Filed under: Reviews | Tags: autumn mondays residency, bridget toner, cambridge, great scott, humanwine, ketman, ma, rocknrollboston, tt the bears, what time is it mr. fox
Boston band HUMANWINE (with Ketman and What Time is it, Mr. Fox) tore up TT the Bear’s on 10/8; if you missed that show, don’t worry. HUMANWINE takes over Great Scott during the first three Monday nights in November for the club’s Autumn Mondays Residency. Photos by Bridget Toner.
HUMANWINE:
Filed under: Reviews, Tunes | Tags: folk music, i saw across the sound, liv hauck, nut island, our humble cross, rocknrollboston, stone walls, the points north
Wearing my coziest sweater, I sit in front of a blazing bonfire in the middle of the woods with my most cherished friends. We sip hot apple cider spiked with Goldschlager while listening to harmonious folk tunes percolate through the smoky air. The music fades out and I open my eyes to survey the idyllic scene.
Wait. I’m not nestled in a perfect autumn evening fantasy. I’m sitting in the library with my headphones on listening to songs from I Saw Across the Sound, the new album by The Points North – the band that brought me to my reverie. Chris, Regina, and Dylan of the folk trio combine lilting flute lines, hushed drums, barebones guitar and mandolin, an assortment of other folksy instruments, and delicate harmonies to warm even the coldest New England soul. The musicians create a nostalgic sound without swaying into sentimentalville; quiet honesty prevails in I Saw Across the Sound.
“Nut Island” features the band’s signature amalgamation of Regina’s haunting voice resting perfectly into place with intimate vocals delivered by Chris. The simply yet beautifully played acoustic guitar and percussion undulates under the singers while a wistful flute line glides in and out of the music.
The album is touted as the ideal autumn soundtrack; however, I look forward to enjoying I Saw Across the Sound well into warm months. Songs from this album have a guaranteed spot on my summer road trip mix cd.
Download recommendations: “Stone Walls”, “Nut Island”, and “Our Humble Cross”
*Photos courtesy of the band’s myspace
Filed under: Interviews, Reviews | Tags: Barcelona, boston, brian fennell, chris bristol, copland, indie, ma, NBD music, relient k, rhett stonelake, the paradise rock club, universal motown records
Beautifully crafted piano lines complimenting the heartfelt, poignant vocals are just two of the reasons you should listen to Seattle-based indie band Barcelona. Their sound translates into a thrilling, well-crafted rock balladfest exhibiting exquisite musicianship, as I had the pleasure of experiencing this past Sunday when the band played at The Paradise in Boston. The group kept things light admidst the emotionally charged songs by cracking jokes with the audience and bringing upbeat stage presences. Brian Fennell (vox, keys), Chris Bristol (guitar, vox), and Rhett Stonelake (drums) of Barcelona kindly answered my questions a few days before the show.
Liv: The three of you studied at Seattle Pacific; were your academic endeavors music related? How did you all start making music, individually, and as a group?
Barcelona: Chris and I (Brian) both studied music at Seattle Pacific University. The three of us met playing in a musical group on campus.
Liv: You began by starting your own label, NBD music. Why did you decide to create it? Difficulties? Process? Does the label still exist?
Barcelona: Based on our early experiences in the music industry back when we started the band in 2006, we chose to release our music independently via our own label. It seemed like the most practical and controlled way of releasing our first record. We learned a great deal during the process and are proud of how it has progressed.
Liv: What is your song writing and lyrical process and inspiration?
