Month: January 2012

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Ryan Schmidt – White Horse EP (2012)


Ryan Schmidt
White Horse EP
2012

Knowing nothing about Ryan Schmidt except that he was in Golden Owl*, I click on over to the Bandcamp page for the White Horse EP and am immediately floored. The finger-picked guitar. The voice with the somber tone and a touch of optimism. The strings. Oh, the strings! I don’t know what I was expecting, but this Nick Drake dream was certainly not it. What a nice surprise.

I’m hooked, and I scroll down to look for credits to see who was responsible for this blind-side assault. OK. Recorded by Rafi Sofer, mastered by Mike Quinn. These guys know their stuff. Wait, strings recorded by Aaron Tap at QuailTop Studios? That could only mean one thing. Yup, string arrangement by Paula Kelley.** Well, there you go. This is how you do it. Write a great song that you can play and sing the hell out of and then surround yourself with some of the best music making people around. “White Horse” is a masterpiece.

The rest of the EP is pretty darn good, too. I love Ryan’s finger picking, which returns on “Go Where You Belong”. The harmony vocals by Tim Gearan and the twelve-string on “November 15” are a nice touch. White Horse EP is a solid effort all around.

Where to get it:

* One of my favorite One Night Bands. I even got to shoot their official promo picture!

** Aaron Tap and Paula Kelley live out in LA. They used to live in Boston. If you are not familiar with their work, try checking out Paula’s solo albums, Boy Wonder, Betty Goo, Hot Rod, The Weisstronauts or Boston’s best Bee Gees tribute act, The Boy Joys. You won’t be sorry.

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The Shakes & Pony Show @ Moe’s Lounge 1.6.2012

Rodrigo Van Stoli and Jason Baldock were tasked with opening Moe’s Lounge* with a bang. The duo cooked up a residency where they would pick a different theme for each night** and assemble a ragtag group of local rockers to help them pull it off. Night one was Mixtape-Mixtape night, where the gang*** performed selections from the various nights of the MixTape series they’ve been involved with. What you ended up with was a mishmash of covers spanning decades. A couple of highlights were some great interplay between Rodrigo Van Stoli and Rona Mattocks on “Beast Of Burden” and a snappy cover of Robert Plant’s “Tall Cool One”. The night ended with a “Daydream Believer” singalong.

Welcome to The Shakes & Pony Show…

* Moe’s Lounge is downstairs at Radio. Seeing a show there is like hanging out in your friend’s basement. Good times.

** To find out what’s in store for the rest of the residency, check out this amazing poster by the wonderful and talented Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative.

*** Which at various times included 2/3 of Brownboot, 2/5 of Sidewalk Driver, 1/5 of The Future Everybody, 1/6 of Fit To Be Tied, all of Tad & Kate and 4/5 of Bright Lights, Big Rod.

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Streight Angular – Everyone Is Syncopated (2012)


Streight Angular
Everyone Is Syncopated
2012

After a couple of mind blowing singles, those neon-loving maniacs in Streight Angular have finally released the Everyone Is Syncopated EP. In fact, those singles kick off this new collection. Since I’ve already told you how “Everyone Is Syncopated” and “Supermarché” make my insides feel all warm and tingly, let’s jump to the new stuff.

“In My Bed, Not My Head” is a blistering freak out. Dig it. “Oh Gurl” is an ’60s pop ballad with ’80s keyboard layers. It’s an unusual paring that works quite well for these DayGlo punks. The EP closes with “Hot Pot Anaconda”, a trippy space jam with lyrics consisting of the song’s title, the occasional “woo” and rhythmically chanting “hey”. I can’t wait to hear what Streight Angular cooks up next.

Where to get it:

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Tad & Kate @ Moe’s Lounge 1.6.2012

Tad and Kate. Kate and Tad. Hearing those two names together makes me happy. I think about plane crashes and the world coming to an end. I think about hobos, bad presents, karaoke and being kidnapped. I think about all of these things and I smile. It’s some kind of Pavlovian response. I’ve become so accustomed to being entertained by this duo that I just can’t help myself. At least I don’t drool.

