Anniversaries mean a lot to all of us. They are a chance to reflect on the time gone by, enjoy the time we’re in, and to look forward to more good times to come. This anniversary for the Dropkick Murphys is a big one: not many bands last 20 years or are as successful as they’ve been. This anniversary is also a big one for all their fans, from those who have been there since the beginning to those who have just discovered them. It’s an anniversary to reflect on the many firsts: when and where you first saw them play, the first time you got on stage with the band, or the first time you got to meet members of the band (who are always friendly and usually hang out after shows to meet and talk to people).
Dropkick Murphys have been touring the U.S. for several months now to celebrate this anniversary and it is all coming to a glorious crescendo with the final hometown showdowns. The first three are traditional every year around St. Patrick’s Day weekend at Boston’s House of Blues. The big 20th anniversary party is being held at the Agganis Arena. This show is a flashback of the Boston bands. The three bands starting tonight have been in the hearts of many for years, even when they haven’t been playing.
Fenian Sons, coincidentally also celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, kick-off the show. The introduce us to a selection of traditional Irish folk songs as well as some originals. These guys sound just like the bands I imagine you’d encounter hanging out in the pubs in Ireland. They have a very authentic Irish folk sound and interact with the audience, making everyone feel at home. It’s a touching moment when they dedicate the song “Old Brigade” to honor Boston firefighters Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy who were tragically lost in a fire a couple of years ago.
The Bruisers are on next with Al Barr who is also the lead singer for the Dropkick Murphys and is pulling double-duty for the night! Al was one of the original members of The Bruisers when they first go together in 1988. They stuck around for about 10 years but have only played the occasional and rare reunion concert in recent years. This show was as close to an original lineup as you could get. It is a surprise appearance for some and everyone welcomes them to the stage with loud shouts and cat-calls. These guys play some hard-driving punk rock with distinguishable rockabilly overtones. The setlist is full of the singles. Al introduced the fan favorite “Intimidation” by saying, “People thought that being in the ‘skin-scene’ was about being racist. It’s not about being racist, it never was and The Bruisers never will be. Fuck you if you’re racist.”
Slapshot comes on next and the lead singer stares us all down as he comes on carrying the handle of a hockey stick, looking like he’s going to slap someone with it! Instead the band hits us with non-stop hardcore. The four of them cover the stage pacing and pouncing from one end to the other, throwing out the tunes that hit us with full force. Their energy is contagious and if it weren’t for the big guys guarding the stage, it would be overrun. These guys have been around for decades and are long-time residents of the Boston music scene. Their hardcore songs echo the sounds of punk in the early-eighties, one that never dies. Towards the end of the set, the lead singer, Jack “Choke” Kelly notices one guy in the audience singing every word to every song and hands the hockey stick to him, as if passing the baton. Who knows, maybe next show we’ll have a duet!
The arena was huge and filled to the brim, but it felt like a party of friends. These guys from all the bands have known each other, played with each other, and supported each other for years. Now they are all back on stage together again, in front of thousands of people, many of whom have been following these bands for years.
The Dropkick Murphys set starts with a video montage, showing memories over the years, some funny and others moving. They start playing right after this with their rocking version of the traditional anti-war song from the late 1800’s called, “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya” and follow it with “Out of Our Heads” that always gets the audience going. Stephanie Dougherty, singer with The Marlars, comes on next to sing Dirty Glass with the Murphys. This is actually a reprise of 2007 when the Dropkick Murphys played the Agganis for the first time and The Marlars opened for them. Stephanie is fun; she looks like a 1950s pin-up girl who’s jumped right off the page. She has a strong voice and twirls across the stage playing with Ken and Al through the song. The show continues with a ton of songs—the Murphys don’t hold anything back. They play all the favorites: “The Boys are Back,” “The State of Massachusetts,” and more, as well as several covers, including “Just What I Needed” by the Cars that they’re doing for the first time on this tour.
When they come back on for the encore, they come back big, backed by the Boston University Marching Band. Dressed head to toe in their BU red and white uniforms, they cover the stage physically as well as with their sound. The play Shipping Up to Boston with the Murphys like it was their own school fight song.
The Dropkick Murphys are well-loved by people in all walks of life, young and old. They are strong members of their community; they lend a voice to those issues that mean a lot to them, and do everything to help when they can. Their charitable foundation, the Claddagh Fund, whose mission is to raise money to give to underfunded charities in the community, was visible at every show collecting money through T-shirt sales, VIP tickets, and band events.
Even after a late night doing back-to-back shows, one at the Agganis and one right after at the House of Blues, these guys still came out the next day. On a bitter cold Sunday afternoon, they were riding the streets of Southie on a vintage 1969 Buick convertible in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and saying hi to everyone.