Barcelona: I (Brian) write the lyrics, melodies, and basic song structure. Then when we rehearse as a band, I bring the song to the guys and we add parts and work it out until we have a finished product. Most of my inspiration comes from relationships I’ve been involved with, whether it’s me and someone else, or relationships outside of myself. (more…)
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: adam ritchie, cambridge, ma, michael connors, scott guild, the lights out, the luxury, the middle east downstairs, the new collisions
i cannot thank our dear photographer michael connors for these amazing pictures of the new collisions and the luxury. the show rocked; thank you to all who came out and supported these fantastic boston bands!
the new collisions:
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: boston, liv hauck, ma, midnight masses, rocknrollboston, secret machines, the paradise, trail of dead
Midnight Masses opened this past Monday night for Secret Machines and Trail of Dead at The Paradise. For most of the band’s set, there lacked a solid audience; I regret that not more concert goers arrived early to see this talented group.
The septet, led by lead singer and song writer Autry, beautifully combined delicate harmonies, rambling guitars, soul singin’, and poignant lyrics.
Autry’s honest and fervent delivery of the songs imparted upon the audience members his (very) personal thoughts on love, death, rebirth, spiritual existence, desperation, and sorrow. His soulful vocals soared dramatically over the instrumentation, leaving the audience in awe of his emotional outpouring. Sun soaked harmonies offered by the other band members provided an elegantly halcyon balance to the aggressive and gritty instrumental music and Autry’s impassioned – at times frantically so – singing.
Secret Machines and Trail of Dead followed Midnight Masses, but coherent thought disintegrated into that peculiarly glorious adrenaline high induced by fantastic live music; all I can say is all three bands performed spectacularly.
Midnight Masses:
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: andre obin, cambridge, dance, electronica, ma, rocknrollboston, tt the bears
Andre Obin displayed his techno prowess last night at TT the Bear’s to a surprisingly full house. I’ve never seen the club so packed. Obin’s classic electronica beats provided a throbbing foundation for his distorted, other worldly vocal stylings. His passionate performance deserved only the craziest, danciest audience; however, in true Bostonian form, not one person ventured more than the occasional toe tap. Obin’s music certainly gained well-deserved enthusiastic applause, but I’d love to see him perform for less timid concert-goers.
Side note: remember folks, TTs has a $15 dollar credit card minimum!!
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: at&t, house of blues boston, maxwell, neo soul, r&b, samsung, summer krush, theo q, theo quansah
Beautiful photos by Theo Quansah of neo-soul/R&B singer Maxwell when the artist came through Boston at House of Blues (brought to you by Samsung and AT&T!). Enjoy 
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: drug rug, mean creek, middle east cambridge, needy visions, paint the fence invisible, sarah cronin, the new black magic rainbow quartet, tommy allen
Three years ago, Drug Rug, the boyfriend-girlfriend dynamic of Sarah Cronin and Tommy Allen, was working behind the scenes at the Middle East. While they haven’t quit their day jobs, on Aug. 8, the twosome was center stage at the venue to celebrate the release of their second album Paint the Fence Invisible. To get the festivities rolling, Drug Rug invited an eclectic bunch of local bands including the Needy Visions, the New Black Magic Rainbow Quartet, and Mean Creek, who were also celebrating the release of their latest album The Sky (Or The Underground). While the audience’s attention was split between four acts, by the time the Rug finished their encore, the packed house knew damn well whose party it was.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: allston, boston, bridget toner, harper's ferry, harvey danger, magic magic, the organ beats
Harvey Danger recently played at Harper’s Ferry, with delightful Boston bands
Magic Magic and The Organ Beats opening for them. Check out these awesome photos by Bridget Toner!
Harvey Danger:
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: best music poll, boston, colleen o'brien, dave duncan, michael angelakos, new england product, passion pit, ra ra riot, the phoenix
Passion Pit Dominates Best Music Poll
Emergency services were called to the front of the house just prior to Passion Pit’s performance at Sunday’s Best Music Poll concert on City Hall Plaza; clearly the stage managers knew that the show was going to be off the Richter.
