’m gonna hafta disappoint these guys, but the fact is I don’t “get it” beyond their being a total parakeet act (albeit a fairly meticulous one). I guess they’ll track me down and throw feces at me now. If they needed validation that they’d properly absorbed the GG Allin “philosophy,” I can only respond that 1. GG didn’t spend this kinda money on production and packaging; 2. He could actually be very funny and ironic; 3. Some of his songs had melodies, emotive musicianship, and other subject matters; 4. He had a greater overall message than “I’m blatantly ripping someone else off,” and 5. Thus he’d probably, in fact, have hated this. Since I’ll probably have been murdered before the next issue comes out, I just wanna say, it’s been fun. (Joe Coughlin)
THE SKELS
Any Port In A Storm
12 songsI first saw The Skels at the Linwood sharing a bill with The Kings of Nuthin’ (good friends of theirs) and was instantly hooked by these blue collar blokes playing a balls-out raucous mix of traditional Irish folk and modern rock. When this emerald gem of a CD landed in my hands, I couldn’t wait to check it out. On Any Port In A Storm, their first fully original outing, the lads from Jersey (armed with Boston bassist Henry Ryan) rip through a catalog of foot stomping, humorous and insightful songs that dare the listener to remain seated. Highlights include “Pauper’s Grave” and “Whiskey I’m A Slave.” However each stout-pounding tune will quench even the strongest thirst. Every meticulously crafted and wisely arranged track shows this rowdy band to be astute students of The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, Van Morrison, and The Pogues. Dynamics and energy abound. Aside from a marked resemblance to Shane MacGowan’s vocals, The Skels distance themselves from such similar artists as The Dropkick Murphys with sparser and sharper arrangements and lots of humor and sentiment. This is pub rock at its best. (Marc Friedman)
AVANT STRANGEL
Too Out There?
7 songsA buncha boobs on The Noise message board started pickin’ on this guy one day because he also happens to be a fashion model, and they were makin’ fun of all the artsy photos on his site, so of course I got all huffy, saying he kept the music and fashion aspects of his site completely separate (which is true), and all that kinda fair-minded crap. The guy ended up responding to these posts in notably dignified fashion in the face of some wholly unnecessary abuse. A lotta bands have taken far lighter (and far more warranted) criticism out there, reacted with thermo-nuclear indignation, and had their bum-bums kissed in mass apology by the scenester collective. Oh yeah, the record. Some of the art-photos DO show up here (think bandannas, supernovas, angel wings, sunglasses, and a chiseled torso slathered with Vaseline), but they DO convey the kinda New-Age Lenny Kravitz thing Strangel seems to be going for. With a decidedly ’70s bent, it’s kinda like Jon Butcher Axis for the new millennium, but more pseudo-spiritual, less party-boy boogie. Okay, a LOT less. The total package (especially the lyrics) could be taken as a thoroughly corny, anti-hipster, guilty-pleasure throwback, or simply god-awful. Like most things I receive fitting these criteria, I have a soft spot for it, which means you probably won’t. (Joe Coughlin)
CONDITION BLUE
Day Job
Legends
8 songsCondition Blue are quite adept at hiding the fact that they produce everything in-house. Think Black Sabbath instead of Fugazi, and you’ll get the point. In fact, I couldn’t help but think that my listening experience likely paralleled some suburban kid’s first reaction to Ozzy and Co. in the ’70s. They’re heavy, but I’d not categorize them as “metal,” per se.
They sing about girls and guns and star babies and a lot of things that I can’t decipher. Lots of harmonies upon harmonies upon harmonies, Brian May guitar stylings, and a tune (“Into The Sun”) that reminds me a lot of Deep Purple. The songs are long, but not annoying. It’s great stuff to crank while driving way too fast down some deserted stretch of highway. If it’s possible to have Dadaist rock (and no, that’s not music your dad really digs), then this is it. (Amanda Nichols)
WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE
Go To Hell
8 songsThis 3-piece has a remarkably full sound, full of crunchy guitars and butt-rumbling bass, not to mention the excellent sing/ screamo vocals. I just wonder if this band is this tight live, because if this CD is any indication, they are a force to be reckoned with. Powerhouse drumming propels the sometimes redundant riffage, and liberal blasts of feedback and screaming add much needed color. The second track “Everything Went Black” sounds like The Deftones but in a really good way. The riffs remind me a little of Meanwhile-era Helmet, and, at times, The Melvins. I like them. I’m going to have to see this band live. (Jesse Thomas)
TOKYO TRAMPS
Bound For Glory
10 songsHere’s a novelty: no, not the porn flick described as “banned in Japan blowjob adventures”; rather, we have four earnest Berklee-trained Japanese musicians who essay to write and perform their own original picture perfect R&B; compositions and find, if not universal acclaim, a comfortable niche on the blues circuit. They mix in some boogie, some country, throw in some cowbells here and there, and now and again a southern-rock style solo. I swear, you could close your eyes and imagine it’s 1973 again. Of such stories are low-budget independent Hollywood features made. And the songs? Well, even an ethnomusicology student might admit that a steady diet of Alabama chain gang field recordings, howsoever odd and brilliant, eventually grows wearisome; occasionally he might want something less challenging. Less bluesy but more listenable. This might suit the bill. But then again, maybe not. The songs are good in the same way that Clapton is “good” – if you prefer a blandly stylized and somewhat slickly produced tour-de-force approach to a genre which largely originated with solo practitioners who specialized in low-down gutbucket expressiveness, then you’ll find much to like here. If not, then look elsewhere. (Francis DiMenno)
THE KNEE-HI’S
Love, The Knee-Hi’s
7 songsThis is the kind of disc that totally fucks with my reputation as a cranky old “if it ain’t heavy, it ain’t shit” curmudgeon, because I like the living heck out of this way-too-short (under 20 minutes) slice of happy, Go-Go’s-inflected pop cheeriness. Singer Robin Banks has one of those voices that it’s just impossible to hate – if you say you hated Belinda Carlisle’s voice back in the day, you’re either full of shit or you’re a terminal sociopath. Original? Well, maybe not. But the Knee-Hi’s throw enough different influences into the old musical blender to make them a wicked fun listen, and the musicologists among you can argue over the minutiae while regular folks like me just bob our heads happily and pray that our more metallic brethren and sistren don’t walk in unexpectedly.
The CD might have benefited from a different mix – the guitar, while played with extreme taste and coolness by Binky Rice, is too far up front, occasionally overpowering the vox. But the rhythm section of Heather Henderson on drums and Kate Williams on bass and vocals does exactly what a good pop rhythm section is supposed to do. Good, clean fun for all ages. (Tim Emswiler)
THE ANCHORMEN
Unstoppable Records
Nation of Interns
8 songsI never liked the Circle Jerks, but even though The Anchormen singer Heath Row’s voice is a dead ringer for Keith Morris’, I kinda like their scrappy, jangly rock. Straightforward and tight with little room for soloing or tempo changes, Nation of Interns wisely zips through its eight tracks in 17 minutes. If given more time to meander, Row’s nasally voice, lyrics that read like paragraphs (and sometimes sound like them) and their relatively safe garage sound could easily become grating and predictable. But here they scoot past in just the right increments, and the backup vocal harmonies give the album a light, poppy vibe. That shiny happy feeling might stand in contrast to their tales of heartbreak, history, war and urban strife, but it’s hard to believe that despite their sometimes serious subject matter that The Anchormen wanna have anything but fun. (Mike Delano)
MICHAEL THIBODEAU
Egg Publishing
Raise High the Roof Beam
12 songsThibodeau can write a mean song and has conviction aplenty in his voice – almost too much, which verges on self-important. This is quickly forgiven by the very solid performances of his entire band and excellent songwriting. Highlights include “Another Long Night” and “No Stranger,” featuring a warm organ and a classic Rhodes solo – just made me feel like hangin’ at a smoky bar somewhere down South. The only real clunker on the disc is “Stoney Creek,” a solo acoustic number that simply doesn’t rise to the level of the others. If you dig Tom Waits, check this out. (Shady)
MEAGHAN McLAUGHLIN
Press Records
More Stories For Dana
10 songsWell, this clinches it. I’m officially disqualified from reviewing anything ever again. I shoulda known a while ago. See, this is exactly the kinda record this magazine was founded upon, almost like a Hipster Handbook. But me and the hipsters never got along. It’s so “what it is,” that it almost isn’t. The cover’s a black and white photo of a drink, a pack o’ smokes, and a notebook. The title might refer to some insider legend I should know about, but I’m unaware of any Previous Stories For Dana. The music is that kinda loping, jittery, scattershot stuff that flits around between Throwing Muses and Come, but without the extreme highs or lows of those acts. The approach comes off as equal parts tortured-artist and approachable-drunk. Titles and lyrics obsess about stuff that needs fixing (“Racked,” “Bitter,” Wreckingball,” “I’m Leaking”). The artist is something of a local institution, and rightly so, having played in several acclaimed acts as well as the solo dealie, and comes complete with the requisite facial piercings and malnourished, Collector Scum fanbase. And this’ll end up in more readers’ personal Top Tens this year than maybe any other local record. But despite its moments, it sounds to me like some kinda contractual-obligation-filler record. Except there’s no contract. Or maybe I just have to live in Allston to appreciate it. That ain’t gonna happen. (Joe Coughlin)
SUPER-CANNES
Transfersational
9 songsMembers of Little A, currently on hiatus, Danny Lee (drums and grooves) and David Kirkdorffer (unguitar and space) comprise this dazzling dance duo. Trans-fersational is a collection of nine mind expanding live techno (if that isn’t an oxymoron) instrumentals (think Four Tet, but without the Acid loops). Furthermore, the CD is a testament to Lee and Kirkdorffer’s artistry in that only these two musicians generate such a full and lush yet spacious sound. Johnny Marr’s production on The The’s Mind Bomb comes to mind. “One Dead Soldier” has both an undeniable groove and a killer gut-grabbing riff while “Channel System” sports inventive Fripp/ Belew (Discipline era) inspired guitar lines. “Velocity” and “Carnival of Souls” both lull and pulse with an atmospheric trip hop feel. “Velocity” showcases Lee’s drumming with its jazzier, almost bebop, feel while “Carnival of Souls” hits more like a Jean Michele Jarre or Tangerine Dream soundscape. The CD’s sound quality will not satisfy audiophiles, but considering that this set was originally a cassette concert recording later to be enhanced (and edited) by David Westner at Woolly Mammoth Studios, it will more than satisfy the average and above average listener alike. (Marc Friedman)
MISTER VERTIGO
Wintermusik
12 songsSometimes I get records from this magazine that are so good, they’re all I think about for months. It’s a great, redemptive feeling. Other times, I get these awkward-ass, Mickey Mouse screw-jobs that are so discouraging, I can barely leave the house or look people in the eye. But occasionally, I get something so middling, so static, so thoroughly ineffectual, that I sit and stare at the linoleum, waiting to feel anything. And it’s hard, because they arrive with these enthusiastic, handwritten notes from some kid who’s just sunk a whole buncha dough into the thing, is understandably thrilled to death with the accomplishment, invariably gushing stuff like, “We sure would appreciate a review!” And I sense that these are perfectly good (if not wonderful) people, and I’m tempted to pass it along to someone less finicky, but then I have to lecture myself on ethics and honesty, so I play it again, thinking I must have missed something, and I didn’t, because it’s more of that light-hearted, quavering, alt-sappy Gin Blossoms fluff, and I try to ignore the opening track of incoherent whispering and the unreasonably pointless cover art, and then I’m annoyed for not trusting my instincts, and I’m forced to conclude that this brand of inescapable, “please the masses,” post-whatever stuff is actually part of an enormous, sinister plot between Satan and the government to keep us all stupid. (Joe Coughlin)
SATAN’S TEARDOPS
Spindrift Records
Set em Up and Knock em Down
14 songsThe Amazing Royal Crowns by route of Black Flag. Satan’s Teardrops have a chokehold on that rockabilly-cum-punk sound that was all the rage back in ’98. Not that I don’t like this CD, because it’s well-recorded, the songs are strong, the vocals are exciting in a Elvis impersonator type of way; it’s just the fact that this music has been done to death, it was old after the Stray Cats. And while Elvis never said motherfucker in any of his songs, he never really had to, and what I hear here is a band desperately trying to carve their initials into an established (if not beaten to death) medium. (Jesse Thomas)
BIEN
Dualsix Records
Eleven
11 songsThis must be some new kinda music. Imagine a young, inner-city gent of specific ethnicity talking in monotone over loops of music and synthetic beats, whose lyrics all rhyme to a steady meter. Sometimes, his friends pop in for a line here or chorus there, if you can call it a chorus. The subject matter leans heavily (okay, endlessly) toward the finest details of the guy’s personal life and habits. What he wears, where he went, who he talked to, why he’s all this, that, and the other thing, with references to criminal activity, romance and world harmony, and how it all relates to his, um, singular urban experience. Say, this kid’s really onto something. I’m surprised there aren’t about five billion copycat records like this out there already. Seriously, folks, I’m the wrong guy (in the wrong magazine) for this one. I’ve got three rap records in my whole collection, and they’re all from 1987. As these things go, though, I can say with assurance that two tracks (“Piranha” and “Chlorine”) especially stand out. I’d actually turn up the radio if they came on, which is more than I can say for almost everything of the genre that I hear. So if you like the stuff, this must be a pretty good one if I can stand it. I guess I own four rap records now. (Joe Coughlin)
THE CLASSIC BURGLARS
Creature Feature
11 songsThis disc is aptly named. I listened to this before I went to bed one rainy night and I had some serious nightmares. Written and recorded in just two hours, this bizarre, almost free-form exploration of musical ideas both good and bad are laid out for all to hear. There is no attempt to cover up any mistakes or any production values added for little virginal ears. What you get are the nonsensical ranting and wailing of some warped minds. It’s not exemplary or horrendous, it simply is. Keep small children and animals far away from The Classic Burglars – in fact keep everyone away from them. (Shady)
HOOTMAGNUM
Trucker Rock
