Almost a year ago now, I went to see one of my top favorite bands ever (Secret Lives! of the Freemasons [RIP] from North Carolina) play at the now defunct Living Room in Providence. I had never seen or even heard of any of the opening bands from that show, but the first band that played absolutely blew me away. That band was Lions Lions. Their song, "Waves" immediately had me hooked and as soon as their set was over I went over and picked up a three song CD (I think they were all demos) they had for sale. I think it's a feat to make heavy music that can also truly be called beautiful, but these guys have succeeded at it. They're a somewhat new band, but the members have been in some of the bands that I think define the scene in Boston today, including Vanna, Therefore I Am, and A Loss For Words.
I have to admit that Lions Lions debut E.P. kind of lost me in it's downtempo-ness, but tonight as I logged into my Twitter account and saw a tweet from A Loss For Words that mentioned a new Lions Lions album. So I immediately headed over to their Myspace profile. I've only heard a few songs on the album, which is titled "From What We Believe," namely those that are actually on their Myspace page and you can check them out yourselves and see what you think. But if you need a reason to actually stop being lazy and look, then I will tell you that the new songs are more fast-paced, the lead guitar parts are unique and they're what add the sense of beauty that at least I get from this band's music, and they definitely rock. I do have to admit that I will adhere to my love for the first demo version I heard of "Waves," which seemed to me to be more brutal than this newly recorded poppier (if they're music can even be called poppy at all) version. But the first song on their Myspace playlist, "The Knitter," when you click the play button, the intro, man this sentence is incoherent and crappily written because I can't even think of how to say how sick it is. "Radiator" is probably my favorite of the four they have up right now, and if I'm not mistaken features Matt Arsenault of A Loss For Words. I will be spending my money on this come August 25. Looks like that date is gonna be a money spending day because State Radio's new one drops that day too... Because, yes, I still pay for music.
I can't put any of their music here because I can't find it on any of the music hosting sites I have been using for this blog. So just click this to listen. See them sometime, their live show is high energy and kind of a little nuts. On August 27th they are at Hennessy's in Boston for a 21+ show, August 29th they'll be in Worcester at the QVCC, and on September 6 you can see them at the Waterfront Tavern in Holyoke. It will probably be cheap because they're not huge and it will most definitely be worth it.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Hotdogs anyone?
My posting on here really is way too few and far between... If anyone out there is actually reading this, I'm sorry.
So I'm posting now about a Boston band that I had kind of forgotten all about (even though I once saw them perform at my school, wtf?) until I saw the following commercial last night:
State Radio + Kayem hotdogs = WTF?? Although it did make me do a little research and find out that the band is releasing a new album, Let It Go, this fall. September 29, to be exact. I am unable to put a song or a video directly on this page right now, which is kind of shitty, but Jesus Christ, don't be lazy and just head to their Myspace page to hear three new songs, "Calling All Crows," "Evolution," and "Knights of Bostonia," as well as an acoustic version of "Calling All Crows" and a video for "Knights of Bostonia," AS WELL AS a free download of "Knights of Bostonia" before the album hits the iTunes store.
Here's the whole song from the Kayem commercial, in case you're interested:
So I'm posting now about a Boston band that I had kind of forgotten all about (even though I once saw them perform at my school, wtf?) until I saw the following commercial last night:
State Radio + Kayem hotdogs = WTF?? Although it did make me do a little research and find out that the band is releasing a new album, Let It Go, this fall. September 29, to be exact. I am unable to put a song or a video directly on this page right now, which is kind of shitty, but Jesus Christ, don't be lazy and just head to their Myspace page to hear three new songs, "Calling All Crows," "Evolution," and "Knights of Bostonia," as well as an acoustic version of "Calling All Crows" and a video for "Knights of Bostonia," AS WELL AS a free download of "Knights of Bostonia" before the album hits the iTunes store.