New England Product host Dave Duncan called Passion Pit to the stage after Ra Ra Riot’s opening performance, proudly announcing the band’s Cambridge roots. But Duncan isn’t the only local showing the band some love; Passion Pit cleaned up in The Boston Phoenix’s annual Best Music Poll, reserving bragging rights as the Best Local Act led by the Best Male Vocalist (Michael Angelakos) who sings the Best Song (“The Reeling”) on the Best Album (full-length debut, Manners). Bow down, mere music-lover. Show some respect.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: cambridge, colleen o'brien, drug rug, ma, middle east downstairs, paint the fence invisible, rock n roll boston
My brother is a pretty smart kid. So naturally, he toured a bunch of colleges a year ago as a high school senior, visiting Emerson, BU, and the like. On the cusp of the biggest decision of his adolescent life, you can imagine my surprise when college was the last thing on his mind after a day of touring.
“I saw Drug Rug riding their bikes in Cambridge,” he revealed through a star-struck grin.
He didn’t mention the beautiful brick buildings in Harvard Yard, or Boston College’s impressive football stadium.
Clearly, Drug Rug is a band to get excited about.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: emily grund, rocknrollboston, sarah borges, sarah borges and the broken singles
If you’d rather not take the word of a newbie music review writer, at least take note that Sarah Borges from Boston’s own Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles (SBBS) has been nominated for New and Emerging Artist by the 2009 Americana Music Awards and Best Local Female Vocalist by The Boston Phoenix. They were also reviewed by Ken Tucker on NPR’s Fresh Air, if you prefer reading critiques by someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. But if you’d like to know the genuine opinion of a 21-year-old North Shore native and open minded music fan, then by all means, read on!
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: cambridge, dave alpert, liv hauck, ma, mariana iranzi, mark purrington, michael spencer, rob sistare, rock n roll boston, tt the bears
The People:
Dave Alpert – Guitar Vocals, Keys, Songwriter
Mariana Iranzi – Bass
Rob Sistare – Guitar
Mark Purrington – Drums
The Set List:
Tryin, Caught On You, Who Do you Think You Are, Get Out, Settle Down, Farewell, Catch Me if you can, Ties that Bind
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: cambridge, colleen o'brien, ma, magic magic, provincetown rocks festival, rock n roll boston, salem, sleepy lion, the middle east
Boys from Salem work their magic at the Middle East Upstairs
Magic Magic left an intimate audience spellbound on Monday night at the You Can Be a Wesley CD release party. The band was first on the bill—preceding Everything, Now!, Casper & the Cookies, and YCBaW—but defied their opener status with a confident set of swooning guitar riffs, rhythmic rants, and crystal-clear vocals. Magic Magic’s signature drumming duo packed a one-two punch, showcasing their complimentary percussion during the crowd favorite “Sleepy Lion,” but even a double dose of rhythm couldn’t shake show-goers out of the Boston Coma (n. Baw-stun Coh-muh. Stillness and stare that Bostonians assume when watching a band perform. Antonym: dancing).
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: cambridge, liv hauck, ma, michael spencer, rocknrollboston, the everyday visuals, tt the bears
Sometimes we like to let the photos do the talkin’. Here are the Everyday Visuals performing at TT the Bear’s on July 14th. Beautiful photographs courtesy of Michael Spencer.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: aloud, boston, cd release party, click five, liv hauck, midatlantic, peter gollands, rock n roll boston, the luxury, the paradise
It was a good thing Liv was able to experience the band Aloud at the Paradise last Saturday; I was kicking myself in the ass for showing up late and only getting to see their closing song. But all the disappointment I felt in myself for missing Aloud’s set dissipated soon after I realized that I was about to sonically meet head on with another three solid bands.
The two bands I saw that preceded the closing act – The Luxury – were both dynamically different in their delivery. The Saturday night was a great mix of catchy, rocking music as these acts were all strewn across the spectrum of aggressive pop.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: aloud, boston, henry, jen, liv hauck, rock n roll, the luxury, the paradise
I had no idea what to expect when I attended Aloud’s show at the Paradise on Saturday, July 11th. The band opened for The Luxury; it was the latter’s CD release party that evening. I had never seen Aloud live and knew that a lot of attendees planned on arriving later for the headlining act. Frankly, I looked forward to seeing Aloud based on their recordings but feared they might be playing to a sparse crowd.