12 songsHootmagnum’s bio states that their influences are the “grunge scenes of the early ’90s” and the painfully off-key Cobain/ Vedder wannabe vocals couldn’t make it clearer. “Addict,” with its alternative sounding guitar (think Blur’s “Song 2”), distorted vocals and succinct Creedence-like guitar solo, kicks off the CD. The above-mentioned issues along with plodding drums, utilitarian bass and banal lyrics quickly dash the promise of the song, as well as the rest of the disc. Some standout tracks, however, include “Dead Animal (in the wall)” (which has the exact same riff as NTBA!’s “ConAgg”), the Helmet inspired “A.W. Confusion Maker” and the “Consolation Prize” with its tight groove and listen-able lyrics. Conversely “Stik It” boasts an over the top Cobain-esque imitation, a tacky chorus and an embarrassing guitar solo. The clumsy transition from bare intro to full band assault in “Resolved” would have benefited from distorted guitars while the mismatched tempo from intro to song in “Sponge” is a blaring and painful oversight by the band. On the whole, Trucker Rock is a promising debut with hints of originality and room for growth, but isn’t a CD that should be used to showcase the band. (Marc Friedman)
BARN
Your Summer Dress Bored Me
7 songsSo this is what it sounds like when a “hysterical thrash band” member and a “guitarist turned drummer” team up and record the remnants of music made of jamming and boogie woogie-ing on a smoky summer night on the porch – somewhere along the lines of folk pop rock stuffed with bland, airy vocals and romantic references. Think Dave Matthews Band. Nonsensical lyrics about girls/ summer/ romance, sing-a-long-esque melodies, and plenty of strumming is reminiscent of Pete Yorn and Ryan Adams, but lacking the cohesive whole of both. Simply put, this album lacks something. The “something” doesn’t have to be original or new, it just has to add spark to songs that are a bit clichéd. On the surface, Barn’s concept and talent is rather refreshing but the music is just so bland that it doesn’t even make it to “bad.” Whereas some calm music soothes, Barn’s album is so calm it bores. (Xiaowei Wang)
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CDs – Nov | The Noise
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CDs – Nov
If you are a band or act based in New England and would like to have your release reviewed in The Noise, send a hard copy to T Max/ The Noise, 28 Goodhue St #406, Salem, MA 01970
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Page Contents
CELEBRITY HANDSHAKE
Eastern Prawn Records
Celebrity Handshake EP
6 tracks
This is an amazing EP by a band from Portland, Maine, consisting of A. M. Haines (vocal, keyboard), Jose Moreno (guitar), and Will Berdan II (drums). It is full of noise, spunk, and a rampaging and semi-articulated energy. “Political Future” is an interesting shouted declamatory over miles of scrawling feedback. “Religion on the Outside” brings to mind some of the earliest outsider punk –the kind they don’t make anymore – with one nightmarish buzzing riff anchoring the brave noise which sprawls like a 4:00am dipsomaniac atop it all. “Float (Don’t Take Care)” is another primitive, percussion-driven barbaric yawp. “Stick It to Fiction” is pretty much just a confusing gumbo of random guitar sputters and stumbling drums. “It Takes All Kinds of Bones” is a more or less straightforward horror-boogie vocal over deterministic guitar riffing. “Hit Me Where It Hurts” is a clamorous declamatory which builds to a monstrous climax. If you like stuff like early Gang of Four you’ll probably love this EP, which has every potential to become a cult favorite. (Francis DiMenno)
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DANNY BEDROSIAN
My Oldest Friend
14 tracks
Danny grew up in Lawrence, MA, and for the past 15 years has been the keyboardist for George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic and this is his 13th solo release. The sound is funky and jazzy, with r & b, pop and world music influences. Sorta like Weather Report meets Billy Preston and his personal playing style sounds like he just sits down and noodles but the more you listen the more you are impressed with his creative chops and understand what his fingers are saying. There is definitely a method behind his madness. Listen to “The Ire of a Vamp,” “Not Squeamish,” “Do the Alligator Elevator,” “In and Around,” and “Nor Piano.” All of these tunes showcase his vast catalog of catchy licks surrounded by tons of keyboards producing an almost analog-esque sound. The arrangements have the songs increasing in power and momentum as they progress and the good production is testimony to Bedrosian’s many talents. He wrote, produced, arranged, engineered, played synthesizer, grand piano, clavinet, organ and sang practically everything on this album with the exception of his Parliament Funkadelic band mates Michael “Clip” Payne, Lige Curry, and Garrett Shider who contribute their expertise to the final mix of one song. Clip’s voice on the intro and Curry and Shider playing bass and guitar on “Wildfire” are the only cameos. I really dig the two renditions of the title track “My Oldest Friend,” one with vocals and one instrumental. Both cuts are cool with the vocal version making that one even more personable and relateable to the listener. The passion in the vocal-less one is quite evident but the addition of another form of communication is like throwing a double whammy in to make sure the ear doesn’t mistake the composition’s complete meaning. If you are not caught up with the intensity of the music, Bedrosian’s growling voice will help do the trick. More great music from the funk master himself. Not for couch potatoes or narcoleptics. (A.J. Wachtel)
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ELDER
Lore
5 tracks
Elder is a stoner doom metal trio from different parts of Massachusetts. All the songs are roughly 10 to 15 minutes long, giving them time to breathe. This is their third album in the past decade or so, and they are really outgrowing their roots as Black Sabbath influenced kids. There are traces of Magma, Monster Magnet, Voi Vod, and The Melvins in there too. Lore is the album to put on when you are going on a long bone ride in your spaceship, although your spaceship may not have a working turntable. These guys have come a long way from New Bedford to Mars, and I hope their interstellar overdrive continues for 3,000 more light years. (Eric Baylies)
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MIELE
Seed Crystal
6 tracks
“Walking Away” features the dramatic, intense, passionate, powerful female voice of Melissa Lee Niles. This is almost more a mood than a song, as are all of these songs on this EP. “Night Sky” reveals Miele’s advantage of having a self-realizing lead singer. When she belts out she is calling in the totem of Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit ” days. The song becomes the voice reaching beyond earth, beyond lyrics and guitar chords, “Lucky am I to see the sky….” What if Henry David Thoreau could put his nature observations in the voice of a woman wailing beyond the confines of the human body rooted on the earth? “Hold it Together” features loud chords, loud drums, infusing a sort of tributary of Jeff Buckley’s wild vocal pathway from his album and title song, “Grace.” “My Garden Grows” brings up the question in me that I didn’t know people still sing like this. I feel like her voice is seeking beyond ears, beyond comprehension, her voice is like a searchlight, swelling with growing confidence, communicating feeling beyond the lyrics; “As I pen my final page, I hope in my absence my garden grows.” In the song “Jung” it becomes evident that these songs are impressionistic paintings. This one features thick paint about dreams and shadow, the voice carries the mood, again, carries the emotion of the searchlight voice. You can’t sit and listen to this music, you experience it – you shut your eyes and take off with it, you fly with it, you let it take you, and the more you let it take you, the farther you go. I almost feel like the listener could contribute to the sum of the song becoming greater if you could hear it live, because I think Melissa will respond to the response she feels from the listeners. That said, it’s an earthy, gutsy recording that feels live. There’s no antiseptic studio tweaking here, this girl sings with the birds of heaven. And the band keeps up! (Kimmy Sophia Brown)
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MY SILENT BRAVERY
MWS Recordings
Breakthrough
13 tracks
This a solo project by Matthew Wade. “Endless Ecstasy,” a key track from this new release, is heavily processed pop with synthesizers and drum machines, filled with a life-affirming message. They’ll probably be playing this one in supermarkets in the year 2037. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The song has a certain upbeatness which appeals to the ear intuitively. It’s a killer opening track, but most of the rest of the songs don’t have quite the same kick – they seem more like genre exercises. “Warning Signs,” for instance, has a vaguely Elvis Costello-like feel. “Missing Out” is a swirly confection which Prince might have written and then stashed away. “Good Enough” is a conventional pop-rock number which reminds me of Soul Asylum. However, two more songs are stand-outs: “Pick It Up” is another life-affirming gem of a tune which reminds me a bit of late-period OMD, and “Bigger Picture” is an almost magisterial declamation, with a hugely appealing melodic line. People who line up this sort of drily produced thoroughly modern synth pop will enjoy this, for all the unrelenting self-centeredness of the lyrics. (Francis DiMenno)
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DETROIT REBELLION
The Man
12 tracks
Do you remember the Laurels? Well, neither do I, but my older friends tell me they were one of the biggest and best bands out of Rhode Island 20 years ago. Lead singer Jeff Toste is back with his new outfit Detroit Rebellion. Out are the proto grunge riffs and screaming, and in are folk blues inspired old timey rock ’n’ roll. “A Fork In the Road” has the band whistling past the graveyard on their way to work in a coal mine, with a feel that’s vaguely like Radiohead’s “The National Anthem” mixed with X. The song “Fire, Devil, and Desire” reminds me of Morphine minus the sax player and with a Neil Young solo. I’m late to the party for Detroit Rebellion, but now I’m ready to party all night. The Man is a great album by one of my favorite new bands. (Terry Boulder)
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TRUTH ABOUT DAISIES
Liam’s Attic Records
Love This Life
15 tracks
Emanating from Portland Maine, the band features well-etched character studies with a purity of intent seldom so well-realized. “Hard Times” is a sweet-natured song in a Van Morrison-ecstatic mode. “John and Mary” is a folksy romp with pretty harmony vocals. “Ed” is a cautionary tale about an obsessive alcoholic poet expressed in a style which is pure Americana. “Hard to Do” is a lovely song about a diffident love affair, replete with banjo. The tragic art song “Travis” is conducted at a funereal pace. The melancholy chiming of “Song for Roger” is another song in a Van Morrison mode. “Whiskey” is a surprisingly effective song of regret in a country mode. Diehard folkies are likely to greatly appreciate these songs. (Francis DiMenno)
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BRYAN REYNOLDS
Spring Peppers
12 track
Bryan Reynolds has played various instruments in different Providence bands for years. On this solo album he sings and plays everything. This is a really eclectic record. The song “Creek Life” is like a Donovan song on acid, well more acid. Its an instrumental with Jaco Pastorius sounding bass and steel drums. The track “Salvador, Salvador” with its refrain “I Put A Lobster On A Phone” repeating a million times is a pure magic dadaist art project set to music. There are traces of US Maple and the Residents on this spellbinding, awe inspiring epic colossus of an album. Simply put, Spring Peppers is magic. ( Eric Baylies)
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BOYAN HRISTOV
Romantic Solo Guitar Volume One
16 tracks
This all instrumental release features great guitarist Hristov as the only player on this album and he only plays guitar on it. He has terrific technique, performs passionately, and has a ton of remarkable riffs which he incorporates into an enjoyable and impressive mix of finger picking, chords and strong strumming. His arrangements on the fifteen covers of songs we already know is as crucial and critical as is his choice of tunes to re-interpret; and his lone composition, “The Gospel of Me,” follows the same creative plan. My favorites are the opening Bee Gee’s cut “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis, and three Beatles melodies – two by Lennon and one by McCartney – “In My Life,” “Here, There And Everywhere,” and “Yesterday.” I also really dig his takes on Doris Day’s “Que Sera Sera,” “Killing Me Softly” by Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour,” The Platters’ “Twilight Time,” and Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” We know all of these titles because of their singers but on this album Boyan drops the vocals and substitutes them with his own recognizable style on six strings. He even does a more contemporary version of the 1960s instrumental “Sleepwalk,” by Santo and Johnny. All the tender melodies are familiar and this powerful, introspective collection contains many melodic riffs and there are no filler cuts either. Each track is consistently first rate. Much of the music here is good enough to be on movie soundtracks and Hristov just may be the best unknown guitarist in Boston. (A.J. Wachtel)
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BEEEF
A Beeef ep
4 tracks
I don’t know why Allston’s Beeef has an extra E, maybe I can ask them someday. They have songs about taking the T, Allston meter maids, Mass. Ave., and everything Boston. Beeef have elements of garage, punk, and straight up rock ’n’ roll. They could play a frat party or be the critics darlings, not an easy line to straddle. With songs like “Dogshit Paradise” you know they are not concerned with getting played on mainstream radio right now, but that is the next logical step for this group. The solo on “Dogshit Paradise,” while not super complicated, is the most hummable solo I have heard in years. The songs are catchy but not contrived. Allston rock city, you have done it again! (Eric Baylies)
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JEREMY HARMAN
Long Is The Walk — Spirits + Ghosts
12 tracks
There are a lot of different styles of music you can hear on this listener’s labyrinth: modern jazz, contemporary classical, metal, hardcore, down tempo electric folk and free improvisation. Jeremy Harman is a Boston-based cellist, guitarist, composer and songwriter. On this cool release he sings and plays guitar and cello. Joey Pierog is on bass, and Jens Ellerhold plays drums. There is a dreamy, droning, trance like quality to this music that adds to their unique sound. Listen to the instrumentals “Currently,” and “Ever Widening Circles,” “Your Shine,” “Dreams,” and “They Start To Glow” to hear jazz and classical influences, “Align” for a bit of hardcore metal, and the folkish “Spirits + Ghosts,” “Bloodsuckers,” “As the Crow Flies,” and “The Other Sky;” and imagine if Bob Dylan wrote all of his music in minor keys for a really haunting sound. All the cuts sound like scores too. I dig the instrumental “Munich” for its improv feel and is that really a banjo being plucked? How cool! How original! The arrangements are all sharp and effective and the recording sounds very clear and the separation is fine. This cat went to Boston’s Longy School of Music, the small conservatory near Harvard Square, and his music is both high brow and educational. I really like it! (A.J. Wachtel)
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PETER CALO
Time Machine
8 tracks
Peter Calo’s Time Machine opens with bayou vibrations on the opening track, “Do I Love You Too Much,” cradling an interesting musical migration, at least to the ears of this long-time listener of Calo’s music. The eight songs on this 2016 release, Time Machine, have the respected singer/songwriter/session man crafting a work that blends a multitude of styles within his three and a half to five minute essays/tunes.
