Category: Reviews

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When Particles Collide – This Town (2015)

when particles collide this town
When Particles Collide
This Town
2015

When Particles Collide released This Town back in May. There’s something you should know about this EP. It’s heavy. Yes, the guitars chug and buzz and the drums rarely relent, but that’s not what I’m talking about. These songs weigh on your chest. There are some bright pop hooks sprinkled throughout this six part endeavor, but there is nothing frivolous to be heard. The title track makes an immediate, thunderous impact. “These Stories” was forged from ancient riffs. No song leaves a bigger impression than “Storm Cloud.” It’s a 3 minute song with the soul on an 8 minute epic. The result is almost impossibly dense and frenzied. When Particles Collide have left their mark.

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Aloud – “Darkest Days” (2015 Remix)

Aloud Darkest Days Remix
Aloud
“Darkest Days”
2015 Remix

Sometimes as an artist you revisit your work. It’s natural to re-evaluate what you’ve created with the passage of time and experience. When this exercise goes poorly, you end up with Greedo shooting first. When it goes well, you get the 2015 remix of “Darkest Days.”

Prompted by the 5th anniversary of its original release and the continued evolution of the socio-political environment that spawned the song, Aloud remixed their moving anthem with new perspective. Click on through and you can read about the origins of the song and watch a short video where Jen and Henry talk about what “Darkest Days” means to them. Or just give the refreshed tune a listen and take its message to heart. You can’t miss it. It’s right there in those glorious opening harmonies.

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The Color And Sound – Hi. (2015)

the color and sound hi
The Color And Sound
Hi.
2015

Hello! Hi. is the new three-song EP from The Color And Sound. Opening track “Team” rocks out with youthful abandon. It’s exactly the kind of pressurized power-pop sing-along the group is known for. “Come Over” follows, takes a decidedly darker path to a similar destination. Not content to be boxed in as boisterous, “Better View” routes a ’50s-style ballad through a Flaming Lips filter. It’s an unexpected and most welcome turn.

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Doom Lover – “Alright, Goodnight” (2015)

Doom Lover Alright Goodnight
Doom Lover
“Alright, Goodnight”
2015

It’s 2015, so we’re all aware that Doom Lover is awesome, correct? OK. Good. “Alright, Goodnight” continues the band’s tradition of songcraft that is hard to pin down. Is it atmospheric? Yes. Is it immediate? Also, yes. Is it eerie, frenetic or gorgeous? Yes on all counts. “Alright, Goodnight” changes from foreboding ballad to desperate anthem at the drop of a dime. All the while, harmonies hold your heart. Doom Lover have created their own musical world with a seemingly endless supply of songs that are slightly out of whack in just-the right-ways. I hope this well never runs dry.

Oh, they also made a pretty great video.

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The Easy Reasons – “Southern Boys” (2015)

The Easy Reasons - Southern Boys
The Easy Reasons
“Southern Boys”
2015

The Easy Reasons keep it gritty and raw on their latest single. “Southern Boys” lives for its hook. It’s a good one. After a snappy verse with chiming guitars and wistful lyrics, the chorus throws down with a wall of overdriven chords and a big vocal. Good luck getting that out of your head.

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These Wild Plains – These Wild Plains (2015)

These Wild Plains
These Wild Plains
These Wild Plains
2015

These Wild Plains have packaged up their Evils and “Break Your Heart” EPs (along with the previously-unheralded-on-these-pages-but-equally-as awesome Hey, To Clear The Air EP) into an easy to consume self-titled collection. Now you can get lost in all of their warm, haunting, heart-breaking, fuzzy, twangy, reverb-drenched songs without interruption. Although, I’d gladly get up to flip over the record if they pressed this thing on vinyl.

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The Wrong Shapes – “Faith In Make​-​Believe” (2015)

wrong shapes faith in make believe
The Wrong Shapes
“Faith In Make​-​Believe”
2015

September’s edition of the The Wrong Shapes’ Single of the Month series is a twisted Disney funeral dirge. The frightening and fanciful “Faith In Make​-​Believe” drifts through the darkness, finding its light in an undeniable chorus refrain. This is some dark magic.

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Stars Like Ours – Hand Shy (2015)

Stars Like Ours - Hand Shy
Stars Like Ours
Hand Shy
2015

The ’90s revival gods are smiling down on Boston lately. Between the Gloomy Tunes EP from Weakened Friends and this pair of singles from Stars Like Ours we’ve had a couple of new bands breathing life into an old sound. For their part, Kristin Edmonston and Michelle Paulhus build walls of thick guitars and driving bass that they smash through with kinetic melodies. “High” and “The Callout” are solid, driving tunes that show that Stars Like Ours are ready to play. I’m in.

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Parlour Bells – “Wetware” (2014)

parlour bells wetware
Parlour Bells
“Wetware”
2014

Let’s give a listen to Parlour Bells’ 2014 space rock ballad, shall we? “Wetware” opens with a guitar line that carries the tune like The Edge with less digital delay. It’s a melody that skillfully intertwines with the vocals during the ever evolving us-against-the-world chorus. Parlour Bells do a great job creating a charged atmosphere. The bass, synthesizers, piano fills and ethereal backing vocals all find a place in the mix. Oh! Check out the rhythmic accents under the “I’m not perfect, but I’m human” part! Nice touch.

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Weakened Friends – Gloomy Tunes (2015)

Weakened Friends - Gloomy Tunes
Weakened Friends
Gloomy Tunes
2015

It’s hard not to get excited about Weakened Friends. “Won Yet” was one of the best debut singles I’d heard in a long time. Now I’m listening to their Gloomy Tunes EP and I’m grinning from ear to ear. “Miserable” is brilliantly self-deprecating. “Main Bitch” has a distorted “Woo-ooo” melody that has me bopping my head despite my best efforts to remain stoic. “Won Yet” is included here, continuing the bad-vibes-make-good-tunes theme. Linear and unconventionally-structured mini-epic “Honestly” closes out this fine EP, making me feel exceedingly lucky to have Weakened Friends joining us for the Daykamp Poster & Photo Show. I can’t wait.

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