Schooltree have released an elaborately arranged album layered in majesty and elegance. Rise is impeccably crafted and impossibly lush. The grandiose production serves the band’s updated take on progressive rock well. Every note-perfect performance finds a home in the refined mix. Above it all, Lainey Schooltree’s striking vocals command attention. Rise is an almost unfathomable amalgam of ambition and attention to detail.
Full Disclosure: The album artwork for Rise was done by the lovely and talented Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative. Now you know. This album sounds and looks amazing.
“I Said So” is another over-modulated garage rock nugget from Thick Shakes. Boston’s Farfisa dirt royalty seem intent on motivating your right foot to pin the accelerator. The guitars, bass and drums wail away, but it’s the ascending/descending organ part that really puts this one over the top. Dig it.
I’ve been listening to Harris Hawk’s Feeder a lot, but I must confess it makes me a little uncomfortable. I feel like I’m eavesdropping on the band’s therapy session. It’s not going well. Someone keeps yelling “You’ll never keep me here!” I’m afraid outbursts like that aren’t going to help her cause. I want to walk away and pretend I don’t feel guilty about listening in, but the songs are just so damn compelling. There’s a level of agitation to the riffing that keeps me on my toes. I’m just going to hide over here and hope the band doesn’t notice me.
My first published photo was in the pages* of The Phoenix back in 2001. It was for a feature on The Decals.** It was one of the first promo photos I ever took, as evidenced by the chain link fence in the background. I was beside myself when I saw it in print.***My photo in The Phoenix?!?! No way! It really meant a lot to me.
This photo appeared in a recent issue of The Glossy Phoenix. Those lights are hiding the band’s tears.
I want to offer a personal thank you to all the folks who have championed the Boston music scene at The Phoenix over the years. You’ve given valuable exposure to so many bands I love.**** May you go forth like the seeds of a dandelion on a summer breeze. I hope you turn the whole F’n town yellow.
Parlour Bells rocked the WFNX Farewell show. The re-death of the station is a double downer.
* With a thumbnail on the cover!
** Another footnote! Nicole Anguish was a member of The Decals. Her first design job was at The Phoenix. She’s now the creative force behind Daykamp Creative.
*** It felt a lot like hearing one of my songs on the radio for the first time, which happened to come courtesy of WFNX.
I’m at a loss. I want you to know how I feel when I watch Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance, but the words aren’t coming. “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture” and all that. Imagine standing in the sunshine with all the dark clouds held at bay. What do you call that feeling?
You know what I always say: “When it snows, I need to boogie!”* Well, it’s snowing, so I’m off to Radio for Brendan Boogie’s first-Thursday-of-every-month-until-the-end-of-time residency. The band is good great. The puns are bad terrible. It’s exactly what I had hoped for.
* I never have and never will say this. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever. Ever. Never.
It’s always exciting when the Rumble participants are announced. However, the fun really begins when the nightly lineups are drawn. That’s when you realize how crazy-diverse The Rumble is. Just take a look at the schedule below. You certainly won’t leave any of these shows complaining that all of the bands sounded the same. I’m tempted to point out a couple of nights that I think are going to be really special, but experience tells me they all end up being memorable. You might as well pick up a full-boat pass.
Only one of these acts will don the Rumble tiara, but they all get to play on a motley bill of genre crossbreeding. That’s what makes The Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble special. That’s why I can’t wait for April 7th.
You People’s noisy indie rock packs a wallop. They pull no punches on their scrappy debut EP. Listen enough times and you’ll see shades of Dinosaur Jr, Hüsker Dü and The Afghan Whigs in the bruise they leave behind. These songs will be ringing in your head for days.