In 1982 his jazz band, Bellvista, released a six song EP followed by 1983’s Spoonerism from the Peter Calo Band. A mainstay of the Boston scene, Calo was involved as an original member of both Down Avenue (the band which had Charles Pettigrew of Charles & Eddie “Would I Lie To You” fame) and The Heavy Metal Horns. After his stints with both groups Peter moved to New York where he began doing session work, producing and eventually hooked up with Carly Simon, beginning what is now a 20 year relationship with the legendary singer/songwriter.
As the instrumental ending to “Do I Love You Too Much” concludes the singer switches hats with “Ida at the Back Door,” a tune that was already in circulation at online and college radio. This mix is fully developed and impressive, a different approach from the opening track, though there seems to be some kind of thematic undercurrent threading the material. “If My Heart Was Yours” opens with a nod to Ian Matthews notable Vertigo LP, If You Saw Thro’ My Eyes, then veers off to a soulful balladeer, think Cat Stevens’ “Here Comes My Baby,” with flamenco sounding guitar and – perhaps – Jay & the Americans dueling with Trini Lopez. It’s a great pop ditty that is highly commercial. The modulation and creative backing show Calo’s production skills at the top of their game.
That’s also true with “Elephants Never Forget,” a clearly Beatle-esque tribute to the family of Elephantidae. There’s a full dimension and depth to the sounds Calo prompts throughout the track. The five minute and three second “Sail Away” is a folk song which could have been written in the time of DaVinci or Christopher Columbus (15th and 16th centuries – their dates of birth and passing actually very close) – its timeless story plays today just as well, as does Leonardo’s works of art. “One Step Ahead of Crazy” brings things back to where “If My Heart Was Yours” started off, it’s as much a sequel as “Judy’s Turn to Cry” was to “It’s My Party” – and Peter Calo played with the late Lesley Gore, so maybe the idea was subliminally programmed. “Every Ordinary Day” and “Don’t Ever Go Away” are both over four minutes on this double-EP two songs shy of a full-length 10 track disc. “Every Ordinary Day” would fit nicely on a television series – or real pop radio, not the stuff being passed off as pop radio in 2016.
The disc concludes with more magic that the Beatles could have used – the artist having worked on Julie Taymor’s Beatles soundtrack to her film Across the Universe (there’s a deluxe version, check it out) as well as his own instrumental tribute to the Fab IV. Paul McCartney should sing this one as “Every Ordinary Day” is an absolute bookend to McCartney’s “Another Day,” not in chord changes or melody, just in the beautiful approach. It’s a classy conclusion to a sophisticated new chapter in Peter Calo’s deep catalog of musical contributions. (Joe Viglione)
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BLUE CAT GROOVE
Fever Records
Too Much Talk
10 tracks
Many bands which essay rocking electric blues are tolerable, in spite of the fact that the genre seems mostly played out. Nowadays, such bands can be assessed by their chops, and by how well they uphold the tradition, and, most of all, by how much they manage to move an audience. On the first two numbers, the band seems to be painting with rather broad strokes, and depending too much on some rather misguided production values, and flashy guitar work, and wielding the blues like a bludgeon. Even their comparatively sedate take on “Stormy Monday” seems to telegraph its impact. “Too Much Talk” comes across as strictly pro forma, although the juddering guitar licks are a nice touch. “Heaven Rain Down” is a respite; a gospel-tinged number with spare instrumentation which showcases the vocals of Kimberly Hodgens-Smith to best effect; ditto for the rather pretty “One of Us.” Finally, the live track “Wade in the Water” is a subtle and introspective take on the gospel classic. (Francis DiMenno)
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THE OCULAR AUDIO EXPERIMENT
Laughing Dreams
9 tracks
The Ocular Audio Experiment is a psyche band based out of Somerville, MA. It began life as a studio project by Alex Pollock and turned into a band at some point. You can pretty much see the THC dripping from your speakers as you play this, or maybe it was on my speakers beforehand. That’s not really important now. The important thing is that Laughing Dreams is a wonderful album for fans of psychic ills, Spacemen 3, and Embryo. They list some metal and new wave bands as influences in their bandcamp bio which are not as readily apparent, but there is a lot going on in these songs. They do warrant several listens in different states of mind. (Eric Baylies)
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JAY WILLIE BLUES BAND
Zoho Roots Records
Hell on Wheels
13 tracks
Jay Willie is an excellent slide guitarist in the Johnny Winter style and his band includes first rate musicians Malorie Leogrande and her sultry five octave voice handling the lead and very emotive vocals, Bobby Callahan on guitar, Ted Yakush on sax, Steve Clarke playing four strings, and two veterans from past JW bands, Jason Ricci, on his fourth release with the group, blowing harp and Bobby T. Torello pounding hard. The music is consistently classic rock combined with traditional r & b, and Motown soul. Short and sweet: Having Leogrande sing songs originally released with male singers interestingly changes the whole perspective of the lyrics and backed by a great band with incredible harp, red hot slide guitar licks and powerful pounding makes this group one of the best in the area. Celebrating artists like Al Green, Smokey Robinson, and Johnny Otis with cuts “Take Me to the River,” “The Hunter Captured By the Game,” and “Willie And the Hand Jive,” there are also four originals that equally showcase their creativity and talent. The title track, “Hell on Wheels,” and “21” by Jay Willie, “Alive Again” by Bobby T and “Everybody” by Callahan are cool bar band rockers that are sung by each composer in their own different and more growling voices; which better suits the grittier side of their music. I really enjoy their cover of the rare Cliff Nobles’ vocal version of the r & b classic “The Horse” with great harp and singing; and then the same song done as a jumping instrumental bonus track at the very end. Very cool! Great music from a great Connecticut band. (A.J. Wachtel)
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THE HAMMOND GROUP
Means Business
13 tracks
In 1977 Jonathan Richman put “Ice cream man, (ice cream man) ring your bell (ding ding)” on vinyl. The Hammond Group, however, takes the part-time-job “Ice Cream Man” and writes about the angst and frustration with their ’60s garage/ punk self-pity pathos in a decidedly different dimension than dear Jonathan and his lovable goofiness. “Hazmat” goes even deeper and darker and is one of the best songs on this 13-tune helping, Mean Business, a strong ’70s Who-styled adventure with lines like “You smoked all your weed/ now you think you’re a poet” and “relaxing in your Hazmat suit/ wonderin’/ who’s gonna peel your fruit.” The lyric doesn’t impede the great rock ’n’ roll song that this is; a tongue-in-cheek attitude that hardly sneaks through each and every composition, it is the requirement as the trio dismantle Jefferson Airplane with “Volunteer for America,” the Jorma Kaukonen guitar sound backing a Beastie Boys snarl. “Do the Math” would be comfortable on a Pebbles or Nuggets compilation while “Buttery Goodness” in its elastic, watery guitar setting again takes on The Who, specifically “Pictures of Lily.” But while Lily’s pornographic photographs were meant to excite, this song about putting on the pounds – with the same melody as “Pictures of Lily” – has a healthy heaping of insanity to go along with the low self-esteem. “Mosh Pit Girl” sort of says it all while the ballad for “Stephanie” has a sick wonderfulness to it, his love for her as pure as his vulgarity – “get your ass in the car for me.” Perhaps it is The Modern Lovers finding a stash of expired Quaalude? That old sedative with its hypnotic effect is what The Hammond Group has down: exactly what Richman would sound like on the stuff! (Joe Viglione)
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DNR
Do Not Resuscitate
8 tracks
What hath Black Sabbath wrought? This. Grindcore (mostly) from Providence; the growling lyrics define what the band hates (Pit Bull owners; sweater-wearing pedophiles), and the music, while competent in-genre, serves up a rather bleak sonic landscape in which everything and everyone is shit. Please. Forty-five years is a long time to (still) be yowling about War Pigs and the like. (Francis DiMenno)
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If you are a band or act based in New England and would like to have your release reviewed in The Noise, send a hard copy to T Max/ The Noise, 28 Goodhue St #406, Salem, MA 01970
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CD Reviews
Things I Should Let You Know
13 tracks
I first heard Seth Glier as an opening act in Portland, ME, in 2009. I could tell then that he was a rising star. This CD is evidence of the ongoing depth and breadth of his musical talent.
Seth is one of those singer-songwriters who arrives on the scene far ahead of most of the competition. He has a feel for popular song, a gift for lyric writing, and a unique tenor voice with a big range, as well as being a first-rate musician.
The song “Things I Should Let You Know” is a plea for acceptance, rendered with a cinematic sense of sound texture. “Man I Used to Be” could easily be a big hit on Top 40 radio stations. But then there’s a song like “New World I See” which is very jazzy. This is what I mean about his breadth—there’s a Paul McCartney/Billy Joel sense of musicality and punchy lyrics: “She’s five-foot five, with big brown eyes, she don’t eat meat, but she can eat you alive.” The song screams with Dixieland horns and Seth screams right along and plays it up with an old fashioned crooner’s finish.
“Plastic Soldiers” is an anthem for the modern military recruit, sweet and somber. “Stars and Glitter” starts out with throat singing—(like in Mongolia and Tuva), and then becomes a protest song about the economy, with stomps and harmonium. “Down to the Wire,” “Good Man,” and “Too Hard to Hold the Moon,” have completely different moods but are all hit material.
I really love the cover art on the CD, too—a mug shot, a seedy hotel room torn to shreds, littered with feathers and empty booze bottles—like a compatriot of Bonnie and Clyde.
I think Seth’s music speaks to the masses. I can easily envision him in a gigantic stadium with thousands of people holding candles, swaying and singing along while he performs. In an interview I read about him, he was asked to give career advice to other young musicians. He said, “It’s nice to be important but more important to be nice.” I think he really feels that way, and the sincerity and dedication to his craft and fans comes across. (Kimmy Sophia Brown)
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GANG GREEN
Taang! Records
“Sold Out” b/w “Terrorize”
2 tracks on 7” vinyl
“Skate to Hell” b/w “Alcohol”
2 tracks on 7” vinyl
Both these singles have been re-released as part of Get On Down and Taang! Records 30th anniversary box set—Taang! Records: The First 10 Singles. Each of the ten singles has been repressed on 7-inch 45 rpm vinyl. The box set also includes a 60-minute CD compiling each of the ten releases and a liner note booklet, penned by Taang! founder Curtis Casella, which describes the circumstances surrounding each single and, in true punk rock form, is riddled with endearing typos.
Taang!’s inaugural release in 1984 of Gang Green’s “Sold Out”/ “Terrorize” single captures the band at their sloppy, snotty best. The two tracks combined represent two minutes and 50 seconds of the best that early Boston punk/hardcore had to offer. “Sold Out” is a total kiss-off to the music industry that they would later become, at least peripherally, a part of. Its vaguely countrified refrain of, “All we want is money/ We’ll be on every station/ Give the fucking people what they want,” is likely to be lost on anyone under the age of 40. I’m pretty certain that we’re the only ones left to remember when radio in Boston had any meaning to the music scene whatsoever. “Terrorize” is is a 42- second blast of snot-core, moving at such ferocious speed the it’s over before you have time to catch up. What’s most amazing when listening to these old hardcore tracks are the crazy drumming skills of Mike Dean. I have listened to my fair share of hardcore drummers but have never heard someone keep time at the machine-gun tempos of this guy.
A year or so later, when Gang Green released “Skate To Hell”/ “Alcohol,” it might just be that they had drunk a little to much of their own punch (pun intended). “Skate To Hell” stretches out the hardcore formula with metal riffs and guitar solos. “Alcohol,” which served as the band’s unofficial theme song, is a hilarious ode to drink, which was much easier to appreciate at 15 than at 43. Unfortunately it also serves as a blueprint for the band’s undoing. Too much coke and beer usually doesn’t make a great band.