I should not have been so worried. The band surpassed any expectations I could have possibily had and the crowd loved every minute of it. Aloud performed a rousing set lasting not nearly enough time to an energetic and enthused audience. I was both entertained and delighted by the amount of audience members who knew every word to every song. The band members looked sharp from the moment they took the stage in their simple, all white outfits accented by red ties and a crimson sheriff pin. They filled their set with head bangin’, hair swingin’, and absolutely thrilling hard rockin’. Jen’s vocals were described as “defiant and decidedly bad-ass” by one audience member – her singing and liveliness matched by second lead singer Henry’s passionate voice. Watching the dynamic between the two lead singers offered a different and interesting approach to a live set. The two worked as a perfectly synched duo, neither detracting attention from the other. They moved together and interacted at just the right moments, and knew when to do their own things so as not to seem cheesy.
Their time ended with my personal favorite Aloud song, “When The Ants Attack the Queen.” The frenzied drumming, wild guitars, and catchy chorus has been on repeat in my head ever since Saturday night.
*photos by liv hauck
Filed under: Events, Reviews | Tags: connecticut, laurel island, michael spencer, rock n roll boston, the real makers
From their 7/11 show at Laurel Island in Connecticut. Thank you Michael Spencer for these exquisite photographs, and check out the band’s myspace.
(more…)
Filed under: Interviews, Reviews | Tags: anthony, david letterman, howie, jay leno, johnny, liv hauck, los angeles, low vs diamond, lucas, rock n roll boston, tad
Alternative rock band Low vs Diamond calls themselves “an American band”; members Lucas, Howie, Anthony, Johnny, and Tad settled in Los Angeles from all over the country to make music together. Since forming in 2006, they released their debut self-titled album in April 2008, followed by appearances on Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno during that summer. Furiously driven guitars and drums behind sincere and beautifully written lyrics are just two of the many qualities the listener can expect from Low vs Diamond.
One such song that particularly exhibits the aforementioned traits, “Don’t Forget Sister” (number 59 in Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 best songs in 2008), is magnificently crafted, offering highs and lows; drama and nostalgia; lush vocals and gritty instrumentation. The song opens with Lucas Field’s vocals over an unrelenting drum foundation and a nostalgically sweet piano line. The lead singer’s crooning is reminiscent of Brandon Flowers; however, it is quickly revealed the Low vs Diamond singer is far more passionate and less pretentious sounding than the Killers’ front man. Underneath Field’s heartfelt singing the song gains momentum propelled by the exuberant coupling of keyboard with drums and bass. Just when the listener thinks the song is going to burst into the rock hysteria, the band pulls back for the thoughtfully quiet chorus with a sing-a-long melody, “Don’t forget sister/She’ll always be true/We come from a good home/We won’t forget you” The drum never ceases its steady motion which constantly builds tension even through the restrained chorus. Finally the band explodes with aggressive guitar and lively vocals that continue to intensify into a sumptuous rock anthem worthy of becoming a classic.
Howie, the drummer of Low vs Diamond, kindly agreed to do an instant message interview. Apparently David Letterman keeps his studio freezing to prevent sweating…
Filed under: Events, Reviews | Tags: alternative rock, boston, drums, liv hauck, music, myspace, rock n roll boston, spectator
…this show has obviously already passed. Unfortunately, the band emailed me friday, and I didn’t have computer access until today. However, the poster is sick so I’m posting it anyways. Check out spectator, and fall in love with the passionately dramatic vocals melding exquisitely with fervently executed instrumentation: fiery guitar supported by violently thrilling drums and killer bass licks.
Stay tuned for info on their upcoming shows.