THE CHANDLER TRAVIS PHILHARMONIC
Sonic Trout Tarnation and Alastair Sim
48-song CD
Im thinking lifes too short to listen to shitty music by artsy poseurs, hedonistic-slash-politically-aware heavy rockers, ham-fisted indie wankers, retro panderers, or brain-dead goofs in psychedelic clown suits. So Id still much rather listen to Surfin Bird (or, for that matter, Eje Ka Jo) than, um, Stairway to Heaven.
Good news for those who agree: Wireless has finally made it onto a studio album, as track six. Tune-wise, its this timeless and gladsome and nearly indescribably life-affirming hoodoo spell, with a free-jazz horn section from Valhalla and drums that swat out at you like King Kongs paw, and all seemingly custom-designed to leach all the endorphins out from where theyve been building up since God was a pup. Plus, brilliant lyrics:
Everything everywhere is faster and lighter and smoother and brighter and better than its ever been before/ Everything everywhere is longer and leaner and stronger and meaner and bigger than it ever was way back when/ When it was small and kind and weak and fat and short and worse and dull and rough and dark and slow/ Like back in the old days/ Jesus Christ, say what you will, at least we got cable now . Were wireless.
Okay, there are 48 tracks here, and if we winnow out the mere tomfoolery, and theres plenty of it, were left with about a half-dozen truly upstanding songs, like the ready-made wedding reception number, Its Almost Christmas Again, and the jaunty Money Wont Buy You Happiness, and the ecstatic, horn-slathered instrumental Jesus Teaches Lloyd Price About Remote Controls, and the friendly old-timey pop hokum of Must Be Love. But Wireless is literally one of the greatest songs of Traviss career: Robert Wyatt circa Rock Bottom meets Olivers Army. For the love of all thats holy and wise, dont miss it. (Francis DiMenno)
BIRD MANCINI Funny Day 13-song CD
What Funny Day isnt: punk, garage, or metal of any kind. What Funny Day is: 60s pop, blues, and rock with a whole lot of other things thrown in theredid I hear some loungy bossa nova? This CD is a veritable goulash of musical ingredients mixed in just the right proportionstwo cups of outstanding vocals, six or seven cups of amazing musicianship, a few tablespoons of electric guitar, bass, and drums, a dash of accordion, and a pinch of glockenspiel, piano, tambourinethat the ratio of ingredients creates a brand new dish. Every song is superb but heres what stands out in my mind at the moment: Hollylush layered vocals reminiscent of 60s vocal groups (a recurring sound throughout the CD). So CoolLucinda Williams with less twang and even more grit. Red GeraniumsAnnie Lennox meets Tom Waits. I hope Bird Mancini keeps the recipe for this concoction; I want many more servings of this stuff. (Robin Umbley)
THE LIZ BORDEN BAND
Beverly Raven Records Beautifu 15-songs
For those of you unfamiliar with Lizzie Borden & the Axes (the predecessor of The Liz Borden band), well, they were a pretty happening band in the eighties in these here parts. Im not sure if I ever saw the band, (too many bands, too few neurons left) but I do recall a big graffiti of their name just outside of Kenmore Square back in the day. If youre expecting some flashback punk from this band you wont get it. Instead youll get some straightforward bluesy pop/hard rock that probably sounds extra good with a little whiskey, moonlight and beer to go along with it. And their cover of Ten Years Afters Change The World is a nice surprise. Actually, most music in this genre seems dull and contrived to my ears but these cats have good tunes that rocknothing wrong with that. (Slimedog)
POLYETHYLENE
Optimistic Records
9-song CD What Goes On Inside Housse When a band names influences that youve never heard, that can be either a good or a bad sign, and in this case, its great. Sure, I could throw down a few, but theyd probably be wrong. Polyethylene is a wife/husband pair (Elene Proaka Ellis gets my billing over hubby Neal Ellis simply because her vocals stamp this disc so firmly into my minds ear), aided by a drummer and, fetchingly, some folks who occasionally play flute, violin, cello and trombone. If you get the idea that there are some atmospherics going on here, youre rightthis disc works best on a drizzly, unseasonably cold day in Junebut there are some other songs that drive right along on a guitar-shaped chassis. Things never get too emo, but they do get plenty melancholy at times, and even a little goth, but only in that sort of wearing Victorian clothing and playing cello by moonlight kind of way. This is, in a word, original, and as such, is well worth your time. (Tim Emswiler)
ERICH GROAT Found Missing: Volume One 1997-2000
12-song CD
About half of these songs are Baby Ray demos: out-takes to die forliterally, you might think, after listening to the claustrophobic opener Psychosomatic and the spooky dissonance of the droning followup, Drugs Like Me. But the uncanny and anthemic Good Kid Nothing, is a brilliant example of Groats unashamed knack for compulsively bending harsh oddness into repetitive and strangely comforting and familiar shapes. Similarly, Sad Eyed Girl has a compellingly ominous and almost hypnotic riff underscoring a double-tracked series of vocally suggestive pronunciatos.