Listening to these tracks thirty-or-so years after their release, I find it unfathomable that this endearing band of knuckleheads won the Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble in 1996. I guess it goes to show that at certain times in Boston’s history the “popular” music establishment was able to have an open mind when it comes to crowning its most favored sons and daughters. [editors note: I was there—it was no contest after Gang Green dragged a synth center stage and totally demolished in with a green sledgehammer—this was visually entertaining and a statement about the current, at the time, affairs of music.] (George Dow)
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LYNNE TAYLOR
When Lightning Strikes
11 tracks
When things go wrong, does life go on? Though a question we all ask ourselves at one point or another, it remains unanswered—or at least, unanswered in a satisfactory manner. Still, the topic remains fodder, and we cannot help but experience camaraderie with those brave enough to delve into its innerworkings. Enter Lynne Taylor, a professional musician since the age of fourteen, and an unfaltering force of the New England music scene, with a sensibility evoking the likes of Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, and Carole King. Fitting, as even her instrument of choice is the piano—made evident through the unabashed simplicity of the record’s opener, “Butterfly” and further expounded upon through “Pablo’s Glue” in all its Spanish flair (complete with Latin guitars for emphasis), and the jazz-tinged “No Words.” But don’t let such characterization fool you, as there are moments in which Taylor emerges in full-on Liz Phair rock chick glory, with witticisms to match. “Back by Suppertime” is an utterly stimulating dive into the country rock realm. Repeat-worthy, Taylor’s vocal tone is reminiscent of fellow New Englander Linda Viens (Bad Saints/ Angeline/ Kingdom of Love) throughout the duration of the track, and she even displays political brazenness throughout “Grand Empire.” Clearly, Taylor is a fearless singer-songwriter, one who is unafraid to get her hands dirty. When Lightning Strikes is, essentially, an exploration of diversity without ever straying from her roots. (Julia R. DeStefano)
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TELAMOR
Olex Music
Valentine to the Future
12 songs
Tom Hauck’s latest is a mostly solid block of superbly accomplished songs which would sound even better with a more skillfully variegated vocal mix. I’d love to hear some cover versions of just about all of these songs, which offer up an amazing amalgamation of diverse garage styles. Opener “Shining Star” has a decided bite, as though ZZ Top were composing an acid garage punk anthem. “Ancient History” is a sneering sing-song punk anthem ala Joan Jett, with superadded wild guitar riffage. “Lonelyhearts” is a new wave anti-love song worthy of the Buzzcocks, what with its pulsing declamatory feel. “Plastic Heart” reminds me of an uncharacteristically uptempo Black Sabbath, while “I Got Up” is reminiscent of classic proto-punk such as “Talk Talk” by the Music Machine. “Poison Tea” reminds me of the Turbines with a decidedly nasty edge and enjoyably skewed lyrics. “Work Together” is a choppy declamatory punctuated by some appealing minimalist guitar licks. “Love Me Tender” is an entertaining Elvis riff whose chief charm is its brevity. “No Rest for the Weary” is another sing-songy new wave rave-up punctuated by a telegraphic guitar riff; “Racing the Sun” reminds me a bit of early XTC with the twee melodicism of Queen and another inimitable guitar line. If anything, the final track encapsulates the remarkable diversity of this admirable collection. A genuine keeper. One of the best collections of the year. (Francis DiMenno)
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DWIGHT & NICOLE
Shine On
11 tracks
All of the folk/ pop tracks on this release are very good with Dwight Ritcher on vocals/ guitars and Nicole Nelson on stunning vocals/ harmonies; and a stellar band including local celebs Marty Ballou on bass and Marty Richards on drums, and brothers Scott and John Arruda on trumpet and sax, making the music. The cuts are either written by Dwight or Nicole separately, or are co-written, and the final tune on the CD is the lone cover of folkie Leonard Cohen’s hit “Hallelujah.” Nicole originally sang this and blew away the judges on the TV show The Voice in September 2012. Regardless of the musicians, this is really a vocal CD with Dwight’s nice and smoky voice opening up many of the compositions including “I Need Love”—one of my favorites, “Tomorrow’s Not Today,” “Shine,” and “Plead” with Nelson coming in on harmonies and verses later on. The songs where the vocals are reversed somewhat and Nicole starts out and carries the melody, like “Saturday” and “Hallelujah” are the most memorable. I really like the ska flavored “Smile” with her passionate voice and nice harmonies; which are an identifying characteristic of the duo. This is evident on all of the tracks. Nicole was just voted Female Vocalist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards; “Shine On” is a great showcase for her. This music is sorta Etta James, kinda John Lee Hooker, a bit of The Stones, and in a way like Mavis Staple, but it is unquestionably ALL Dwight & Nicole. I like this a lot. Check it out. (A.J. Wachtel)
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JOHNNY A
Aglaophone Records
Driven
11 songs
Setting the pace for this portfolio of Mr. A’s instrumental rock stylings, album opener “Ghost” has an Eagles guitar sound and is a nicely percolating boogie with a trace of blues. “A Mask You Wear” has a keening guitar reminiscent of “Layla.” “C’mon C’mon” is a peppy, poppy number. “From a Dark Place” is an instrumental ballad; “Out of Nowhere” is an engaging, anthemic number; “The Arizona Man” is ominous and bluesy; “It Must Have Been You” is another poppy romp. Overall, this is a showboating guitar showcase with competent drumming and subdued yet subtly refined bass. Best of show is the dreamy take on the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” and the relentlessly throbbing “Gone… (Like a Sunset)” with variegated percussive effects and classic riffing. This is surprisingly infectious guitar craft showcasing a true rhythmic and melodic bent from this long-time Boston favorite son. (Francis DiMenno)
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VARIOUS ARTISTS
Bubbles in the Think Tank
Seven Inches & Other Delights
6-track compilation
For the past three years, Belinda Rawlin’s radio show Bubbles in the Think Tank has celebrated Record Store Day by releasing an EP compilation, on vinyl, of original songs about records.
The 2014 installment is Seven Inches & Other Delights. The disc opens with Travis, Shook & the New Club Wow. (That’s Chandler Travis and friends). Their tune is “Records & Bubbles,” in which they pay tribute to Belinda, the producer of this disc and host of the late night weekly show, Bubbles in the Think Tank, heard on WMFO Saturday evenings.
Chris Ligon is up next. He creates audio art with a montage of skipping records. He calls it “All My Records Skip.” At times it almost sounds like free jazz. Very trippy.
Side one finishes with a sudden punk tune by Darling Pet Munkees. Their song, “Mighty Tiny Record Player,” makes me want to play records all day. But wait—from punk, they switch to circus-like music, then banjo, and lounge jazz—all in the same song!
The B-side opens with Jake & Ry doing “Standin’ in the House of Oldies,” which contain the line, “No CDs or mp3’s.” It’s a nostalgic look back at all the old music on records, yet they do a contemporary one on a record.
Ed “Moose” Savage’s spoken word piece, “I Got Records!,” is a poetic rant about vinyl, and has some pretty funny lines.
Richard X. Hayman closes this charming little EP with “Talkin’ Kickstarter Campaign Blues.” It’s done in the old-style talking folk-blues, but is about contemporary ways of raising funds. It has a bizarre break in the middle. Hilarious.
The sleeve of the seven-inch is a rip-off of the Herb Albert’s Tijuana Brass classic mid-’60s record, Whipped Cream & Other Delights. And the vinyl itself is pure white. Gorgeous. (Chuck U. Rosina)
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SADO-DOMESTICS
Two-Egg Scrambler
15 tracks
All the best elements of grassroots, folk, Americana, country, acoustic meld beautifully in the music that Sado-Domestics creates. Of the 15 tracks, some lean more to one genre than another but the lovely common denominator lies within the harmonization of the strings—fiddle stings, banjo strumming, upright bass, guitar, mandolin, etc.—it’s like a roots symphony—Oh, except for the surprise punk tracks at the end! Not to ignore the other wonderful musical accompaniments that appear throughout as for their respective tunes they add the perfect flavor—accordion, drums/ doumbek, Hammond organ, etc. I don’t mean to tick off a list here but I’m trying to get across how well Sado-Domestics produce and perform their music, how just perfectly they arrange each tune. I feel a genuineness emanating from the songs and a uniqueness among the comfort and familiarity of these genres. I must mention that Sado-Domestics are led by the singer-songwriter duo Lucy Martinez and Chris Gleason—with the songs either sung lead by one or the other or are presented as a vocal duo. It’s a top-notch effort along with the supporting musicians. They are a South Shore-based band that sounds like a seasoned nationally touring band. I’m impressed and glad that this CD landed in my hands! I particularly love “Dragonfly,” “River,” “Waiting,” and “Tainted Windows.” (Debbie Catalano)
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THE SPLENDID NOBODIES
Rootstrap Records
Shortcut to Now
10 tracks
What’s not to like? There’s splendid (I had to say it) country-inflected rock with lots of noodling, lyric inventiveness and good time vocals (“More of Everything”). There’s “What Is,” a basic boogie-woogie of classic dimensions. There’s “Amen,” a nice finger-pickin’ old-timey shout with a clever gospel twist. “Diamond” could almost pass as a Randy Newman song. The pace is varied by the stray mid-tempo tune, notably “Branches,” and by ballads such as “Shovel,” but I favor the barn-burning numbers. There’s all kinds of good stuff on here, and you’d have to be terminally depressed not to respond to at least one of these roistering toe-tappers. Solid. (Francis DiMenno)
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ARI AND MIA
Land on Shore
11 tracks
Ari and Mia make exceptional music on Land on Shore. The first cut, “Turn Me Round,” is softly sung and strung wonderfully upon a delicate acoustic web. In fact, all the tunes are poetic and artistically executed. The sunset colors on the album art seem to reflect the colors of the third and fourth chakras—confidence and creativity—which are in turn reflected by a line in the song “Marble Moon”: “I can only hope it’s true, golden blooms ’neath marble woman moon.” “Away” is packed with inner and external journeying: “And as night became dawn and I woke up alongside myself in a far away home.”
The instrumental composition, “Turtle,” shows off their playing chops. The title song, “Land on Shore,” is an old Shaker tune with a familiar and beautiful melody. “Glad You Came By” has lovely harmonies and was written by their dad, Lev Friedman.
“All I Know” is a sweet little tune that carves up the air with the fiddle, just like the small canoe carves away at the blue in the lyric. What a clever song it is! And another clever one right after: “Beautiful Victories,” which is based on a poem and music written in the 1620s. The guitar, cello, and fiddle go jazzy and plucky and joyous. “Starry Crown” is a ripping, foot-stomping, hoedown-Hazel Dickens kind of song (a probable side two to her “Fire in the Hole!”). “Hymn” starts out a little like Tom Waits’ lovely tune, “Fawn.” Then comes an undercurrent from the harmonium, and a sad, prescient message about the state of the world, sung in somber harmonies. “The Dirty Bog” is another instrumental tune, written by Mia, but sounds like something old. This is a luminous album, excellent in every way. When they play in Maine, I’ll be there. I can tell from this CD that they would be great to see live in concert. (Kimmy Sophia Brown)
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JAMES DOWER
Dower Music
Now
10 tracks
James Dower’s music is mostly a mix of soft rock/pop. His talents would shine much more brightly if he were to step out from beneath the cloak of his influences and allow his own style to flow through his considerable skills. The striking likenesses to Elton John and at times, Billy Joel, in much of this CD were distracting. “Stride,” is a fun dance/house music tune with lots of psychedelia-laced guitar and keyboard work. This is an awesome and highly bass dominant piece!
In stark contrast is “The Artist,” a melodic and melancholy tribute to the woman for whom it is named. It’s impossible to hear past the early Elton John sound on this. “Taking It On The Road,” is a cosmically synthesized trip—a bass-driven instrumental with a bit of modern jazz thrown in, making it good to chill to. I like it. “Worry” is a sunny, reassuring song, chock full of encouragement, an upbeat and optimistic song with some happily piano work. All in all, what works best on this CD is when James Dower is simply being himself, playing in his own style. I’d really like to hear more of that. (R.J. Ouellette)
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THE GRAVEDANCERS
10 tracks
Included in the written credits is a quote from my November 2013 review in this publication of my four-song pre-view of their finally completed project, so only six of the 10 songs on this new release I am hearing for the first time. This trio includes Matt Gilbert, Reno Daly (both from Harlequin), and drummer Bubba McBride. Their sound is rooted in hard rock with loud guitars, passionate vocals, and a rock solid rhythm section. All of the tunes are written by growling guitarist Gilbert with occasional help from bassist Daly. The one song written collectively, “Funk Train Comin’,” is an instrumental that showcases the band’s identity: slick and frenzied guitar with the hard pounding bass and drums ably keeping up. There are two distinct types of music here: fast and ominous, and slower and ominous. The opener, “Boogie Woogie Ghoulies,” is the cut that their fans will be screaming for in concert—it’s got a great beat with an odd repeated chant of the song title. Can you see a crowd of drunk fans screaming, “Boogie Woogie GHOULIES” at closing time while the band plays it for an encore? The faster paced ominous tunes that I dig are “By the Light of the Moon” and “Jellyfish Sea.” Slower paced ominous tunes I dig: “Goodbye Mr. Butch,” “No Fly Zone,” “Cold Grey Morning,” and “Tremelo Road.” And their Mott the Hoople cover of “Sucker” is right up their alley: heavy pop with an attitude. Check it out. (A.J. Wachtel)
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THE LEMONHEADS
Taang! Records
“Glad I Don’t Know”/ “I’d Like To”/ “I Am A Rabbit”/ “So I Fucked Up”
4 tracks on 7” vinyl
This single has been re-released as part of Get On Down and Taang! Records 30th anniversary box set—Taang! Records: The First 10 Singles.
There has always been a special spot in my heart for The Lemonheads’ early work. Their effortless mix of pop-punk and nearly-hardcore-punk amazed me from the first time I ever heard it. It was a combination of styles crashing in to one another that I had never experienced before—not to mention that their inane ditties about pining obsession, sexual frustration, and general hatred of anything and everything resonated with my ninth-grade brain and hormones.
