johnny

March 1, 2013March 1, 2013

Parks – “Modern Fiction” (2013)

Parks
“Modern Fiction”
2013

I have a history of thinking that there’s no way songwriter Brian E. King can top himself.^* You’d think Parks’ debut single, “Sweater Weather”, would have taught me a lesson. I still had doubts. “Modern Fiction” should dispel that notion for good. I was pleasantly nodding along to the song’s vintage groove, particularly the “going crazy” part, when 2:35 happened. From that point on, “Modern Fiction” turns into a systematic dressing down of anyone who thinks that they know how to write a song. It’s masterful. The bridge perfectly contrasts with the parts that precede it before morphing into Super-Mega-Awesome-Reprise-O-Tron. Mind blown. I will doubt no more.

<a href="http://parksband.bandcamp.com/track/modern-fiction">Modern Fiction by Parks</a>

Where to get it:

Bandcamp

^* Which, not coincidentally, means I also have a history of being wrong.

March 1, 2013March 28, 2013

Aloud @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 2.26.2013

Aloud is one of those bands that kills it every time they take the stage.^* Even when they play first on a Tuesday night.^** What more could you ask for? A set full of gutsy pop hooks? Done.

^* You know, a good band.

^**Especially when they play first on a Tuesday night? Possibly. This is a band that does not take for granted that people came out to see them.

February 28, 2013February 28, 2013

Velah – Knotted / Glass Heart (Acoustic) (2013)

Velah
Knotted / Glass Heart (Acoustic)
2013

Velah continue to find the perfect balance between atmosphere and immediacy on their latest single. “Knotted” opens with a slightly off-kilter, circular guitar riff that would have been at home on Amnesiac. This entrancing guitar line is offset by Nick Murphy’s measured vocal. His voice is a calming force amid the complex rhythm patterns. “Knotted” is a Velah song, so we’re soon awash in haunting backing vocals, swells of saturation and layers of delay. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Knotted” is backed by an acoustic version of “Glass Heart” from the bands Black Olympia EP.

<a href="http://velah.bandcamp.com/album/knotted-glass-heart-acoustic">Knotted / Glass Heart (Acoustic) by Velah</a>

Where to get it:

Bandcamp

February 27, 2013

The Frost Heaves @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 2.18.2013

The Frost Heaves closed out a Monday night at TT’s with a blustery set.

February 26, 2013

Indiana Handshake @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 2.18.2013

Indiana Handshake came up from Providence to display their finely-honed, modern rock wares for the people of T.T. The Bear’s.

February 25, 2013April 4, 2013

The Milling Gowns @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 2.18.2013

The Milling Gowns just put me on notice. I caught them for the first time earlier this year when they won over a Radio crowd. I enjoyed that set. The band’s set at TT’s last week was something else entirely. It was vital. There was urgency. The Milling Gowns are building toward something big. Let’s see how this plays out.

February 22, 2013

The Fagettes – “If I See Him Again” (2012)

The Fagettes
“If I See Him Again”
b/w “On Drugs” and “My Girl Looks Like Johnny Thunders”
2012

The Fagettes are dangerous, raw and cut to the bone on “If I See Him Again.” This is Link Wray with lyrics, banned on late ’50s radio for all the right reasons. It’s viscous and vengeful, scathing and stark. It’s the sound of early rock ‘n’ roll distilled down and aged in barrels made from the beer-soaked wood floors of abandoned clubs. “On Drugs” mixes in a bit of Velvet Underground vibe. “My Girl Looks Like Johnny Thunders” has all the attitude of its namesake. The Fagettes mean business.