In contrast to these, a song like the beautifully lyric Cross the Table, with its ostinado-pulsing guitar, seems to float just over the canon of Western music like a helium balloon. The instrumental 69 is telepathic and vital in its impetus, yet lilting and circumambulatory as well. Similarly, the melodic, solo acoustic piece, What Fred Said, while stark, is sinuous and insinuating in its sonic impetus. Treehouse Rock is a light, acoustic piece with a haunting refrain that resolves into a nearly shamanic combination of electric guitar and incantation. Best of these is the lyrically and melodically brilliant four-piece Nuclear Explosion, a luminously tuneful number with a cleverly self-deconstructing coda.
In between the extremes of light and darkness are songs like the astonishing Little Animal; this chopped and channeled and backwards-masked Baby Ray amalgam is oddly resonant, and the coda is brilliant. Come for Dinner, is taut and tense and resolves into an ecstatic and grandiose climax thats chilling and brutal. The high point of the album is the nearly inhuman, intensely pentatonic first minute of the penultimate track, Lonely When I Do, which, next, lyrically soars for another twenty seconds then grinds its gears into a heavy-bottomed verse, chorus and extended coda.
This collection of lost-and-now-recovered classics is a phenomenally good album from start to finish. Fans of Baby Ray in particular cant possibly afford to be without it. (Francis DiMenno)
STEPLADDER
98 Centre Street Lab Nice Guys Finish
13-song CD
This is the type of guitar -and-keys driven power pop that youd expect from an album recorded partially at Q Division and featuring guest appearances from the likes of Kay Hanley and Jed Parish. While the disc has its moments, it mostly comes across as a lesser version of Señor Happy or the Gigolo Aunts. The songs are catchy, but not quite catchy enough, with the Kay Hanley-infused Stubborn in Spanish being the only real standout amidst tracks that tend to blend together. For the most part, Stepladder is too content to stay in the middle of the road and things really grind to a halt on the slower numbers like Long Overdue, which goes down way too easily. This isnt a bad record by any means, but Ive got a whole stack of them at home that go down a similar path only more successfully. (Kevin Finn)
THE FAMILY JEWELS
Hi-N-Dry Rockin Strong
12 songs
On their second LP, The Family Jewels pay tribute to the 1950s R& B, rockabilly, and doo-wop artists. Though nearly letter-perfect, there are some shortcomings to their approach. The vocal arrangement of Youre So Fine seems both sluggish and rather broadly interpreted. Furthermore, since it would make little sense to mimic primitive production techniques, the covers of Ling Tong Tong, by Otis Williams and His Charms, and of Gee, by The Crows, both lack the sublimely antique nuance of the originalsmainly because the ensemble vocals are clean and up-front and Kevin Shurtleffs drumming is crisp and pronounced. But many of these classic tunes are more than sturdy enough to benefit from modern touches and even some judicious rearrangements. On Oh Golly Oh Gee, Steve Sadler is particularly ingenious in the way he amps the steel guitar ala Bob Dunn, and the resurrection of an obscure gem like Blue Jeans and Ribbons by The Spiders, a 1950s New Orleans doo-wop group, is a genuine treat, one which also sheds light on the possible origins of Speedo. On the whole, we should all be glad that fine folks like Fred Griffeth, Asa Brebner, and Fred Mazzone are up to the challenge of keeping this particularly rich and resonant strain of proto-rock alive. (Francis DiMenno)
Ryko Lets Agree to Deceive Our Best Friends
11-song CD
Theres a problem in the world of rock criticisma problem of which, I am well aware, I contribute with damn near all of my reviews. Thats the game of spot the influence, which is too often an excuse for showing off ones knowledge of obscure bands. The whole situation is made worse when bands drop so many names themselves that they may as well just include a list of their record collections. We like to say we play record collector rock, states a member of Auto Interiors, and, while thats all well and good, it also leaves one (well, it leaves me) with the sense of… well, having sampled their record collections. All of which is to say that I dont really have a lot to say about this. Its poppy, its rocky, its well played and sung even better than well, and some of it sounds like youve heard it before, and some of it comes pretty close to sounding like you havent heard it before. In the end, it made me go sample my own record collection. (Tim Emswiler)
Black and Greene Records In Loving Memory Of
12-song CD
The bands gentle, even genial (and absolutely spot-on) spoofery of various genres is rather like something The Turtles might have done, assuming they had survived as a unit well into the 21st century. Their exemplary ensemble work enhances our ability to appreciate their compositions, not only as (mere) send-ups, but also as baroque exercises in excess and grotesquerie. There certainly ought to be a place of honor reserved for any band that is willing and able to travel this lonely road. Among the send-ups represented here are heavy rock bands of the early 70s (Floyd), earnestly cheesy late 70s power balladry (Diana), Kink-y Music Hall (Taint Misbehazin) and indie-era nouveaux-psychedelic folk-rock wankerywith horns, no less (Alan Watts). Why do they do it? I suppose because they can, and because its fun. Is the result worth it? Well, twelve songs by virtuosos at playhell, even one song as good as the querulous steel-guitarfest Sidecar Jesusare worth twelve dozen by any number of solemn asses without a clue. (Francis DiMenno)