Here's the whole song from the Kayem commercial, in case you're interested:
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Anti-brokeNCYDE
So... It's been a while. I guess if I'm going to have a blog that I actually want people to pay attention to, I should post more often, right? Well, shit came up. Sorry. Now on to the purpose of this post:
I picked up the Phoenix last night while waiting for the bus at Sullivan and there was a full page article on the band brokeNCYDE and basically how much they suck and how they're banking on the shittiest aspects of popular music today. They're on Warped Tour this summer, along with such hardworking, legendary bands as Bouncing Souls and NOFX. All I can ask is, why? Kevin Lyman has a passion for the music but it seems that with brokeNCYDE, he's just trying to make money. Very well. The point is, it made me think about all the local bands that I know that play shows all year long and actually know how to make music with instruments rather than clicking a few icons in a computer program, and who are seriously fucking talented dudes. Dudes who can write music that says something, because anybody can write about getting ass and getting drunk. And so I thought I'd share with you the most talented group of musicians and writers, who are probably much farther under the radar than bands like 3OH!3 and brokeNCYDE, but who deserve to have huge things come their way. Listen with caution as it might rip your face off. This is what real music sounds like.
From New Bedford, Massachusetts, I give you A Wilhelm Scream.
If you like what you've heard here and live close by, they'll be playing on August 9 in New Bedford at the New Wave Cafe.
I picked up the Phoenix last night while waiting for the bus at Sullivan and there was a full page article on the band brokeNCYDE and basically how much they suck and how they're banking on the shittiest aspects of popular music today. They're on Warped Tour this summer, along with such hardworking, legendary bands as Bouncing Souls and NOFX. All I can ask is, why? Kevin Lyman has a passion for the music but it seems that with brokeNCYDE, he's just trying to make money. Very well. The point is, it made me think about all the local bands that I know that play shows all year long and actually know how to make music with instruments rather than clicking a few icons in a computer program, and who are seriously fucking talented dudes. Dudes who can write music that says something, because anybody can write about getting ass and getting drunk. And so I thought I'd share with you the most talented group of musicians and writers, who are probably much farther under the radar than bands like 3OH!3 and brokeNCYDE, but who deserve to have huge things come their way. Listen with caution as it might rip your face off. This is what real music sounds like.
From New Bedford, Massachusetts, I give you A Wilhelm Scream.
If you like what you've heard here and live close by, they'll be playing on August 9 in New Bedford at the New Wave Cafe.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
A lot of shit about A Loss For Words
I would consider A Loss For Words, along with many people into Boston's pop-punk and hardcore scenes, to be one of the most under-appreciated bands making music right now. These guys work so hard and they're just so god damned good that they should be infiltrating America's pop-punk scene. But most people I know in MA haven't heard of them unless I introduced them, so I can't even imagine how under the radar they are outside of New England. AL4W are unsigned and have put out a few of EPs (These Past Five Years, 2005; a split with They Sleep They Dream, 2007; and the acoustic EP Webster Lake, 2008) and been through a few lineup changes to get to where they are today - touring for their first full length album, The Kids Can't Lose, which was self-released in May. Seriously, if you pick the actual disc up, you will not find a record label logo anywhere on it.
The Kids Can't Lose is energetic the whole way through. If you've listened to any other music by AL4W, the production sounds cleaner than their other releases and the musicianship is more sophisticated. The guitars are layered perfectly and the hard-hitting drums along with the bass drive everything home. The lyrics touch on growing up and changing, life and death, being true to oneself, and difficult relationships and friendships. The fourth song on the disc, "Mt. St. Joseph," is an acoustic song which comes across to me to be about giving in to your problems. It's some pretty heavy shit if you actually listen to the words. The last three are remakes of some of their older songs, "Half-Step Down," "Behind Our Backs," and "Hot Hand in a Dice Game." At first the fact that they filled out the end of the album with remakes pissed me off and I liked the originals better, but I got used to these new versions and they're actually not so bad. If I had to name my top three favorite songs on the album, I'd start with "Where I'm From, You Die With Your Secrets." The chorus is catchy and the guitar lick at the end of the song is sick. The guitar is at its best on "Heavy Lies the Crown," but my top favorite track would have to be "Wasted Youth," in which singer Matt Arsenault displays the entirety of his range and his ability to create sweet melodies that nobody else would think of. The verses in this song are absolutely perfect.
Listen to "Stamp of Approval" from The Kids Can't Lose:
Stamp Of Approval - A Loss For Words
This band is also great live. I just saw them this past Saturday night at the Palladium upstairs in Worcester, where they played with four other straight up Boston hardcore bands. Onstage, Arsenault discussed the fact that AL4W were sort of the odd band out in terms of musical style, but that they fit in with the hardcore bands for their DIY work ethic and that all of the bands and fans get along awesomely. Their set consisted of three newer songs, two off of their popular acoustic EP, and three older ones. The show was very high energy and the band members looked like they were having a blast even though the stage was small and cramped. Arsenault interacted interacted with the crowd a lot, leaning off the edge of the stage to share the mic and at one point jumping off of the stage to sing with kids in the pit. That kind of interaction with fans is what makes kids love this band so much. You can tell how much they appreciate the fans and how strongly they want to make their fans a part of things and that feels fucking good and it's fun. My only complaint is that they probably would have sounded better if they had played at a venue with better sound equipment. I saw them on the East Coast Indie State at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour and they definitely sounded way better.