Their first Taang! single runs the gamut. “Glad I Don’t Know” shows The Lemonheads’ pop leanings which they would explore more directly in their later releases. “I like to pick things up and drop ’em down again,” perfectly illustrates the silly frustrated 52 seconds of “I’d Like To.” “I Am A Rabbit” is easily the best song ever to use a carrot and bed of lettuce to represent frenetic teenaged sex. Lastly, “So I Fucked Up” reminded me of every high school kid’s arguments with their parents. “I did the best I could do… I fucked up/ What do you want? I said I was sorry/ I can always say it again.” Sounds exactly like a conversation I had with my son just this morning. (George Dow)
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DARLINGSIDE
Pilot Machines
12 tracks
The classification of a “string rock quintet hailing from Northhampton, Massachusetts” is bound to get some quizzical stares—especially from those who prefer their music to fit neatly into categorized genre boxes. Just what IS “string rock,” exactly, besides the inclusion of a mandolin, cello, and violin among the guitars and drums? Many have gone so far as to draw comparisons to Chicago, IL, singer-songwriter Andrew Bird and his Bowl of Fire—so inventive is Darlingside’s musical concept that, much like Bird, it even shines through in the band’s name. But the reality is—sometimes, in order to enjoy something, one needs to let go of their desire to fully comprehend the “how, what, why, when”—and simply, let it be. It is then that Pilot Machines, the band’s debut, becomes a breakthrough—creatively speaking—even if the harmonies on the album’s opener, “Still” do evoke Snow Patrol. To say that this record is “uplifting” is an understatement—think sweeping stadium rock. Not since Boston, MA-based This Blue Heaven or The Lights Out has a band sounded so energetic and cheerful as a unit. Darlingside seem “worry-free,” seemingly overjoyed and grateful for the privilege to make music together—emotion that echoes through each track, even amid the varying subject matter. However upbeat (“My Love” and “The Ancestor”) or slow the tempo (“Sweet and Low”), Darlingside’s infectious energy remains prominent. As the opener’s lyrics state: “Your satisfaction is our first concern”—fitting when one considers the time and effort put into the careful creation of Pilot Machines.
(Julia R. DeStefano)
…
LAST RIGHTS
Taang! Records
“Chunks” b/w “So Ends Our Night”
2 tracks on 7” vinyl
NEGATIVE FX
Taang! Records
V.F.W. 7-inch
4 tracks on 7” vinyl
SLAPSHOT Taang! Records
“Same Mistake” b/w “Might Makes Right”
2 tracks on 7” vinyl
The Last Rights, Negative FX, and Slapshot singles have been re-released as part of Get On Down and Taang! Records 30th anniversary box set —Taang! Records: The First 10 Singles.
Jack “Choke” Kelly is the godfather of Boston hardcore. Taang! Records’ Record Store Day release of The First 10 Singles brings the point home, featuring nine tracks from three Choke-fronted bands—Last Rights, Negative FX, and Slapshot. While each single documents the evolution of Choke, they also serve as testament to the evolution of Boston hardcore over the course of the ’80s and ’90s.
Last Rights’ “Chunks”/ “So Ends Our Night” single, released in 1984, rips by in a flash. Choke’s trademarked barks punctuated by gang-choruses which would become a hallmark of hardcore in years to come. 30 years ago, and he was already wearing his straight-edge badge on his shoulder.
Minor Threat might have hoisted the straight-edge flag a few years earlier in 1983 with their Out of Step EP on Discord, but Taang! brought us Negative FX’s V.F.W. 7-inch in 1985 which put Boston’s stamp on the philosophy. Minor Threat’s “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t fuck/ Out of step/ With the world” mantra always felt somewhat apathetic—mostly a resigned sigh. Choke, on the other hand, shouted his message on the head of a sledgehammer. “Mind Control” was a call to arms, “No! You! Can’t! Tell me what to do!” The implied threat being, “…and if you don’t do what I say, I’ll kick the snot out of you,” which any mid-’80s hardcore kid can tell you was not an uncommon occurrence.
With two legendary, if short-lived outfits behind him, Choke convened with other legendary Boston hardcore players to form Slapshot. The “Same Mistake” 7-inch came in 1988 between their seminal debut, Back on the Map and their sophomore follow-up, Step on It. The two-track single gives a nod to the past while looking squarely to the future. “Same Mistake,” while certainly a hardcore track at heart, features dripping feedback and haunted, almost spoken in tongues, backing vocals. A hint a some of the metallic turns the band would take in years to come. Conversely, the B-side, “Might Makes Right,” was a Negative FX leftover. It’s straight-forward, straight-edge hardcore about beating the shit out of anyone who disagrees.
Everything about these three singles reminds me why I was always equal parts in love with and scared to death of Slapshot. As a fifteen year old in 1986, at some of his first all-ages shows, I was always pretty certain that I would come away dead if not from Choke beating me to death with his sawed-off hockey stick, then from the mosh pit enforcers that followed the band. But the fact of the matter was, they were simply so talented, and a Slapshot show was such a tribal experience that I was compelled over and over again to take my life in my hands to watch them. (George Dow)
…
KENNY SELCER
Touch the Sky Music
Don’t Forget About Me
15 songs
The title track of this 2011 collection is a pleasantly anodyne mid-tempo folk-inflected number with electric guitar. “Goin’ Home Now” has some nice finger picking and a decided country-rock feel ala Pure Prairie League. The vocalist has a not unpleasant voice with a bit of a nasal honk, like a deracinated Bob Dylan, and the bulk of these songs are perfectly pleasant ballads, philosophical ruminations, et al. Standouts include the reverential love song “In an Instant,” the mysterioso “Colors,” and the lackadaisical shuffle “Say You Will.” (Francis DiMenno)
…
ROTARY PROPHETS
Faith ●Lost ● Love
5 tracks
I’m feeling a garage rock vibe to this self-labeled roots-based/ country-alt music. The underlying core of the sound is Americana/country but the rough-around-the-edges vocals and the guitar—even when it’s twang—has that driving rock urgency. On a second listen, I appreciated its nuances more—the classic cool keyboards that gives “Sandusky, Ohio (Sweet Vanessa)” and “American Dream” their jaunty feel; the melody and solidness of “Rose Colored Glasses” (one of my favorites); and the great drumming in “Angel Fire.” But the last track, “Better Days,” is the standout in this EP—I sense the soul of the band and this sincerity that pours through the lyrics and music create a visual image of some sort. I could see a rolling landscape, photos, a story in a film with “Better Days” punctuating the images. Someone put this song on screen! (Debbie Catalano)
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KIRSTEN MANVILLE
Come With Me
10 tracks
This album is a collection of folk-rock-country tunes, about lovers parking at the lake, a woman longing for love and settling for a dance, broken hearts, marital infidelity, flirtations, and romance.
There’s a wistful playfulness in the song, “Play My Guitar.” “There’s floors to wash, laundry to fold/ food in the fridge that’s pretty damn old/ bills to pay, and a lawn to mow/ but I think I’ll just play my guitar.” The distortion guitar in “You’re Wrong” shows Kirsten’s edgier side. The title track, “Come With Me,” has a nice howling harmonica and fun message of hitting the road and following one’s dreams. “Come with me baby, it’s our time, it’s our time/ You know those old dreams you put up on that shelf/ Well now’s your chance to come and take them down/ Wind’s at our back so let’s give them a chase. Let’s reach for it all, not a moment to waste.”
The stories in these songs are accessible, referencing things everyone understands—shopping, watching television and just being alive. Kirsten’s kind heart shines through her pretty voice, along with a fine harmonious effort from all the other musicians on the CD. (Kimmy Sophia Brown)
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ALEXI PARASCHOS
Something Greater
14 tracks
Alexi’s music has the ability to connect directly with the listener, whether it’s through shared emotions, experiences, or hope. In fact, the latter is one of the themes of the album—the desire to find that something, and never lose faith that it’s out there. With an upbeat pop foundation layered with smooth jazz tones and some gospel vibe, this music is meant for raising a person’s spirit. When I first heard it, the title track shocked me at first—it spoke directly to feelings I was having at the time. That doesn’t happens often, but when it does, I take note.
Alexi has woven a beautiful tapestry of music and vocal skills. The KuumUnity Collaborations Choir is on a few of the tracks and their group chemistry shines through. It’s an amazing combination, and it shows that Alexi found a group that could feel what he feels and could help convey the message behind his lyrics. Willie Jones (keys), Parker McAllister (bass), Charles Burchell (drums), and Stephen Allsop, Gabriella Sharpe, and Courtney Walker (background vocals) each bring something different to the table, and ultimately, it’s a necessary contribution to the whole. (Max Bowen)
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CARISSA JOHNSON
Manic Panic Records
Concordia 513
11 songs
Ms. Johnson has a pleasing, waif-like and sometimes pouting voice, and although I don’t get a large charge out of most of her acoustic numbers, tracks like “Supermoon” and “Promises, Promises” have the potential to amount to something grand. But the spartan studio recording techniques diminish the impact which these songs might otherwise have had, with the exception of the heartfelt “Oh (Don’t) Go.” This is essentially a set of very promising demo recordings, and Ms. Johnson sometimes displays a strikingly advanced rhythmic sense, as on “Do Any Good.” (Francis DiMenno)
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If you are based in New England and you’d like to get your CD reviewed in The Noise, send it to T Max/ The Noise, PO Box 353, Gloucester MA 01931. Or send digital releases to tmax@thenoise-boston.com.
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TOP 10
T MAX (The Noise publisher/ singer-songwriter)
Top 10 New England Live Acts I Loved in 2016
1. Don White – Poignantly funny with the ability to be heart breakingly serious the next moment. A true master of the stage.
2. Melissa Ferrick – Super energy and intelligence that transfers to every audience member.
3. The Suitcase Junket – Creative musical Jeti who manages multiple tasks and makes it look easy.
4. Bird Mancini – Two wonderfully talented performers that balance each other’s gifts perfectly. Ruby is the star, Billy is the hidden secret.
6. Doug MacDonald Band – Raw unique rock with hit-you-upside-the-head lyrics.
6. Julie Dougherty – Seasoned grace, spot on performance, with a degree in connecting with an audience.
7. Geoff Bartley – Dylanesque, mastering natural musical execution.
8. Trick Wallace Trio – Easy flowing rock with r&b leanings.
9. Three Day Threshold – Hee haw party makers and great players.
10. Fil Pacino – Master of the soloist’s looped song.
Honorable Mention:
Occidental Gypsy, Martin & Morell, Charlie Farren, Wishbone Zoe, Lisa & Glenn, Connor Garvey, Whose Muddy Shoes
…
FRANCIS DiMENNO (The Noise senior editor)
Top Ten Albums for 2016
1. Duke Levine – The Fade Out
2. The Legendary Rich Gilbert – Stereo Action Music & Son of Sam
3. The Wood Floors – Feel the Revolution
4. Pete Mongomery – Baby Sunshine
5. Gladiol – This Year’s Storm
6. Biltmore – Revolutions and Romantics
7. The Forz – Running From the Past
8. Davide Greenberger, Keith Spring, & Dinty Child with Keiichi Hashimoto – Take Me Where I Don’t Know Where I Am
9. Future Carnivors – Melt the Sky
10. The Lincoln Tunnel – Today 2.0
…And some EPS
11. Celebrit Handshake – Celebrity Handshake EP
12. Cold Expectations – Supper Prayers
13. Geoff Pango & Mr. Curt – Cap It Off!
14. Rick Berlin w/ the Nickel & Dime Band – Badville
15. Whirlpools – E.P.
16. Matt York – Boston, Texas
17. Alien Drag – Escape from Alpha
18. Governor – The First Three
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A.J. WACHTEL (ex-Beat/ ex-Phoenix/ ex- Improper Bostonian/ ex-Herald/ ex-Globe/ ex-Bunratty’s)
Top 10 Super Shows I Saw in 2016
(No Specific Order)
* Jon Butcher Axis, Hirsh Gardner, John Fannon & The Eight Tracks at Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA, on 1/22/16
* Heavy Metal Horns 25th Anniversary at Johnny D’s, Somerville, MA, on 2/26/16
* Peter Wolf at Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA, on 5/12/16
* The Real Kids, Xanna Don’t, The Classic Ruins, The Hopelessly Obscure, Harlequin, Chelsea Clutch & Linda Viens (Chet’s Documentary Benefit) at Once Ballroom, Somerville, MA, on 5/21/16
* D.K’s Full House at Danny Klein’s 70th Birthday Party, Thunder Road Music Club, Somerville, MA – 5/22/16
* The Duke Robillard Band at The Regattabar, Cambridge, MA, on 6/25/16
* The Fools at Blue Ocean Club, Salisbury, MA, on 7/8/16
* The Dogmatics at Frank Rowe’s 60th Birthday at The Midway, Jamaica Plain, MA, on 8/15/16
* John Davidson at The Center for the Arts in Natick, Natick, MA, on 9/9/16
* Elvin Bishop, The Delta Generators at The Cabot Theatre, Beverly, MA, on 9/15/16
Honorable Mention:
* Threadbear Fynn- The Beehive- South End Boston, MA, on 1/31/16; * Tokyo Tramps, Bob Leger, Club Linehan A Go Go, Yucca Flats Bubba Loaf, Miss Intent, Joey Fingers, Climate Change at Geezer’s Annual Rock and Roll BBQ, The Hillbilly Ranch, Stoughton, MA, on 8/6/16; * Miele, Narrow Waves, Elsewhere, The Great Madness, Fire For Cavemen, The Angry Tides. Miele CD Release Party at The Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA, on 8/18/16; * Aisling Peartree & Shalom at The Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA, on 9/3/16; * Bim Skala Bim, Brighton Music Hall, Brighton, MA, on 9/11/16.
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ERIC BAYLIES (Minibeast/ Baylies Band)
Top 10 New England Bands
1. Doomsday Student: Doomsday Student is one of the best live bands in the world and put out incredible skronky post-everything albums.
2. 6 Star General: 6 Star General have been one of my favorite bands for about 10 years. The pride of Warren, Rhode Island, they consistently put out fantastic albums almost annually.
3. Lazertuth: the pride of outer space and southesatern Mass. Lazertuth is a modern day Magma.
4. Goon Planet: Providence has produced a lot of great noisy bands over the years, and Goon Planet is the latest in a long line of geniuses.
5. Pyramid: If Blondie or the Pretenders were a little more punk, but kept the great hooks, they would sound like Rhode Island’s Pyramid.
6. Sick Pills: Chris Evil and company have been cranking out punk gems for a long time, but Sick Pills add touches of The Modern Lovers and Cars to the mix.