Bestial Onslaught
7-song split CD
How can angst, anger, and rage be captured so brilliantly on tape? This Noosebomb/ CWAF split is packed with energy and balls and is by far one of the best CDs I have reviewed this year. CWAF is American made grind/sludge that combines thick, heavy riffs with a powerful driving rhythm section topped off with authoritative vocals narrating fury and despair. They feature an all-star lineupmost notably John Gillis (drums) who played with local legends like Today is the Day and Anal Cunt. His performance once again proves that he may be one of the best metal drummers in New England. Noosebomb, who leans more towards sludge/thrash metal, also features a well known lineup with Jeff Hayward (Grief, Disrupt) on guitar, Randy Odierno (Disrupt) on bass and Mike Butkiewicz (Bane of Existence) on drums. This confirms that any band with Hayward and his suburban critique channeled though enraged vocals is bound to make an impression. The final track, What is the World Coming To, is a doom- inspired masterpiece, which is just a small example of the tremendous power of Noosebomb. (Leonid)
Brandt Cant Watch Music Trace Back the Lines 10-song CD
If you compare yourself to Phish, then bring the uber-wanky chops and the time signatures that only over-trained musicologists will appreciate, and stomp the idea of groove into the dirt. And if youre gonna mention Zappa, youd better be able to elevate oddball freakiness to high art. Medina Sod mentions both, but holds a candle to neither (which may be a good thing in the former case, in this Phish-unfriendly universe). Okay, they can play the heck out of their instruments, although thats a mite far from playing the living shit out of them. They can throw down a jam that doesnt get (too) boring, and thats no mean feat. I can hear a little Queen in the operatic, bombastic elements that crop up from time to time, but dammit, when I think prog, I think of Yes, old Genesis, King Crimson hell, Ill even concede, to my own consternation, Dream Theater. But rather wacky songs played rather well is a far cry from being a subgenre unto itself, and I think its best if we keep it that way. (Tim Emswiler)
Blue Radio Records Worthless Lessons 12-song CD
Like a thick muddy snapping turtle out of a Breakheart swamp, Route .44 lets us in on experiencing the thick, lowdown sludgy wonder and glory that IS one of the defining sounds of the New England area. Upon hearing the first track, I ran to grab the album cover to make sure I wasnt hearing an unreleased song by Mark Sandman and Morphine. Thats a compliment, as Morphine was one of the most interesting and enjoyable bands to come from around this area. Fat sax layers the tracks (sounds like a rhyme to me), along with a bit more guitar orchestration than the Phine would have done, but man o man, it grooves, rocks, and has a constant minor tonality burning through the whole thing that satisfies this listener. This is really a great sounding band, and at eight pieces of personnel, generates a big sound. Want more? Listen to the CD! (Mike Loce)
PARADE Out Of The Funbox
13-song CD
This CD is a hard to review. I like it, but who am I? Self-assessment gets menial when confronted by good music. Imagine burning through your workday in a not-so-bad-somewhat-okay mood, and you take the T to work. Youre on two Red Bulls (the 12 ounces) and the hustle-bustle of the station has you pepped up for once, not depressed. The female vocals with harmonization plunge through your ears as you miss the train to Park Street. I hear parade down the windy hallway annals of Tremont. The production is tight but loose, like my T pass in my wallet. Im trying to describe the places this melodic, well-crafted, alternative music put me, you see. I can only write what I know. And I choose to describe locations rather than compare Parade to other bands. So fuck you. Theyre really fine. Can you lend me a buck so I can get a coffee at Dunks? Im so cold. (Mike Loce)
Topshelf Records We Have Something To Celebrate 10-song CD
When El Paso post-punk renegades At the Drive In broke up much to the chagrin of its loyal constituency (myself included) in 2000, they left an endless trail of hapless impersonators in their wake. Each tried to capture the bands frenetically fearless and manic style, most falling well short of the bar, including the bands two offshoot projects, the Mars Volta and Sparta. And while Boston maybe miles away from Texas, local four-piece Stand Up Get Down seems to be well aligned with their influential ancestry. On We Have Something To Celebrate, the band shifts and moves like a bunch of rabid Fugazi fans on speed, dishing up ten tracks of technically solid and challenging art punk thats sure to keep listeners on their toes. The music moves from loud to soft and slow to quick, sometimes in a matter of seconds, and while it can be something of a challenging listen to the uninitiated, the feverish energy of the music gives credence to the concept of getting high on music. (Ryan Bray)
Sonic Bubblegum Records What Is Your Trajectory?