If you want to see this sick live show for yourself, the band is playing in Centerville, MA at the Masons Fraternal Lodge on July 10 and in Holyoke, MA at the Waterfront Tavern on July 12. The shows cost $12 and $10 to get in respectively, and for such a low price if you're in the area it is most definitely worth checking out. And if you feel so inclined, check them out in the iTunes store because each of their releases can be found for sale there and you can preview the tracks and whatnot.
The Kids Can't Lose is energetic the whole way through. If you've listened to any other music by AL4W, the production sounds cleaner than their other releases and the musicianship is more sophisticated. The guitars are layered perfectly and the hard-hitting drums along with the bass drive everything home. The lyrics touch on growing up and changing, life and death, being true to oneself, and difficult relationships and friendships. The fourth song on the disc, "Mt. St. Joseph," is an acoustic song which comes across to me to be about giving in to your problems. It's some pretty heavy shit if you actually listen to the words. The last three are remakes of some of their older songs, "Half-Step Down," "Behind Our Backs," and "Hot Hand in a Dice Game." At first the fact that they filled out the end of the album with remakes pissed me off and I liked the originals better, but I got used to these new versions and they're actually not so bad. If I had to name my top three favorite songs on the album, I'd start with "Where I'm From, You Die With Your Secrets." The chorus is catchy and the guitar lick at the end of the song is sick. The guitar is at its best on "Heavy Lies the Crown," but my top favorite track would have to be "Wasted Youth," in which singer Matt Arsenault displays the entirety of his range and his ability to create sweet melodies that nobody else would think of. The verses in this song are absolutely perfect.
Listen to "Stamp of Approval" from The Kids Can't Lose:
Stamp Of Approval - A Loss For Words
This band is also great live. I just saw them this past Saturday night at the Palladium upstairs in Worcester, where they played with four other straight up Boston hardcore bands. Onstage, Arsenault discussed the fact that AL4W were sort of the odd band out in terms of musical style, but that they fit in with the hardcore bands for their DIY work ethic and that all of the bands and fans get along awesomely. Their set consisted of three newer songs, two off of their popular acoustic EP, and three older ones. The show was very high energy and the band members looked like they were having a blast even though the stage was small and cramped. Arsenault interacted interacted with the crowd a lot, leaning off the edge of the stage to share the mic and at one point jumping off of the stage to sing with kids in the pit. That kind of interaction with fans is what makes kids love this band so much. You can tell how much they appreciate the fans and how strongly they want to make their fans a part of things and that feels fucking good and it's fun. My only complaint is that they probably would have sounded better if they had played at a venue with better sound equipment. I saw them on the East Coast Indie State at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour and they definitely sounded way better.
If you want to see this sick live show for yourself, the band is playing in Centerville, MA at the Masons Fraternal Lodge on July 10 and in Holyoke, MA at the Waterfront Tavern on July 12. The shows cost $12 and $10 to get in respectively, and for such a low price if you're in the area it is most definitely worth checking out. And if you feel so inclined, check them out in the iTunes store because each of their releases can be found for sale there and you can preview the tracks and whatnot.
To start...
For those of you reading this who don't already know, I used to co-host a radio show for WCCS, the Wheaton College (MA) radio station. A couple of my favorite things about the show was that I was able to say whatever I felt about music and have my opinions heard, and that I was able to support local and underground music by introducing Boston bands to new listeners through airtime on the show. I still have such a passion for this scene, and I will talk up bands to any who will act like they're listening, even if I know they don't want to hear it. So I started this blog as a way to avoid talking in person or on AIM to people who don't care, and to start spreading the word about bands that dserve acknowledgment to people who are actually interested and will potentially check out a show or buy some songs.
This summer, Boston bands are doing some really great stuff, so expect info in the very near future about some really good shit.
This summer, Boston bands are doing some really great stuff, so expect info in the very near future about some really good shit.
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