7. Picniclunch: Picnic Lunch is the new kings of no wave.
8. David Carradine: Providence thrash punks have been destroying stages world wide for over a decade.
9. Ioneye: Newport, Rhode Island’s Ioneye is the solo project of Stephen Lepre, one of the greatest shredding guitar players on the planet.
10. Olneyville Sound System: OSS has been one the pillars of the Providence noise scene for 20 years, but is set apart a little due to the fact that they happen to also write great songs.
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KATHY SANDS-BOEHMER (booker at me&thee, Marblehead, MA)
Ten Sweetest Musical Moments
In a year in which many of us experienced campaign fatigue from the seemingly non-stop tirades of actual news and fake news, it was imperative to find solace in some way, shape or form. Focusing on music helped me through the year.
In no particular order, here are some of my musical highlights of 2016.
Since I volunteer at the me&thee coffeehouse, you can bet that I had many magical experiences soaking in the music, the lyrics, the acoustics, the atmosphere and the community who gathers at this remarkable venue to be one with the music and to be with each other.
1. The Suitcase Junket at the me&thee… It gives me great joy to bring new and exciting artists to our stage. Matt Lorenz aka The Suitcase Junket is one such artist. His passion and his energy combined with his unusual one-man-bandish concert presentation was an absolute delight. Whether he’s playing his beat-up old guitar which had been discarded in someone’s trash or whether he’s playing his drum kit made up of pots and pans and miscellaneous other objects or whether he’s making his other worldly vocalizations, he’s special. Not be missed.
2. A double bill with Matt Nakoa and Rachael Kilgour at the me&thee. Loved how much the audience dug these two newbies to our stage. Good songwriting is good songwriting and these two are impressive! Matt’s extremely talented on both guitar and keyboards and his songs are memorable and mesmerizing. Rachael’s emotional songs and winning personality grabs the audience by the heartstrings and never let go.
3. Speaking of good songwriting or in this case… let me say great songwriting… Gretchen Peters at the me&thee was a definite highlight of the year. Gretchen totally blew me and the audience away with some of the most extraordinary songs I’ve heard in a long, long time. Every song was magnificent. Every note was perfection. If you ever have a chance to see Gretchen accompanied by her musical partner and husband, Barry Walsh, do yourself a favor and go.
I could go on and on about a variety of other me&thee shows but I thought I’d expand and move on to other musical adventures in 2016.
4. Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, NY is one of my happy places. This year I had a work conflict and missed most of the festival but I was able to haul into the festival grounds late on Saturday and see that night’s acts on the main stage and meander from campsite to campsite til the wee hours. The Big Orange Tarp site never fails to disappoint and I was so happy that I landed there right before I headed off to sleep. Chelsea Berry was in great form as she sang her song “I Wonder” accompanied by the luscious sounds of backing musicians playing cello, violin, and guitar.
5. A first time visit to the Amourasaurus Festival in Northampton was a highlight of the summer. This festival is presented by Signature Sounds, a record label with great credentials. It had been quite some time since I had last seen Lake Street Dive and not only did they demonstrate that all the buzz about them was 1000% correct but they have one of the coolest light shows you can ever imagine.
6. Attending the CT Folk Festival auditions for showcase slots at the festival was a fun and educational experience. I traveled down to New Haven with Jim Trick after he was selected to audition. Each act had 15 minutes to show their stuff. I know Jim well and have been working with him for nearly two years so I knew full well that he can capture the hearts and minds of an audience. He nailed it at this audition and won the slot with ease. A proud and happy sweet moment.
7. Hayley Reardon at Club Passim in Cambridge. Hayley is from Marblehead and has played the me&thee many times. Watching her develop her songwriting skills has been incredible. But more than that, Hayley has matured and grown as a performer. She handles herself like a seasoned pro and as a 19-year-old college student, she has no place to go but up.
8. Peter Mulvey at Stubblebine Lutherie in Somerville. Any performance by Peter Mulvey is exquisite. Peter’s shows are flawless. He plays his guitar with such ease and grace. His songs keep getting better and better. His personal and gentle rapport with the audience is heartwarming. There is nothing artificial about this special man who is a gift to all of us who love music.
9. Martyn Joseph at Old Sloop Coffeehouse in Rockport, MA. Martyn Joseph’s performances are riveting. He is one of the most inspiring singer-songwriters I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen a lot of them. This Welch musician sings what he calls “songs of lyrical intelligence.” He spend a good deal of time per year working on projects that promote positive change for those nations in need around the world.. I was so moved after this concert that I felt like quitting my day job and running off to follow Martyn in order to make a bigger difference in the world.
10. Listening to music blogs has been a great source of education for me recently. I highly recommend www.sodajerker.com in which two singer-songwriter blokes from Liverpool, Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor discuss and dissect songwriting with musicians of every kind. If you like to hear back stories about the composition of songs or about the creative process in general, check out this blog!
…
KIER BYRNES (Three Day Threshold)
Top 10 Ways I’ve Failed my Music Career in 2016
10. Did not write any new songs that anyone other than me liked.
9. Still don’t understand the point of twitter.
8. Once again, my band did not win the Rumble.
7. Not enough face time with Jim Zavadoski.
6. Did not die, thus was unable to get a post-mortem resurgence of interest in my music. Similarly, wasn’t able to participate in any major scandals that would attract major media attention.
5. Still have no idea what would be the best medium to release music on. CDs are good because they can put the music right into their hands, but fewer and fewer people have a CD player now (and CDs costs a lot to make). Downloads cards are likely to get lost or tossed before they even make it to a computer. Seriously, anyone have any good ideas on this?
4. Got Rita confused with Lolita and vice versa.
3. Failed to convince the mainstream pop music market that old, worn out, geezers like myself playing folk music will be the next big thing.
2. Didn’t get to any of those Rock ’N’ Roll Socials hosted at the Model every second Tuesday of the month. I’m fine with the rock ’n’ roll part of these, it’s just being social part which I have difficulty with.
1. Spent too much time searching for hard copies of the latest issues of The Noise.
…
HARRY C. TUNIESE (Catalyst for Creativity)
Top 10 Albums (* = online only)
1. Bent Knee: Say So
2. Rabbit Rabbit [Carla Kihlstedt & Matthias Bossi]: “new music 2015-2016” *
3. Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards: Grain by Grain
4. Rick Berlin w/ Nickel & Dime Band: Badville
5. Amanda Palmer & Jherek Bischoff: Strung Out in Heaven (a Bowie Tribute) *
6. T Max: Hole in My Shoe
7. Hummingbird Syndicate: Pop Tricks
8. Erik Lindgren: Bespoke
9. Lucy & the Dreamers: Lucy & the Dreamers
10. Willie Alexander & the Fishtones: I’ll Be Goode
Honorable Mention:
Greg Greebway: 20,000 Versions of the Sun
Stellwagen Symphonette [Carla Kihlstedt, Matthias Bossi, Jon Evans]: Embarcadero and Pristine Holiday *
Jim Armenti: The Poetry of Longing
Ray Mason: The Shy Requester
The Evenfall Quartet: The Evenfall Quartet
Brother Sun: Weights & Wings
Ben Levin: Life & Back
Steve Gilligan & Spider Farm: Dog Patch Garage
Jim Eagan: Never Too Late
Glenn Jones: Fleeting
Jeremy Flower [w/ Carla & Matthias]: The Real Me *
Lowbudget Records Stones Compilation: You Can’t Always Want What You Get
Amanda & Jack Palmer: You Got Me Singing *
Auva: Auva
Geoff Pango & Mr. Curt: Cap It Off!
…
GEORGE DOW (Noise writer/ Co-host at Evolvement Radio)
Top 10 New Albums I Heard in 2016
(no particular order)
Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial
Muddy Ruckus – Pretty Bones
Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker
And So I Watched You From Afar – Heirs
Bon Iver – 22, A Million
Tigerman WOAH! – Tigerman WOAH!
Pixies – Head Carrier
A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Support
Sand Reckoner – Haunter
Chris Forsyth – The Rarity of Experience
…
R.J. OUELLETTE (Noise writer)
Top 10 CDs of 2016
Shall we all breathe a sigh of relief as we welcome 2017? After having endured the figurative ass kicking that 2016 served up so well, we deserve a fresh start! As music lovers, I think that we can all agree that New England has always been a productive and fertile breeding ground for excellent music. In spite of the negatives of this past year, a lot of really great music sprouted up in 2016, producing an impressive crop which yielded a truly superb “audio harvest” to be grateful for. In this respect, it was a great year. Here are my Top 10 picks for CDs. The list is eclectic, but hey, so am I. Not in any particular order:
1. Sand Reckoner: Haunter – I love the gritty, psychedelic, dark west vibe laid down on this one. A resounding “YES,” to this from me.
2. Delta Generators: Hipshakers and Heartbreakers – I must really like “grittiness,” because this album is full of that with its hard hitting blues rock.
3. The Suitcase Junket: What I Want Music – Genuinely unique garage rock. Matt Lorenz is a talented and quirky one man band. Great CD!
4. Ruby Rose Fox: Domestic – Phenomenal talent! blues/pop/R & B This CD blew me away! That’s a lot of talent in one artist. One of a kind.
5. Tsunami of Sound: Permanent Wave – Instrumental surfer/psychobilly fusion. Tons of fun! Think Pulp Fiction.
6. Diablogato: Diablogato – Kicking music! rockabilly/rock. A definite solid within its genre.
7. Audio Jane: A Full Bird’s Wing – Ghosts of Mazzy Star and more, live within this CD’s tracks. I love it!
8. Julie Rhodes: Bound To Meet The Devil – Amazingly powerful blues/rock. A voice and guitar work that slay it! So good, it is humbling to hear it.
9. Wishbone: Zoe All These Oddities – alt/experimental, really trippy and playful fun for open minds. Great stuff on this CD. Track 3,“Idealism” is a gem.
10. Violent Mae: Kid – a 2015 CD found within The Noise’s reviews. Trippy alt/rock with here and there airs of etherealism. Music you can drift to. Nice!
So, 2016, aside from “good riddance,” what can I say? It’s definitely been a trip and back, but in spite of that, my sincerest thanks for all of the amazing music! Because really, where would we be without the music?
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TERRY BOULDER (Noise writer)
Top 10 Bands Around Boston
1. Craig Wreck – drummer of arab on radar doing the alt country thing, but good, ya know?
2. Baylies Band – psyche noise avant weirdos for over 20 years
3. Elder – metal gods who are more like kids than elderly and stuff
4. Hairspray Queen – grunge is back and Providence has it
5. Beta Motel – the only good dance band
6. Bad Motherfucker – thin lizzy meets the melvins if they all played like rush
7. Dave Public – noise for you
8. Tapestries – rock to the roll
9. Satellites Fall – feel good vibes for the masses
10. Silks – more alt rock goodness
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William Des Desmond
HE’S THE MAGIC MAN
By Julia R. DeStefano
“I love people. That’s the kind of business I’m in.” ~William “Des” Desmond
Noise: In the beginning, what led you to pursue music? Was there a catalyst because I know you were involved with the Bentmen, and that you play the hammer dulcimer…
Des: Yes, I play the hammer dulcimer and psaltery. They’re basically the great ancestors of the piano and harp. I don’t play them traditionally, but they have a very baroque sound to them. I play them as textural instruments, creating washes of sound. I have my own project, Orphans of the Storm. We have nearly three albums done, but we haven’t had the time to release anything. You can hear probably forty minutes of the music online. It’s really good stuff to catch a buzz to or have a glass of wine with and listen to late at night. It’s music that we’re putting together for film. We have some killer guests on it. In fact, I might even have David Hull play on a song or two once we get him into the studio to hear it. Who’s on it?… Will Ackerman, a very famous guitarist; Gary Lucas, who played with Captain Beefheart; Jon Butcher; my own daughter, Casey Desmond, does vocal textures; Taylor Barefoot, who I co-composed all the songs with. So that’s what I’ve been doing. I decided to do this more ambient music, which is what I started with in the beginning—tape looping, the hammer dulcimer, the psaltery, and the Persian santur—and then I got into the heavier stuff, the Bentmen.
Noise: Tell me about the formation of the Bentmen. Is it something that you are still involved with?
Des: Let me tell you what happened. We played for years, one or two shows a year, and before we knew it, twenty-three years had passed. Shortly after our 23rd anniversary show in 2006, I had a cerebral aneurism. I had to have the front of my head removed, my skull, so they could get in there and cut it out—full blown brain surgery. When that happened, the recklessness and craziness of running around, wrestling with people—which is part of a Bentmen show—I mean, we did everything from dragging them to the stage, duct-taping the audience to chairs, and shaving heads. It was a very interactive and physical show. Basically, I didn’t need to be banging my head around after having had surgery. I just used it as a catalyst to tell the guys in the band that it was indefinitely on hold. If you want to continue and get another lead singer, go ahead. But nobody wanted to do it without me, so it hasn’t happened. The bottom line is that everybody keeps bugging me to do it and it’s been about three years now. I’m starting to feel better. It isn’t out of the question. It’s an open book still. We’ve had some very famous people in and out of the Bentmen over the years. A lot of people, fantastic local musicians, played in the band. It’s a hard thing not to do because I really enjoyed it. As of right now, we have written a musical play, Ulcer Gulch, and we’ve got people interested in it. We did sort of a cheese-ball version onstage at the Institute of Contemporary Art, but there are forces that are interested and have recently done exploratory things to see the feasibility of making it into a very expensive play. That’s on the table, but I won’t be heading it off. One of the band mates from New York is, and he strongly believes in it. He’s been shopping it to people, big money people. I thought nothing would ever happen, but that might not be the case. The play has already been written and everything, so to say it’s over isn’t really accurate. It’ll be a while before I play out again in the band. Every once in a while, I feel like that guy who’s at a football or hockey game sitting on the sidelines that wants to go back in and play. It’s horrible. Doing a show like a Bentmen show, especially if it goes over well, is an addictive thing because you get up there and let everything hang out. Go for it, the madness of it. It’s an intense show if done right!