11-song CD
The press release name-drops a fistful of bands, and Ill be damned if Ive heard half of them, but that just means its a crappy press release. The album is fine, even if it confirms my growing suspicion that stylistic continuity from the start of an album to the finish is going the way of the dinosaur. Opener Butterflies is a feel-good track that makes my head do hippy-dippy things, but then Love is a Fire sounds like it would be right at home on a Chris D/Divine Horsemen disc. Then theres more poppy goodness, then a punchy rave-up with some sharp guitar hooks, a Brit-pop inflected song, a slightly funkified rocker, and a mopey closer. The contributions of the female vocalists set this way apart from the pack (and the bands overall oddness renders it a pretty small pack in the first place). The musicianship is pretty no-frills, but the emotive content is all over the place, so those of us with multiple personalities will always find something to dig. (Tim Emswiler)
VARIOUS ARTISTS Compound 440R Local Collections 2007
14-song CD compilation
I love the idea of this CD. Take one track each from fourteen artists who practice at the same space and release a compilation. The execution of this idea, though, Im not so crazy about. I incorrectly assumed (and I admit it was probably a bad assumption) that there would be a whole array of styles and genres, but the majority of the tracks have an electronic leaning, which to my admittedly more guitar-loving ears grows extremely monotonous. The worst offenders are UV Protection, whose contribution sounds like an outtake from a video game score and The Westward Trail, whose track sounds like a very slow torture session. There are some highlights, though. Cassettes brief Stay Close to Home is what The Smiths would have sounded like had laptops been prevalent in the 80s and Crystal Understandings White Teacher manages to remind me of both The Magnetic Fields and Mates of State. And I must say that the disc ends fantastically with Hilken Mancinis very non-electro Shepherdess doing Green Seat, a number whose choppy, rhythmic guitars and occasionally shouted vocals recall Mary Timonys best post-Helium work. The CD is worth picking up for that song alone. (Kevin Finn)
Bestial Onslaught
11-song split CD
Bestial Onslaughts Watchmaker/Hirudinea split is black metal/thrash at its finest. The CD contains so much power its like they absorbed all the energy from the sun and fed it to their monstrous approach to music. The low-fi recording quality only adds to the appeal. There are hints of Slayer, The Accused, Black Flag, Napalm Death, and Today is the Day but with an original twist. Regarding Hirudinea, I am most impressed by the drumming and vocal dynamic that get my adrenaline rushing thus making me vigorously angry yet peacefully subdued. Watchmaker epitomizes black metal with their use of heavily-distorted guitars, fast-paced rhythms and gnarling vocals. Combined, both bands inspire me to jump onto a sea of fury, strong enough for me to float above until I fall to the ground and get trampled to death. Later my soul will be burned to ashes and blown to dust. There is not much to critique nor praise about this CDits just black metal with true passion. (Leonid)
Cedar House Sound The Devil at my Side
7-song CD Try to remember where you were the day Joey told Dawson it was over and went and cried all over Pacey (Dawsons Creek). If you cant remember back that far, picture Ryan finding Marissa dead on the side of the road (The O.C.). Try to remember what was playing in the backround. Its safe to say, that you could easily replace that song with any given track from this standout composition by Sinking Spells (Neil, Phil, and Robb). This three-piece has stumbled upon the formula to bring the best of melancholia, dark themes, and assorted teenage angst into harmony with gleeful poppy chords and well placed upbeat tempos. Its beautiful and catchy and sure to have wide appeal.
If you have never seen one of these soundtrack shows and have absolutely no idea what Im talking about, try to imagine All in The Family sneaking a future hit song into every episode. Just imagine Archie running up the stairs to use the terlit, while Band of Horses Funeral plays softly in the backround. Or maybe, Edith staring off into space as Leonard Cohens Halelujah indicates to the veiwer another poigniant moment.
