Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
It can be tough having a late slot on a school night. You have to dig a little deeper to keep yourself going. It ain’t glamorous loading out late and getting up early. Some bands can’t cut it. They pack up and go home. Other bands put on their shiny jackets and step onto that stage like there’s no place else they’d rather be.
Parlour Bells…
The Deep North had a little Rumble tune-up set at The Middle East. Watching them reminded me that prelims week can’t come soon enough…
The Susan Constant has something special going on right now. They kicked off a four three band bill at The Middle East last Thursday. Boston’s favorite band named after the largest ship of the English Virginia Company had the songs and the presence to get the night going full speed ahead in a hurry.
Petty Morals
The Cotton Candy Demo
2013
Petty Morals is what happens when members of Tijuana Sweetheart, Cult 45, The Grinds, The Spoilers, Killer Abs and Ghost Box Orchestra get together to play some synthed-up punkish tunes. I’ll give that slightly mind-blowing idea a second to sink in, but then we really need to move along because I’ve got something really important to tell you. Ready? Good. So, the first two songs on this demo, “You Get Me Loose” and “Girl Gotta Do,” have the bite and snarl you’d expect from this crowd. OK. You still with me? Here’s the really important thing I needed to tell you: You need to hear “Radio Action” right now! It’s new wave dynamite! Go, go, go!
Where to get it:
Cheerleadr
Rock Album
1999
Cheerleadr sounds a lot like early Foo Fighters on Rock Album, which is exactly what the Foo Fighters sounded like back in 1999 when this album was released. The two bands share a love of aggressive guitars, driving rhythm sections and the big chorus hook. Vocally, both acts are able to deliver the whisper to a scream dynamic. Singer Will Claflin doesn’t have the near croon that Dave Grohl has in his lower register. This serves Cheerleadr well. It adds a bit of bite during the lulls of the loud-quiet-loud routine. There are some pretty solid songs here. “Telescope” has a great dynamic between the verse and chorus. “Get Faith” is a top-notch rocker. “Death Of Me” features a fantastically vulnerable vocal. “Engage” is a speaker-melter.
On Rock Album, the guys in Cheerleadr managed to put together an album that perfectly captures the sound of alternative hard rock in 1999.
Where to get it:
Schooltree
Rise
2013
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.
Where to get it:
Thick Shakes
“I Said So”
2012
“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.
Where to get it:
Harris Hawk
Feeder
2013
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.
Where to get it:
It’s sinking in. The news that The Phoenix has had it’s last words is hitting the area music scene hard. Others have written about the details and the impact on the arts community far better than I can. That’s not what this is about. This is about thanks.
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.
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.
* 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.
**** Including one I was in and one I married into.
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?