Noise: Steven Tyler once said, “Even I wouldn’t want to wear what those f***ers were wearing!” and Warm Vinyl stated: “Every strange, sick, perverted, maniacal thought you have ever had about Bentmen is absolutely true… Bentmen explore the subconsciously evil, mentally ill side of doom rock. What kind of weirdoes are these people?”
Des: We’ve also been called the Blue Man Group on a couple hits of acid. We’ve been playing around as long as them. The Bentmen is floating around and it seems like since we’ve stopped playing, more people are interested. I don’t get that! It’s kind of like how when you’re dead, they like you more!
Noise: Then there’s your involvement with the Magic Room, which has been in operation for two years…
Des: The room used to be a video production space in the Sound Museum, but when the video company broke off and shut down, the space came open. I decided to make a soundstage and huge practice space for people who needed to rehearse special shows, plays, or what have you. The first show to ever happen in the Magic Room was a private showing. Fifty people got to watch B.B. King while he rehearsed to play the Bank of America Pavilion. He came into town to do a big show and he had a pick-up band. We had to listen to the songs two or three times, but the fifty of us got to sit there, hang out with B.B. King, and watch him in action while he taught the musicians some of the songs he was performing. That was a treat to say the least. After that, I figured it would be a really great space for the Sound Museum people to show off their music to corporate for CD listening and CD releases. Live recording is another idea that we have for it, which we’re still working on. I said: “You know what? This would be nice to make into a big living room.” Our capacity is only one hundred people and the stage will hold eight or nine people comfortably. There’s a small lounge out in front in the lobby and a living room to the side of the main living room, so people can sit down and talk. The mission of the Magic Room is to create a listening room, a showcase place. We don’t pretend to be a bar. We get beer and wine licenses per show, if needed. We’re not about the bar thing. We’re about the music. We mix music and art showings. A lot of local artists have come and I’m working on getting international ones in. We have a thirty foot wide, twenty-five foot high screen, and we show independent films at many of the shows. We only do forty shows a year and that’s enough for me, anyway. We’re not pretending to be a club, although we have a huge club sound. We are a listening room for showcasing film and artwork. That’s what we’re about.
Noise: I agree. The club scene, per se, with the bars and alcohol revenue results in the music becoming the backdrop, as opposed to the main focus. It becomes more of a social event than anything else.
Des: Right now, there are clubs opening up and that’s really good because I own a rehearsal facility. So many clubs have closed. The bands were rehearsing with no place to play, so it becomes like… what’s the point? With the new places opening around town, there’s resurgence and I’m hoping that more people open venues so that music can be seen in every different location because there’s a lot of talent in Boston. The purpose of the Magic Room is to keep it small, but not tiny. The other interesting thing is that I bought part of the sound system from the Axis that was on Landsdowne Street. We bought some really nice equipment speakers and repaired everything. Some local guys who work on studio and sound put it together for me—John Overstreet (Middle East Downstairs) and Bob Logan built the sound bafflers. We spent a lot of time working on it. We have one of the best sounding rooms in the city. Everybody’s raving about the sound. Barry Hite is my sound guy and he is one of the best around. We don’t do shows unless we have the best sound people behind the board because we want people to leave saying, “that sounded great!” We have a sound system that you can feel in your chest without it hurting your ears. As this thing started to snowball and it gained more and more interest, my wife, Katherine, jumped in and she’s helping me manage the place. My daughter, Casey, helps too. My son, Bill, and daughter, Mary, also help with the management and in keeping the place clean, doing photography and video shoots, or running the beer, wine, and food snacks—complimentary things that we put out for people. The whole family pitches in and works the place, a family affair. Everyone who’s played there doesn’t just like it, they love it. I’ve been going around—I happen to be a bit of a picker because I love antiques—from New Hampshire, to Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts, buying old portraits and photographs of families from the late 1800s and early 1900s, plus a few that we found within our own family. There are a hundred of them on the walls, to say the least. The place is decorated with all this weird stuff—weird, old clowns that we got from amusement parks and that we found in people’s collections. We took all the lights and trick lighting from the Bentmen days, which amounts to about $15,000 worth of lighting in a room that holds only one hundred people. It’s like the Fourth of July when it lights up in there! The other thing, too, is that we have two really nice overhead projectors that run our films and also run films onstage, which acts as a lightshow unto itself. We’re noticing that everybody is starting to do that again, not that it’s a new idea, but I think the word is out that it’s a really cool thing. People are starting to do it at other clubs. I’m seeing it everywhere, but not quite the way we do it because when these projectors blast onto the band, it’s like living color. It’s amazing! When you see it, you’re going to go, “wow!” We’ve got more lasers per square inch than the Planetarium and it’s all sound activated, so you just turn it on when the band wants it. Not everyone does, but there are a lot of things to choose from. Bands are just starting to use the space for video shoots. You don’t have to do anything but get up there and let us blast away. The other thing, too, is that there’s a rental price on this. Most of the clubs in town charge, anyway. Some places are $600 for a weekend, up to $2000. For bands, one way or the other, they’re doing a show on a weekend and paying a fortune. We have a very small amount, $350, and they can bring in the bands they want. We include a sound guy in that and sometimes we do benefits as well, which doesn’t cost anything. We put up the money ourselves. Some people just have parties and others show their stuff off. They’ll dictate their own price. It’s not about making a lot of money because we just have this one flat fee and whether it’s this band or that band, I don’t make any more money. At the end of the night, we split it with our sound guy. We just cover our basic operating expenses and that’s it. We don’t take any percentage of the merchandise the bands sell or anything. It all goes straight to them.
Noise: Who has played there?
Des: We’ve had some very famous people. We’ve featured progressive rock bands out of Europe, Greg Hawkes (the Cars), Gary Lucas (guitarist for Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley), Agents of Mercy, Karma Mechanic (whose drummer is from Tears for Fears), and the Mothers of Invention. Boston is starting to come back as a music scene. Our other mission is to keep the cost down so people can rent the space. We want it affordable so people can showcase their stuff and bring in corporate people; bring in record label people to see them perform on a stage that’s really nice. It’s more like coming into a house than it is coming in a club. We want to be more underground. The more, the merrier. I’d like to see more of these types of things pop up across the country, and they are. We have two series, the Art/Rock Series—which features progressive rock bands that you don’t normally see and some of the locals that do progressive music—the Singer/Songwriter Series, and the Living Room Series.
Noise: The concept reminds me a little bit of Hi-N-Dry, which recently moved into the Somerville Armory.
Des: They might have a similar mission, but when you see the atmosphere of the Magic Room, you’ll think differently. When you walk in, you’re not going to believe it. That’s what people say if you like weird, old antiques and a lightshow that’s just mind blowing. It’s unexpected. People don’t expect to walk into this living room and have the lights turned on, watching a show, and hearing the sound. People just keep complimenting us on it. Over the years, I’ve played in a couple different bands. When owning a rehearsal complex, you hear endless stories of sound guys and door people treating the musicians like shit, like: “Hurry up and get out there! Get your sound done and then get down!” just really treating them like slaves or something. Those bars, clubs, the movie people… nobody can make money without the musicians and yet, the musicians are the ones that get treated like shit! What’s up with that? You can’t have television, movies, opera, symphony, and rock clubs without the musicians! And the musicians are begging to play. They pay to play! From being on both sides of this now, I see that there are expenses to be covered. Otherwise, somebody’s opening a venue and paying for the insurance, heat, and liability just so people can come in and perform there. You have to look at both sides. It’s gotten outrageous. I remember back in the day when we started the Bentmen. Monday and Tuesday were “New Band Nights” where they didn’t expect to get paid, like at the Rathskellar, and before you knew it, it was Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and on! Bands are now paying to play in their venues! My sound people and staff, whether they’re volunteering their time or if it’s my family, everybody treats people with respect. There isn’t a sound guy that’s going to snap, ever. I want people to have plenty of time to set up, to get their sound sounding good. I want them to feel comfortable and like they’re cared for. We’re getting a good response and garnering a lot of respect. People really say they enjoy being there. That’s important.
Noise: I gather it is a social event more than anything.
Des: All around Vermont, Maine, and these other places, you will find that people set up stuff in barns, churches, and places of that nature. They have all kinds of diverse music. A lot of times, they just fizzle out because they don’t have the alcohol revenues to keep them going. We need more places for people to play. Owning a rehearsal facility, nobody knows that more than me. If the places to play dry up; then so does my business.
Noise: So, what’s next?
Des: Well, I’m having fun with it. Every band that’s played there has been great. I love to bring in oddball bands that you don’t normally see. To watch them play for you in a living room is a treat. A lot of the Sound Museum musicians are so excited that they can see this right down the hallway from their rooms. We’ve got choral music coming, some gospel, and it’s funny because they’re already sold out! I would like to have more celebrities play, like Joey Molland from Badfinger and Mark Farners from Grand Funk Railroad. I’m also working on getting the rock band, Hawkwind, to come over from England. That’s one of my dreams, psychedelic music because we have all the lamps and stuff in there. It’s perfect for that. Just perfect. I love experimental music. We want to be purveyors of progressive, experimental music, film, and really work up the art stuff. I want more art stuff. My own daughter, Mary, has shown her photography and currently, we have Alvan Long. He does great work and presently has some hanging up in there. We’ll do it as long as people are interested, and then we’ll move onto something else. We want to try to have a little alternative place for people to have a big club sound in a living room.
http://www.magicroomgallery.com
http://www.orphansofthestorm.net
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OUR EYES ON YOU Dec 2006
Rita : Do you believe it’s already time again to start picking up thoughtful gifts for everyone you care about? Lolita : I guess it’s time to narrow down that “care about” list. I’ve got it down to two. Rita : Some people love giving presents every year. Lolita :
I’m tired of receiving re-gifted items that were never meant for me.
Maybe it would be a good idea to help people out with what gifts they
should be giving. Rita : We’re in a good position to
help. Quick, get on the street and start asking people what gifts
they’d like. But to make it a little interesting, make them describe
the gift instead of just saying what it is. Lolita : Okay, I’ll ask for a reply to, “Without saying what it is, describe a gift that you’re hoping to get this holiday season.” MIKE PIEHL
(Reverse): The gift I am hoping to get this holiday season is the
opposite of being awake, it’s not at all noisy and it rhymes with
“sheep.” It’s actually spelled exactly like “sheep” but with an “L” in
place of the “H.” Figure this shit out yet? *** MONIQUE ORTIZ
(A.K.A.C.O.D./ Bourbon Princess): I don’t believe in gift giving for
the holiday season. I prefer to cook big dinners for my friends or go
to big dinners with friends. *** MARTY WHITE (Mr.
Curt Ensemble): You know, I’ve been thinking, ever since my trip to
Hawaii in October, it’s been a long time since I’ve had something aged
around 24 years that goes down real nice and easy, feels really warm
and smooth. You know what I’m saying? I know you know what I’m talking
about. And not to change the subject but that was a great choice for
centerfold in November. Rock on—you guys are the balls. *** KAREN DEBIASSE (Girl on Top): T Max and Liz with a bow. *** PETE DEGRAAF (The Black/ Clear the Way/ Lucky Dog Music Hall ): It’s wet, sticky, smells like rock ‘n’ roll, and is at least 80 proof. Lolita : Pete, I had a little too much to drink at that party last week. Those front-bum shots will not be gifts for the holiday. *** ANNA PRICE
(The Silver Lining): What I’d like for Christmas would be a piece of
paper that I and four other people would have to sign that would
guarantee us enough money that we could all quit our day-jobs. Of
course, I already quit my day-job, but this piece of paper would render
that move an intelligent and well thought out one, rather than rash and
slightly retarded. *** ERIC WELSH (Tons Of Chill/
Chill House Studios): A gift does not have to be a physical thing. In
truth, I think that gifts are best presented with emotional attachment.
Our tradition of giving out items and cloth to each other is old news,
yet it is hard to break that tradition since someone buys you “a gift”
and you therefore buy them something in return. It doesn’t make sense
in the big picture of life for me. The gift I would like is not
something one can buy; it’s something that friends and/or family will
give to me that makes my life start kicking serious ass. Lolita : If I catch you kicking anyone’s ass I’m gonna stop giving you steroids. *** EVIL TRAVIS
(The Evil Travis Condensation): A zipper truck. Please someone get me a
zipper truck so I can change the medians around on the southeast
expressway. Sorry, I know I wasn’t supposed to say what it was, but I
really, really want one and how am I supposed to get one without saying
what it is? God bless the spirit of getting! *** MICHAEL EPSTEIN
(The Motion Sick/ Blitzkriegbliss): A light-haired being that agrees to
be in frequent close proximity to me for the remainder of her natural
existence. Lolita : You don’t have to make it so blatant Michael, but you haven’t even asked me on a date yet.Tammy Long (Killer Abs) Photo: Nicole Tammaro
{mospagebreak title=”Rock Notes”}
ROCK NEWS
Rita : Instead of waiting to be asked on a
date—maybe you should look into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Social. It has
nothing to do with dating, but it turned four in November.