Anyway, this record is a nice piece of work. I like it. (Paisley Simone)
LIGHTS Get Lit
9-song CD
I really dont know quite what to make of this record, and that actually makes me quite happy. The album cover is a cheery light blue with a little kid and some flowers, so I was expecting something kind of mellow and pretty. Nope. For the most part, this is loud, noisy, expansive rock with the vocals frequently obscured by various effects, best exemplified on the albums strongest number, Big Bad Little One. A full album of this approach would probably get old. Fortunately, though, Lights does allow a melodic sensibility to puncture through all the noise, and there are a couple trippy, mellower instrumentals that serve as effective changes of pace, most notably Youre Gonna Need a Bigger Boat. It will be interesting to see what these guys cook up next. (Kevin Finn)
EASTER BLOODHOUNDS 14-song CD
Ive tried listening to this disc about ten times now, and cant get beyond the first three songs due to the mix and the vocalistwhat you can hear of him. At times there seems to be some great instrumental stuff going on, and perhaps it is this bands calling to be without a vocalist. For the most part, this three-piece is very heavy and conjures some great dirgy metal sounds. Its not until the eighth track (Night Terrors) that there is any semblance of dynamics. Track nine (Light Years) is brilliant, and almost makes up for the last twenty minutes of my life that I cant have back. The mixes seem to improve later in the disc, but still have an overly bombastic musical assault with poorly mixed vocals. If Ive understood six words on this disc, Im lucky. There are several tracks that show a lot of promise, but the production completely ruins any thought of this disc being somewhat enjoyable or intriguing to listen to. (John Hess)
FamJam Records Running Trains (were huge in Japan)
13-song CD + extras
Family Junctions Running Trains (were huge in Japan) is a self-produced album that includes 13 great original tunes plus a bonus DVD that features two versions of their homemade movie, shorts, deleted scenes and commentary tracks. I am impressed by the overall packaging and the idea of including a DVD. This multi-instrumentalist (they all switch) quintet incorporate various styles of music such as progressive, funk, jazz, rock, folk and hip hop and utilize them flawlessly in their approach to songwriting. There are some great jazzy guitar arrangements complimented with smooth rhymes flowing on top. Family Junction remind me of Phish during the upslope of their success; before their egos and drug addictions forced them to write goofy songs while continuously breaking up and reforming until the diehard Trey fans finally realized that he does not have the Midas Touch. Family Junction has evolved past the jam-band scene, creating a new genre for their fans to absorb. If you like Umhpries Mcgee and hip-hop (backed by a live band) then you will enjoy Family Junction. (Leonid)
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE CTRL+ALT+DLT
16-song CD
Yo, Zortar here, and we are here at the Museum of Science to witness strange exhibits. Since everyone knows the best rap comes from the wilds of New Hampshire it should be no surprise that this New Hampster, band gets mad props from my white cracker-ass alien lips. But this is not mere rap, no, dear earthlings. The music encompasses progressive rock (in the drumming), metalish guitar, experimental electro, surreal humor, all put in a blender, pureed and poured in little margarita glasses with umbrellas for you to sip and savor. Yum! And served on a bed of Spanish rice (with your choice of vegetable.) This band is cooler than ice cream stuffed down your shorts on a hot summer day. If one is intrigued by rap but put off by its commerciality and dont want to leave your rock roots completely behind, then pony up, I say, and be a Granite State gangsta, live free or die! (Slimedog)
Red Glare Records Kurt Reifler
10-song CD
The hills are alivewith the sound of Kurt Reiflers self titled debut and something about it, bothers me. I mean, its everything it claims to be: raw, passionate, and unapologetic. Still, something nags at me to DEMAND an apology. I just cant put my finger on what that is. Maybe its me. I keep waiting for a breakthrough, which never materializes.
Its not bad. It has all the right things in all the right places, thanks in large part to Reiflers full band (unfortunately, never mentioned by name anywhere in the bio or on the disc). Bummer, because theres some really great stuff going on in the backround. Its a truly rugged little package with suprisingly meaty tracks and catchy refrains (you break it, you buy it, you own it). In the words of cowbell legend Bruce Dickenson, You guys… have… what appears to be… a dynamite sound. It just grates after a while. (Paisley Simone)
ELECTRIC LASER PEOPLE Straight Talk on Raising Kids 13-song CD
These MIT graduates know how to do more than just build robots and design prosthetic limbs; they can also arrange and produce music to par with Warner Bros. Studying engineering and scientific theory not only results in lucrative careers but in this case it helped produce artistic conceptualizations. Straight Talk on Raising Kids, recorded and produced by the band, is an extension of their brilliantly trained minds, now motivated to produce melody and rhyme. Electric Laser People is a party band to say the least. Their sound blends the hip hop stylings of The Beastie Boys with the production and song writing abilities of The Flaming Lips and The Police. They also have a sense of humor that stands out most with The Makeout Song and Words Couldnt Do Justice (which is a short bootleg). The CD starts off and finishes strong with some minor snags in between. It contains a plethora of styles ranging from hip hop to bluegrass to country to blues. This is for fans of early Beck and Talking Heads. (Leonid)
THE REV TOR BAND Mystic Wolf
12-song CD
