Month: May 2011

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Helicopter Helicopter – Squids And Other Fishes (1998)


Helicopter Helicopter
Squids And Other Fishes
1998

“What are you doing later tonight?  Well I don’t know, I guess maybe drugs and gay porno…”

Squids And Other Fishes was the debut full length from Helicopter Helicopter.   It was the darkest and most raw record the band made.  There were images of things you don’t really want to know about.  These were songs about the night.  This was like a musical adaptation of Taxi Driver.

“Split my lip on a bottle of Jack.  I swear to God I never felt so good…”

There was noise and space. Both were equally brutal when wielded by Helicopter Helicopter.  Squids And Other Fishes was off kilter indie rock – evil off kilter indie rock.  The sparse arrangement of “Great Big Meaningless” added to the dirge-like feel.  “Please Please Tito” and “Gay Porno” went for the jugular.  To this day, “Lucky” is one of my favorite songs ever to come out of Boston.

“What if you knew?”

Chris Zerby and Julie Chadwick shared song writing and vocal duties in the band.  The boy/girl dynamic contrasted well with the subject matter.  Both seemed to enjoy the role of pied piper, luring the listener into their twisted world.

“I’m the only one who can stand you!”

The band did hint at the catchy indie rock that would dominate some of their later releases.  Choruses got stuck in your head (until the next one came along to dislodge it), but the pop sensibilities never overpowered the dark imagery.  In the end Squids And Other Fishes was about life in the gutter.

“We’ll smoke crack at the end of the world…”

Where to get it:

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Emily Peal @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 5.20.2011

OK, I’ll admit that I know very little about Emily Peal. She mentioned she drove up from New York for this show. I believe she lives there now. A quick search indicates strong ties to the Boston area. Looks like she may have lived here. That’s good enough for me.

One thing I know is that Emily Peal opened the Static Of The Gods EP release show at TT’s this past Friday. I also know I liked her set. I took some pictures. I will share them with you.



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The Rationales @ Lizard Lounge 5.14.2011

Here we are at the end of a most pleasant evening. The Rationales have released a wonderful new album, The Distance In Between, and we all came out and celebrate.

After The Rationales opened the night with a laid back acoustic set, we were treated to the power pop stylings of The Future Everybody. Before long we found ourselves enthralled by OldJack’s performance. Now The Rationales were coming back out to give us a proper send off. Their performance was heartfelt and determined. They were not about to let anyone leave disappointed. The Rationales sent us home smiling.

I think I’m still humming “No Guarantees”.



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OldJack @ Lizard Lounge 5.14.2011

I’m sitting here trying to describe how I felt during OldJack’s set at the underground den known as Lizard Lounge this past weekend. I write and rewrite, my words always coming up short. It’s frustrating, because I want to find some concise way to convey how wonderful it is seeing OldJack play. If you haven’t had a chance to see them, I want to tell you that there’s a good chance you are missing out on something that may bring you great joy. Did you see them in The Rumble? Unreal. OldJack breathes life into whatever room they inhabit. There is something special about the moments when Dan Nicklin, Kelly Davis, Christie Beaulieu and Emily Belastock all sing together. I want to grab you by the scruff of your neck and drag you to an OldJack show so you can see what I’ve been fortunate enough to see.

Oh, I guess I feel lucky.



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Watts – On The Dial (2010)


Watts
On The Dial
2010

Watts are back.  Guess what?  They still sound like Watts.  Are you surprised?  You shouldn’t be.  Watts have their sound and they’re sticking to it.  On The Dial is well rounded power pop with its roots in good old fashioned rock n’ roll.

The album opens with the one-two punch of “On The Dial” and “Chaperone”.  Dan Kopko’s gruff voice tears through the mix with conviction.  “Afterburn” and “Time To Give The Devil His Due”, the latter sung by drummer John Lynch, get a healthy charge of AC/DC.   “Girls On Holiday” has a Phil Spector vibe (maybe it’s the guitar line nicked from “Then He Kissed Me”).   Do I hear a guiro in “Dancehall Days & Nights”?  I’m a sucker for a good guiro part. Guitarist John Blout takes a vocal turn on the hooky “She Wants To Rock”. Craig LaPointe’s lead vocals on “Don’t Mind” help to add a bit of variety late in the proceedings.  The scathing “Fight Song” is the most aggressive Watts tune to date.

On The Dial is another solid effort from Watts.  I expected nothing less.

Where to get it:

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The Rationales (Acoustic Set) @ Lizard Lounge 5.14.2011

The Rationales opened and closed their own CD release show for The Distance In Between. They booked a great bill with friends OldJack and The Future Everybody. They had special guests join them during their sets. The Rationales did it up right.

The first set was a stripped down acoustic affair featuring mandolin, cajón and melodica. Good stuff.



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Ultrabreakfast – Ice Cream Tricycle (1997)


Ultrabreakfast
Ice Cream Tricycle
1997

Mix equal parts Pavement and Smudge (the Australian, Tom Morgan fronted Smudge) and you’ll get a rough idea of what Ultrabreakfast sounds like. It’s quirky, fuzzy, catchy and fun. The production is mid-fi, the playing is a little sloppy, and it’s full of heart. All of this is documented on their full length album, Ice Cream Tricycle.

While much of the record is full of indie rock crackle and buzz, my favorite song on Ice Cream Tricycle is a straight up pop tune. “Mary” has a sweet guitar line and a simple melody that works well with Josh Boughey’s cool vocal delivery. The song has an innocence to it that will put a smile on your face.

The rest of Ice Cream Tricycle has something for everyone. There are quick and dirty up tempo numbers like “Orange Car,” “Dragon” and “Wishlist” (which mentions such wonderful things as Superchunk, albino kangaroos, time machines and dear departed local legend Billy Ruane). Kristen Day’s kick-snare beat and Tim Farrell’s slide guitar give “On The Floor” an almost country feel. The slower numbers provide the band some room to experiment with their sound. These songs serve as a showcase for Paul Wisner’s creative guitar effects. There’s even a conceptual song trilogy within the album’s ranks. All of this in under 40 minutes. That’s some marvelous ’90s indie rock efficiency.

Where to get it:

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Davina Yannetty @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 4.27.2011

Davina Yannetty is a dynamo. She has a big voice and a small guitar.* She loves Billy Squier, prog rock and long walks on the beach.** Oh, and her last name rhymes with spaghetti.



*Not really. It’s a ukulele.
**I know 2 out of 3 of these things to be true. The third could be conjecture or a blatant lie.