Congratulation to those social butterflies, MICHELLE AUERBACH , ANNGELLE WOOD , ANDREA GILLIS , and LEXI KAHN ,
for helping bands to build better networks every second Tuesday of the
month—now at the Model Café (7 Beacon Street, Allston). *** DAVE TREE (Superpower) was the only artist Boston artist in Sunset and St. Marks ,
an art exhibition that showcased artists from New York and LA. The
exhibition showed in Los Angeles at the Standard Hotel in November
2006. *** MUCK & THE MIRES are touring through Spain , France ,
Holland , Germany , Austria , and Switzerland this December. *** JADA
has signed with Universal/ Motown Records. *** Funk-rock foursome S
ucka Brown signed with Roho Records in New York . *** The Music Museum
Of New England is now online at www.mmone.org. *** MEREDITH BYAM MILLER ‘s
vintage, second-hand, and consigned women’s fashion store Poor Little
Rich Girl has moved into a space seven times bigger at 255 Elm Street
in Somerville . *** Though due on 11/12/06, MAE PEARL ALLEN WATTS was in a bit of a rush to get here and was born on 11/4/06. She weighed in at 6 lb. 6 oz. and BRUCE ALLEN (Doom Buggies) is the proud second-time dad. *** MIKE RIVARD
(Club d’Elf) had his ’61 Fender Jazz bass stolen on Thursday, 11/9, at
the Lizard Lounge, but though the magic of this great community Mike’s
bass was returned. Lolita : Read Mike’s words in the Incoming Mail column. It’s the perfect story to get in the right mood for the holiday season.{mospagebreak title=”Where do you Shop?”}
WHERE DO YOU SHOP ?
Rita : Sometimes Lolita has a hard time getting
into the holiday spirit. Maybe if she visited some good places to shop
it could help her. Lolita : Like I care. But I can
play along—why don’t I just ask everyone, “Where is your favorite place
to shop, and what do you buy there?” JIMMY BIRMINGHAM
(The Real Kids): My fave place to shop would be Newbury Comics. I can
never have enough CDs. It seems every time I see a store wherever I am,
no matter how late, I have to go in just in case I find that rare CD
I’ve been forever looking for… I still don’t know what it is… but I
will find it! *** MERRIE AMSTERBURG (Merrie
Amsterburg): My favorite place to purchase strange and wonderful gift
items is Honeyspot—it’s in Jamaica Plain, on South Street , near the
monument. They also sell local music and work by local artists, so it’s
great that they support the community as well. An excellent place to
get peculiar holiday cards! *** RAY FERNANDEZ (Atlantics/ The Illegals): My favorite place to shop is Jack’s Drum Shop. What do I buy? You’re kidding right? Lolita : Do you know they sell Yamaha Guitars at Jack’s Drum Shop? Do you buy them? Rayboy : No. I buy drum related stuff like sticks, heads, washers, and felts. Basically, stuff that breaks all the time. *** PETE SUTTON (Temper):
My favorite place to shop is Trader Joe’s… not only have they
infinitely expanded the realm of salty snacks and cornered the market
on flash-frozen fish, they sell booze too… oh, and their frozen
dinners section has saved my marriage. *** WILLIE ALEXANDER
(… & the Boom Boom Band): Mystery Train in Gloucester . I don’t buy
anything, I trade in CDs for credit to get new ones and I always leave
with something great from the free bins. It’s the mother of all Mystery
Trains. *** JESSE PERKINS (Lorntell): Discount
Liquors! A huge selection of tasty beverages. I try to pick up
something I’ve never tried before every time I go—which is probably way
too often. *** NICOLE TAMMARO (Nicole Tammaro
Photography): My favorite place to shop is a new store called Horror
Business. It is next door to the Common, across the street from Harpers
Ferry . I love to buy my boots, belts, and all real cool punk clothing
there, plus the owners, Troy and Julie, are coolest couple in Boston .
*** AD FRANK (Fast Easy Women/ Lifestyle): Gumshoe [
40 South Street ] in Jamaica Plain has the best used men’s clothes in
Boston . Uniform in the South End is also great for men’s clothes, when
I can afford it. Lolita : Hey, Gumshoe is the store our buddy Otto runs. Ask him about the early days of the Rat. *** CLAY COUNT VON N. FERNO
(Wild Zero): I go to the Bodega on 6 Clearway Street , Boston , by the
McDonalds and Christian Science Center for all of my soda pop, candy,
and bleach. The soda is to keep me awake, the candy to raise my blood
sugar, and sometimes I use a little bleach on a Q-tip to keep my kicks
looking tight. Seriously, this store rules, beating competitor’s prices
and the management will always surprise you with a smile. I just go
there mostly to hang out. *** JOEY BOY SPALLONE (Red
Invasion): Cafe Quattro on 4 Somerset St. in Beacon Hill . Great pizza,
sandwiches, soups, coffee, and a music playlist that includes The
Ramones, Heartbreakers, Stones, Ronettes, Sinatra, and so much more.
*** MIKE OOR (The SnowLeopards): Mr. Music, Rock
City Guitars, and Cambridge Music. Heidi and I have TOO MANY guitars
and amps! Also, just say no to Banjo Mart! *** VALERIE THOMPSON
(Fluttr Effect): Future Valerie will enjoy shopping at the Bazaar
Bizarre (bazaarbizarre.org) on 12/16 at the Cyclorama! Future Val will
be buying all of her family and friends “More Banjo Less Pants”
T-shirts for Christmas. Nothing spreads holiday cheer like crafty goods
with a punk attitude! Lolita : Looks like the banjo will be a controversial topic for the holidays. *** ERIC WATTS (Kevin
MacDonald Band): I shopped at Amazing [Express] for all my pornographic
needs… until it burned down! The re-grand opening is soon! Lolita :
There’s more than one Amazing Express. I was just in the one at 1258
Boylston Street (opposite the old WBCN location) and I passed one on
Route 1 north on my way back from Norwood too. *** AJDA THE TURKISH QUEEN (Black Fortress of Opium): John Fluevog— 302 Newbury St .). Shoes, baby. *** PETER RINNIG (QRST’s):
I love shopping at Proletariat in Harvard Square in the Garage.
Anything that you need for vintage wear or skateboarding stuff they
have. They also have tons of cool T-shirts with their own original
designs that you can’t get anywhere else. I love their shirts! *** DAVID VIRR (WFNX/
Powderfinger Promotions): Amoeba Music in San Francisco . It’s a great
place to spend an hour or a weekend. Last time I was there I picked up
a bumper sticker for my car that says, “I bought too many records at
Amoeba Music.” Oh yeah, and I also bought too many records. *** SHAUN WOLF WORTIS
(Gato Malo/ Mardi Gras/ Al Janik’s Plastic Cheese Band): Buy art from
local artists (not really a place, per se, more just a good holiday
shopping tip). *** LINDA VIENS (Angeline/ Bang
Chicks): My favorite place to shop is New York City; either the tiny
funky boutiques all throughout the Lower East Side, West Village, etc.
or Canal Street in Chinatown where there is fun, glamorous, rockin’
stuff galore for super cheap: Check out my Gucci sunglasses baby… oh
yeah, five bucks! *** STEVE FOLSOM (JamSpot): Right
now… this month… Decathlon Sports. They are going out of business and
I’m buying things I never knew I needed for sports I’ve never even
tried yet. I bought soccer cleats and ice skates for my kids (and my
neighbors kids) for the next 10 years! Lolita : Thanks for the tip, Steve. Next year’s Noise Board softball will have new bats, balls, and bases.{mospagebreak title=”Musical Chairs”}
MUSICAL CHAIRS
Rita : Maybe the Noise Board Softball team should look for other teams to play. Lolita : How about Bang Chicks ? Rita : You mean estrogen’s answer to the testosterone-fuel barrage that is BANG CAMARO? Lolita : Yes, I’ll set up the game with spearheaders LIZZIE BORDEN and KELLY DAVIDSON. *** JOHN QUINCY MIRE (previously known as Hugh Beckett ) has joined MUCK & THE MIRES on bass. *** DIRTY TICKET has disbanded—which only means CORIN ASHLEY, DAVE ARRONOFF, ERIC SCHMIDER, and MATT B will have more time for new projects. *** See look—already CORIN ASHLEY is playing with Englishman MARTIN CARR (The Boo Radleys)— AD FRANK is playng with him too. *** Funeral Barkers include PHIL KAPLAN (Men & Volts) and BILLY LOOSIGIAN ( Willie Alexander & the Boom Boom Band ) . *** Drummer ROGER KNIGHT (Runner & the Thermodynamics) is now in a band is called The Novels . *** MELT picked up drummer SCOTT MAHER (Pure Fiction/ The Leon Rich Band). *** VALERIE THOMPSON
(Fluttr Effect) has been moonlighting with Jake Leg Jug Luggers
(rip-snorting raw old-time music) on acoustic cello or what some call
the church bass. *** ADAM BUHLER (x-Splashdown/ Countess) and KEITH SMITH
(x-Colbalt 60) have teamed up to form ANARCHY CLUB. *** TULSA is made
up from members of Carter Tanton , Runner & the Thermodynamics ,
and Appletown Gun Shop . *** MASCARA is looking for a full-time
bassist. Contact Chris at cmascara@mit.edu . *** Bassist JIM FARIS (Chaz & the Motorbikes) is moving to the Washington D.C. area and leaving the Motorbikes bassless. Lolita : He could always consider a long commute for each gig.{mospagebreak title=”How is Your Commute”}
HOW’S YOUR COMMUTE?
Rita : I wonder what other people’s commutes are like. Lolita : I get it—I’ll ask a new question— “What is your commute to work like?” ERIN HARPE
(Lovewhip): Almost every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I strap on my
three-inch tall red heels, sunglasses, and anything from hot pants to
an Eskimo outfit, depending on the weather, and drive! The driver’s
seat in the Lovebus is too tall because it came out of another vehicle
(thus the heels). Then I drive anywhere from one to six hours, visiting
all the rest stops in New England and beyond for the umpteenth time.
Weather permitting, and traffic jams notwithstanding, we usually make
it to the gig on time. *** JONATHAN WYNER (M Works Mastering): A highly aerobic dash replete with near death experiences. *** TAD OVERBAUGH (The
Kickbacks): I drive into Boston … and it’s like a stampede of buffalo
all trying to go through a garden hose for 17 miles. *** JON JOHNSON (Lenny & the Piss Poor Boys): I live in Wollaston and work in Kendall Square . The commute is very, very Chinese. *** NICK BLAKEY
(The In Out): When I took the bus to work, my commute was like crawling
through a constipated old woman the wrong way in. Now that I walk to
work, it’s like a very pleasant acid flashback. *** ERIK LINDGREN (Birdsongs
of the Mesozoic/ Arf Arf Records): Ever since I morphed out to the
country and built a recording studio on my land, my commute is now a
mere 25 steps across my driveway. Or 24 if I’m under the influence of
caffeinated tea. *** C. MOON MULLINS (Ultrasonic
Rock Orchestra/ Damned Dirty Ape): Most of my commute is within the
Yavin system. The approach is not easy. I am required to maneuver
straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The
target area is only two meters wide. It’s a small thermal exhaust port,
right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor
system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy
the station. *** WATER SICKERT (Walter Sickert &
the Army of Broken Toys): First I find the white rabbit; He usually
frequents Hubba Hubba on Mass. Ave. Once he finds a French tickler to
his liking, I follow him down his rabbit hole (where Manray use to be).
We free fall for about 30 minutes (in this time we discuss current
events and have some tea). When we land, we separate and I head toward
the Cold Wire Forest were I spend my time writing bedtime stories for
wire tooth animals. It’s not a very extraordinary commute but I have
come to love it none the less. *** JOHNNY BARNES
(Johnny Barnes): Most of the year I ride my motorcycle to work. I work
the four to midnight shift as a patrol officer and detective for a
rural southeatern Mass. police department. It’s about 15 miles and its
all through countryside. I used to work in Maine , but down here, there
are more deer. I have to watch out for deer crossing the roads. When I
ride home to my boat at the Fairhaven Shipyard after midnight I
literally have to dodge deer, possums, skunks, and turtles along the
roads of Rochester and Mattapoisett. *** CORIN ASHLEY
(Corin Ashley): My commute is a whimsical whirlpool of fantasy in my
sugar-powered, cloud-busting hovercraft (which masquerades as a Jetta).
It’s me and my boy Harrison, playing a game we call “prisoner transfer”
wherein he squawks and squirms while I strap him down. Then I fire up
the old satellite radio and we laugh as Howard Stern asks strippers
trivia. Harrison likes it when they don’t know who the vice president
is. If H takes a nap on the way to daycare, we stop at Drunkin’ Nonuts,
but if he’s awake we go to Starbucks together. He enjoys a grande chai
soy macchiato, but don’t tell mommy. Lolita : No problem Corin, I’ll call up Darcy and tell her not to read this issue of The Noise .{mospagebreak title=”Clubcrawl”}
Clubcrawl
Rita : I already tried to reach Darcy, but only got
a message that she’s out drinking in the clubs with Harrison . Maybe
we’ll run into them at one of these shows: AJDA THE TURKISH QUEEN entertains at Zuzu on Sunday, 12/3. *** THE SNOWLEOPARDS play Johnny D’s on Thursday, 12/7. *** MICKEY BLISS celebrates his birthday on Saturday, 12/9, with APPLE BETTY headlining at The Kirkland. *** THE RUDDS lead The Noise holiday party at The Abbey on Saturday, 12/16. *** Aimee Mann ‘s
plays her First Annual Christmas Show at the Berklee Performance Center
on Sunday, 12/17. *** You can dance to THE CHICKEN SLACKS every
Thursday at The Cantab Lounge. *** MUCK & THE MIRES get T.T.’s
hoppin’on Saturday, 12/30. *** BANG CAMARO brings in the new year at
Middle East Downstairs on 12/31. Lolita : We’ll be back in February with the Noise Poll results—you can vote right here on 12/13-12/29. Rita : Have a wonderful holiday season.Post navigation
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