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Nate Rogers @ Moe’s Lounge 1.6.2012

Friday night marked the opening of Moe’s Lounge downstairs at Radio. While they’ve had a couple of shows in the wood paneled basement in the past, this was the official coming out party.

Nate Rogers was the first person to play in the newly christened room. To honor the occasion, Nate performed a set of songs spanning his entire career. There were “hits” and “deep cuts” from both The Future Everybody and Scamper. The highlight of the set? Nate performed “Test Tube Babies”*, a song he wrote when he was seventeen. So great.

* The song raises the question: “Are the adults in bigger tubes?” Awesome.

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Star Ghost Dog – The Great Indoors (2000)


Star Ghost Dog
The Great Indoors
2000

The Great Indoors is easily Star Ghost Dog’s finest work. The record sheds the indie scrappiness of its predecessor to become a polished, twinkling gem. The songs are all top notch and the production is dazzling.

It’s hard to pin down Star Ghost Dog’s sound. At times you may be reminded of Liz Phair, Apples In Stereo, Luscious Jackson or even Stereolab. Overall, however, they’ve managed to create their own sound. Ginny Weaver’s vocals sound detached, but that’s part of what makes them so engaging. Synthesizers manage to add layers that you now realize were missing from their debut, Happylove. The rhythm section of Chris Foley (drums) and Owen Burkett (bass) provide a solid groove on every song.

The opening track, “Underdrive,” is like a sunnier version of Elastica. That’s where the good vibes end, however. A cloud of beautiful melancholy hangs over The Great Indoors. “Knock Down” is a broken love song with a simple keyboard line that anchors the verse until the overdriven guitars jump in during the chorus. “Holiday” became one of the band’s best known songs with it’s slow burn. “Megafauna” continues Star Ghost Dog’s infatuation with near-disco, this time with a super-saturated guitar hook.

The album closes with its haunting title track. Ginny sings “Just pretend we don’t know how it ends . Never heard it all before.” Unfortunately for us, we do know how it ends. The Great Indoors would be Star Ghost Dog’s last album. What a beautiful way to go out.

Where to get it:

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The Kickbacks – Even The Blues (2008)


The Kickbacks
Even The Blues
2008

The Kickbacks return with another batch of slice-of-life roots rock. Even The Blues is largely a collection of mid-tempo tunes with a fair number of quieter numbers for good measure. There are no barn burners, like “Lazy Eye” from their 2006 release Motel Stars. Tad Overbaugh and his band seem content to play things a little closer to the vest this time around. What the album lacks in reckless abandon it makes up for with a stellar album closer in the ballad “No Guarantees”.

Where to get it:

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The Dirty Truckers – Loose In The Joints (2008)


The Dirty Truckers
Loose In The Joints
2008

Loose In The Joints starts off with the infectious “Sea Pines.” It’s clear from the get-go that The Dirty Truckers are raising their game once again. Once content to be the closest thing Boston had to The Replacements (certainly not a bad thing), The Dirty Truckers have really come into their own on their third release, pouring on their love of The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and Faces.

Once again we see some lineup changes for the band. Lead ‘Trucker Tom Baker is still there, as is long time bassist Jamie Griffith. However, new members John Brookhouse (The Irreverends) and Brian McElroy (Golden West Motor Lodge) immediately make their mark. We’re introduced to Mr. Brookhouse via the fiery intro solo on “Sea Pines.” It’s well known that I think John is one of the best guitar players in Boston. He makes my case all over this record. Brian McElroy provides some great backing vocals throughout.

The band is absolutely on fire this time around. “Breakin My Stones” jumps out of the speakers. “3 Weeks To Go,” “Almost Justify,” and “Crosscutting Concerns” all rock with reckless abandon. There’s even a song that references fellow rockers *AM Stereo. As great as the loud numbers are, some of the record’s high points come when the band dials back the throttle. “Boston Wrangler,” “2 Different States” and “So So Numb” are among the finest song Tom Baker has written to date.

Loose In The Joints is also the best sounding album the band has made. Mike Quinn’s recording and David Minehan’s mix give us a clear sound of a band in top form. Great songs played with heart and captured in a way that sounds just right. This is my kind of record.

Where to get it: