Month: December 2013

Various Artists
Boston Does Boston Vol. 1 & 2
2013

Boston Does Boston Vol. 1 & 2 is out. It’s 26 tracks of Boston bands covering each other to raise money for the Animal Rescue League of Boston. Read all about it right here. This is my first time through the collection. I’ve been waiting to listen until I had time to go end-to-end all at once. I’m jotting down some notes. Let’s see what happens…

• “Get Away” (Township covering Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents) – Hell, yes! I love the original. This version is just Township doing their thing. We’re off to a good start.
• “Bright” (Will Dailey covering Reverse) – Yes and yes. The original sings with supersaturated glory. This version kicks back. Perfect.
• “True Star” (Reverse covering I, Pistol) – Reverse gets a cool groove going on this I, Pistol tune. Sweet harmonies and guitar lines. Three songs in and this collection is blowing my mind a bit.
• “Amylee” (I, Pistol covering The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library) – When in doubt, rock it out. Especially when it sounds this natural.
• “A Madness To His Method” (The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library covering Gene Dante & the Future Starlets) – The “watch me falling down” parts on this version sound really good.
• “Trainwreck” (Gene Dante & The Future Starlets covering Miss Fairchild) – Everything Gene Dante touches is delightfully seedy. This cover is no exception.
• “Costumes” (Miss Fairchild covering Mr. Vertigo) – Tremolicious.
• “Sleeping Alone” (Mr. Vertigo covering The Field Effect) – A modern-rock-radio-ready take on a stripped back Field Effect tune.
• “The Sun Shines” (The Field Effect covering Sidewalk Driver) – Come on. The Field Effect covering Sidewalk Driver? Do you know me? Thank you Boston Does Boston.
• “Straitjacket” (Sidewalk Driver covering The Luxury) – Sidewalk Driver make magic. When the boy/girl vocals meet up with the bop-baddas, good things happen.
• “Infinity Minor” (The Luxury covering Ted Billings) – Meticulously layered and melodic.
• “Celebrate” (Ted Billings covering Garvy J.) – A spunked up and stripped down take on the Garvy J. anthem.
• “Pavement Prophet” (Garvy J. covering Sarah Rabdau and Self-Employed Assassins) – Subtly glorious. Shrouded in mystery and synthesizers.
• “Rian” (Jenny Dee and The Deelinquents covering Township) – Jenny Dee and The Deelinquents return the favor, turning a Township tune into one of their own. Geez. These cats are good.
• “No God in Massachusetts” (Sarah Rabdau & Self-Employed Assassins covering Dead Cats Dead Rats) – Whoa. That was unexpected. Sarah turned herself inside out without losing sight of who she is. Impressive.
• “On Fire” (Dead Cats Dead Rats covering The Lights Out) – Blistering take on an already rippin’ tune.
• “Atom Bomb” (The Lights Out covering Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys) – There’s still some grit under the nails, but steamcrunk cleans up nicely. Nice pairing.
• “The Ladder” (Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys covering Black Thai) – Still heavy. Possessed vocal. Possessed viola.
• “Less Talk, More Rokk” (Black Thai covering Freezepop) – Yes, yes, yes and more yes! Black Thai slay the synth-pop giant.
• “Sweater Weather” (Freezepop covering Parks) – Look, a perfect pop song is a perfect pop song, OK? Proof.
• “Badfinger Bridge” (Parks covering Corin Ashley) – A natural pairing with a lovely bouquet.
• “Marigold” (Corin Ashley covering The Curtain Society) – I’m not familiar with the original, but this version is lovely.
• “Birds Fly Information” (The Curtain Society covering Here We Just Dream) – Poppy. Trippy. Melodic. Great guitar solo.
• “The Most Beautiful Thing” (Here We Just Dream covering Sarah Blacker) – There are a lot of nice, subtle touches in this one.
• “Whiskey” (Three Day Threshold covering Nemes) – Three Day Threshold singing about whiskey? Shocking.
• “Kindness” (Nemes covering Will Dailey) – Impressive shared vocals and a wonderful sentiment. Nice way to end the comp.

Yeah, so this is great. All you have to do now is download this thing and enjoy it yourself. Oh, and maybe check out one of the live events happening this weekend.

Where to get it:

• Bandcamp