Great. Mystic Wolfa CD with a picture of a wolf howling in the sunset on the cover. Just what I want to listen to: another crappy quasi-spiritual band from Vermont. Whatever. I gotta review it. Okayprepare mind to endure a whole CD of embarrassingly earnest musicians who cant play. Pop CD in car stereo. Here goes. First few bars play. Hey! This isnt crappy; this is really good! It sounds sort of like Little Feat, with elements of funk, blues, soul, rock, jazz, and whatever you call it, it has a fantastic happy groove going throughout. Let Me Down has upbeat, fun piano and guitar solos; Believe is bluesy and oh-so-smooth. Be Nice or Leave has a basic rock n roll structure with some soulful organand a guest performance from Jaimo, the Allman Brothers drummer. This stuff is way too intelligent and structured for the jam label its been lumped in with; its jam when jam meant jamboree. And theyre not from Vermont; theyre from Massachusetts. (Robin Umbley)
MEDICATED KISSES Medicated Kisses
3-song CD
Medicated Kisses is a powerhouse of rock talent. Frontwoman Alanna V has an incredible vocal range as well as a potent emotional presence and the band is tighter than a kindergarteners vagina (not that I would really know about such things). Unfortunately, the band sells itself short by creating music that evokes comparisons with Christina AguileraA comparison that could easily put a date stamp on a band that should be looking toward the future, setting their own trends, instead of trying to follow one littered with corpses of failed disciples and American Idol wannabes. Their instantly commercial sounding hard driving sound will get them on the radio, but the potential for creative originality, hinted at in moments within each of these three songs and certainly exhibited in their live shows, should, by all rights, propel them to greatness. (Joel Simches)
BRIAN KELLEY & SOCIAL LUBRICATION LSK Records War Stories
6-song CD
With Inspiration from Kelleys grandfathers experience in Iwo Jima as a Marine during WWII, Brian Kelleys trio produces a dark mournful collection of pieces destined to become the soundtrack to the black and white newsreel memories of the last great war. War Stories carves a path that is far away from traditional jazz, but has more genuine emotion and soul than anything contemporary experimental jazz has attempted in quite some time. While there is still very loose structure to the melodic ideas, these pieces seem to paint more of a stark and accurate portrait of actual events than just a freeform ambiguous feeling open to interpretation. Ken Burns should give these guys a call next time the History Channel does a World War II documentary. (Joel Simches)
CRYOSTASIUM Bestial Onslaught Cryostasium
5-song CD
This is either brilliant or a waste of time, depending on your mindset. Recorded on a broken four-track by Strip Cunt, each piece is a tormented journey into the diseased mind of a twisted, tortured soul. Guitar drones, recorded at various speeds are interspersed with wails, grinds, stifled screams and the occasional distorted drum machine pulse. This meandering mélange of malaise is split into three main sections, each evoking images of claustrophobic entrapment, mental anguish, and futile struggle. If Happy Flowers were more like Happy the Clown, it would sound a lot like this. I dont recommend listening to this on mushrooms, or maybe I do. (Joel Simches)
JIMI HALFDEAD & THE DIE ALONGS Down Came The Rain
6-song CD
Slimedogs cat, here. The guy who lives downstairs, Johnny Shortpantz, brought this upstairs for a review. Hes not in the band but works with one of the guys whos in the band but I wont hold it against the band for consorting with such disreputable company. Slimedog fell off his chair, drunk again, so I slipped the CD in myself while he just drooled on the floor. The first song is a curious little number with a slow descending synth line and Martian vocals spilled in but after that its a rocking, guitar based sound throughout. Mr. Shortpantz thought it was punk but I think though energetic and rough this falls in with the gore-horror rockabilly garage style and they do it admirably. They would sound good on a bill with Providences The Goners, I believe. My favorite tune is Call of the Spider, just wish I could find one to play with right now. (Slimedog)
ANCIENT PISTOL White Sands Memories: A Nuclear Landscape
5-song CD
Mike Feeney has a guitar, some looping effects, and a lot of time to kill in an afternoon. As sole member of Ancient Pistol, he takes inspiration from what he rather pompously calls Musicians That Matter, a roster of influentials such as Laibach, Roger Miller, Fripp, Eno the usual suspects. His soundscapes are made on the fly and recorded live, much like many artists around here whose work Ive come to respect. While the textures are inventive, the quality of the recording is pretty lo-fi, which robs these pieces of the cinematic texture they cry out for and the ideas seem to develop at a glacial pace and seem masturbatory at times. It would be nice to hear such inspired work better recorded and more refined. (Joel Simches)
“Charlee is such a multifaceted person. She’s a writer and journalist, a musician, singer and songwriter, and a real advocate for the preservation of what’s best about this community. Her song about me and my activism, “Thrown to the Wind,” is the nicest tribute anyone has ever paid to my lifelong concern for the place we all live in and love.” (Peter Anastas, Gloucester native and writer)
Charlee Bianchini, with Gloucester roots four generations deep, went out to see the world, and came back to her hometown with songs to sing.
The 20-something Gloucester guitar player, singer, and songwriter says it’s her world view that drives her to create music.And that world view can be summed up in one word: community.Music is her way to create community.
Bianchiniearned a master’s degree in peace-building and conflict transformation at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. She also spent a year in Eastern China teaching English, Western culture, and British Parliamentary debate, and traveled extensively around the Tibetan Plateau during her time off.
Travel — not as a tourist, but as a respectful learner — feeds her spirit, but home is where she wants to be.
“If I can’t do community-building in Gloucester, how can I presume to do that work anywhere else?” she asked.
“Gloucester is a rich trove of musicians and artists, but the city is challenged in supporting its artists at times. So we have to support each other. I have been so fortunate to have the inspiration of so many musicians here in Gloucester,” she said.She looks up to all the Ameros (Linda, Fly, and especially JB), Allen Estes, Dan King, Dave Mattacks, and Fozzie Hill. And she credits contemporaries like Renee Dupuis, Chelsea Berry, Marina Evans, Joe Wilkins, and Joe Cardoza with keeping her inspired.
Aside from writing, playing and performing, Bianchini is a founding member of Gloucesterity, a group of young artists, business people, lawyers, and entrepreneurs who have been meeting weekly for over a year to network, educate themselves about civic issues, and foster communication. “We just want to live, work and thrive here.”
Accompanying herself on her beloved and prized Guild guitar (“A gift from my parents, which represents many birthdays and holidays,” she said)Bianchini, with the rich voice of a much older torch-singer, performs her own songs — of protest and of love. Her lyrics honor Gloucester and the activists who strive to preserve its heritage, invoke scenes of the working waterfront, and express the longings of personal connection.
Bianchini explained that it was music that began her education about the world beyond Gloucester. When she was a very young child, her parents started taking her to concerts in Boston (“even if I had a raging fever.”) She remembers reaching up to the stage after a concert to hand a bouquet of flowers to the world-famous Joan Baez. “My friends could not relate,” she said, smiling, “but now I am so grateful I had all that exposure.” Bianchinigrew up in a house filled with music, from folk, blues, and bluegrass to jazz.
She started taking classical guitar lessons at age 5, and continues, more than 20 years later, to educate herself. “The wonderful thing about music is that it provides endless possibilities to learn. I’ve been playing all my life, and I feel today that there is still so much for me to discover.”
Bianchinistudied guitar with Anthony Weller of Annisquam as a high school student, and has taken songwriting classes with Kate Campbell and Brooks Williams. She has studied voice with Sloan Wainwright and now studies voice with Jacque Chambers of Essex. Bianchini is also a teacher of music. She gives instruction in guitar, ukelele, piano, voice, and songwriting at the Brookwood School as well as independently.
She is on the founding board of a newly formed music education collaborative in Gloucester called Sound Harbor.
Busy as she is, Bianchini is writing fresh songs, and will emerge for spring performances to debut some of this work. Her creativity has been bolstered by a recent collaboration with guitarist Jack Tomaiolo of Music Asylum in Essex, who joins her often to perform at Gloucester’s Short and Main. She also appeared in November as opening act for a show with Boston-area singer Chelsea Berry at Old Sloop Meetinghouse in Rockport. Bianchini will play on May 16 at Essex’s One World Coffeehouse. Check her website often to catch performances still being booked.
www.charleebeth.com
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wonderful piece about Charlee, Lois. Charlee is one of Gloucester’s national treasures. You did a great job capturing her multi layered spirit and all the gifts she brings to our community!
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The 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 4/26/14
If 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 6/11/14
Although 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 5/10/14
The 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 5/17/14
Rhode 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 5/23/14
I’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 5/29/14
Dig 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 6/8/14
I 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 5/22/14
The 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 5/31/14
It’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)
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EZEKIEL’S WHEELS/ ALBA’S EDGE Club Passim, Cambridge, MA 6/01/14
Ezekiel’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)
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HDRNB The Cavern, Plymouth, MA 6/14/14
According 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)
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EARTH HEART/ JARVA LAND
Sweetree Ink, Watertown, MA 6/7/14
Tonight 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)
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RANDY NEWMAN/
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON/
ELVIS COSTELLO/
ROSEANNE CASH/
ALLEN TOUSSAINT PENNew England Song Lyrics Award for Literary Excellence
JFK Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA 6/2/14
On 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)
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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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 andGo Bruins, butGo 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 calledDelta Blue Duets. What was it like recording with him and playing live with him? Erin:Delta Blues Duetswas 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’s30 Women Burning Up The Bluesin theAlternate 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!
PAULA KELLEY
Kimchee Records
The Trouble with Success or How You Fit into the World
13 songs
Embrace 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 songs
The 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 songs
What 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 songs
Let 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 songs
Erik 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 songs
Remember 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 songs
This 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 songs
Too 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 songs
Hey, 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 songs
I 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 songs
A 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 songs
Condition 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 songs
This 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 songs
Here’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 songs
This 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 songs
I 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 songs
Thibodeau 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 songs
Well, 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 songs
Members 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 songs
Sometimes 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 songs
The 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 songs
This 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 songs
This 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 songs
Hootmagnum’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 songs
So 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)
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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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
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 showBubbles in the Think Tankhas celebrated Record Store Day by releasing an EP compilation, on vinyl, of original songs about records.
The 2014 installment isSeven 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 onLand 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 thatPilot 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’sinfectious 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 ofPilot Machines.
(Julia R. DeStefano)
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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
SLAPSHOTTaang! 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 ofThe First 10 Singlesbrings 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 theirOut of StepEP on Discord, but Taang! brought us Negative FX’sV.F.W. 7-inchin 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 Mapand 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)
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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)
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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.
Reflecting on 20 Years with 
PAULA KELLEY
